Hong Kong: Public reminded of IRD relocation The Inland Revenue Department today said most of its Wan Chai offices will be relocated to the newly built centre at Kai Tak by January 9, and citizens should note the office locations of its units and sections before visiting. The business hours and contact telephone numbers of the respective offices will remain unchanged. From January 9, only the Computer Back Up (Accounts) Section, Estate Duty Office, Refund Section and Tax Reserve Certificates Section will remain at Revenue Tower in Wan Chai. This arrangement will last until May tentatively. The drop-in box currently located on the ground floor of Revenue Tower will stop providing services after 5.30pm on January 6. People should use the drop-in box on the ground floor of the Inland Revenue Centre in Kai Tak for any drop-in service thereafter. To facilitate system updates, the departments 24-hour interactive enquiry service hotline 187 8088 will be suspended from 8.30am on January 7 to 5pm on January 8. During that period, members of the public can visit the departments website for tax information. They are also encouraged to use electronic services to handle tax affairs as far as possible. Click here or call 187 8088 for relocation details. This story has been published on: 2023-01-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Chinese premier meets Philippine president in Beijing Xinhua) 08:30, January 05, 2023 Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with visiting President of the Republic of the Philippines Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with visiting President of the Republic of the Philippines Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. in Beijing on Wednesday. Noting that China and the Philippines are close neighbors with a long history of friendly exchanges between the two peoples and steady progress on pragmatic cooperation in various fields, Li said Marcos' visit at the beginning of the new year is indicative of a good start to bilateral ties. Li said China attaches great importance to relations with the Philippines, adding that China is ready to strengthen high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, promote pragmatic cooperation with the Philippines to maintain regional peace and development and better benefit the two peoples. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with visiting President of the Republic of the Philippines Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Li said China is willing to work with the Philippines to better synergize development strategies to promote infrastructure cooperation, continuously deepen economic and trade cooperation, expand imports of readily marketable quality agricultural products from the Philippines, and beef up cooperation on new energy, including wind and solar energy, and strengthen cooperation on people-to-people exchanges and the recovery of tourism, among other areas. The premier said maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea serves the interests of countries within the region, including China and the Philippines. It is hoped that all sides will work together to facilitate consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to build the sea into one featuring peace, friendship and cooperation, he added. Calling China a brother, partner and friend of the Philippines, Marcos said the Philippines is willing to deepen cooperation in various fields on all levels and work to forge a strong partnership with China. He said the Philippines hopes to enhance communications with China to properly settle issues related to the South China Sea and maintain the peace and stability of the bilateral ties and the region. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) Photo: The Canadian Press CIBC has agreed to pay a total of $153 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed more than a decade ago over the bank's overtime policies, lawyers for the plaintiffs say. Dara Fresco, a former CIBC teller and class counsel, brought this case in 2007. The Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed last year an attempt by the bank to overturn a lower-court ruling in favour of the class-action case on behalf of about 31,000 retail bank employees. Fresco says the settlement is a fair compromise that will bring meaningful compensation to thousands of class members. CIBC spokesperson Tim Wallis says the settlement will avoid further legal costs and allow the bank to put the matter behind it. The agreement must be approved by the Ontario Superior Court before it will become binding. The lawyers of E Jean Carroll, who has claimed Donald Trump raped her, are fighting the former presidents efforts to toss out her lawsuit by reminding the judge of the legal precedent he set in a similar lawsuit. Ms Carroll, a longtime advice columnist for Elle magazine, made the rape claim for the first time publicly in a 2019 book and said the former president had raped her in a department store in New York. While serving as president, Mr Trump said the sexual assault never happened and said that shes not my type. Ms Carroll asserted that a friendly chance encounter between her and Mr Trump at the upscale Manhattan department store turned violent when he cornered her in a dressing room and raped her. She sued him on 24 November last year under New Yorks Adult Survivors Act for battery, on the day law took effect. Mr Trumps attorneys are trying to fend off Ms Carrolls lawsuit on the grounds that a temporary New York state law letting adult sex abuse victims sue decades later is invalid. Ms Carrolls lawyers, however, have demanded judge Lewis A Kaplan should reject this request and cited the precedent that the judge established in the lawsuit filed by Virginia Guiffre in the Jeffrey Epstein case, alleging Prince Andrew sexually abused her. Demanding dismissal of the case, Mr Trump said that as well-intentioned as it may be, is a fundamentally flawed law that is unable to withstand constitutional scrutiny. His lawyers said the law violates the New York State Constitution, was an invasion of due process and a clear abuse of legislative power. They also wrote that the state, in enacting the Adult Survivors Act, had provided no reason why Plaintiffs own neglect or refusal to bring an action within the applicable time period should be construed as an injustice against her. The statute of limitations, they said, expired after five years. Ms Carrolls lawyer Roberta Kaplan, however, reminded the judge of a similar argument that Prince Andrews lawyers made against the constitutionality of the law that allowed child sex abuse survivors to make claims years after the statute of limitations would have prevented them. Story continues Conceding that the claim has recently been revived by New Yorks Adult Survivors Act (ASA), Trump insists that the ASA violates the Due Process Clause of the New York State Constitution, stated Ms Carrolls legal brief on Wednesday. He is mistaken: the ASA is a reasonable measure passed by the New York legislature to remedy an identifiable injustice. Trumps assertion that the ASA is unconstitutional because adult victims of sexual assault have only themselves to blame for not coming forward sooner is offensive and wrong, Ms Kaplan said, according to Law and Crime, as she cited Prince Andrews case. At the time, Judge Kaplan said the argument that the temporary law was improper, had for good reason been rejected by every New York state and federal court to have considered it. He wrote that the claim-revival window was a reasonable measure to address an injustice. Weeks later, Prince Andrew settled the lawsuit, agreeing to donate to the charity of the woman who claimed he had sexually abused her when she was 17 and to declare he never meant to malign her character. Jeannie Mai Jenkins enjoys a meal at the restaurant Pho So 1 with Jenn Harris during their Vietnamese food crawl in the San Fernando Valley. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) Jeannie Mai Jenkins orders food like shes giving a TED Talk, with total authority, confidence and gumption. Sitting at a table at Pho So 1, a bare-bones restaurant in a strip mall in Van Nuys, she grips the laminated menu and points excitedly to a bowl of pho. Jenkins, best known as one of the Emmy-winning co-hosts of the daytime talk show "The Real" which ended its eight-season run earlier this year has made countless appearances as an energetic red-carpet fashion expert at the Golden Globes and the American Music Awards. But food, she says, is always central to what she does. She always wanted her own food show, and recently landed her dream job hosting Americas Test Kitchen: The Next Generation, a cooking competition series now streaming on Amazon Freevee. Ive been starving for an opportunity like this, she says. To actually be in the realm of food now makes me feel like a dream has finally been accomplished. 10:37 a.m. Pho So 1 The Van Nuys branch of Pho So 1 restaurant, Jenkins' first destination on a three-stop Vietnamese food crawl, is home to her favorite bowl of pho besides her mothers. When I moved to L.A.," she says, "the two homes I could afford at the time, one was 25 miles away from this restaurant and one was five miles. I picked the closer one immediately. In Vietnamese, Jenkins asks the server for a bowl of Dac Biet Xe Lua, a combination pho with rare slices of steak, flank, tendon, tripe and rice noodles. She wants the slices of raw beef on a plate on the side rather than served in the soup so she can control the cooking time. And she wants extra tripe in a bowl with hot broth. She would like the accompanying bean sprouts warmed so that they do not cool down the soup. And she wants a bowl of nuoc beo, the fat and oil they skim off the top of the soup while cooking, which they use to marinate diced green onions. This is just the instructions for the pho. She then points to a photo of crisp spring rolls and asks for an extra cup of nuoc cham . She turns the menu over and peruses the rice dishes. Not finding exactly what she wants, she builds her own plate, requesting a charbroiled pork chop with a slice of meatloaf, shredded pork skins and a fried egg. Oh, and some extra nuoc cham with that too. Story continues Our server furiously writes in his notepad, then hurries to the kitchen. Jenkins is the first to admit she's not a food expert. But for her, Vietnamese food is life, she says. Over the years, shes made it her mission to become a sort of culinary ambassador, introducing her food and culture to everyone she encounters. Jeannie Mai Jenkins waits outside the restaurant Bun Me for her banh mi sandwiches. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) In her YouTube series, Hello Hunnay, pronounced so that the nay drags into a personality all its own, she cooks, or rather watches her mother, Olivia Tutram (a.k.a. Mama Mai), cook, and extols the virtues of Vietnamese food. While we wait for our order, she gives me her tips for choosing a legit Vietnamese restaurant, tips she shared with more than 1 million viewers in a YouTube video that went viral two years ago. No. 1, always go with a restaurant that has a number after it," she says. It just signifies that they go the old-school way, so youve got some grandmas and grandpas and some uncles in the kitchen. No. 2, look for a laminated menu. Then look for Vietnamese writing and lots of pictures. I dont want to see noodle bone broth soup. I want to see numbers and Vietnamese writing, she says. And keep your Instagram-perfect photos to yourself. I want to see uncle capturing these with his little old Canon. If Jenkins is particular about the way the pho is ordered, she's equally particular about how it should be eaten. She reaches for a caddy of condiments stocked with the holy trinity of pho seasoning: hoisin sauce, sambal and sriracha. She takes a small ramekin on the table and pours me some hoisin sauce, then draws a happy face with some sriracha. After a few minutes, a parade of plates lands on the table. Jenkins immediately pulls out her phone. Wait, hold on, she says. I need to take a selfie. She holds her phone with an outstretched arm at a downward angle and uses her other hand to slide her high ponytail to one side. She straightens her Gucci headband and flashes a megawatt smile. Her perfectly manicured fingers snap a few photos. I take a selfie every time I eat because I just get so excited, she says. OK, now we can eat. Our pho bowls are crowded with slippery rice noodles, chunks of tendon and ribbons of tripe. Jenkins encourages me to try the soup before adding condiments. Its intense and complex with that first hit of star anise in the meaty broth. Id be happy to slurp it on its own, but she suggests a squeeze of lime, a handful of fresh herbs and a scoop of the hoisin and sriracha happy face. Jeannie Mai Jenkins demonstrates how to eat a bowl of pho at the restaurant Pho So 1. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) Pho was a staple meal for Jenkins growing up in a three-bedroom, one-bathroom San Jose house, which was always full of brothers, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Many were relatives whom her parents sponsored for visas when the extended family on her mother's side in the south and her father's in the north hadn't been able to leave Vietnam on their own. f With so many relatives around, there was always something cooking on the stove. We try the bubbly, golden fried spring rolls, lined up like logs on the plate next to lettuce leaves, fresh herbs, pickled radish and carrot. She takes a lettuce leaf and starts building a wrap with one of the rolls and some of the pickles. She adds a squeeze of sambal to her nuoc cham , dunks her roll and takes a big bite. We finish the meal with Jenkins' bespoke rice plate. In one corner sits a large pork chop atop a pile of shredded pork skins as long as noodles. Next to the skin is a slab of meatloaf. Theres a mound of rice in the middle, some pickled cabbage, sliced tomato and cucumber and two fried eggs with crisp edges. Jenkins gets to work cutting away from different components on the plate, crafting specific combinations on her spoon. The great, amazing thing about Vietnamese dishes is that every bite is different, she says. There is never a dish that tastes the same with each bite. 12:37 p.m. Bun Me Our next stop is Northridge's Bun Me, about 18 minutes north in another shopping center with slim parking spaces. Its time for banh mi, a style of sandwich Jenkins ate almost daily in San Jose as a snack after school or whenever she was in need of a quick meal. When it comes to banh mi, she has high, specific expectations. She wants a toasted baguette thats not too hard it should be a nice, soft cushion for the filling. The bread also needs to be slender. She does not like wide baguettes. She wants pork roll, plenty of pickled vegetables (carrots and radish), and she needs the yellow-tinted mayonnaise. (Not from Kraft.) I always get the one with everything in it, she says. We order the Bun Me deli special and the Special Bun Me of the month. The first is what Jenkins would consider the one with everything in it, a toasted baguette spread with mayonnaise and pate, stuffed with slices of pork roll, a heap of barbecue pork, pickled carrot and radish sticks that spill out from the bread along with a tangle of fresh cilantro, sliced cucumber and jalapeno. The latter sandwich swaps the pate, pork roll and barbecue for charbroiled pork. When I open it, I will know right away if you are the real deal, she says. Im expecting real baguette bread, not something from Erewhon but a straight-up French baguette lightly toasted, spread with mayo. She unwraps the Bun Me deli special and starts nodding her head enthusiastically, her ponytail bobbing wildly behind her. Jeannie Mai Jenkins digs into a banh mi at the restaurant Bun Me in Northridge. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, she says, her excitement building with each OK. Im giving you, on looks so far, Im giving it a nine. She goes to take a bite and then abruptly drops the sandwich. I forgot to take a selfie, she says. Click. Thats good, she beams, crumbs sticking to her lip gloss. Thats really good. I give it a 9.5 because the flavors hit, the crunch, the freshness, the tart of the pickles, and its super porky. As she finishes the first sandwich, she pops the top on a pastel-colored can shes brought with her to lunch. Its a boozy sparkling tea drink called Owls Brew, a recent addition to her growing arsenal of food and drink projects. Jenkins signed on as chief brand officer for the drink brand in February 2021. Jeannie Mai Jenkins sits outside Bun Me restaurant in Northridge. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) Its made with natural botanicals and brewed tea," she says, "so I can drink it and not feel like Im paying for it later. She digs into the charbroiled pork sandwich, nods, then offers some corrective criticism. It needs more acid or something tangy, she says. Though she says she didnt do any food research or prep work for her hosting gig on the "ATK" show (my passion for food was all I needed), she does say she learned a lot on the job. The thing I learned from shooting 'ATK' is how much food has to have a yin and a yang, like sweet, sour, salty, she says. This has umami but its missing its yang. Maybe a little drizzle of rice vinegar. 1:08 p.m. Vinh Loi Tofu When we reach our final stop, Vinh Loi Tofu in Reseda, tucked into the corner of our third shopping center, owner Kevin Tran greets Jenkins with a hug and a Hello, sister. Tran tells us to sit down, asks how hungry we are, then disappears into the kitchen. Jenkins started frequenting the restaurant about five years ago. Shes more relaxed than she was at the first two stops, and she sits down without any requests or instructions. I usually dont order when I come here, Jenkins says. Kevin knows what I like. As we wait for our mystery dishes, Jenkins explains what drew her to the new cooking show. The premise is 11 contestants vying to be the next cast member of Americas Test Kitchen. After a series of challenges, the winner earns a spot on the show, $100,000 and a cookbook deal. With so many culinary-based competition series on the air, Jenkins believes its the diversity of the contestants, and the fact that she is one of the few Vietnamese American personalities on television, that set "ATK" apart. The first thing I noticed about 'ATK' is the diversity, she says. I saw so many different types of people and stories and cultures that I havent seen on a cooking show before. Representation is so important when it comes to sharing your cuisine so that when people think of American staples, they think of tamales, banh mi and pho and so many other things. Kevin No. 1, a vegan soup at the restaurant Vinh Loi Tofu in the San Fernando Valley. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) Tran emerges from the kitchen carrying a steaming bowl of soup he simply calls Kevin No. 1. Squares of tofu bob around in the broth alongside sliced mushrooms and bean sprouts. I get this every time, she says. Its all your favorite things about Vietnamese food in one soup and you can only get it through him. Its a take on one of her favorite dishes, bun rieu, a seafood soup typically made with tomato and crab. Trans broth tastes similar to a classic tom yum soup, with a salty, sour backbone and lots of citrus. Then Tran brings out a plate of deep-fried vegetable dumplings smothered in a sweet barbecue sauce; a plate overflowing with a mixture of stir-fried noodles and rice that he says is one of Jenkins brothers favorites; spring rolls filled with tofu; and a plate of cold vermicelli noodles dressed with sliced tempeh and a plant-based nuoc cham-like dressing made with a sweet canned coconut drink, soy sauce and sambal. Barbecue fried dumplings at the restaurant Vinh Loi Tofu in the San Fernando Valley. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) Click. Jenkins takes her obligatory selfie, then reaches for a spoon. I guess were not going to need dessert, she says with a laugh. We didnt. A banh mi at the restaurant Bun Me in Northridge. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Education Departments Office for Civil Rights collected most complaints from students with disabilities. Nearly 19,000 discrimination complaints were logged by the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education between October 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022, more than double the previous year. As the New York Times reports, officials say most of the complaints from schools across the nation allege discrimination based on disability, race or sex. The complaints were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid a nationwide racial reckoning following the 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Getty Images) In one example of racial harassment reported at an Iowa school, a white student was accused of kneeling on a Gatorade bottle and saying, It cant breathe, a clear reference to the murder of Floyd. The disturbing incident allegedly occurred in the presence of a Black student, who officials said, was subjected to racial harassment so pervasive that it constituted a racially hostile environment, and the Ottumwa Community School District failed to protect him. The school district agreed to reforms that included reimbursing the parents of the student for the therapy sessions that the minor needed due to the harassment. Officials in the Peoria Unified School District in Arizona also agreed to reforms in September after white students harassed Asian students, drew swastikas over photos of fellow classmates, and made Heil Hitler salutes, according to the Times reports. At both school districts, the reforms included training school staff on how to respond to discrimination, as well as educating students about how to recognize and understand it. The Education Departments Office for Civil Rights collected most complaints from students with disabilities. Disabled students in Arizona, for instance, complained of being repeatedly bullied by other students and disproportionately disciplined by teachers. There were also complaints filed in Colorado by advocates alleging that disabled students were segregated in dilapidated trailers. Story continues (Photo: Adobe Stock) According to the Times, the Education Department is investigating four complaints against the predominantly white Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, Texas, where Black students were subjected to racist slurs and one gay student was bullied to the point of contemplating suicide. Catherine Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights, said the department would detail all complaints received in the offices annual report available to the public in the coming months. Meanwhile, several civil rights groups hold former President Donald Trump responsible for creating a climate of intolerance among school students and fueling political and social strife among adults and educators. We cannot underestimate the normalizing of intolerant behaviors, said Liz King, senior program director of educational equity at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of more than 200 civil rights groups, per the Times. And it would be impossible to separate the attacks on what children are allowed to learn from the way in which children are experiencing the school day. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Education department received 19K discrimination complaints, including claim of mocking George Floyds death appeared first on TheGrio. Edward Norton has discovered that Pocahontas is his 12th great-grandmother. This week, the 53-year-old actor appeared on the season nine premiere of Finding Your Roots, during which he learned that historical figure Pocahontas is actually his 12th great-grandmother. During the episode, host Henry Louis Gates explained that there is a record of Pocahontas and John Rolfe marrying on 5 April 1614, in Jamestown, Virginia. Through other documents, Gates said, Nortons genealogy could be traced back to them. This is about as far back as you can go, Gates said, adding that William Shakespeare died two years after Pocahontas and Rolfe married. Norton replied: This just makes you realise what a small piece of the whole human story you are. Pocahontas was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Powhatan, the paramount chief of a network of tributary tribes in the Tsenacommacah, encompassing the Tidewater region of Virginia. (Getty Images) She married tobacco planter John Rolfe in April 1614 at the age of about 17 or 18, and gave birth to their son Thomas Rolfe in January 1615. In 1616, the Rolfes travelled to London where Pocahontas was presented to English society as an example of the civilised savage in hopes of stimulating investment in the Jamestown settlement. Pocahontas died at Gravesend of unknown causes, aged 20 or 21. She was buried in St Georges Church, Gravesend, in England. Her graves exact location is unknown because the church was rebuilt after being destroyed by a fire. Elsewhere during the episode, Norton said it was uncomfortable to discover that his ancestors had been slave owners. Norton isnt the first celebrity to have found interesting genealogical roots through Finding Your Roots. Christopher Meloni found out he was related to Nancy Pelosi, while Andy Cohen discovered that he is a distant relative of Scarlett Johansson. Glenn Close also found out that she is related to both Princess Diana and Clint Eastwood. Finding Your Roots kicked off season nine on Tuesday (3 January). Officials with the National Weather Service have confirmed that an EF-1 tornado touched down in Heard County early Wednesday morning. The tornado had maximum wind gusts of 105 mph and was on the ground for 2.45 miles. It was estimated to be 100 yards wide. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] This is the second confirmed tornado to have touched down during strong storms that moved through north Georgia Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. An EF-0 tornado touched down in Newnan near Sullivan Road on Tuesday night. TRENDING STORIES: Severe Weather 2 Chief Meteorologist Brad Nitz brought you live coverage of through the overnight hours as the storms downed trees and powerlines, left roads flooded and homes damaged. Nitz first spotted the Heard County twister early Wednesday morning while he was tracking the storm on Channel 2 Action News This Morning. Theres a little debris thats been picked up by the strong winds and a possible weak tornado touching down there, Nitz said as the storm appeared on the radar. The hop-scotching tornado brought down trees and toppled power lines across the area. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Channel 2s Tom Regan was in Heard County on Tuesday and found the tornado had ripped a mobile home apart along Roosterville Road. Next door neighbors told Regan they were left shaken knowing this could have happened to their home. My mind was blown, Jaden Williamson said. It was just straight up banging and then, like, a loud gush of wind. Williamson said he and his family were woken up by the storm around 5 a.m. Wednesday. Malorie Chatman said she could feel the storm. Just a whirling sound of pressure that we felt in the house, and we just knew something was wrong, and you just said, Get in the closet. Get in the closet, Chatman said. The tornado blew apart a home and damaged or destroyed other structures in area, including a giant steel metal barn. (Elena Huelva/Instagram) Spanish influencer Elena Huelva has died at the age of 20. The news of her death was confirmed by a family member days after she said farewell to her fans in a teary eyed Instagram video. Since this morning, Elena dances and looks down at you from her star, Huelvas family wrote on Instagram. Thank you for everything. The Seville-based social media influencer died of Ewing sarcoma, which is a rare type of cancer that occurs in bones or in the soft tissue around the bones. Over the years, Huelva kept her fans updated on her recovery journey and was adored by many for her positive outlook on life. In her latest clip shared from her hospital bed, the influencer revealed that her health had deteriorated significantly. Things are not going well, Huelva said. They found more disease in my windpipe, which is very dangerous, as you know, because thats where we breathe. Many fans have paid tribute to Huelva on social media. I have been following Elena Huelva a lot these months and my soul has broken right now. Hopefully more research is really needed. A hug to heaven, one person wrote. Another person added: We owe Elena Huelva a deeply grateful memory for everything she has taught us. I wish I never had to. Cancer is not a battle, but a cause, one in which all powers must put ALL their efforts. Thank you, Elena. One person wrote: Elena Huelva is a clear example that you have to live life and try everything no matter how difficult it may seem. Spanish presenter Xavi Martinez wrote: Fly high Elena Huelva. Were so lucky. How privileged we are. We cannot be forgotten on any of the mornings we wake up each day. Never. Nothing that haunts us is that important. All the strength to his family and friends. Unforgettable example. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for the Supreme Court to uphold Biden's student-debt relief. It followed the Justice Department filing a defense of the relief to SCOTUS on Wednesday night. The Court will hear arguments to the case on February 28. Sen. Elizabeth Warren isn't relenting on her push to cancel student debt now urging the nation's highest court to ensure the relief gets to millions of Americans. On Wednesday night, the Justice Department filed its fulled legal defense of President Joe Biden's plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt to the Supreme Court, ahead of oral arguments beginning on February 28. For over two months now, the implementation of the debt relief has been paused due to two conservative-backed lawsuits that sought to permanently block the loan forgiveness, both arguing that Biden does not have the authority to enact broad relief without Congressional approval. Warren pushed back on those claims. "The Biden Justice Department has made clear to the U.S. Supreme Court that cancelling student debt is legal under the HEROES Act and critical to millions of working people in need of relief," Warren wrote on Twitter after the legal defense was filed on Wednesday. "Baseless lawsuits from Republican officials should be rejected." The Justice Department emphasized its confidence in using the HEROES Act of 2003 to cancel student debt, which gives the Education Secretary the ability to waive or modify student-loan balances in connection with a national emergency, like COVID-19. The lawsuits that blocked the relief argued Biden is overstepping his authority using that law, and some Republican lawmakers have said that Biden cannot continue relying on the pandemic as a reason to forgive student loans. Still, a source familiar with the legal filing told reporters on Wednesday night that even if the pandemic is soon no longer considered a national emergency, the purpose of the relief is to help Americans recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic, which could be long lasting. Story continues While Warren has been a vocal supporter for broad student-debt cancellation in Congress, as a presidential candidate herself she pushed for $50,000 in relief, and she argued the administration could use the Higher Education Act of 1965 instead of the HEROES Act to deliver this relief because it would not require reliance on a national emergency. Biden's administration has not yet commented on what alternative routes, if any, it would pursue if the Supreme Court ends up striking down the relief, noting that its focus right now is the current and ongoing litigation. In a statement Wednesday night, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona noted how he extended the student-loan payment pause as a result of these legal challenges through 60 days after June 30 or whenever the lawsuits are resolved but even if the relief is blocked, it looks like payments will still resume this year. "The Secretary determined, and respondents have not seriously disputed, that ending that pause without providing some additional relief for lower-income borrowers would cause delinquency and default rates to spike above prepandemic levels," the legal filing said to the Supreme Court. "This Court should not compel that damaging and destabilizing result." Read the original article on Business Insider AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch prosecutors said on Thursday that an Eritrean man with a conviction for human trafficking who has been on the Netherlands' most wanted list since 2021 had been arrested in Sudan. The Netherlands will request that Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam is extradited, said prosecutors, who want to try him on charges related to his alleged people-smuggling ring. The 39-year-old was arrested on Sunday in a police operation against money laundering that was led by the United Arab Emirates, the prosecutors' office said. Kidane was sentenced in absentia to life in prison by an Ethiopian court in June 2021 after being convicted of starving and torturing African refugees and migrants who were headed for Europe in warehouses in Libya. He had escaped from court premises in Addis Ababa in February 2021 after nearly a year of trial on eight counts of human trafficking. In October 2021, the Dutch public prosecutor's office put Kidane on its most wanted list, saying an investigation had revealed his organisation had abused, extorted, kidnapped and raped Eritreans who wanted to reach the Netherlands. Under the concept of universal jurisdiction, Dutch law allows cases to be brought against foreign nationals for crimes committed abroad if victims are in the Netherlands. Thousands of refugees and migrants seeking a better life embark in small boats on the perilous journey from Libya to Europe each year, with many drowning en route. (Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Catherine Evans) How far off is MOVE Logistics Group Limited (NZSE:MOV) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple! We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. View our latest analysis for MOVE Logistics Group What's The Estimated Valuation? We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF (NZ$, Millions) NZ$500.9k NZ$7.71m NZ$11.2m NZ$14.2m NZ$16.4m NZ$18.0m NZ$19.4m NZ$20.5m NZ$21.5m NZ$22.4m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ 9.89% Est @ 7.55% Est @ 5.91% Est @ 4.77% Est @ 3.96% Present Value (NZ$, Millions) Discounted @ 12% NZ$0.4 NZ$6.2 NZ$8.0 NZ$9.1 NZ$9.4 NZ$9.2 NZ$8.8 NZ$8.4 NZ$7.8 NZ$7.3 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = NZ$75m Story continues We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.1%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 12%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = NZ$22m (1 + 2.1%) (12% 2.1%) = NZ$233m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= NZ$233m ( 1 + 12%)10= NZ$76m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is NZ$150m. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of NZ$1.1, the company appears about fair value at a 14% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent. dcf Important Assumptions The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at MOVE Logistics Group as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 12%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.631. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for MOVE Logistics Group Strength Debt is well covered by cash flow. Weakness Interest payments on debt are not well covered. Opportunity Forecast to reduce losses next year. Has sufficient cash runway for more than 3 years based on current free cash flows. Good value based on P/S ratio and estimated fair value. Threat No apparent threats visible for MOV. Looking Ahead: Although the valuation of a company is important, it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For MOVE Logistics Group, we've compiled three essential items you should look at: Risks: Take risks, for example - MOVE Logistics Group has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of. Future Earnings: How does MOV's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every New Zealander stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here Meta Facebook Ireland big tech - Brian Lawless/PA Wire Ireland plans to sue the EU for overreach, as a row between Dublin and Brussels over how to regulate Big Tech escalates. Irelands Data Protection Commission (DPC) has announced plans to take the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) to the EU Court of Justice, accusing the Brussels-based body of overstepping its authority. The move highlights the growing tension between Brussels and Dublin over how to regulate Big Tech companies such as Apple, Google, and Meta, Facebook and Instagrams parent company. Division has been apparent for years but the escalation to legal action comes after the EU allegedly tried to pressure Ireland into broadening an investigation into Meta. In a rare public statement, the DPC said Brussels had put pressure on it to extend an investigation into whether Meta was breaking EU data protection laws by forcing users to accept personalised online adverts. The EDPB wanted to transform the investigation into one that would span all of Facebook and Instagrams data processing operations and judge if they were lawful or not. Ireland claims the move was against the law. As the EU headquarters for most of Silicon Valleys largest tech companies, the DPC is the main data regulator for these businesses across the bloc. The EDPB, which includes representatives from data protection regulators across the EU, oversees the DPC. The most recent split comes after more than a decade of EU unease at Irelands perceived laissez-faire stance on regulating Big Tech. Other European countries, most notably France and Norway are understood to be unhappy with what they see as Irelands light regulatory touch and want to see a harder crackdown on US tech giants. One source familiar with the matter said: The DPC is entirely isolated among its peers. And it is now asking Europes highest court to tell it to not do its job. Jonathan Kirsop, a partner at City law firm Pinsent Masons, said: The strength of the DPCs statement, notably the reference to overreach by the EDPB, is striking and is indicative of a long-running tension. Although the DPC has recently been imposing significant fines, particularly on technology companies, it has been criticised by other authorities for not being strong enough. The DPC declined to comment. The EDPB said it would be "premature" to comment on the DPC's vow of legal action. Story continues The legal threat came as the DPC handed down a 390m (345m) fine to Meta for breaking EU data protection laws. The fine, which related to breaches at both Facebook and Meta, was the culmination of the investigation at the heart of the row between the DPC and the EDPB. Irelands data protection commissioner, Helen Dixon, said in October 2021 that a fining range of between 28m and 36m was better suited to Meta. However, Brussels pressured Dublin into handing down a bigger fine. The DPC now has four weeks to file its legal complaint at the EU Court of Justice. Meta has announced plans to appeal the 390m data protection fine. A spokesman said that during the five years since the EU's General Data Protection Regulation came into force, the DPC did not object to how it handled users' personal data. They added that Brussels overruling its main regulator in Ireland showed just how far the overreach had gone. Ireland has benefited from billions of euros in tax revenues generated by tech companies sales across all of the EUs 27 member states. OECD figures from 2021 show that 16pc of Irelands 423bn gross domestic product that year came from taxes on US tech businesses. The schism between the EU and Ireland was first laid bare in 2016 when Brussels ordered Apple to pay 13bn (11.5bn) in back taxes, ruling Ireland had broken state aid rules by striking a bespoke tax deal with the iPhone maker. The ruling was overturned on appeal in 2020 but the European Commission is challenging that verdict. Johnny Ryan, a senior fellow at the Open Markets Institute who is spearheading a lawsuit against US tech companies for allegedly surveilling users unlawfully online, said Wednesdays decision was the beginning of serious EU enforcement against Big Tech. Photo: The Canadian Press A Canadian traveller made the most of a stressful travel situation by turning her lost luggage nightmare into a series of hilarious jokes. Diana Frances took to Twitter to describe her ordeal, speaking about her missing belongings as if they were a long-lost lover, crafting her messages with poetic flair. In her opening tweet, the Toronto woman wrote that it had been nine "long" days since she was separated from her bag, which she refers to as her "lover." "I fear my resolve of ever being reunited is waning. Every day I wake, thinking of you. Hoping for some sweet words of reconciliation, but alas..." she wrote. My dearest @Westjet. It has now been 9 long days since being separated from my beloved (bag). Though I am soldiering through, I fear my resolve of ever being reunited is waning. Every day I wake, thinking of you. Hoping for some sweet words of reconciliation, but alas... pic.twitter.com/COlkxsGcl5 Diana Frances (@dianafrancesvan) January 2, 2023 Following this first tweet, however, the air passenger realizes that she's made an error. "And now, my dearest [WestJet] I can see perhaps the errors of my ways. In my grief of loss, I made an error [in] my claim. The wrong date of departure from you. But you are cruel and unforgiving for I can not edit," she quipped. After this, Frances calls the airline a "cruel and silent mistress" that deprives her of the "warmth of my favourite toque" and comfortable runners (the new ones gave her blisters). While she concedes that it may have been "foolish" to "sign up for the war that was holiday travel," she says the gifts can be replaced. Her leopard-print pyjama pants, on other hand, are a part of her "personality." In response to another message where she pleads for the airline to respond, WestJet tweeted: "Diana, your desire sends shivers down our spine, and we are moving heaven and earth to reunite you with your beloved. "Please sweetly whisper in a private message your baggage claim number, reservation code, WestJet Rewards ID and email address. Until we speak again." In a follow-up tweet, Frances expressed hope that she "slid into the correct DMs," and the airline replied: "Hark, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet our chatbot is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and find this maiden's baggage!" The traveller hasn't tweeted about the current whereabouts of her luggage. Over a week after a couple of potent winter storms slowed operations to a halt at Vancouver International Airport, hundreds of people are still missing their luggage. About 99 per cent of flights are running and about the same percentage of luggage is being processed at the airport and moved out on time, YVR stated in an update Tuesday. But nearly 1,500 pieces of luggage that were misplaced or delayed during the snowy Vancouver weather still haven't been reunited with their owners. The author, left, and his brother Ernesto, pictured in 2002, soaked in the Mission District's culinary ferment. (Photo provided by Daniel Hernandez) One of the most valuable things I learned in college was how to uncork a bottle of wine. But it was a lesson that happened at great expense my utter humiliation. Sophomore year. First off-campus apartment. Found a roommate who was, refreshingly, enrolled at the local community college and not at stressed-out Cal like me. One evening in our kitchen, I admitted that I didnt know how to use a corkscrew bottle opener. She laughed in my face chortled with glee, more like it. You dont? How the hell should I? I was just 19. There were no courses available for this task in the UC apparatus at the time at least that I was aware of. Chastened, I realized that nearly every time I'd been around wine it was boxed or in twist-cap form. Anytime a bottle required uncorking, someone capable was usually nearby to handle it. My roomie set out to teach me. I failed a lot at first. A couple of times my fingers got pinched in the corkscrew openers arms, cut open and bled. A year later my brother Ernesto moved in with me after getting out of the Army, and with his expertise, my wine-bottle-opening skills ratcheted up and matured. When he found his own apartment in San Francisco, he started home-brewing beer. We soaked in the Mission Districts culinary ferment: esoteric IPAs of every variety, dinners at neighborhood spots with modest corkage fees for paper-bag-wrapped wine bottles brought in from the chill of a corner liquor store. Ernesto, from left, and Daniel Hernandez with their other brother, Sergio, in the Mission in 2003. (Photo provided by Daniel Hernandez) Two decades later, I am a devotee of California red blends, California Sauvignon Blancs, Chilean blends, the Merlots of Mendoza, Argentina, and Chiantis that echo with the notes of the heirloom grapes of Los Angeles . When a cheap bottle of red is all thats handy and I want it to last, I make myself a casual calimocho-style spritz, without cola: wine over ice, Topo Chico mineral water, fresh lime juice and a handful of smacked mint or rosemary leaves. (Youre welcome!) This evolution in my relationship with wine is an apt metaphor for my theory on food journalism at large. These days, there may be more culinary schools, wine-making programs, food-writing courses, tours and conferences than ever before. Yet there is still no concrete path or certifying checklist for success in this industry. And there should never be. Story continues In food media, as in life, everyone is an outsider until theyre an insider. The record supports this truism. Jonathan Gold, preeminent restaurant critic of his generation, studied the cello and music history at UCLA and wrote some of the earliest mainstream articles on L.A. gangster rap before turning to food journalism full-time. Critic Gael Greene, who died in November at 88, identified simply as a reporter before legendary editor Clay Felker asked her to start writing about restaurants. I felt that I was an impostor, she told an interviewer in 2008. I definitely thought they were all going to figure me out very quickly. So that is why I said to myself, Well, Ill just go into this like a reporter; who, what, why, where, when. Bingo. Reporting is the magic key to writing about food, and reporting happens to be one of my strong suits. Ive covered breaking news on the police beat. Ive written about higher education, local politics, artists, street culture and architecture. Ask me anything about the U.S.-Mexico drug war; Ive been a conflict and politics field correspondent in the most troubled parts of Mexico and in South America. I once wrote a column for the stodgy, stubbornly offline magazine Art in America. I was even a fashion writer for a bit, with a front-row seat at Mexico City Fashion Week. And of course, while living there, I dove into the universe of Mexican cuisines. I suppose thats when I started to develop my armory as a food journalist. Every state, every town in Mexico has its own food totems. I became hooked. Tamales, quesadillas (which can come without cheese!), tacos, sopas, guisados, tortillas, native ingredients like chocolate and corn, rustic fermented beverages, even Mexican hamburgers. Just when I thought I could wrap up a subject in my brain, there was another leaf to turn over, another mystery to consider. One day, the video producers at Vice Media looked me up and down, realized I spoke English and Spanish equally, and asked: "Have you ever thought about being on camera?" Actually, I hadn't. But another maxim that's guided me in life is to never say never to new platforms to tell a good story. Next thing I knew, I was whisked off with a camera team to the four corners of Oaxaca, where we made one of the most successful video series in Vice history: "Munchies Guide to Oaxaca." Before long, Andrew Zimmern's people called and asked me to appear on "Bizarre Foods." Then Netflix called and asked me to talk on "Taco Chronicles." Food editor Daniel Hernandez, from left, Food general manager Laurie Ochoa and deputy Food editor Betty Hallock at Mariscos Jalisco. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) Through video, audio, long-form and short-form, journalism is my calling. In this role as Food editor, my approach is to embrace more fervently than ever the rule that there is no such thing as a dumb question. My colleagues Laurie Ochoa and Betty Hallock, as well as our staff writers and columnists, are as a whole more versed in the food-culture metadata than I am. I follow their leads, happily. I ask them my dumb questions. Sometimes their eyes widen when I reveal an especially acute knowledge gap. I smile. "Show me," I say. "I want to hear more." "Id love to try that." Theres no script to this stuff. To lead is to constantly learn, right? I wasnt raised by a chef or a cookbook author or in a restaurant. My dad spent a great sum of his teens and 20s picking fruits and vegetables in Californias Central Valley. My mother makes excellent tortillas de harina and frijoles de la olla, staples of a household of border subjects. Beyond that, I grew up, perhaps as many of you did, on American processed foods and fast-food kids meals. Ive never worked in a restaurant or taken a cooking course, either. Everything Ive learned about food throughout my life has been through observing, asking, listening, tasting and attempting recipes at home. With many many failures at said endeavors. I relish these failures. Come to think of it, failure is one of the defining features of food culture. A cocky alpha chef with media savvy is usually just masking a litany of scars from missteps and culinary miscarriages. Restaurants open with bells and whistles, then might shutter quietly within a handful of months. Home kitchens are torched in poor attempts at frying, say, a whole Thanksgiving turkey. And what is baking with success but a process of elimination of bad results? As we retool and relaunch the food coverage at the Los Angeles Times, I want to ask our readers and audiences to embrace their knowledge gaps and their food failures. Impostor syndrome is a myth were better off retiring. In truth, we are all, each one of us, an impostor to the food-obsessed self that once existed only in ones ambitions. Or, as in my case, in digits sliced by a corkscrew bottle opener. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. MIAMI (AP) A former Bolivian interior minister was sentenced to nearly six years in U.S. prison Wednesday for taking at least $532,000 in bribes to help a Florida company win a lucrative contract to sell tear gas to his country's government. Arturo Murillo pleaded guilty in October to a single count of conspiracy to commit money laundering following similar guilty pleas entered by his former chief of staff and three men tied to the Florida-based supplier of police and military equipment he tried to favor. Murillo, 58, was one of the most outspoken voices in the conservative government of then interim President Jeanine Anez that took power in November 2019 after President Evo Morales stepped down amid violent protests disputing his reelection to a fourth straight term. He has a long history of far-right provocation. As a congressman, he supported a ban on abortion by once telling women that they should commit suicide by jumping from a five-story building if they wanted to terminate a pregnancy. As interior minister, he referred to opponents as narco-terrorists, brought charges against Morales for sedition and led the deadly police response against protesters that drew rebuke from international human rights groups. He also bragged about meeting with the CIA when he traveled to Washington to meet with senior officials in the Trump administration who initially viewed Anezs ascent as an opportunity to improve relations that turned hostile under Morales. But the crackdown on Bolivias left backfired, and almost a year later, Morales ally, Luis Arce, was elected and proceeded to lock up Anez and other officials tied to her short-lived rule. According to investigators, Murillo, his chief of staff and another unnamed co-conspirator in the Defense Ministry helped the Taramac, Florida-based Bravo Tactical Solutions company obtain a $5.6 million contract to supply tear gas and non-lethal equipment to the Anez government. The company was allegedly owned by Bryan Berkman, a dual Bolivian-American national who purchased the tear gas in Brazil for $3.3 million, according to an affidavit from a Department of Homeland Security agent that accompanies the complaint. Story continues Part of the profits allegedly used to coordinate the bribe payments were paid through bank accounts in Miami, while Murillo received approximately $130,000 in cash payments at a family members home in Miami. ___ Joshua Goodman on Twitter: @APJoshGoodman Ohio governor candidate Joe Blystone admitted he violated state campaign finance rules. Ex-Ohio governor candidate Joe Blystones sloppy campaign donation collection led to a $105,000 fine and a five-year ban on him running for office but he won't face criminal charges. Blystone, a cowboy hat-wearing outsider who challenged Gov. Mike DeWine in the GOP primary last year, admitted Thursday that he violated state rules on how to run a campaign and accept donations. The $105,000 fine is what's left in Blystone's campaign account, minus $75,000 set aside if his campaign owes money in a pending Delaware County lawsuit. The Ohio Elections Commission unanimously approved the penalties, which were negotiated as part of a deal to resolve the lengthy case. Blystone declined to comment following the meeting. "None of the parties were happy with the agreement, but everybody was exhausted with it and we're ready to make an agreement that everybody got something and nobody got everything," Blystone's attorney Josh Brown said. The Ohio Elections Commission case stemmed from a slew of campaign finance violations committed by Blystone, a Canal Winchester farmer and businessman. Blystone's ex-campaign manager, Sarah Chambers, initially raised concerns about how the candidate raised money. The Ohio Secretary of States office then reported problems with about 55 contributions totaling $82,204. "There were many red flags along the way," Chambers said. "I knew that things were not being done right and I could not keep my integrity and remain with a campaign that was breaking the law." In several instances, Blystones campaign didnt properly keep track of donations from supporters, instead reporting them under the broad category of contributions of $25 or less. The campaign also reported donations from locations and businesses rather than detailing specific individuals which is not allowed under Ohio law. Attorneys for the Secretary of State Frank LaRoses office and Blystones former campaign manager initially wanted Blystones violations sent to the Franklin County Prosecutor for possible criminal charges, saying that was the only fair penalty for such egregious violations. Story continues But Blystones attorney Brown contended the violations were merely mistakes made by an amateur campaign. Theres plenty of evidence of incompetence and theres plenty of evidence of not getting it right. Ultimately, the Ohio Elections Commission did not refer Blystone for criminal prosecution. Chambers said she was hoping for criminal charges "because he is a criminal and he has stolen from the people of Ohio and his donors have been cheated." Blystone's attorney disagreed. "There were lots of efforts to fix it and mitigating factors that kept it from being really a crime," Brown said. Blystone also avoided the maximum fine, which could have included $543,765 for the misreported contributions, $10,000 for failing to file proper paperwork and $100 per day for late filings, which would total $86,300. Blystone has been under scrutiny for his campaign donations for more than a year, but the Ohio Elections Commission case was delayed because of a lawsuit that Blystones campaign filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. That case was ultimately dismissed, allowing the proceedings to continue. Still pending is a Delaware County lawsuit that Blystone filed against Chambers, the former campaign manager. Mr. Blystone has treated these complaints and this commission like a joke, said Republican attorney Scott Pullins, who represented Chambers. Pullins also asked the commission to require Blystone to remove his signature black cowboy hat, but they did not. Jessie Balmert is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. Get more political analysis by listening to the Ohio Politics Explained podcast This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ex-Ohio governor candidate Joe Blystone fined $105K Its almost time to say bon voyage to 2022, or it may already be gone by the time this article is published! Recently, Expedia published their top bucket list destinations, and best of all, they are offering some sweet deals on accommodations. Have a look at them here. Have you been to any of these destinations before? If not, would you consider going? Are there others you would add? Wishing you many memorable travel adventures in the new year! Patagonia View this post on Instagram A post shared by Visit Patagonia (@visitpatagonia) The scenery of this remote region in South America is often described as striking. Its shared by Chile and Argentina, and attracts adventure-seekers from around the world. Quasar Expeditions explains, the scenery is the result of major glaciological and geological transformations that took place in the region millions of years ago, creating mountains and countless valleys, glaciers, lakes and rivers. Expedia writes, adventure seekers flock to this vast, wild, and remote region in South America for good reason. Often called the end of the world, this rugged wilderness rewards intrepid travelers with wind-sculpted glaciers, snow-capped peaks, and prowling mountain lions. Black Forest, Germany View this post on Instagram A post shared by Schwarzwald (@visitblackforest) This dramatic mountain range in southwest Germany is close to France. The name comes from the dark color of the pine trees native to the region. According to Just Fun Facts, the Black Forest region is almost rectangular in shape with a length of 160 kilometers (99 miles) and breadth of up to 60 kilometers (37 miles). Expedia explains, Germanys most picturesque region rewards visitors with hilltop trails, fairy-tale castles, and quaint villages lined with gingerbread-style houses. Barcelona, Spain View this post on Instagram A post shared by Visit Barcelona (@visitbarcelona) The second-largest city in Spain is a lively one. Top sites include Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and Las Ramblas, a famous shopping boulevard. Story continues We recently featured Barcelona in our article on sexy cities and regions in Europe. In addition to the tapas, paella, wine bars and shops, Barcelona has decent beach vibes. In fact, the Discovery Channel called the citys Barceloneta Beach the best urban beach in the world. Amalfi Coast, Italy View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amalfi Coast Italy (@amalficoast) We featured the Amalfi Coast in the article referenced above as well. If you only go to Italy once, make sure this region is part of your itinerary. Great food, beaches, and dramatic drops and dips await. Expedia writes, the colorful towns clinging to the Amalfi Coasts rocky cliffs are perfectly picturesque. Embrace la dolce vita while lazing on pristine beaches, twirling pasta in outdoor cafes, and daring to drive the regions famously narrow and serpentine roads. Santorini, Greece View this post on Instagram A post shared by Santorini (@santorini) Mainland Greece and the islands are truly majestic. Santorini is among the most popular; famed for its natural beauty, ancient history and the warm temperament of the people. The islands most famous natural feature is the volcano. According to Santorini View, the volcano is responsible for the islands current shape and morphology. Before the several volcanic eruptions that occurred throughout the years, some of which were submarine, Santorini was a much larger, round island, hence its name used to be Strogili, or circular. The claim: Kari Lake's lawsuit shows Arizona used 'no signature verification' in midterms The caption of a Dec. 12 Facebook video (direct link, archived link) claims a lawsuit filed by former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake proves that the state did not use signature verification in the recent midterm election. "Kari Lakes Momentous Lawsuit Exposes Arizona Used No Signature Verification, Jim Hoft Reports," reads the video's caption. Versions of the clip captioned with the same claim generated hundreds of views on Rumble and Bitchute. Follow us on Facebook! Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks Our rating: False Lake's lawsuit, which was ultimately dismissed, alleged that Maricopa County mishandled the signature verification process and that improper ballots were counted during the midterms. It never alleged that Arizona used "no signature verification." Election officials say all mail-in-ballots were signature-verified in the midterms. Lawsuit argues that Maricopa County mishandled signature verification The Facebook video shows an interview between Jim Hoft, founder of The Gateway Pundit, a website that has previously published misinformation, and conservative commentator Steve Bannon on his podcast, "Bannon's War Room." During the interview, they discuss a lawsuit filed by Lake who lost Arizonas 2022 gubernatorial race that accused Democrat winner Katie Hobbs and Maricopa County election officials of election fraud. But the lawsuit was dismissed by a judge on Dec. 24 following a two-day trial. That was after the social media post in question, but the post is still wrong since the lawsuit did not allege that Arizona used no signature verification, according to Jerald Lentini, an elections and criminal defense attorney. Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer told USA TODAY in a direct message that all mail-in-ballots were signature-verified in the midterms. Story continues Rather, the lawsuit claimed that the signature match law wasn't followed strictly enough by Maricopa County elections workers, and that ballots from envelopes where the signature didn't exactly match voter registration records were still counted, Lentini said. This is reflected in points 15 and 16 of the lawsuit. Arizona law says that election officers must compare the signature on a mail-in-ballot envelope with the one in the voter's registration record and determine if the signatures match. If there are inconsistencies, the elections office must give voters a chance to correct the discrepancy a process known as ballot curing. The states election procedures manual also says that election officials should consult "additional known signatures from other official election documents in the voter's registration record, such as signature rosters and early ballot requests. Lake's lawsuit alleged that it's illegal for elections staff to match signatures on ballot envelopes to any samples other than the voter's registration record. But that argument was dismissed under a procedural technicality, Lentini said. Fact check: Arizona's voting equipment was certified ahead of the 2022 midterms "When a party knows well before an election that there's a procedure in place for how it's to be run, and they don't challenge that procedure before voting starts, the courts are almost always going to throw it out," Lentini said. "That sort of argument needs to be raised before an election, not after one." Lake's lawsuit also claimed that some ballots had been accepted based on signatures from impermissible sources in Maricopa County, but she couldn't say how many ballots that might have bee, or what other samples might have been used, according to Lentini. In addition, the lawsuit references an April report from Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich that alleged Maricopa Countys signature verification process in the 2020 election was insufficient to guard against abuse, as workers only had a few seconds to verify signatures. But a judge had previously ruled in the 2020 case Ward v. Jackson that theres no evidence of misconduct in the countys signature matching practice. The judge in Lake's case ruled that Lakes legal team never offered clear and convincing evidence showing the election was rigged against her, the Arizona Republic reported. USA TODAY has debunked other claims of purported fraud in Maricopa County, including baseless assertions that the county lost 291,390 votes and that a video shows ballots breaking the chain of custody in the county. USA TODAY reached out to the social media users who shared the claim for comment. PolitiFact also debunked the claim. Our fact-check sources: Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: False claim about Kari Lake's lawsuit circulates online (Reuters) - After the collapse of major cryptocurrency exchange FTX, the industry has felt a ripple effect due to the exposure of many companies to FTX and its affiliated trading firm Alameda Research. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried on Jan. 3 pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that he cheated investors and caused billions of dollars in losses. Here are some firms that have given information about their exposure to FTX. BLOCKFI BlockFi filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 28, weeks after the crypto lender said it was pausing client withdrawals. In July, FTX had signed a deal with an option to buy BlockFi for up to $240 million. GENESIS Genesis is working to preserve client assets and strengthen liquidity, it said in a letter to clients in December, adding that it would take "weeks rather than days" to form a plan. The crypto lending arm of U.S. digital asset broker Genesis Trading suspended customer redemptions last month, citing the sudden failure of FTX. Genesis said in a tweet on Nov. 10 that its derivatives business has approximately $175 million in locked funds on FTX. However, Genesis had no material exposure to FTX's native token FTT, or any other tokens issued by centralized exchanges, the firm said in a tweet on Nov. 9. BINANCE Binance Chief Executive Changpeng Zhao sparked concerns among investors on Nov. 6 when he said in a tweet that the crypto exchange would sell its holdings of FTT. Zhao told a Twitter spaces event that Binance had previously held $580 million worth of FTT, of which "we only sold quite a small portion, we still hold a large bag." Binance said on Nov. 13 that it had stopped accepting deposits of FTX's FTT token on its platform, urging other rival exchanges to do the same. CELSIUS NETWORK New York's attorney general filed a civil lawsuit accusing Celsius Network founder Alex Mashinsky of scheming to defraud hundreds of thousands of investors by inducing them to deposit billions of dollars in digital assets with his cryptocurrency company. Story continues Between 2020 and 2022, under Mashinskys watch, Celsius made loans totaling roughly a billion dollars to Alameda Research, according to a filing. COINBASE Coinbase Global Inc said in a blog post on Nov. 8 that it had $15 million worth of deposits on FTX. It said it had no exposure to FTT or Alameda Research and no loans to FTX. COINSHARES Crypto asset manager CoinShares has $30.3 million worth of exposure to crypto exchange FTX, it said in a statement on Nov. 10. CoinShares CEO Jean-Marie Mognetti said the group's financial health remains "strong." CRYPTO.COM Singapore-based crypto exchange Crypto.com said on Nov. 14 it had moved about $1 billion to FTX over the course of a year, but most of it was recovered and exposure at the time of FTX's collapse was less than $10 million. CEO Kris Marszalek said the firm would prove wrong all naysayers who thought the platform was in trouble, adding it had a robust balance sheet and took no risks. GALAXY DIGITAL Crypto financial services company Galaxy Digital Holdings Ltd said in its third-quarter earnings statement on Nov. 9 - the day after FTX froze withdrawals - that it had $76.8 million worth of exposure to FTX, of which $47.5 million was "in the withdrawal process." GALOIS CAPITAL Hedge fund Galois Capital had half its assets trapped on FTX, co-founder Kevin Zhou told investors in a recent letter, the Financial Times reported on Nov. 11, estimating the amount to be around $100 million. The firm on Nov. 13 confirmed that it had up to $45 million in exposure to the now collapsed FTX cryptocurrency exchange, Bloomberg News reported. KRAKEN Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken said on Nov. 10 that it held about 9,000 FTT tokens on the FTX exchange and was not affected "in any material way". SILVERGATE CAPITAL CORP Silvergate Capital Corp reported a sharp drop in fourth-quarter crypto-related deposits as investors spooked by FTX's collapse pulled out more than $8 billion in deposits. The company said on Nov. 11 FTX represented less than 10% of $11.9 billion in deposits from all digital asset customers as of Sept. 30. The financial solutions provider to digital assets also said Silvergate has no outstanding loans or investments in FTX. VOYAGER DIGITAL Bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital, which was set to sell its assets to FTX after a $1.42 billion deal bid by the exchange in September, had a balance of approximately $3 million at FTX. GRAYSCALE Crypto asset manager Grayscale, whose flagship Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) is the world's largest bitcoin fund, told investors that the recent market events have had no impact on its product operations or the security of the holdings in its funds. (Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft in London, Mehnaz Yasmin, Medha Singh Niket Nishant, and Manya Saini in Bengaluru and Hannah Lang in Washington; Editing by Jan Harvey and Matthew Lewis) VATICAN CITY With bells tolling, tens of thousands of faithful, political leaders and the pope himself mourned Benedict XVI, the German theologian who made history by resigning the papacy, at a rare requiem Mass Thursday for a dead pontiff presided over by a living one. The crowd applauded as pallbearers carried Benedict's cypress coffin out of the fog-shrouded St. Peter's Basilica and rested it before the altar in the vast square outside. Pope Francis, wearing the crimson vestments typical of papal funerals, opened the service with a prayer and closed it an hour later by solemnly blessing the simple casket decorated only with the former popes coat of arms. Heads of state and royalty, clergy from around the world and regular people flocked to the ceremony, despite Benedicts requests for simplicity and official efforts to keep the first funeral for an pope emeritus in modern times low-key. The event was also significant for what it lacked: the feeling of uncertainty that would normally accompany the passing of a pope before a new one is elected. With Francis very much in charge, Benedicts death marked the end of an unusual decade in which a reigning pope lived alongside a retired one. Benedict has been the bridge between (St. John Paul II) and Francis, said Alessandra Aprea, a 56-year-old from Meta di Sorrento near Naples. We could not have Francis without him." Ignoring exhortations for decorum at the end, some in the crowd held banners or shouted Santo Subito! Sainthood Now! echoing the spontaneous chants that erupted during John Paul's 2005 funeral. The former Joseph Ratzinger, who died Dec. 31 at age 95, is considered one of the 20th centurys greatest theologians and spent his lifetime upholding church doctrine. But he will go down in history for a singular, revolutionary act that changed the future of the papacy: He retired, the first pope in six centuries to do so. Francis has praised Benedicts courage to step aside, saying it opened the door to other popes to do the same. Story continues The Vatican said some 50,000 people attended the Mass, after some 200,000 paid their respects during the three days of public viewing. Only Italy and Germany were invited to send official delegations, but other leaders took the Vatican up on its offer and come in their private capacity. They included several heads of state, at least four prime ministers and two delegations of royal representatives. In addition, a host of patriarchs joined 125 cardinals in the seats to the side of the altar, and the Russian Orthodox Church sent its foreign envoy. Many mourners hailed from Benedicts native Bavaria and donned traditional dress, including boiled wool coats to guard against the morning chill. We came to pay homage to Benedict and wanted to be here today to say goodbye, said Raymond Mainar, who traveled from a small village east of Munich for the funeral. He was a very good pope. Among those attending was Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen, who was given special court permission to attend the funeral. Zen was detained in May on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces under a China's national security law after he fell afoul of authorities over his participation in a now-silenced democracy movement. His passport was revoked when he was detained. Benedicts close confidants were also in attendance, and the former popes longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, bent down and kissed a book of the Gospels that was left open on the coffin before the ceremony began. Matteo Colonna, a 20-year-old seminarian from Teramo, Italy, said he came in part because of the historic nature of the funeral but also because it had personal resonance for him. The first spark of my vocation started under the pontificate of Benedict, but then it became even stronger under Pope Francis, Colonna said, while sitting in prayer in St. Peters Square at dawn. I see a continuity between these two popes and the fact that today Francis is celebrating the funeral in Benedicts memory is an historical event." Early Thursday the Vatican released the official history of Benedict's life, a short document in Latin that was placed in a metal cylinder in his coffin before it was sealed, along with the coins and medallions minted during his papacy and his pallium stoles. The document gave ample attention to Benedict's historic resignation and referred to him as pope emeritus, citing verbatim the Latin words he uttered on Feb. 11, 2013, when he announced he would retire. The document, known as a rogito or deed, also cited his theological and papal legacy, including his outreach to Anglicans and Jews and his efforts to combat clergy sexual abuse continually calling the church to conversion, prayer, penance and purification. Francis didnt mention Benedicts specific legacy in his homily and only uttered his name once, in the final line, delivering instead a meditation on Jesus willingness to entrust himself to Gods will. Holding fast to the Lords last words and to the witness of his entire life, we too, as an ecclesial community, want to follow in his steps and to commend our brother into the hands of the Father, Francis said at the end. During St. John Paul IIs quarter-century as pope, Ratzinger spearheaded a crackdown on dissent as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, taking action against the left-leaning liberation theology that spread in Latin America in the 1970s and against dissenting theologians and nuns who didnt toe the Vaticans hard line on matters like sexual morals. His legacy was marred by the clergy sexual abuse scandal, even though he recognized earlier than most the filth of priests who raped children, and actually laid the groundwork for the Holy See to punish them. As cardinal and pope, he passed sweeping church legislation that resulted in 848 priests being defrocked from 2004 to 2014, roughly his pontificate with a year on either end. But abuse survivors still held him responsible for the crisis, for failing to sanction any bishop who moved abusers around, refusing to mandate the reporting of sex crimes to police and identifying him as embodying the clerical system that long protected the institution over victims. A group representing German clergy abuse survivors called on German officials attending Benedicts funeral to demand more action from the Vatican on sexual abuse. Eckiger Tisch asked German leaders to demand that Francis issue a universal church law stipulating zero tolerance in dealing with abuse by clergy. Any celebration that marks the life of abuse enablers like Benedict must end, added the main U.S. abuse survivor group SNAP. The funeral ritual itself is modeled on the code used for dead popes but with some modifications given Benedict was not a reigning pontiff when he died. After the Mass, Benedicts cypress coffin was being placed inside a zinc one, then an outer oak casket before being entombed in the crypt in the grottoes underneath St. Peters Basilica that once held the tomb of St. John Paul II before it was moved upstairs. While Thursday's Mass was unusual, it does have some precedent: In 1802, Pope Pius VII presided over the funeral in St. Peters of his predecessor, Pius VI, who had died in exile in France in 1799 as a prisoner of Napoleon. ___ Associated Press journalist Trisha Thomas contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of Pope Benedict XVI at https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Funeral for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI presided over by pope Photo: . North Vancouver RCMP are asking for help from witnesses after this Range Rover crashed into a tree after the driver sped away from a police stop on Dec. 31, 2022.| NV RCMP 2023 is getting off to a rocky start for at least one North Shore driver. A West Vancouver man is likely facing numerous charges after gunning his Range Rover away from a police officer attempting to stop him and later crashing into a tree near a highway on-ramp on New Years Eve. The North Vancouver RCMP said the highway drama started around 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 when a police officer who was driving near East 19th Street and Grand Boulevard East in North Vancouver noticed a black Range Rover swerving unusually. The officer attempted to pull over the vehicle but instead of putting on the brakes, the driver floored the accelerator, fleeing at a high rate of speed and weaving dangerously in and out of traffic, according to North Vancouver RCMP spokesman Const. Mansoor Sahak. Due to the risk to public safety, officers did not pursue the vehicle, police said. But a short time later, witnesses reported the same black Range Rover had crashed into a tree beside the Westview Drive onramp to Highway 1. The driver had fled the scene and police officers called in both a police dog and helicopter to help find him. He was located a short distance away, hiding in some bushes, and arrested, said Sahak. Police are now asking witnesses who may have seen the Range Rover fleeing the original area, or the crash on the highway onramp to come forward. Although we have made an arrest, its very important that we continue our efforts to gather all available evidence, said Sahak. Witnesses are asked to call the RCMP at 604-985-1311 and quote file 22-31739. Police are also asking anyone with dash cam or surveillance video to come forward. Your surveillance camera may have captured something. Please check, said Sahak. The driver, a 61-year-old man from West Vancouver, has since been released from custody. Police are still investigating the incident and are considering charges that include refusal to provide a breath sample, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and flight from police. Fans are congratulating Hillary Clinton on her two new jobs at Columbia University. The 75-year-old former US Secretary of State will be a professor of the School of International and Public Affairs and a presidential fellow at Columbia World Projects (CWP), as announced in a message to the universitys community from President Lee C Bollinger. In a statement, the politician expressed how excited she was for her new role and praised the school. I am honoured to join Columbia University, and the School of International and Public Affairs and Columbia World Projects, she said. Columbias commitment to educating the next generation of U.S. and global policy leaders, translating insights into impact, and helping to address some of the worlds most pressing challenges resonates. On social media, many fans and faculty members at Columbia are celebrating Clintons milestone. a@HillaryClintona is joking Columbia as a faculty member!!!! wow!!! Super wow! one wrote. Dear @HillaryClinton, Were excited to have you join our great intellectual community at @ColumbiaSIPA - Looking forward to your ideas & contributions, Daniel Naujoks, a professor at the university, wrote. And I know our students will be thrilled to learn from you! A third person wrote: Great News. Presence of such wonderful faculty makes @ColumbiaSIPA @Columbia a great learning place and a world leader. Congratulations @HillaryClinton Some of Clintons peers also praised her, including the senator former aide, Sam Arora. Thrilled to see my old boss, fmr. Sec. @HillaryClinton, join my alma mater @Columbia as a scholar! he tweeted. What a privilege those students will have to get to learn from such an accomplished global leader. In his message to faculty, Bollinger reflected on how hes personally known Clinton for over 30 years and applauded her for her work as US Senator. Thrilled to see my old boss, fmr. Sec. @HillaryClinton, join my alma mater @Columbia as a scholar! What a privilege those students will have to get to learn from such an accomplished global leader. https://t.co/veuZ8CWbLk Sam Arora (@sam_arora) January 5, 2023 Given her extraordinary talents and capacities together with her singular life experiences, Hillary Clinton is unique, and, most importantly, exceptional in what she can bring to the Universitys missions of research and teaching, along with public service and engagement for the public good, he wrote. It is, therefore, with great delight and pride that I make this announcement that Secretary Clinton will be bringing her capacities, experience, and wisdom to this institution. I expect us all to benefit immeasurably from working with her in the months and years ahead. Bollinger also specified Clintons upcoming responsibilities in her roles. As professor, she will work alongside other faculty members and administrators on a wide range of initiatives, specifically those focusing on global politics and policy and on supporting female leaders in those arenas. For her job as presidential fellow, shell be helping with programs that related to renewing democracy and advancing efforts for effective engagement of women and youth nationwide. An abandoned portion of Highway 1, also known as Devil's Slide, that was closed from public access seen on August 1, 2013. Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images A father is accused of intentionally driving his Tesla off a 250-foot cliff in Northern California on Monday. The highway on which the incident occurred is notoriously referred to as Devil's Slide. The San Francisco Chronicle found at least 30 reported deaths by Devil's Slide within three decades. On Monday, a Tesla with four passengers veered off a Northern California highway and plunged down a 250-foot cliff. Authorities are now accusing the driver, 42-year-old California resident Dharmesh Patel, of intentionally driving the vehicle off the road, endangering the three passengers believed to be Patel's wife and two kids. Patel is facing charges of attempted murder and child abuse, the California Highway Patrol said in a statement. The road on which the incident occurred however has been the subject of dozens of rescues and deaths so much so that that specific portion of California's major coastal highway has ominously been billed as Devil's Slide. "We come out here, unfortunately, all too often for things like this," Brian Pottenger, the battalion chief of the Coastside Fire Protection District told Fox News at the scene of the Monday accident. "And this, this was nothing short of a miracle that they survived." Since State Route 1, now Highway 1, opened in 1937, a relatively small portion of the highway between Pacifica and Montara cities of San Manteo County has been marred by landslides, accidents, and subsequent road closures. "California State Route 1 ... was closed at Devil's Slide for the first time in 1940 and was ever after plagued by erosion and landslides," according to San Mateo County's government website. Decades after the first recorded closure and repeated public calls for improvements, the number of fatal accidents near the treacherous portion of the highway mounted. There were at least 30 deaths and 10 rescues near Devil's Slide, based on The San Francisco Chronicle's analysis of news reports between 1990 and 2021. Story continues A major infrastructure project aimed to curb these accidents by closing some of the more dangerous parts of Devil's Slide and redirecting vehicles through the newly built Tom Lantos Tunnels, named after the congressman who helped secure funding for the initiative. The tunnels opened in 2013. However, incidents continued to stem from the area, with at least 9 recorded deaths since the tunnels' opening, The Chronicle reported. About three months before Monday's Tesla accident, a man was critically injured after his car careened off the highway south of the Tom Lantos Tunnels. Firefighters rescued the victim from the bottom of the cliff, Kron4 reported. Emergency personnel at the site of the Monday accident in Northern California near Devil's Slide. Sgt. Brian Moore/San Mateo County Sheriff's Office/Associated Press Emergency responders who retrieved Patel and three other people on Monday called the passengers' survival a "miracle." In 2021, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) proposed plans to install new barriers along the winding road. The barriers will be "see-through" in order to maintain the scenic views of the Pacific coast that continue to be the highway's main appeal. Construction may begin by the winter of 2024, The Chronicle reported. A Caltrans spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Read the original article on Insider Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to deny former Kansas City, Kansas, detective Roger Golubskis request to remove his condition of house arrest ahead of his trials. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Kansas noted that the FBI investigation uncovered scads of women who made allegations against Golubski, including rape, and said one of the cases against him alleges sexual slavery and abuse of underage girls. Golubski, who worked at KCKPD from 1975 to 2010, including almost eight years as a captain, was first indicted in September on civil rights charges that accuse him of sexually assaulting and kidnapping a woman and a teenager from 1998 to 2002. He was indicted again in November on separate charges that allege he conspired to sex traffic girls between 1996 and 1998 with other men, including a well-known drug kingpin, at a KCK apartment complex. Prosecutors allege that as a highly trained and experienced homicide detective, Golubski protected those criminals from police investigation as they trafficked and raped vulnerable girls. The response from prosecutors comes after Golubskis lawyer in December filed a motion seeking to allow the former cop to leave his Edwardsville home at any time ahead of trial. Magistrate Judge Rachel Schwartz previously released Golubski under electronic monitoring which terrified his alleged victims, they said and allowed him to leave his house for court and medical appointments. In his motion, Golubskis lawyer said the evidence is based on uncorroborated accusations made during a lawsuit filed by Lamonte McIntyre, who claimed Golubski framed him in a double murder he did not commit. He said the FBI learned of the two victims in Golubskis rape case from McIntyres lawyer, Cheryl Pilate, and argued one of them had a financial motive to make her claims. But federal prosecutors said they were not aware of any financial benefit the woman received from the McIntyre lawsuit, which Wyandotte County settled last year for $12.5 million. Prosecutors also said the two victims in the sex trafficking case have no connection to the McIntyre lawsuit. Story continues Those victims were found independently by the FBI, they wrote. Much of the evidence is circumstantial, which prosecutors said is to be expected under the circumstances. But they said it is not a fair characterization to describe the evidence as uncorroborated, as Golubskis lawyer has. Not surprisingly, the government and defendant disagree about what constitutes corroboration, prosecutors wrote. Golubskis next court appearances are slated for March. (Bloomberg) -- Finland has appointed a new defense minister to steer the process to join NATO as Antti Kaikkonen went on parental leave to care for his six-month-old baby. Most Read from Bloomberg Kaikkonen may be the first male minister to take family leave in Finland, where several women have done so in recent years. In the Nordic country, its routine practice for cabinet members to resign for the duration of their absence and resume their ministerial duties afterward. The Finnish ministers decision was met with widespread acclaim, in contrast to the backlash faced by US Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg when he took paternity leave in 2021 to bond with his twins. Kids are only small for a while, and I want to create memories of that time, and not just have photos, Kaikkonen said in December, when announcing his intention to take two months off work. Finland provides parental leave of about 14 months, with both parents asked to share the time off in equal measure if they wish to make use of the maximum time. One parent can pass on at most 63 days from their quota to the other. Since the 2019 elections, a cabinet run by a millennial woman has produced ten offspring. Kaikkonen made way for Mikko Savola, 41, who was on Thursday sworn in as defense minister, the government in Helsinki said. He is set to hold the post until the end of February. Finland and Sweden seek to convince two remaining holdouts Turkey and Hungary to ratify their entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The pair stand out among NATO allies after 28 countries swiftly approved the Nordic nations membership following a June invitation for them to join. Story continues Kaikkonen, 48, took no parental leave when his first biological child was born in 2020. He also has two foster children. (Adds details on parental leave in Finland) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistani officials were increasingly concerned Thursday whether next week's U.N.-backed conference will succeed in raising the billions of dollars needed to help survivors and launch reconstruction efforts following last summer's devastating floods. Authorities say they need $16.3 billion, half of which will be financed from the budget. The government seeks the other half about $8 billion in aid donations from the international community. The United Nations and Pakistan are jointly hosting the conference on Monday in Geneva, which had earlier been billed as a donors conference. However, as expectations of large influxes foundered, the government now says the day-long event will be used to raise the alarm about the situation in the aftermath of the deadly deluge. Those wanting to announce pledges at the event would be welcome, said Khalil Hashmi, Pakistan's permanent representative to the U.N. He spoke at a news conference Thursday in Geneva alongside Knut Ostby, United Nations Development Program's representative in Pakistan. The Geneva event aims to foster solidarity" and support for the victims of the floods that killed 1,739 people and affected 33 million Pakistanis, Hashmi added. This is a pivotal moment for the global communities to stand with the people of Pakistan," said Ostby. He added hopes that the conference will mobilize the international community to support a resilient recovery from the devastating floods, which also displaced 8 million people, damaged 2 million houses and washed away 13,000 kilometers of roads. At one point, a third of the country was submerged. Earlier Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan suffered more than $30 billion in damages in the unprecedented flooding, according to a U.N.-supported assessment document. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric has announced that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will take part in Monday's conference. He told reporters that Guterres will call for support to strengthen the resilience of the communities in Pakistan for the future." Story continues The U.N. has warned that the funding raised so far for Pakistans flood victims will run out this month. The world body has so far received only a third of the $816 million in emergency aid it sought last October for food, medicines and other supplies. Pakistan, which plays a negligible role in global warming and emits less than 1% of heat-trapping carbon dioxide, is still vulnerable to climate-induced devastation, experts say. Even before the heavy monsoon rains struck in mid-June, cash-strapped Pakistan was facing a serious financial crisis. The Islamic nation also struggles with militant violence. On Thursday, security forces raided a militant hideout in a former Pakistani Taliban stronghold near the border with Afghanistan, triggering a shootout that killed 11 militants, the military said. The raid in South Waziristan, a district in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, also killed a local militant commander, Hafiz Ullah, the military said. ___ Associated Press writer Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this report. The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday rejected an emergency appeal from Attorney General Ashley Moodys office to stop DNA testing of evidence in the case of Tommy Zeigler, who has lived on Floridas death row for more than 46 years. In December, attorneys for Zeigler shipped more than 100 items to a DNA testing company in California a day after an Orlando circuit judge approved the analysis at Zeiglers expense. But they faced opposition from Moodys office, which sought to stop the testing and return the evidence. On Thursday, the Florida Supreme Court refused Moodys emergency request but did not say why. This means that we can proceed expeditiously with the testing, wrote Zeiglers longtime attorney, Terry Hadley, in an email. Conceivably, the AGs office could continue to pursue the appeal, but the ruling is a clear signal that they are not likely to succeed. Zeigler is accused of killing his wife, in-laws and another man at his familys Winter Garden furniture store on Christmas Eve of 1975. The 77-year-old, who was shot in the stomach that night, has always maintained his innocence. The Times covered his decades-long effort to secure testing in a series and podcast called Blood and Truth. The evidence includes never-before-tested fingernail clippings, guns and clothes of Zeigler and all the victims. Zeiglers lawyers say that if he murdered four people, their blood should be on his clothes. Moodys lawyers argued in filings that the release of the evidence for testing would harm the state, the public and victims all of whom are entitled to finality. Zeiglers lawyers first sought early DNA testing in 1994. The testing was granted in 2001, and the results appeared to support Zeiglers claim of innocence. Forensic tests on four small squares of Zeiglers plaid trousers and corduroy shirt failed to detect his murdered family members blood. But that was not considered enough. When Zeiglers lawyers asked, beginning in 2003, to further analyze Zeiglers outfit and later to use touch DNA tests, Florida prosecutors and judges refused. They said the testing would not automatically exonerate Zeigler, as required by Floridas 2001 DNA testing law. They pointed to witnesses, including Zeiglers handyman, who told jurors that Zeigler tried to shoot him. Story continues Then Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Monique H. Worrell was elected. Worrell, one of just a couple progressive state attorneys in Florida, signed agreements with Zeigler and another longtime death row inmate, Henry Sireci, to conduct DNA testing months after she took office in 2020. Judges in both cases approved those agreements with Worrell, allowing the testing. The attorney generals appeals stopped the testing for more than two years. Late Thursday, a spokesperson for the office said that the appeal still was pending and there would be no further comment. The court has rejected the last ditch attempt by the attorney general to stop testing, said one of Zeiglers New York attorneys, David Michaeli, on Thursday. So what is the purpose of maintaining an appeal challenging the right to do testing? Testing is going to happen either way. So what exactly are we fighting about? The Daily Beast University of WashingtonThe Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) is a massive fault line stretching from Vancouver Island to Northern Californiaand its the source of the vast majority of earthquakes and tsunamis in the region. In fact, scientists believe that the fault line will likely be the source of the next Big One, an anticipated megathrust earthquake so powerful itll wreak death and destruction the likes of which weve never seen before from a geological event.So, it goes without saying that The families of Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters, along with some Capital employees who survived the deadly June 28, 2018, attack on the Annapolis newsroom, dismissed civil charges against The Baltimore Sun and Tribune Publishing this week after settling the case. The plaintiffs filed a joint notice in court with The Sun and Tribune, two of the defendants, to dismiss the claims in Anne Arundel Circuit Court against the news organization and its parent company on Tuesday afternoon. Advertisement The negligence lawsuit, filed in 2021 shortly after the gunman, Jarrod Ramos, was found criminally responsible for the shooting, stated the attack in Annapolis was a preventable tragedy, saying that if the defendants had taken reasonable steps to protect The Capital and its employees, the gunman would have been detected and stopped prior to entering The Capitals newsroom, and he may never have attempted the assault at all. The lawsuit was consolidated with a similar claim in early 2022. Following Tuesdays filing, any dispute between the plaintiffs and the newspaper and its parent company is settled, Steven Silverman, an attorney for the families of Smith and Fischman said Wednesday. Everything else regarding the settlement, including the terms, are confidential, he said. Advertisement The notice does not dismiss claims against St. Johns Properties, the owner of the 888 Bestgate building where the shooting unfolded. A previous filing said the plaintiffs had reached an agreement with St. Johns but were awaiting the settlement to be completed. On June 28, 2018, Ramos blasted his way into The Capitals office at 888 Bestgate armed with a shotgun, smoke bombs and a device that blocked his victims from fleeing. He shot and killed five employees. Six other employees inside the newsroom survived either by fleeing or hiding from Ramos. After pleading guilty and being found criminally responsible for his actions, Ramos was sentenced in September 2021 to six terms of life in prison, five without the possibility of parole, plus 345 years all to be served consecutively. The lawsuit had claimed the newspaper companies certainly should have known that Ramos was a threat to journalists at The Capital due to litigation between him and the company, as well as a series of communications and tweets dating back to 2011 in which he threatened employees. It accused The Sun and Tribune of failing to secure the newsroom against threats when The Capital moved its offices from Capital Drive to 888 Bestgate in 2014, months after the Annapolis-based newspaper was purchased by Baltimore Sun Media, a subsidiary of Tribune Publishing. In response, James P. Ulwick, a Baltimore attorney representing The Sun and Tribune, argued in a motion that the company wasnt legally responsible for the criminal behavior of a third person. The claims against The Sun and Tribune were dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be brought back. The suit is still docketed for a lengthy jury trial in September this year, which will likely be avoided if the plaintiffs settle with St. Johns. St. Johns still appears to be heading toward a settlement, closing on Wednesday a separate lawsuit against ACE American Insurance, which provided liability insurance to The Sun and Tribune in 2018. St. Johns argued it was owed insurance money from The Suns policy. That matter was settled and dismissed Wednesday. Advertisement The Sun and Tribune also recently sued ACE, stating the insurer was wrongly refusing to cover all of the legal costs for the lawsuit. The Suns and Tribunes suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, says ACE had initially told the newspaper companies they were covered for legal defense costs under their workers compensation and employers liability insurance, but later reversed course, stating that some of the defense costs would be allocated to their other insurance plan, which has a $1 million deductible. The matter, filed Dec. 29, is ongoing. ACE has not filed a response. The chairperson of Floridas wildlife agency is urging unity and participation between anglers and bird advocates as tensions run high about how to stop seabirds from becoming entangled in fishing gear at the Skyway Fishing Pier. Roughly 3,300 seabirds needed to be rescued from the popular angling spot since January 2021 after they were hooked or wrapped in fishing gear, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data. The wildlife commission is proposing new rules for anglers, a move that some bird rescuers say is too lax and wont fully solve the problem while the fishing community calls the proposal an overreach. Now, after passionate public feedback in late November from both anglers and environmental groups alike, the agencys chairperson wants all Skyway pier stakeholders to come to the table to find an amicable solution. The frequency of entanglements resulting in severe injury or death of seabirds is increasing, Chairperson Rodney Barreto wrote in a letter Wednesday to anglers and pelican advocacy groups. Over the next few months, there will be multiple opportunities for your input and engagement to determine a suitable course of action that will address this complex issue, Barreto wrote. We ask our management partners, anglers, pelican rescue organizations, and other interested stakeholders to come to the table and work together to develop a solution for pelicans and anglers. The letter comes after Barreto, during a December commission meeting, said he wanted to send a clear message from the commission that we have to get this resolved. Barreto said he wants draft rules presented at the commissions February meeting. In the span of two years, at least 1,000 birds needed veterinary care and 500 have died because of entanglements at the pier located beside the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, state data shows. The wildlife commission proposes prohibiting gear with more than one hook, such as treble hooks and sabiki rigs, and limiting anglers to no more than three sets of hook-and-line gear within the park, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Story continues A coalition of environment groups wants to take the proposed regulations a step further, such as allowing only one fishing pole per person and closing the northern end of the south pier to angling, according to a December letter sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Organizations including the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Pelicans, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and the Humane Society of the United States signed on to the letter. Many anglers who regularly fish at the pier oppose any new regulations outright. Several members of the Skyway Misfits, an online fishing community that boasts millions of followers on social media, tuned in to a Nov. 21 virtual meeting to oppose the potential rule changes. Several members took issue with how bird rescuers lure injured birds for their capture, and claimed the practice attracts more birds. Meanwhile, bird advocacy groups such as Friends of the Pelicans say angling rule changes are overdue. Treble hooks are extremely damaging, Kim Begay, vice chairperson of Friends of the Pelicans, told the commission. The toll that is being taken is completely unacceptable. If new angling rules were ultimately adopted, they should expire after one year, according to Capt. Dylan Hubbard, the president of the Florida Guides Association. That way, the commissions biologists, anglers and environmentalists can examine whether regulations are working to prevent bird entanglements. Something like that would be much easier to swallow, Hubbard told the Tampa Bay Times in mid-December. Nothing hurts me as a fisherman more than a bird flying away with fishing line. But its an educational problem: New fishermen will hook a pelican and they dont know how to act. At a December commission meeting, top wildlife officials, including Barreto, agreed that bird tangles are a serious issue with no easy solution. Barreto reiterated this week that something needs to be done. It is the Commissions duty to ensure responsible recreation and enjoyment of Floridas wildlife and fishery resources while minimizing the likelihood of severe harm these activities may pose to wildlife, Barreto wrote in the letter Wednesday. Below: Read Chairman Rodney Barretos full letter to Skyway Fishing Pier stakeholders More Times coverage on the Skyway Pier (Reuters) - Myanmar's junta has freed a former minister in the ousted government of Aung Sang Suu Kyi and a well-known writer among political detainees given amnesty to mark the country's independence day, according to relatives and media. State broadcaster MRTV said on Wednesday that 7,012 prisoners were due to be released under the amnesty, although it did not provide further details on the inmates. Thura Aung Ko, a former government minister, and Htin Lin Oo, an author and official in Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, as well as some student leaders, activists and journalists, were freed. "Now I have arrived home from prison, but I am not free yet. It is not real freedom if I still need to fear even at home," Htin Lin Oo said by telephone on Thursday, calling for the release of all political prisoners. The writer was arrested at the start of the coup and sentenced to three years in jail for alleged incitement. A junta spokesman did not answer a call seeking comment, but there was no indication that Suu Kyi or jailed former President Win Myint were included in the amnesty. Myanmar has been in chaos since the army took power from Suu Kyi's government on Feb. 1, 2021, detaining her and other officials and responding to protests and dissent with brutal force. The U.N. Security Council last month adopted its first resolution on Myanmar in 74 years, demanding an end to violence and for the junta to free all political detainees. Suu Kyi was recently convicted on five counts of corruption and jailed for seven more years, wrapping up a series of trials condemned internationally as a sham designed to keep the junta's biggest threat at bay. She is being held in a jail in the capital Naypyitaw in solitary confinement and the military insists she has received due process by an independent court. State television footage showed prisoners receiving pre-release briefings and others leaving jails in various parts of the country. Story continues U Tate Naing, secretary of the Thai-based activist group, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), said more than 200 political prisoners had been released under the amnesty from at least 19 jails, although thousands remained in jail. AAPP estimates 13,356 people are currently being detained for their support for the pro-democracy movement. (Reporting by Reuters Staff; Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) TAIPEI (Reuters) - Democratic countries should make it clear the "severe economic consequences" China would face should it move against self-governed Taiwan, the former NATO secretary-general said during a visit to the island on Thursday. China, which claims Taiwan as its own despite strong objections of the democratic island, has been ramping up pressure on Taiwan to assert its sovereignty claims, including almost daily Chinese air force missions near the island over the past three years. Anders Fogh Rasmussen drew a parallel between Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's military aggression towards Taiwan, saying democratic countries must work in unity to ensure an Ukraine victory in order to deter a Chinese attack on Taiwan. "Any attempt by China to change the status quo in Taiwan by force should spark an equally unified response and we must make this clear to China now," Rasmussen told reporters in a news conference in Taipei. "China is far more reliant on global supply chains than Russia. Spelling out the severe economic consequences of any attack now would be a powerful deterrent", he said, adding he believed that Chinese President Xi Jinping was watching closely how the war in Ukraine pans out. Rasmussen, a former Danish prime minister who was one of the world's most-senior diplomats until he left the transatlantic defence alliance in 2014, urged European countries to come up with "comprehensive" sanctions on China if it ever moves on Taiwan. China reserves the right to use force to bring Taiwan under its control if necessary. Taiwan says only its people can decide their own future and that Beijing's claims are void as the People's Republic of China has never governed the island. Rasmussen said European countries could join training exercises with Taiwan's military forces, which currently uses weapons mostly made at home and by the United States. "All those who believe in a democratic Taiwan and rule- based international order must work to ensure Ukraine prevails. It is for the people of Ukraine and people of Taiwan to decide their own future, so the free world must give them our support." (Reporting By Yimou Lee, Fabian Hamacher and Ann Wang; Editing by Michael Perry) Shorewood School District A former Shorewood School District employee has filed a federal lawsuit against his former employer and its insurance company over what he says was retaliation for coming forward with text messages he discovered that were sent between staff members and included "deficit-based language" toward other staff members. "Deficit-based language" is language that reinforces negative stereotypes. Working on behalf of Michael Chavannes, Cade Law Group filed the suit Jan. 1 in the Eastern District of Wisconsin court against the school district and ABC Insurance Co. Chavannes alleges he was fired in May 2022 in retaliation for bringing to the district's attention messages sent between former district employees Tammy Rasco, Kim Salem, Sam Coleman and current employee Shari Tucker, all four of whom are Black. Chavannes, who is white, said the messages contained "deficit-based language" targeting white employees with terms such as "cracker," "white folk," "white ladies," "white devil," "minority Jewish" and more, according to the lawsuit. Coleman and Rasco said the messages were response to racism they and other Black colleagues had experienced. Chavannes was the district's director of information technology. Rasco was principal of Lake Bluff Elementary School; Salem was the Shorewood School District's director of human resources and Coleman was the Shorewood School District's director of curriculum and instruction. All three have since resigned from the district. Tucker is still employed as the district's director for equity. The lawsuit alleges race discrimination, age discrimination, retaliation and interference with benefits. Chavannes is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorney's fees and reinstatement to his former job. Shorewood School District communications specialist Katelin Watson said in an email the district has not yet received notice of the lawsuit but said when it does it will "respond to it in the manner required by law." Story continues "Since this is a matter of litigation, the Shorewood School District will not comment or respond any further at this time," said Watson. Online court records show a court date has not been set yet. It's unclear how long the district has to respond since the district has not yet been been formally served. Chavannes was fired after reporting messages According to the lawsuit: As the district's director of technology, Chavannes had access to school laptops as part of his job duties. Coleman and Tucker led trainings on the district's equity initiative, "which focuses heavily around addressing deficit-based language," the lawsuit said. On Feb. 24, 2022, Chavannes' subordinate alerted Chavannes to text messages found on Rasco's district-issued laptop, which "contained deficit-based language directed toward staff members." Chavannes reported the messages to his supervisor, interim Superintendent JoAnn Sternke, saying they "could be interpreted as creating a hostile work environment of administrators toward staff." "Chavannes expressed to Sternke, 'what if it was a white administrator using the 'N' word toward any staff members' and that there needed to be a repercussion for using the same 'type of word towards white staff members,'" the lawsuit said. Sternke did not ask Chavannes to write a report or file a complaint per the district's whistleblower policy, but instead told Chavannes to keep the laptop in a safe place. She did not ask again about the messages, the lawsuit said. Chavannes backed up the laptop's contents onto a USB drive to keep it safe per Sternke's request, the lawsuit said. On March 2, 2022, Chavannes discovered additional messages on the desktop computer in Rasco's office between the four Black administrators referring to white employees by derogatory terms. Salem, Tucker and Coleman responded to the messages with "various laughing emojis," the lawsuit said. There was also a message with an image of Coleman drinking during work hours. Chavannes backed up those messages onto another USB drive. The next day, Chavannes was placed on administrative leave with no reason given "other than 'potential misconduct that [called] into question [his] ability to perform [his] job responsibilities as an administrator in the District,'" the lawsuit said. In a letter to Shorewood School Board President Paru Shah, Sternke requested Chavannes' termination, saying Chavannes violated "directives" from her in handling the situation. Representing the district at a school board hearing, attorney Sarah Hanneman said Sternke ordered Chavannes not to speak to anyone else about the text messages and not to do anything with the laptop except set it aside on a shelf. Hanneman said Chavannes violated those directives the next day. He was placed on administrative leave and was given more directives, both verbally and in writing, including not to have any contact with any district employee during his leave and not to engage in conduct that would interfere with the district's investigation. Hanneman said Chavannes violated those additional directives, as well. After a district investigation, Chavannes was fired. The lawsuit maintains Chavannes "was fully within his job duties in reporting the discriminatory messages found on Ms. Rascos laptop" and that "data found on a work device is not subject to privacy." The suit also says that despite violating a policy that says district property must only be used for district-related business, none of the administrators were suspended or placed on leave. It adds that, according to the employee handbook, there is no expectation of privacy for employees using the district's internet system. The lawsuit also said the district discriminated against Chavannes when it fired him based on his age when it hired someone younger than 40 years old to replace him and that the district knew Chavannes "would be eligible for specific benefits at the start of the next school year" after he turned 50. According to the suit, Chavannes was eligible to receive a $25,000 a year benefit that would begin when he turned 50 years old and that benefit would be paid from age 50 to 57. That money goes into a health reimbursement account, and the employee is able to access it once the employee turns 57 and retires from the district, according to Chavannes' contract. District takes action after messages The district conducted staff training about race and equity and planned to disable iCloud on district technology, according to interim Superintendent JoAnn Sternke. "As leaders and teachers, we must hold ourselves and each other to a heightened standard of excellence for communication, both in public and private," Sternke said in a prepared statement in fall. "Unfortunately, the identified text messages failed to meet this expectation." Sternke said the district does not condone the "use of racial and inflammatory language" found in some of the text messages. Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Shorewood Schools employee files lawsuit against district Israelis protest the new government the most far-right, religiously conservative in history on Dec. 29, 2022, outside the Knesset, Israel's parliament. Eyal Warshavsky/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Democracy is not just about holding elections. It is a set of institutions, ideas and practices that allow citizens a continuous, decisive voice in shaping their government and its policies. The new Israeli government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu and sworn in on Dec. 29, 2022, is a coalition of the most extreme right-wing and religious parties in the history of the state. This government presents a major threat to Israeli democracy, and it does so on multiple fronts. That threat has not passed unnoticed. Tens of thousands of Israelis protested in Tel Aviv during the first weeks of January 2023 against the governments proposed reform policies. Smaller demonstrations took place in other cities, and organizers promise to keep the heat on. Perhaps the most important front in the battle is the Israeli Supreme Court. On Jan. 12, court President Esther Hayut gave a highly uncharacteristic public speech in which she warned that the Netanyahu governments proposed reforms are meant to be a mortal wound to the independence of the judiciary, and to turn it into a silent institution. The clash came to a head when, on Jan. 18, the justices ruled 10-1 against the appointment of Aryeh Deri as a senior minister in Netanyahus Cabinet because of what the court said was his backlog of criminal convictions. Deri, the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, served time in jail, and the judges ruling said that he should not be in the government. The ruling means that Netanyahu will either face a coalition crisis or else find a way to circumvent the courts ruling, which will place the government above the law. The conflict between the Supreme Court and Netanyahus government illustrates one of the four ways that Israels democratic institutions, customs and practices are endangered by the new government. Here are those threats, based on policies and legislation that have been proposed or are already in process. 1. Hostility to freedom of speech and dissent Prime Minister Netanyahu has been working for years to consolidate his grip on Israeli media. The new government plans to accelerate the privatization of media in the hands of friendly interests and brand as anti-Israeli and treasonous media outlets its leaders deem hostile. The signs of this delegitimization are already here. Story continues Ministers of Israels 37th government wait to have their group picture taken with the president and prime minister at the presidents residence in Jerusalem on Dec. 29, 2022. Photo by Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images Even before the newly appointed minister of national security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, took office, the police briefly arrested and interrogated journalist Israel Frey after he posted a controversial tweet hinting that the Israeli military may be a legitimate target of Palestinian attacks. The police claimed the tweet incited terrorism, and the arrest showed journalists who favor an open and free press that they might face retaliation. Ben-Gvir, the head of the Jewish Power party and now overseer of the police, was convicted in the past for supporting Jewish terrorism and for racist incitement against Israels Arab minority. In his inauguration speech on Jan. 1, the new minister branded Jewish anarchists a code he often uses for leftists and human rights organizations as threats that needed to be dealt with. 2. Diminishing equal rights The Netanyahu government appears poised to allow discrimination against the LGBTQ community and women, thus undermining equality before the law, an important democratic principle. Incoming National Missions Minister Orit Strock said in an interview in late December, If a doctor is asked to give any type of treatment to someone that violates his religious faith, if there is another doctor who can do it, then you cant force them to provide treatment. Netanyahu condemned Strock and other coalition members who stated that gay people could be denied service by businesses if serving them contradicts the business owners religious beliefs. Yet, journalists report that Likud and other coalition partners agreed in writing to amend the law against discrimination to allow exactly such a policy. During early coalition negotiations, ultra-Orthodox parties demanded new legislation that would allow gender-based segregation in public spaces and events. Netanyahu has reportedly agreed, which means these laws are expected to pass the Knesset. Segregation in educational spheres, public transportation and public events is often translated into exclusion of women and weakening of womens voices, and hence contradicts basic democratic principles such as freedom and equality. 3. West Bank annexation and apartheid The new governments intention to de facto annex the West Bank will turn hollow Israels claims of being the only democracy in the Middle East. In a Dec. 28 tweet, Netanyahu announced that his governments guidelines will include the principle that the Jewish people have an exclusive and unquestionable right to all areas of the Land of Israel, including the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967 and populated by a Palestinian majority. These guidelines, combined with new nominations of far right politician Bezalel Smotrich as the minister responsible for Jewish settlements and Ben-Gvir as the minister in charge of the border police, could provide justification for annexation of the occupied Palestinian territories. Based on much of the rhetoric of right-wing leaders such as Smotrich, Palestinian residents of these lands will have neither equal rights nor voting rights. This means apartheid, not democracy. 4. Erasing the separation of powers In the Israeli system, the executive and legislative branches are always controlled by the same coalition. The courts are the only institution that can check the power of the ruling parties and uphold the countrys Basic Laws, which provide rights in the absence of a formal constitution. But the new government wants to erase this separation of power and explicitly aims at weakening the courts. On Jan. 4, after less than a week in his role, new Minister of Justice Yariv Levin announced the governments plan for a radical judicial reform, which will include the override clause. That clause will allow a simple majority in the Knesset to re-enact any law struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional. The new Israeli government plans to allow a simple majority in the Knesset to ignore any action by the Supreme Court to strike down a law as unconstitutional. Esther Hayut, pictured here, is the chief justice of the Supreme Court. Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images This would, in effect, remove all barriers placed upon the power of the majority. The coalition could legislate policies that are not only unconstitutional, but which clearly contradict ideas of human rights and equality that are enshrined in Israels Declaration of Independence. The governments plan also includes reforms that would allow the coalition to control nomination of judges. In a small country that does not have a strong constitution and in which there is no separation of power between the executive and legislature, this move, again, would weaken the authority of the court and make judges beholden to politicians. These so-called reforms threaten to destroy the entire constitutional structure of the State of Israel, said Yair Lapid, head of the opposition and former prime minister. The danger of Netanyahus woes All of these threats to Israeli democracy are more likely to materialize because of Netanyahus current personal problems. Netanyahu is an experienced politician who in the past managed to quell the most extreme elements of his coalition partners, and his own Likud party, by paying them lip service while being more cautious on actual policies. Many analysts do not believe this time will be the same. The prime minister is facing corruption and fraud trials in three separate cases and is focused on protecting himself through whatever legislative and executive power he can muster. Netanyahu is beholden to his coalition for this task, which makes him vulnerable to their ultra-Orthodox agenda and demands for laws to perpetuate Jewish supremacy. Any one of these changes present a serious democratic erosion. Together, they pose a clear danger to the existence of Israeli democracy. Israel will continue to have elections in the future, but its an open question whether these will still be free and fair. With no judicial oversight, with constant disregard of human rights, with annexation of Palestinian lands and the disenfranchising of their people, and with a media that normalizes all of these processes, the answer is probably no. As in Turkey, Hungary or even Russia, Israel could become a democracy in form only, devoid of all the ideas and institutions that underpin a government that is actually of the people and by the people. This story has been updated to reflect the Israeli Supreme Courts recent actions regarding the Netanyahu government. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. The Conversation has a variety of fascinating free newsletters. It was written by: Boaz Atzili, American University School of International Service. Read more: Boaz Atzili does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. FTC chair Lina Khan Graeme Jennings/Pool via REUTERS The FTC wants to ban noncompete agreements, which stop workers from moving to competitors or starting their own similar businesses. Under the FTC's proposed rule, employers wouldn't be able to impose a noncompete, and past ones would be rescinded. FTC Chair Lina Khan said that noncompetes undermine competition and competitive conditions. The Federal Trade Commission wants to make sure your boss can't force you to sign away your rights to work at a similar company or even start your own business. Under a new proposed rule, the FTC would ban employers from saddling workers with noncompete agreements that prohibit them from working at competitors, or starting similar businesses. The Commission argues that noncompetes are an unfair method of competition, violating the Federal Trade Commission Act and their ban would broaden opportunities for American workers, putting almost $300 billion more in their pockets annually. "Why are we doing this? Basically, in short, there's a whole raft of economic evidence that now documents the ways in which these noncompete clauses undermine competition and competitive conditions," FTC chair Lina Khan said. Theoretically, noncompetes are meant to stop primarily high-level employees from jumping ship to other companies, bringing proprietary information and other knowledge with them. But, in practice, noncompetes are more sweeping. Over 30 million workers are made to sign noncompetes, according to the National Employment Law Project, and over a third of those workers are asked to sign the agreements after they've already accepted a job. In some cases, workers can't start their own businesses similar to the ones they're working in. "If you're a phlebotomist or a journalist and you think that you can't practice your trade in the area in which you work for a long period of time, that's still significantly chilling. It could still mean that you don't match with the optimal job that you want," Elizabeth Wilkins, director of the office of policy planning at the FTC, said. "You can't get a raise, and you can't ask for the kinds of things that you might be able to ask for if you could get a better job." Story continues Agreements are sometimes foisted upon low-wage workers, preventing them from jumping ship to a different restaurant or retail store offering higher pay. Among workplaces paying an average of less than $13 an hour, 29% have noncompetes for all workers, according to a report from the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute. One famous example of noncompetes: Stopping sandwich sales. In Illinois, sandwich chain Jimmy John's settled a lawsuit from the state's attorney general in 2016, and said it would not enforce noncompetes on its workers. Workers had been banned from working at any business within two or three miles of a Jimmy John's that made over 10% of its revenue from selling "submarine, hero-type, deli-style, pita, and/or wrapped or rolled sandwiches" for two years. The White House has already taken aim at noncompetes as a barrier to competition. President Joe Biden signed an executive order last summer encouraging the FTC to ban or limit the agreements. Now, the FTC is doing just that, with its proposed rule outlawing employers from entering into, maintaining, or making it seem as though a worker is subject to a noncompete. Independent contractors and unpaid workers would be subject to the rule. Under it, employers would have to rescind current noncompetes and let workers know they're doing so. The public will have 60 days to submit comments on the proposed rule, which the FTC will then review and potentially incorporate into a final rule. Anecdotally, some businesses have recently been more dogged in enforcing noncompetes amidst labor shortages in attempt to keep workers. The rule is likely to attract ire from businesses which deploy noncompetes. Crucially, noncompetes are one mechanism for maintaining what's called monopsony power which means that, due to a lack of competition, employers have more power over the labor market, and the ability to do things like set wages at lower levels than a more competitive market would create. The Treasury Department previously found that wages are 15% to 20% lower currently than they would be in a perfectly competitive labor market, showcasing the monopsony power employers still hold. One reason for those suppressed wages, according to Treasury: Noncompetes. "If this rule were to be finalized and go into effect, workers that are currently stuck in place, effectively, would now be able to freely move to another job," Khan said, adding: "I would think that would basically force employers to compete more vigorously over workers in ways that should lead to higher wages. That should lead to improved working conditions." Read the original article on Business Insider FTX's founder and ex-CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) FTX's ex-top lawyer has cooperated with US agencies investigating the crypto exchange, per Reuters. Daniel Friedberg spoke about how Sam Bankman-Fried used customer funds to finance the FTX empire. FTX's ex-CEO is facing fraud charges, and billions of dollars of customer funds are missing. FTX's former top lawyer has cooperated with US authorities investigating the crypto exchange's collapse and told them about how Sam Bankman-Fried's handled customer funds, according to a Reuters report. Daniel Friedberg, until recently the chief regulatory officer at FTX, met with more than 20 investigators on November 22, Reuters reported Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter. Friedberg shared his knowledge about the way Bankman-Fried used the billions of dollars of funds to finance his crypto group, per the report. He also spoke about conversations between FTX execs on that activity and gave insight on how FTX's sister trading arm Alameda Research operated. Since FTX collapsed in November, reports have emerged that billions of dollars in trading customer funds were funneled to Alameda to prop up the crypto hedge fund. Other reports have revealed unusual business practices, such as FTX having customers wire money to a fake electronics retailer again, to ultimately support the trading arm. New York prosecutors have set up an FTX Task Force to trace and recover the missing customer money, estimated to total over $2 billion at least. Meanwhile, Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to the fraud and other criminal charges laid against him in US court. In a now-deleted blog on FTX's website in 2020, Bankman-Fried wrote that Friedberg was FTX's legal advisor "from the very beginning," and said he had been "with us through thick and thin," per Reuters. FTX's former regulatory chief was willing to share information about the crypto exchange right after it filed for bankruptcy on November 11, the report said. He then requested FTX waive his attorney-client privilege so he could work with the authorities. Story continues "I want to cooperate in all respects," he told two FBI agents in an email at the time, seen by Reuters. Investigators from the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the Securities and Exchange Commission were at the meeting with Friedberg at the office of the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York in late November, Reuters said. Friedberg and his lawyer, Telemachus Kasulis, and FTX did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. The US agencies involved did not respond to a similar request. Read the original article on Business Insider After his veto of a bill that aimed to regulate the crypto industry at the state level, Gov. Gavin Newsom said, "Blockchain in particular is something that I see only becoming more and more predominant in our lives." (Los Angeles Times illustration; Photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)) Gov. Gavin Newsom is one of the Democratic Party's most prominent promoters and defenders of blockchain and crypto technology. But Newsom's recent efforts to boost the sector and fend off new state-level regulation of it have suffered from awkward timing. In May, Newsom issued an executive order that sought to promote blockchain research, spur innovation, and explore how the technology might be used in government. Days later, two prominent cryptocurrencies imploded and crypto markets collapsed. Less than two months later, the Celsius Network , one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, declared bankruptcy, affecting more than 48,000 Californians with assets worth $650 million. After the Celsius debacle, a new state-level attempt to regulate the industry soared through both chambers of the California legislature, passing on Aug. 30 with only six dissenting votes. Three weeks later, Newsom vetoed that bill, claiming that it was premature" for the state to move forward without considering "forthcoming federal regulation. Newsom's unfortunate timing soon struck again. In the months since his veto, crypto exchange FTX has filed for bankruptcy, former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried (a supporter of Newsoms executive order) has been charged with multiple federal crimes , and crypto prices have fallen further . Despite Newsom's expectations, federal legislation regulating the nascent, but volatile, crypto industry remains in limbo . Newsom has not expressed regrets for the veto. In an interview, he said that his executive order hadn't gone "as far as a lot of people wanted in the industry," and noted that California had taken a different approach than New York, which has pursued particularly strict crypto regulation, as well as Wyoming, which has such a lax regime that it has been described as the " Delaware of digital assets ." "I think Californias approach was a sober approach," Newsom said. "We tried to look at this through the prism, long term, of how this fundamentally is going to change relationships, particularly in the financial sector. Blockchain in particular is something that I see only becoming more and more predominant in our lives." Story continues In Sacramento, however, lawmakers and advocates who pushed California's latest attempt to regulate blockchain and crypto are unconvinced that the state has struck the right balance, and are gearing up to try again. "During the last legislative session, industry expressed concerns about the costs of complying with fair and reasonable rules," said Assemblymember Tim Grayson, chair of the Banking and Finance Committee and author of AB 2269 , the bill Newsom vetoed. "As we now know, the costs of doing nothing are so much higher: real people are being hurt. I appreciate the industry stakeholders who have already come to me in good faith to work towards policy that promotes responsible innovation while protecting consumers," Grayson added. Industry stakeholders have been eager to weigh in before. Payment processors Block Inc., Paypal and Stripe; financial giants Fidelity and J.P. Morgan Chase; nonfungible token marketplace OpenSea; crypto financial services firm Blockchain.com; crypto exchange Coinbase; software giant Salesforce; and trade groups including the Electronic Transactions Assn., TechNet and the Blockchain Advocacy Coalition spent more than $400,000 combined lobbying the Assembly, the state Senate, the executive branch and Newsom himself between April 1 and the end of August, according to California lobbying disclosures. All of those organizations lobbied on the crypto regulation bill Newsom vetoed. In a letter of opposition to Grayson, the bill's author, the Blockchain Advocacy Coalition wrote that the bill needed greater clarity and flexibility to prevent the potential stifling of a nascent yet promising industry. The coalition also opposed unclear definitions of digital asset terms and onerous registration requirements." Others in the cryptocurrency industry saw the bill as a jobs killer that would drive innovation out of California and undermine Newsom's executive order . Any new legislative effort to regulate the industry is likely to be met with another windfall for Sacramento's top lobbyists, warned Robert Herrell, executive director of the Consumer Federation of California, a nonprofit advocacy group that was a major supporter of the bill Newsom vetoed. "[Big Tech companies] have almost unlimited resources and they are constantly currying favor with elected officials at all levels, Herrell said. That gives them access that consumers dont have. None of the people who are left holding the bag after Celsius [and FTX] went under have that kind of access. Salesforce lobbied Newsom directly on NFTs and blockchain technology, according to the company's lobbying disclosure . On May 18, Salesforce treated Newsom to a $130 dinner, the lobbying report shows. The report does not say whether the lobbying in question occurred at the dinner, but a Salesforce spokesperson said it did not. Marc Benioff, the billionaire CEO of Salesforce, is a close friend of Newsom's and the godfather of the governor's oldest son. Newsom views NFTs and blockchains separately from cryptocurrencies and cant recall crypto being discussed at the Salesforce dinner, he told The Times. I didnt even know they had any interest in that space, Salesforce in particular, so that's news to me, Newsom said. I know so many people from Salesforce, including Marc Benioff. I was just with Marc and we had not one conversation on crypto. The bill Newsom vetoed would have required cryptocurrency exchanges to disclose their assets and financial stability, temporarily banned a category of cryptocurrency called unbacked or algo stablecoins and required companies that trade crypto assets or manage customers' money to become licensed with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation by Jan. 1, 2025. Newsom said in his veto statement that his administration conducted extensive research and outreach to gather input on approaches that balance the benefits and risks to consumers. But Newsom and his top aides did not meet with the Consumer Federation of California, Herrell said. Herrell was proud that he was able to build a wide coalition of strange bedfellows" to back the crypto regulation bill, he said. We worked our butts off to build that coalition, Herrell said. The events of the last few months have just confirmed what many of us already knew, which is that this is a Wild West marketplace in crypto. It lacks basic foundational rules of the road, and basic foundational consumer protections. Newsom's veto statement suggested he was counting on federal action to lay out those rules of the road. But with Bankman-Fried the main force pushing for regulatory changes in Washington facing federal charges, and Republicans set to take control of the House of Representatives, congressional action on crypto regulation appears unlikely in the near term. In hindsight, Newsoms veto of California crypto regulation looks pretty bad, said Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Northridge), one of Congress leading anti-crypto voices. In general, we don't like people being defrauded, and the Securities and Exchange Commission is moving slowly, Sherman, who wants crypto to be banned , told The Times. Congress is an immobilized mess, and state legislators can step in, and at least make sure that when you invest in something truly evil that youre not defrauded. If you're going to be in the business of holding other people's money, you need to be regulated and audited and bonded. Newsom seems to have pivoted a bit in the wake of the FTX crisis. Last month, his office issued an executive report that looked into the ramifications of his crypto executive order. The report found that people who have been historically underserved by the traditional banking industry have fallen victim to hacks, scams, fraud, and product collapses. It also cited three major risks involved in the crypto marketplace: fraud, misinformation as well as privacy and safety. The California Legislature is moving forward. Grayson has already introduced one new bill, AB 39 , which would force all companies involved with money transfers a definition that would include crypto companies to register with state financial regulators. State Sen. Monique Limon (D-Goleta), chair of the California Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee, seems ready to revisit a new version of the bill Newsom vetoed or go further. If all crypto companies complied with the consumer protection provisions of AB 2269, I am sure that California consumers and retail investors would be exposed to fewer risks in this space, Limon told The Times. I look forward to working with Chairman Grayson as he leads legislative efforts that prioritize California consumers in the coming legislative session. Times staff writer Taryn Luna contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany is changing its entry rules for travellers from China and will in future require at least a rapid coronavirus test to enter the country, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Thursday. There will also be random checks upon entry for any coronavirus variants as well as expanded monitoring of wastewater, he said in a statement. The steps are in line with recommendations by European Union government officials released on Wednesday evening. "Europe has found a joint response to the pandemic situation in China. This is precisely what we as the federal government have been working towards," said Lauterbach. China plans to ease travel restrictions on Sunday, despite a wave of new infections which has left Chinese hospitals and funeral houses overwhelmed. Officials at the Frankfurt airport have already been monitoring wastewater, a health ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. (Reporting by Alexander Ratz, Writing by Miranda Murray, editing by Kirsti Knolle and Paul Carrel) Struggling Bed Bath & Beyond warned on Thursday that the home goods retailer may need to file for bankruptcy as sales continue to drop and it struggles to attract shoppers. The Union, New Jersey-based company said that its looking at several options including selling assets or restructuring its business in bankruptcy court, but it acknowledged that even those efforts may not be successful. Shares lost a quarter of their value on the news to trade at $1.82, their lowest level since November 1992. Advertisement There is substantial doubt about the companys ability to continue as a going concern, the retailer said in a statement. Shoppers enter and exit a Bed Bath & Beyond in Schaumburg, Ill., Jan. 14, 2021. Struggling Bed Bath & Beyond warned on Thursday that there's substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a "going concern" even as it continues to look at options like refinancing its debt or restructuring its business in bankruptcy court. (Nam Y. Huh/AP) The companys assessment came as its dismal performance continued through the holiday season. Advertisement Bed Bath & Beyond expects to report net sales of $1.26 billion for the third quarter ended Nov. 26. That would be a 32% drop from a year earlier. It also anticipates a net loss of roughly $385.8 million for the third quarter, wider than its loss of $276.4 million in the year-earlier period. The companys recently-appointed CEO and president, Sue Gove, blamed the poor performance on inventory constraints and reduced credit limits that resulted in shortages of merchandise on the shelves. In August, Bed Bath & Beyond announced it would shutter stores and lay off workers in a bid to turn around its beleaguered business. It closed about 150 of its namesakes stores and slashed its workforce by 20%. It estimated those cuts would save $250 million in the companys current fiscal year. It also said in August that it had lined up more than $500 million of new financing. Mired in a prolonged sales slump, the company also announced back in August that it would revert to its original strategy of focusing on national brands, instead of pushing its own store labels. That reversed a strategy embraced by its former CEO Mark Tritton, who was ousted last June after less than three years at the helm. It said it would get rid of one-third of its store brands, which had started to be rolled out in the last year or so. Besides Bed Bath & Beyond, the company also runs the buybuy Baby and Harmon chains. Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, wrote in a report Thursday that Bed Bath & Beyond is too far gone to be saved in its present form. He noted that the company could restructure under Chapter 11, but it would still need to come up with a credible plan to reinvent the business, and that is going to be challenging, particularly in a weakening economic environment. A catalogue of missteps has run the company into the ground and has made it increasingly irrelevant, he wrote. Only very radical action will allow it to survive and even if it does, it will be a shadow of its former self. The company is set to release final third-quarter results on Tuesday. Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of Global Fashion Group S.A. (ETR:GFG) as an investment opportunity by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. This will be done using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Before you think you won't be able to understand it, just read on! It's actually much less complex than you'd imagine. We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. See our latest analysis for Global Fashion Group What's The Estimated Valuation? We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF (, Millions) -78.7m -41.3m 12.0m 20.6m 31.1m 42.0m 52.4m 61.5m 69.0m 74.9m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x3 Analyst x3 Analyst x1 Est @ 72.07% Est @ 50.46% Est @ 35.33% Est @ 24.74% Est @ 17.33% Est @ 12.14% Est @ 8.51% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 9.4% -71.9 -34.6 9.2 14.4 19.9 24.6 28.0 30.1 30.8 30.6 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = 81m Story continues We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 0.03%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 9.4%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = 75m (1 + 0.03%) (9.4% 0.03%) = 803m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= 803m ( 1 + 9.4%)10= 328m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is 409m. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of 1.3, the company appears a touch undervalued at a 29% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf The Assumptions We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Global Fashion Group as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 9.4%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.675. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for Global Fashion Group Strength Debt is well covered by earnings. Weakness No major weaknesses identified for GFG. Opportunity Has sufficient cash runway for more than 3 years based on current free cash flows. Good value based on P/S ratio and estimated fair value. Threat Debt is not well covered by operating cash flow. Not expected to become profitable over the next 3 years. Looking Ahead: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. What is the reason for the share price sitting below the intrinsic value? For Global Fashion Group, we've put together three essential items you should explore: Risks: Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Global Fashion Group (of which 1 is concerning!) you should know about. Future Earnings: How does GFG's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every German stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in "Evil Dead Rise." Warner Bros. Pictures Irish director Lee Cronin is bringing the Deadites back in "Evil Dead Rise." It's the latest movie in the "Evil Dead" franchise created by Sam Raimi. The first red-band trailer for the film shows off just how brutal the new story will be. Horror fans haven't seen an "Evil Dead" movie since Fede Alvarez delivered a fresh group of victims to that infamous cabin in the woods back in 2013, but Lee Cronin is about to change that with 2023's "Evil Dead Rise." The new movie follows Beth (Lily Sullivan) as she visits her sister, single mother Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), and her children in Los Angeles, where the book of the dead has found its way into their apartment building. It isn't long before Ellie is possessed and becomes a terrifying Deadite herself, hunting her sister and her kids. Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" franchise has an infamous reputation for its brutal violence, and Cronin comes out strong by teasing some of the film's unhinged scenes. So, here are the gnarliest moments in the "Evil Dead Rise" trailer, ranked. 6. The mother of all evil. Deadite Ellie screaming through a door. Warner Bros. Pictures The film is playing on the idea of a mother turning on her own children as Ellie becomes the first Deadite in the building, and it's clear that Cronin is toying with that dynamic. One of the most haunting scenes in the trailer sees Ellie's daughter, played by Nell Fisher, speaking to her bloodied mother through a barricaded door. Clearly, the little girl falls for the Deadite's sinister smile and unlocks the door, and the screaming monster tries to grab her own daughter, which is incredibly effective. Putting a child in the middle of all the bloody carnage is a bold move from Cronin, especially when her own mother is probably trying to rip her arm off. 5. The blood flood. Blood exploding through a window. Warner Bros. Pictures. Cronin previously teased on Twitter that "Evil Dead Rise" will be a blood-soaked affair, and he wasn't lying. The montage of shots toward the end of the trailer shows a cascade of blood crashing through (what looks like) a window. Story continues Yes, it's very reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," but it's confirmation that this isn't going to hold back on all of its gory glory. It'll be interesting to see whether this is a dream sequence, or if that really is blood flooding through the apartment building. Will it top the blood rain at the end of the 2013 "Evil Dead" movie? Here's hoping. 4. The sore throat. Glass bulging out of someone's neck. Warner Bros. Pictures Ellie clearly isn't going to be the only Deadite causing chaos in the apartment, because it looks like at least one of her children will also turn into a bloodthirsty demon. Deadite Ellie obviously hasn't been feeding her kids very well, since one of them decides to start munching on a wine glass, much to Beth's horror. To make it worse, the trailer takes the time to show the shards of broken glass bulging out of their throat as they swallow it. That one hurts just to think about. This might be the same person who gets set on fire later in the trailer... They're definitely having a bad day. 3. The scalp. Mia Challis as Jessica getting strangled by a Deadite. Warner Bros. Pictures The footage also confirms that the horror isn't just confined to the claustrophobic apartment, with a sequence involving a group of characters out in the woods. Although, their cabin looks in better shape than the one Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) fought his way through in previous films. Clearly, this gang isn't going to survive long because one of the girls is possessed, and quickly takes it out on another girl by grabbing her ponytail with such ferocity that she rips her whole scalp off. Gross. This unknown Deadite girl then wanders onto a dock by a lake and drops the mushy scalp to the floor with a wet slop. Yummy. 2. The tattoo gun. A tattoo gun in front of someone's eyeball. Warner Bros. Pictures What is it about horror movies and brutalizing someone's eyeballs? Yikes. The trailer boasts a big wince-worthy moment as Ellie pounces on a victim with a tattoo gun. She pins them to the floor while pushing the gun at their eye, although the trailer is careful not to show the audience what happens next. After all, the studio has to save some of the violence for release. But the idea of what's about to happen is enough to make viewers shiver with the thought of the tattoo gun going into the victim's eyeball. Nice. 1. The cheese grater. A bloody hand holding a cheese grater against Beth's leg. Warner Bros. The one moment that really stands out in the whole trailer is when one of Ellie's older daughters (who's clearly been possessed) grabs a cheese grater and slams it onto Beth's leg, presumably shredding her calf with it. Again, it doesn't actually show the wound, but the very idea of it is enough to make anyone squirm. Cronin has clearly had a lot of fun coming up with various means of torture for the Deadites' victims in a way that isn't going to leave the audience's brain any time soon. Hopefully, the trailer is just a taste of what's to come rather than spoiling all the best bits, but it's looking good for "Evil Dead" fans. It's not looking as good for Ellie, Beth, and the kids in the apartment. It's a good job there's a "boomstick" and a chainsaw to hand. "Evil Dead Rise" is released in theaters on April 21. Read the original article on Insider Modern diplomacy involves at least some basic reporting. It is almost impossible to totally hide what diplomats talk about. The two interlocutor governments report the results of their talks in order to promote their agenda and to spread their own narrative. There is an absence of any news on the contents of the Cohen-Lavrov talks, and when I look at the reaction of my Israeli friends who are closely following this situation, this silence disappoints them. The new government of Israel resumed negotiations with Lavrov (the previous government of Yair Lapid had suspended them), because they consider everything that was done by Lapid's government to be wrong. And this applies not only to Russia's war against Ukraine, but in general to any actions of the previous government in domestic and foreign policy. Therefore, one should not expect any consistency in Israeli politics, and thus we are seeing a radical departure from previous principles and positions. Read also: US, Israel discussing ways to prevent Iran from supplying drones to Russia It is not difficult to imagine what Lavrov had to say. We've heard these speeches many times, and this one was obviously no different. And in this sense, the new head of the Israeli Foreign Ministry skillfully nodded and said "ken, ken, ken" (yes, yes, yes). I don't think they would deny trying to discuss things with Lavrov. I do not think that was the point. Of course, Israel is concerned about increased cooperation between Russia and Iran. Unfortunately, those predictions, including mine, that Russia will actively blackmail Israel through this cooperation with Iran, have come true. And Israel, unfortunately, will fall for this blackmail. We are seeing this with our own eyes. The media wrote that shortly after being named prime minister for the third time, Benjamin Netanyahu, in a telephone conversation with Zelenskyy on Friday, December 30, asked him that Ukraine vote in the UN General Assembly against the resolution calling on the International Criminal Court to issue a legal opinion on consequences of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, known as the West Bank. Instead, the Ukrainian president allegedly said that in exchange for this vote by Ukraine, he would like to hear how the new Israeli government plans to change its position on aid to Kyiv, in particular, whether it can count on arms to protect against ballistic missiles and Iranian drones. Story continues Read also: Israeli FM conveys Blinkens message to Lavrov Bibi Netanyahu behaved like a classic Arab official. In response to Zelenskyys request, he said Inshallah bukra - "God willing, tomorrow." Frankly speaking, I have not heard what the Hebrew equivalent is. But I suspect that Bibi Netanyahu, who has been involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict for a long time, has learned well the Arab way of politely saying no. That is, we must understand that it is a "no," and not something else, and act accordingly. At this point, there are no chances or grounds to say that Ukraine can somehow influence Israel to make a decision that interests us. Moreover, when we talk about Yair Lapid's government, this government was the most complementary to Ukraine, but it still failed to provide us with arms. What can we talk about now, when people who are very far from Ukrainian interests have come to power in Israel, whose voters did not see us at the top of their list of interests. Frankly speaking, the chances that Bibi will agree to any cooperation with Ukraine regarding weapons are minimal. Therefore, we need to act accordingly. I understand that Ukraine did not vote for that resolution in the UN, Ukraine left the hall, and this, I hope, is Israel's last concession, considering that with this government, we can hardly expect any positive decisions to come our way. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine ATHENS, Greece (AP) The crew of a Greek coast guard patrol boat fired warning shots early Thursday to deter a Turkish coast guard vessel that was trying to ram them in the eastern Aegean Sea, authorities in Athens said, as tensions between the two neighbors remain high. Turkey's coast guard said its crew fired into the air in response, and added that the Greek vessel was chased away. A Greek coast guard statement said that the crew fired warning shots in a secure sector and the Turkish coast guard vessel withdrew toward the Turkish coast. The coast guard said the shots were fired into the air. The statement did not make any mention of injuries, or damage to either vessel, during the incident southeast of the Greek islet of Farmakonissi and, according to the Greek coast guard, 1.5 nautical miles (1.7 miles) inside Greece's territorial waters. The Turkish Coast Guard offered a different version of events, saying a Greek coast guard boat harassed Turkish fishing boats off the Turkish Aegean coastal resort of Didim, prompting Turkish authorities to dispatch a coast guard boat. The Turkish boat drove the Greek boat away from the region, enabling the Turkish fishing boats to continue with their activities, it said. According to the Turkish account, the Greek coast guard boat opened fire into the air while leaving the region prompting the Turkish boat to respond in kind. The incident comes as relations between Greece and Turkey, historic regional rivals and uneasy NATO allies, have been tenser than usual over the past three years. The Greek coast guard said its vessel had been on a mission to identify three Turkish fishing boats in Greek waters off Farmakonissi. It said the Greek crew opened fire after being harassed" by the Turkish coast guard boat, which the statement said carried out dangerous maneuvers with the intention of ramming the Greek vessel. The two countries, which have come to the brink of war three times since 1974, have decades-old disputes over Aegean Sea boundaries and the war-divided eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. But relations have rapidly deteriorated in recent years, with migratory flows from Turkey and offshore gas prospecting in the eastern Mediterranean adding fuel to existing distrust and historic grievances between Greeks and Turks that stretch back for centuries. Turkish officials are also accusing Greece of militarizing its eastern Aegean Sea islands, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly alluded to invading Greece in recent months. Greece counters that it needs to defend its islands against a possible Turkish attack. Hailey Bieber reflects on her health scare eight months after suffering a ministroke. (Photo: Getty Images) Hailey Bieber says she's finally moving forward from her 2022 health scare, eight months after suffering a "ministroke," formally known as transient ischemic attack, or a TIA. The 26-year-old model said that it was "definitely the scariest thing I've ever gone through" when recounting the stroke-like symptoms that she experienced back in March. Just 25 years old at the time, she was worried that she'd never get past the trauma. "To experience something that I had zero control over happening in my body was very scary and very jarring. I also didn't want it to turn me into the type of person that was going to be afraid all the time of something bad happening because I struggle with that anxiety, just in general already," she said on The Run-Through with Vogue podcast. "I struggled with a little bit of PTSD of just like the fear of maybe it was gonna happen again. And it was just a feeling that I was like I never want to experience that ever again. I mean, it was so terrifying, so jarring, so discombobulating in every single way that you could imagine." Bieber herself spoke about the incident in a video posted to social media just over one month after it happened, sharing her doctor's explanation that a blood clot had traveled through a hole in her heart up to her brain. She also shared that she had undergone a procedure to have that hole closed. Although people praised her for speaking out about the experience, she told the podcast's co-hosts that it's been difficult to re-live. "It was really hard for me to talk about it for a little while, even the video that I had made for my YouTube channel. It's hard for me to talk about that stuff, it brings back the feelings for me of going through that experience," she said. And while recording the podcast episode from Palm Springs, where she was at the time of the health scare, she admitted it had been scary to go back. Story continues "I was actually in Palm Springs at the same place that I'm at right now and even the first couple times coming back here after was like a little bit of a strange, triggering kind of feeling for me because it's like you just remember exactly how everything happened in that moment," she said. "I'm just now starting to come out of that kind of fight or flight feeling of being nervous about something bad happening again or having another ministroke or the hole in my heart not being closed." Bieber was sure to highlight the "bright side" of the incident, being that doctors were able to find the cause of the TIA and ultimately perform a procedure that would keep it from happening again. She explained that she's been working to maintain a positive outlook on her body and her health in the time since. "The biggest reset for me was like having to really digest and know that, yes this is something that happened to me, yes it was very scary, yes it was like a freak situation. But you're OK now and we did get to the bottom of it and you do have a healthy body, you are a healthy 26-year-old woman. At this point, after that happened I'm like, I have spent so much of my brain time thinking about this situation that I'm at the point where I'm like, I'd like to be able to continue to release it and just live my life and enjoy it because I felt so edgy about it for the last like almost year," she said. "I look back at it and it could've been so much worse. So many worse things could have happened in that moment and you know, I'm just grateful that I'm OK and that's kind of where I have to stay mentally." Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here. Jan. 5FRACKVILLE A preliminary hearing for a Maryland man charged with an assault in Ashland on Dec. 13 was continued this week due to a scheduling problem. Brian T. Stravinsky, 38, of 124 E. Baltimore St., Hagerstown, was rescheduled to appear at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Edward J. Tarantelli. Stravinsky was scheduled to appear before Tarantelli on charges of one felony count of aggravated assault. He also faces one misdemeanor count each of simple assault, resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance, tampering with or fabricating evidence and disorderly conduct; and a summary offense of harassment. Stravinsky remains in Schuylkill County Prison, in lieu of $150,000 straight cash bail set at the time of his arraignment on Dec. 22. Ashland police Patrolman Daniel Weikel said he was called to a Dollar General store because of a broken-down vehicle in the parking lot. Weikel said he subsequently learned that the vehicle was wanted in a separate incident. No details of the incident were provided. The owner of the vehicle, Maureko Robinson, of Worton, Maryland, was in and out of the store several times, harassing female customers and employees with vulgar and inappropriate language, according to Weikel. Butler Twp. police Chief Daniel Holderman arrived and was speaking with Robinson and Stravinsky, who were working on the vehicle. At that point, Weikel said, he informed the men that state police were on the way about the other incident and that for safety, he and the chief wanted to pat them down. Weikel said that while he was checking Robinson, Holderman began to search Stravinsky, who struck the chief and pulled away. The man tried to flee but was taken to the ground and eventually into custody. While being taken into custody, Stravinsky had a rock-like substance in his front pocket that he tried to swallow, according to Weikel. Officers found a large quantity of the rock-like substance under Stravinsky after he was taken to the ground, Weikel said, and the substance tested positive for methamphetamine. Stravinsky was committed to prison on an outstanding bench warrant, while Robinson was taken to a local hotel for the night. As a result of the incident, Holderman suffered a hand injury, according to Weikel. TRENTON - An Edison man who formerly was the manager of the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Fund has pleaded guilty to defrauding the fund of more than $4.5 million over a decade to maintain and advance romantic and/or sexual relationships with co-conspirators. Harry Pizutelli, 64, pleaded guilty Wednesday before U.S. District Court Judge Zahid N. Quraishi to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Martiza Flores, 45, of Toms River, one of Pizutelli's conspirators in the long-running scheme to defraud the fund, also pleaded guilty before Quraishi to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and tax evasion. Pizutelli and Flores each face 10 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine on the healthcare fraud charge. Flores also faces 10 years and a maximum $250,000 fine on the tax evasion charge. Sentencing for Pizutelli is scheduled for May 8 and Flores is scheduled to be sentenced the following day, May 9. In January 2021, Pizutelli, Flores, and co-defendant C.R. Kraus were charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the TBI Fund of millions of dollars of public funds for their own personal benefit. The charges against Kraus remain pending. According to the U.S, Attorney's Office, Pizutelli orchestrated the fraudulent payments to maintain and further romantic and/or sexual relationships with Flores and other conspirators. According to court documents and statements, the TBI Fund is a publicly funded program run by the New Jersey Division of Disability Services of the New Jersey Department of Human Services. The fund provides residents who have suffered a traumatic brain injury with services and support to maximize their quality of life when funding from insurance, personal resources, or other programs is unavailable to meet their needs. The services paid for by the TBI fund include physical, occupational, and speech therapy; service coordination; assistive technology; cognitive therapy; neuropsychological services; pharmaceuticals; wheelchair ramp installation and other home modifications; and general home management and maintenance. Story continues When a prospective patient applies for services, TBI Fund personnel review the application and, if approved, the patient is authorized to secure designated services from a third-party vendor. Once a patient receives services approved by the TBI Fund, the vendor or service provider submits an invoice to the TBI Fund for payment. Pizutelli, as manager of the TBI Fund, was responsible for the day-to-day operations. He supervised, managed, and oversaw the process by which third-party vendors were paid for services. More:Edison: New date for hearing on digital billboard along NJ Turnpike From 2009 through June 2019, Pizutelli, Kraus, Flores, and others conspired to defraud the TBI Fund by misappropriating more than $4.5 million in fraudulent vendor payments for services that were never actually provided, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Pizutelli orchestrated the distribution of fraudulent vendor payments to Flores, Kraus, and others by generating and processing false invoices and internal payment vouchers. Pizutelli also generated invoices and vouchers that made it look like Flores, Kraus, and others had provided approved services to eligible patients when, in fact, no service had been provided. Pizutelli then approved and transmitted the internal payment vouchers. More:Woodbridge woman charged in fatal Rahway hit-and-run Pizutelli orchestrated the fraudulent payments to maintain and further romantic and/or sexual relationships with Flores and other conspirators. Pizutelli orchestrated the fraudulent payment of more than $4.5 million from the TBI Fund to members of the conspiracy, including more than $940,000 to Flores and more than $3.245 million to Kraus, which they used for their own personal use, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Flores and Kraus also evaded the payment of income taxes on the funds fraudulently received by making material misstatements and omissions on their federal income tax returns and significantly underreporting the income they derived from the scheme, officials said. Email: srussell@gannettnj.com Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Here's why an Edison man stole $4.5M from fund for patients with brain injuries Holy Spider breakout Zar Amir Ebrahimi will head the jury of the Nordic Competition at the 46th Goteborg Film Festival, running from January 27 February 5. Ebrahimi will be joined on the jury by Danish actress Sofie Grabl (The Killing), Ukrainian filmmaker Antonio Lukich (Luxembourg, Luxembourg), and composer Matti Bye. The jury hands out the gong for the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film. Last year, the awards were handed out with a SEK 400 000 ($38,000) cash prize. Nine films will compete in the 2023 Nordic Competition. The nominees will be revealed on January 10. More from Deadline I am incredibly proud to be leading a jury of these impressive artists so that we may not only amplify the stellar work in the festival but to also draw attention to the atrocities happening every day around us, said Amir Ebrahimi. Ebrahimi picked up the Best Actress prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival for her leading role in Ali Abbasis Holy Spider. In the film, Ebrahimi plays a young journalist who travels to the Iranian holy city of Mashhad to investigate a serial killer targeting sex workers. As she draws closer to exposing his crimes, the opportunity for justice grows harder to attain when the murderer is embraced by many as a hero. The film is Denmarks submission to the international Oscar race. The story is based on the real-life case of the Spider Killer Saeed Hanaei, who claimed he was on a mission from God as he killed 16 women between 2000 and 2001. In 2008, Zar Amir Ebrahimi fled Iran due to the risk of imprisonment after an intimate video of her and her partner leaked online. In recent months, the actress has been vocal in her support of the freedom protests across Iran sparked by the death in police custody of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in September. Story continues In conjunction with the Swedish premiere of Iranian filmmaker Mani Haghighis Subtraction at Goteborg, Ebrahimi will lead a demonstration in support of actress Taraneh Alidoosti and the people of Iran. Subtraction is a doppelganger thriller with Alidoosti in the leading role. Alidoosti was released by Iranian authorities yesterday after posting bail. Alidoosti was arrested on December 17, 2022, days after she criticized the Iranian states use of the death penalty against protesters. Goteborg will also hold additional screenings of jailed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahis acclaimed 2022 feature No Bears and How Dare You Have Such a Rubbish Wish, directed by Mania Akbari. The film is a story about the liberation, exploitation, and oppression of Irans women, based on clips from films from the silent-film era up until the Revolution in 1979. Zar Amir Ebrahimi is an exceptional actress and a very brave person. Due to her artistic intelligence, we are delighted to welcome her as jury president, said Jonas Holmberg, Artistic Director, Goteborg Film Festival. Together with her, we want to express our deepest solidarity with the people of Iran and our Iranian filmmaker friends who face an immensely difficult and dangerous situation. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Andy Jassy, Amazons chief executive, at The New York Times DealBook Summit 2022 at Jazz At Lincoln Center in Manhattan, Nov. 30, 2022. (Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times) Amazon plans to eliminate 18,000 corporate and technology jobs in a significant expansion of its cost-cutting plans, the companys CEO, Andy Jassy, said in an email to employees Wednesday. The company previously planned to lay off about 10,000 employees late last year and early this year, The New York Times reported in mid-November. The first layoffs were primarily focused on the companys devices and books organizations. Employees in human resources were also given buyout offers to resign. Advertisement The new wave of layoffs will begin Jan. 18, Jassy said, and will focus on human resources as well as the large division that Amazon refers to as Stores. That includes the teams behind Amazons main online site, its vast field operations and warehouses, its physical stores and other consumer teams. The 18,000 in total cuts represents roughly 6% of Amazons corporate workforce. Late last year, managers in a variety of groups said they had been asked to prepare for potential layoffs, and employees have been bracing for the cuts. Advertisement Hourly warehouse workers are not included in the layoffs. Amazon has typically reduced those jobs through high attrition. These changes will help us pursue our long-term opportunities with a stronger cost structure, Jassy wrote. However, Im also optimistic that well be inventive, resourceful and scrappy in this time when were not hiring expansively and eliminating some roles. The company more than doubled its workforce during the pandemic as customers flocked to online services. It had about 1.5 million employees at the end of September. Amazons growth, however, slowed to its lowest rate in two decades, and Jassy has been reeling in the companys overexpansion. Amazon recently cautioned investors that growth could weaken to its slowest pace since 2001. Jassy said the expanded reductions were the result of Amazons annual business review, which this year has been more difficult given the uncertain economy and that weve hired rapidly over the last several years. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Wednesday that Amazon had expanded its planned job cuts. Amazon is among a number of tech companies that have recently announced significant cuts. Salesforce, the giant business software company, said Wednesday that it planned to lay off 10% of its workforce, or about 8,000 employees, amid concerns about the economy. Other companies, including Meta and Twitter, have had big layoffs in recent months. c.2022 The New York Times Company HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong residents have swamped clinics to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the expected reopening of the city's border with mainland China, which some people fear will bring a surge of infections to the financial hub. City government centres providing shots produced by BioNTech have in recent days been mostly booked solid, some until February, in contrast with a few weeks ago when anyone seeking a vaccine could stroll into a nearly empty facility. "After the opening of the border, I expect there will be more infected people on the streets, I want to reduce my chance of getting infected, said a Hong Kong resident surnamed Wan, 33, who got his fourth shot this week. Hong Kongs government announced plans to reopen its border and resume restriction-free travel for the first time in more than three years after Beijing abandoned its strict "zero-COVID" policy and announced it was easing its travel restrictions from Jan. 8. Hong Kong saw a sluggish vaccine uptake when the shots first became available in 2001, particularly among the elderly, but rates picked up over the past year and more than 83% of Hong Kong residents have received three doses of either the BioNTech shot or China's Sinovac vaccine, according to government data. The number of people getting a fourth shot jumped more than 100% this week from a week earlier. It's not just a fear of new infections after the border reopens but worry that mainland visitors will snap up mRNA vaccines, which can give better protection against COVID but are not available for Chinese residents in the mainland. Many mainlanders have been asking on social media about how to get an mRNA vaccine in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's government has said non-residents will have to pay for vaccines at private clinics. "I'm afraid it might be harder to get vaccinated once mainlanders start coming," said Kevin Lam, 29, queuing up along with dozens of other people for his fourth vaccine at a clinic in the city's Quarry Bay district. Story continues A Hong Kong resident surnamed Tsoi said she was relieved to have made a booking for BioNTech's second-generation booster. "I'm a bit worried that vaccinations will run out, the 35-year-old said. (Reporting by Angel Woo, Jessie Pang and Farah Master; Editing by Robert Birsel) Sepaker Vote Day 2 Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, right, is seen on the House floor during a vote in which House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., falls short of enough votes to become Speaker on January 4, 2023. Credit - Tom WilliamsCQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images The House ended the second day of the new congressional term without a Speaker and with all of its 434 voting members still waiting to be sworn in as Rep. Kevin McCarthy repeatedly failed to secure enough votes to be elected for the top post. From noon, when the House convened, to 8 p.m., when the chamber voted to adjourn, McCarthy, a California Republican, remained more than 15 votes short of the 218 he needs to become Speaker, drawing increasing frustration, anger, and ridicule from members of both parties, as they all went through the motions of three votes, yet inched no closer to resolving the impasse. McCarthy loyalists remained adamant that they would not acquiesce to the demands of their far-right colleagues, many of whom are part of the hardline House Freedom Caucus. We have a consensus candidate, Rep.-elect Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, a freshman legislator who was spotted at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, told TIME. His name is Kevin McCarthy. Other Republicans could barely contain their contempt for their intransigent colleagues. We cannot let the terrorists win, Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas said, lambasting the nearly two dozen McCarthy defectors for creating such a spectacle without a concrete set of goals for what they wanted to get out of negotiations. Behind closed doors, tell us what you actually want, or shut the fk up. The House Republican conference remained deadlocked for much of Wednesday, with all but 21 members repeatedly backing McCarthy, and the rest casting their votes for Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, with one GOP member voting present. The support on Wednesday for Donalds, who joined the House in 2021 and is one of the few Black Republicans in Congress, was a shift for the ultra-conservative holdouts, who had consolidated their support on Tuesday behind Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, who backed McCarthy. Story continues Throughout the day, the hardcore conservatives remained defiant in their opposition to the California Republican, showing no signs of bowing down. They notably refused to heed a call from former President Donald Trump to close the deal and embrace McCarthy. In fact, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, a loyal MAGA acolyte, explicitly bucked Trump on the House floor when she nominated Donalds before the fifth round of voting. The president needs to tell Kevin McCarthy that, sir, you do not have the votes and its time to withdraw, she said, with McCarthy smirking from only a few steps away. After three fruitless rounds of voting, most Republicans seemed eager Wednesday evening to allow negotiations to continue in private. People want to spend their time discussing [rather] than being on the floor, McCarthy said after the House adjourned Wednesday night. Earlier in the day, President Joe Biden described the situation unfolding at the Capitol as a little embarrassing and expressed concern that the impasse was making the U.S. look bad on the global stage. How do you think it looks to the rest of the world, Biden told reporters. Were finally coming out ofyou know, the first time were really getting through the whole issue relating to January 6things are settling out, and now for the first time in 100 years, we cant move. Read more: House Gridlock Continues While Biden and McConnell Join Hands As the conflict continued to spill out onto public view, some Republicans reached out to Democrats for preliminary discussions on reaching a consensus candidate, according to Rep. Dan Bacon, Republican of Nebraska. But on Wednesday afternoon, members of both parties said that such an outcome was not in the immediate offing. Not right now, Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California told TIME. Its premature. Republican Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma also threw cold water on the idea. Thats really off the table, he told reporters. At one point, there were rumors that former Republican Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, a moderate who voted to impeach Trump, would emerge as a surprise Speaker candidate that members of both parties could get behind. The Detroit Free Press reported that Upton was prepared to offer Democrats equal representation on committees. Trump vehemently opposed the move on his social media platform Truth Social, calling Upton the single WORST person Republicans could have as speaker. Though Republicans remained tight-lipped on the specifics of what it might take to end the stalemate, there was some movement Wednesday, as the McCarthy-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund announced it would not spend in open-seat primaries in safe Republican districts. In exchange, the Club for Growth backed McCarthys speakership bid. But Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, one of the McCarthy holdouts, had not had a chance to review the deal and wasnt fully satisfied. What about when you have a member-on-member? he asked, referring to primaries when two lawmakers from the same party end up running against each other after district lines have been redrawn. I gotta go look and see what the statement is. Asked for the particulars of the concessions he was holding out for, he said he needed to hear more about how Republicans would end limitless spending. He would not guarantee that a Speaker would be selected by Thursday. Over the weekend, McCarthy worked to appease the holdouts by releasing a resolution to change the House rules to make it easier to remove a speaker, allowing five members to call a motion to vacate, which would force a vote on ousting him. But the McCarthy detractors complained that the offer did not go far enough. They wanted a single member to be able to make such a motion. Boebert said she and her allies presented McCarthy with their desired committee assignments, which McCarthy rejected as a wishlist that was for personal gain. Still, the McCarthy defectors continued to say that the longtime California legislator has been too willing to work with Democrats and increase government spending to levels they deem beyond the pale. McCarthy tried to tamp down that impression by opposing the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package that Congress passed late last month. It didnt work. If you want to drain the swamp, you cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise, one of McCarthys loudest critics, Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, told reporters on Tuesday. Im a Florida man and I know of what I speak. With McCarthy and his allies standing firm against Gaetz and the rest of the holdouts, the House remained stuck in limbo, as the chamber waited for a speaker to be chosen, members to be sworn in and rules to be adopted. Late Wednesday, it was unclear if any of that would happen soon. The House clerk suggested that legislators should be prepared to work into the weekend. For Democrats, who remain united behind their leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the apparent Republican dysfunction serves as an omen of whats to come over the next few years. They couldnt get their act together for two months, Khanna told TIME. It shows how hard its going to be to govern. -With reporting by Jasmine Aguilera and Brian Bennett/Washington The House has voted to adjourn after a Thursday evening vote marked the 11th straight loss for Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in his quest to become Speaker of the House. The results were largely unchanged from all three of Wednesdays and Thursdays first four votes, with McCarthy garnering 200 votes, 20 Republicans voting for another candidate and one voting present. Lawmakers are still in negotiations but are touting progress. The result will bring the House Speakership fight to a 12th ballot, tying it for the fifth-longest in history. The House will reconvene at noon on Friday. Follow along with live updates from The Hill below: For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) DeAndre Hunter and John Collins each scored 22 points and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Sacramento Kings 120-117 on Wednesday night to end a four-game slide. Feels great, Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. Thats what we have been talking about. We have to close out games and make plays down the stretch. Collins also grabbed 12 rebounds as Atlanta bounced back after losing 143-141 in double overtime at Golden State on Monday night. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray each scored 21 points. Its been a long week, dropping four games, Murray said. This is the NBA. Its a long season. You get to redeem yourself. we are going in the right direction. The Hawks trailed 117-113 with 1:16 left. But Young converted a layup and a foul shot, and Murray made two free throws and a layup as part of a game-ending 7-0 run for Atlanta. We couldnt get the necessary stops down the stretch, Kings coach Mike Brown said. They basically just went at what they thought was the mismatch and got layups. Sacramento had the ball in the final seconds, but DeAaron Fox had a floater blocked by Onyeka Okongwu and Domantas Sabonis also missed a jumper. The Hawks had dropped five of six. Fox led Sacramento with 25 points. Kevin Huerter made four 3-pointers on his way to 24 points, and Harrison Barnes scored 22. Sabonis had 20 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. We fouled too much late, Huerter said. I think just a lot of mental mistakes at the end of the game there. We got a lead and just didnt lock in. The Kings were 25 of 25 at the free-throw line before Sabonis missed a pair in the final minute. TIP-INS Hawks: C Clint Capela was ruled out before the game with a right calf strain. ... Young and coach Nate McMillan both received technical fouls with 2:54 left in the second quarter. Kings: Sabonis recorded his 15th consecutive double-double, tying DeMarcus Cousins for the longest double-double streak in franchise history. His 28 double-doubles leads the NBA this season. Story continues UP NEXT Hawks: At Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. Kings: Host Lakers on Saturday night. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The man suspected of carrying out a quadruple homicide near the University of Idaho campus allegedly left DNA evidence on a knife sheath that was found at the scene, police said in an affidavit released Thursday. Moscow, Idaho, police Officer Brett Payne described in the document seeing the leather sheath beside the body of Madison Mogen, one of the four students killed in an off-campus house in November. The item had the words Ka-Bar a knife manufacturer and USMC imprinted on it, along with the United States Marine Corps eagle insignia, Payne said. A mans DNA was found under the sheaths snap closure. Police arrested 28-year-old Bryan Christopher Kohberger in Scranton, Pennsylvania, for the crime late last month, charging him with four counts of premeditated murder and one count of felony burglary. Kohberger waived his extradition rights after a short hearing in Pennsylvania earlier this week, and was sent to Idaho to face the charges. He was booked into the Latah County jail on Wednesday night, records show. Authorities say students Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were killed by knife wounds on Nov. 13. Most of them had been living together in the house where the killings occurred. Two other people who lived in the house survived the slayings, which took place after each victim had returned home from a night of socializing. One surviving roommate told Payne that she came face to face with the killer before locking herself in her room. Around 4 a.m., the roommate thought she heard Goncalves say Theres someone here. Payne noted the speaker might have been Kernodle instead, because phone records show she was scrolling through TikTok at 4:12 that morning. The roommate told Payne she opened her door after hearing the remark, but saw no one. She said she opened her door a second time after she heard crying coming from the direction of Kernodles room, and heard a voice say something to the effect of, Its OK, Im going to help you, according to the affidavit. Story continues The roommate opened her door a third time and saw a figure clad in black clothing and a mask who walked toward her as she stood frozen in shock. The figure then appeared to exit the house through the sliding-glass back door. Payne said that a security camera located less than 50 feet from one of Kernodles bedroom walls recorded distorted audio of what sounded like voices or a whimper followed by a loud thud, and a dog barking around 4:17 a.m. (Goncalves reportedly shared a dog with her ex-boyfriend.) Police believe the killings were over by 4:25 a.m. The case attracted nationwide attention for the scale of the violence and the weeks that went by with scant developments. Kohbergers family is shocked by the accusations, according to an NBC News report that cites the suspects lawyer. They dont believe it to be Bryan. They cant believe this, Jason LaBar, the public defender representing Kohberger, told the outlet. This is certainly completely out of character, the allegations, and really theyre just trying to be supportive with the understanding these four families have suffered loss, so theyre sympathetic towards that, and thats why it should remain really private, and they dont want to try this case in the court of public opinion, LaBar said, per NBC News. Kohberger had been in a Ph.D. program at Washington State University studying criminology, and lived in an apartment a short drive from the site of the killings. He drove a white Hyundai Elantra, the same type of car authorities sought public help in locating out of suspicion that it was involved with the crime. According to The New York Times, Kohberger received a new license plate for the Elantra just five days after the students were slain. A vehicle that appears to be a white Elantra showed up on multiple security videos obtained from the students neighborhood, according to the affidavit. In mid-December, Kohberger drove his vehicle from Washington to his parents home in Pennsylvania, where he was ultimately arrested. Along the way he was stopped by Indiana police twice for following too closely. Police have released some of the body camera footage from those interactions. Related... Vice President Kamala Harris smiles as she picks up an order of seafood from Javier at the Calumet Fisheries on Jan. 4, 2023, in Chicago. She ordered two types of trout along with salmon and oysters. (Charles Rex Arbogast / AP) After Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a speech at Crowleys Yacht Yard overlooking the 95th Street Bridge Wednesday, she made an impromptu visit to one of Chicagos most iconic restaurants, Calumet Fisheries (3259 E. 95th St.). The restaurant may be located in a tiny building with no dining room, but its been dishing out phenomenally smoked and fried seafood since 1948. It was surprising, exciting and also overwhelming, manager Javier Magallanes said over the phone. Out of all the places she could have gone in Chicago, from the high-end restaurants on down, she picked us. It was a pleasure. Advertisement Magallanes said Harris picked up a number of items, including pepper garlic trout, regular trout, a half-order of fried oysters and smoked salmon that had just been pulled off the smoker. [ The essentials: Calumet Fisheries ] While it was fun to chat with Harris for a second, Magallanes said he was most surprised by the Secret Service. You hear about the Secret Service, but youll never know what its going to be like until they all show up, Magallanes said. And there were media there as well, so it was crazy. Advertisement A food order is placed by a customer at Calumet Fisheries on March 1, 2021. Brothers-in-law Sid Kotlick and Len Toll opened Calumet Fisheries in 1948 and the same family still runs it today. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) A customer enters Calumet Fisheries on Sept. 17, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) This isnt Calumet Fisheries first brush with media attention. In 2009, Anthony Bourdain visited the restaurant on No Reservations. You may also notice he went with Louisa Chu, now my fellow Tribune food critic. And in 2010, the restaurant won an Americas Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation. Though Chicago is not known for its fresh seafood, the city has a strong fried seafood tradition, especially on the South Side. Along with Calumet Fisheries, places such as Haires Gulf Shrimp (7448 S. Vincennes Ave.) and Hienies Shrimp House (10359 S. Torrence Ave.) have been serving crunchy freshly fried shrimp for decades. [ Kamala Harris visited beloved Brown Sugar Bakery on Chicagos South Side in 2021. She couldnt have chosen better. ] Were not sure who is exactly responsible, but Harris has been getting great South Side eats recommendations. Last year, she swung by the excellent Brown Sugar Bakery in Chatham and picked up a slice of German chocolate cake. nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here. Bryan Christopher Kohberger, the man accused of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students, was removed from a county jail in Pennsylvania and turned over to state police Wednesday, officials said. He is no longer in the custody of the Monroe County Correctional Facility; hes in the custody of the Pennsylvania State Police, Warden Garry Haidle said. Hes out of my custody. It wasn't immediately clear when Kohberger would be on a plane for Idaho. For security reasons, we will not be providing further information or comment on his extradition status," Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Brent Miller said Wednesday afternoon. Kohberger, 28, waived extradition Tuesday in a Stroudsburg courtroom, paving the way for his trip to Latah County, Idaho. That's where Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson said Kohberger will be charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary, accused of breaking into the Moscow, Idaho, home with the intent to commit a felony. He "will be evaluated by Jail staff when he arrives, as does every other inmate who enters our facility. Mr. Kohbergers housing classification will be based on the evaluation given by jail staff," Latah County Sheriff Richard Skiles said in a statement. Kohberger was arrested Friday in Albrightsville in northeastern Pennsylvania, about 2,500 miles from Moscow, where the students were killed Nov. 13. He has been charged in the slayings of Ethan Chapin, 20, of Conway, Washington; Madison Mogen, 21, of Coeur dAlene, Idaho; Xana Kernodle, 20, of Avondale, Arizona; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho. The suspect was a doctoral student in the criminal justice and criminology department at Washington State University, 9 miles from Moscow. Kohberger is no longer enrolled as a student at the university, a school representative said Tuesday without elaborating. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com The suspect in the fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students was extradited and landed in Idaho Wednesday evening, potentially allowing the release of more information in the mysterious case. Suspect Bryan Kohberger was flown by Pennsylvania State Police to a small airport near the Idaho border and handed over to local authorities Wednesday evening. Local media outlets, including NBC affiliate KHQ-TV, showed footage of Kohberger in a red jumpsuit being escorted by authorities on the ground. Uniformed law enforcement officers were waiting on the tarmac for the Pennsylvania State Police plane to land, and then they escorted the handcuffed Kohberger to a caravan of five vehicles for the short drive across the Idaho border. Officials have said they would not release information or documents pertaining to Kohberger until he was returned to Moscow to formally face charges in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Xana Kernodle, 20. Authorities announced Friday they arrested Kohberger, 28, in his parents' home in northeastern Pennsylvania, about 2,500 miles from where the November stabbings happened in Moscow, Idaho an attack that left the small college town on edge for more than a month. The suspect was a doctoral student in the criminal justice and criminology department at Washington State University, about 10 miles from Moscow. Bryan Kohberger, facing first-degree murder charges in the deaths of four University of Idaho students last fall, is taken by sheriff's deputies from the Monroe County Courthouse in Stroudsburg, Pa., Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. A mystery, no leads, then a break in the case: Timeline of the Idaho student murders investigation AN ARREST: Suspect in killings of Idaho college students arrested in Pennsylvania; authorities mum on motive His move back to Idaho came a day after Kohberger agreed to be extradited during an initial appearance in a Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania courtroom. Little is known about why authorities suspect Kohberger in the Nov. 13 murders at an off-campus rental home, other than that they analyzed DNA evidence at the crime scene and were able to match it to him, law enforcement officials told the Associated Press and other media. Story continues "These murders have shaken our community, and no arrest will ever bring back these young students," Moscow Police Chief James Fry said on Dec. 30. "We have an individual in custody who committed these horrible crimes and I do believe our community is safe." Fry and Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson previously said any information regarding Kohberger was sealed by Idaho courts and could not be released until his extradition. His arrival means court filings that could shed light on many unanswered questions should soon be unsealed and made public. A timeline for the release of those materials was not immediately clear. Adding to the mystery, an Idaho judge issued a gag order barring police and attorneys from talking about the case. WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT IDAHO SUSPECT: What we know about Bryan Kohberger, arrested in the slaying of 4 University of Idaho students MORE: Mysterious Idaho student killings compounded by police contradictions, experts say An official at the Latah County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday declined to discuss details about the case, including Kohberger's expected arrival, citing the gag order. Latah County prosecutors in Idaho have said they believe Kohberger broke into the students' home near the university campus intending to commit murder. Their bodies were found Nov. 13, several hours after investigators believe they died. Two other roommates inside the home slept through the attack, which sent panic through the small, remote town, leaving many students to finish out the semester via remote learning. Classes are due to resume next week. Authorities said Kohberger lived in Pullman, Washington, where he was a doctoral student studying criminology at Washington State University, about 10 miles from Moscow. He grew up in Pennsylvania, where his family still lives. Bryan Kohberger is pictured being escorted by law enforcement after arriving at Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport in Pullman, Washington. Contributing: Trevor Hughes and Christal Hayes, USA TODAY; Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Idaho student murder suspect Bryan Kohberger extradited back to state Even if it's not a huge purchase, we think it was good to see that Catherine Lynch, the Independent Trustee of PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust (NYSE:PMT) recently shelled out US$62k to buy stock, at US$12.39 per share. While that isn't the hugest buy, it actually boosted their shareholding by 89%, which is good to see. See our latest analysis for PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust The Chairman of the Board & CEO David Spector made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$274k worth of shares at a price of US$13.71 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being US$13.30). It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels. While PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying. Does PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust Boast High Insider Ownership? For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust insiders own about US$11m worth of shares. That equates to 0.9% of the company. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment. Story continues What Might The Insider Transactions At PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust Tell Us? It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. However, we note that the company didn't make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. At Simply Wall St, we've found that PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust has 3 warning signs (2 shouldn't be ignored!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here Generally speaking long term investing is the way to go. But that doesn't mean long term investors can avoid big losses. Zooming in on an example, the Air New Zealand Limited (NZSE:AIR) share price dropped 75% in the last half decade. That's an unpleasant experience for long term holders. And it's not just long term holders hurting, because the stock is down 52% in the last year. With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies. Check out our latest analysis for Air New Zealand Air New Zealand isn't currently profitable, so most analysts would look to revenue growth to get an idea of how fast the underlying business is growing. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. Some companies are willing to postpone profitability to grow revenue faster, but in that case one does expect good top-line growth. In the last five years Air New Zealand saw its revenue shrink by 16% per year. That puts it in an unattractive cohort, to put it mildly. So it's not that strange that the share price dropped 12% per year in that period. We don't think this is a particularly promising picture. Of course, the poor performance could mean the market has been too severe selling down. That can happen. The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image). We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. This free report showing analyst forecasts should help you form a view on Air New Zealand What About The Total Shareholder Return (TSR)? Investors should note that there's a difference between Air New Zealand's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price change, which we've covered above. The TSR attempts to capture the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested) as well as any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings offered to shareholders. Its history of dividend payouts mean that Air New Zealand's TSR, which was a 52% drop over the last 5 years, was not as bad as the share price return. Story continues A Different Perspective We regret to report that Air New Zealand shareholders are down 21% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 12%. However, it could simply be that the share price has been impacted by broader market jitters. It might be worth keeping an eye on the fundamentals, in case there's a good opportunity. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 9% over the last half decade. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Air New Zealand that you should be aware of. If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on NZ exchanges. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here A Florida jailer was arrested and booked into his own jail after being accused of robbing an inmate, according to the Walton County Sheriffs Office. The arrest was announced Jan. 5 and involved a 37-year-old sheriffs deputy working at the Walton County Jail in DeFuniak Springs, the sheriffs office said in a news release. The jail is about 80 miles northeast of Pensacola. Detectives did not reveal what led them to suspect the deputy, who was placed on administrative leave when the investigation began on Dec. 16. He has since been fired, officials said. Numerous hours of video were reviewed from the facility, and audits were conducted regarding the inmates property. During the investigation, multiple discrepancies were discovered, the sheriffs office said. After refusing a polygraph, (the deputy) later confessed during an interview to stealing $150 from the victim while he was being booked into jail. The former deputy is charged with petit theft and official misconduct, officials said. He was hired by the sheriffs office in August 2021 and had previously worked for the Department of Corrections for 16 years, officials said. The inmates identity was not released. We must hold ourselves as public servants to the highest standard, Sheriff Michael Adkinson said in the news release. We must act when the oath we swore to uphold is betrayed by one of our own. We owe it to the people we serve and those who perform this job honorable and honestly to be transparent about this incident. Woman offers $100 to get inmate beaten. 5 men put him in a hospital, Florida cops say Enraged man with anti-police face tattoo dies in jail custody, Florida cops say Odd brawl erupts as 2 drivers try to pick up same man from Florida jail, deputies say By David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Japan's trade and industry minister said on Thursday post-Cold War free trade and economic inter-dependence had bolstered authoritarian regimes and the United States and like-minded democracies should counter them with a "new world order." "Authoritarian countries have amassed tremendous power, both economically and militarily," Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura said in a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "We must rebuild a world order based on the fundamental values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law," he added. Nishimura spoke ahead of a visit to Washington next week by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for talks expected to cover issues including Ukraine, North Korea and China's tensions with Taiwan. That summit will be preceded by talks between defense and foreign ministers of the two countries. Kishida said this week he would discuss Tokyo's new security policy after Washington's key ally in countering China's growing might in Asia last month unveiled its biggest military build-up since World War Two. Nishimura's call to arms comes amid growing concern after Russia's invasion of Ukraine that Beijing and Moscow will use their control over energy resources and sway over manufacturing supply chains to stop the United States, Japan, Europe and others from opposing their diplomatic and military goals. Leaders from the Group of Seven industrialized nations are likely to discuss how to respond to economic coercion when they meet in May in the Japanese city of Hiroshima, Nishimura said. "We might need to make preparations to identify the choke points of countries wanting to engage in coercion and then take countermeasures if necessary," he said. Nishimura warned that democracies need to protect their industrial power and guard against the loss of technologies, particularly those that could be diverted to military use. Story continues He urged that U.S.-Japan cooperation extend beyond semiconductors to biotechnology, artificial intelligence and quantum science. He also promised to work more closely with Washington on export controls, although he did not say whether Tokyo would match the sweeping restriction on exports of chip manufacturing equipment imposed by U.S. President Joe Biden's administration in October. "It is ... absolutely imperative for us to reinforce our cooperation in the area of export controls," he said. "We will implement strict export controls grounded in international cooperation while engaging closely in the exchange of views with the United States and other relevant countries." Nishimura met with U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo ahead of his speech. A Commerce Department statement said they discussed the importance of working together on research and development and export controls. The statement said they were joined by executives from International Business Machines Corp and Japan's Rapidus Corp who shared an overview of their collaboration on semiconductor R&D. The Biden administration said in October it planned to ink a deal with allies in the near-term to bring them on board with sweeping new U.S. rules curbing China's access to sophisticated chipmaking tools in a bid to slow its technological and military advances. Nishimura is to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Friday to sign a memorandum for the launch of a task force to promote human rights and international labor standards in supply chains, the U.S. Trade Department said. Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper cited Japanese officials as saying the move was spurred by issues such as alleged forced labor of minority Muslims in China's Xinjiang region and the new body will aim to promulgate within Japan regulations that Washington has strengthened to tackle such problems. (Reporting by Tim Kelly in Tokyo, and David Brunnstrom, Michael Martina and Katharine Jackson in Washington; Editing by Richard Chang and Stephen Coates) A family visits the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on August 15, 2022. David MAREUIL/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Japan wants people to move out of Tokyo's urban areas, and is paying families to do it. The country is disbursing $7,700 per child to families who move from metropolitan wards, per Kyodo News. Japan's government is seeking to revitalize the population by spreading out where people live. The Japanese government, saddled with an aging population and an alarming population decline in the rural areas, is now offering families up to $7,700 per child to move away from Tokyo's metropolitan area. The new rule is to be implemented in April, reported local media Kyodo News December 29, citing a person familiar with the matter. The grant is more than triple the previous relocation bonus of $2,300 per child. Residents living in Tokyo's 23 core metropolitan wards and the neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa are eligible for the monetary support if they move out of the metropolitan area, Kyodo News reported. The new incentive comes on top of the $23,000 that Japanese families can receive if they relocate and start a business, take a job in a small to medium-sized company, or work remotely for their current job, the agency reported. But there's a catch: Eligible families have to stay in their new region for five years, and will have to return the money if they move out of the area, per Kyodo News. Authorities are struggling to keep people from concentrating heavily in Tokyo An estimated 35.6 million people live in the Greater Tokyo Area, which includes Tokyo and the prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa, according to Japan's Internal Affairs Ministry. Japanese leaders are struggling to keep the country's population from concentrating heavily in Tokyo for better job prospects. Around 92% of Japanese people lived in cities in 2021, compared to Japan's urban population of 63% in 1960, per the latest World Bank data. The government is looking at reinvigorating its regional economies and population by controlling population inflows into the capital. Story continues Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's administration cited concerns that more people were moving into Tokyo's metropolitan area than there were people moving out, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. The population redistribution effort has seen Japanese officials concoct various incentives to encourage moving to rural prefectures. For example, the government offered cheap $500 homes and tax breaks to entice urban residents to move to abandoned houses in rural "ghost villages," Insider's Cheryl Teh and Lina Batarags previously reported. In another case, the village of Nagoro monikered a "Scarecrow Village" only had about 27 residents in 2019, the youngest of whom was 50 years old, CNN reported. Read the original article on Insider Were a city of writers, dont we all know it. Now Chicago hopes to crown a citywide poet. Advertisement Announced Wednesday by Lightfoot and the Poetry Foundation, the winner will come from your nominations. Advertisement The Laureate will serve for two busy years, and get $50,000 along with our cheers. Ahem. That is to say, an announcement from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the Chicago Public Library, as well as the Mayors Office and Chicago-based Poetry Foundation, spells out a new Chicago Poet Laureate program and a bid to select the citys first official Poet Laureate. Along with the program heralding Chicagos historic contributions to the literary arts, according to DCASE, the chosen poet will serve a two-year term and receive a grant of $50,000 for the commissioning of new poems and for the creation of a public program series, including programs for youth and students. They also will serve as an ambassador for the citys literary and creative communities. Chicagoans are invited to submit their nominations for the post by Jan. 18 (at surveymonkey.com/r/chicagopoet). Nominees can be a poet in either written or spoken traditions, with eligibility requirements listed at chicago.gov/PoetLaureate. After an initial review process, eligible nominees will be invited to formally apply, with the goal to appoint a Poet Laureate by spring. Poets must have at least four published works and/or performances, along with other requirements. In April (National Poetry Month), the Laureate will present work as part of the Chicago Public Librarys annual Poetry Fest. Chicago has always been a city full of talented and renowned storytellers and artists, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in part in the announcement. I look forward to selecting a Poet Laureate who will serve and strengthen our citys literary and creative communities. dgeorge@chicagotribune.com Jeremy Renner is "making positive progress and is awake, talking and in good spirits," after getting in a snowplow accident, his publicist says. Renner was run over by his PistenBully snowplow while digging a car out of the snow in Reno, Nevada over the weekend. What is the machine and how did the accident occur? What is a PistenBully? A PistenBully is one of several "snow groomers" manufactured by Kassbohrer Gelandefahrzeug AG that are used to clear trails, ski slopes and redistribute snow. These machines are often called snowcats and are often seen on ski slopes, grooming the trails. Smaller models weigh 1,410 Ibs. and larger ones weigh 2,140 Ibs., according to the company. The one Renner was using was 1,433 pounds, Washoe County Sheriff Darrin Balaam said during a press conference. Some PistenBully models can seat eight to 10 people. PistenBullies also use fuel from hydrogenated fat waste of plants and animals to reduce CO2 emissions, the company says. A Pisten-Bully prepares a downhill slope next to cabins of the Ettelsberg cable car. / Credit: Swen PfArtner/picture alliance via Getty Images Why did Renner own one? The star, who is known for films like "The Town" and "The Hurt Locker," which earned him Oscar nominations, often posts from his house in Lake Tahoe, calling it "my happy place," in a February post. Parts of Lake Tahoe can receive more than 70 inches of snow a month during the winter. In January 2017, a record 238 inches of snow fell on the area. Renner often posts videos of the extreme show from driving a Jeep over large snow mounds in November, from snow covering the tops of vehicles in January 2021. While snowcats are often owned commercially, some people do own these types of vehicles privately. They became trendy for personal use in the mountains of Colorado in recent years, and even entry-level models can cost into six figures new, according to The Colorado Sun. How did the accident occur? During a press conference on Jan. 3, Balaam said they received a call about a snowcat accident involving a pedestrian on Jan. 1. The sheriff's office is still investigating, but Balaam said they have so far determined one of Renner's vehicles, which was being driven by a family member, got stuck in the snow. Story continues Renner used the PistenBully to get the vehicle out. He towed the vehicle, got out of the PistenBully to speak to a family member and noticed the PistenBully rolling. In an effort to stop it, he attempted to get back into the driver's seat but was run over. "We don't not believe Mr. Renner was impaired and we believe this is a tragic accident," Balaam said. He called it a "major accident investigation" and said the PistenBully is in the department's possession and they are analyzing it to determine why it started to roll. Renner was airlifted to a local hospital and underwent surgery after suffering "blunt chest trauma and orthopedic injuries," his publicist said in a statement to CBS News. The actor posted a photo on Instagram from his hospital bed on Wednesday, writing: "Thank you all for your kind words. Im too messed up now to type. But I send love to you all." He also posted a shot from the hospital to his Instagram story on Thursday, thanking his mom and sister for lifting his spirits. Renner's publicist, Sam Mast, said in a statement on Tuesday that he was in the "ICU in critical but stable condition." "He is overwhelmed by the showing of love and support. The family asks for your continued thoughts while he heals with his close loved ones." Pope Francis begins Easter weekend observances, speaks about sex in new documentary Fraud trial of former Fugees rapper Pras Michel continues LSU to visit White House amid controversy surrounding Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark celebrations The reputed Mexicles gang leader "El Neto," who escaped in a mass prison break on New Year's Day, was killed early Thursday in a shootout with Mexican security forces during a pursuit in Juarez, officials said. The Chihuahua government confirmed Ernesto Alfredo Pinon de la Cruz, alias "El Neto," died after being shot and taken into custody after a confrontation during a multi-agency manhunt for the 25 prison escapees. "El Neto" was taken down by a team involving the Mexican army and state police in the Colonia Aztecas neighborhood located behind the Chihuahua Attorney General's Office in central-west Juarez, authorities said. Ernesto Alfredo Pinon de la Cruz, alias "El Neto," reputed leader of the Mexicles gang, escaped from the Cereso No. 3 state prison in Juarez on New Year's Day. He died after a shootout Thursday. In the predawn darkness, Pinon allegedly exchanged gunfire with police at a home before fleeing in an armored white BMW that then crashed at a gas station, officials said. Pinon was mortally wounded and arrested after a gunfight with security forces at the gas station. A gory photo circulating on Juarez news media shows Pinon in a black shirt, dead in a pool of blood with his hands behind his back as if handcuffed on what appears to be the bed of a truck. Authorities said he died while being transported. The gang leader's death sparked a possibly retaliatory arson spree with the attempted torching of an S-Mart where a car taken in a carjacking was rammed into the supermarket and an Oxxo convenience store was set on fire, the Norte Digital news site reported. It also comes two days after the arrival of 200 Mexican army special forces soldiers to assist in the manhunt for the escaped prisoners. "El Neto" became the most-wanted man in the Borderland following Sunday's brazen attack on the Cereso No. 3 state prison. He allegedly ran the Mexicles gang and stayed in comfort in a "VIP" cell while serving a more than 200-year sentence. The Mexicles is a prison and street gang formed in the late 1980s by Mexican citizens in the Texas prison system. Ten guards and seven inmates were killed in the breakout and riot in which 25 inmates escaped. Two state police officers were killed along with five gunmen on Monday night during the manhunt for the fugitives. Story continues The giant Mexican flag at the Chamizal park in Juarez flew at half-staff Wednesday during a memorial attended by Chihuahua Gov. Maru Campos for the dozen guards and police who were killed. Mexican army soldiers and state and municipal police search a residential area where five gunmen were killed after two state police officers were ambushed in eastern Juarez on Monday night. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Escaped Juarez prison gang leader 'El Neto' killed in police shootout Kaitlyn Bristowe got candid with her fans on Wednesday by showing her Instagram followers a sneak peek at her day. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/WireImage) Kaitlyn Bristowe is feeling all the emotions. On Wednesday, the 37-year-old Canadian television personality took to her Instagram Stories to share a clip of herself crying in her car. In the video, the "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" star buckled her seatbelt as she had her hair in a bun and wore a brown sherpa jacket from her collection with Smash and Tess. "I really don't understand what's going on right now. I know a lot of people are feeling this way, and I want to know what it is," she began. "I cannot stop crying this morning, and I really have no reason. I'm not PMSing, everything's good, I don't have a reason to be feeling this low." Kaitlyn Bristowe told her fans she had no idea why she was feeling so low. (Photos via @kaitlynbristowe on Instagram) The "Dancing with the Stars" season 29 winner shared that she was "forcing" herself to head to the gym to distract her mind by completing a workout. "I don't care if I'm crying lifting those dn dumbbells," Bristowe continued. "I am going to get it in and see if that helps, to just move my body. But guys, what is happening? No, I don't like it!" A few hours later, the Leduc, Alta.-born star posted a photo of herself lying down on a medical bed getting checked for polycystic ovary syndrome. "Nothin' like getting probed on a bad day!! (Getting checked for PCOS)," Bristowe wrote as on-screen text. Kaitlyn Bristowe got checked for polycystic ovary syndrome on Wednesday. (Photo via @kaitlynbristowe on Instagram) Then, Bristowe shared a clip and photo of herself fresh out of a skin care appointment at Indie Rx in Nashville. "Well, I went from getting probed to getting poked for some botox, and Elisabeth, what did you just tell me?" Bristowe asked, as she pointed the front-facing camera to physician assistant Elisabeth Smith. "Botox improves depression. They did clinical studies on it," Smith replied, to which Bristowe cheered, "I'm cured!" Kaitlyn Bristowe visited Indie Rx in Nashville for a botox appointment. (Photo via @kaitlynbristowe on Instagram) On Wednesday, Bristowe also posted a selfie on Instagram of herself sitting in her car, her face and eyes puffy from crying. Story continues "Good, n' you? (I look like the clown from 'The Big Comfy Couch')," she wrote in her caption. "Anyone wanna talk about our feelings?" Fellow television stars and fans showed their support for Bristowe in the comments, with many sending her some love. "It's a rough week for a lot of us after all the excitement dies down! Hang in there, it's always beautiful on the other side, Kait," penned hairstylist Justin Anderson. "This was me all holiday season. Hugging you tight, here to vent, yell, cry, laugh all the things," shared "Love Is Blind" season three star Zanab Jaffrey. "Older mom here. If everything feels in your face and overwhelming, it's likely social exhaustion and not nearly enough sleep. Find somewhere to block out the world for a couple of days and just sleep with no interruptions or responsibilities," one fan explained. "It's most definitely the holiday hangover and mercury retrograde coming in hot. I've been feeling this way, as well. Take time with your feelings, I mean feel all the feels. Don't rush yourself to be 'perfect' in your resolutions. The first week after New Year's is a write-off to trying to get yourself back on track!" another added, to which Bristowe replied saying, "Agreed! I'm feelin' allll the things!" Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Jan. 5ROCHESTER Loyalty and consistency are traits many people desire when it comes to getting their hair cut. With 19 years of experience, hair stylist Erin Mikkalson brings the consistency for her clients. Now she brings the service to her loyal customers, literally. After years at the local Sport Clips chain salon, Mikkalson ventured out with her own mobile salon, Comb Over, in 2021. Now after 14 months of operation, she is grateful she jumped into business for herself. "You're certainly taking a leap of faith with something like this. I worked at Sport Clips forever, and I was just basically sick of working for someone else," said Mikkalson about going out on her own. "Guys love it because there really is convenience when you can literally pull up right outside the door." The start up of Comb Over came to Mikkalson after connecting with a woman from Redwood Falls, Minnesota, who started her own mobile salon a few years before Mikkalson's adventure. The conversations convinced Mikkalson the costs of going out on the road rather than finding a spot to lease would be cheaper. "It's certainly more cost effective, and it's just more convenient for people," Mikkalson said. "You're in here and in your chair, it's just a fun atmosphere for people to come into, you can turn the football game on, you can do more of what you want to have than in Sport Clips." Being mobile with Comb Over has brought Mikkalson's business to three spots consistently. Fleet Farm on the south end of Rochester, the parking lot of the former Shopko in Kasson and the park and ride in Pine Island. While Mikkalson rotates between these spots each week, she hopes to try out new locations like the back lot to Roasted Bliss' first location off Broadway to draw walk-in clients. For her loyal clientele, the rotation between old and new locations is a minor inconvenience to getting the best cuts they can from Mikkalson. Story continues "I got two or three bad haircuts at Sport Clips after Erin left and when I found out she was ready to fire up this mobile salon, I was all in," said Jeremy Miller, a client of Mikkalson's dating back to her Sport Clips days. "I try to stick to getting cuts when she's in Rochester, but I have definitely driven to Pine Island when I needed a haircut. For me, it's just wanting and knowing that I'm paying for a good haircut and I'll always have that with Erin." Mikkalson's goals for growth for the New Year begin with a second hairstylist, who was a former coworker at Sport Clips, joining her. Beyond that, she hopes to find a space on the north side of Rocehster that will let her camp out and provide haircuts to new and current clients. People can book appointments on The Comb Over website, thecombover.glossgenius.com , and keep up to date on where Mikkalson will park each week with Comb Over's Facebook page. Following a spate of riots and assaults at Kentuckys Department of Juvenile Justice facilities, a Kentucky senator is proposing a working group to determine where the embattled agency should go from here. Senate Pro Tem David Givens, R-Greensburg, introduced a resolution Thursday that would bring together a group of lawmakers to quickly determine possible policy and reforms to the crisis within the department. Among the larger considerations: Does the state need to operate a detention facility for youth in Louisville? And should the DJJ be placed within the Department of Corrections? Givens resolution outlines a number of problems in DJJ facilities, which have been previously reported by the news media, including widespread damage to the facility in Warren County, a sexual assault on a girl in state custody in Adair County and the closure of a Louisville-area facility due to a plethora of issues. The resolution also reveals that then-Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court, John D. Minton, Jr., sent a letter to Gov. Andy Beshear on Nov. 30 expressing his concerns. The recent violent incidents at the centers in Adair and Warren counties point to systemic failures that are inflicting further damage on an already vulnerable population of detained youth, he wrote. Minton acknowledged the role of judges who favor incarceration for low-level juvenile offenders, but emphatically stated the consistent inability to protect the safety of youth and staff in our juvenile detention centers falls squarely on the shoulders of the Department of Juvenile Justice. Beshear, a Democrat seeking re-election this fall, has announced several charges to the department, including segregating boys by the seriousness of their offenses and creating a girls-only facility. If passed, Givens resolution would include four senators and four representatives, including one Democrat from each Republican-controlled chamber. Each chamber can also send up to four non-voting members. Story continues The groups report is due to the Legislative Research Commission by Feb. 7, when the legislature resumes for its second part of the session. The group would look at the staffing and structure of the department, understand the operational breakdown ... that has resulted in a life-threatening work and corrections environment, ensure a safe working environment and assign oversight to a legislative committee. The resolution will get a vote in the Senate on Friday. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., before the seventh vote for speaker of the House on Thursday. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Cal., lost five more votes for House speaker on Thursday afternoon as the embarrassment for him and the Republican Party continued. McCarthy had lost a trio of votes on Tuesday and three more on Wednesday, the first time in a century that the process has necessitated more than one ballot. After Thursday's votes, it became the first time since 1859 that it has needed more than nine rounds. House members will continue voting indefinitely until a majority decision is reached. McCarthy had lost ground over the first six rounds of voting, with 19 votes against him growing to 20 and one Republican, Victoria Spartz of Indiana, flipping a pro-McCarthy vote to present, further hurting his cause. The results were the same in the seventh through 11th rounds, with 21 GOP members voting against supporting him. During the 10th vote, Punchbowl News reported that a deal between McCarthy and some of his opponents was close and that an offer was expected in writing Thursday night. After initially backing Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, as an alternative to McCarthy, those opposing him switched their support Wednesday to Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. Jordan has supported McCarthy throughout the process, while Donalds flipped his vote from McCarthy to himself. On the eighth ballot, some in the non-McCarthy bloc began voting for Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., who has been pro-McCarthy throughout the process. If I hear my name, its something Ill have to think and pray about before deciding if its a job Ill run for, Hern told the Frontier, an Oklahoma outlet, prior to the eighth round. Those opposing McCarthy have said that he is too representative of the status quo in Congress and that there is a need for new leadership. Prior to the ninth vote, Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., formally nominated Hern, saying, We need a leader that is not of the broken system. Someone who is not beholden to the lobbyists but to the people who sent us here. Someone who can unite our party and, most importantly, someone who can deliver on the promises that we have all made to the American people." Story continues McCarthy realizes Thursday that the seventh round of voting for a new speaker is not going his way. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters) Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., has been one of the most vocal antagonists to McCarthy and voted for former President Donald Trump as speaker on Thursday. There is nothing in the Constitution that requires the speaker to be a member of the House, so Trump is technically eligible for the position. Trump has supported McCarthys bid, but his affirmation of support for McCarthy Wednesday morning did not sway any GOP defectors. Gaetz formally nominated and voted again for Trump again in the 11th round. RELATED: How Kevin McCarthy may have doomed his bid for House speaker >>> McCarthy attempted to woo his GOP critics by endorsing rule changes, including one that would make it easier for a smaller group of members to challenge leadership in a procedure known as vacating the chair. He made more concessions to the opposition over the course of Wednesday night. McCarthy, who had lost a bid for speaker in 2015, urged the party to support him in a closed-door meeting Tuesday, saying, I earned this job. He and his allies have vowed to continue with as many ballots as it takes, but its possible he will be forced to withdraw, or that a different consensus candidate such as the House GOPs No. 2, Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana will emerge. The last time the selection of a House speaker took more than one ballot was in 1923, when nine ballots were required for Frederick Gillett to take the gavel. In 1855, it took the 34th Congress 133 ballots and two months to settle on Nathaniel Prentice Banks. Democrats were united behind New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who succeeded former Speaker Nancy Pelosi as their partys House leader last month after she stepped down. "This is their problem, Pelosi told reporters Wednesday of her Republican colleagues. Their lack of respect for this institution. Their lack of respect for the responsibility that we all have to respect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Get the job done for the American people." Asked how she would describe this moment, she added, "This is very sad." Speaking at the White House Wednesday morning, President Biden called the chaos among Republicans embarrassing and not a good look, adding, I hope they get their act together, before noting that his own focus was on getting things done. Thats not my problem, Biden said. I just think its really embarrassing its taking so long. On Tuesday the Senate selected a Democrat, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, as the first female president pro tem in the chambers history, replacing Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt., who retired. The chain of succession for president is vice president, House speaker, then president pro tem. Murray joked Tuesday, referring to her place in line, "Well, today Im second, because Kevin McCarthys not speaker." The Coffin Carrying Queen Elizabeth II Is Transferred From Buckingham Palace To The Palace Of Westminster Prince William, left, and Prince Harry, right, walk behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II during a procession from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster in London, England, on Sep. 14, 2022. Credit - Henry NichollsPool/Getty Images After estranged British Prince Harry and his brother Prince William appeared together after their grandmothers death last September, it may have seemed like the feuding royals would put the worst of their differences behind them. Not so fast. In a shocking new revelation, Harry has alleged that William once physically attacked him during an argument over the treatment of Meghan Markle, according to the Guardian, which obtained a prerelease copy of Harrys forthcoming memoir in which the incident is reportedly detailed. The allegation represents the latest dramatic twist in the yearslong saga of the couples acrimonious split from Buckingham Palace. The Guardian reported on Thursday that in a passage in Spare, which publishes Jan. 10, Harry asserts that in 2019 William knocked the younger prince to the floor during a heated conversation. The book, believed by royal watchers to be a juicy tell-all of Harry and Meghans dealings with the House of Windsor, has been kept closely under wraps by publisher Penguin Random House before its set for worldwide release next week, though other excerpts have also begun to leak. Since their public step-back from royal duties in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spoken out on their struggles within the so-called Firm, including dealing with mental health woes, British media vitriol, and alleged racism within the monarchys circles. The Palace has steadfastly refused to comment on the couples claims. Heres what to know about the newest allegation Harry has brought to light. How does Harry describe what happened in London in 2019? Based on Harrys account, as reported by the Guardian, he and his brother had an argument at Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace. William had come over piping hot to talk about Harrys whole rolling catastrophe of his relationship with Markle, as well as their issues with the British press, which has been critical of their marriage. Story continues William allegedly called Markle difficult, rude, and abrasive, to which Harry replied that his older brother was parroting false media narratives. Harry accused his brother of acting like an heir, and the two exchanged insults. According to the account, William claimed he was only trying to help, to which Harry then replied: Are you serious? Help me? Sorryis that what you call this? Helping me? That remark purportedly angered William, so Harry went to the kitchen to get him a glass of water. Harry retells that William, who was tailing him, set down the water and then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast, Harry reportedly writes in his memoir. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dogs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out. Harry reportedly writes that William urged him to hit back, but he refused. According to the story, William left the cottage though he returned shortly after to apologize; then he left again but not before saying that Harry did not need to tell Meg about thisreferring to the altercation. Markle is said to have later discovered the scrapes and bruises on Harrys back, which prompted him to disclose the fraternal quarrel to her. What to know about Harrys memoir, Spare The books title references the concept of a firstborn royal child being in line to inherit the throne, while subsequent children represent merely backups should something happen to the eldest. In the U.K., William, who is 40, was born the heir, while Harry, who is 38, has thus always been a spare. With his words, however, and the stories and personal details hes decided to share, hes proven to be anything but. According to the Guardian, Harrys resentment of this second-tier status is the unifying theme of his book, through chapters on his childhood, his schooling, his career as a royal and in the British army, his relationship with his parents and brother and his life with Meghan through courtship, wedding and marriage to their own experience of parenthood. In a press release, Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, calls Harrys memoir a remarkably moving personal journey from trauma to healing. Proceeds from Spares sales will go to British charities, according to the publishers website. How is Harry promoting the book? What else has come out? The Duke of Sussex has done multiple TV interviews in the lead-up to the books release: one with British broadcaster ITV, another with news program 60 Minutes on CBS, both of which are set to air Sunday. He also sat done with Good Morning Americas Michael Strahan for an interview that will air Monday on ABC. In a snippet of the ITV interview, Harry told British journalist Tom Bradby, I would like to get my father back. I would like to have my brother back, referring to King Charles III and William. Theyve shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile, he said. They feel as though its better to keep us somehow as the villains. In a clip from his upcoming 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper, Harry says he and his wife would have liked to live a private life since they moved to Canada and then California, but he accuses Buckingham Palace of planting disparaging stories against them. There becomes a point when silence is betrayal. And in a preview of his sit-down with Strahan, Harry says: Ultimately, what this all comes down to is, I dont think that we can ever have peace with my family unless the truth is out there. The interviews come on the heels of the December release of a six-part documentary series by and about Harry and Meghan on Netflix. The show, which set the record for Netflixs most-viewed documentary premiere, highlights the rift between Harry and his family, particularly William. The saddest part of it was this wedge created between myself and my brother, Harry says in one episode, so that hes now on the institutions side, and part of that I get. I understandthats his inheritance. How is the Firm (and the media) responding? The royal family has remained tight-lipped in the wake of the allegations in Spare and has declined to respond to a number of British publications which have sought comment. But palace watchers and experts have been quick to offer their two cents on Harrys allegations. Hes decided to go public with something quite trivial, in my opinion, Robert Jobson, a British journalist who has written multiple books about the royal family including a 2022 biography of Prince William, tells TIME. The fact is, brothers do have fights. Theyve always had fights and will continue to do so. Not everyone agrees with that conclusion. This feels different. These arent teenage boys roughhousing, says R.S. Locke, a U.S.-based freelance writer and royal commentator. To come into his brothers home, hurl invective about his wife, and then accost Prince Harry when he tried to deescalate the situation is simply beyond the pale. Jobson believes the story wont have much of an impact on the institution of the monarchy, but it may do irreparable damage to Harrys ties with William. The relationship [between] the brothers is practically at an all-time low, he says. I cant imagine anything that will improve it. Victoria Arbiter, a royal commentator for Australian lifestyle network Honey, has focused on Harrys emotional state. Prince Harry appears to be so consumed with anger hes going to need Sundays interviews to help humanise him if hes to garner public sympathy, tweeted Victoria Arbiter, a royal commentator for Australian lifestyle network Honey. Cooper lost his dad when he was 10 and Bradby had a breakdown in 2018. Itll be interesting to see if theyre able to soften his rage, Arbiter said. Vanity Fairs royal editor Katie Nicholl spoke with British broadcaster LBC Thursday about Spare. He used to say to me, I wish I could buy a coffee from Costa or jump on the tube. I want to do those normal things. I wish I hadnt been born a prince. He wanted a way out of royal life, recalled Nicholl. She added that its easy to blame Markle for providing Harry with an escape, but she described the duchess as a mere catalyst. Nicholl cautioned, however, that with the royal familys silence we are only hearing one side of the story. Representatives for Buckingham Palace told the New York Posts Page Six that the royal family would not be commenting on any of the allegations in Spare. What other bombshells does Prince Harry drop in Spare? The Guardian is not the only publication with access to a copy of Harrys memoir. The book has accidentally made its way to bookstores in Spain five days ahead of its anticipated publish date. The Spanish edition of the memoir, En La Sombra, or In the Shadow, has been translated by a number of tabloids. Among the books many revelations, according to Hello magazine, Harry writes about the last time he spoke to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, four days before her death. During their phone call, they reportedly discussed British politics, the Braemar Gathering (a Scottish celebration and games), and the U.K.s summer drought. Harry is said to have joked that the grass was like his headbald with patches. According to Page Six, which claimed to have obtained passages of the book from industry sources, Harry also writes that he and William urged their father in 2005 not to marry Camilla Parker Bowles, now the Queen Consort. Charles had engaged in a long-standing affair during his marriage to Diana. Despite Willy and me urging him not to, Pa was going ahead. We pumped his hand, wished him well. No hard feelings. We recognized that he was finally going to be with the woman he loved, the woman hed always loved, Harry wrote. In another excerpt, Harry reportedly wondered if Camilla would be cruel to him like all the evil stepmothers in the stories, adding that William had been suspicious of the Other Woman for some time. Page Six also shared new insights into Harrys recollection of wearing a Nazi uniform to a Native and Colonial-themed costume party in 2005, when he was 20-years-old. The tabloid reported that Harry was deciding between a pilot or Nazi uniform and was steered toward the latter: I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said, Harry wrote, saying he tried the costume on in front of them. They both howled. Worse than Willys leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point. Harry described the decision as one of the biggest mistakes of my life in the Netflix docuseries. Spare also reveals, according to the Guardian, that Harry met a clairvoyant, despite reservations around the high-percentage chance of humbuggery. The minute we sat down together, he says, I felt an energy around her. Harry reportedly writes that the woman said Dianas spirit was present and that his mother wished to convey to him: Youre living the life she couldnt. Youre living the life she wanted for you. Pierre Crom/Getty Image KYIV, UkraineEver since President Putins forces began massing on Ukraines border, the West has been obsessed with how to mount a defense of the country without provoking Russia into escalating the conflict. That vacillation included the U.S. and European allies declining Kyivs requests for Patriot missile systems, tanks, and other medium- and long-range missiles to fight off the invading army. The West feared that attacks on Russian territory would create an explosive reaction from the Kremlin that could even result in the use of nuclear weapons. And yet, the successful use of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS)belatedly given to the Ukrainiansand a series of explosions deep inside Russia over the past month have put Putin on the back foot militarily and destabilized public opinion back home. President Volodymyr Zelenskys inner circle says they have been proven right all along, and the Western nations have finally accepted their vision of fighting back against the Russian army. During the first seven months of the war, political elites in the United States and European Union took a position that was wrong, thinking that by passing certain weapons to us they would help to increase escalatory situations deep in the territory of the Russian Federation, Mykailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelensky, told The Daily Beast. In the last couple months, we have seen more understanding. On the contrary, the more weapons they pass on time, the more incidents on Russian territory will result in de-escalation of the war. Soldiers of the 59th brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fire grad missiles on Russian positions in Russia-occupied Donbas region on December 30, 2022 in Donetsk, Ukraine. Pierre Crom/Getty Images Podolyak is happy to admit that Ukraine has intensified assaults against territory annexed by Russia. This is something Putin views as a powerful escalation, especially when the attacks are on land he grabbed back in 2014 and considers to be fully part of Russia. On the first day of 2023, the Russian Defense Ministrys television channel, Zvezda, reported shooting down 15 Ukrainian drones over more than a dozen regions including the Crimea peninsula. Crimean residents could hear explosions in Jankoi, a town in the north of the peninsula, on New Years Eve. Podolyak says that Russia should not be surprised with Ukraine targeting its military bases and forces in Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv or Zaporozhia regions, all parts of Ukraine: We are striking, we are not hiding itthis is our right, our territory and there will be no other consequence for Ukraine besides positive, he said. Story continues Russia Can Finally See That Putins Days Are Numbered The increasingly military might of the Ukrainian forcesnow bolstered by drones as well as the HIMARS, with further tanks and Patriot missiles set to followhas infuriated the Kremlin. In his New Year speech, Putin accused the West of cynically using Ukraine and its people to weaken and split Russia. Putin sounded grim as he spoke of Russias existential fight for our motherland, truth and justice, standing in front of soldiers. While Ukraine is happy to claim credit for attacks on territory stolen by Putin, it is far more cagey about any missile or drone attacks taking place inside Russia. In fact, Zelenskys administration has a blanket ban on admitting that Ukraine was behind any of the attacks which have targeted strategic sites including an airfield base just 150 miles from Moscow. They say these must have been carried out by disgruntled Russian saboteurs or an anti-Kremlin partisan movement of guerrilla fighters. Residents of Russias Belgorod region, just across the border from the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, posted videos of explosions in the sky on New Year Eve, wondering, What was that? There was no answer from Kyiv. The sabotage mood is increasing in Russia, the number of deserting soldiers is growing. Russia is turning into a backward country that has no specialists to fix the equipment, while the number of explosions on its territory is just growing, Podolyak said. This is a partisan movement. We dont comment on our involvement in attacks on Russia, we are a civilized state, but the partisan activity is an increasing trend. Ukraines popular commander-in-chief, Valery Zaluzhny, has predicted a new Russian attack as early as in January, which could even include another assault on Kyiv or the west of the country. 1245768592 A Ukrainian soldier talks with his fellows in his underground base after returning from the frontlines in Zaporizhia region. Celestino Arce/NurPhoto via Getty Images We are totally ready to fight back, Podolyak tells The Daily Beast. Ukraines emotional condition is different from the mass panic we saw before the battle for Kyiv last year, when hundreds of thousands fled the country. Many say they are tired of being scared, of runningthis is an existential war for Ukraine, and the population seems increasingly united and patriotic. We are full of ultimate hate; we need to release it, that would be the right thing to do, Podolyak told The Daily Beast. Our resources, intelligence and defense capacity is much more powerful than in February, While Russia is running out of resources and is demoralized. They will try to change the situation and have counter-offensive operations, but the initiative is in Ukraines hands. No peace deals with the Kremlin are being considered in Kyiv, people believe that a ceasefire would just allow Russia to re-group and attack again. Podolyak says he has promised Ukrainian soldiers that there would be no compromises with Russian leadership. Dozens of soldiers look at me with hope, asking: Are we going to fight this war to the end and complete everything we are doing? How 46 Toddlers Were Disappeared by Putin in One Fell Swoop I assure them we are not going to stop in the middle, since that would mean the final collapse of Ukraines statehood, Podolyak said. If the Russian political elite do not get punished for this scale of war crimes and destruction, they will feel empowered to commit even more radical crimes. We dont need other armies coming here, well do everything ourselves. Whoever I speak with in the leadership or military, we all have total consensus about how we are going to finish the war: liberate our territories in Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea regions. The question is what price Ukraine is going to pay and for how long. About 90 percent of all of Ukraines losses are victims of Russian artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, which Russia is now firing from inside its own borders and out of reach of Ukraines currently available weapons. Longer-range missiles changed the course of this war. With HIMARS we quickly drained blood of Russian forces of the first wave, we liberated the Kherson and Kharkiv regions; so they had to move the provision of their rear troops 80 kilometers away from our border to where our artillery cannot reach them. They recovered their supplies, which slowed down our movement forward, Podolyak says. We keep telling our partners, this is not about wanting to attack Russian territory, we need missiles that can reach as far as 100 to 250 kilometers. Such missiles would rapidly speed up the finalization of this war. 1244578963 A view of the damaged structures, including a clothing and food market and a chemical plant, after the Ukrainian shells struck the Russian town of Belgorod, 10 km from the border with Ukraine. Many deaths and wounded people were reported. Vladimir Aleksandrov/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images So far, nobody in the West has agreed to supply long-range missile systems to Ukraine. But Podolyak is convinced that it is just a matter of time and negotiations. Six months ago, the word HIMARS was banned, three months ago the word Patriot was under a ban and now Patriots, IRIS-T and Leopard tanks will be delivered and missiles with a range of more than 100 kilometers are under discussion. The Kremlin has already threatened to expand the war if these requests are met. Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in September: If Washington decides to supply longer-range missiles to Kyiv, then it will be crossing a red line, and will become a direct party to the conflict. Podolyak is convinced that the time has come to cross this red line. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. A landlord locked his tenants in their garage apartment for two hours and threatened to kill them if they tried to leave, according to a Florida sheriffs office. A resident called law enforcement in Orange City at around 3:40 p.m. Jan. 3 and said that his landlord had locked him and two other tenants in the garage and was refusing to let them out, according to an arrest affidavit from the Volusia Sheriffs Office. The only way out of the garage was through the main house, and the landlord had told the tenants that he had a firearm and would kill them if they entered the house, the affidavit says. Deputies went to the house and found the landlord, a 66-year-old man, with a weapon that was later determined to be a BB gun, according to the affidavit. They also saw that a large knife was within his arms reach. Deputies were able to speak with the people trapped in the garage. They said they were stuck in here and needed help, the affidavit says. A chair had been placed under the doorknob of the door leading to the garage in a clear attempt to contain the people in the garage, the affidavit says. When deputies tried to approach the landlord, he resisted and refused to place his hands behind his back despite their commands, the affidavit says. They tased him twice, and he continued to struggle, according to the affidavit. A deputy struck his face several times and was eventually able to put him in handcuffs. The landlord is facing three counts of false imprisonment and one count of resisting arrest, according to the arrest affidavit. He is being held in the Volusia County jail, according to sheriffs office records. Landlord runs over tenant, ties him to bumper and drags him off, Nevada sheriff says Landlord missing for months was killed by tenant after rent dispute, Arizona cops say Landlord told property manager to make Texas tenant miserable so theyd move, email shows According to media reports, the area of the fire is about 400 square meters. There were reportedly workers in the premises at the time of the fire. So far, two people have been confirmed to have died in the blaze. Read also: Military facility on fire near Russias Belgorod The reasons for the incident are not yet known. Russia has seen a rash of fires in recent weeks, many at large companies and shopping malls. Read also: Energy facility, military airfield reportedly damaged in drone attacks in two Russian regions There has been speculation on social media that the fires are connected with sabotage or insurance fraud, but the Russian authorities usually say violations of fire safety regulations are to blame. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who is a U.S. Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, poses for a portrait, Feb., 18, 2022, at the court in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) NEW YORK Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is working on a memoir. Jackson, the first Black woman appointed to the court, is calling the book Lovely One. Mine has been an unlikely journey, Jackson said in a statement released Thursday by Random House. Advertisement But the path was paved by courageous women and men in whose footsteps I placed my own, road warriors like my own parents, and also luminaries in the law, whose brilliance and fortitude lit my way. This memoir marries the public record of my life with what is less known. It will be a transparent accounting of what it takes to rise through the ranks of the legal profession, especially as a woman of color with an unusual name and as a mother and a wife striving to reconcile the demands of a high-profile career with the private needs of my loved ones. No release date has been set for Lovely One. Jackson, 52, was born Ketanji Onyika Brown. The books title comes from the English translation of Ketanji Onyika, the name suggested by an aunt who at the time was a Peace Corps worker in West Africa. Advertisement Jackson joined the court last year after President Joe Biden named her to succeed the retiring Stephen Breyer. She had previously been a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. My hope is that the fullness of my journey as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, litigator, and friend will stand as a testament for young women, people of color, and dreamers everywhere, Jackson added, especially those who nourish outsized ambitions and believe in the possibility of achieving them. Lovely One is Jacksons first book, but not the first by a current member of the Supreme Court. Justices Neil Gorsuch and Sonia Sotomayor are among those who have released books in recent years. Justice Amy Coney Barrett has a deal with the Penguin Random House imprint Sentinel. Financial terms for Lovely One were not disclosed, although interest in her makes it likely her advance is at least comparable to the 7-figure deals negotiated in the past for memoirs by Sotomayor and Justice Clarence Thomas. In announcing Jacksons book, Random House called it a story she tells with refreshing honesty, lively wit, and warmth. Justice Jackson invites readers into her life and world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her, the announcement reads in part, from growing up in Miami with educator parents who broke barriers during the 1960s to honing her voice as an oratory champion to performing improv and participating in pivotal student movements at Harvard to balancing the joys and demands of marriage and motherhood while advancing in Big Law and, finally, to making history upon joining the nations highest court. Groups of retired New York City employees are fighting their own unions over a plan to move them from their current health insurance coverage into a Medicare Advantage plan. Retirees have filed lawsuits, lobbied the City Council and protested outside the headquarters of the United Federation of Teachers, which represents New Yorks public school employees and retirees. They are trying to upend an agreement between the city and its labor unions designed to control rising health insurance costs. The details are complex, but the gist is that many retired city workers are enrolled in traditional Medicare, which is managed by the federal government and covers about 80% of health care costs. New York Citys administrative code requires the city to cover the remainder for all its retirees and their dependents. The city is responsible for paying the insurance expenses of more than 1.2 million people. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Over the last decade, the costs have begun to drain the citys health care fund, leading former Mayor Bill de Blasio to negotiate reduction targets with the Municipal Labor Committee, the umbrella group representing the citys 102 public-sector unions, including the teachers union. In 2014, the two sides agreed to measures to save $3.4 billion over four years. This was evidently successful, and a successor agreement in 2018 sought to save an additional $1.1 billion over three years. This agreement included the establishment of a Medicare Advantage option. Medicare Advantage plans are required to provide similar coverage to that of traditional Medicare, but they are administered by private health insurance companies. To draw business, they often offer additional benefits, such as dental and vision care or prescription drug coverage. The main disadvantage is that a retiree can be limited to the insurers health care provider network. Currently, almost half of Medicare recipients are covered by Medicare Advantage. Story continues What has some retirees up in arms is that the citys health care fund is effectively out of money, according to the arbitrator in the Medicare Advantage negotiations. And in the rarest of events, the city, the labor committee, the UFT and the arbitrator all agree that the only way to maintain premium-free health insurance for retirees is to move them into a Medicare Advantage plan. Retirees who want to stay on traditional Medicare will be able to do so, but they will have to pay a premium, currently computed at $191 a month. This did not sit well with a significant number of them, who formed the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees and sued the city. A judge issued a temporary injunction in October 2021, ruling that retirees had not been given enough information. This prompted the teachers union to issue talking points about the proposal, including 7 things to understand about Medicare Advantage and NYC retirees. The organization responded with 7 Lies the UFT Spews about Medicare Advantage and NYC retirees. In March, a state Supreme Court justice ruled that the Medicare Advantage plan could go forward, but retirees who chose traditional Medicare couldnt be required to pay premiums. However, he also said the city was not obligated to provide more than one coverage option for retirees. This further complicated matters and led to the current showdown. According to the courts interpretation, the city had the right to force all retirees into Medicare Advantage. To prevent this, the committee wants the City Council to amend the administrative code to allow retirees to keep traditional Medicare (and pay premiums) if they so choose. That is where the situation stands now, but the retirees group rejects all these arguments. It doesnt want the code amended, nor does it want changes to the traditional Medicare coverage retirees have had for years. And it lays the blame firmly at the doorstep of the labor committee and UFT. For our former unions and the City of NY to strip benefits away from us, automatically enroll us in a private Medicare plan, violate the contracts that were in place when we left, is a disgrace, reads a statement on the organizations website. Opposition caucuses and dissident members within UFT are lambasting the union for its role in the health insurance proposal. At a minimum, the argument for collusion between key union leaders and the city is frankly more realistic than the alternative, reads a post on the New Action caucus blog. Union activist Jonathan Halabi sees collusion among everyone involved. I have made the case before: [UFT President Michael] Mulgrew, [Municipal Labor Committee President Harry] Nespoli, [District Council 37 Executive Director Henry] Garrido, the whole MLC, [arbitrator] Martin Scheinman, [Mayor Eric] Adams and the citys financial administration, starting with the [NYC Office of Labor Relations], plus the insurance companies they are all working in concert. They are colluding. And they leave the evidence all over the place, he wrote in a Dec. 15 blog post. And longtime UFT retiree and gadfly Norm Scott has been covering all aspects of the controversy, blogging out The Adams/Mulgrew/MLC/OLR/Dracula team have found a flunkie to intro a bill to change the admin code. But it isnt just internal dissidents who are riled up. The Professional Staff Congress, which represents 30,000 faculty and other employees at the City University of New York, is also campaigning hard against the Medicare Advantage plan. We believe in the long run, a single-payer health insurance program is necessary, but we also recognize the urgency of the moment and believe that the city must not place the burden of saving $600 million annually on the backs of municipal retirees and their dependents by forcing them into a Medicare Advantage plan or into premiums for opting out, wrote President James Davis in a Nov. 7 letter to members. The City Council vote to change the administrative code, and negotiations with Aetna, the insurance company awarded the Medicare Advantage contract, are supposed to take place this month. But the specter of more lawsuits looms over the entire process. We will litigate this as long as Im breathing. And Im sure if something happens to me, someone else will be litigating it right behind me, said Marianne Pizzitola, the retirees organization president. It may be a while before this all gets resolved, and while health insurance costs keep piling up, New York Citys taxpayers are on the hook. Mike Antonuccis Union Report appears most Wednesdays; see the full archive. BEIRUT (AP) Lebanon's military tribunal on Thursday charged seven suspects in last month's attack that killed an Irish peacekeeper when a group of armed local residents ambushed his convoy and opened fire, officials said. The shooting took place near the town of Al-Aqbiya in southern Lebanon, a center of support for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which has denied any role in the killing. The attack killed Pvt. Sean Rooney, 24, of Newtowncunningham, Ireland, and seriously wounded Pvt. Shane Kearney, 22. The wounded peacekeeper was medically evacuated from Lebanon to Ireland. Two other Irish troops in the vehicle sustained light injuries. In late December, the Lebanese military arrested a suspect, allegedly in cooperation with Hezbollah," according to the group, which said the man was not a Hezbollah member. The arrested man and six others were charged in the attack, according to a judicial official familiar with the investigation, a legal official following the case, and a military official. All spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The officials said that a search is underway for the other six suspects and that officials are trying to determine whether they had left the country. The Lebanese military in a brief statement said the case was transferred to the appropriate judiciary on Tuesday, but did mention the charges or other developments. The U.N. peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, also known as UNIFIL, told The Associated Press that it has not received any information about the arrest or the charges in the case. Hezbollah did not immediately respond to inquiries about the latest developments. UNIFIL was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after a 1978 invasion. The U.N. expanded its mission following the 2006 war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah, allowing peacekeepers to deploy along the Israeli border to help the Lebanese military extend its authority into the countrys south for the first time in decades. Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon frequently accuse the U.N. mission of collusion with Israel, while Israel has accused the peacekeepers of turning a blind eye to Hezbollahs military activities in southern Lebanon. Lenovo has a long history of experimenting with its Yoga lineup, and that's not stopping in 2023. The company has unveiled a 2023 roster headlined by the Yoga Book 9i, billed as the first "full-size" dual-screen OLED laptop. The system's twin 13.3-inch 2.8K screens theoretically make it a multitasking champ without significant compromises on size or weight it's still about 0.63 inches thick, and weighs just over 3lbs. You can use it in different orientations, including a tablet mode and a presentation-friendly tent mode. A detachable Bluetooth keyboard and Smart Pen support make it more useful as a productivity machine. This won't be the most powerful laptop you can buy. The Yoga Book 9i runs on a low-power 13th-gen Core i7-U15 with 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of SSD storage and an 80WHr battery that offers a claimed 14 hours of video playback on one screen (10 hours with dual screens). You do get three Thunderbolt 4 ports, however, as well as creature comforts like quad-speaker Dolby Atmos audio and Windows Hello support through the 1080p webcam. Expect to wait a while, and to pay a premium while you're at it. The Yoga Book 9i doesn't ship until June, and will start at a hefty $2,100 with 512GB of storage. This is for enthusiasts and pros who'd normally buy an external monitor or large-screened laptop, and aren't fond of bulkier alternatives like ASUS' ZenBook Duo. Lenovo Yoga AIO 9i desktop There are more conventional options, including for desktop fans. The Yoga AIO 9i (shown at middle) is an unapologetically style-oriented all-in-one that mates a 31.5-inch 4K, HDR-capable display with a reasonably powerful PC tucked behind it. You can equip the system with up to a Core i9-13900H processor and NVIDIA's next-gen laptop graphics. If you thought the Surface Studio 2+ was behind the times, this might be the machine for you. You won't get more than 1TB of built-in SSD storage, but you will find up to 32GB of RAM and decent expansion that includes one USB 4 port, three USB 3.2 ports (one of them USB-C) and HDMI 2.1 output. The PC arrives in the third quarter of the year, and will start at $1,800 with a Core i7-13700H, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB drive. Other Yoga models play it safe and focus on updates to newer processors, although that's not necessarily a problem if you're looking for the latest specs in a familiar shape. The centerpiece, the new Slim 7 you see below, is a deluxe ultraportable with a 14-inch screen (up to a 1080p OLED or 2.8K touch LCD), an all-metal chassis and a raised camera notch that theoretically makes it easier to open. It runs on 13th-gen Core chips with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, up to 16GB of RAM and a maximum 1TB SSD. There are also refreshed Yoga Slim 7i Carbon (13-inch) and Yoga 9i (14-inch) variants with 13th-gen Core CPUs, and a 13-inch Yoga 6 update rolls in AMD's Ryzen 7000-series chips as well as upgraded battery life. Lenovo Slim 7 (2023) The Slim 7 and Yoga 6 will both start at $730 when they ship in April. The Yoga 9i appears the same month for $1,500. The Yoga Slim 7i Carbon isn't headed to North America, but you still won't be hurting for choice this year. Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of FDM Group (Holdings) plc (LON:FDM) as an investment opportunity by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. There's really not all that much to it, even though it might appear quite complex. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. View our latest analysis for FDM Group (Holdings) Crunching The Numbers We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF (, Millions) UK45.2m UK51.5m UK56.0m UK59.5m UK62.4m UK64.6m UK66.4m UK68.0m UK69.3m UK70.4m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ 8.67% Est @ 6.37% Est @ 4.75% Est @ 3.62% Est @ 2.83% Est @ 2.28% Est @ 1.89% Est @ 1.62% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 7.4% UK42.1 UK44.7 UK45.2 UK44.8 UK43.7 UK42.2 UK40.4 UK38.5 UK36.5 UK34.5 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = UK413m Story continues We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (1.0%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 7.4%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = UK70m (1 + 1.0%) (7.4% 1.0%) = UK1.1b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= UK1.1b ( 1 + 7.4%)10= UK547m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is UK959m. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of UK7.6, the company appears about fair value at a 13% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out. dcf The Assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at FDM Group (Holdings) as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.4%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.005. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for FDM Group (Holdings) Strength Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry. Currently debt free. Weakness Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the IT market. Opportunity Annual revenue is forecast to grow faster than the British market. Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value. Threat Dividends are not covered by earnings and cashflows. Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the British market. Looking Ahead: Although the valuation of a company is important, it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. For FDM Group (Holdings), we've put together three fundamental aspects you should consider: Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with FDM Group (Holdings) , and understanding this should be part of your investment process. Future Earnings: How does FDM's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the LSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here The Hapta lipstick applicator uses technology developed in part by Liftware, a startup that created a utensil for people with limited hand and arm mobility. LOreal The makeup giant L'Oreal announced a handheld, computerized lipstick applicator. The device is designed to help people with limited hand and arm mobility. A L'Oreal exec told Insider the company had plans for other inclusive products over the next year. A decade ago, you would've been hard-pressed to find many makeup products designed for people of color. There were some options, but most shades, tools, and brands catered to white people. Today, many people with disabilities might face a similar sense of exclusion when they browse the cosmetics aisle: There are often few, if any, products designed for someone with limited fine motor skills. A team of L'Oreal engineers, researchers, and beauty experts is working to change this. On Wednesday, at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, L'Oreal unveiled a handheld, computerized makeup applicator called Hapta. It's designed for people with limited hand and arm mobility. Hapta is a nod to the word haptic, which is a type of vibrating motor technology used in many smartphones and in adaptive devices for people with disabilities. The product is expected to be available in US stores at the end of this year and globally next year at a cost of $149 to $199. Guive Balooch, the global chief of L'Oreal's technology incubator the division that developed Hapta said the move to create more advanced products for people with disabilities in beauty was long overdue. Now, Balooch said the makeup world was approaching a revolution in technology that could help many with disabilities. "The past three to five years has excelled in miniaturizing large-scale machines," Balooch said. "Hapta is essentially a miniature robotic arm that requires lots of machine learning and complicated algorithms. Combine that with our sense of purpose and drive around inclusion, I truly believe this is the result of the marriage of these two forces." Making makeup application possible for millions Guive Balooch, the global vice president of L'Oreal's technology incubator, said a movement in the beauty world on disability inclusion was overdue. L'Oreal Makeup applicators for people with disabilities do exist. There are blush brushes designed to be easy to grip or mascara with a large handle that's easier to steady with your fingers. Yet most of these products have been developed by startups or small businesses, not by a major cosmetics company. And L'Oreal says a high-tech option like Hapta isn't on the market. Story continues The feedback from Hapta testers with cerebral palsy, with Parkinson's disease, and from people affected by a stroke has been positive, Balooch said. "They told us they didn't feel they could be part of this industry," he said. "Having someone else apply it wasn't enough for them. They wanted to apply makeup on their own. They now feel they can be part of this." Hapta is essentially a miniature robotic arm that helps users stabilize a tube and apply lipstick. LOreal Approximately 10 million Americans have essential tremor, a neurological movement disorder that often causes the hands to shake. Nearly 1 million people in the US have Parkinson's disease, and some 764,000 Americans have at least one symptom of cerebral palsy. Both Parkinson's and cerebral palsy can affect hand and arm mobility. "People who could never apply lipstick before can now do that," Balooch said. "There's a confidence that comes from that. That's what our user feedback has been." L'Oreal began developing Hapta about a year ago, after Balooch met with Anupam Pathak, the CEO of Liftware, a startup that created high-tech eating utensils for people with a tremor or limited hand or arm mobility. Pathak and Balooch started talking about how Liftware users asked whether the company could create tools for applying makeup. "This was codesigned with people with cerebral palsy, people with Parkinson's, and experts in the field," Balooch said. "I hope this will inspire the industry. It's not just something that these people deserve it's deeply linked to our purpose." A model smiling while holding LOreal's Hapta device. L'Oreal's Hapta lipstick applicator is set to be available in US stores sometime this year at a cost of $149 to $199.LOreal Over the past few years, Balooch said, L'Oreal engineers have been working to make the company's packaging easier to open for people with disabilities. L'Oreal has also been expanding the use of QR codes on its products to help people with limited visibility learn more about an item. Hapta is set to be compatible only with Lancome lipsticks for now, though L'Oreal plans to create fittings that would make the device adaptable with other lipsticks. "The reality is that people who have motor-skills or hand-mobility impairments need to be able to do daily tasks," Balooch said. "It is time for this type of technology." Read the original article on Business Insider Looks like the "Law & Order" shows are finding Camryn Manheim a rather ... handy person to have around. That's because the veteran actor, who currently rules the roost on "Law & Order" as Lt. Kate Dixon, is set to share her skills Jan. 5 on "Law & Order: SVU," using sign language to interpret the stories of deaf sexual assault victims. "It is meaningful to have been a part of (the episode), because I am fluent in sign language and have been an advocate for disabilities for a long time," she tells TODAY.com. "One thing thats come up recently is how much the public learns from shows like 'L&O' and (Manheim's old stamping grounds) 'The Practice'; (and) just how important it is for our producers and showrunners to get the procedure right." Law & Order - Season 22 (Zach Dilgard / NBC) Manheim, who is not deaf or hard of hearing but can communicate in American Sign Language, has already used her skills a couple of times in the franchise; first, during one of her guest appearances on the show in its early days in an episode from 1993 called "Benevolence" and then last October, when a girl who is deaf had to be questioned on the show. The actor spoke up for the inclusion of her skills in that episode, as well as the one on "SVU," the Emmy winner explains. "Im going to name drop," she chuckles. "I was having lunch with (actor) Maria Bello and ("SVU's" Olivia Benson) Mariska Hargitay, and Mariska mentioned they were having an upcoming episode with deaf people. I said, 'Im fluent in sign language,' and she picked up a phone and all of a sudden Im crossing over. It happened that quickly." Now, it might seem odd that a police lieutenant would be called in to help with translation, particularly to a completely different division of the NYPD. But Manheim says the added lines, in which Dixon learns from Benson that it will take up to five days to get an interpreter in with the assault victim, helped underscore why her character is so critical. Story continues Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - Season 24 (NBC / Will Hart/NBC) "We wanted to show that its not OK to pull a detective from another precinct and get them to interpret," she says. "I made it clear to the writers, and they were fantastic about incorporating that ... (Dixon) I told all the deaf victims that an interpreter will come and review their statements to make sure its accurate and also that they were recording the interview in case I missed something, so wed have it on tape. I wanted to get that across that we were doing all the right things to protect deaf people." She recalls that the last time she used ASL on "L&O," there was plenty of feedback from the Deaf community. "They were doing TikTok videos watching me doing the signing and whether I did it right or not," says Manheim, 61. "Theyre very vocal when theyre represented on television. We have so few opportunities to get it right, so its important to teach people the procedure about what to accept when they are in this scenario." Meanwhile, the visit had one other benefit: getting to hang out with Hargitay and her co-star Ice-T, who plays Odafin Tutuola on "SVU." "Mariska is like the mayor of New York and of 'Law & Order,'" says Manheim. "She's the most welcoming, she's hilarious. She is a jokester. She knows that show like the back of her hand, and it's inspiring to watch her move in and out of being an actor, a producer, a director. On the show I was on, Mariska has, like, 85 percent of the dialogue. I'm like, 'How do you do it? You have three children!' But it's really become the fabric of her soul." Perhaps amusingly, Manheim is actually more of a "L&O" veteran than Mariska, in that she started earlier on the franchise (though initially only in those guest roles in 1991, 1993 and 1994). But it gives her a unique insight into the differences between the 20th and 21st century versions of "Law & Order." "Im glad that the politics of 'Law & Order' has progressed with the time," she says. "Maybe in the old 'L&O' there would be some idle chitchat around the coffee machine that wouldnt fly now. ... Whenever youre watching a television show you cant take all the time you need to get it right, but I do believe the show is trying to address so many of the issues that are prevalent in our justice system. Sometimes we get it right and sometimes we could do better, but were always a work in progress." "Law & Order" airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET, followed by "Law & Order: SVU" at 9 p.m. and "Law & Order: Organized Crime" at 10 p.m. CLARIFICATION (Jan. 6, 2022, 10:38 a.m.): An earlier version of this article used the term hearing-impaired. The preferred terms are deaf and hard of hearing, according to the National Association of the Deaf. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Note: This story is updated for the week starting April 14. Nicolas Cage as a comic Dracula? Toni Collette as a mob boss? Russell Crowe as an exorcist for the Vatican? Yep, the movies are definitely back. Here's whats new in Milwaukee-area theaters starting Friday, as well as some of the new movies available on streaming and on demand this week. Renfield Short version: And you think your boss is tough. Nicholas Hoult plays the title character, put-upon right-hand man to none other than Count Dracula, played with suitable over-the-top-ness by Nicolas Cage. Chris McKay (The Lego Movie) directed this new horror comedy. Where you can see it: AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres Bistroplex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, Saukville, Showtime, Southgate, South Shore cinemas; Silverspot Cinema. Toni Collette, right, and Monica Bellucci star in "Mafia Mamma." Mafia Mamma Short version: In this crime comedy directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Miss Bala), Toni Collette plays a suburban American woman who inherits her grandfather's Mafia empire in Italy and has to figure out whether shes up to the job. Where you can see it: AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas; Silverspot Cinema. The Popes Exorcist Short version: In this based-on-a-true-story horror thriller, Russell Crowe plays Father Gabriele Amorth, a priest who as the Vaticans chief exorcist did more than 100,000 exorcisms in his lifetime. Where you can see it: AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres Bistroplex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, Saukville, Showtime, Southgate, South Shore cinemas; Silverspot Cinema. Everett Osborne, center, plays NBA pioneer Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, with Jeremy Piven (left) as New York Knicks coach Joe Lapchick, in "Sweetwater." Sweetwater Short version: Everett Osborne plays Nat Sweetwater Clifton, who some sources consider the first Black player to sign an NBA contract and the second Black player to play in the NBA. Kevin Pollak, Richard Dreyfuss, Jeremy Piven, Eric Roberts and Cary Elwes co-star in this overdue sports biopic. Story continues Where you can see it: AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Ridge, Saukville, Showtime, Southgate, South Shore cinemas. Suzume Short version: A 17-year-old girl in a disaster-struck town in Japan discovers a door in the ruins that turns out to be one of the portals that lead to other catastrophes and that its her mission to close them all. This latest anime fantasy by Makoto Shinkai, the creator of acclaimed animated hits Your Name and Weathering With You, is already the fourth-highest-grossing anime movie of all time even before it opens in the United States Friday, in subtitled and dubbed versions. Where you can see it: AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres Bistroplex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, Saukville, Showtime, Southgate, South Shore cinemas. Nefarious Short version: A psychiatrist is called in to evaluate a serial killer on death row who claims hes a demon and then kindasorta proves he is, in this horror movie with Sean Patrick Flanery and Jordan Belfi. Where you can see it: Marcus Theatres Hillside, Menomonee Falls, Ridge, South Shore cinemas. Organ Trail Short version: In this horror Western, a young woman the sole survivor after her family is attacked by a band of brutal outlaws on the Oregon Trail sets out to get back the horse that the bandits stole from her. Where you can see it: Marcus Theatres Menomonee Falls, Ridge cinemas. RELATED: Marcus Theatres is raising the price of its popular Tuesday admission discount deal Anime at Oriental Theatre The Oriental Theatre dips its toe into the anime world with several earlier movies by Japanese filmmaker Makoto Shinkai, whose global hit Suzume opens elsewhere in theaters this week. Among them: 2011s Children Who Chase Lost Voices, at 4 p.m. (dubbed) and 7 p.m. (subtitled) April 15; 2007s 5 Centimeters Per Second, at 4 p.m. (dubbed) and 7 p.m. (subtitled) April 16; and Shinkais debut, 2004s The Place Promised in Our Early Days, at 7 p.m. (subtitled) April 17. Tickets are $12, $6 for kids younger than 12. Info: mkefilm.org/oriental-theatre. After Randi Johnson, left, had a mastectomy, her entrepreneur husband Brian Johnson wanted to find a way to make her healing go better. The Eau Claire couple's solution, perfecting a prosthetic nipple, is the focus of the documentary "Mom & Dad's Nipple Factory," which will have its world premiere as the opening-night movie at the 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival. Opening night of the Milwaukee Film Festival The 15th annual Milwaukee Film Festival kicks off April 20 with a world premiere: the made-in-Wisconsin documentary Mom & Dads Nipple Factory, about an Eau Claire entrepreneur who, after his wife survives breast cancer and a mastectomy, sets out with his wife to invent a realistic prosthetic nipple to help her through the healing process. Tickets are $20. The film festival runs April 20 through May 4. Info: mkefilm.org/mff23. RELATED: 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival lineup: Movies with Judy Blume, Mary Tyler Moore, Bruce Lee, Madonna, Little Richard and more RELATED: 33 movies you should check out at the 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival Latin American Film Series at UWM Running April 14-20, the 44th annual Latin American Film Series, presented by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, is a mix of in-person and virtual programming this year. The in-person movies, showing at the UWM Union Cinema, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., include Cadejo Blanco, a Guatemalan drama following a woman trying to find her missing sister, 7 p.m. April 14; Un Mundo Para Julius, about a sheltered boy in 1950s Peru who learns about the inequity around him, 5 p.m. April 15 (with director Rossana Diaz Costa in attendance); Omara, a documentary on Afro-Cuban music icon Omara Portuondo, 8 p.m. April 15; and Mi Pais Imaginario, a Chilean documentary, 7 p.m. April 20. The festival also has five more movies showing online; all of the titles, including those at the Union Cinema, are free. Info: uwm.edu/clacs. RELATED: What you need to know about 4 film festivals in Milwaukee this spring, including the Milwaukee Film Festival 'MacGruber' at Times Cinema The Times Cinema, under the heading April Powers, is showing MacGruber at 6:30 p.m. April 14-16 and April 19-20, and 4 p.m. April 15-16. Tickets are $11. Info: timescinema.com. "Messwood," a new documentary about a season in the life of the combined Messmer-Shorewood high school football team, is becoming available on demand. New movies on demand Messwood: This documentary by Emily Kuester and Brad Lichtenstein, which screened at the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival, follows a season in the life of the Shorewood-Messmer high school football program, and the student athletes for whom football vies for attention with the other challenges in their lives. Available April 18. ARCHIVE: 'Messwood,' a new documentary on the Messmer-Shorewood football team, will premiere this weekend at DOC NYC film festival One True Loves: Phillipa Soo plays a woman forced to choose between the husband (Luke Bracey) she thought had died years earlier and the fiance (Simu Liu) who helped her come back to life. Available April 14. Andy Somebody: An accountant whos fed up with his life steals $3 million from his corrupt plastic-surgeon boss and runs off to start a new life, with a hit man in pursuit. Jeremy M. Evans stars in this action comedy. Available April 18. Night of the Killer Bears: A group of teenage friends reunites at an isolated resort, only to be stalked by killer bears teddy bears, actually in this Thai horror comedy. Available April 18. Recent releases newly available on demand: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, April 18; Rodeo, April 18. David Yost, left, and Walter Emanuel Jones are back in morphin' time in the movie special Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always, streaming on Netflix April 19. New movies on streaming services Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always: Most (but not all) of the original Power Rangers reunite when a foe from their past returns to trigger a global crisis. On Netflix April 19. Queens on the Run: Four women finally take the trip they had planned in high school, but there are a few bumps along the way in this Mexican road comedy. On Netflix April 14. The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die: In this historical epic, the death of Englands King Edward signals a quest to unite the fractured country once and for all. On Netflix April 14. Quasi: A hunchback in medieval times is caught in the middle of a feud between the pope and the French king in this over-the-top comedy from the Broken Lizard troupe. On Hulu April 20. Recent releases newly available on streaming services: Cocaine Bear, on Peacock April 14; The Offering, on Hulu April 14; She Will, on Hulu April 14; Section 8, on Hulu April 14; Joy Ride, on Hulu April 20. Keri Russell stars as a Georgia mom who tries to survive with a drug-addicted bear on the loose in the action horror comedy "Cocaine Bear." This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New movies in Milwaukee: 'Renfield,' 'Mafia Momma,' 'Pope's Exorcist' Action News Jax has learned a man accused of stealing watches from a jewelry store at the Orange Park Mall is a former police officer. Ernest Ferguson, 28, is facing one count of grand theft in Clay County, according to court records. Deputies say he stole three watches from Watches Plus on New Years Day. In June, Ferguson was involved in a deadly shooting as a member of the Savannah Police Department. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] A woman named Saudi Lee was killed. The case is still being reviewed by a grand jury to see if Ferguson will face criminal charges. On Sept. 11, Ferguson was pulled over in Liberty County, Ga., for speeding. He was given a breathalyzer test and then arrested for DUI. That led the Savannah Police Department to decide to fire Ferguson. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Britain's Prince Harry, left, reacts as he walks with his best man, Prince William the Duke of Cambridge, as they arrive for the the wedding ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, near London, England, May 19, 2018. (Ben Birchhall/AP) LONDON Prince Harry alleges in a much-anticipated new memoir that his brother Prince William lashed out and physically attacked him during a furious argument over the brothers deteriorating relationship, The Guardian reported Thursday. The newspaper said it obtained an advance copy of the book, Spare, due to be published next week. Advertisement It said Harry recounts a 2019 argument at his Kensington Palace home, in which he says William called Harrys wife, the former actress Meghan Markle, difficult, rude and abrasive. Harry claims William grabbed his brother by the collar and ripped his necklace before knocking him down, the newspaper said. I landed on the dogs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me, the book is quoted as saying. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out. Advertisement William later apologized, the extract says. Neither Buckingham Palace, which represents King Charles III, nor Williams Kensington Palace office has commented on the claims. The book, scheduled to be released Tuesday, is the latest in a string of public revelations and accusations by Harry and Meghan that have shaken Britains royal family, Harry, 38, and the American actress married at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Less than two years later, the couple quit royal duties and moved to California, citing what they saw as the medias racist treatment of Meghan, who is biracial, and a lack of support from the palace. Since then they have presented their side of the story in an interview with Oprah Winfrey and a six-part Netflix documentary released last month, which recounted the couples bruising relationship with the U.K. media and estrangement from the royal family. In the series, Harry claimed William screamed at him during a family meeting and accused palace officials of lying to protect his elder brother, who is now heir to the throne. Meghan talked about wanting to end her life as she struggled to cope with toxic press coverage. Harry has recorded interviews with British broadcaster ITV and CBS in the United States to promote the book. Both are due to be broadcast Sunday. In snippets released in advance, Harry told ITV that the royal household had cast him and Meghan as villains and shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile. He told CBS that the palaces refusal to defend him and Meghan from attacks was a betrayal. Advertisement Palace officials have declined to comment on any of Meghan and Harrys allegations. The book also explains the reasons for its title, the Guardian said. It said Harry recounts the alleged words of his father to his mother, Princess Diana, on the day of his birth: Wonderful! Now youve given me an heir and a spare my work is done. While William was destined from birth to be king, Harry who is fifth in line to the throne behind his brother and Williams three children has often appeared to struggle with the more ambiguous role of spare. He spent a decade in the British Army years he has described as his happiest before taking up full-time royal duties in 2015. Jan. 4A man was seriously injured when his car hit a telephone pole in Walkersville, authorities say. A possible medical event led to the crash, Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services spokeswoman Sarah Campbell wrote in a text message Wednesday. At around 10:23 a.m, Fire and Rescue received the report of a vehicle that hit a telephone pole on Woodsboro Pike, near the Calvary Assembly of God, Campbell wrote. The man, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, was taken to Frederick Health Hospital, she wrote. Follow Clara Niel on Twitter: @clarasniel A man from Central Florida is accused of threatening to kill 100 LGBTQ people in a mass shooting at Florida State University, federal investigators said. Sean Michael Albert, a 19-year-old from Winter Park, a suburb of Orlando, is accused of posting the threat to a Discord channel Dec. 13, according to the federal criminal complaint. Discord is a social media instant messaging platform popular with gamers. The post included a photo of an AR-15 style rifle, along with a caption that included Florida State Universitys main address and referred to his intended targets with an anti-LGBTQ slur, the complaint said. A 19-year-old Central Florida man threatened to kill 100 LGBTQ students at Florida State University, posting the above photo of an AR-15 style rifle, and then told investigators it was a joke. 600 W College Ave, Tallahasse, FL 32306. At 13:00 December 17, 2022 100 [expletive] Will Die, Cya there! the post read, with the username BloodStainedSand#0088. Discord gave investigators the IP address information for the post, which linked to Alberts home address listed on his drivers license, the complaint says. His address is near Full Sail Universitys campus, where he was still actively enrolled as a student on Dec. 16, the complaint says. The apartment manager, Alberts roommate and the security manager for Full Sail University all confirmed to investigators Albert has a history of violence and a pattern of concerning behavior. They told investigators Albert has rapidly progressed from making controversial statements online, to confrontation with classmates and peers in online spaces, as well as direct confrontation with people outside of his university, the complaint states. Alberts Discord username was linked to previous threats against Black and Jewish people, according to investigators. Some of his posts called for killing all Black people while using a coded anti-Black slur and indicating that his weekend plans were to Tear gas a synagogue, according to the complaint. Another post containing an anti-LGBTQ slur said A genocide on [expletive] NEEDS to happen not even a question, the complaint states. Story continues Instead of carrying out his threat on LGBTQ students in Tallahassee, Albert flew to Washington, D.C., on Dec. 16, the complaint says. Investigators stopped him at the Orlando International Airport on Jan. 1, when he was on his way home. He agreed to speak with them. Investigators asked why he thought he was being interviewed, and after offering three possibilities that didnt involve anything illegal, he said it was probably because [he] made a post online that may be perceived as a mass shooting threat, the complaint states. He admitted to posting the threat and said he copied the image of the AR-15 style rifle from a Reddit post, the complaint says. He also told investigators he didnt think his post was illegal, saying it was meant to be ironic, satirical, and a joke. He told investigators he chose the address for Florida State University because it would get the most reaction from those on the Discord server, the complaint says. Albert faces charges of sending interstate communication of a threat to injure another person. At a hearing Wednesday, Jan. 4, U.S. Magistrate Judge Embry Kidd ordered he be detained until trial, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. Man threatens doctor treating transgender children, feds say. Youre all gonna burn Threats against LGBTQ community spark domestic terrorism warning, Homeland Security says We keep us safe. Calls for self-defense echo in LGBTQ community after club shooting BOSTON Massachusetts Republicans are teetering on the brink of electoral extinction without Gov. Charlie Baker. But the popular governors exit provides a crucial break in a yearslong power struggle thats paralyzed the state GOP just as the party prepares to pick a new leader, giving Republicans in this deep-blue state the chance to realign and rebuild if they choose to take it. The GOP has been propped up for decades in liberal Massachusetts by a succession of fiscally conservative and socially moderate Republican governors whove won elections by appealing across party lines. But Donald Trumps rise splintered the GOP and imperiled its electoral prospects. When Baker leaves office Thursday, hell be replaced by a Democrat Maura Healey, the state attorney general who beat a Trump-endorsed Republican nominee, Geoff Diehl, by nearly 30 points. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, once Bakers heir apparent, is exiting too, leaving Republicans holding no statewide or federal elected offices. The partys share of the states registered voters has dipped below 9 percent and its legislative minority shrank again. Still,Baker cautions against issuing an obituary for the state GOP, saying the party has overcome leadership vacuums in the past. Democracies dont really like one-party rule for a lot of reasons, Baker, who chose not to seek a third term, said in an interview. I think its unwise to write [the party off]. But first, Republicans have to stop sabotaging themselves. Bakers long-running feud with state GOP Chair Jim Lyons, an uncompromising pro- Trump conservative whos helmed the party since 2019, left Republicans so strapped for cash and so hobbled by infighting they barely conduct business at state committee meetings, let alone win elections. The Democratic takeover on Beacon Hill could reunite Republicans against a common enemy. And that, combined with the partys leadership election at the end of January, could offer the reset Republicans on both sides of the intraparty divide crave. Story continues I do see an enormous opportunity without having a governor, I really do, Jennifer Nassour, a Baker ally who served as chair of the state GOP during Democratic Gov. Deval Patricks tenure, said in an interview. When you dont have a governor, you get to build your own thing. The recalibrating of the Massachusetts GOP offers one of the first glimpses into how the partys post-midterm reckoning is playing out at the state level and how complicated it can be. The Bay States Republican rift doesnt break cleanly along ideological lines. Nor can it be categorized solely as a split between those who have supported Trump, like Lyons, and those who dont, like Baker. Disagreements about the partys direction post-Trump run rampant. But its fissures are also fueled by deeply personal gripes and legal battles over its finances. Lyons has sought a federal investigation into the partys spending under Baker allies and sued those who he claims are trying to sabotage him. He led a campaign to oust one of his enemies, Ron Kaufman, as the Republican National Committees treasurer before Kaufman, Massachusetts national committeeman, decided not to seek another term. Those frustrated with Lyons leadership have walked out of state committee meetings to deny him the quorum he needs to pass a budget to which Lyons responded by suing the party treasurer for blocking access to its bank account. Howie Carr, the states most prominent conservative radio host and columnist, has turned against him. Baker has called on Lyons to step aside for more than a year. Lyons has told the moderate Republican, who alienated a faction of his party through his dealmaking with the Democratic-controlled Legislature and his disdain for Trump, to reconsider his party affiliation. The infighting culminated in Republicans effectively running two slates of candidates in last years election. Both largely lost. And each side is blaming the other. Lyons supporters slam Baker and his allies for refusing to back Diehl while campaigning heavily for a more like-minded Republican for auditor. They say Baker hasnt done enough to build the partys bench and bristle at a super PAC funded by his donors that supports centrist Democrats as well as Republicans. I understand [Diehl] wasnt going to win that election. But there was a time when we all supported our nominee because that was the will of the party, Todd Taylor, a Lyons ally on the state committee and a Chelsea city councilor who lost his campaign for state representative last fall, said in an interview. We cant have people sabotaging from within. Bakers supporters criticize Lyons for leading the party in a hard-right and Trumpian direction thats proved unsellable in solidly blue Massachusetts where Trump has suffered some of his worst general-election losses and for alienating donors in the process. They also balk at his use of the partys limited resources to fund his various lawsuits. In an interview last week in his ceremonial office at the State House, Baker said its important to kind of take stock of where the party is and what happened and what to do about it. But Baker, whos shifting his focus to his next job as president of the NCAA, isnt offering solutions for how to fix the state GOP. He wants the party chair to be somebody who wants to win elections. But said he isnt planning on endorsing anyone for the job. Parties are supposed to win elections, and thereby making it possible to govern and to hold the other party accountable, Baker said. Well see what happens. Before they can win elections, major players on both sides of the intraparty feud say the next party chair will have to first reunite its moderate and hard-right factions. Lyons still hasnt officially said hes running for a third term as chair, though hes widely expected to. Hell face more moderate rivals his vice chair, Jay Fleitman; state committee member Amy Carnevale; former Republican town committee chair Jon Fetherston and consultant Christopher Lyon who are sounding alarms about the partys future if it cant again appeal across party lines. Carnevale, a Baker-Trump voter who lost her bid to represent the state on the RNC, is considered to be Lyons main competition and, therefore, a new target in his legal battles. Shes amassed a coalition of big-name Republicans who she says are willing to work with her to recruit candidates and bring back donors whove ditched the party under Lyons, including former Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson, former GOP U.S. Senate candidate Beth Lindstrom and Polito, the outgoing lieutenant governor. Yet even as she touts her support among Baker world, Carnevale said shes not seeking his endorsement for party chair. Governor Bakers not in office anymore. And to focus on him or the people who supported him is not helping our party and our candidates, she said in an interview. We need to just move forward and start a new chapter. We need to switch the dynamics in how we think about the party. Amanda Orlando, Diehls campaign manager and a state committee member allied with Lyons, is also hoping for a post-Baker reset that includes more outreach to independents who make up more than 60 percent of the states voters. But to her, that means letting Lyons lead without the constant interference from his detractors. Democrats will get behind a candidate. They dont stay home. They dont get angry and take their toys out of the sandbox. They accept a primary happens and somebody has won and thats who they get behind, Orlando said. Unfortunately, we dont. A Google ad told Apple it doesn't have to "drop the ball" on fixing "pixelated photos and videos." The ad is part of Google's #GetTheMessage campaign urging Apple to adopt the RCS standard. In the New Year's-themed ad, Google shared lines of RCS code to help Apple "get the ball rolling." Google is again publicly calling on Apple to adopt the RCS messaging standard, this time in a New Year-themed ad in Las Vegas. The ad says, "the ball may have dropped on 2022, but you don't have to drop the ball on fixing your pixelated photos and videos," and follows with lines of RCS code "to get the ball rolling." TikTok user Uptin shared a video of the ad which was displayed on a digital billboard at Harmon Corner in Las Vegas. Uptin made a note on the TikTok that an estimated 56% of Americans use iOS, while Android comes second with almost 44% of the market share in the US. @uptin First time Ive even seen an ad for android and its going all out Funny Song - Cavendish Music "This LED display demonstrates Android's focus to bring greater interoperability across devices, and enabling a great messaging experience across platforms," a spokesperson for Google told Insider. Google was at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. The latest in Google's pressure campaign against Apple over texting issues between iPhones and Android phones Google launched its #GetTheMessage campaign urging Apple to adopt the RCS texting standard in August. RCS stands for Rich Communication Services, which Google touts as "the modern industry standard," compared to SMS and MMS, which it has called "out-of-date" technology from the 1990s and 2000s. In 2008, RCS was chosen to potentially replace SMS, which stands for Short Message Service, and it operates over the internet, not on a carrier's bandwidth. That means RCS is better for sending GIFs, high-resolution photos and videos, and group messaging. In December, Google continued its campaign against Apple with a "happy birthday" post for SMS which turned 30 in 2022. Story continues "While I'm all for nostalgia, in this case I also want to look in the other direction," Neena Budhiraja, group product manager for Messages by Google, wrote in the post. "Phones today are capable of so much more; my current phone is a completely different device than my first." Apple did not respond to Insider's request for comment. "From a Google perspective, we think every Android user should just have messaging over Wi-Fi," Sanaz Ahari, who manages Android and business communications at Google, previously told The Verge, adding that Android and Apple have "a lot of conversations." Apple CEO Tim Cook has said he doesn't hear many requests from Apple users to fix texting between iPhones and Android phones. In a September exchange with an iPhone-owning audience member who asked about issues with videos sent between him and his Android-owning mother, Cook said "Buy your mom an iPhone." Legal documents from the 2011 lawsuit between Apple and Epic Games shed more light on how the company views iMessage, with one Apple executive saying "moving iMessage to Android will hurt us more than help us." People have long complained of the "green bubbles" that show up on iMessage when an iPhone owner and Android owner text, leading Google to serve Apple a taste of its own medicine with a recent update to its Messages app. Now, when Messages users react to an SMS text, the iPhone user will get a text saying the person reacted to their text with a description of the reaction, such as "liked" or "loved" a message, instead of seeing the thumbs up or heart appear on the message. This story has been updated to include a statement from a Google spokesperson. Read the original article on Business Insider Mayor Adams harangued some of Bill de Blasios administration officials Wednesday for having the gall to publicly criticize his leadership even though he said they left him with the city in a state of total disarray. Adams unleashed the extraordinary broadside against his predecessors team at the tail end of an unrelated press conference in Brooklyn unprompted by any questions from reporters. Once theyre gone, theyre experts on everything. When you look through the last 12 months, and you see how many times they have interfered, this is not acceptable, Adams said of de Blasios staff without identifying anyone by name. You tell me when there has been a time that a previous administration has attacked another administration in the first year. Adams said members of other previous administrations besides de Blasios have been nothing but helpful. Those from the Koch administration call us: How can we help? Bloomberg administration calls us: How can we help? Dinkins administration calls: How can we help? Giulianis administration calls us: How can we help? Every other administration calls us: How can we help? Adams said. But we have the previous administration that just left the house they just left, they left the house in total disarray and then they come and say, Look at the mess that you created, Eric. No, its the mess we inherited. De Blasio, who endorsed Adams 2021 mayoral campaign and has been friendly with him for decades, did not return a request for comment from the Daily News but took to Twitter to voice support for his former staff on Wednesday afternoon. For all the members of my team who served this city with tremendous devotion, especially during the pandemic, I want to thank you. You made this city better, de Blasio tweeted. The ex-mayor also said he spoke with Adams over the phone after his press conference. I certainly understand how difficult it is to govern this city, which is why I have offered him help in many forms over the last year and a half. We all need him to succeed and should help in any way we can, he wrote. I sympathize with his frustration with certain critics but want to emphasize this: No one speaks for me but me. Story continues The only ex-de Blasio adviser Adams referenced directly in his rant though not by name was Bill Neidhardt, the former mayors second-to-last City Hall press secretary. Neidhardt, who frequently criticizes Adams on social media over his housing, homeless, education and COVID-19 policies, among other issues, is probably the worst comms guy in the history of communications, Adams said. No matter what we do, all of a sudden, yall say, OK, let me find someone to critique Eric Adams ... And you guys act like this guy is credible. Who cares what he thinks? Adams told reporters. They had eight years to do their job. Eight years to fix Rikers, eight years to deal with crime, eight years to deal with education, eight years to deal with early childhood education for children with disabilities, eight years to fix NYCHA. They had all the time to do their job. Asked if the de Blasio team did a good job, Adams exclaimed with a chuckle: No! No! In a phone interview later Wednesday, Neidhardt said its time for Adams to grow up and start focusing on the job at hand instead of criticism from his constituents. Theres clearly something wrong with the mayor where he seems to have an inability to focus on the work that needs to get done for the people of New York City instead of coming at me or some other random constituent, he said. Every New Yorker has the right to disagree with the mayor. And if hes cutting school budgets and raising the rent on rent-stabilized apartments, he should expect to be called out. I dont know if he understands that this is a democracy, Neidhardt added. Besides Neidhardt, Adams has fielded some criticism recently from Liz Glazer, de Blasios former criminal justice director, who told The News last month that Adams public safety agenda is characterized by this pattern of announcing things without the operations really behind them. De Blasios staffers arent the only fellow Democrats who have drawn Adams ire lately. The mayor has also in recent weeks ramped up his criticism of President Bidens administration over a perceived lack of federal assistance for the citys migrant crisis. Whats callous is how we have been ignored as a city, Adams said Wednesday. Its time for the federal government to step up. Profile: Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov Xinhua) 09:33, January 05, 2023 BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov will pay a state visit to China from Thursday to Friday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Berdimuhamedov was born on Sept. 22, 1981, in Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat. Majoring in engineering technology, Berdimuhamedov graduated from the Turkmen Agricultural University in 2001. From 2008 to 2013, he studied international relations at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia as well as European and international security at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy in Switzerland. From 2008 to 2019, he served in the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Russian Federation, the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the UN Office in Geneva, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the State Agency for the Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources under the President of Turkmenistan, and the Mejlis, or the Turkmen parliament, among others. In 2019, he worked as deputy governor and governor of Ahal province. In 2020, he headed the Ministry of Industry and Construction Production of Turkmenistan. In February 2021, he held the posts of deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan in charge of architecture, digitalization and innovative technologies, and chairman of the Supreme Control Chamber of Turkmenistan, and was a member of the State Security Council of Turkmenistan. In July 2021, he worked as deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan in charge of economic and financial issues, On March 12, 2022, Berdimuhamedov was elected president of Turkmenistan in early elections and sworn in on March 19 of the same year. The visit is his first visit to China since he took office as president. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) Bryan Kohberger, left, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, looks toward his attorney, public defender Anne Taylor, during a hearing in Latah County District Court, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho. (Ted S. Warren/AP) BOISE, Idaho Idaho police pieced together DNA evidence, cellphone data and surveillance video to charge a criminology graduate student with the November slaying of four University of Idaho undergraduates, according to an affidavit unsealed Thursday. The affidavit says DNA matching that of 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger was found on a knife sheath recovered at the crime scene, just a short drive across the state border where he is a criminal justice doctoral student at Washington State University. Advertisement The affidavit also says that a cellphone belonging to Kohberger was near the victims home on a dozen occasions prior to the killings, and that while it was apparently turned off around the time of the early-morning attack, cell tower data place his phone in that region of Idaho shortly afterwards. Kohberger made his first appearance Thursday in an Idaho court, where he faces four charges of first-degree murder. He did not enter a plea, and was ordered held without bail. Advertisement The affidavit details a chilling encounter between one of the victims surviving roommates and a masked intruder the night of the stabbings in Moscow, Idaho. But many questions remain unanswered, including whether Kohberger and any of the victims knew each other, and why police werent alerted until nearly eight hours after the killings likely occurred. Traces of DNA from a lone male later determined to be Kohberger were found on the button of a leather knife sheath found in the rental home where the victims were killed, according to the affidavit written by Brett Payne, a police corporal in Moscow. Investigators later closely matched the DNA on the sheath to DNA found in trash taken from Kohbergers parents home in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested last week. The sheath had a U.S. Marine Corps insignia on it, though theres no record of Kohberger having served in the military. The attack that occurred in the early morning hours of an off-campus home had spread fear throughout the university and surrounding area for weeks, as authorities seemed stumped by the brutal stabbings. Investigators made a breakthrough, however, after searching for a white sedan that was seen near the crime scene around the time of the killings. Surveillance footage captured near the off-campus house showed that a white sedan later identified as a Hyundai Elantra drove by the home three times in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, returning a fourth time at about 4:04 a.m. The car was next spotted on surveillance cameras leaving the victims home 16 minutes later at a high rate of speed, according to the affidavit. The same car was later spotted on a different camera headed toward Pullman, Washington the town where Washington State University and Kohbergers apartment are located. The affidavit connects some of the dots between the surveillance footage and cellphone data. Kohbergers phone pinged communications towers in the region at the same time and in the same areas that the white Elantra was seen driving in the hours after the killings, the affidavit says. The cellphone data included another chilling detail, the affidavit said: It pinged a cell tower near the victims neighborhood hours after the attack, around 9 a.m. Latah County prosecutors have said they believe Kohberger broke into the home with the intention of killing the victims: Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20. But investigators have made no public statements about a possible motive, or whether any weapons have been found. Advertisement Two other housemates were at home during the Nov. 13 killings, but were not physically harmed. One of the uninjured housemates told investigators that she was awoken by noises at about 4 a.m., and thought she heard another housemate say something like, theres someone here. She looked outside her bedroom and didnt see anything. Later she thought she heard crying coming from Kernodles room and looked outside again. Thats when she said she heard a male voice say something to the effect of, its OK, Im going to help you, according to the affidavit. She later opened her door a third time and saw a masked man in black clothing whom she did not recognize walking toward her and stood in frozen shock as he walked past her toward a sliding glass door, the affidavit said. She went back in her room and locked the door. Investigators believe the suspect then left the home. The document does not say what happened next at the home, or why police were not alerted for several more hours. Mental health experts say common physiological responses to frightening or traumatic experiences include an urge to fight, an urge to flee, or an urge to freeze. Location data from Kohbergers cellphone showed he had traveled to the area of the victims residence at least a dozen times between late June and the night of the killings, authorities said. Advertisement Those apparent visits to the victims neighborhood all occurred late in the evening or in the early morning, the affidavit said. Investigators also obtained location data from the night of the killings, showing that Kohbergers phone was near his home in Pullman until about 2:42 a.m. Five minutes later, the phone started using cellular resources located southeast of the home -- consistent with Kohberger traveling south, the affidavit said. There was no other location data available from the phone until 4:48 a.m. from a cellphone tower south of Moscow suggesting Kohberger may have turned his phone off during the attack, the affidavit said. At that point, the phone began taking a roundabout route back to Pullman, traveling south to Genesee, Idaho, then west to Uniontown, Washington and north to Pullman just before 5:30 a.m. -- around the same time the white sedan showed up on surveillance cameras in town. An FBI expert identified the vehicle as a 2011-2016 Hyundai Elantra; Kohberger was driving a 2015 white Elantra during traffic stops in August and in October, the affidavit said. At the time, Kohbergers vehicle had a Pennsylvania license plate and was registered in that state. That registration was set to expire on Nov. 30, however. On Nov. 18 five days after the killings Kohberger registered the car in the state of Washington, getting a new license plate. Kohberger had applied to become an intern with the Pullman Police Department sometime in the fall of 2022, writing in his application essay that he wanted to help rural law enforcement agencies collect and analyze technical data in public safety operations, according to the affidavit. The document does not say if Kohberger was granted the internship. Advertisement The Pullman Police Department did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press asking if Kohberger ever became an intern with the department. During Thursdays court hearing, Kohberger appeared with his attorney in an orange jumpsuit and remained silent while the magistrate ordered him not to have contact with the victims families. His next hearing was set for Jan. 12. Some of Goncalves family members attended the hearing. Its obviously an emotional time for the family, seeing the defendant for the first time, the Goncalves family attorney, Shanon Gray, said outside the courthouse. This is the beginning of the criminal justice system and the family will be here for the long haul. Kohbergers defense attorney, Anne Taylor, did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday. A magistrate judge has placed the attorneys and others involved in the case under a sweeping gag order barring them from talking publicly about the case. Associated Press writers Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Manuel Valdes in Seattle contributed to this story. DOVER Two of the tri-city mayors joined six mayors across New Hampshire in sending a letter to Gov. Chris Sununu, asking the state to step up and provide aid to help cities and towns address the homeless population. Dover Mayor Bob Carrier and Somersworth Mayor Dana Hilliard signed the letter, along with mayors from Manchester, Berlin, Franklin, Nashua, Claremont and Laconia. It was sent to Sununu, along with Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Weaver and Associate Commissioner Christine Santaniello. The letter came two years after 13 state mayors, including the then-mayors of Rochester and Portsmouth, sent a letter to Sununu asking for help to assist with the homeless. The eight mayors sending the new letter asked for federal funds to be allocated for more shelter beds and resources, with an emphasis on women and youth. While the Willand Warming Center opened last year as a full-time shelter for the winter, city councils in Dover, Somersworth and Rochester each voted this season to open the center, located in Somersworth, as strictly a warming center for the 2022-23 winter season. It operates on an emergency basis, from Nov. 25 through March 31. It is being managed by SOS Recovery Community Organization, which was the only group to respond to a request for proposals from the cities to lead the shelter. Hilliard said he would like to see funding sources made available to aid the Tri- City area so they can continue to make efforts a master plan. Somersworth Mayor Dana Hilliard speaks after being sworn in to his fifth two-year term during the inauguration of the city's elected officials at Somersworth Middle School Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. "I would also hope for federal funding that would help the 'three legged stool' approach that we have partnered with the county on, a plan that would ensure long-term solutions will be successful not only throughout the Tri-City area but all of Strafford County." The plan Hilliard referenced is a proposal by Strafford County commissioners to build a new county nursing home on County Farm Road in Dover and convert the exisiting Riverside Rest Home on the same road into a transitional shelter for people who are unhoused, similar to the Cross Roads House in Portsmouth. Funding has not been approved for that project. Story continues Dover Mayor Robert Carrier speaks from the steps of City Hall Sunday, the Fourth of July. Carrier said he and city officials said they hope the letter serves to raise a red flag at the state level. "We hope to get the governor involved in the conversation," Carrier said. "We have requested similar responses from the governor in the past few years and have not gotten a significant response. We have not had much success." Carrier said as of yet, there hasn't been a response from the governor to Dover. More local news:9 developments will transform Dover in 2023: 1,000 housing units, shops, restaurants, more "We, in the Tri-City area are trying to do the best we can," he said. "We hope to see money, a plan. I hope to see more consistency in the state approach to the homeless." Hilliard said homelessness is not a Tri-City issue but a New Hampshire need for help from the state. "From Somersworth, to Manchester, to Berlin, New Hampshire cities throughout our state continue to navigate the statewide problem of homelessness," said Hilliard. "With limited resources our cities have built joint partnerships, developed master plans and have relied heavily upon nonprofits and the faith-based communities to help us expand our resources at helping the most vulnerable members of our society." Hilliard said past local efforts have shown an overwhelming need for the state to take more of a leadership role in developing and funding long-term, sustainable solutions to help move forward on this issue. "While government cannot solve this problem on its own, it can lead at building the partnership that will help all communities throughout the state moving in the same forward direction to help those citizens who are most in need of our help, guidance and empathy," said Hilliard. Rochester mayor didn't sign the letter to Sununu Of the Tri-City mayors, only Paul Callaghan of Rochester did not sign the letter. "I didn't sign the letter because I thought it was the wrong approach," said Callaghan. "I'd rather sit down and have a conversation and exchange ideas on how to solve the homeless issue. The letter did not accomplish that." Rochester Mayor Paul Callaghan speaking during the State of the City event Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2022. He said he disagrees with the contention the governor has not done much to help solve the homeless issue. "He developed a homeless stability coalition," he said. "He came up with $100 million in federal funds to address affordable housing (Invest NH). He just recently released $20 million to help keep families in their apartments, and he appropriated $4 million for medical care for the homeless." Callaghan is a Republican who was endorsed by Sununu in 2021, when he was elected mayor. "Rochester has a great relationship with organizations that are involved with the homeless such as Waypoint, SOS -which runs our warming shelter, and the Share Fund," Callaghan added. "I've found the governor and his team responsive when we've reached out for assistance." Not just adults who are homeless:What youth homelessness looks like, why Rochester lights up in green and how you can help Sununu's office responded, stating New Hampshire has three programs under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development coordinating needs in Manchester, Nashua, and other cities and towns. Each program has to provide its own services and resources as outlined in their plan to HUD. Sununu's office said in 2022, the state made several "unprecedented" investments in affordable and emergency housing, and shelters, including an additional $4 million and $1 million to the Department of Health and Human Services, saying it has provided nearly 350 additional shelter beds statewide. A council created in 2020 and tasked with addressing broad issues around housing affordability and stability in New Hampshire seeks to increase housing availability by 13,500 units by 2024. Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover, Somerworth mayors ask Gov. Sununu for funds to help homeless After two long days of clashes and deadlock, Republicans on Wednesday said there were some signs of progress in the grueling process to seat the Speaker to lead their new majority in the new Congress. In six votes over two days, a group of roughly 20 conservative firebrands has blocked the bid by Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to lead the lower chamber into a crucial 2024 presidential election. Yet key members of the McCarthy resistance indicated Wednesday afternoon that the marathon talks aimed at reaching some agreement were finally bearing fruit. Those voices emphasized that theyre not ready to support McCarthy just yet. But the signs of forward movement mark a sharp shift from the entrenched stalemate between the sides that had practically defined the talks over the last several weeks. Were having ongoing conversations; theyve actually been more productive in the last two hours than theyve been in a long time, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), one of McCarthys detractors, told reporters at the Capitol between the fifth and sixth ballots. Theres genuine, good faith, Hey lets get this done conversations, Roy added. The question will be what McCarthy needs to give up to win over his opponents, and whether anything can win over them all. With Republicans clinging to a slight majority they have 222 seats, to the Democrats 212 McCarthy can afford to lose only four Republicans and still win the gavel. In the first six ballots, hes been far off that mark, losing 19 conservatives in the first two votes, and 20 in the remaining four. And in that camp of 20 Republicans, some are seen as more willing to negotiate than others. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) who ran against McCarthy for the Speaker nomination suggested theres progress, but its moving away from McCarthy, not toward him. Im feeling progress is going to go our way, he said. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) is another one of those lawmakers. He acknowledges that McCarthy, the Republicans leading fundraiser, has worked hard for the party. But hes been highly critical of McCarthys legislative history, particularly when it comes to government spending. Norman simply doesnt trust McCarthy to hold the conservative line in cut-throat fights with President Biden over federal funding. Story continues Its not about any committee seats, Norman said. I want to get this country on a financial solvency path. The House adjourned after the sixth failed ballot on Wednesday until 8 p.m., with members breaking to meet for discussion about potential resolutions to the impasse, but it is unclear whether 3 1/2 hours of negotiations will lead to any agreement before the House gavels back in. I suppose its not too late for a Christmas miracle, but Id be pretty surprised if we get a breakthrough today. These are sensitive negotiations and theyre gonna take some time, said Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), chair of the Main Street Caucus and a McCarthy supporter. Rep. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), another member who voted against McCarthy on all six ballots, agreed with Roys assessment of progress. There is a dynamic environment and conversations are going on with different people. And I think its producing interesting ideas, Bishop said, declining to get into specifics for fear that that might impair them. McCarthys supporters also weighed in with a similar message, suggesting that the logjam was beginning to break. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a McCarthy critic-turned-supporter, said shes seen clear signs of progress. I dont want to say anything; Id rather see it happen. But there are a lot of conversations happening, which is part of this, Greene said. We need more time to have those conversations. In the final two ballots, a 21st Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) had voted present. She later explained that the reason was to entice GOP leaders to recess the House to allow Republicans to gather behind closed doors, and not waste more time on the House floor. Democrats, meanwhile, have remained united throughout the process. All 212 members of the party have voted for their leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), on all six ballots. And none has indicated that theyre ready to help Republicans break their impasse. This is on them, Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.), the incoming chair of the Democratic Caucus, said shortly before Wednesdays votes. Al Weaver and Mychael Schnell contributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WASHINGTON Many House Republicans are furious with a band of far-right rebels who they say are holding the party hostage by repeatedly rejecting its nominee for speaker. But theres one thing theyre so far unwilling to do: work with a faction of Democrats to elect a centrist speaker to govern the narrow GOP majority and teach the rabble-rousers a lesson. "That's really off the table," said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., who has built a reputation as an institutionalist over the years. "I don't think anybody voted to do that. I dont think that works very well in any time. I think it's particularly unsuited to these times. The polarization is too great." Cole said that for all the House GOP divisions, "there's no question" that most members in the caucus are closer in policy and vision to the anti-McCarthy rebels than they are to centrist Democrats. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., who calls himself a "pragmatic conservative," also dismissed the idea as a fantasy. Anybody whos imagining some sort of unity or fusion approach, I think, is probably paying more attention to Aaron Sorkin movies than they are to how this place normally functions," he said. The unwillingness of most House Republicans to cut a deal with Democrats to pick a speaker weakens their leverage in the showdown with a group of 20 right-wing lawmakers who want to defeat Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who is backed by 90% of the GOP caucus. It also serves as a preview of how the moderates may operate in stalemates over must-pass bills over the next two years, like funding the government and averting debt default, which far-right members are already threatening unless the measures are attached to ambitious conservative priorities. Kevin McCarthy returns to his office at the U.S. Capitol (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images) The GOP divisions have led to six failed ballots for speaker the first time in a century a House majority has required multiple attempts to elect a speaker. They risk further damage to the Republican Partys image after an underwhelming performance in the 2022 midterm elections that led to their current wafer-thin majority. Story continues Its a precarious situation for the moderate members, who are more likely to represent swing districts and could suffer the most from a tarnished party image. By contrast, the far-right Republicans mostly hail from safe red districts and face little threat of losing their seats to Democrats in a general election. McCarthy and his deputies continued to negotiate with the right-wing forces Wednesday to address their demands, which include making it easier to overthrow a speaker and promises involving votes on legislation, committee assignments and more. Much of the caucus sees the demands as unreasonable and irresponsible, and McCarthy himself has accused those lawmakers of acting selfishly and not in the best interest of the country. The talks failed to produce a breakthrough Wednesday, and the House voted 216-214 to adjourn until noon Thursday. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who represents a district President Joe Biden carried in 2020, is a rare Republican who has publicly floated the idea of working with Democrats on a consensus pick, but he acknowledged there arent serious negotiations at this time. "If they're not going to work with us, then we'll push this down the court more," he said of the far-right lawmakers. "There will be folks on the other side of the aisle that will make a deal with us when it comes to working on committees and things like that. But we dont want to go down this path too far. This is about Kevin McCarthy right now, giving them every opportunity." As Bacon and other McCarthy allies dangle the possibility of a bipartisan speaker to secure the votes to make him speaker, the anti-McCarthy faction is calling their bluff. Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., who has voted against McCarthy all six times, said he doesnt believe any Republicans would go around the House Freedom Caucus and team up with Democrats to pick a speaker. If they did, he said, they should lose their next Republican primaries. Democrats open door to consensus speaker Some Democrats say theyre open to negotiating a consensus speaker. Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and others say they want conditions, among them that a speaker candidate vow not to allow the debt limit to be used as a weapon to force policy concessions. Without a speaker, the House cant conduct any business, raising the stakes for members of both parties who want to govern or launch investigations with each day the impasse continues. "We have big items facing the country everything from the debt ceiling to Ukraine to obviously, we're going to have to run the government," said Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, the Democratic co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. "Right now, it's on their plate. This is on their side to figure out their housekeeping. They have to pick a speaker. But we all have a responsibility to run the country." Gottheimer said the divided government presents opportunities for the parties to work together on domestic manufacturing, semiconductor production, immigration reform, mental health and support for police. "Will the House be set up to govern and run the country?" he said. "If their extremists win and are empowered, that makes governing more difficult for the country." But Gottheimer's Republican co-chair in the Problem Solvers Caucus, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, is instead helping McCarthy negotiate with Freedom Caucus holdouts, saying the discussions have been "more productive" in small groups. Some of McCarthy's opponents insist they wont back down, expressing a high tolerance for chaos and willingness to keep dealing defeat after defeat to their party's leadership. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said hell keep blocking McCarthy from the speakership until the cherry blossoms fall off the trees which typically occurs in April. Frustration with Gaetz and his faction ran high Wednesday. "This group has now managed to kind of snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. And in the victory was this Republican majority," Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., told reporters. "There is negotiation, and then theres holding the rest of us hostage. And 20 don't get to do that to 201." But Waltz didnt present a solution to tame the rebels, saying, "I'm going to vote for Kevin McCarthy as long as hes on the ballot." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Christian Monks, St. Cyprian, St. Cassian, St. John, St. Paul and St. Vitalis, from the Saints Procession mosaic in the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy. Christian Monks, St. Cyprian, St. Cassian, St. John, St. Paul and St. Vitalis, from the Saints Procession mosaic in the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy. Credit - De Agostini/Getty Images Its time for our annual ritual of setting some resolutions and disappointing ourselves soon afterward by not living up to them. As we struggle to exercise more discipline this year, we might take solace in the fact that our new-year feelings are really very old. Even early Christian monks, who had abandoned their former lives to dedicate themselves to the divine moral order, found that they couldnt quite make their minds do what they had made up their minds to do. They lamented this state of affairs as early as the 300s CE, and their complaints continued, from Iran to Ireland, for centuries. Their resolve just didnt seem to cut it. The experience of losing a grip on their goals was especially frustrating because these men and women had sacrificed so much to concentrate on them in the first place. They knew that everyday life was inherently distracting, with its endless obligations and conversations and dramas large and small, so they had gone to great efforts to distance themselves from its demands on their attention, which they were trying to fix entirely on God. Some had moved to deserts, cliff sides, or holes in the ground, and many others had relocated to the suburbs. Granted, some had just stayed in their hometowns, but all of them had radically changed their livesdevastating from their assets, disengaging from the culture of social striving, and scaling back contact with their friends and familyto disentangle themselves from competing commitments. These sacrifices were supposed to clear out a monks mind for the things that really mattered. But even in a solitary hideout, the mind still launched thoughts at itself like a slingshot. Once monks had escaped from the worlds perpetual claims on their attention, it was only that much easier for them to see that their minds still misbehaved anyway: Despite the monks determination to dedicate themselves to divine matters, they still got distracted from their goals. They compared the feeling to being robbed, shipwrecked, besieged, or left to die on dry land like a fish gasping for air. It was, in short, the worst. Story continues Read More: Sick of Failing at Your New Years Resolutions? There Is a Better Way When it came to accounting for this crisis, monks pointed to different culprits, including sometimes themselves. Some figured that human beings harbored enervating forces that could counteract their strengths and aptitudes if left unguarded. Others thought that the self was often split between contradictory desires, torn between the lure of long-term goals and short-term gratification. But whether a failure to follow through on a resolution represented a weak will or a headstrong one, monks could not agree: They, like their minds, were conflicted. Demons were also to blame. The monks didnt mean this metaphorically. Demons were actual, literal antagonists who were capable of physical and psychological warfare. They closed monks eyes when they were trying to read. They paraded around, with costumes and props if necessary, to try to make monks laugh or flinch at their antics. They might even beat monks up. But above all, they launched unwelcome thoughts into unsuspecting minds with the sole purpose of sending them down detours: They were trying to keep their opponents from making contact with God. But the minds failures were not always so personal or so sinister. Many monks also believed that their distractedness was a metaphysical condition. Ever since Adams first sin (or, according to some monks, from the moment the world was first created), the universe was irreparably fragmented and dynamic. Not only did this exacerbate a monks sense of his own distance from God, it also made it impossible for his mind to stay fixed on something for very long. Because as part of a created thing distinct from other created things, in an environment defined by difference and flux, it couldnt help but wander. Given all these variablesthe contradictory self, the malice of demons, the perpetual motion of the world itselfthe monks figured that it was impossible not to get sidetracked sometimes. But they didnt go any easier on themselves just because the problem was pervasive. One influential monk named John Cassian (recounting his conversation with another monk Theonas) compared the ethical gravity of concentration to the risks of tightrope walking: Monks needed to know that theyll fall to a grisly death the instant they waver and take a single misstep or wrong turn. The stakes were awfully high. So, the monks devised a battery of tactics to counteract the many forces that torqued their minds. By design, their approach was correspondingly multi-vectored. They developed fixed daily schedules to stay on task while also avoiding monotony. They worked with mentors to hold themselves accountable. They supported each other, corrected each other, and sometimes they ratted each other out. They developed regimens for bathing, sleeping, celibacy, and eating in an effort to improve how their bodies and minds trained in tandem. They read a lot, in the hopes of blurring the distinction between what they thought and what they read, and they designed their manuscripts to engage readers more deeply. At the same time, they set rules for how and when they could read, because even books were a technology that could be overused to the point of distraction. They developed intensive meditational practices that involved not clearing or calming the mind, but rather filling it with images and setting it in motion to generate new insights from the assemblage. They monitored the comings and goings of their thoughts like undercover detectives. They motivated themselves with intense emotions, thoughts of death, visions of the afterlife, and the fleeting moments they felt when they had achieved exactly what they were after. And they wrote about all of this, to share what theyd learned. The Christian monks of Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages never fully resolved the struggle between their aspirations and their distractions. They argued about what would be the most effective approach to self-discipline, they relapsed, and even the most advanced and wise among them got very low. (Shemon d-Taybutheh once said to a monk who was about to head into solitude, Sometimes sadness swells in the heart and envelops the soul like a great cloud. Likewise, John of Dalyatha mused in one of his letters, All I do is eat, sleep, and be negligent.) That said, the strategies and systems of support that the monks developed got them considerably farther than where they started. All these centuries later, their perspective is both refreshingly strange and strangely familiar. Their inventiveness and grit in the realm of self-discipline is something to behold. They might even inspire a few of us today to be more experimental, as we strategize about sticking to our resolutions. But the monks also check our aspirations of taking charge. Resolving to do something, going down detours, judging ourselves for getting distracted, trying again: This cycleand its moral overtonesare more than a millennium old. It is a medieval legacy for the modern day. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File Members of Congress are speaking out about the myriad issues caused by the House speaker vote. Some members have said that they cannot access classified information and intel briefings. Following Rep. McCarthy's sixth failed bid on Wednesday, there are zero sworn members of Congress. Members of congress are speaking out about national security concerns amid a seemingly-unending attempt by Rep. Kevin McCarthy to secure the votes necessary to become speaker of the House of Representatives. There are currently no members of the Congress, as swearing-in ceremonies have been delayed while the quest to elect a House speaker has dragged on. And on Wednesday, several members of Congress said that the procedural hold-up and GOP infighting have restricted their access to classified information and key national security intel. McCarthy needs 218 votes to secure the leadership bid, and by the sixth round of voting Wednesday night, the number of Republicans voting against him had increased from 19 members on Tuesday, to 21 members. Many of the members of the America First caucus, including Reps. Matt Gaetz, Chip Roy, and Lauren Boebert, voted against McCarthy. The voting process has exposed deep rifts in the party and left McCarthy with apparent dwindling support from Donald Trump, who spoke up and encouraged GOP members to elect McCarthy on Wednesday, instead of emerging challenger Rep. Byron Donalds. By Wednesday evening, McCarthy had failed in six consecutive bids to become House speaker. In a press conference on Wednesday, one of McCarthy's allies, Rep. Mike Gallagher, said that he and his colleagues were unable to receive intelligence briefings from the sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) because they have not received the clearance associated with being sworn members of Congress, according to NBC News. "I'm informed by House Security that, technically, I don't have a clearance," Gallagher said in the press conference on Wednesday. "I'm a member of the Intel Committee, I'm on the Armed Services Committee, and I can't meet in the SCIF to conduct essential business." Story continues Gallagher added that he was due to meet with Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley on Wednesday. Rep. Brad Wenstrup claimed in the same press conference that members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence "don't have access to anything," according to Politico. "The secure facility that we work in every day when we're here, we can't go in there right now," Wenstrup said. "We're in there all the time. And right now, we can't be in there at all." The House Armed Services Committee Democrats also tweeted about the lapse in clearance, saying that McCarthy and the GOP's quagmire has " hampered the ability of Congress to function in its oversight role, presenting a clear threat to national security." House Armed Services Democrats (@HASCDemocrats) January 4, 2023 "Members of Congress can't receive classified information until the Members are sworn in, leaving us in the dark on sensitive developments worldwide and unable to perform the oversight duties that the American people elected us to perform," the account tweeted. With voting set to resume tomorrow, Democratic lawmakers are being asked to stay in DC until a speaker is elected. Read the original article on Business Insider MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexican security forces captured Ovidio Guzman, an alleged drug trafficker wanted by the United States and one of the sons of former Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, Thursday in a pre-dawn operation that set off gunfights and roadblocks across the western state's capital. Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said Army and National Guard personnel had captured a son of "El Chapo." Sandoval identified him only as Ovidio, in keeping with government policy. Ovidio Guzman had not been one of El Chapo's better-known sons until an aborted operation to capture him three years ago. That attempt similarly set off violence in Culiacan that ultimately led President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to order the military to let him go. More:Escaped Juarez prisoner tries to cross US border into El Paso This time, local and state officials in Sinaloa warned residents to stay inside, suspended local government activities and closed schools. The Mexican military closed Culiacan's airport amid gunfire. The high-profile capture comes just days before Lopez Obrador will host U.S. President Joe Biden for bilateral talks followed by a North American Leaders' Summit with Biden and Canadian Primer Minister Justin Trudeau. Drug trafficking, along with immigration, is expected to be a top talking point for the leaders. FILE - This Oct. 17, 2019 frame grab from video provided by the Mexican government shows Ovidio Guzman Lopez at the moment of his detention, in Culiacan, Mexico. Mexican security forces were forced to release the son of Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman that day after his gunmen shot up the western city of Culiacan. (CEPROPIE via AP File) Lopez Obrador's security strategy reversed years of what came to be known as the kingpin strategy of taking down cartel leaders. Ultimately, it had led to the fragmentation of large cartels and bloody battles for dominance. Lopez Obrador put all of his faith in the military, disbanding the corrupt Federal Police and creating the National Guard under military command. "This is a significant blow to the Sinaloa cartel and major victory for the rule of law. It will not, however, impede the flow of drugs into the U.S. Hopefully, Mexico will extradite him to the U.S.," Mike Vigil, the DEA's former Chief of International Operations, said Thursday. Story continues More:Juarez prison gang leader 'El Neto' killed in shootout with Mexican security forces Ovidio is not one of the drug lord's best-known sons. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman and Jesus Alfredo Guzman are known as "Los Chapitos," or "the little Chapos," and are believed to be running their father's cartel together with Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. The Chapitos have been taking greater control in the cartel because Zambada was in poor health and isolated in the mountains, Vigil said. "The Chapitos know that if el Mayo dies, (the cartel) is going to break apart if they don't have control." "It's going to be very important that the U.S. requests Ovidio's extradition quickly and that Mexico does it," Vigil said. Alleged cartel members responded to Thursday's operation by carjacking Culiacan residents and setting vehicles ablaze in the cartel stronghold. Local and state authorities warned everyone to stay inside. Such attempts to create chaos often come in response to arrests of important cartel figures in Mexico. One of the most notorious came when federal security forces corned Ovidio Guzman in October 2019, only to let him escape after gunmen shot up the city with high-powered weapons. Lopez Obrador said at the time he had made the decision to avoid the loss of life, even though a U.S. was seeking Ovidio Guzman's extradition on drug trafficking charges. A 2018 federal indictment in Washington, D.C., accused him of conspiring to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana in the United States. The 2019 debacle was a black eye for Lopez Obrador's administration that raised even more questions about Mexico's commitment to battling the country's powerful drug cartels. Lopez Obrador entered office highly critical of the toll of his predecessors' drug war. He embraced the phrase "hugs, not bullets" to describe his approach to Mexico's chronic violence, which would focus on social programs aimed at weakening the draw of organized crime. But four years into his six-year term, the death toll remains high. Sinaloa Gov. Ruben Rocha said via Twitter Thursday that the operation took place in an area north of the capital called Jesus Maria and caused "violent events in the capital and other parts of the state." Relatives of Ovidio Guzman are known to live there, according to local news outlet Riodoce, which reported dozens of roadblocks across the city. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Mexico arrests Ovidio Guzman, son of El Chapo before Biden visit Michael Blackson is opening his own school in Ghana, which will offer free tuition to all students that attend. The school, named Michael Blackson Academy, is located in the comedians hometown of Agona Nsaba and marks what he considers his most meaningful feat. The Ghanian-American, who settled in Philadelphia after immigrating from his homeland, was present at a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the school, which took place on Tuesday (Jan. 3). Blackson shared footage of the festive event, which included live performances, speeches, a tour of the building, and other activities. More from VIBE.com Today is the greatest day of my life because Ive finally accomplished what I always wanted to do which is giving these kids a chance to be great, the Next Friday actor captioned the post. Greatness starts with education and foundational education shouldnt come with financial barriers. Today is the greatest day of my life because Ive finally accomplished what I always wanted to do which is giving these kids a chance to be great. Greatness starts with education and foundational education shouldnt come with financial barriers. pic.twitter.com/glw0dJVzXr Michael Blackson (@MichaelBlackson) January 4, 2023 The renowned jokester previously voiced his appreciation for the backing of his fans and followers throughout his career, whos contributions helped make it possible to see his dream into fruition. Finally, its all done and the kids in my village will all go to school for free, he wrote. Thanks to all my fans that supported me thru out the years, every ticket you bought to my show helped a kid. Story continues Finally its all done and the kids in my village will all go to school for free. Thanks to all my fans that supported me thru out the years, every ticket you bought to my show helped a kid. https://t.co/ue86VUAFiU pic.twitter.com/rnt0SsdmCZ Michael Blackson (@MichaelBlackson) December 18, 2022 The Michael Blackson Academy is three stories high and has multiple classrooms and other amenities, which were shown by Blackson personally. The school, which first went under construction in 2020, was completed in December and is scheduled to open this month. Click here to read the full article. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., left, and Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., right, speaks with Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in the House chamber as the House meets for a second day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, Jan. 4, 2023. (Alex Brandon / AP) WASHINGTON For a long and frustrating third day, divided Republicans kept the speakers chair of the U.S. House sitting empty Thursday, as party leader Kevin McCarthy failed again and again in an excruciating string of ballots to win enough GOP votes to seize the chambers gavel. Pressure was building as McCarthy lost seventh, eighth and then historic ninth, 10th and 11th rounds of voting, surpassing the number 100 years ago, in a prolonged fight to choose a speaker in a disputed election. By nightfall, despite raucous protests from Democrats, Republicans voted to adjourn and return Friday to try again. Advertisement With McCarthys supporters and foes locked in stalemate, the House could not formally open for the new session of Congress. And feelings of boredom, desperation and annoyance seemed increasingly evident. One McCarthy critic, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, cast votes for Donald Trump a symbolic but pointed sign of the broad divisions over the Republican Partys future. Then he went further, moving the day from protest toward the absurd in formally nominating the former president to be House speaker on the 11th ballot. Trump got one vote, from Gaetz, drawing laughter. Advertisement As night fell before the second anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters trying to overturn Joe Bidens election, Democrats said it was time to get serious. This sacred House of Representatives needs a leader, said Democrat Joe Neguse of Colorado, nominating his own partys leader, Hakeem Jeffries, as speaker. McCarthy could be seen talking, one on one, in whispered and animated conversations in the House chamber. His emissaries sidled up to holdouts, and grueling negotiations proceeded in the GOP whips office down the hall. McCarthy remained determined to persuade Republicans to end the paralyzing debate that has blighted his new GOP majority. [ Amid House speaker vote, Chicago Democrats brought giant tubs of Garrett Popcorn, the best of all the popcorn there is ] McCarthys leadership team had presented a core group of the Republican holdouts with a deal on paper for rules changes in exchange for their support, said one of the opponents, conservative Republican Ralph Norman of South Carolina, as he exited a late-day meeting. It included mandating 72 hours for bills to be posted before votes, among others, though details were scarce. Lest hopes get ahead of reality, he added, This is round one. Holdouts led by the chambers Freedom Caucus are seeking ways to shrink the power of the speakers office and give rank-and-file lawmakers more influence with seats on key committees and the ability to draft and amend bills in a more open process. Were having good discussions and I think everyone wants to find a solution, McCarthy told reporters hours earlier. The House, which is one-half of Congress, is essentially at a standstill, unable to launch the new session, swear in elected members and conduct official business. Advertisement Yet, despite endless talks, signs of concessions and a public spectacle unlike any other in recent political memory, the path ahead remained highly uncertain. What started as a political novelty, the first time since 1923 a nominee had not won the gavel on the first vote, has devolved into a bitter Republican Party feud and deepening potential crisis. Jeffries of New York won the most votes on every ballot but also remained short of a majority. McCarthy ran second, gaining no ground. McCarthy resisted under growing pressure to somehow find the votes he needed or step aside so the House could open fully and get on with the business of governing. The incoming Republican chairmen of the Houses Foreign Affairs, Armed Services and Intelligence committees all said national security was at risk. The Biden administration is going unchecked and there is no oversight of the White House, Republicans Michael McCaul, Mike Rogers and Mike Turner wrote in a joint statement. We cannot let personal politics place the safety and security of the United States at risk. But McCarthys right-flank detractors led by the Freedom Caucus and aligned with Trump, appeared emboldened by the standoff even though the former president publicly backed McCarthy. Advertisement Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the leader of the Freedom Caucus and a leader of Trumps efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election, asserted that McCarthy cannot be trusted, and tweeted his displeasure that negotiations over rule changes and other concessions were being made public. When confidences are betrayed and leaks are directed, its even more difficult to trust, he tweeted. Republican Party holdouts repeatedly put forward the name of Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, assuring the stalemate that increasingly carried undercurrents of race and politics would continue. They also put forward Republican Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, splitting the protest vote. Donalds, who is Black, is seen as an emerging party leader and a GOP counterpoint to the Democratic leader, Jeffries, who is the first Black leader of a major political party in the U.S. Congress and on track himself to become speaker some day. Another Black Republican, newly elected John James, nominated McCarthy on the seventh ballot as nominators became a roll call of the GOPs rising stars. For the 10th it was newly elected Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, an immigrant from Mexico whose speech drew chants of USA! USA! A new generation of conservative Republicans, many aligned with Trumps Make America Great Again agenda, want to upend business as usual in Washington and are committed to stopping McCarthys rise without concessions to their priorities. Advertisement To win support, McCarthy has already agreed to many of the demands of his opponents. One of the holdouts key asks is to reinstate a rule that would allow a single lawmaker to seek a motion to vacate the chair essentially to call a House vote to oust the speaker. Its the same rule a previous era of tea party Republicans used to threaten the removal of GOP Speaker John Boehner, and McCarthy has resisted reinstating it. But those opposing McCarthy do not all have the same complaints, and he may never be able to win over some of them. Several Republicans appear unwilling to ever vote for McCarthy. Ballots kept producing almost the same outcome, 20 conservative holdouts still refusing to support McCarthy and leaving him far short of the 218 typically needed to win the gavel. In fact, McCarthy saw his support slipping to 201, as one fellow Republican switched to vote simply present, and later to 200. With just a 222-seat GOP majority, he could not spare votes. Thursday was a third long day. Ahead of the Jan. 6 anniversary, a prolonged and divisive speakers fight would underscore the fragility of American democracy after the attempted insurrection two years ago. Advertisement Colorado Republican Ken Buck sat out several votes after saying Wednesday that he told McCarthy he needs to figure out how to make a deal to move forward or eventually step aside for someone else. The disorganized start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House, much the way that some past Republican speakers, including John Boehner, had trouble leading a rebellious right flank. The result: government shutdowns, standoffs and Boehners early retirement. The longest fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War. AP writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Kevin Freking contributed to this report. The St. Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission will advise Mayor Melvin Carter and the City Council on fiscal and policy choices to specifically address generational wealth for the descendants of chattel slavery. A city in Minnesota established a reparations committee to work toward real racial justice and give recommendations on how to compensate Black residents whose ancestors were enslaved. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the St. Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission will consist of 11 members and be a permanent advisory body with mandates outlined in the city code. The commission will advise Mayor Melvin Carter and the City Council on fiscal and policy choices to specifically address the creation and sustainment of generational wealth for the American descendants of Chattel Slavery, according to the ordinance creating the panel. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter (left), seen with Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto during a 2019 Capitol Hill hearing, will get advice from an 11-member commission on how to handle reparations for descendants of slavery. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Members of the council celebrated Wednesdays historic vote, with at least one referring to it as just the next step. I think the conversations ahead are where I look forward to learning, to delving into the details and to figuring out what this process looks like, said council member Rebecca Noecker, the Star Tribune reported. A grassroots effort that eventually resulted in a formal apology for the citys part in institutional racism gave birth to the demand for reparations in St. Paul over two years ago. After that, a city-appointed group held regular meetings for a year to research restitution and considered the potential structure of a permanent commission. The committee recommended that the commissions initial duty be to examine direct cash distributions to qualified residents when it presented its findings to the council last summer. You guys are setting an example for the rest of the country with what youre doing here, said national reparations advocate Trahern Crews, who co-chaired St. Pauls temporary committee, according to the Star Tribune. Story continues The appointed members of the reparations commission will each have a three-year tenure, and they will convene monthly. Preference will go to residents who are active in the community, and demonstrate lived experience as it pertains to the commissions work, and comprehend the role of reparations in addressing the impacts of chattel slavery, as stated in the ordinance. The councils 2023 budget already earmarks funds to hire a full-time employee to support the reparations efforts. When George Floyd was murdered in 2020, it became clear that all of us, in any position where we had any ability to make change, needed to make a real commitment to never go backwards, said council member Jane Prince, the ordinances lead sponsor, the Star Tribune reported. By our actions, we are committing St. Paul to never go back but to keep moving forward toward the vision of real racial justice. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Minnesota city forms reparations committee to pursue real racial justice appeared first on TheGrio. RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's ties with the European Union must be protected against harassment at the European parliament, foreign minister Nasser Bourita said on Thursday, following a European probe into graft allegations involving European lawmakers, Qatar and Morocco. "This partnership faces a continuous judicial harassment and repeated media attacks," Bourita told reporters following talks with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, although Bourita did not directly refer to the cash-for-influence case. "This partnership faces attacks in European institutions, notably at the parliament," Bourita added. Belgian authorities have charged four people linked to the European Parliament over allegations that Qatar lavished them with cash and gifts to influence decision-making. Qatar has said it had no involvement in the scandal. In arrest warrants issued in Italy, there are also allegations of payments from Morocco. Morocco has not publicly comment on the case. Morocco's partnership with the EU is "based on neighbourliness, values and mutual interests," said Bourita. The graft accusations "are grave", Borrell said after discussing the issue with Bourita and earlier in the day with Prime Minister Aziz Akhnnouch. Borrell gave no details. The European Union maintains a position of "zero tolerance" of corruption and will wait for the results of the decision of a judicial investigation into the case, he said. Separately, Borrel said the EU and Morocco had a "solid strategic partnership." He said EU aid to Morocco would increase to 1.6 billion euros during 2021-2027 from 1.4 billion in 2014-2020. (Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi, Editing by William Maclean) Residents of a Colorado mountain town are struggling to coexist with mountain lions that have hunted more than a dozen of their pet dogs in two months. Wildlife officials have received 10 reports of 12 dogs being killed or attacked in Nederland since Nov. 1, with one report involving three dogs, Colorado Parks and Wildlife told McClatchy News. Nederland is nestled within the mountains of Colorados Front Range. In early December, pet owners were desperate for help after nine dogs were killed or taken since August, McClatchy News previously reported. Wildlife officials held community discussions to share tips on how to keep pets safe. But the attacks continued. Pet owners have logged encounters on a digital tracker cobbled together by locals that shows where and when attacks or close calls have occurred, as well as the nature of the incidents. Some of the most recent entries describe mountain lions trying to snatch a dog off a porch, a lion killing three dogs despite the owner trying to defend them, two dogs disappearing one after the other from the same area, and so on. One particularly chilling entry said a mountain lion attacked a 100-pound Doberman and took the dog over a fence at night. Did not survive, the Dec. 3 post said. State statutes allow civilians to kill a mountain lion to protect livestock or defend human safety. But statutes dont allow for killing a lion solely to protect a pet, Kristin Cannon told McClatchy News. Cannon is a deputy regional manager at Colorado Parks and Wildlife. We generally do not relocate mountain lions from good lion habitat to somewhere else for being a nuisance or causing problems. If the lions behavior makes it a threat to human safety we will try to lethally remove it, Cannon said in an email. Living among so many attacks and close calls has some residents fearful for their childrens safety, The Colorado Sun reported. One such resident is Pam Rose, a horse trainer who is sure lions have been actively stalking her mini horse and her daughters pony, the outlet reported. Story continues Rose told the outlet shes nervous about her 11-year-old daughters safety and will no longer let her walk around the neighborhood or ride alone. Shes taken to carrying a 9mm pistol when she and her daughter walk their dog or feed their horses, she told the outlet. On Monday, Dec. 26, Caroline Bennett took to a Nederland Facebook group to warn others that a lion had snatched her Aussie shepherd from their porch, The Colorado Sun reported. [It] was like a dragon took him out of the sky and then leapt 20 ft off the deck, she wrote, the outlet reported. I know weve all heard it before but this is obviously NOT normal coexistence behavior and Im now scared for our children (and the grownups after seeing the size & strength of the lion). Then on Tuesday, Dec. 27, a mountain lion attacked two dogs right in front of their owners in the same area, the Longmont Times-Call reported. People were able to chase the lion off in the first attack, but one resident shot and killed a lion when it targeted their dog. Wildlife officials decided not to charge the person who shot the lion because the lion had already been behaving in a dangerous way by getting so close to humans, and they had a reasonable fear for their own safety, Cannon said. Agency officials had already planned to remove that specific lion from the area, Cannon said, but not necessarily because of the dog attacks, which she said is wild cats being wild cats. They dont see a distinction between pets and wildlife, she said. But in this particular instance, these incidents were occurring in close proximity to people, and the lion didnt act like they had fear of people. That gave us a little concern. Mountain lions kill 9 dogs near one Colorado town. Here are tips for keeping pets safe Famous mountain lion captured after killing dog and getting hit by car in California Iconic California mountain lion P-22 euthanized as injuries and ailments left no hope What's this mysterious ring on Sam Bankman-Fried's finger? NBC News/YouTube; ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images; Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images; Craig Barritt/Getty Images for CARE For Special Children Sam Bankman-Fried was seen sporting a chunky metal ring in court this week. Insider hunted through old media appearances to solve the mystery. It turns out it's an MIT "brass rat" class ring. At his arraignment Tuesday, where Sam Bankman-Fried pleaded not guilty to eight counts of fraud and conspiracy, the 30-year-old disgraced wunderkind was in his usual court garb: a navy suit, a white dress shirt, and his normally puffy hair. You didn't need eagle eyes to spot an accessory he was sporting. On his right ring finger was a big honking metal ring. An Insider reporter in the courtroom couldn't help but wonder: What's the deal with the ring? Bankman-Fried is seen sporting the large ring on January 3, 2023, in New York City, following his arraignment hearing. Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images It's not like Bankman-Fried won the Super Bowl at some point. Did he use it to put his stamp on wax seals and send letters off to Caroline Ellison? The mystery had to be solved. Insider pored over older photographs of Bankman-Fried, trying to see if he's worn it before so we could get a closer look. It was hard to spot. Bankman-Fried has a tendency to stuff his hands in his pockets. Bankman-Fried, following a hearing at Manhattan federal court on January 3, 2023. No hands here. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly No dice in this picture, either. AP Photo/Craig Ruttle Apparently, Bankman-Fried also had to take it off while going through the building's security. He probably had to put it through the X-ray conveyor-belt thingy, along with his belt. Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images Inside the building itself, photos are forbidden, so there's no use in trying there. Bankman-Fried didn't wear the ring in his previous court hearing, on December 22. That isn't surprising though, since he was in custody at the time. His personal belongings would have been taken by authorities in the US or the Bahamas, which extradited him. Maybe it's in this paper bag he's clutching as he left the courthouse that day? Bankman-Fried leaving court on December 22, holding a brown paper bag. Is the ring in there? ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images Looking further back in time, Bankman-Fried appeared to be wearing the same ring while speaking at a charity event in New York City, in June, before FTX collapsed and he was arrested on fraud charges. But it's hard to see it in any detail. Bankman-Fried speaks onstage during a gala on June 23, 2022, in New York City. Ring sighted. Craig Barritt/Getty Images for CARE For Special Children He also seemed to be wearing the ring while testifying to Congress about cryptocurrency regulation in December 2021. But, again, it's hard to get a close look. Insider finally got a good look at the ring in an interview Bankman-Fried did with Chuck Todd on NBC's "Meet the Press," which was uploaded to YouTube. Story continues There it is! The ring! NBC News/YouTube Later in the interview, we got an even better look. *Chanting* Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! NBC News/YouTube Let's zoom in, shall we? Finally! A good look! NBC News/YouTube Is that ... a beaver? Indeed, the ring appears to be an MIT class ring, also known as the "brass rat." Bankman-Fried graduated from MIT in 2014, so that tracks. The brass rat is also often worn on the right hand instead of the left. You can see Robert Downey Jr. wearing it on his right hand while playing Tony Stark in "Iron Man," Kristen Wiig wearing it on her right hand in "Ghostbusters," Peter Mullan playing some guy I don't remember from "Westworld" apparently wearing it on his right hand, and Sen. Alex Padilla of California waving it around for everyone to see on that right hand as well. Add Bankman-Fried to this illustrious list. The beaver design for the MIT class ring, taken from the school's mascot, dates to 1930. Each year, a "ring committee" made up of undergraduate students comes up with a new design for it that includes a lot of Easter eggs, much like a Taylor Swift album. The engraved beavers, depending on the year, are depicted holding various things that MIT nerds like, such as compasses, telescopes, and globes. They are also often depicted holding things beavers like, such as twigs. An MIT "brass rat" class ring from 2017. Take a look at all those details! Dominick Reuter Despite its nickname as the "brass rat," the 2014 ring was available in stainless steel, silver, and gold, according to its website. Depending on the material and size, Bankman-Fried shelled out between $118 and $1,390 for the one he wears. The chair of the 2014 ring committee didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment for this story. According to a former ring committee member from a different year, who spoke to Insider on the condition of anonymity, students often purchase two rings. One for everyday use, in a common material like stainless steel, and one for special occasions, in gold. Bankman-Fried's "alleged behavior isn't reflective of what the ring stands for and our values as MIT alumni," the former ring committee member said. A representative for Bankman-Fried responded to Insider's request for comment and confirmed Bankman-Fried was wearing an MIT class ring. The spokesperson said Bankman-Fried "sort of switches between the two rings" and was wearing "the brass one" in court Tuesday. "There was no special meaning behind it," the spokesperson said. You can check out this nifty 3D model of the MIT class of 2014 ring on its website. The beaver, the committee wrote, demonstrated optimism about the future. "With a handsome body and fiercely intelligent eyes, the 2014 Beaver serves as the centerpiece of our Bezel while standing as a symbol of wisdom and inspiration," the website says. "Maintaining tradition, our Beaver's tail flips upward to represent a positive outlook for the future." Read the original article on Business Insider OSLO (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday it would be dangerous to underestimate Russia and President Vladimir Putin's ambitions amid the war in Ukraine. "They have shown a great willingness to tolerate losses and suffering," Stoltenberg told a business conference in Norway. "We have no indication that President Putin has changed his plans and goals in Ukraine. So it's dangerous to underestimate Russia." (Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Gwladys Fouche) NBA confirms controversial foul calls on Kings vs. Jazz were right originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea In another down-to-the-wire dogfight between the Kings and Utah Jazz on Tuesday night, the NBA confirmed two late controversial calls against Sacramento were correct. With 56.9 seconds remaining in the game, Utahs Kelly Olynyk was inbounding the ball when a whistle was blown. Kings forward KZ Okpala was called for a foul away from the play for running into Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson. During the play in question, as Clarkson was running, he stopped on purpose in order for Okpala to bump into him. Feeling Okpala's body, Clarkson embellished the contact and convinced the officials he was knocked over and fouled. Kings Twitter -- and the rest of NBA Twitter -- even nominated the act for the flop of the year. Jazz definitely getting these home cookin calls aai Matt Barnes (@Matt_Barnes22) January 4, 2023 Even after the fact, the NBA maintained it was the right call in its latest Last Two Minute Report. Clarkson (UTA) comes to a pause as he comes off the screen and Okpala (SAC) runs through him prior to the ball being released from [out of bounds], the report reads. Kings fans didnt have long to be frustrated about that play because 40 seconds later, another questionable foul was called. This time, it was on Kings rookie Keegan Murray. With 16.1 seconds left, Utah forward Lauri Markkanen dribbled left and pulled up from behind the arc as Murray contested the shot, which missed. Officials called a foul on Murray, resulting in three free throws for Markkanen, who sank all three. Story continues This is going to be in the NBA Last 2 Minute Report tomorrow. Lauri kicked his right leg out to draw the foul. pic.twitter.com/qpaEaNfRq0 Cameron Salerno (@cameronsalerno1) January 4, 2023 When a shooter kicks the defender it should be an offensive foul, not defensive. aai Light the Beam!! @SacramentoKings pic.twitter.com/EcuE7mn2tO Ryan Miller (@RyanMillerBKR) January 4, 2023 "Murray (SAC) makes contact with Markkanen's (UTA) elbow during his upward shooting motion, and the contact alters his jump shot attempt," the report found. The Last Two Minute Report also indicated that the Kings shouldn't have received a jump ball on the play where Murray and Markkanen got tangled up fighting for a loose ball, stating that neither had control of the ball. Despite the chaos, the Kings came out victorious in the end as they racked up their 20th win of the season. They'll look for their fourth win in five games when they host Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center. First lady Jill Biden speaks in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Dec. 12, 2022, at an educator appreciation event with the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. (Susan Walsh/AP) Jill Biden, the first lady, plans to undergo surgery next week to have a small lesion over her right eye removed and examined after it was discovered during a skin cancer screening, the White House physician said. It is not clear if the lesion is a danger to Bidens health, but the outpatient procedure that she will undergo is often used to treat skin cancer or remove tissue that could be cancerous. Dr. Kevin C. OConnor, who was President Joe Bidens longtime personal physician before becoming the White House physician, said in a statement that doctors recommended that the lesion be removed in an abundance of caution so it could be definitively examined. Advertisement OConnor added that doctors would provide an update after the procedure, known as Mohs surgery, which will be performed next Wednesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The Biden White House has often disclosed routine examinations, minor surgeries and other health updates for the president and the first lady as Joe Biden, the oldest president in American history, has sought to assure the public of his fitness to serve. Advertisement Jill Biden, now 71, underwent surgery in 2021 to remove debris from a puncture wound in her left foot after stepping on an object while walking on the beach in Hawaii. The White House announced that day that the surgery had taken place. Laura Bush, the wife of President George W. Bush, waited more than a month to disclose that she had a malignant tumor on her right leg removed around the time of the election in November 2006. The Bush White House was criticized at the time for not immediately disclosing the diagnosis or the surgery to remove the cancer. President Ronald Reagan also waited to disclose that he had skin cancer in 1985 until after the cancerous growth on his nose had been removed just a month after he underwent surgery to treat a more serious type of colon cancer. Cancer has been one of Jill Bidens areas of focus as first lady. She founded the Biden Breast Health Initiative in 1993 after four of her friends were diagnosed with breast cancer, and she has traveled the country urging cancer screenings and support for cancer patients and their families. The Bidens have both spoken of the pain of losing their son Beau to brain cancer, and Jill Biden has joined her husband in his efforts to promote his moonshot initiative to drastically reduce cancer deaths. c.2022 The New York Times Company [Source] Netflix has released the official trailer for South Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-hos latest project, Jung_E, showing a more in-depth look at the highly anticipated sci-fi film. On Wednesday, the streaming giant shared a two-minute clip about Jung_E, who is described as an A.I. [artificial intelligence] combat warrior and humanity's hope and ultimate weapon. More from NextShark: 'Squid Game,' Lee Jung-jae, O Yeong-Su (Player 001) land Golden Globe nominations According to Netflix, Jung_E will take place in a post-apocalyptic near-future and follow the story of an AI researcher who tries to stop a civil war by cloning the brain of her military soldier mother. Yeon, who wrote and directed Jung_E, has previously worked on several TV series and movies such as acclaimed action horror film Train to Busan, Netflixs Hellbound and Psychokinesis, South Koreas first mainstream superhero film. Jung_E, which is set to premiere on Jan. 20, will star Kim Hyun-joo, Kang Soo-yeon and Ryoo Kyung-soo, among others. Kang, who plays the character Seohyun, died due to a stroke in May 2022. Yeons film will notably feature her last onscreen performance. More from NextShark: Eric Nam says being Asian 'now feels like a superpower,' talks heartbreak as song inspiration in new interview Related stories: More from NextShark: K-pop girl group Lapillus release new comeback album GIRL's ROUND Part. 1 Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! Disney Junior series Firebuds aims to normalize Filipino American characters onscreen [Source] An image of a massive lechon baka roasted calf served at a Filipino familys New Years Eve dinner went viral on social media. Facebook user John Elbert Flores Hizon shared the photo of the lechon, which appears to occupy the entire dining table, on the Facebook page Homepaslupa Buddies 3.0. I just want to flex my affluent cousin Apple Flores who served a dinosaur on New Years Eve, Hizon wrote in Filipino. Commenters poked fun at the lechons size, with some coming up with creative names for it. More from NextShark: Woman Surprises Boyfriend With $1,300 Brake Kit to Fix Car Thats Godzilla! a commenter wrote, while another joked, It appears that theyve been eating this since Christmas." Thats from Jurassic Park hahahaha, chimed another. More from NextShark: Video of 3-year-old boy using a stool to care for his dad, who is in a vegetative state, goes viral Flores, who was amused that their family dinner went viral, joined in on the fun with a post sharing that there are still leftovers for those who want to have a taste of their roasted dinosaur." Lechon is considered a national dish in the Philippines and is often served during holidays, festivals and other special occasions. While lechon in the Philippines has pre-Hispanic origins, the dish acquired its name during Spains occupation of the Southeast Asian country. More from NextShark: Japans 87-year-old Naked Hermit returns to remote island for a final farewell In other parts of the world, lechon is typically prepared using a piglet, but in the Philippines, it is not unusual to roast a calf or a full-grown pig. Related Articles: More from NextShark: Mental health in Asian American communities: Why we must break the silence together Crypto lender Celsius Network is still facing the consequences of its tumultuous 2022 long after it declared bankruptcy. New York State Attorney General Letitia James has sued former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky for allegedly defrauding investors out of "billions of dollars" in cryptocurrency. The executive purportedly misled customers about Celsius' worsening financial health, and didn't register either as a salesperson or as a commodities and securities dealer. The Attorney General's office claims Mashinsky falsely boasted of low-risk investments and reliable lending partners while "routinely" exposing investors to high-risk approaches that resulted in losses the company chief hid from customers. He also made untrue statements about safety, strategies and user numbers, according to the lawsuit. Celsius' ex-chief supposedly deceived hundreds of thousands of investors (over 26,000 in the state), some of which James says suffered "financial ruin." New York hopes to ban Mashinsky from doing business in the state. It also wants him to pay damages and otherwise compensate investors. In a statement to Engadget, Celsius would only reiterate that Mashinsky resigned as CEO in September and is "no longer involved" in managing the firm. Celsius is one of the more prominent casualties of last year's crypto crash. Its token's value plunged from $7 in 2021 to just $3 last spring. That was particularly damaging to a company that offered loans with little collateral and promised yields as high as 18.6 percent it didn't have the resources needed to endure the crisis. It tried freezing withdrawals last June to stabilize its assets, but opted for bankruptcy the following month to restructure and otherwise give it a better chance to regroup. The lawsuit isn't likely to be the end of the fallout. Several states are investigating Celsius' practices, and the Securities and Exchange Commission has been in touch. Celsius isn't alone in dealing with legal repercussions. Just this week, the crypto exchange Coinbase reached a $100 million settlement with New York over alleged financial rule violations. However, it's notable that the state is going after Mashinsky directly, not just the business he once ran. STORY: "We've got so many people out on strike, and so many people suffering, only the government can change it, or a change of government," he told Reuters at a largely deserted Euston train station in north London during the morning commute. A day after Sunak pledged to tackle the country's problems, rail workers again took to picket lines as part of a week-long strike that has paralyzed the network, while daily reports document the mounting pressure on hospitals, where patients routinely wait for hours and ambulances queue in car parks. The worst bout of worker unrest since Margaret Thatcher was in power in the 1980s, combined with the return of double-digit inflation, has produced a sense of malaise in Britain, where living standards are falling at their sharpest rate since records began in the 1950s. Nurses, paramedics, border force staff and postal workers have also taken strike action, angered by inflation that is at 40-year highs and touched 10.7% in November. Workers in other sectors are balloting for future action. A police officer shot a suspect during a foot pursuit Wednesday afternoon, following an earlier shooting in Northern California, authorities said. Two officers with the Grass Valley Police Department returned fire at a man who allegedly shot a victim before firing shots at police and a California Highway Patrol officer while fleeing a search perimeter, according to a department news release. One of the officers struck the suspect, who was then taken to a hospital in Roseville for treatment. No officers were injured. The incident began shortly after 4:15 p.m. as a possible theft reported in the 400 block of French Avenue, the Police Department said in a news release. Arriving officers heard gunfire in the area, the department wrote, and it was later determined that the party who initially reported the theft had been shot. Police set up a search perimeter. During the search, the suspect fired at least one additional round toward a responding CHP officer who was standing outside of his vehicle, the Police Department wrote. A foot pursuit followed, during which the suspect fired at least one more shot toward pursuing officers, according to the news release. The two police officers returned fire, with one of them striking the suspect near the 400 block of French Avenue. The suspect, identified by police as 26-year-old Austin Wallace of Grass Valley, and the victim he allegedly shot on French Avenue were both treated at the scene by officers before being transported to hospitals, where they continued to receive treatment as of Thursday afternoon. Their conditions were not known. Grass Valley police said the officer-involved shooting incident is being investigated by a Nevada County multi-agency critical incident team. The Norwegian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Jan. 4 that donated artillery shells can be used in the M109 howitzers that Norway has donated in the past. It is important for Europe's and Norway's security that Ukraine succeeds in standing up to Russia's attack. Norway has contributed heavily through 2022, and will continue to support Ukraine in 2023, the statement reads. Donald Trump supporters take over the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images For most Americans, Jan. 6 was once an ordinary, ho-hum day. That changed in 2021 when millions of television viewers watched thousands of Trump supporters assault the U.S. Capitol in their violent attempt to stop Joe Bidens presidential victory. Legislators fled for their lives as the mob shattered windows and vandalized congressional offices. While those images and subsequent congressional investigation and report are part of the collective memory, a debate still rages over what exactly to call what happened that day. Was it a rally comprising American patriots, or, as many Republicans refer to the days events, legitimate political discourse? Or was it an insurrection, as most observers have called the Jan. 6 attack? Words matter As a professor who teaches rhetoric of social movements, I am well versed in concepts of protests, rebellions and insurrections. In fact, my research on police brutality is heavily influenced by Black Lives Matter and other movements focused on Black liberation and safety. In an article published in the academic journal American Behavioral Scientist, my colleague Sharifa-Simon Roberts and I argue that any discussion about American insurrections must include the experiences of Black rebellions. For centuries, insurrections were among the only tools enslaved people had for social change and, ultimately, freedom. From Nat Turners insurrection in 1831, the story of which was developed into a movie, to the squelched insurrection in 1687 of a Black man named Sam who was owned by Richard Metcalfe, insurrections and rebellions have always been used by Black people who were enslaved in the U.S. In my view, what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, was a co-option of a Black liberation tactic that was used to remedy an injustice enshrined in the law. But unlike Trumps false claims of voter fraud, which were legally challenged and proved untrue, insurrections by enslaved people were based on a legitimate flaw in the U.S. Constitution the denial of full citizenship based on skin color and race. Story continues A visual of President Donald Trump is shown during the July 12, 2022, congressional hearings investigating the attack on the Capitol. Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images Insurrections by enslaved people According to federal law, an insurrectionist is whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto. If found guilty, an insurrectionist could be fined or imprisoned for no more than 10 years and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States. In my view, rebellions of the enslaved can aptly be classified as insurrections. From the early 1600s, historians estimate that there were around 250 insurrections in America that involved 10 or more enslaved people using violence to fight for equal rights. In his work published in 1937, historian Herbert Aptheker writes, Nothing has been more neglected, nor, more distorted than the story of slave revolts. A few of them are summarized below. September 1739: 13 original colonies The Stono Rebellion was the largest and deadliest insurrection by enslaved people in the 18th century. In a bloody fight for freedom, dozens of enslaved men raided a firearms store and attempted to journey to freedom. The group grew to about 60 people and continued to fight, but white people quickly stopped the progress. By dusk, the insurrection had ended. Half the men were killed and the other half captured, left to an uncertain fate. January 1811: New Orleans Inspired by the Haitian Revolution, when people of color overthrew their French colonizers at the turn of the 19th century, Charles Deslondes led one of the largest insurrections in American history. Armed with muskets and ammunition stolen from the plantations basement, formerly enslaved people mobilized and killed their owner Manuel Andry and his son, Gilbert. Donning the military uniforms once proudly worn by their oppressors, the group continued throughout New Orleans, wreaking havoc on plantations along the way. It is estimated that between 200-500 people participated in the insurrection before a white militia defeated them. August 1831: Southampton County, Virginia One of the most well-documented and well-known slave insurrections in history was led by Nat Turner. As a preacher, Turner used his belief in God to unite the enslaved and lead the largest insurrection in American history. Nat Turner and his companions are shown in a wooded area in 1831. Stock Montage/Getty Images Known as the Southampton Insurrection, Turners rebellion started where he was enslaved, the Travis plantation near Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in whats now the United States. After he and around 70 rebels killed the plantations owner, they marched throughout the county, resulting in the death of nearly 60. Thirty years later, in 1861, The Atlantic published a recounting of the insurrection by white abolitionist Thomas Wentworth Higginson. The black men passed from house to house, not pausing, not hesitating, as their terrible work went on, Higginson wrote. From every house they took arms and ammunition, and from a few, money; on every plantation they found recruits. Unequal insurrections? In their article From Protest to Riot to Insurrection, National Public Radio journalists detailed the importance of using specific language to cover Jan. 6. Merriam-Webster observed a 34,000% increase in individuals looking up the definition of insurrection in the days following Jan. 6, 2021. The word was also listed as runner-up for 2021 word of the year, losing to vaccine. Despite the interest in the word and the ongoing debate over the events of Jan. 6, 2021, in my view some insurrections are more equal than others as the legitimate plight of enslaved people continues to be be ignored, overlooked and all but forgotten. This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Deion Scott Hawkins, Emerson College. Like this article? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Read more: Deion Scott Hawkins does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. An off-duty Ranlo Police officer faces a first-degree murder charge after fatally shooting an unarmed man New Year's Day whom he had become acquainted with weeks earlier while responding to a domestic dispute call as part of his duties, according to Gaston County District Attorney Travis Page. Kwaku "Riley" Agyapon, 34, used his service weapon to kill 33-year-old Juan Nikely Avalo at the deceased man's Burlington Avenue home at 2:15 a.m. on Jan. 1, according to police reports. Kwaku Agyapon is walked into Gaston County District Court on Wednesday, Jan. 4. Agyapon encountered Avalo through his work at the Ranlo Police Department. Agyapon was one of the officers who responded to what has been characterized as a "domestic dispute" on Nov. 28, Page said during a court hearing Wednesday. Court records indicate that Avalo was accused of assaulting a woman on that date. Agyapon remained in contact with the accuser in that dispute, Page said, and on New Year's Eve, he and Avalo had "heated" telephone conversations in which "fighting words" were exchanged. Agyapon drove from Gastonia to Ranlo "looking to fight Mr. Avalo," eventually arriving at Avalo's home on Burlington Avenue in the early morning hours of New Year's Day, Page said. Agyapon was out of uniform and drove his personal vehicle to Avalo's home, but he brought the gun he used in his work as a Ranlo Police officer, Page said. Agyapon parked in the road, blocking Avalo's driveway, and the two began fighting, Page said. During the fight, Avalo cut Agyapon, but Avalo eventually dropped his weapon and tried to run away, Page added. When Avalo was approximately 75 to 95 feet away, Agyapon is alleged to have shot Avalo, pulling the trigger five times but only striking him once. Avalo died of a single gunshot wound to the head, Page said. "We believe there was no risk or a threat of imminent harm when those gunshots were fired," Page said. Members of Avalo's family were present during the court hearing. Some shed tears as Page spoke. Page asked that Agyapon be held without bond, and District Court Judge Gus Anthony granted his request. Story continues A woman who identified herself as Agyapon's mother spoke in court, although she later declined to give reporters her name. She described Agyapon as being kind and compassionate. "Law enforcement has been his dream since he's been in kindergarten," she said. "So the last thing he would do would jeopardize his career and his life in this situation." She asked the judge to allow her son to get out of jail. Agyapon joined the Ranlo Police Department in August 2022, with a salary of $41,684. Prior to working for Ranlo, Agyapon worked for the Gastonia Police Department, starting with the department in October 2019 and leaving the department in April of 2022. At the time he left the department, his salary was $50,250. Town officials have placed Agyapon on unpaid leave. Agyapon's wife, Shanna Lanham, was also present in court Wednesday. Lanham was convicted in 2011 on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Addison Lanham. She was released from prison in 2020. Lanham left quickly after the court hearing and could not be reached for comment. Reporter Kara Fohner can be reached at kfohner@gannett.com or at 704-869-1850. This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Ranlo Police officer accused of shooting unarmed man Rev. Phalese Binion, center, and nearly 50 other faith leaders and organizers gather inside Good Hope Free Will Baptist Church to express their support for an assault weapon and high capacity magazine ban and urge legislators to vote yes on Bill 5855, the Protect Illinois Communities Act, on Jan. 4, 2023, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Dozens of faith community leaders came together Wednesday morning to share their support and perspectives on proposed state legislation aimed at addressing one of the biggest problems to plague Chicago gun violence. Pastors, reverends, rabbis and imams, including the Rev. Michael Pfleger and Pastor Cornelius Parks, filled the stage of Good Hope Free Will Baptist Church in East Garfield Park just blocks from where a deadly mass shooting took place on Halloween to voice their concerns on gun violence across the city. They used the rally as a call for action to support House Bill 5855, or the Protect Illinois Communities Act. Advertisement [ Illinois House Democrats unveil proposal to ban assault weapons, high-capacity magazines in response to Highland Park mass shooting ] The legislation would ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, help to further implement Illinois Firearm Restraining Order law and address illegal gun trafficking in the state and is a response to the mass shooting at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, where seven people were killed and dozens of others injured by a shooter using an assault-style rifle and high-capacity magazines. Rep. Bob Morgan, a Democrat from Deerfield who was marching in the parade when the shooting occurred, introduced the bill in December after months of work by the Illinois House Firearm Safety and Reform working group, which he chairs. The group was formed in July with a goal of creating legislation that the General Assembly could pass to reduce gun violence in Illinois, he said. Advertisement Im cautiously optimistic that in the coming days, we will be able to pass this meaningful legislation, Morgan said. Final negotiations are ongoing, so were continuing to work to try and pass this legislation before the current General Assembly ends on Jan. 11. Morgan said the bill requires a majority vote of 60 in the House and 30 in the Senate. Morgan said he is heartened to see all the support for the legislation, especially from what he called a diverse group of community leaders. Its not just mass shootings, Morgan said. It is not just daily gun violence in urban communities. Gun violence is really just devastating communities up and down the state. I think the meeting today reflects how ubiquitous gun violence is in our society and reinforces the need to do something about it as quickly as we can. The Rev. Ira Acree, from the Greater St. John Baptist Church, said Illinois legislators must set a national standard by establishing a statewide ban on all combat weapons of destruction. Acree, a longtime gun violence activist, said the state has seen enough innocent bloodshed. Were here today to use our influence and stand on our moral authority to demand our state legislators take courage and vote the will and interest of our people and no longer be held hostage by the NRA, he said. Community organizer Robert Emmons Jr., holds his child Noah, 2, and speaks with dozens of local faith leaders about House Bill 5855, the Protect Illinois Communities Act, on Jan. 4, 2023, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Anthony Simpkins spoke Wednesday on behalf of local mosques Masjid al Ihsan and Masjid Taqwa as well as the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition, the Downtown Islamic Center and Muslim families across the state, he said. Advertisement According to Simpkins, God calls on people to have faith and love each other, but he also calls upon us to have common sense. Our children are dying, children from every community, and this is a matter of common sense, he said. We call upon our legislators to have common sense and to lead and to save our children. Rabbi Ike Serotta from Makom Solel Lakeside in Highland Park said he joined the other faith leaders Wednesday morning because there are no boundaries or barriers when it comes to preventing violence and saving lives. People here on this altar helped me in dark times this past summer, he said referring to the mass shooting in Highland Park, so Im honored to stand here, and there is no doubt that if we can save a life, just one, the tradition says we save a whole world because we never know who comes from that person, what those roots might grow, so we need to save everyone we can save. This is the least we can do, to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. There is so much more work, but this is the place to start. The Rev. Marshall Hatch, of the Leaders Network and New Mount Pilgrim Church, said gun violence is an issue whose time has come. He recalled the aftermath of the Highland Park parade shooting in July and said even though it was a long way from West Garfield Park, he and others got in their cars and stood with the people of that community because we were acquainted with their grief and understood their sorrow. There are very few issues that you can get a group this diverse to agree on, so when you see this kind of gathering and this kind of support for the issue, in this case support for Bill 5855, to ban assault weapons, to ban high-capacity magazines, Hatch said, it means that theres something very right with this issue. Advertisement sahmad@chicagotribune.com An Oklahoma City Police Department supervisor vehicle is shown stopped in front of police headquarters downtown in 2015. Oklahoma City Council members authorized what Mayor David Holt called the "largest police raises in modern OKC history" this week when it approved a negotiated agreement between the city and the Fraternal Order of Police. Holt took to Twitter to celebrate the agreement's approval, writing that it grants all Oklahoma City police officers an 8% raise, plus a one-time stipend payment equal to 2% of their gross pay. Under state law, the City must negotiate an employment agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police each fiscal year. Today, the City Council unanimously approved an agreement with the FOP for this fiscal year that provides for the largest police raises in modern OKC history. Mayor David Holt (@davidfholt) January 3, 2023 Holt also said starting pay for new police officers would be increasing. "New officers will receive an increase in starting pay of 24% (not a typo!), ensuring that new OCPD officers are paid competitively with any department in the state of Oklahoma," Holt tweeted. Oklahoma City adjusts police pay to compete with other communities, private sector The pay increase for new Oklahoma City police officers from about $49,500 to about $61,700 comes after Tulsa officials announced in November they would pay a $15,000 signing bonus to new police officers. Oklahoma City will provide $10,000 signing bonuses to members of its newest class of police recruits as it seeks to fill 150 open positions on the force, said Aimee Maddera, Oklahoma City's chief human resources officer. Trying to stay competitive with other Oklahoma communities and private employers when seeking to bring aboard new employees remains challenging, Maddera said. Maddera, who was hired by Oklahoma City in March 2020, said potential employees have become much more selective about what jobs to pursue over the past couple of years as they evaluate not only potential salaries, but other quality of life benefits like fitness, recreation and health services, among others. Story continues Oklahoma City also is comparing how it classifies and pays employees with other cities across the region and nation, and has hired a professional recruiter to help fill critical positions. "While the city is making an investment in wages, we also have been very focused on addressing employees' overall environments. They are wanting to be looked at as persons as a whole, not just as employees. I've never seen anything like it. It is incredibly difficult," Maddera said. Contract approval follows others for firefighters, other employees Holt said this week's contract approval for police officers follows others the council negotiated with organizations representing firefighters and non-uniformed city employees earlier this year that boosted their pay, too. An agreement the council approved in July with the International Association of Firefighters granted firefighters a 4.295% increase in pay, increased contributions to health and welfare benefits, plus increased incentives for longevity achievements and paramedic training. Mayor David Holt speaks Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, during the lighting of the new "Light as a Feather" sculpture at Scissortail Park. The statue was dedicated to late city arts liaison Robbie Kienzle. In October, the council approved an agreement between the city and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees that provided non-uniformed city employees a 7% increase in wages. Maddera said that agreement effectively boosted the starting base pay for every new hire on the city's staff to at least $15.01 an hour. Members of new Recruit Class 143 assemble July 9, 2021, for the first day of training at the Oklahoma City Police and Fire Training Center in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City needs to fill 350 positions across its ranks. Both Maddera and Mayor Holt are encouraging interested people to apply after checking out the openings at okc.gov/careers. "A career with the City of Oklahoma City is rewarding in every way," Holt tweeted. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC council approves 8% pay increase for police officers Christian Mark McGill, 23, was arrested in the death of his four-month-old child. Onslow County law enforcement was kept busy over the holiday weekend after arrests were made in the death of a child and a fatal hit and run. At approximately 2:20 p.m. on Dec. 22, the Jacksonville Police Department responded to 123 Zack Circle Apt. B in reference to a trouble breathing medical call, according to a New Year's Eve press release from the department. The release said that upon arrival, first responders from JPD, Jacksonville Fire and Emergency Services and Onslow County EMS performed lifesaving measures on a four-month-old unresponsive child. The child was pronounced dead on scene by paramedics from Onslow County EMS. JPD conducted an investigation into the death of the child, the release said, and subsequently arrested the father, 23-year-old Christian Mark McGill. McGill is an active-duty Marine, and investigators are currently working with the District Attorney's office and Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS). The release said McGill was arrested on an open count of murder and was processed into the Onslow County jail under no bond. An additional tragic event over the weekend led to the arrest of a New Bern man following a fatal hit and run. Andrew Frazier was involved in a vehicle pursuit that left another drive dead. At approximately 4 p.m. on Dec. 30, Onslow County Sheriff's Office deputies attempted to stop Andrew Michael Frazier of New Bern for speeding more than 20 miles per hour over the posted speed limit on New Bern Highway, according to a press release from OCSO. The release said deputies began to pursue Frazier, who fled at speeds over 100 mph. Frazier ran the stop sign at Ramsey Road and Kellum Loop Road in Jacksonville, striking another vehicle whose driver was killed on impact. Frazier fled the scene on foot and was not apprehended at the time, the release said. A search for him was conducted but Frazier was not located. Resources from the NC State Highway Patrol, Jacksonville Police Department, Piney Green Fire Department, Onslow County Emergency Services, New Bern Police Department, Craven County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Marshal Service assisted with the search; the release added. Story continues The release said Frazier was apprehended at about 8 a.m. on Dec. 31 by the New Bern Police Department. Frazier has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, felony hit and run resulting in serious injury or death, felony flee to elude, reckless driving, resist, obstruct and delay, speeding, driving while license revoked, aggressive driving, larceny of a motor vehicle and multiple traffic violations because of the vehicle pursuit. The release added Frazier is being held at the Onslow County Detention Center under a $60,000 secure bond. Reporter Morgan Starling can be reached at mstarling@jdnews.com. This article originally appeared on The Daily News: Onslow County holiday crime roundup: Arrests made in death of child, fatal hit and run Matt McMahon is a proud U.S. Marine who wanted to continue serving the community. So he applied to work as a firefighter with Orange County Fire Rescue. He was hired in 2006. He enjoyed his career until he was terminated in 2021 after struggles with PTSD. I became a firefighter and an EMT, which is exactly what my pre-employment contract states, so I was not a paramedic [when I started], he said. McMahon wanted to do more after years of watching his fellow firefighters put their own lives on the line to help people in the community in life-or-death situations. According to an agency spokesperson and historical data, most fire rescue calls are for medical emergencies, not fires. Read: Longtime firefighter says his coverage of PTSD care was denied Orange County Fire Rescue is one of the largest pre-hospital care providers in Central Florida. In an effort to align with the communitys needs and provide a higher level of medical expertise to Orange Countys residents and visitors, the department provides a career path to become a Firefighter/Paramedic within 36 months, a spokesperson told us in a statement. A spokesperson said that the department currently has 747 firefighters and 614 paramedics. On average the training costs the department about $9,000. But McMahon said he paid for his own training required to add paramedic to his credentials. Read: Central Florida firefighter seeking PTSD coverage gets boost from state leader According to a lawsuit he has filed against the county, it required an additional 52 weeks of training and more than 100 clinical hours learning to perform advanced medical techniques, setting him apart from EMTs who are trained in basic life support. But over time, he told Channel 9 investigative reporter Daralene Jones that coming face to face with horrifying medical scenes was just too much. It was a 19-year-old kid, who had decided to take his own life. My son was probably at that point 14, just started his high school years, McMahon said. Story continues Read: UCF therapy center developing new virtual reality treatment for PTSD And then a few years later, he said he was triggered again by several more calls involving tragic deaths of children, including an infant. I remember becoming increasingly more anxious with my son, McMahon said. McMahon said he finally decided to take his concerns to his supervisors. In February of 2021, according to the lawsuit, he requested an accommodation by dropping his paramedic title and resuming his original title and duties as a Firefighter/EMT. The lawsuit states that initially the department approved his request, but then abruptly changed course. Watch: Better workers comp proposed for first responders with PTSD Instead of proceeding with [an] interactive process and discussing other options or accommodations, he was charged with violations of county policy, operational regulations, OCFR rules, and standard operating procedures, Attorney Rachel Rodriguez wrote. He was eventually terminated but re-instated through the grievance process. A settlement agreement was reached, but McMahon was terminated again when he refused to work a shift he was assigned as a paramedic. By then, he was also going through therapy and then eventually diagnosed with PTSD by a licensed clinician at UCF. UCF is the same university the county has partnered with to help first responders cope with mental health. Read: Damar Hamlin beginning to awaken, doctor says It wasnt necessarily me I was worried about, it was the citizens of Orange County, McMahon said, as he stressed to us that his only goal is just to go back to being an EMT only. A spokesperson for the county wouldnt talk specifically about McMahons lawsuit, but provided this statement: Orange County Fire Rescue is one of the largest pre-hospital care providers in Central Florida. In an effort to align with the communitys needs and provide a higher level of medical expertise to Orange Countys residents and visitors, the department provides a career path to become a Firefighter/Paramedic within 36 months. This opportunity not only allows individuals to obtain their Paramedic Certification at no out-of-pocket expense but is further incentivized by an increase in compensation upon completion. Orange County Fire Rescue invests in this program as part of its commitment to continue providing full-service emergency medical services, in addition to world-class fire rescue services, to Orange County, Florida. Read: Driver rescued after car flips inside car wash In a follow-up email a spokesperson also said that all firefighters hired after March 2015 by way of the pre-employment agreement are expected to become a certified paramedic within three years. McMahon was hired in 2006. That one time I ask for help, not asking for a dime, not wanting to medically separate and take 30 grand or whatever theyre giving out, I just want to go back to being an EMT we dont care about him, thats how I felt, McMahon said. Fire Rescue operates as a paramilitary organization, and we have seen others in this agency fired for not following direct orders. McMahon has a hearing scheduled this month that could determine if he gets his job back once again. Read: Girl, 15, accused of shooting at deputies rejects 20-year plea deal Its important to note that as part of the settlement agreement after his first terminated, he had to reinstate his paramedic license. However, according to the lawsuit, nothing prevented him from filing for a hearing to drop the license because of his PTSD. First Responder PTSD FAQ by WFTV on Scribd Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) American Airlines will contest a small fine that it faces after federal officials ruled the airline retaliated against flight attendants who complained about jet fuel fumes seeping into airplane cabins. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed a $6,837 fine against the airline after an investigation that started in August. Flight attendants who complained of illness said the airline docked attendance points and discouraged them from reporting the incidents. American has 15 business days from Wednesdays OSHA move to appeal the fine. We respectfully disagree with the investigators findings and have scheduled a conference with OSHA to further discuss the investigation, American spokesman Rob Himler said Thursday. He said safety is always American's top priority. The federal agencys regional director in Fort Worth, Timothy Minor, said the flight attendants were within their rights to report illnesses related to fumes. Workers must feel empowered to inform managers and others about potential hazards that jeopardize workers safety and health, Minor said in a statement. OSHA did not immediately provide more details about its investigation. Airline unions have complained for many years about flight attendants being exposed to toxic fumes from jet fuel, oil and other substances. Airlines are not required to tell passengers about fume events, and the government does not keep track of how often such incidents occur. The Los Angeles Times reported in 2020 that airlines have asked Boeing to install air sensors on it planes for years. The aircraft manufacturer has resisted because it fears information from the sensors could help crew members and passengers in lawsuits and lead to sensors being required on all planes, the newspaper said. Last year, several Democrats in Congress introduced union-backed legislation to require airlines to install air-monitoring equipment on planes and require the Federal Aviation Administration to track and report on the number of fume incidents reported by airline crews. The legislation died without ever getting a vote. JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A 16-year-old Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli forces in the Israeli occupied West Bank city of Nablus early on Thursday, Palestinian officials said. The Israeli military said its soldiers had fired shots overnight in the West Bank but did not confirm the fatalties. "During the activity, armed suspects fired towards the soldiers, who responded with live fire," a statement from the military said. Last year saw the worst levels of violence in the West Bank in more than a decade, much of it concentrated around Nablus and the nearby city of Jenin, since Israel launched a crackdown against militants in response to fatal Palestinian street attacks. (Reporting by Emily Rose, Ali Sawafta; editing by Barbara Lewis) The Panasonic nanoe X Air Purifier in a vehicle's cup holder with a simulated air purifying effect applied. Part of the fun of buying a new car is that distinctive new car smell you only get from a vehicle fresh off the dealers lot, but its also probably a smell you really shouldnt be inhaling. (Womp, womp!) Instead of driving around for weeks with all the windows open to get rid of it, Panasonics nanoe X is a portable air purifier that can be perched in a cup holder to clear a vehicles interior of unwanted smells. Years ago, we reached out to Toyota to find out exactly where that new car smell came from, and the answer, unfortunately, was from volatile organic compounds being emitted from plastics and vinyls in the vehicle still off-gassing after manufacturing. As appealing as that smell may be to some people, those compounds are actually air pollutants that should probably be avoided, and a vehicles own air filtration system isnt enough to quickly eradicate them. Read more The Panasonic nanoe X Air Purifier, which looks like an insulated coffee mug, on its own against a white background. Panasonic promises the USB-powered air purifier designed to sit in most cup holders can clean all the air in a cars cabin in about two hours (expect longer times for larger vehicles) using a fan producing whisper-level sound at 36-decibels, which you probably wont hear at all while your vehicle is being driven. The purifier relies on the companys nanoe X technology, which its used in other purifying products before. Those namesake nanoes are nano-sized electrostatic atomized water particles produced by applying a high voltage to water collected from the air and contains hydroxyl radicals (highly reactive components) that easily act on various substances. Not only can they reduce the intensity of odors, they can also help inhibit viruses, bacteria, mold, and allergens, both air-borne and on surfaces. The technology sounds chock full of questionable buzzwords, but Panasonic says its nanoe X products have been certified by organizations like the California Air Resource Board, Intertek, and the Electrical Testing Laboratory, so well give them the benefit of the doubt until were able to go hands-on with the device, but pricing and availability arent known yet. Update 3/7/23 at 4:15 PM ET: This article previously credited Underwriters Laboratories where it now credits Intertek. The change reflects a recent change on Panasonics news room website. Story continues More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Roxanne Gragos fifth-grade students at Lake Marie Elementary should be able to read a short story, analyze it, and support their analyses with examples from the text. But Grago said that during school closures and other pandemic-era disruptions, students fell behind academically. Today, they struggle to interpret the meaning of a story because they didnt master the basics of reading. Many didnt receive adequate instruction in phonics, the practice of sounding out words, when they were in full-time remote learning in third grade. Thats another reason why my students arent progressing, Grago said. You dont teach phonics in fourth and fifth grade. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Across California, teachers like Grago are struggling to get their students back on track after they missed large chunks of reading instruction in third grade a pivotal year for literacy, when students transition from learning to read to reading to learn. Reading at grade level by third grade ensures they can understand their science and history textbooks in later grades. The stakes are high for getting students caught up. Studies show that students who cant read at grade level by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school as well as earn smaller salaries and have lower standards of living as adults. When students missed the most crucial year for learning to read, the system was never set up to help support them, said Shervaughnna Anderson-Byrd, the director of UCLAs California Reading & Literature Project. They came back to a system that assumed they had received instruction. Thats another reason why my students arent progressing. You dont teach phonics in fourth and fifth grade. Roxanne Grago, fifth-grade teacher at Lake Marie Elementary State standardized test data released in recent months show Grago isnt the only teacher trying to help students recover fundamental reading skills. Californias Smarter Balanced tests are given to almost all students in grades three through eight and grade eleven every year. They measure whether students have mastered state standards for math and English language arts. Students take the assessments every spring with scores released the following school year, usually in the fall. Story continues The test was canceled in spring 2020 and was optional in 2021. The spring 2022 test results provided the first comprehensive look at how much students fell behind since the start of the pandemic. Both math and English language arts scores dropped, but no other subject controls how well students learn other subjects than foundational reading. Among all grade levels, state data show third-graders saw the steepest declines in English language arts: Comparing 2019 to 2022, the share of third-graders meeting or exceeding standards dropped from 49% to 42%. Among California school districts that tested more than 100 third-graders, South Whittier Elementarys third-graders saw the biggest drop. In 2019, 36% of third-graders in the district met or exceeded English language arts standards. In 2022, that number plummeted by more than half, to under 18%. Remote learning and pandemic disruptions had disparate impacts for English learners and low-income students, who are more likely to be Black and Latino. At South Whittier, about a third of students are English learners and nearly 90% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Closing the achievement gap for Black, Latino and low-income students has long been the goal of policymakers in California. Under the states education funding formula, public schools serving more low-income families, English learners and foster children get more money from the state. But students in those groups were more likely to fall behind during remote learning due to a lack of internet access, language barriers and mental health challenges. In the early months of the pandemic, teachers taught lessons to faces on computer screens, but some students turned their cameras off. While some students managed to keep up, some had to work out of cars in Starbucks parking lots for a reliable Wi-Fi signal. And others just disappeared from this virtual version of school, forced to take care of siblings or work to help pay rent. Statewide, the achievement gap between Latino students and white students on the Smarter Balanced tests grew slightly. Latino students in third grade saw a slightly steeper drop in test scores than third-graders overall. They went from 38% in 2019 to 31% of students meeting or exceeding standards in spring 2022. Black third-graders saw less of a decline, but they have the smallest percentage of students who met or exceeded English language arts standards, at 27% in spring 2022. This becomes about social justice and race, Anderson-Byrd said. Our Black and brown children are suffering the most with low reading scores. Especially our Black children. Two years ago, Gragos students were in third grade and should have mastered phonics and started reading for comprehension. But that school year, Lake Marie Elementary School in the South Whittier School District had moved to full-time remote learning, a period of tumultuous and disrupted instruction for students statewide. Grago had the same students last year when they were in fourth grade. She said her students have gotten closer to reading at grade level since last year, but about a quarter of them still struggle with phonics. We did very little phonics instruction last year, but I shouldve done more, Grago said. Now they definitely need it. Snowballing learning loss Even though many students are far below grade level in reading ability, Californias education system requires teachers to meet specific instruction standards for each grade. Because the state assesses districts on these standards through the Smarter Balanced tests, teachers feel unable to spend more time teaching students the material they may have missed in past years. Our system is not designed for the individual child, Anderson-Byrd said. Our system is designed for the system. The South Whittier School District requires fifth-grade teachers to grade students on 54 standards across all subjects. In English language arts, students should be able to compare two characters from a story, synthesize information from multiple sources and identify the main ideas of a written work. Grago said these requirements leave little time for catch-up. Ive been looking at what they have to learn in fifth grade, and its harder to fit in phonics, Grago said. It just keeps snowballing. I feel bad handing the middle school teachers these students. Because I dont know how theyre going to make up the losses. Emily Thompson, sixth-grade teacher at Lake Marie Elementary Educators and experts have widely referred to this missed instruction as learning loss. Teachers tasked with helping students catch up while meeting mandated standards feel students will never recover what they lost, especially in literacy. Emily Thompson, who teaches sixth grade at Lake Marie, said the typical student in her class reads at a fourth-grade level. Up until last month, the average reading level for her class was third grade. She said shes genuinely afraid of her students inability to read at grade level before they move onto middle school. I feel bad handing the middle school teachers these students, she said. Because I dont know how theyre going to make up the losses that I couldnt make up. Thus far, teachers say absences and positive COVID cases are down this school year compared to Januarys omicron surge, but students still have a hard time focusing in class after a year of learning from home. Thompsons students sit on the ground in front of her facing the white board. Theyre reading a novel together called Esperanza Rising, about a Mexican family that immigrates to California during the Great Depression. One of her students is learning English and follows along with a Spanish version of the book. There are several students talking to each other instead of paying attention as Thompson tries to start a discussion about the novels characters. In terms of COVID-related disruptions, this year has been much more stable, she said. But I would say student behaviors have been worse. It makes it more difficult to teach. Getting extra help Carmen Gonzalez is the reading interventionist at Lake Marie. She sits at the head of a semi-circular table with half a dozen students around her. She sounds out words on a card while her students repeat after her. Students at Lake Marie who are furthest behind get pulled out of their classrooms and work with Gonzalez for half an hour a day. When you enter a first-grade classroom today, it feels like youre entering a kindergarten classroom, she said, describing the literacy levels of current students. It might take a couple of more years to undo the academic fallout of the past three years and get students reading at grade level, Gonzalez said, but shes encouraged by the progress her students have made this year. Children are like sponges, she said. Before the pandemic, they used to be more embarrassed about having to meet with her, but now getting extra help has become more normalized. They may feel that, Oh, Im going there because I didnt do well on a test, she said. Eventually, Gonzalez said, students adapt to and start to enjoy the ritual of working with her. But Grago said students need much more than half an hour a day. I dont think its a significant amount of time, she said. I dont know if its really making a difference. Students can also stay after school for extra help, but Grago said only about half of the students who really need it will stay. In general, making extra help optional outside of the school day creates inequities. For example, students whose parents have flexible schedules will be more likely to get rides home if they stay after school than those who dont. Intervention should not be optional, Anderson-Byrd said. It means that youre already selecting some students to fall behind. Thompson said that last year, the school had three reading specialists, but two moved to teaching classes. The school hasnt been able to fill those positions, leaving Gonzalez as the sole specialist. Were kinda stuck. We do the best we can, Thompson said. But truly we arent doing enough because there arent enough resources. Anderson-Byrd said its possible to recover learning loss while teaching students new material. Shes seen some principals use COVID relief funding from the federal government to hire several reading specialists and conduct frequent assessments of all students. Some schools focus on literacy across all subjects. Science, math and social studies instruction all can be opportunities to focus on reading, Anderson-Byrdd said. South Whittier School District administrators are confident that test scores will bounce back closer to pre-pandemic levels by the spring. Rebecca Rodriguez, associate superintendent of educational services at South Whittier School District, said the 2021-22 school year was far from normal and not a good baseline. You cant have a knee-jerk reaction to last years scores, Rodriguez said. The scores are going to be different this year. Experts agree that last years test scores dont determine the fate of students who endured the pandemic. We need to look at the data four years out since the start of the pandemic to see how persistent this drop-off is, said P. David Pearson, an education professor at UC Berkeley. We need to look at the current fourth-graders two years from now. In the meantime, the current crisis in literacy presents an opportunity to rethink reading instruction, Anderson-Byrd said. Most aspiring elementary school teachers receive about 10 weeks or one semester of training in English Language Arts, which includes reading and writing, during their one-year credentialing programs. She said reading instruction deserves a year-long course with more emphasis on developmental psychology, which focuses on how young brains work. Additionally, because California serves so many English learners, Anderson-Byrd said reading instruction courses should also focus on language acquisition. That means first training teachers on better assessing their students language abilities and identifying students who need extra help from language specialists. I hear a lot of teachers saying they just want to get back to normal, but for some kids thats two years of instruction they missed, Anderson-Byrd said. There is no normal. Its almost criminal to throw them back into the system and expect things to be normal. This story was originally published by CalMatters. CalMatters reporter Erica Yee contributed to this story. By Daniela Desantis ASUNCION (Reuters) - Paraguay would cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and open relations with China if the opposition wins the election in April, its presidential candidate Efrain Alegre told Reuters, hoping to boost soy and beef exports that are its main economic engines. The ruling party candidate, meanwhile, told Reuters he would maintain ties with Taiwan, a self-governed island that China considers one of its provinces and not a county, making the geopolitical question a center-piece of the election race. Paraguay is one of only 14 nations globally that retains diplomatic ties with Taiwan and the only South American country to do so. China has convinced a number of the island's allies to shift allegiance in recent years, the last being Nicaragua. Alegre, candidate of a broad coalition that will seek to defeat the conservative ruling Colorado Party, said Paraguay should establish relations with China to open access to its huge soy and beef markets, long a demand of farmers in the country. "Paraguay must have relations with China," Alegre said in a recent interview after being named presidential candidate. "Our interests in livestock and grain sectors are currently suffering a major loss," he added. "We hold this critical position towards relations with Taiwan because we don't think we get enough back from this relationship." Santiago Pena, the Colorado Party candidate, said Paraguay's over six decades of ties with Taiwan would remain intact if he won the April 30 vote. "I do not see any change in that sense," Pena told Reuters. "I will defend the historical relationship with Taiwan." Neither the political parties nor independent consultancies have released opinion polls on the elections, but some analysts predict a close result between Pena and Alegre. There are other small parties running in the single-round election. Taiwan's foreign ministry told Reuters that it was paying close attention to Paraguay's upcoming election and was seeking to strengthen ties with candidates on all sides. Story continues "Our embassy is actively strengthening contact and communication with candidates from different political parties to win support for the Taiwan-Paraguay friendship," the ministry said in a statement. The democratically-ruled island strongly rejects China's sovereignty claims, which have grown in recent years with Beijing ramping up diplomatic, military and economic pressure. China says the island's allies remain with Taipei only due to pressure from Washington and so-called "dollar diplomacy". PRESSURE FROM FARMERS Paraguay's Taiwan ties have been under the pressure in recent years, especially from the country's beef producers and farmers, who see the relationship as an obstacle to gaining access to the world's largest market for their products. "We make a sacrifice for the political support given to Taiwan and on balance, we consider that we receive very little in compensation," Pedro Galli, president of the Rural Association of Paraguay (ARP), told Reuters. Paraguayan imports from China totaled $4 billion in 2021, while exports stood at just $30 million. Paraguay had a trade surplus with Taiwan that year of $118 million. The ARP, the country's largest cattle farming chamber, has been sounding out possible support for China among candidates since December primaries in a series of political meetings. Paraguay produces around 300,000 tonnes of beef a year. "We will be measuring the temperature," added Galli. Paraguay is a top 10 global beef exporter and the fourth largest soybean exporter, its main cash crop. Soybean production is about 10 million tonnes per year and with its derivatives, it generates more than $2 billion in foreign currency. Hector Cristaldo, president of the Union of Production Guilds, the main soybean chamber, said the country was currently locked out of China, which he said made up some two-thirds of the global market. "Today it is practically impossible to sell products to that huge market," he said. "What we produce is enough for a neighborhood in a city in China, but what interests (Beijing) is us breaking ties with Taiwan. That is the dilemma that Paraguay has and that our authorities have to resolve." (This story has been refiled to remove alerts from the text) (Reporting by Daniela Desantis; Additional reporting by Sarah Wu; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Marguerita Choy) Peloton has agreed to pay a $19 million fine as part of a settlement over its treadmill recall, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Thursday. The fitness company recalled its Tread+ and Tread treadmills in May 2021 following reports of more than a dozen injuries and the death of a child. MORE: Peloton recalls Tread, Tread+ treadmills after reports of injuries, death The settlement with the federal regulatory agency resolves the charge that "Peloton knowingly failed to immediately report to CPSC, as required by law, that its Tread+ treadmill contained a defect that could create a substantial product hazard and created an unreasonable risk of serious injury to consumers," CPSC said in a statement. CPSC said Peloton started receiving reports of incidents and injuries with the treadmills, including entrapment in the rear, as early as December 2018 though did not immediately report to the commission. By the time the company did file a report with CPSC, there were more than 150 reports of people, pets and objects being pulled under the rear of the Tread+ treadmill, as well as 13 injuries ranging from broken bones to friction burns, according to CPSC. A 6-year-old child also died on March 3, 2021, after being pulled under the rear of the Tread+ treadmill, CPSC said. PHOTO: A Peloton Tread+ exercise machine for sale at the company's showroom in Dedham, Mass. (Adam Glanzman/Bloomberg via Getty Images) The penalty also settles the charge that Peloton "knowingly distributed" 38 recalled Tread+ treadmills through Peloton personnel and third-party delivery firms from May to August of 2021, in violation of the Consumer Product Safety Act, CPSC said. CPSC accepted the $19,065,000 settlement agreement by a 4-0 vote late last month, subject to public comment, marking one of the largest civil penalties in its history, commissioners said. "By acting with one voice, the CPSC sends a loud and clear warning to companies who continue to sell dangerous products that they know can cause serious injury or death," Commission Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric said in a statement. "By failing to report these incidents to the Commission immediately, Peloton not only violated the Consumer Product Safety Act, but also consumers' trust." Story continues MORE: Parents who claim toddler was severely injured by Peloton treadmill call it a 'death trap' Peloton said it was "pleased" to have reached the settlement agreement. "Peloton remains deeply committed to the safety and well-being of our Members and to the continuous improvement of our products," the company said in a statement, adding that it looks forward to "working cooperatively with the CPSC to further enhance Member safety." Peloton is currently pursuing the commission's approval of a Tread+ rear guard that would "further augment its safety features," the company said. As part of the settlement agreement, Peloton must also maintain an "enhanced compliance program" regarding the Consumer Product Safety Act and filed annual reports regarding this program for five years, CPSC said. Peloton agrees to pay $19 million fine over treadmill recall: CPSC originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Dr. Aida Rostami, a 36-year-old Iranian physician, was found in dead in December, with her body showing signs of torture. According to news reports, she had lost one eye, and half her face was crushed. Her crime? Rostami was a doctor committed to her Hippocratic oath. She was tortured to death simply for providing medical treatment to anti-regime protesters in Iran. On Dec. 12, she was taking care of several wounded protesters in Ekbatan District of Tehran when she left a protesters house to get supplies and was arrested. Advertisement Rostami vowed to become a doctor after losing her father to cancer when she was young. She risked her life saving Iranians during the pandemic, only to end up being tortured to death for helping her countrymen through a different kind of crisis. Irans anti-regime protests have continued for more than 100 days with slogans such as death to Khomeini, referring to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, echoing all over the country. Tehran has responded with a heavy and ruthless crackdown. According to the main Iranian opposition movement, the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran, or PMOI/MEK, at least 750 protesters, including at least 65 juveniles, have been killed. As many as 30,000 have been arrested. Advertisement Accumulating reports describe security forces raiding hospitals and taking away protesters to be tortured and interrogated. A number of hospital managers have revealed that they have been forced to provide lists of patients to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. As such, many protesters have been avoiding hospitals, even after being severely wounded. This phenomenon has spawned a network of night doctors who are dedicated to treating injured protesters outside of the hospital system and out of view of security forces. That network has produced many unsung heroes, and Rostami is not the only one to lose her life. Neither is the current situation unique. In the 1980s, when I was a medical student at the University of Tehran in Iran, I treated several activists at their homes or wherever they were hiding from the authorities, with almost no equipment and meager supplies. I was arrested and severely tortured during that time and eventually transferred to a ward crammed with prisoners at Evin Prison. As soon as they found out that I was a medical student, my secret role as a prison doctor began. I was lucky to leave prison alive, considering that I, too, was an activist with MEK. Then, as now, the MEK enjoyed massive support among people from all walks of life, including technocrats and physicians. It has been the clerical regimes archenemy since its inception, and as such, some 120,000 MEK activists, including more than 30% of my classmates, have been executed in Iran over the years. After fleeing Iran, I became a professor of surgery in the U.S. and a surgeon-scientist, but although more than three decades have passed, Ive never forgotten the anguish I saw among young activists in Iran, for whom I could do so little. Iranians from all walks of life have risen up against the regime to establish a democratic republic. Once again, I find it encouraging that so many Iranian medical professionals have been defying the regimes efforts to entrap and arrest injured activists. Furthermore, I am proud that the MEKs resistance units have helped coordinate the network of night doctors while also playing a central role in the uprising. Heroes such as Rostami are making the ultimate sacrifice to bring about democracy and freedom in Iran. Considering my own experiences, I can well imagine what Iranian doctors and nurses have been going through since the uprising began in mid-September. By the end of November, it was reported that at least three doctors had been slapped with capital charges including enmity against God. It became apparent that these charges might lead to the defendants executions. At least two people have been hanged for their participation in the protests, and authorities have warned that many more could quickly follow. Advertisement The international community has duly condemned the two known executions and the accompanying death sentences, as well as the reported rapes of women in custody and the mass shootings of protesters in the streets. There is value in those statements, but with Irans nationwide uprising entering its fourth month, it is becoming ever more important for Western democracies and human rights defenders to take concrete actions in support of the uprising, its participants and the principles of those supporting it, including Iranian medical personnel. The international community should vociferously condemn the Iranian regimes atrocities and take actions such as imposing serious sanctions, halting negotiations with the regime and recognizing the right of Iranians to defend themselves. Medical associations should urge the U.S. government to do whatever it can to help Iranian protesters. Rostami had the courage to risk her life for her commitment to her Hippocratic oath. Countless activists are demonstrating the same courage today but also waiting to see what the free world will do to support them in their battle against the regime in Tehran. Do our policymakers have the resolve to show the ayatollahs that they can no longer get away with the crimes they have been perpetrating for more than 40 years? I am hopeful at the start of 2023. Dr. Firouz Daneshgari is an Iranian American surgeon and scientist based in Ohio. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. In late December, the Pentagon was faced with Congress repealing its requirement that all troops be vaccinated against COVID-19, an issue that had wide public interest. The department whipped up a fact sheet and talking points on Dec. 23 so its spokespeople and public affairs officers could answer questions from curious reporters. All of the information in the seven-page document, which was obtained by Military.com, had been released before or was intended to be made public. But the document itself was labeled "CUI/NOT FOR RELEASE." The label designates "controlled unclassified information," or info that has not been classified in the traditional way but the Pentagon has decided should be kept from the public based on a 2020 policy. That withholding of a wide array of documents, such as press releases on vaccinations, has drawn scrutiny, with critics arguing that the designation is being used more to prevent embarrassment than protect national security. Read Next: New Clinic for Military Families Exposed to Red Hill Fuel a 'Dog and Pony Show,' Patients Say Now, the Pentagon is being forced to review the new practice, and prove it's not abusing its power to conceal documents. Congress included the order in its $1.7 trillion annual spending bill, which includes 2023 funding for the military. The massive piece of legislation was signed by President Joe Biden last week. Tucked into the law is a measure that gives Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks less than a month to review the use of CUI and brief congressional committees on the findings, according to an explanatory statement included with the spending bill. Congress set a 30-day deadline on the review when the bill was passed. The Senate Appropriations Committee said in the explanatory statement released with the spending bill that, while it "supports common sense security practices, it is concerned that the extensive use of CUI will result in less transparency, accountability, and congressional oversight." Story continues Put simply, they are worried the Pentagon could be keeping basic info from taxpayers for no good reason. Meanwhile, the Pentagon was also ordered in the National Defense Authorization Act to update guidance for the use of CUI as part of classified and protected unclassified programs, as well as updated training on how to use those guidelines. The department's independent watchdog, the inspector general, also announced in October it had launched an audit of the policy and use of the "controlled unclassified information" label. "The Department of Defense is aware of the provision in the enacted fiscal 2023 Consolidate Appropriations Act to conduct a review of the use of controlled unclassified information and will respond accordingly to Congress. The DoD remains committed to transparency to promote accountability and public trust, but must balance that with the vital need to protect critical and sensitive non-public information," Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough wrote in an email response to Military.com. The Pentagon sees tighter control of the massive amount of information and documents it produces -- the department is the largest federal agency -- as an issue of national security. Many individual documents on their own may not contain information that can be used against the U.S., but when thousands are compiled, they can reveal details about defenses that could be useful to other nations or hostile groups. For example, China or Russia could gain insight into weapons programs, personnel or force posture around the world by sifting public documents. The vast sea of public military documents has been the "path of least resistance for adversaries," according to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. The Pentagon issued its policy on the use of CUI in March 2020, following creation of the designation by former President Barack Obama a decade earlier as a new way to manage information. The designation is used by other federal agencies as well. The guidance from 2020 bars the use of CUI to conceal violations of law, administrative error and inefficiencies; prevent embarrassment to the Pentagon or personnel; or to prevent open business competition. The Pentagon's top spokesman, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, declined to answer whether the label was overused during a public press briefing last month, ahead of passage of the spending bill as the department typically does not comment on pending legislation. "My response is CUI. Sorry," Ryder joked to the reporter who asked the question. -- Travis Tritten can be reached at travis.tritten@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @Travis_Tritten. Related: FBI Seized 'Top Secret' Documents from Trump Home Update 3:06 p.m. by Amy Paige Condon and Drew Favakeh SAVANNAH Savannah Police arrested Vickie Lynn Williams, 51, on Monday evening as a person of interest in the murder of a retired Mt. Dora, Florida couple. The bodies of Darrell Getman, 83, and his wife Sharon, 80, were discovered in their Waterman Village Home on Dec. 31. Mount Dora police placed a bulletin on the couples green Kia Soul, which was seen on security cameras being driven out of the retirement community around 2 a.m. At 11:20 p.m. on Monday evening, according to a Savannah Police report, plain clothes officer Devin O'Neil spotted a green 2019 Kia Soul in the parking lot of the Amtrak Station, 2601 Seaboard Coastline Drive. O'Neil confirmed it was reported stolen from Florida and called for backup. O'Neil and the responding detective ordered Williams, a Savannah-area resident, to exit the car. She was arrested and transported to the Chatham County Detention Center. According to an unnamed source at the Chatham County Courthouse, Williams is expected to be extradited to Florida on Friday. Original article: MOUNT DORA Police on Tuesday named the elderly couple slain in their Waterman Village Home on Saturday and also announced the arrest of a person of interest who was found driving the couple's car in another state. The couple was identified as 83-year-old Darrell Getman and his wife, Sharon, 80. Authorities at a 3 p.m. news conference did not, however, identify the woman found driving their car. She has been charged with vehicle theft. State Attorney Bill Gladsons office is seeking extradition, but would not say where she was arrested. The original story:Police call deaths of elderly Mount Dora couple 'suspicious in nature' Earlier coverage: Mount Dora police still investigating double homicide After the storm: Three months after Hurricane Ian landfall, Florida's official death toll at 144 Mount Dora Interim Police Chief Mike Gibson said Gladson and his team have been working the case and apparently are asking a state court not to release the suspect on bail. Story continues Darryl and Sharon Getman Mount Dora police had put out a bulletin on the couples green Kia Soul, and the vehicle was spotted by police in that state. Gibson said he got word of the arrest during Mondays news conference. An emotional Gibson describes the case Gibson began Tuesdays news conference by pointing to an enlarged photo of the Getmans. Interim Mount Dora Police Chief Mike Gibson addresses a town hall meeting on Monday. Take a moment to look at Mr. and Mrs. Getman, he said. You can see they were enjoying their golden years of retirement, something we all look forward, to, right? However, in this case, the golden years of Darrell and Sharon were tragically cut short by a ruthless and senseless double homicide. He said a woman entered the complex on Dec. 30 at about 3 p.m., dressed in a particular way and was escorted out by security through an entry point in an opening in the rear of the complex. At 4:14 p.m., she was seen again on security video on Lake Mary Circle. She was wearing the same outfit, very distinctive, he said. At about 10:58 p.m. on the same date, she went to apartment 4105 at 301 Lake Margaret Circle, and asked the woman there, Can I take a shower? Waterman Village Lakeside Community off Donnelly Street in Mount Dora. Alarmed by the bizarre request, the woman hit a security panic button, alerting security. Did you call 911? the woman asked. When the resident said she had, she ran out the door, snatching a set of keys as she fled. Mount Dora police also responded. About three hours later, at 2:02 a.m., security camera footage captured an image of the Getmans' car being driven out of the retirement community. A woman was found driving the Getmans' Kia Soul. About 10 or 11 minutes later, the woman returned to the security gate, but the staff would not allow her to re-enter the complex. She turned north on Donnelly and then onto a back construction road. Security followed briefly but lost sight of her. By about 4 p.m. on Sunday, a neighbor became concerned and called security when he saw the Getmans' garage door open at 161 Lake Margaret Circle. When they entered the apartment, they saw the slain couple and called police. Gibson became choked up talking about the crime and drummed his fingers briefly on the podium. You know, I think about [it], because I retired once, I think about the golden years. So, I do take this personal, he said. He continued to refuse to release details, including how the Getmans were killed, or even how the womans clothing was so distinctive. He described the investigation as a 3,000-piece puzzle, and weve simply put together the corners and the sides. We still have a long way to go. Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent Lee Massie said he has put a rush on evidence, including DNA, so it will be available Wednesday. We have the victims DNA, he said. Other genetic evidence will have to be compared to something, presumably the person of interest or a national database. Gibson said he was pretty confident the slaying was random, and that the woman was just passing through the area. He said there was no prior connection of the person to Mount Dora, and very little to Central Florida. He is still asking citizens to call Crimeline with any information at 352-425-0940. There is a $10,000 reward. The City of Mount Dora is a safe community, he said, and described the crime as a once-in-a-lifetime event. This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Police arrest person in Savannah GA for Florida double homicide MOUNT DORA Police in Savannah, Georgia have arrested the person of interest in the slaying of Darryl and Sharon Getman in their Waterman Village Home on Sunday. Vickie Lynn Williams, 50, of Savannah, was arrested Monday afternoon in the Getmans' Kia Soul and is being held on a Florida grand theft auto charge. The State Attorneys Office is working to extradite her back to Lake County and update the charges to homicide. Mount Dora police announced the woman's name and the arrest location Wednesday night. They previously had announced only the arrest. The first story: Police call deaths of elderly Mount Dora couple 'suspicious in nature' Earlier coverage: 'Person of interest' arrested in deaths of Mount Dora couple After Ian: Three months after Hurricane Ian landfall, Florida's official death toll at 144 Also on Wednesday, police released a statement from Getmans adult children, Anthony and Brittany Getman. Darryl and Sharon Getman We are stunned, devastated and heart-broken by the horrific murder of our parents. If there are words to describe what has happened and its impact to our family and the community, we have not found them, they said. Interim Mount Dora Police Chief Mike Gibson said he received word of the arrest during a Tuesday afternoon press conference but refused to release the woman's name at that time. He has held his cards close to his vest, including how the Getmans were killed, but indicated that police had issued a be-on-the-lookout bulletin for the car. Here is what happened in Savannah, Georgia A detective with the Savannah Police Department noted in his report that he spotted the 2019 Kia at the Amtrak station at 11:20 a.m. The car was occupied by a driver and the engine was running. A woman was found driving the Getmans' Kia Soul. He verified the car was stolen by checking the license plate and called for backup. Another detective arrived in a marked patrol car and ordered Williams to exit the car. She was placed in handcuffs and the vehicle was towed. This is how the case developed Gibson did reveal in a press conference Tuesday afternoon that a woman entered the retirement community on Lake Margaret Circle on Dec. 30, at about 3 p.m., dressed in a particular way and was escorted out by security through an entry point in an opening in the rear of the complex. Story continues At 4:14 p.m. the same woman was seen again on security video on Lake Mary Circle. She was wearing the same outfit, very distinctive, he said. At about 10:58 p.m. on the same date, she went to apartment 4105 at 301 Lake Margaret Circle, and asked the woman there, Can I take a shower? The woman hit a security panic button, alerting security. Did you call 911? the woman asked. When the resident said she had, the woman ran out the door, but not before grabbing a set of keys. Mount Dora police also responded. The keys were to a car and a mailbox, but not the Getmans' car. Interim Mount Dora Police Chief Mike Gibson addresses a town hall meeting. About three hours later, at 2:02 a.m., security camera footage captured an image of the Getmans' car being driven out of the retirement community. About 10 or 11 minutes later, the driver returned to the security gate, but the staff would not allow her to re-enter the complex. She turned north on Donnelly and then onto a back construction road. Security followed briefly but lost sight of her. By about 4 p.m. on Sunday, a neighbor became concerned when he saw the Getmans' garage door open at 161 Lake Margaret Circle and called security. When they entered the apartment, they saw the slain couple and called police. Asked how the woman got inside the gated community, Gibson said there are gaps in the fence. He said the company has brought in its security experts to analyze the independent-living complex, which was opened last year across Donnelly Street from the older section of the community, which includes assisted living and other care facilities. Waterman Village Lakeside Community off Donnelly Street in Mount Dora. The chief executive officer for Waterman Villages could not be reached for comment Thursday. Gibson said his crime prevention people were assisting the company in reviewing their procedures. Gibson said there were other reports, apparently about the same woman, knocking on doors asking if she could plug her cellphone into an outlet. Gibson did not return calls Thursday. It is unknown if Williams is cooperating with the investigation, including talking to his detectives. A $10,000 reward Williams described herself as a self-employed real estate agent, on her jail records. Those records indicate that she is 5-foot-6 and weighs 159 pounds. Gibson has repeatedly asked residents to call in with information. There is a $10,000 reward through Crimeline. The number to call is 1-800-423-TIPS. The statement from the Getmans son and daughter stated, Mom and Dad had been residents of Mount Dora for over 20 years and truly loved the area. They were enjoying their golden years staying active and spending time with their many friends. We appreciate all the support we have received. It just shows how well thought of our parents were." Darryl was 83. Sharon was 80. We have every confidence in Chef Michael Gibson and the Mount Dora PD and Special Agent Lee Massie and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. They and their teams have worked tirelessly together and with other agencies to solve this crime. We look forward to a successful resolution. We humbly ask you to respect our privacy in this most difficult time and to allow law enforcement to complete their mission to solve this tragically unnecessary crime, they said. Gibson has said his agency has had no contact with Williams in the past, and believes she was just passing through the area. This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Mount Dora homicide 'person of interest' in custody in Savannah, Ga. A Philadelphia man was sentenced Thursday to at least a decade in state prison for selling large amounts of illegal drugs in Centre County. David E. Blanchett Jr., 31, was sentenced by Senior Judge Pamela Ruest to a minimum of 10 years in state prison. His maximum sentence is 30 years. He received credit for about two years served in the Centre County Correctional Facility. Blanchett declined comment before his sentence was handed down. Defense lawyer Stephanie Cooper declined comment after the hearing. Blanchett was arrested in May 2021. He was accused of organizing the sale of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine for more than a year in Bellefonte and State College. A grand jury wrote in a presentment that Blanchett brought the illegal drugs from Philadelphia and sold them between November 2018 and January 2020 from hotels and residences in Centre County. Buyers would pay for the drugs with cash or mobile payment services, the grand jury wrote. Blanchett pleaded guilty in September to 10 felony counts of possession to deliver and one felony count each of corrupt organizations, criminal use of a communication facility and conspiracy. Prince Harry is speaking candidly once again about the rift between himself and his older brother Prince William, as well as his desire to reconcile despite their volatile past. The Duke of Sussex shared insight into the brothers long rumoured feud in his new memoir Spare, in which he claimed that Prince William once physically attacked him after a fight over Harrys now-wife Meghan Markle. The newest details about the sibling rivalry come years after a rumoured rift between William and Harry was first reported in 2018. The allegation came as a surprise to many, considering the closeness of the brothers who were said to have leaned on one another after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. However, a number of factors are said to have contributed to a growing division among the brothers, including Prince Harrys relationship with Meghan. The couple began dating in 2016 and later had their royal wedding in 2018. During this time, a number of reports emerged about Prince Williams alleged disapproval of his younger brothers relationship. The speculation of a feud increased when Harry and Meghan announced in 2020 that they intended to step away from their roles as senior members of the royal family. Prince Harry recently reflected on his brothers angry reaction to this decision during his and Meghans new Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan. He claimed that the Prince of Wales screamed at him during a meeting with the late Queen. It was terrifying to have my brother scream and shout at me, Harry said in the docuseries of the meeting that took place at Sandringham estate with Queen Elizabeth, William and King Charles. Harry has now shared a number of new allegations about his brothers behaviour in his memoir. This is everything Prince William and Prince Harry have said about their feud. Prince Harry confirms existence of a rift between himself and William The Duke of Sussex addressed the rumours he and William were feuding, and seemingly confirmed the reports, during ITVs October 2019 documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey. Story continues Part of this role and part of this job, and this family, being under the pressure that its under, inevitably, you know, stuff happens, Harry said at the time. But look, were brothers, well always be brothers. And were certainly on different paths at the moment, but Ill always be there for him, as I know hell always be there for me. 'As brothers you have good days, you have bad days' Prince Harry says the 'majority of stuff' written about his relationship with his brother William is 'created out of nothing' and adds: 'I love him dearly' #HarryAndMeghan https://t.co/GWs5KfuovM pic.twitter.com/bW7GVALZR6 ITV News (@itvnews) October 20, 2019 The duke then went on to express his love for his brother, who he admitted he saw less frequently, before noting that a majority of the reports of their strained relationship were created out of nothing. We dont see each other as much as we used to because were so busy, but you know, I love him dearly, Harry continued. The majority of this stuff [in the press] is created out of nothing, but you know, as brothers, you know, you have good days, you have bad days. Brothers release joint statement denying bullying accusations In 2020, shortly after Prince Harry and Meghan announced their decision to step back, the Duke of Sussex and the then-Duke of Cambridge issued a joint statement denying a suggestion that William had bullied the couple. Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a UK newspaper today speculating about the relationship between the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge, the joint statement read. For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful. Harry elaborates on tension with his brother during Oprah Winfrey interview In March 2021, Harry and Meghan, who had since relocated to the US, sat down with Winfrey for a wide-ranging interview about their decision to step down from the royal family. During the conversation, the duke claimed that he and his brother were on different paths while opening up about the status of their relationship. As Ive said before, I love William to bits. Hes my brother. Weve been to hell together. But were on different paths, Harry said, adding: The relationship is space at the moment. And time heals all things, hopefully. Prince William tells a reporter he plans to speak to Harry After the dukes interview with Winfrey, Prince William was approached by a reporter, who asked him whether hed spoken to his brother since. In response, William said: No, I havent spoken to him yet but I will. At the time, the Prince of Wales also denied racism allegations laid out by the Sussexes during the Winfrey interview. William told a reporter that the royal family is very much not a racist family. Breaking: Prince William has become the first member of the royal family to publicly address the race row sparked by Harry and Meghans interview. He says he hasn t spoken to his brother yet but will do and royals very much not a racist family. pic.twitter.com/WPtjexzARN Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) March 11, 2021 Winfreys close friend Gayle King later claimed that she had spoken to Harry, and that he had told her he and his brother had been in contact. The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive. But they are glad that they have at least started a conversation, she said on CBS This Morning. Brothers issue joint statement while reuniting for Princess Dianas statue unveiling Amid ongoing tensions between the two brothers, William and Harry reunited for a statue unveiling on what would have been their mothers 60th birthday. Although they did not address their own relationship, the brothers issued a joint statement remembering Diana. Today, on what would have been our mothers 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength, and character - qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better, they said. Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy. Harry avoids a question about whether he misses his brother and father In April 2022, the Duke of Sussex, who was in The Hague attending the Invictus Games, was asked by Todays Hoda Kotb whether he missed his brother and his dad. In response to the question, Prince Harry instead turned the focus on the Invictus athletes and his own family: Meghan and their two children, son Archie and daughter Lilibet. Look, I mean, for me at the moment, Im here focused on these guys and these families and giving everything that I can, 120 per cent, to them to make sure they have the experience of a lifetime, Harry said. Thats my focus here. And then I leave here, I get back and my focus is on my family, who I miss massively. Harry alludes to ongoing feud during Meghans interview with The Cut Meghan sat down with The Cut for a surprise interview in September 2022. Although the duchess was the focus of the story, Harry at one point remarked on the ease with which he and his wife, who run the charitable organisation Archewell, are able to both work together and live together. Most people that I know and many of my family, they arent able to work and live together, Harry said, before adding: Its actually really weird because itd seem like a lot of pressure. But it just feels natural and normal. Harry shares new insight into his and Williams feud in Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan In December 2022, Netflix released the Sussexes highly anticipated docuseries. In volume two, which included the final three episodes of the six-part series, Harry made a number of explosive claims about his brother. One of those claims was that the palace was happy to lie to protect William, but not to protect him and Meghan. Theres leaking, but theres also planting of stories, Harry said. If the comms team want to be able to remove a negative story about their principal, they will trade and give you something else about someone elses principal. During the docuseries, Harry also accused William of breaking a promise that the brothers had made. Apparently, theyd agreed not to let a dirty game play out between their teams when it came to the media. To see my brothers office copy the very same thing that we promised the two of us would never ever do, that was heartbreaking, the duke said. Duke says palace released 2020 joint statement denying bullying without his permission Prince Harry also recalled the joint statement released by the palace, in which he and his brother strongly denied bullying allegations. However, Harry says the statement was released without his permission. I couldnt believe it. No one had asked me permission to put my name to a statement like that I rang [Meghan] and I told her, and she burst into floods of tears because within four hours they were happy to lie to protect my brother and yet for three years, they were never willing to tell the truth to protect us, the duke said. Harry says William screamed at him following his and Meghans decision to step down Perhaps the biggest revelation of the docuseries came when Harry claimed that his brother screamed at him during a meeting with the Queen and their father. It was terrifying to have my brother scream and shout at me, Harry said. In his forthcoming memoir, Prince Harry claims that his brother physically attacked him during a 2018 argument about Meghan. Harry says the incident took place at his London home in 2019, alleging that William became physical after first calling Meghan difficult, rude and abrasive. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor, Harry writes. I landed on the dogs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out. Harry describes William as his archnemesis In an upcoming interview with Good Morning Americas Michael Strahan about the book, the anchor quotes Harry as describing William as his beloved brother and archnemesis. While elaborating on the quote, Harry suggested there has always been a competition between the brothers, which has roots deeper than their recent feud. There has always been this competition between us, weirdly. I think it plays into this heir-spare, Harry said, referring to the title of his book, and his place in the royal hierarchy. Despite the ongoing tension, Harry says hed like to reconcile with his family Harry spoke with ITVs Tom Bradby in the lead-up to the release of the memoir, with a trailer for the 8 January interview showing the duke expressing a desire to reconcile his relationships with his brother and his father. I would like to get my father back, I would like to have my brother back, Harry said in the clip, adding: They feel as though its better to keep us somehow as the villains. As of now, William has not responded to the allegations outlined in his brothers memoir. Piedmont Lithium Inc. announced Tuesday that it has reached an amended agreement with Tesla Inc. to supply the electric vehicle maker with battery materials. RELATED: Permitting process drags on for Piedmont Lithiums mine in Gaston Co. The Belmont-based company said the amended agreement between the parties calls for Piedmont Lithium to supply spodumene concentrate, or SC6, from the North American Lithium project in Quebec. Piedmont Lithium is working with Sayona Quebec to restart SC6 production there this year. Piedmont Lithium said it is working to restart SC6 production at the North American Lithium site in the first half of 2023. Read more here. MBA of the year Larry Gies with iMBA students at his namesake college of business at the University of Illinois The MBA program of the future will be highly flexible and innovative. You can start it by taking a single course at a time for credit, or a sequence of courses that earn you a certificate in a highly sought-after field from digital marketing to business analytics. Its online so you dont have to leave your job. You can pay for it as you go through it, course by course. Besides, its highly affordable and accessible, too. That MBA of the future is here now and it is Poets&Quants MBA Program of the Year. It is the iMBA from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois. From its start in 2016, students have been able to tip-toe into the program course by course. But in the past year, the school has launched yet another on-ramp to the degree, a pair of fully online, credit-bearing graduate certificates, with up to six more options within the year. These 12-credit-hour certificates are designed to reach learners who already hold an undergraduate degree and who dont necessarily want, or need, a full graduate degree. Instead, the certificates in Accounting Data Analytics and Strategic Leadership & Management are built around specific skills or competencies that learners can use for personal improvement and professional advancement. MBA PROGRAM OF THE YEAR: THE iMBA FROM GIES COLLEGE OF BUSINESS For being a true pioneer in the stackable degree field and bringing out the fastest-growing MBA program in the world, Gies iMBA is inventing the future of higher education today. From a standing start in 2016 with an initial cohort of 263 students, iMBA enrollment now totals 4,176 students who reside in 49 states and 85 countries. Some 70 companies out of the Fortune 100 are represented. Gies is the sixth school to earn our annual distinction as the Program of the Year and only the second online experience to do so. Two years ago, Indiana Universitys Kelley School of Business got the nod for its highly innovative online MBA program. Last year, the University of Michigans Ross School of Business won for its two-year MBA program. In 2019, Washington Universitys Olin School of Business was honored for its bold and radical revamp of the schools full-time MBA experience. The University of Rochesters Simon Business School won the honor for gaining STEM designation for its entire MBA program, the first to accomplish such a feat (see MBA Program Of The Year: Rochesters New STEM Play). Cornell Universitys Johnson School won our first MBA Program of the Year award for its Cornell Tech MBA in New York City (see Program of the Year: Cornell Techs MBA). Story continues What do these different MBA options share? In some way, each reflects a reinvention of the conventional MBA degree. After all, aside from a business schools location or culture, the MBA degree is nearly a commoditized academic experience. What everyone learns in a world-class MBA program is pretty much the same. You take a core curriculum of business basics and then choose from a menu of electives that allow a deep dive into a field of your choosing. But Gies does something more, much more in its stackable iMBA degree. iMBA CAREER OUTCOMES SIMILAR TO PRICEY EXECUTIVE MBA PROGRAMS Jeffrey R. Brown, dean of the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Not only is the all-in cost for the iMBA just $23,000 but learners have the option to pay as they go by course instead of paying for an entire semester up-front. It would be easy to think that the price would result in program sacrifices that would lower student satisfaction. But that is not so. In fact, the student satisfaction rate for the program is a remarkable 96%. And the career outcomes of students and graduates are similar to far more expensive Executive MBA programs: 61% of students received a promotion, job offer, or accepted a new position during the iMBA, while the average raise for students during their time in the program is 22%. Those positive stats aside, what sets the program apart from anything else on the market is the ability of a student to stack together credit-bearing courses taken one at a time or in a certificate offering and apply them to the degree. The conversion rate from a MOOC (massive open online course) into an online degree is the highest of any other option on the Coursera platform. Even more impressive, more than 70% of the students taking a single credit-bearing course end up stacking it into the iMBA. Thats exactly what Condola King did. A University of Illinois undergrad who had majored in sociology, she started taking Gies courses through Coursera in 2017. After successfully completing five courses before actually enrolling in the iMBA in 2020. King graduated with a degree last year. I would do it again and I would do it sooner, she says now. The program let me do the MBA on my time. And I paid for it out of pocket so it let me spread the cost out a bit. The MBA allowed me to be braver in conversations, and I feel like I am taken more seriously. SOME 4,000 LEARNERS HAVE ALREADY GRADUATED FROM THE IMBA PROGRAM Few could have imagined that the iMBA would become as successful as it has when it was first launched seven years ago in a partnership with Coursera, the online education platform. Being on that platform of available MOOCs exposed it to countless numbers of prospective students seeking online options. In the first 11 months after the launch, nearly a million visitors checked out the iMBA, with 260,000 active learners taking some part in the coursework and 27,000 earning a certificate. The upshot: Approximately 4,000 learners have already graduated from the iMBA program. With current enrollment topping 4,000, it is one of the largest online MBA programs in the world. The secret sauce for us has always been, really, a combination of three things; a relentless focus on access, looking for all kinds of ways that we can lower barriers for people to earn their business education, combined with a low price point and extremely high quality, says Gies Dean Jeffrey Brown. And I think those three things together really explain it. The market has taken off because I believe that prospective students know an incredible value when they see it. And that combined with all the other things that weve done beyond price to create accessibility, this program really has driven the growth. Many bureaucratic hurdles had to be overcome and massive investments had to be committed to making the program as flexible and innovative as it is. Unlike many other online degree programs that are 100% online and often taught by adjunct teachers, the iMBA boasts live online classes held weekly with the same professors who had taught in the schools residential MBA and Executive MBA programs. Optional global and online immersionsalong with annual on-campus gatheringshelp to bring far-flung students together to forge closer bonds. MBA RANKINGS: NOT FOR THE GIES iMBA In leading the program through its explosive growth, one of the gutsiest decisions made by Dean Brown was not to participate in rankings of online MBA programs. As a result, the schools iMBA is not listed among Poets&Quants rankings of online MBAs nor U.S. News & World Reports ranking. Instead, Gies has relied upon word of mouth and the programs reputation outside of rankings. The reason: Brown says he did not want to be excessively focused on a ranking that fails to give credit to a program that is both highly accessible and highly affordable. No rankings take into account the cost of a program and most rankings hurt schools that fail to reject the majority of candidates who apply. Gies says it admits 72% of its iMBA applicants. Even if there was a perfect ranking out there for us, I dont ever want our ability to be innovative and agile to be constrained by worrying about what some third-party set of metrics is telling us to focus on, he says. Instead, the school has built a webpage touting selected statistics on student satisfaction, recommendation rates, career outcomes, and student demographics. Gies says that its survey of students found that 91% would recommend the iMBA to others and that 95% applied what they learned at work. The accompanying list of student employers is impressive, including AT&T, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Caterpillar, and State Farm Insurance. Illinois Gies has five iMBA studios on campus. The iMBA has revolutionized online business education, and not just because of its $23K price tag. File photo A RANGE OF STACKABLE OPTIONS OPENS UP NEW PATHWAYS TO THE DEGREE MBA program of the year W. Brooke Elliott, Gies executive associate dean of academic programs From the start, Gies went with a stackable design, allowing students to start with a single course and apply it to the 72-credit-hour iMBA degree. But in the past year, the school gained university approval for a series of graduate certificates that disassemble its MBA curriculum into learning bundles. A graduate certificate is a recognized credential from the University of Illinois, explains W. Brooke Elliott, executive associate dean of academic programs. Its comprised of 12 credit hours and each of those courses and those credit hours you also see in our degree. So a learner could go from a MOOC on Coursera and stack it into a single credit-bearing course, or they could stack that single credit-bearing course into a 12-credit-hour graduate certificate, again, a recognized credential, and then at any point in time, they could take that campus graduate certificate and those 12 credit hours and they could stack it into the iMBA. There are even other options. During the pandemic, Gies launched a fully online masters in management that can now be stacked into the iMBA. And so youre halfway there, adds Elliott. And we just believe it provides tremendous flexibility for a learner to proceed through education not in a linear path, but on their own terms. Both Brown and Elliott strongly believe that this is the future of higher education. I think the demands of the workforce are such that people are going to need the ability to come back at any time in their career and access content that is relevant to them at that point in their lives, says Brown. And I think we are seeing, very slowly, more and more institutions start to recognize that and adapt. SCHOOLS THAT FAIL TO CHANGE AND ADAPT WILL PUT THEMSELVES AT RISK But lets be honest, he quickly adds. Weve been doing the degree model for 800 years. And institutions are, by their nature, I dont mean this in a political sense, but theyre conservative in terms of how quickly they change. We have lots of processes and procedures and governance processes in place to protect the core of the university, which really is to preserve excellence, to preserve the role of faculty, and the governing institution. There are a lot of benefits to those processes, but it does mean that change comes about slowly. And I think one of the things that has really distinguished what weve done is that we have found a way to be agile and nimble and innovative in this space. It hasnt been without some difficulties along the way, but I think more and more schools will follow. Institutions of higher education that are slow to adapt will be vulnerable, believes Brown. Schools that dont figure this out are really going to put themselves at risk in the long term because degrees arent going to go away, but I think the era in which degrees are pretty much the only thing that higher ed institutions are in the business of doing is over. That world has passed us by. Were going to see that most of the growth heading into the future is going to come from sub-degrees, credentials, micro-credentials, and things of that nature. Were trying to help set the standard, set the pace, and do it with a continued increase on quality, on academic excellence, as well as access, which is where we started. Indeed, the notion of making higher education more accessible at a time when student debt has become an economic and political issue was central to Gies ability to bust academic norms. Part of it goes back to our mission, says Elliott. We are a land grant institution, so it is mission consistent for us to offer high-quality, flexible education at an affordable price. And when its mission consistent, then campus leadership is on board, and I think whats most important, our faculty are on board. And so you had all of these very intelligent individuals that were driven by the same mission and we recreated the degree model. ONLINE CLASSES SUPPORTED BY TWO PROFS & UP TO 50 COURSE ASSISTANTS That reinvention was core to the programs success. We didnt simply take the model for our residential MBA and put it online, points out Elliott. We thought very differently about how to serve learners at scale. And that started with thinking about a stackable model, but also, weve wholly changed how we deliver a course. The course model is very distinct. At our maximum, we served almost 1,500 individuals in a single course, but we did that because we innovated early where we have a tiered course structure. We have a lead or a co-lead set of faculty members who are our very top-tenured faculty. A lot of times, we have an associate instructor and we have anywhere from 30 to 50 course assistants, and we heavily utilize technology. Its that combination of this tiered-course model, plus being very innovative in the technology space to deliver at scale in a way that makes it also affordable for us. We need to be able to continue to invest in what we do and innovate, but its very important to us that we keep the price low so that its accessible to those both domestically and internationally. Brown attributes the success of the iMBA to the faculty and staff who have often worked feverishly to handle the tremendous growth of the program.If you went back to when I was a brand new dean in 2015 and you asked me to give not an optimistic, but just a straight assessment of where we would be in terms of student satisfaction, in terms of retention rates, and graduation rates, I dont think I could have imagined a better outcome, says Brown. We knew we had something good here, but it has exceeded our expectations. And I attribute that to the faculty and the staff who have worked so hard on this program and have brought their own creativity to bear on it and have really poured their passion into it, he adds. I really mean everybody thats involved. There are hundreds of people in our college that have contributed to the success of these programs, from the folks that are running the cameras, to the people that are editing videos, to the course assistants, as well as obviously the faculty and leadership. So yes, I was surprised, but I guess I should stop being surprised because we just seem to keep delivering really, really great results. DONT MISS: P&QS DEAN OF THE YEAR FOR 2022 or P&QS MBA ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR FOR 2022 The post Poets&Quants MBA Program Of The Year For 2022: Gies iMBA appeared first on Poets&Quants. Police in Mount Dora are releasing more details after a woman was arrested following the deaths of an elderly couple. Police in Mount Dora identified Vickie Williams as their person of interest after the double homicide. Williams was in a Georgia jail Thursday and charged with stealing the couples car. Read: Stunned, devastated and heartbroken: Children of couple killed in Mount Dora release statement Channel 9 is looking into her criminal history and found that she has had run-ins with the law in several places including Ohio, Georgia and Florida Police believe the 50-year-old woman is somehow connected to the murders of Darryl and Sharon Getman. Investigators said Williams was arrested for driving the murdered victims car in the city of Savannah. Watch: Troopers investigate deadly hit-and-run crash in Pine Hills Currently, shes only charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle. The Getmans were found killed on New Years Eve in their home at the Waterman Village Senior Living Complex. According to investigators, residents reported Williams lurking around the gated property, knocking on doors, and asked people if she could come inside their homes days before the murder. Read: They shot up the wrong house: 3 injured in drive-by shootings at Florida homes Police said they have video of her on the property where the bodies were discovered. Police still havent said how the couple was killed. See more in the video above. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Below, read the arrest warrant that a Moscow, Idaho, police officer filed in support of prosecutors request for a warrant for the arrest of Bryan C. Kohberger, a Washington State University graduate student in criminology, in the Nov. 13 stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students in an off-campus house. Beneath the warrant is an Idaho magistrate judges order decreeing that probable cause existed for Kohbergers arrest. Both documents were released Thursday as Kohberger, of Pennsylvania, made his initial appearance in a Latah County, Idaho, courtroom to face first-degree murder charges. Chrome users note: Some users of the Chrome browser have reported seeing blank boxes or error messages when viewing these embedded documents. If you have trouble, please try a different browser. DNA evidence, cellphone records led to U of I homicide suspects arrest, document shows Bryan Kohberger, accused of killing four U of I students, hears murder charges read in court Going to get some Thai food: Indiana police twice pulled over U of I homicide suspect As case advances against suspect in U of I killings, Idaho judge issues sweeping gag order Recruits in the Army Prep Course prepare to run on a track Aug. 27, 2022, during physical training exercises at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. (Sean Rayford/AP) The U.S. military has entered 2023 amid its largest recruiting crisis since the end of the Vietnam War, with the possibility of being short thousands of new recruits. This years National Defense Authorization Act cut the Armys size by 30,000 personnel, and the Pentagon is employing multiple methods to improve recruitment, from trying to reach Generation Z through video games and video game streamers, to increasing cash enlistment bonuses and changing mottos and commercials. Blame for these shortages has been put on cultural issues, the state of the economy and other factors such as obesity and additional disqualifiers. However, there has been little discussion and recognition of how systemic disparities that some service members face in the military affect their propensity to join and serve. Advertisement Black service members make up 16% of the armed forces, according to 2017 Department of Defense data. Prospective recruits from this demographic who could be critical to solving the militarys recruiting crisis may shy away from service due to ongoing disparities in the military justice system and health and career outcomes. The armed forces have issues with sexual assault and violence against women that the Department of Defense hasnt adequately dealt with, along with systemic failures around suicide prevention and poor living conditions in soldier housing. Americans are increasingly less likely to join the armed services; even veterans are less likely to suggest it. Recently, the secretaries of the Army, Air Force and Navy wrote a commentary for The Wall Street Journal calling for young people to join the military because of the good it can do for them but it is hard to see the good that can be had from military service if these multiple issues continue to occur. Advertisement Military leaders have blamed negative narratives around military service for preventing people from joining. But systemic racism and discrimination are an exacerbating factor to the nations recruiting crisis and therefore national security. For example, the militarys judicial system has no explicit category for hate crimes, which the federal government, 46 states and the District of Columbia have on the books, making it almost impossible to fully quantify racial discrimination in its ranks. Black service members are as much as twice as likely to face a court martial than white service members, according to an analysis by the advocacy group Protect Our Defenders, which focuses on military justice. These convictions can lead to bad paper discharges, which prevent service members from receiving benefits from Veterans Affairs. The status of attempts to reform the military justice system to deal with this issue is unclear. Regarding suicide, Black service members have a suicide rate that is significantly higher than that of Black Americans who have not served, according to Defense Department data, a fact that has not been widely reported. Among Black veterans, the per capita suicide rate is double the national average for Black Americans who have not served, a 2021 VA report on veteran suicide shows. Just as with health outcomes for Black civilians who never served, there is also a wide disparity between the health outcomes for Black and white veterans. A 2017 VA study found that Black veterans were less likely to receive diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder from VA compensation and pension examiners and that there is no current standardized system that forces examiners to use evidence-based assessment methods. A lack of a diagnosis from an examiner means that a veteran does not receive the tax-free monetary benefit paid to veterans for service-connected disabilities, and further, it means they cannot receive VA treatment for the illness or injury. Based on a Defense Department report on officer promotion rates, Black male and female officers are promoted at a lesser rate for senior positions than their white counterparts. This lack of Black leaders at the highest levels is evident in the numbers. In May 2020, there was just one Black four-star general in the Army versus 11 white counterparts, and there were two Black brigade commanders versus 94 white counterparts, according to Defense Department data. Racism has long weakened the military from within, historian Natalie Shibley argued in a 2021 commentary for The Washington Post. It is still prevalent; nearly one-third of Black service members reported experiencing racial discrimination, harassment or both during a 12-month period, a 2017 Defense Department study found. In the summer of 2020, in the midst of a national reckoning over race, the number of Black youths who indicated that they likely would serve in the military decreased by almost half versus the total from the previous summer, according to Defense Department polling. Last year, a survey by Blue Star Families, a group that advocates for military families, found many Black service members were turning down assignments based on a fear of racism at some duty stations and in certain career fields. Advertisement Any effort to solve the militarys recruiting problems should seek to rectify the disparities that Black service members and veterans face. Just as Congress has done in the aftermath of the Dobbs ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, decision-makers should discuss adding stronger protections for minority service members through policy and legislation. The military is an organization that prides itself on defending our American ideals. Those ideals should be realized while a person is in the service. Daniel Johnson is a Roy H. Park doctoral fellow at the Hussman School of Media and Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Johnson was a journalist in the Army in 2016 in Iraq and has contributed reporting to The New York Times and The Washington Post. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. A man is in custody after two employees and a manager at an Eatn Park were held hostage, Pittsburgh police said. Larry Elkins II, 30, of Erie, is facing multiple charges after the Thursday incident. According to police, officers were called to the 1200 block of Banksville Road for a report of shots fired. First responders spoke to a male victim who said an unknown male, later identified as Elkins, passed by him in a parking lot and fired at least three shots. A victim told police Elkins said You gotta get me to West Virginia, according to the criminal complaint. After shots were fired, Elkins went into the Eatn Park where he held the employees and manager hostage, police said. He allegedly told them to give him their car keys and said, I have to go see my kids. I dont care if you live or die, none of you. Police were directed to a back office where they detained him. The restaurant was open for normal business Thursday evening. Patrons were surprised to hear the news. One man said it seemed like something out of a movie. I dont know that in a movie that it wouldve ended as well as this. Im happy the reality worked out better, Josh Updike said. Eatn Park released a statement saying: We commend our team members for their swift action. Their knowledge of our security procedures and calm demeanor enabled authorities to apprehend the suspect without injury. We are grateful to the police on scene for their immediate response. The victim identified Elkins and he was placed under arrest. He is facing multiple charges including kidnapping, robbery, aggravated assault, discharging a firearm, terroristic threats, and DUI. Three shell casings and a firearm were recovered from the scene. Police are still investigating. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Damar Hamlin: Vikings defenseman Harrison Phillips buys family dinner, starts fundraiser Dollar General clerk charged after shooting, killing armed robber Target 11 Exclusive: Pittsburgh police officers told not to follow controversial traffic stop policy VIDEO: aWe are homelessa: Roosevelt building residents forced out after fire, many have nowhere to live DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts A man suspected of shooting a woman and then robbing four places, including a Chick-fil-A restaurant, was arrested Thursday morning after a manhunt ended in the desert at the northwestern edges of El Paso County, police said. During the vehicle pursuit, shots were fired at police, leading to a large law enforcement response, including a helicopter and the SWAT team, that searched and found the shooter in the desert near Westway, an El Paso police spokesman said. The violence began shortly about 12:20 a.m. when the man shot a woman multiple times during a domestic violence incident at the Canutillo Palms Apartments at 365 La Puesta Drive next to Canutillo High School, Sgt. Javier Sambrano said. Migrant crisis:El Paso police detain man with gun suspected of harassing migrants outside church The man left the scene before the woman was taken by ambulance to a hospital in serious but stable condition, Sambrano said. The gunman then robbed a Speedway gas station on North Desert Boulevard and at least three other businesses, including a robbery at about 7 a.m. at the Chick-fil-A restaurant in North Hills on the Northeast side of the Franklin Mountains, police said. The El Paso police SWAT team. File art. Police responding to the robbery then chased the man in a vehicle pursuit that traveled back over the mountain to the West Side, during which time the driver fired shots at officers, police said. The number of shots fired was not available. There were no reported injuries to police. The pursuit eventually went into the desert near Westway, where a helicopter and the police Special Weapons and Tactics and Crisis Management teams searched for the man. Borderland:Juarez prison gang leader 'El Neto' killed in shootout with Mexican security forces During the manhunt, Davenport Elementary School in Westway was temporarily placed on a security lockdown as a precaution because of the police activity in the area, the Canutillo Independent School District said via Twitter. The man was taken into custody without further incident by 9:45 a.m. Charges are pending and his identity has yet to be disclosed as an investigation continues. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso manhunt ends with desert arrest in shooting, robbery spree Melbourne police searched all day Wednesday for a man who broke into a gun shop and stole several firearms during the early morning hours. The man, who police said was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and a white N-95-type mask, broke into Sicarios Gun Shop off Wickham Road at about 3:15 a.m. Wednesday, police said in a statement. The business' intrusion alarm sounded, and police arrived to find the rear door had been forced open, though the man had fled the scene. Inside the store, an unknown number of display cases had been smashed, and several firearms were stolen, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call Melbourne police at 321-608-6731 or use the Central Florida Crimeline number, which allows callers to remain anonymous at 800-423-TIPS. Finch Walker is a breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Police seek suspect in Melbourne smash-and-grab gun store robbery WASHINGTON President Joe Biden unveiled new policies Thursday to dramatically increase expulsions at the southern border after he said Mexico agreed to accept the return of migrants from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Haiti and Cuba who enter the U.S. illegally. Biden said Mexico has agreed to accept up to 30,000 migrants a month from each of the countries. Typically, these individuals would be returned to their home nations, but their governments haven't been willing to accept the individuals back, leaving them in the U.S. "My message is this. If you're trying to leave Cuba, Nicaragua or Haiti, or have agreed to begin a journey to America, do not just show up at the border," Biden said in a speech from the White House. "Stay where you are and apply legally from there." Biden's first trip to the border 'Orderly, safe humane': Facing criticism that he's not done enough to stop illegal border crossings, Biden outlined what he called "orderly, safe and humane" ways to strengthen border control while expanding legal pathways to the U.S. The plan is to increasingly use the rapid deportation process known as "expedited removal" for individuals who enter the U.S. illegally. Biden headed to El Paso: The moves a dramatic overhaul of existing immigration rules come as Biden announced he will visit El Paso, Texas on Sunday in his first trip to the southern border since taking office. Rules will stay even if Title 42 ends: The new rules will remain regardless what the Supreme Court rules on Title 42, the Trump-era public healthy policy that allows the U.S. to turn away migrants seeking asylum. We can't stop people from making the journey, but we can require that they come here in an orderly way under U.S. law," Biden said. President Joe Biden speaks about border security in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) ORG XMIT: DCPS101 What Biden announced Although the U.S. will begin immediately turning away Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans who cross the border illegally, they are creating a pathway to admit up to 30,000 people each month from those countries who have a sponsor and pass background checks. This is an expansion of a similar policy launched exclusively for Venezuelans that began in October and has led to a dramatic decline in the number of Venezuelans attempting to enter the U.S. illegally, according to the administration. The U.S. will also let in 20,000 refugees from Latin American and Caribbean countries during the next two years, which the administration says will more than triple refugee admissions from the Western Hemisphere. Migrants who attempt to enter the U.S. without permission and cant be expelled under the Title 42 pandemic policy will increasingly be subject to expedited removal and a five-year ban on re-entry. Story continues Biden's agenda in El Paso During his trip to El Paso, Biden said he will address border enforcement operations and meet with local officials. He's also expected to call on Congress to fully fund his border security budget request and pass legislation overhauling the immigration system. The president's visit will come before a two-day trip beginning Monday to Mexico where the most significant migration to the U.S. since World World II will take center stage in talks with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Why it matters Biden is under pressure to detail his plans for dealing with a surge of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Border security is a top priority for Republicans, who took control of the House in the November midterm elections and have criticized Biden for not visiting the border. Republicans have also vowed to investigate the administrations handling of the issue. "It's clear that immigration is a political issue that extreme Republicans are always going to run on. But now they have a choice," Biden said. "They can keep using immigration to try to score political points or they can help solve the problem...and come together to fix the broken system. He said as long as Republicans "demagogue this issue and reject solutions" he's left doing what he can "on my own" to address the surge of migrants. Migrants cross and line up on the north bank of the Rio Grande on Dec. 19, 2022 to turn themselves into Border Patrol agents for processing and a chance to remain in the U.S. to seek asylum. The background Mexico trip: Biden is traveling to Mexico Jan. 9-10 to meet with Obrador. Migration will be right at the top of the issues they will discuss, White House spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday. Other priorities are climate change and drug trafficking, including the flow of fentanyl across the border. Influx of migrants: More than 2.38 million migrants were stopped at the U.S.-Mexico border during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the first time the number topped 2 million in a year. State of emergency: El Paso Mayor Oscar Lesser declared a state of emergency last month after Border Patrol released more than 10,000 asylum seekers and other migrants in a single week. Hundreds have been sleeping on city streets. Title 42: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warned last month there will total chaos at the border if a pandemic policy that allows the federal government to rapidly expel migrants is allowed to end. The Supreme Court has said that policy, Title 42, must continue while courts assess a lawsuit filed by Republican officials in 19 states who want to keep Title 42 in place. Vice President Harris: Vice President Kamala Harris, who was tasked at the start of the administration with addressing the root causes of migration, attended his speech. Migrants crossed the Rio Grande and approach the Texas National Guard to enquire when they will be allowed to be processed by Customs and Border Protection to seek asylum in El Paso, Texas on Dec. 20, 2022. What they are saying U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he's glad Biden will finally visit the southern border but said it can't be a "check-the-box photo-op." He added: "If he wants to make this a meaningful trip that seeks tough solutions to the unmitigated disaster his policies have created, Id be happy to point him in the right direction. Biden smacked down suggestions that his visit to El Paso is the result of caving to pressure from Republicans. "Republicans haven't been serious about this at all. Come on. They haven't been serious about this at all," he said. "I wanted to make sure that I knew what the outcome was at least the near outcome was on Title 42 before I went down." Jonathan Blazer, the American Civil Liberties Unions director of border strategies, said Bidens actions tie his administration to the poisonous anti-immigrant policies of the Trump era instead of restoring fair access to asylum protections. He said the new entry program for Cubans, Nicaraguans and Haitians should not be tied to an expulsion of an equal number of migrants. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the Biden administration plan "really has no resemblance" to the Trump administration transit ban, because this plan expands legal pathways for migrants and allows asylum seekers to seek relief at entry ports wt humanitarian exceptions for deportations. The bigger picture While taking new administrative actions, Biden continues to argue that there are underlying problems with the immigration system that can be addressed only through legislative action. But there are no indications a divided Congress will be able to reach a bipartisan agreement on such a politically charged issue. Want to know more? Here's what you missed Border visit: Biden plans to visit the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time in his presidency 5 Things podcast: Border cities prepare for Title 42 battle, how to deal with grief `Total chaos': Texas governor warns of 'total chaos' on border when Title 42 ends this week More: El Paso council members call for Biden to visit border as humanitarian crisis continues Contributing: Francesca Chambers, Rebecca Morin and the Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden says Mexico will take migrants, ahead of first trip as president Law enforcement officers have detained a priest in the capital of Belarus because he "prayed for the defenders of Ukraine". The security forces also did not like his "nationalist tattoos" and passion for video games. Source: Belarusian news outlet Dzerkalo (Mirror) Details: Orthodox priest Dionysiy Korostelev was denounced because he led a prayer service for the defenders of Ukraine. In the video with the apology, the priest explained that on 1 January, he received a note about the prayer service "for the soldiers and defenders of Ukraine" and served it. One of the visitors to the temple expressed dissatisfaction with it. Security officials claim that Korostelev "preached hostile and aggressive rhetoric, trying to incite hatred". They have also stated that he was held accountable for participating in the protests and has "nationalist tattoos". According to the news outlet, this is the coat of arms of Pahonia, which is included in the state list of historical and cultural values of Belarus. [Pahonia is the historical Belarusian name for the coat of arms of Lithuania, which is widely used by the opposition in Belarus - ed.] In addition, law enforcement officers did not like that the priest "plays computer games online under a strange nickname in his free time" and "spreads WRW symbols (the white-red-white flag of Belarus) and relevant ideas". Dzerkalo reports that the priest was denounced by Olga Bondareva, a pro-government activist from Grodno who "has long been trying to clean up the cultural space of Belarus". In the autumn of 2021, security forces had already searched Korostelev's apartment. The grounds for the search are unknown. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! NEW YORK (AP) Lawyers for a former advice columnist who says Donald Trump raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s are fighting his efforts to toss out a lawsuit by reminding a judge of his own ruling in a similar lawsuit against Prince Andrew. The former presidents lawyers are trying to toss out E. Jean Carroll's lawsuit on the grounds that a temporary New York state law letting adult sex abuse victims sue decades later is invalid. In a submission in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, Lawyers for Carroll wrote that Judge Lewis A. Kaplan should reject Trump's request. When the law took effect in November, Carroll's attorneys immediately sued. They made the rape claim after an earlier lawsuit Carroll brought against Trump, which asserted a defamation claim. While president, Trump had said the sexual assault never happened and that she's not my type. Carroll, a longtime advice columnist for Elle magazine, made the rape claim for the first time publicly in a 2019 book. In both lawsuits, Carroll asserted that a friendly chance encounter between herself and Trump at an upscale Manhattan department store turned violent when Trump cornered her in a dressing room in 1995 or 1996 and raped her. Kaplan rejected a legal argument that is similar to the one made by Trump's lawyers last January when Prince Andrew's lawyers argued against the constitutionality of a temporary state law letting victims of child sexual abuse make claims years after the statute of limitations would otherwise have prevented the claims. At the time, Kaplan said the argument that the temporary law was improper had for good reason" been rejected by every New York state and federal court to have considered it. Kaplan wrote that the claim-revival window was a reasonable measure to address an injustice." Weeks later, Prince Andrew settled the lawsuit, agreeing to donate to the charity of the woman who claimed he had sexually abused her when she was 17 and to declare he never meant to malign her character. Story continues Two weeks ago in seeking dismissal of Carroll's lawsuit, Trump's lawyers wrote that the state's Adult Survivors Act, well-intentioned as it may be, is a fundamentally flawed law that is unable to withstand constitutional scrutiny." They said that the law is unlike its predecessor, the Child Victims Act, because it was not narrowly tailored and it arbitrarily revives long-expired claims without any viable justification under the law." The lawyers said the law violates the New York State Constitution, was an invasion of due process and a clear abuse of legislative power." They also wrote that the state, in enacting the Adult Survivors Act, had provided no reason why Plaintiff's own neglect or refusal to bring an action within the applicable time period should be construed as an injustice against her." The statute of limitations, they said, expired after five years. Prince Harry writes about his rift with Prince William in "Spare." Jack Taylor/Getty Images Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" will be released on January 10. Michael Strahan interviewed Harry about the book ahead of its release for Good Morning America. In the interview, Strahan said Harry wrote of William as his "beloved brother and archnemesis." Prince Harry isn't mincing words about his rift with Prince William in his upcoming memoir, according to Good Morning America. The Duke of Sussex's "Spare" is set to be released on January 10. Ahead of its publication, Harry sat for an interview about the book with GMA's Michael Strahan. GMA aired a clip of the interview on Thursday, during which Strahan asked Harry about a section of the memoir where he refers to Prince William as his "beloved brother and archnemesis." Good Morning America (@GMA) January 5, 2023 "Strong words," Strahan said of Harry's phrasing. "What did you mean by that?" "There has always been this competition between us, weirdly," Harry said of himself and his brother. "I think it really plays into or was played by the heir-spare." Strahan also said Harry shared that people called him "the spare" throughout his life, as William is the heir to the UK throne as King Charles' first-born son, making Harry the backup. The title of the autobiography references the phrase as well. The GMA clip aired after The Guardian reported on Thursday that Harry's book contains details of an alleged altercation between himself and William in the book. According to the outlet, Harry said that William physically attacked him during an argument over Meghan Markle in 2019. Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on Saturday. Chris Jackson/Getty Images The Guardian reported that Harry wrote of William calling Meghan "difficult," "rude," and "abrasive," and that as the conversation escalated, William became violent. "He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me," Harry wrote, according to the excerpt obtained by The Guardian. "I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out. Representatives for Kensington Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. It is unclear how The Guardian obtained a copy of "Spare," as Penguin Random House did not widely share copies of the memoir ahead of its publication. Read the original article on Insider The Prince of Wales was also a guest at the party in 2005 and dressed in a lion outfit - Indigo/Getty Images/Reuters/Ho The Duke of Sussex claimed that the Prince and Princess of Wales encouraged him to wear a Nazi uniform to a party in 2005, it has been reported. Prince Harry is said to claim in his forthcoming memoir, Spare, that the Prince and Princess howled with laughter when they saw him in the costume, according to Page Six magazine. The Duke was reported to have written in his memoir, which is set to be released next week, that it was a decision between two costumes: a pilot uniform or a Nazi uniform. I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said, he wrote, according to Page Six. They both howled. Worse than Willys leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point. The Duke, who was 20 years old at the time, wore the Nazi uniform with a swastika on his left arm to a native and colonial-themed party thrown by Richard Meade, the Olympic showjumper. The Prince of Wales was also a guest and dressed in a lion outfit. It came after the Duke referred to the scandal in his Netflix documentary last month, calling the decision to wear the costume one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Meanwhile, a further leaked extract of the book, which The Guardian said it had obtained, saw the Duke reportedly claim he was physically attacked by his brother during a row over his marriage. The Duke claimed that his brother called the Duchess of Sussex difficult, rude and abrasive in a confrontation which turned violent, according to The Guardian. He reportedly said that he told the Prince he was parroting the press narrative around his American wife, and alleged his older brother then grabbed me by the collar and knocked me to the floor. The extraordinary incident was said to have happened during a heated confrontation in 2019 at the cottage the Duke shared with the Duchess on the grounds of Kensington Palace. Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace both declined to comment. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a media event near the 95th Street Bridge over the Calumet River in Chicago on Jan. 4, 2023. The bridge is one of four over the river that will be rehabilitated with federal funds. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Vice President Kamala Harris came to Chicagos Southeast Side on Wednesday as part of a White House effort to promote infrastructure projects and other Democratic accomplishments while offering a contrast to the ongoing chaos within the new U.S. House Republican majority. Harris delivered a 10-minute speech in the early January chill at Crowleys Yacht Yard beneath the 95th Street Bridge over the Calumet River. That bridge and three other drawbridges spanning the river and deemed economically significant are scheduled to receive upgrades through the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure act approved by the last Congress. Advertisement Noting the chain of bridges importance in moving goods by highway as the Calumet River helps move freight through the Illinois International Port, including parts from Fords South Side assembly plant, Harris said the upgrades will lead to more jobs and more investment as well as improved traffic flow, speeding delivery of products across the nation. The consequences of infrastructure underinvestment have been a familiar story in cities and states across our nation. About 43,000 bridges, almost 1 in 10, show signs of severe distress in our country. And you know for years people talked about this problem. But now I am proud to say we will finally fix this problem, Harris said, noting the 95th Street Bridge was built in 1958. Advertisement This bridge represents a very simple point. When we invest in our infrastructure, we invest in our economy. We invest in Americas future a better future for workers, businesses, families and communities. Its all connected, she said. The event touting the $144 million effort to upgrade the Calumet River bridges was part of a national rollout of bridge construction projects of $100 million or more. In Kentucky on Wednesday, President Joe Biden stood alongside Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to unveil funding for the Brent Spence Bridge linking Covington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati. Also Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was in Connecticut to announce funding for the Gold Star Memorial Bridge in New London, while White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu is scheduled this week to announce earthquake-related improvements to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The funding comes from nearly $40 billion earmarked to repair and rebuild the nations bridges over the next five years, which the White House says represents the single largest dedicated investment in bridges since the construction of the Eisenhower-era Interstate Highway System. Harris spoke of Democratic achievements while also frequently noting how the infrastructure funding represents what bipartisanship can achieve. She did not mention the Republican struggle to elect a House speaker, unlike Biden who, on his Kentucky visit, called it embarrassing for the country. The new GOP majority had been unable to elect a new speaker after six ballots as of Wednesday afternoon, with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy facing opposition from about 20 far-right members of his party. The lack of a speaker means the chamber cannot conduct business or swear in its members. Among those opposing McCarthy was U.S. Rep. Mary Miller of southern Illinois, furthering her far-rightward move in the ranks of Congress. Advertisement Vice President Kamala Harris smiles as she picks up an order of seafood at Calumet Fisheries on Jan. 4, 2023, in Chicago. She ordered two types of trout along with salmon and oysters. (Charles Rex Arbogast / AP) U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who joined Harris in the bridge funding announcement along with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Gary Mayor Jerome Prince, made a brief mention of the House GOP infighting. He credited Harris for on Tuesday swearing in the new Senate and noted it only took one ballot to organize the chamber, where Democrats hold a narrow edge. After Wednesdays event, Harris made a quick stop at Calumet Fisheries at the western edge of the 95th Street Bridge, where she picked up two bags of food that included freshly smoked trout and salmon. rap30@aol.com Prince Harry has admitted doing cocaine and says a woman with powers passed on a message from his dead mother. They are just a few of the dramatic claims in his autobiography Spare, which has been leaked ahead of its official release next week. Harry describes Prince William as his archnemesis, and claims his older brother and Princess Kate encouraged him to dress up as a Nazi soldier an incident he has called one of the biggest mistakes in my life. In another explosive allegation, Harry claims his brother physically attacked him during an argument in 2019 over the Duke of Sussexs marriage to Meghan Markle, who William allegedly called difficult, rude and abrasive. Harry is quoted as saying: He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dogs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. The palace has declined to comment on the many allegations. Key Points Prince Harry claims brother physically attacked him in row about marriage What to expect from Duke of Sussexs new book, Spare King Charles asked sons not to make his final years a misery, book reportedly claims Harry rejects suggestion he is invading his familys privacy You didnt know her: Harry recounts disliking shaking hands with the public after Princess Dianas death 21:30 , Eleanor Noyce In his forthcoming memoir, Prince Harry recalls meeting members of the public following his mothers death in 1997. Remarking that he disliked the touch of those hands, he notes struggling as he walked with Prince William amongst the crowds following Princess Dianas death. I disliked the touch of those hands. Whats more, I disliked how they made me feel guilty. Why were all of those people crying when I was neither crying nor able to cry?, he writes. I wanted to cry, and I had tried, because my mothers life had been so sad that she had felt the need to disappear, to invent that monumental farce. Story continues I remember consoling several people who were prostrated, overwhelmed, as if they had met my mother, but also thinking: The thing is that no. You act as if you had met her... but you didnt know her. Harry details the moment he learned of mother, Princess Dianas car crash 21:00 , Eleanor Noyce Detailing the 1997 car accident that would prove fatal for his mother, Princess Diana, Prince Harry has revealed that his father broke the news. Prince Charles sat on the edge of the bed and put his hand on my knee, he writes, as reported by Sky News. My dear son, mum has had a car accident. There have been complications. Mum has been seriously injured and has been taken to hospital, my dear son. He would always call me dear son, but he was repeating it a lot. He spoke quietly. It gave me the impression he was in shock. Harry accuses William of attacking him in row over Meghan in leaked extracts from memoir 20:30 , Eleanor Noyce Prince William physically attacked his brother and knocked him to the floor during a furious confrontation over Meghan Markle, Prince Harry claims in a series of explosive leaked revelations from his memoir, Spare. The heir to the throne grabbed his younger sibling by the collar and ripped his necklace in the encounter, according to reported extracts from copies of the book obtained ahead of its launch. It is among several extraordinary claims that lay bare the scale of the rift at the heart of the royal family which threatens to overshadow King Charles coronation. Alastair Jamieson has more: Harry book accuses William of attacking him in row over Meghan Harry claims he and William were discouraged from requesting the investigation into Dianas death be reopened 20:00 , Eleanor Noyce Prince Harry has claimed that he and Prince William were dissuaded from asking for the investigation into Princess Dianas death to be reopened, Sky News reports. Especially the summary conclusion, that our mothers driver was drunk and, as a result, that was the only cause of the accident. It was simplistic and absurd, the Duke of Sussex writes. Even if the man had been drinking, even if he had been drunk, he wouldnt have had any problem driving through such a short tunnel. Unless paparazzi were following him and dazzled him. Why had those paparazzi got off lightly? Why werent they in prison? Who had sent them? And why werent those people in jail either? What other reason could there be apart from corruption and cover-ups being the order of the day? We agreed on all those questions, and also what we should do next. We would issue a statement, asking jointly for the investigation to be reopened. We might call a press conference. Those who decided dissuaded us. Harrys next TV appearance confirmed for The Late Show on CBS with Stephen Colbert 19:37 , Eleanor Noyce Prince Harrys next TV appearance has been confirmed. He will appear on The Late Show on CBS with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night, or Wednesday morning UK time. Harry will also be on Good Morning America on ABC with Michael Strahan. In the UK, hell be on ITV with Tom Bradby. Prince Harry claims King Charles joked about possibility he wasnt his real father in new book 19:30 , Eleanor Noyce Prince Harry has claimed in his new book that his father King Charles III made a poor taste joke about his paternity after meeting a mentally ill individual who believed he was the real Prince of Wales. The Duke of Sussex reflects on the incident, and his fathers passion for telling anecdotes, in his new memoir Spare, according to the DailyMail, which obtained a copy of the book ahead of its release. The highly anticipated memoir will be released on 10 January. Harry reportedly claims in the book that his father especially liked to tell a story about his visit to a mental asylum where he met a mentally ill man who claimed he was the Prince of Wales. Chelsea Ritschel reports: Prince Harry claims Charles joked about possibility he wasnt his real father Prince Harry alleges a physical attack by William in new book Spare heres how to pre-order the memoir 19:00 , Eleanor Noyce From the Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan to an eagerly anticipated autobiography, Spare, Prince Harry has been busy forging a media career outside the royal family. Following months of speculation, publisher Penguin Random House confirmed Harrys tell-all book will be released on 10 January 2023, in 16 different languages, plus therell be an audiobook read by the prince himself. Its safe to say we can expect explosive revelations (and accusations) in the memoir, which has been ghostwritten by Pulitzer Prize winner JR Moehringer. In an extract obtained by The Guardian five days ahead of publication, Prince Harry has reportedly claimed his brother Prince William grabbed him, ripping his necklace and knocking him to the floor during an argument over his marriage to Meghan Markle. Heres everything you need to know about the upcoming memoir: What you need to know about Prince Harrys memoir It never needed to be this way: Everything Harry has said about the royal family in memoir interviews 18:50 , Eleanor Noyce Prince Harrys new memoir Spare will be published on 10 January just a little over a month after his and wife Meghan Markles Netflix documentary was released amid controversy. Ghostwritten by Pulitzer Prize winner JR Moehringer, the personal and emotional book reportedly includes claims that Prince William physically attacked Harry at his London home during an argument about the Duchess of Sussex in 2019. Harry also reportedly writes that King Charles asked his sons not to make my final years a misery during a conversation that took place after Prince Philips funeral in March 2021. Everything Harry has said about the royal family in interviews about his memoir Prince Harry says woman with powers gave him message from Diana 18:40 , Eleanor Noyce Prince Harry says the grief of losing his mother led him to a woman with powers who gave him a message from Diana. The Duke of Sussex describes the encounter in his new autobiography Spare, which has leaked ahead of its release next week. Harry said that while he recognised the high-percentage chance of humbuggery, he ultimately decided to meet the woman because she was recommended by friends. Maanya Sachdeva has more: Prince Harry says woman with powers gave him message from his late mother Diana Prince Harry says Prince William was gone forever after he married Kate Middleton in new memoir 18:30 , Eleanor Noyce Prince Harry has reflected on his relationship with his older brother, Prince William, and how he felt like his sibling was gone forever after he married Kate Middleton in 2011. In his memoir Spare, which is set for release on 10 January, Harry reportedly recalled how he felt on Williams wedding day. According to an excerpt of the book published by Page Six, the Duke of Sussex wrote about saying goodbye to his brother, whose childhood nickname was Willy, and reflected on some of their memories together. The brother Id escorted into Westminster Abbey that morning was gone forever. Who could deny it? he wrote. Hed never again be first a foremost Willy. Wed never again ride together across the Lesotho countryside with capes blowing behind us. Wed never again share a horsey-smelling cottage while learning to fly. Who shall separate us? Life, thats who. Amber Raiken reports: Harry says William was gone forever after he married Kate Middleton in new memoir King Charles asked Harry and William not to make my final years a misery, reports say 18:20 , Eleanor Noyce Prince Harry has reportedly claimed King Charles asked him and William not to make my final years a misery at Prince Philips funeral last year. Details about the conversation between Charles and his sons are believed to be part of the Duke of Sussexs forthcoming memoir Spare, which will be released next week. According to The Guardian, which said it had obtained a copy of the book ahead of publication on 10 January, Spare includes Harrys unsparing retelling of private scenes and conversations between senior royals. Maanya Sachdeva reports: Charles asked Harry and William not to make my final years a misery, reports say Prince Harry claims King Charles told Diana his work was done after duke was born in new memoir 18:10 , Eleanor Noyce Prince Harry claimed that his father, King Charles III, once told first wife Princess Diana that his work was done after the Duke of Sussex was born. In an excerpt of his new memoir, Spare, released by The Guardian, Harry described how his father reacted to the birth of his second son in 1984. Harrys older brother, Prince William, was born two years earlier in 1982. According to the publication, Harry wrote about the day of his birth and recalled a comment that his father told his wife: Wonderful! Now youve given me an heir and a spare my work is done. Amber Raiken reports: Prince Harry claims King Charles told Diana his work was done after duke was born UK bookshops agreed on Spare embargo to avoid early release 18:00 , Eleanor Noyce UK bookshops state that they are under a strict embargo to ensure that Harry, The Duke of Sussexs autobiography is not released early. According to PA, dozens of independent bookshops are yet to receive their copies. One owner of a shop in north London reported that they had signed a document ensuring that the book is not released ahead of schedule. Many further reported that they are unlikely to receive the book until late on Monday ahead of its Tuesday release. One owner described these lengths as ridiculous. Meghan apologised to Kate over baby brain comment in run-up to Sussexes wedding 17:50 , Eleanor Noyce The Duchess of Sussex upset Kate, now Princess of Wales, by remarking that she must have baby brain in the run-up to the Royal Wedding in 2019. Harry writes that Meghan apologised, his upcoming memoir, Spare, details. The Duke of Sussex states that Meghan made the comment during a phone call concerning wedding rehearsals, according to The Suns translation of a leaked Spanish copy of the book. Kate had recently given birth to Prince Louis, suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition caused by hormone imbalance, during all three of her pregnancies. Harry claims that during this altercation Kate admitted to making Meghan cry. According to the memoir, Meghan apologised to Kate, stating that this is how she speaks to her friends. Prince William, now the Prince of Wales, then pointed a finger at Meghan, saying: Well, its rude, Meghan. These things are not done here. Chelsea Ritschel has more: Meghan was told off for telling Kate she had baby brain, Harry reveals in new book Harry writes of losing his virginity to an unnamed older woman behind a very busy pub' 17:40 , Eleanor Noyce In his upcoming memoir, Spare, The Duke of Sussex has opened up about losing his virginity to an older woman. According to the Daily Mail, he claims that it took place behind a very busy pub and that the woman treated him like a young stallion. Harry writes that one of the Royal Familys bodyguards Marko paid him a visit when he was a pupil at Eton College in Windsor. He told him that he had been sent to find out the truth. I suspected he was referring to my recent loss of virginity, a humiliating episode with an older woman who liked macho horses and who treated me like a young stallion, Harry details. I mounted her quickly, after which she spanked my ass and sent me away. One of my many mistakes was letting it happen in a field, just behind a very busy pub. No doubt someone had seen us. In an interview with The Times in December, actor and model Liz Hurley denied circulating rumours that she had taken Harrys virginity. Not me. Not guilty. Ha!, she remarked. Willy and Harold and the cursed dog bowl: How a sibling scrap threatens to topple the royal family 17:30 , Eleanor Noyce I landed on the dogs bowl. Pieces cut into me. That particular detail in Harrys account of his scrap with his elder brother struck a rather tragi-comic note of bathos. It also gave the story the ring of truth, especially as we hear rumours that Prince William has a bit of a temper on him, rather surprising given his serene, slightly self-effacing public persona. He is alleged to have laid into Meghan verbally difficult, rude, abrasive and then it is claimed that he physically laid into his younger brother. It conjures up quite a disturbing image, this princely fracas, and is made all the more poignant as Harry uses their pet names: Willy and Harold. Sean OGrady has more: Willy and Harold and the cursed dog bowl could topple the royal family | Sean OGrady It never needed to be this way: Everything Harry has said about the royal family in memoir interviews 17:20 , Eleanor Noyce Prince Harrys new memoir Spare will be published on 10 January just a little over a month after his and wife Meghan Markles Netflix documentary was released amid controversy. Ghostwritten by Pulitzer Prize winner JR Moehringer, the personal and emotional book reportedly includes claims that Prince William physically attacked Harry at his London home during an argument about the Duchess of Sussex in 2019. Harry also reportedly writes that King Charles asked his sons not to make my final years a misery during a conversation that took place after Prince Philips funeral in March 2021. Read more: Everything Harry has said about the royal family in interviews about his memoir The Windsors? More like The Jeremy Kyle Show 17:10 , Eleanor Noyce Whod have thought The Windsors would become an aristocratic version of The Jeremy Kyle Show? Well, anyone, to be honest; the crowns been slipping for years already. Long before Harry started snitching on his big brother, the royal familys public exposes, scandals, betrayals, disclosures and petty humiliations have turned the conditions that created the late Queens infamous annus horrriblis of 1992 into business as usual. Katie Edwards writes: Opinion: The Windsors? More like The Jeremy Kyle Show Prince Harry admits doing cocaine as teenager to feel different 17:03 , Eleanor Noyce Prince Harry has admitted taking cocaine when he was 17 years-old. In his new autobiography Spare, the Duke of Sussex explained that he took the illegal drug to feel different. Of course I had been taking cocaine at that time, Sky News quotes from the leaked book. At someones house, during a hunting weekend, I was offered a line, and since then I had consumed some more. It wasnt very fun, and it didnt make me feel especially happy as seemed to happen to others, but it did make me feel different, and that was my main objective. To feel. To be different. I was a seventeen-year-old willing to try almost anything that would alter the pre-established order. Read more: Prince Harry admits doing cocaine as teenager to feel different Prince Harrys memoir Spare accidentally goes on sale in Spain days before release 16:10 , Andy Gregory Prince Harrys highly anticipated memoir Spare has accidentally gone on sale in Spain, days before the official publication date on 10 January, my colleague Thomas Kingsley reports. The memoir, titled En La Sombra in Spanish, translates to In the Shadow, and has Principe Harry at the top of the cover with his close-up shot on the front. One Spanish shopper bought two hardback copies of the book from the shelves, for a total of around 20, The Sun reported. Images published by The Sun show the book open on a page bearing a black-and-white photo of the Duke as a young boy with his mother, Princess Diana, alongside the words Primera parte - Desde la noche que me envuelve, or Part one - Since the night that surrounds me. Prince Harrys memoir Spare accidentally goes on sale in Spain days before release Prince Harry says he killed 25 people in Afghanistan during tour of duty 15:39 , Andy Gregory Prince Harry has reportedly claimed in his forthcoming autobiography that he killed 25 people when he was an Apache helicopter pilot during his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, writes my colleague Jane Dalton. He flew on six missions that resulted in the taking of human lives, something of which he is neither proud nor ashamed, The Telegraph reported. In the heat of combat, the prince did not think of the 25 as people but instead as chess pieces that had been taken off the board. Prince Harry says he killed 25 people in Afghanistan on tour of duty Close your eyes and you wont feel it: Harry compares first meeting Camilla to getting an injection 15:15 , Andy Gregory Prince Harry reportedly compares his first meeting with stepmother and now Queen Consort Camilla to getting an injection in his new book, my colleague Maanya Sachdeva reports. According to MailOnline, which said it obtained copies of the book after it was accidentally released in Spain, Charless sons did not stand in the way of his relationship with Camilla, butbegged him not to remarry after the death of Princess Diana. Furthermore, Harrys book claims that Charles allegedly tried to win over the kids before asking the British public to accept his relationship with Camilla. He reportedly says that meeting Camilla referred to as the Other Woman in his book was like an injection, writing: Close your eyes and you wont even feel it. Harry reportedly continues: I remember wondering... if she would be cruel to me; if she would be like all the evil stepmothers in the stories. Harry compares first meeting with Camilla to getting an injection, reports say Pictured: The Suns front page on day pictures showing Harry in Nazi uniform emerged 14:49 , Andy Gregory As Prince Harry reportedly claims that Prince William encouraged him to wear the Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party in 2005, in an incident previously claimed to have bred resentment at the treatment he received from the press, here is The Suns front page on the day the news emerged: A man in Paris reads The Sun on 13 January 2005 as it carried photographs of Prince Harry which triggered outrage (GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images) Prince Harrys new book reveals royal family nicknames 14:22 , Andy Gregory The extract from Prince Harrys memoir reported by The Guardian appears to reveal the nicknames by which he and his brother referred to each other Harold and Willy. My colleague Joe Sommerlad has more: Prince Harrys new book reveals royal family nicknames The unusual family link between Prince Harry and CNNs Anderson Cooper 13:56 , Andy Gregory Prince Harry has sat down with CNNs Anderson Cooper for a new interview due for broadcast on Sunday, two days ahead of release of his ghost-written memoir Spare. The pair allegedly bear family ties dating back to the 1930s when Coopers great-aunt, Thelma Furness, was known to have had an ongoing affair with the Dukes great-great uncle, King Edward VIII, reports Ellie Muir. Viscountess Furness was allegedly a mistress of Edward while he was Prince of Wales and while she was married to British shipping magnate, Marmaduke Furness, who was 20 years her senior. Later, Edward married American divorcee Wallis Simpson, for whom he abdicated and became the Duke of Windsor. The unusual family link between Prince Harry and Anderson Cooper All the times Prince Harry and Meghan Markles 2022 revelations were proved right, or wrong 13:28 , Andy Gregory Throughout the past year, the Sussexes haves made a number of shocking revelations about their time as senior members of the royal family. From baby Archies nursery fire in South Africa to Meghans first meeting with Princess Kate, my colleague Meredith Clark examines some of Harry and Meghans most shocking claims in 2022: From nursery fire to meeting Kate: Harry and Meghans biggest revelations of 2022 Prince Harry memoir accidentally goes on sale early in Spain' 13:01 , Andy Gregory Prince Harrys upcoming book due for release on 10 January accidentally went on sale early in Spain, according to The Sun. The Spanish version En La Sombra, which translates as In the Shadow, shows that Harry has dedicated his memoir Para Meg, Archie y Lili ... y, for supuesto, mi madre, meaning: For Meg, Archie and Lili ... and, of course, my mother. Nazi uniform claims echo allegations in 2020 book by royal historian 12:32 , Andy Gregory According to Page Six, which reported Prince Harrys supposed claims that his brother encouraged him to wear a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party in 2005, the allegations closely echo those made in a previous book about the royal siblings by historian Robert Lacey. The 2020 book, Battle of Brothers, claims: Harry chose his costume in conjunction with his elder brother the future King William V, then 22, who had laughed all the way back to Highgrove (Charles country home) with the younger sibling he was supposed to be mentoring and then onwards to the party together. Lacey wrote: The young prince began re-evaluating his elder brothers involvement and the unfairness of Williams subsequent emergence smelling of roses, adding that the incident made Harry feel resentful and even alienated and alleging that William was the one who would coax Harry into his errant and self-destructive ways. For the first time, their relationship really suffered and they barely spoke, one former aide is quoted as saying in the book. Harry resented the fact that William got away so lightly. Harry claims William encouraged him to wear Nazi soldier costume in new book 12:07 , Andy Gregory Prince Harrys forthcoming memoir reportedly includes a claim that Prince William and Kate encouraged him to wear the infamous Nazi soldier costume to a party in 2005 a decision he has described as probably one of the biggest mistakes of my life. The Duke of Sussex was aged 20 when he was photographed wearing the costume, complete with a swastika on his arm, to a native and colonial party hosted by Olympic show jumper Richard Meade. Page Six said it had obtained a copy of Spare and quoted Harry as claiming he had been choosing between a pilot uniform or a Nazi uniform, writing: I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said. They both howled. Worse than Willys leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point, the 38-year-old continues. William also attended the costume party, dressed in a lion outfit. The Independent has contacted Kensington Palace for comment. My colleague Maanya Sachdeva reports: Harry claims William encouraged him to wear Nazi soldier costume in new book Comment | If Harry really wants his family back, hed be smart to stop talking so much 11:42 , Andy Gregory Ahead of the publication of Prince Harrys new book, our relationships writer Olivia Petter offers her analysis that after all of this media face time, the Duke of Sussex risks winding up without the one thing he wants most in the world: his family. She writes: Anyone who has ever argued with a loved one will know too well that third-party interference rarely helps, let alone when that third party is everyone in existence. Think about all the times youve criticised one family member behind their back to another: did it help alleviate tensions? Of course it didnt. It probably just created more of it. Everyone has their own version of events, or a narrative they feel comfortable presenting to the world. And it will, in all likeliness, differ significantly from the narrative of the person youre at odds with. When it comes to Harry and Meghan, weve so far only heard one story; based on royal history and a firm never complain, never explain protocol I doubt well get another. You can read her thinking in full here: If Harry really wants his family back, hed be smart to stop talking so much Prince Harry says he and Meghan have been portrayed as villains 11:17 , Andy Gregory In the first trailer for ITVs upcoming interview with Prince Harry, the royal claims that he and Meghan Markle have been portrayed as villains. Meanwhile, he alleges that they have shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile. It is unclear who he is referring to when he says they. I would like to get my father back, I would like to have my brother back, he says, adding: It never needed to be this way. The second trailer has been released today. My colleague Ellie Muir has the full report: Prince Harry says he wants a family, not an institution Prince Harrys new book likely to spark serious furore, report claims 11:01 , Andy Gregory In its report detailing alleged claims of an attack by Prince William on his brother, The Guardian, claims that Prince Harrys new autobiography is likely to spark a serious furore for the British royal family. The newspaper, which claims to have obtained a copy ahead of the books publication on 10 January, called it a remarkable volume, which extensively covers allegations made by the couple in their Oprah Winfrey and Netflix interviews, including Meghan Markles thoughts of suicide and alleged racism within royal circles. What is the history of the two princes relationship? 10:46 , Reuters Prince Harry and Prince William were once seen as very close after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in a Paris car crash in 1997. But the brothers have fallen out since Harry married Meghan Markle, a former actress, in 2018 and the couple then stepped back from royal duties to move to California two years later. Since their departure, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as the couple are officially known, have delivered stinging criticism of the Windsors and the British monarchy which has included accusations of racism which William himself has dismissed. Last month, their six-part Netflix documentary, which attracted record audiences, aired with renewed accusations including that William had screamed at Harry during a crisis summit to discuss his future. The main criticism from Harry and Meghan is that royal aides not only refused to hit back at hostile, inaccurate press coverage but were complicit in leaking negative stories to protect other royals, most notably William. Prince Harry reportedly claims father King Charles referred to him as spare at birth 10:32 , Andy Gregory The title of Prince Harrys forthcoming book, Spare, comes from an oft-cited quote in British aristocratic circles about the need for an heir, and a spare. According to the Guardian, which has obtained a copy, the books unifying theme is of the Duke of Sussexs resentment of being the spare. Harry is reported to claim that, on the day he was born to his mother, Princess Diana, his father King Charles told her: Wonderful! Now youve given me an heir and a spare my work is done. King Charles asked Harry and William not to make my final years a misery, reports say 10:15 , Andy Gregory Prince Harry has reportedly claimed that King Charles asked him and Prince William not to make my final years a misery at Prince Philips funeral last year, writes my colleague Maanya Sachdeva. According to The Guardian, which said it had obtained a copy of the Duke of Sussexs autobiography ahead of publication on 10 January, Spare includes Harrys unsparing retelling of private scenes and conversations between senior royals. One such moment occurred after the Duke of Edinburghs Windsor Castle funeral in March 2021, when Charles reportedly stood between Harry and William looking up at our flushed faces, the Kings younger son wrote. Please boys, Harry quotes Charles as saying, Dont make my final years a misery. Charles asked Harry and William not to make my final years a misery, reports say Prince Harry says he still believes in the monarchy 09:58 , Andy Gregory Prince Harry has said that he still believes in the monarchy but does not know whether he will play a role in its future. In a forthcoming interview with ITV, the Duke of Sussex who stepped back from his position as a senior royal in January 2020 alongside his wife Meghan Markle was asked whether he still believed in his familys constitutional role. Answering that he did, the duke was then pressed on whether he himself would play a role in the monarchys future, to which he replied: I dont know. Prince Harry says a lot can happen prior to King Charless coronation 09:40 , Andy Gregory Prince Harry has said that a lot can happen between now and then when asked whether he will attend his father King Charless coronation in May. A trailed clip of ITVs upcoming broadcast, Harry: The Interview, shows Tom Bradby asking the Duke of Sussex whether he will attend the ceremony if he receives an invite. Theres a lot that can happen between now and then, the duke replies. But, the door is always open. The ball is in their court. Theres a lot to be discussed and I really hope that theyre willing to sit down and talk about it. Prince Harry rejects suggestion he is invading his familys privacy 09:24 , Andy Gregory Prince Harry has claimed that those who accuse him of invading his familys privacy either dont understand or dont want to believe that my family have been briefing the press. In a second trailer released by ITV for the Duke of Sussexs forthcoming interview with Tom Bradby, due for broadcast on Sunday, in which he questions the royal about his decision to discuss his family relationships publicly in his new book, Harry says: I dont know how staying silent is ever going to make things better. Put to him that Prince William might question how his brother could do this to me after everything they went through together, the duke replies: He would probably say all sorts of different things. Confronted with the fact that his new book will spark accusations that, after railing against invasions of privacy all his life, he is now invading the privacy of [his] nearest and dearest without permission, the royal retorts: That would be the accusation from people that dont understand or dont want to believe that my family have been briefing the press. Meghan Markle was terribly sad about alleged attack, book reportedly claims 09:09 , Andy Gregory After the alleged attack by his brother, Prince Harry claims in his book that he was left with visible scrapes and bruises on his back, according to The Guardian. The Duke of Sussex reportedly claims that he told his wife Meghan Markle of the alleged attack after she noticed the marks on his back, and that she wasnt that surprised, and wasnt all that angry but was terribly sad. Prince Harry questioned brothers attempt to help him prior to alleged attack 08:54 , Andy Gregory Here are more details on the alleged row between the two brothers at Nottingham Cottage in 2019. Prince William claimed he was trying to help his younger brother, the book reportedly claims, with Harry replying: Are you serious? Help me? Sorry is that what you call this? Helping me? According to the Guardians report, Prince Harry said that his brother was angry and swore at him, and because he was scared, Harry went into the kitchen with William following him, before handing him a glass of water and saying: Willy, I cant speak to you when youre like this. Harry then reportedly proceeds to detail the alleged attack, writing: He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. What to expect from Prince Harrys new book 08:46 , Andy Gregory Prince Harrys new autobiography will be released on 10 January, in 16 different languages, with an audiobook read by the duke himself, according to its publisher Penguin Random House. The title is said to offer a personal insight into Harrys life and, according to the publisher, it will be the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him. A source has claimed to The Sunday Times that the autobiography which has been ghostwritten by Pulitzer Prize winner JR Moehringer is tough on William in particular and even Kate gets a bit of a broadside. King Charles supposedly comes out of it better than expected, however. You can find out more details on its release here: What to know about Prince Harrys memoir Prince Harry alleges William physically attacked him in new book, report says 08:42 , Andy Gregory My colleague Graeme Massie has the full report on the alleged claims by Prince Harry that his brother physically attacked him in 2019 during a row about his marriage to Meghan Markle. Prince Harry alleges William physically attacked him in new book, report says 08:41 , Andy Gregory Good morning, well be using this liveblog to follow the latest updates on the claims allegedly made in Prince Harrys new autobiography, Spare. The troubles between Prince Harry and his brother, Prince William, may have been far worse than previously revealed. Days before the release of Harrys highly anticipated memoir, Spare, multiple outlets are reporting that the book will feature a shocking allegation of physical violence that Britains future king, William, attacked his sibling during a heated argument. According to British newspaper The Guardian, which, like Reuters, states it has a copy of the tome, Harry writes candidly of the shocking 2019 incident. Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex on the long Walk at Windsor Castle (Chris Jackson / Getty Images) NBC News has not yet obtained or seen a copy of "Spare." The Guardian describes the event as having taken place at the Duke of Sussexs previous London residence, Nottingham Cottage, where he and Prince William are said to have met up to discuss the whole rolling catastrophe of their headline-grabbing fractured relationship, with Harry reportedly writing that his brother's temperament was piping hot upon arrival. Soon the topic turned to that of Harrys wife, Megan, Duchess of Sussex. According to The Guardian, Harry writes that his brother called his American bride difficult, rude and abrasive. Voices were raised as Harry told William that he was, as The Guardian put it, acting like an heir, unable to understand why his younger brother was not content to be a spare. Amid their disagreement and rising tensions, Harry reportedly recalled the now Prince of Wales calling him names and then, (He) came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dogs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out. The report states that while William left, he soon returned looking regretful" and apologizing to his younger brother. But before leaving a second time, Harry writes that William told him, "You dont need to tell Meg about this." Story continues You mean that you attacked me?" Prince Harry asked. To which he brother allegedly responded, I didnt attack you, Harold. Harry was said to have eventually told the former Meghan Markle of the altercation after she saw scrapes and bruises on his back. The Guardian said Harry writes that his wife wasnt that surprised and wasnt all that angry. She was, instead, terribly sad. Diana, Princess Of Wales Statue Unveiling At Kensington Palace (Yuki Mok / WPA via Getty Images) NBC News reached out to a rep for Prince Harry, who declined to comment on the record in the wake of the report. NBC News also reached out to his publisher, Penguin Random House, but has not yet received a response. Both Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have declined to comment on the leaked allegations. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Prince Harry has reflected on his relationship with his older brother, Prince William, and how he felt like his sibling was gone forever after he married Kate Middleton in 2011. In his memoir Spare, which is set for release on 10 January, Harry reportedly recalled how he felt on Williams wedding day. According to an excerpt of the book published by Page Six, the Duke of Sussex wrote about saying goodbye to his brother, whose childhood nickname was Willy, and reflected on some of their memories together. The brother Id escorted into Westminster Abbey that morning was gone forever. Who could deny it? he wrote. Hed never again be first a foremost Willy. Wed never again ride together across the Lesotho countryside with capes blowing behind us. Wed never again share a horsey-smelling cottage while learning to fly. Who shall separate us? Life, thats who. The Duke reportedly went on to describe the occasion as yet another farewell under this horrid roof and another sundering. He shared more details about his feelings during the end of Williams royal wedding, where he served as the grooms best man. And I recall Willy walking her back up the aisle, and as they disappeared through the door, into the carriage that would convey them to Buckingham Palace, into the eternal partnership theyd pledged, I recall thinking: Goodbye, he continued. Harry also wrote that while the wedding ceremony was mostly a blank in [his] mind, he did remember that Kate looked incredible in her gown. In addition to his thoughts about his brothers marriage, Harrys memoir also includes a number of bombshell claims about the pair, including an allegation that William physically attacked him. According to The Guardian, Harry wrote that an argument took place at Nottingham Cottage in 2019 about his marriage to Meghan Markle. [William] called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor, he wrote. Story continues The outlet claims that the alleged incident occurred after William reportedly described Meghan as difficult, rude and abrasive. Leading up to his book release, Harry has spoken often about his relationship with his older brother. During a conversation with ITVs Tom Bradby, which will air on 8 January, he said that his family have shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile with him and his wife. However, he stills wants a relationship with William and his father, King Charles III. I would like to get my father back, I would like to have my brother back, Harry also said in a teaser clip of the interview, before adding: They feel as though its better to keep us somehow as the villains. In an upcoming with Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan, Harry noted that while he calls William his beloved brother and arch nemesis in the memoir, he still wants to create peace with the royal family. Ultimately, what this all comes down to is, I dont think that we can ever have peace with my family unless the truth is out there, he said. Prince Harry and Prince William. Isabel Infantes - WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince Harry wrote in his new book that his brother physically attacked him during a fight in 2019. In an excerpt seen by The Guardian, Harry says William "grabbed" him by the collar and knocked him over. This was after William called Meghan Markle "rude" and "abrasive," per Harry's account. Prince Harry has accused his brother, Prince William, of physically attacking him during an argument over Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. This accusation was laid out in an excerpt of Harry's upcoming autobiography, "Spare," seen by The Guardian. "Spare" is slated for release on January 10. In the excerpt, Harry writes about how his brother, now the Prince of Wales, knocked him over during a tense conversation at Nottingham Cottage, Kensington Palace. This happened in 2019, per Harry's account, after he and Meghan were married in May 2018. According to Harry's account of the incident published by The Guardian, the brothers were meeting at Harry's London home for a chat, but William arrived already angry and "piping hot" to the conversation. William called Meghan "difficult," "rude," and "abrasive," Harry wrote, per The Guardian. Harry added that he thought William was just parroting the negative "press narrative" about Meghan, according to the excerpt. Harry and William then got into a shouting match, Harry wrote. Harry accused William of just behaving like the heir to the throne and not understanding his younger brother, while William said he was just trying to help Harry out, the excerpt detailed. This argument moved to the kitchen, Harry wrote, where he tried to offer William a glass of water, saying: "Willy, I can't speak to you when you're like this." "He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast," Harry wrote, per a paragraph from the book published by The Guardian. "He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me," Harry added. "I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out." Story continues Harry recounted as well how William said he should strike him in return like they used to fight when they were kids which Harry refused to. He wrote, too, that his older brother looked "regretful" and "apologized," then told him that he did not need to tell Meghan about the altercation. Harry wrote that he did not immediately tell Meghan what happened, but spilled the beans later on when she noticed "scrapes and bruises" on him. He wrote that Meghan "wasn't that surprised, and wasn't all that angry," but was "terribly sad." Harry and Meghan announced in 2020 that they would step back completely from royal duties. Harry has revealed other points of tension in his relationship with his brother. In episode five of Netflix's docuseries "Harry & Meghan," Harry said his brother screamed at him during a family meeting at Sandringham in January, 2020. "It was terrifying to have my brother scream and shout at me," Harry said in the docuseries. Harry, for his part, this year expressed a desire to reconcile with William and his father, King Charles. "I would like to get my father back. I would like to have my brother back," Harry said in an interview trailer released on January 2. This trailer was for a sit-down interview with the UK's ITV, that is set to air on Sunday two days before "Spare" is released. A source with knowledge of the content of Harry's autobiography told The Sunday Times in December that the book is "tough on William." "I personally can't see how Harry and William will be able to reconcile after this," the unnamed source told The Sunday Times. Representatives for Prince William and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. Disclosure: Mathias Dopfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member. Read the original article on Insider BOSTON Priscila Sousa said the most exciting thing about taking office Wednesday as state representative in the new majority-minority 6th Middlesex District is the opportunity to represent a population that isnt otherwise represented at the state level. South Framingham was fractured in such a way (before the 2020 Census-inspired redistricting) that there wasnt one district that had enough voting power to call attention to some of the issues that South Framingham had," Sousa told the Daily News on the day of her inauguration at the State House. "A lot of issues fell through the cracks." Sousa, 34, was sworn in and attended the Houses first session of the new two-year session on Wednesday. State Rep. Priscila Sousa, D-Framingham, of the newly created 6th Middlesex District, takes part in the Democratic caucus at the State House prior to her swearing-in ceremony, Jan. 4, 2023. Dressed in white, Sousa took the floor for the first time. She was joined by her mother, Luciana Sousa, who brought Priscila to the United States from Brazil when the younger woman was just 7. Im very excited to hit the ground running," Sousa said. "Ive lived (nearly) my entire life in the district. I'm excited to look for resources for our downtown area, cleaning up our contaminated sites, issues like food security and what can be done." Earlier: Framingham's new majority-minority district has an incoming state representative Sousa said she aims to bring the concerns of a minority-majority population to the forefront of the state Legislature. "I'm itching to get to work," she said. "These are people that look like me, not just ethnically but socio-economically. These issues resonate with me and are one of the main reasons Im excited to get to work. State Rep. Priscila Sousa, D-Framingham, right, shares a laugh with state Rep. Danielle Gregoire, D-Marlborough, before the swearing-in ceremony at the State House, Jan. 4, 2023. After being elected to the Framingham School Committee in 2020, Sousas route to state office began when former state Rep. Maria Robinson, D-Framingham, resigned from her 6th Middlesex District seat last year to take a federal position. But Robinson wasn't eligible to run for reelection in the 6th anyway, as her residence doesn't lie within the boundaries of the redrawn district. That paved the way for Sousa and former City Councilor Margareth Shepard to square off in the Democratic primary in September, which Sousa won after garnering 52% of the vote. That decided the race, as there was no Republican opposition awaiting in November's general election. Story continues Making new connections Since Election Day, Sousa said she has worked diligently to form alliances within the district and at the state level. She attended an orientation session at UMass Amherst, where she got a chance to meet her fellow freshmen lawmakers and start forming coalitions. The most meaningful connections Ive been making have been in our own community, our nonprofits, our service providers, business owners and every institution within our district, Sousa said. Ive also been connecting with other state representatives. You quickly find yourself migrating to other districts like yours, and thankfully we have a lot of new districts that have been newly created and have first-time representatives. Framingham supporters of State Rep. Priscila Sousa, of Framingham, of the newly created 6th Middlesex District, on hand for the swearing in ceremony at the State House, Jan. 4, 2023, included from left: John Stefanini, Shivalik Randev, and Mary Kate Feeney. David Magnani, who represented Framingham at the State House from 1984 to 1992, and in the state Senate from 1992 to 2004, worked on Sousa's campaign and attended Wednesday's inauguration. Its a very exciting day I just met Priscila earlier this year, and we worked together knocking on doors and holding fundraisers," Magnani said. "She is a brilliant young woman with a tenacious energy to represent her district." Holliston race: James Arena-DeRosa is the new state rep in the 8th Middlesex District Magnani also was there to witness the inauguration for several other MetroWest representatives, including James Arena-DeRosa in the 8th Middlesex District (Hopkinton, Holliston, Sherborn and parts of Millis) and Kate Donaghue, of the newly formed the 19th Worcester District (Southborough and parts of Framingham, Northborough and Westborough). State Rep. Priscila Sousa, D-Framingham, attends her first Democratic caucus at the State House prior to swearing-in ceremonies, Jan. 4, 2023. James is very bright and intensely committed to his district," Magnani said. "Kate has been the Massachusetts representative for the national Democratic Party. Her husband and son passed away, and she has created a new life as a rep in Framingham, and she is a great asset for us to have." Still in the game: Former Framingham legislator David Magnani works behind the scenes for Democrats Outgoing Gov. Charlie Baker, who on Wednesday addressed the House for the final time, welcomed new lawmakers and thanked the existing ones for their work during his tenure. I want to thank you all, serving as governor for the last eight years, for your kindness, cooperation and the civic conversation you brought to important issues, Baker said. This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Framingham Rep. Sousa will advocate for majority-minority district SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Federal agents have arrested a Puerto Rican woman accused of assaulting two Spirit Airlines employees after she was removed from a plane and tried to get back on it, officials said Thursday. The woman, who lives in Tampa, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of interfering with security screening personnel at Puerto Ricos main international airport, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Authorities said the incident happened in late November and that federal agents arrested her on Wednesday. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 36-hour ceasefire in Ukraine to observe Orthodox Christmas over the weekend. Based on the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the combat areas, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a cease-fire and give them the opportunity to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on the Day of the Nativity of Christ, Putins order, published on the Kremlins website, reads. Putin called for the ceasefire along the entire line of contact between the parties in Ukraine and requested it last from noon on Friday through Saturday. The order comes after the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, called for a ceasefire during the holiday weekend. In the Kremlin statement, Putin said he was taking into account Kirills request. There was no immediate word from the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelensky, criticized the ceasefire request from Kirill early on Thursday, saying the Russian Orthodox Church acts as a propagandist of war. The Russian Orthodox Church has called for the genocide of Ukrainians, encouraged mass murders, and insists on even greater militarization of the Russian Federation, Podolyak tweeted. Therefore, the statement of the Russian Orthodox Church about the Christmas truce is a cynical trap and an element of propaganda. Putin also discussed a settlement in the war on Thursday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to a readout from the Kremlin. The Turkish leader expressed a desire to mediate a political settlement of the conflict and Putin reaffirmed Russias openness to a serious dialogue, adding that Ukraine must take into account new territorial realities. Ukraine called for a 10-point peace proposal last month, including the complete withdrawal of troops from his country. Story continues Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the time that Kyiv is not ready for dialogue in response to the proposal. We will not talk to anyone under such conditions, Lavrov said in an interview with state media last month. Putins new call for a ceasefire comes after a deadly New Years Eve strike on a Russian temporary base in the eastern region of Donetsk, which Moscow this week said killed 89 soldiers. It was the deadliest single attack on Russian forces in the war. Updated at 11:14 a.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Russian Navys frigate Admiral Gorshkov armed with Tsirkon hypersonic missiles starts a trip from the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, said that the ship is going to the NATO countries shores. Source: Ukrainian Navy on Facebook; Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, on Telegram Details: According to the Ukrainian Navy, the sending ceremony of frigate Gorshkov was personally led by Vladimir Putin, President of Russia. The frigate will perform combat duty in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic and Indian oceans. During combat service, training use of Tsirkon hypersonic missiles is planned. According to the Ukrainian military, by doing this the Russian Federation is trying to divert attention from its failures in the war with Ukraine, in particular in the Black Sea. Quote: "There are no wins of the Black Sea Fleet, so measures have been taken at the state level to go on a long-distance campaign, away from the Black Sea." More details: Dmitry Medvedev, in turn, said that the shipment took place on 4 January and its purpose is to get closer to NATO countries and to create a threat to the United States in particular. Quote: "The main New Year's gift with the ammunition of the Tsirkon missiles went to the shores of NATO countries yesterday. Their range of 1,000 km with hypersound at Mach 9 and the ability to use any charge with a guarantee to overcome any anti-aircraft defence. Let it stand somewhere 100 miles [160.93 km ed.] away from the shore, closer to the Potomac River [the river near the US capital ed.]. So rejoice! [The frigate ed.] will bring anyone who poses a direct threat to Russia and our allies to their senses." The Ukrainian Navy reminded that to date, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have destroyed 16 ships and boats of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation, and damaged several more. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! In a tale that is as old as time, another musician has come forward with claims of the woes hes experienced within the music industry. This time, its Quentin Miller, the songwriter known as Drakes ghostwriter. In an interview on YouTube, he alleges that he never received a proper publishing check for any of the songs he wrote for the Toronto native. The Claims I never got a publishing check off of any Drake songs, he told VladTV. View this post on Instagram A post shared by HOLLYWOOD UNLOCKED (@hollywoodunlocked) Furthermore, he says that his work as a songwriter with Drakes camp was coupled with a very questionable contract. According to him, he was the victim of really a horrible deal. The Deal I had to feed my family off getting paid under the table in that situation because Tricky and them wouldnt let me go, he alleged. I didnt get out of that deal until 20192020. I signed in 2011. They wouldnt let me out. I had to let go of a lot of sh-t just to get out. Even while I was in it, I never got a publishing check or nothing. I was just grinding it out, hoping that one song or working with that one artist is gonna change something, and that was the Drake thing, but it didnt change anything. A Lesson For Others As previously reported by AfroTech, some of the biggest entertainers in the industry have been subject to the fine print of the contracts theyve signed. From Megan Thee Stallion to Mike Tyson and even Drake, they all serve as a cautionary tale to anyone looking to do business in an industry that is indeed cutthroat. Climate change activists of Extinction Rebellion (XR) group Climate change activists of Extinction Rebellion (XR) group chained themselves blocking the street in front of the Health Ministry in Madrid, Spain, on Feb. 26, 2021. Credit - Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket Getty Images Back in 2018, a group of British climate activists started purposefully breaking the law, blocking roads and gluing themselves to government buildings in the name of cutting carbon emissions. The group responsible, Extinction Rebellion, swiftly rose to international notoriety thanks to those radical stunts. To some observers, they were heroes. Others said they alienated more people than they won over. These methods of civil resistance spread far and wide in the following years, and they reached unprecedented prevalence in 2022. In New York last year, activists blockaded roadways and organized sit-ins at corporate headquarters. In the U.K. and Germany, campaigns to shut down highways have become commonplace. Extinction Rebellion took part in some actions, helping to block access to oil facilities in the U.K., for instance. But much of the years most notorious stuntsincluding throwing tomato soup on Vincent Van Goghs Sunflowerswere undertaken by newer, more radical climate groups like Britains Just Stop Oil and Germanys Last Generation. Then, last week, Extinction Rebellion released a surprising announcement: they were giving up the ghost. As we ring in the new year, we make a controversial resolution to temporarily shift away from public disruption as a primary tactic, the group wrote in a New Years Eve announcement entitled We Quit. Instead, these U.K.-based activists will now focus on organizing large-scale protests without so much focus on breaking the law. This year, we prioritise attendance over arrest and relationships over roadblocks, they wrote. A version of this story first appeared in the Climate is Everything newsletter. To sign up, click here. Its a dramatic rebrand for one of the progenitors of the radical protest movementsomething like Batman hanging up his cape to take a position as a public prosecutor. Some observers point to proposed draconian restrictions on protest in the U.K. as the likely reason for the strategy shift. Its not that the protests dont achieve the objective that they desire, says Eric Arnum, an activist working with multiple climate protest groups. Its that the protests are proving too costly to the people involved. Story continues But its also hard to avoid the perception that Extinction Rebellion is doing this because, after four years of campaigning, theyve realized that the strategy simply isnt working, or that theyve decided that other, younger groups have gone too far. Civil resistance generated more attention than ever before last year, but the groups shutting down roadways arent exactly popular. More people in the U.K. disapprove of Extinction Rebellion than support it, according to YouGov polling, and more than three times more people opposed Just Stop Oils tactics of blocking roadways than agreed with them, according to a separate poll in November. Since the announcement, representatives from Extinction Rebellion have bent over backwards to say they still support the roadblocks and paint throwing of their more radical peers. And those groups have certainly not given any indication that theyre countenancing a strategy shift. Activists in Germanys Last Generation say theyre going to continue to block motorways in 2023. In the U.K., Just Stop Oil members say they will up the ante. We are barreling down the highway to the loss of ordered civil society, says a spokesperson. It is time to escalate. Some climate activists say that Extinction Rebellion is simply ceding radical ground to younger upstarts. In some sense theyre the moderate organization now, says Shayok Mukhopadhyay, a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion NYC (The group is independent from the original Extinction Rebellion, based in the U.K.). But theres still something of a sense in Extinction Rebellions announcement that the group is questioning the basic assumptions that animate the civil resistance movement. Despite the blaring alarm on the climate and ecological emergencyvery little has changed, the U.K. group wrote. Until now, many of the loudest voices in climate activism have insisted that the worsening climate situation had to be met with increasingly extreme tactics, mainly carried out by small groups of hard-core supporters. Many of them still do. But Extinction Rebellions move could mark the beginning of a tone shift for climate activists in the coming year, away from small-scale, controversial stunts, and toward the sort of huge mass protests which, historically, have been almost impossible for leaders to ignore. Trinity Lutheran Church in Tinley Park offers a grief support group for those who have lost a spouse. (for the Chicago Tribune) Harvey St. Mark MB Church, 14618 Lincoln Ave.: Community book box available at the church. People of all ages are invited to come when the church is open and select a book to take home to read. Donations of new and gently used books are requested. Information: www.stmarkmbchurch.org. Lemont Mount Assisi Center, 13860 Main St.: Womens Morning of Reflections from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 18. A continental breakfast and lunch will be served. The donation is $30. Make a reservation by Jan. 13. Information: carriepeters2@sbcglobal.net or 630-257-7844, Ext. 223. Advertisement Lockport First Congregational Church of Lockport United Church of Christ, 700 E. 9th St.: Micro food pantry available 24 hours outside the church. Information: lockportucc.org or 815-838-2091. Palos Heights Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7800 W. McCarthy Road: Ongoing collection of items for the Manteno veterans home, especially Pepsi, Coke and 7-Up in cans; individual bags of Lays potato chips, Cheetos and Doritos; individual bags of cookies such as Oreos, Chips-A-Hoy, butter and peanut butter; and bite-size candy bars such as Kit Kats or Milky Way. Information: www.good-shepherd-church.com or 708-448-4170. Advertisement Palos Hills Sacred Heart Parish, 8245 W. 111th St.: Season of giving blood drive from 8 a.m. to noon Jan. 8. Its sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. Appointments are suggested by calling (800) 7TO-GIVE but walk-ins are welcome. Those who donate have a chance to enter Versiti Blood Centers raffle for an SUV. Information: 708-974-3336, Ext. 4. Tinley Park Trinity Lutheran Church, 6850 W. 159th St.: One-day seminar at 1 or 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 for those who have lost a spouse. Regular sessions of Grief Share start at 1 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays starting Jan. 17. Zoom sessions are 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays starting January 18. Information: BormetJill@gmail.com or 708-642-1686. St. Julie Billiart Catholic Church, 7399 W. 159th St.: Ice cream social after 6 p.m. Mass Jan. 15 in the parish hall. All are invited. Event is free but donations will be accepted. Information: 708-429-6767. Whats going on at your church? Let us know by sending us an email including time, date, place and public contact information at religion@southtownstar.com. Stellantis Stellantis has officially joined the battle for EV truck dominance after pulling the cover off of the 2024 Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept at CES 2023. Designed squarely with the Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevrolet Silverado EV in mind, Ram says this upcoming electric pickup truck will provide customers with segment leading performance across every major metric. Heres everything we know so far about the all-electric Ram 1500 Revolution BEV. This 2024 Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept may not be identical to the production vehicle slated to arrive next year, but it does give us a good look at what we can expect from Stellantis. The truck is based on the automakers new STLA Frame electric vehicle platform, which is slated to underpin a variety of full-size vehicles. While we do know that the STLA Frame platform will carry the largest battery pack on offer from Stellantis, the automaker is not ready to divulge specific measurements of any of the all-electric chassis at this time. What we do know is that the platform is capable of supporting a dual-motor setup, which will bring ever-important all-wheel drive to the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV. In order to make the most of the AWD system, the truck also features rear-steer with up to 15 degrees of angle. Every Ram 1500 Revolution BEV will also feature an adjustable air suspension system. The STLA Frame platform will also support 800-volt DC fast charging at speeds up to 350 kW, which will allow customers to add 100 miles of driving range in about 10 minutes. GM has stated that the Silverado EV will match the Rams 350 kW DC fast charging capabilities. That said, the F-150 Lightning can only charge at speeds of 120kW or 155kW, depending on which battery pack the vehicle is equipped with. Ram maintains that the truck will lead the segment in range, towing, payload and charge times. Stellantis The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV brings a whole new look to the truck brand. The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV will employ a four-door bodystyle like its segment competitors from Detroit. The doors themselves are set in a saloon style, negating the need for a B-pillar separating the two halves of the cabin. This particular design element is one that feels more akin to a concept car than a proper production variant. The front end is now dominated by the new tuning fork lighting elements, which are separated by an illuminated and animated Ram logo. The traditional grille area is filled in with black plastic to help cheat the air, while a large underbody skid plate protrudes up the chin of the truck. The rake of the windshield appears more pronounced as well, forgoing the upright look of the current pickup offerings. Outside of the heavily sculpted hood and LED marker lights, the front fascia is a clean, simple bit of design. The Ford F-150 Lightning is a far more traditional design by comparison, mirroring the look of the ICE-powered F-150 very closely. Even the aero-conscious Silverado EV carries more traditional design cues than this BEV Concept from Ram. That changes as you move to view the trucks profile, as the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV leans towards aggressive and futuristic cues. The front fenders and the hood work together to create large front shoulders, on top of which camera-based mirrors are located. The body Coke bottles its way back to where the front and rear doors meet, giving the truck a rather shapely appearance. The rear arches also fair out to help complete the look, while black cladding down low removes visual weight from the profile. The way the bed is attached to the truck doesnt succeed in the same way. The diagonal cut line on the bodywork is somewhat jarring, and only further highlights that this isnt a traditional truck design. That will certainly be a plus for some customers, but it's worth noting that the Ford F-150 Lighting took the exact opposite approach. This particular Concept is also equipped with 24-inch wheels, which come wrapped in unique 35-inch tires. It is worth noting that the truck does employ genuine body-on-frame construction. Stellantis Things are dramatically different from the current truck lineup when you hop inside of the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept. The cabin itself is four-inches longer than an outgoing crew cab, which adds a bit more seating room throughout. The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept has also arrived with third-row jump seating, which marks an industry first. Whether or not those seats make it to production, they do speak to how much room is actually inside of this truck. The trucks seats are mounted on the brands new Ram Track system, which allows owners to reconfigure in a variety of ways. A midgate (like the one found on the Hummer EV) behind the seats will also allow for a cargo passthrough all the way to the frunk, bringing bed length up to 18-feet with the tailgate closed. Stellantis The lack of a B-pillar and electro-chromatic glass roof help to bring a sense of airiness to the cabin. There dont appear to be any hard buttons on the dash, which is not unexpected in the EV era. The steering wheel does retain some of the buttons, but its worth noting this truck features an oddly square unit. Thats not something we expect to see make it to production. Next to the wheels sits a large infotainment system composed of two screens, measuring in at 28-inches overall. The bottom screen can be removed and used as a passenger display or even a gaming controller. Stellantis Other tech highlights include Shadow Mode, during which the truck can follow the owners movements while outside the vehicle. Ram also says the electric truck will be equipped with Level 3 autonomous features, which will see the steering wheel fold away for more driver seat comfort. It is worth noting that there are currently no Level 3 ADAS systems approved for use on U.S. roads at this time. According to J.D. Power, Mercedes-Benz does offer such a system in its EQS EV by way of the Drive Pilot feature, while Honda offers a Level 3 system in the Legend for the Japanese domestic market. Neither have been approved by regulators stateside. Like many electric vehicles, the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV features environmentally conscious interior trimmings. The seats come covered in apple leather, which is a bi-product of apple production. Greyslate Nanostone veneers replace traditional wood throughout. The floors are even made from recycled rubber and cork. The elements combine to create an interesting looking cabin, though it will be important to see how it holds up to actual use. Its hard to use touchscreens when wearing dirty work gloves, after all. Stellantis The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept marks an exciting moment for Stellantis, but we cant help but feel like this design is more concept than a production preview. That said, we dont have to wait too much longer before the production-ready offering is unveiled to the public. Ram says it should only be a few months before that day comes, as they target a 2024 release date for the electric truck The Ford F-150 Lightning is already on sale, while the Chevrolet Silverado EV is slated to arrive later this spring. Elon Musk has recently stated that the Cybertruck is aiming for a mid-2023 release, which would have the Ram arriving to the market well behind its competitors. Once that happens, well all have a better idea of just how well this new electric truck stacks up against an already stout segment. Stellantis You Might Also Like Rep. Kevin McCarthy was hoping the third day is the charm as he tries to win over a handful of far right-wing rebels against his chaotic bid for speaker of the House. After losing six straight votes over two days, McCarthy met after midnight and again in the morning Thursday in hopes of cutting a deal with GOP critics. Despite claims of encouraging progress, there was no sign that he has the votes needed to become the leader of the new GOP-controlled House anytime soon. No deal yet, McCarthy said late Wednesday. But a lot of progress. A third day of now-familiar GOP dirty laundry drama on display was set to unfold when the House is gaveled to order at noon. McCarthy can afford to lose the votes of no more than four Republican lawmakers to win a majority of those voting, a tall order given that he has lost at least 19 in each of the first six votes. At least five GOP hardliners are said to be adamantly opposed to backing McCarthy under any circumstances, meaning his hope of a dramatic breakthrough remains wishful thinking for now. Some even want him evicted from the speakers plush office inside the Capitol, underlining their disdain. As Republicans squabble, newly minted Democratic House leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) denounced the unending Republican bickering, backbiting and backstabbing. We are ready to go to work for the American people but we need a willing partner on the other side, said Jeffries, whose district is in Brooklyn. McCarthy has reportedly offered to cave on a slew of the rebels demands, including allowing any one lawmaker to force a no-confidence vote, more seats on the pivotal rules committee for right-wing extremists and big changes to the process of passing spending bills. But even his backers admit that McCarthy is nowhere near wrapping up enough support to actually win. If more votes are held without tangible signs that McCarthy is nearing victory, most insiders believe McCarthy will start to lose support, a trend that could force him to throw in the towel at some point. Story continues There have been no serious negotiations yet over a potential fall-back candidate. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-Texas) is McCarthys top lieutenant and would be the most obvious second choice for his supporters. The House cannot conduct any business before it elects a speaker, meaning the GOPs intramural feud is effectively holding Congress hostage. Democrats have enthusiastically voted unanimously for Jeffries on all six ballots so far. After replacing former Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a no-drama transition, he repeatedly won their 212 votes, besting McCarthy for the highest total. If McCarthy could win 213 votes, and then persuade the remaining naysayers to simply vote present, he would be able to lower the threshold required under the rules to have the majority. Its a strategy former House speakers, including Pelosi and moderate Republican John Boehner, used when they confronted opposition, winning with fewer than 218 votes. A more unlikely scenario calls for a group of Republican moderates to join Democrats in getting behind a compromise candidate, with two former Michigan Republican lawmakers, ex-Rep. Fred Upton and Rep. Justin Amash saying they would consider playing such a role. In perhaps the most far-fetched scenario, the GOP squabble could somehow open the door for Jeffries to win the vote and take the speakers gavel at least temporarily. A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers grant application requesting $1.8 billion in federal funding to replace the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges has been denied, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced Wednesday. The money would have come from the U.S. Department of Transportations Federal Highway Administration first round of the Bridge Investment Program Grants, the agency said. The application to this grant program was filed in August 2022 for funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It sought funding which represents 47 percent of the estimated $3.9 billion total project cost for design and construction activities. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed, operates and maintains the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges, which are both federally-owned. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law competitive Bridge Investment Program awarded $2.1 billion in federal funding. Applications were open to all 50 states and U.S. Territories and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers applied for $1.8 billion of that $2.36 billion. Grants announced on Wednesday will be funding four projects, with just one in New England: in Connecticut. The Cape Cod Bridges are federal assets, and the responsibility to replace them lies with the USACE and the federal government. The Baker-Polito Administration is disappointed that this latest funding application has been denied, MassDOT spokesperson Jacquelyn Goddard said in a statement. Despite these bridges being federal assets, the Administration has spent considerable time, energy and funds to support replacing the bridges, including working with the Legislature to pass significant funding to replace the approaches to the bridges and authorization for Massachusetts to compete for federal grants. MassDOT will continue to pursue every possible avenue to support the USACEs efforts to secure federal discretionary funds to replace the bridges. MassDOT and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been working on plans to replace the federally-owned Bourne and Sagamore Bridges, the statement said. Story continues The two bridges provide the only roadway connection on and off Cape Cod for the 263,000 residents of the Cape and Islands, as well as the 5 million annual visitors. The project has a total estimated cost of $3.9 billion and would replace both bridges and improve the adjoining roadway network. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Ronnie Hyde, the man found guilty in the 1994 murder of Jacksonville 16-year-old Fred Laster, pleaded guilty to three counts of child pornography on Wednesday. Hyde was sentenced to seven years in prison on the child pornography charges. After Hydes March 7, 2017 arrest for the murder of Laster, the FBI searched his Jacksonville Beach home for days, finding disturbing photos and videos. The home was eventually demolished. Hyde is already serving a life sentence for murder. He will also have to register as a sexual offender. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Bare spots are seen on Nov. 29, 2022, in the snowy parking lot in front of the home where four University of Idaho students were found dead on Nov. 13, in Moscow, Idaho, after vehicles belonging to the victims and others were towed away earlier in the day. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren A roommates of the slain University of Idaho students said she saw a man fleeing the scene. She told police she looked out her door when she heard crying and saw a masked man. She added that he was headed toward the home's sliding glass back door around 4:17 a.m. One of the roommates of three of the four University of Idaho students that were stabbed to death in their home in November said she saw a man fleeing the scene, according to an affidavit explaining charges against the suspect released by prosecutors in Moscow, Idaho, Thursday. According to the affidavit, the home in which the victims were found was shared by five girls: 21-year-olds Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves and 20-year-old Xana Kernodle three of the four victims and two additional roommates who spoke to police to give their accounts of that night. The fourth victim, 20-year-old Ethan Chapin, was a guest of Kernodle's the night they were killed. Both of the surviving roommates told police they estimated the other four occupants of the house were home by 2 am local time on November 13 after a night out near campus, the affidavit said. The roommates told police that they were all asleep, or at least in their rooms, by 4 am. local time, except for Kernodle, who received a DoorDash order around that time, the affidavit said. One of the roommates told police she was asleep in her second-floor bedroom before 4 am. and woke up to the sound of what she assumed was Goncalves playing with her dog in her third-floor bedroom. The roommate said she thought she heard Goncalves say "there's someone here," but was unsure as phone records obtained by police show that Kernodle was on TikTok at 4:12 am, and the roommate could have heard noises from her phone, the affidavit said.At that point, the roommate opened her bedroom door to look outside but did not see anything, the affidavit said. She told police that she opened her door and looked outside a second time when she heard crying coming from Kernodle's room. She told police she also heard a male voice say, "It's ok, I'm going to help you." Story continues A nearby security camera picked up the sounds of crying, a dog barking, and a "loud thud" at 4:17 am, the affidavit said. The roommate then opened her bedroom door a third time and saw "a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person's mouth and nose walking towards her," according to the affidavit. She said the man walked past her as she stood in a "frozen shock phase." The roommate locked herself in her bedroom as the man walked toward the back sliding glass door. She told police she did not recognize the man. Police identified 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger, a Ph.D. student at Washington State University who lived about 10 minutes away from the crime scene, as a suspect in connection to the case. The suspect was detained in his hometown of Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, on December 30 after he and his father drove cross-country from Washington state. Police connected the suspect's DNA to the case by searching his parents' trash can at their Albrightsville family home. He was extradited to Idaho where he appeared in court Thursday and now faces four first-degree murder charges and one count of felony burglary in connection to the case. Read the original article on Insider By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of Holtec, a private U.S. nuclear power company working in Ukraine, said Russia's occupation the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is a serious hit to the future of clean energy. Russia took over the plant, Europe's biggest, soon after its Feb. 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The plant has suffered shelling and cut power lines during the war, raising concerns of a nuclear catastrophe. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the shelling. Kris Singh, the chief executive of New Jersey-based Holtec International said in an open letter published on Thursday that Russia President Vladimir Putin's military occupation of the plant should be viewed as a "serious blow to humanity's clean energy future." Singh said it has "normalized a new horrendous instrument of war". Nuclear power backers, including the Biden administration, say the electricity source is critical to fight climate change, because it generates virtually emissions-free power. Nuclear's critics say it's too costly and building new plants is too time-consuming to do much to curb climate change, though some acknowledge that current reactors should keep running if they operate safely. In Ukraine, Holtec works on storage of spent nuclear fuel and wants to build next-generation small modular reactors there. Russia's war in Ukraine and the taking of Zaporizhzhia could be costly for its international nuclear business. Last year a Finnish-led consortium scrapped a contract for Russia's state-owned Rosatom to build a nuclear power plant in Finland, citing delays and increased risks due to the war in Ukraine. The Hanhikivi 1 project would have increased Finland's dependency on Russia for its energy. Singh urged the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, to call on its member states to agree resolutions that make attempts to interfere with peaceful generation of nuclear power "punishable by expulsion of the aggressor state." The IAEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Sandra Maler) Denis Pushilin, the Kremlin-appointed leader of the separatist militants in the temporarily occupied region of Donetsk, the so-called "DPR" [Donetsk Peoples Republic - ed.], has claimed that Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, implemented the "Christmas truce" for Orthodox Christians (Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on 6-7 January ed.). Source: post by Pushilin Quote: "Regarding the decision of the president. The truce is out of the question! Our President has made this decision as an Orthodox Christian for other Orthodox Christians for whom it is important to go to church and to attend the divine service on the feast of Christmas. For obvious reasons, we do not consider the leadership of the rest of Ukraine (not under Russian occupation ed.) to be Orthodox. This decision is about stopping attacks and offensive actions from our side." Details: Pushilin has claimed that militants and Russian soldiers will "respond to the Ukrainian provocations." Background: Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered that Sergei Shoigu, the Minister of Defence of Russia, implement a ceasefire for Christmas. Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, said that Ukraine would not hold any negotiations with Russia regarding the so-called Christmas ceasefire. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! FILE - Dr. Caitlin Bernard, a reproductive healthcare provider, speaks during an abortion rights rally on June 25, 2022, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Indiana's medical licensing board next month will hear a case regarding Bernard, an Indianapolis doctor who this summer provided an abortion to an Ohio 10-year-old child who was raped. (Jenna Watson/The Indianapolis Star via AP, File) (Jenna Watson/AP) INDIANAPOLIS Indianas medical licensing board next month will hear a case regarding the Indianapolis doctor who this past summer provided an abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim from Ohio. The Feb. 23 hearing is the first step in determining the medical license status of Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an Indianapolis obstetrician-gynecologist whom the Indiana attorney general claimed violated privacy laws after Bernard spoke to an Indianapolis newspaper about the Ohio girls treatment. Advertisement Attorneys for Bernard stated the doctor followed Indianas abortion and child abuse reporting requirements while the childs case was being investigated by Ohio authorities, court documents from December show. The case drew national attention in the weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last June. A 27-year-old man was later charged in Columbus, Ohio, with raping the girl. Advertisement After the newspaper cited that case in a July 1 article about patients heading to Indiana for abortions because of more restrictive laws elsewhere, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita told Fox News he would investigate Bernards actions, calling her an abortion activist acting as a doctor. Bernard filed a lawsuit against Rokita in November, when she argued Rokitas office was wrongly justifying the investigation with frivolous consumer complaints submitted by people with no personal knowledge about the girls abortion. Marion County Judge Heather Welch ruled last month in that case that Rokita could continue investigating Bernard after his office requested the state medical licensing board discipline Bernard. But Welch also said Rokita wrongly made public comments about investigating Bernard before he filed that complaint with the board. Bernards attorney and Rokita did not immediately reply to requests for comment. ___ Arleigh Rodgers is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/arleighrodgers KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered his armed forces to observe a unilateral 36-hour cease-fire in Ukraine this weekend for the Orthodox Christmas holiday, the first such sweeping truce move in the nearly 11-month-old war. Kyiv indicated it wouldn't follow suit. Putin did not appear to condition his cease-fire order on Ukraine's acceptance, and it wasnt clear whether hostilities would actually pause on the 1,100-kilometer (684-mile) front line or elsewhere. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the Russian move as playing for time to regroup its invasion forces and prepare additional attacks. At various points during the war that began Feb. 24, Russian authorities have ordered limited, local truces to allow civilian evacuations or other humanitarian purposes. Thursday's order was the first time Putin has directed his troops to observe a cease-fire throughout Ukraine. Based on the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the combat areas, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a cease-fire and give them the opportunity to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on the Day of the Nativity of Christ, Putins order said. The order didnt specify whether it would apply to both offensive and defensive operations. It wasnt clear, for example, whether Russia would strike back if Ukraine kept fighting. Ukrainian officials from Zelenskky on down dismissed Putin's moves. In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy stopped short of stating his forces would reject Putin's request to suspend fighting, instead questioning the Russian leadership's motives. Now they want to use Christmas as a cover to stop the advance of our guys in the Donbas for a while and bring equipment, ammunition and mobilized people closer to our positions, Zelenskyy said. What will it give? Just another increase in the count of losses. Zelenskyy claimed that since he unveiled a peace plan in November, almost 110,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, and he accused the Kremlin of planning the fighting pause to continue the war with renewed vigor. Story continues The most comprehensive recent Western estimate of Russia's military losses was from a senior U.S. military official, who said in November that about 100,000 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded. Russian authorities haven't provided any recent figure for their military casualties. Zelenskyy adviser Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted that Russian forces must leave the occupied territories only then will it have a temporary truce. Ukraine's National Security Council chief Oleksiy Danilov told Ukrainian TV: We will not negotiate any truces with them. He also tweeted: What does a bunch of little Kremlin devils have to do with the Christian holiday of Christmas? Who will believe an abomination that kills children, fires at maternity homes and tortures prisoners? A cease-fire? Lies and hypocrisy. We will bite you in the singing silence of the Ukrainian night. U.S. President Joe Biden said it was interesting that Putin was ready to bomb hospitals, nurseries and churches on Christmas and New Years. I think hes trying to find some oxygen, he said, without elaborating. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Washington had little faith in the intentions behind this announcement, adding that Kremlin officials have given us no reason to take anything that they offer at face value. He said the truce order seems to be a ploy "to rest, refit, regroup, and ultimately re-attack. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric welcomed the move but said it "will not replace a just peace in line with the U.N. Charter and International law. Putin acted after the Russian Orthodox Church head, Patriarch Kirill, proposed a truce from noon Friday through midnight Saturday Moscow time (0900 GMT Friday to 2100 GMT Saturday; 4 a.m. EST Friday to 3 p.m. EST Saturday). The Orthodox Church, which uses the Julian calendar, celebrates Christmas on Jan. 7. Kirill has previously called the war part of Russias metaphysical struggle to prevent a Western liberal ideological encroachment. Zelenskyy had proposed starting a path toward peace with a Russian troop withdrawal before Dec. 25, but Moscow rejected it. Political analyst Tatyana Stanovaya said the cease-fire order fits well into Putins logic, in which Russia is acting on the right side of history and fighting for justice." In this war, Putin feels like a good guy, doing good not only for himself and the brotherly nations, but also for the world hes freeing from the hegemony of the United States, Stanovaya, founder of the independent R.Politik think tank, wrote on Telegram. She also linked Putin's move to Ukrainian forces' recent strike on Makiivka that killed at least 89 Russian servicemen. He really doesnt want to get something like that for Christmas, she said. Ukrainians reacted with suspicion. On the 8th of March (Womens Day), (Ukraines) independence day, Christmas (Dec. 25) and the New Year, there were no cease-fires. Why should there be one now? said Sophiia Romanovska, a 21-year-old student who fled Mariupol for Kyiv, peppering her comments with expletives. Putin issued the truce order after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged him in a phone call to implement a unilateral cease-fire, according to the Turkish presidents office. The Kremlin said Putin reaffirmed Russias openness to a serious dialogue with Ukrainian authorities. Erdogan told Zelenskyy later that Turkey was ready to mediate a lasting peace. Erdogan has made such offers frequently, helped broker a deal allowing Ukraine to export grain, and has facilitated prisoner swaps. Russia's professed readiness for peace talks came with the usual conditions: that Kyiv authorities fulfill the well-known and repeatedly stated demands and recognize new territorial realities, the Kremlin said, referring to Moscows insistence that Ukraine recognize Crimea and other illegally seized territory as part of Russia. Previous attempts at peace talks have failed over Moscow's territorial demands because Ukraine insists Russia withdraw from occupied areas. Coupled with talk of diplomacy were new pledges Thursday of military support for Ukraine. Zelenskyy called the pledges really a great victory for our state. Germany said it would match a U.S. announcement last month to supply Ukraine with a Patriot missile battery, the most advanced surface-to-air missile system the West has provided to Kyiv. Germany also said it would supply Marder armored personnel carriers, and France said it will discuss with Ukraine delivery of armored combat vehicles that can destroy tanks. U.S. officials said they will send Ukraine nearly $3 billion in military aid in a new package that will for the first time include several dozen Bradley fighting vehicles. The aim is to get as much aid to Ukrainian forces as possible before spring begins and fighting increases. An announcement was expected Friday, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the package's details had not been announced. The Kremlin contends the Wests supply of weapons to Ukraine is prolonging the conflict. While more weapons arrive, the battlefield situation appears to have settled into a stalemate and war of attrition. As winter sets in, troop and equipment mobility is more limited. In the latest fighting, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office, said Thursday that Russian shelling killed at least five civilians and wounded eight in the previous 24 hours. An intense battle has left 60% of the eastern city of Bakhmut in ruins, Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said. Ukrainian defenders appear to be holding the Russians back. Taking the city in the Donbas region, an expansive industrial area bordering Russia, would not only give Putin a major battlefield gain after months of setbacks but rupture Ukraines supply lines and allow Moscow's forces to press toward key Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk. In what appeared to be a move to entice more men to join the fight, the first convicts recruited for battle by the Wagner Group, a Russian private military contractor, received a promised government pardon after serving six months on the front line. A video released by Russia' state RIA Novosti news agency showed Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner Group's millionaire owner, shaking hands with about 20 pardoned men. ___ Associated Press journalists Bela Szandelszky in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Lolita C. Baldor and Matthew Lee in Washington, and Andrew Katell in New York contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Read also: Russia recruiting murder and rape convicts for war against Ukraine, says General Staff Rape survivors say Russian commanders were aware of their soldiers' actions and even encouraged rape, the NYT writes. UK lawyer Wayne Jordash, who advises Ukrainian prosecutors, said he saw signs of connivance on the part of commanders across the 30 cases he reviewed. Ukrainian Prosecutor Iryna Didenko, who investigates sexual crimes, said that she has already opened 154 cases of sexual violence, but the real number is likely much higher. According to Didenko, psychologists found that one in nine women was a victim of sexual violence in one of the villages in Kyiv Oblast liberated from Russians in early 2022. Hundreds more have been tortured and sexually abused in Russian captivity. Read also: The bodies of civilians in Bucha lay in the streets during the Russian occupation, UK Defence Ministry says She added that Russian invaders have a clear pattern of behavior when seizing territory: Ground forces arrive, and rapes start on the second or third day. Witnesses said that commanders themselves gave orders to rape or condoned it, by telling their troops to relax. In one case Didenko mentioned, the commander told his men, Okay, go. After that, the Russians entered an apartment building and discussed how they will beat one woman and rape another. Read also: First wartime rape case sent to court, Ukraine's prosecutor general says In another case, eight Russian soldiers raped a man who was stopped at a roadblock. Olha, a 26-year-old woman from Kherson, described how on her eighth or ninth day in Russian captivity, she was tied to a table naked from the waist down, after which the Russian soldier who was torturing her, swore at her for 15 minutes, then threw a jacket over her and let seven other men into the room. It was intimidation, Olha said. I didn't know what was going to happen next. Read also: Rumors of Belarus joining Ukraine war is Russian intimidation, says Ukrainian intelligence official Story continues According to prosecutors and local authorities, sexual violence including rape was widespread across the torture rooms set up by the invaders. Prosecutor Anna Sosonska of the Office of the Prosecutor General stressed that evidence of sexual violence by Russians was found in all territories that were occupied by Moscows troops: in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Kherson oblasts. Read also: Russian FSB security service special unit eliminated in Melitopol Because witnesses describe the same methods of torture and interrogation used by the FSB (Russian security service), prosecutors believe that Russian leadership is responsible for these crimes. Its certainly a system; ... it is part of a policy of genocide, but we need time to prove it, Didenko concludes. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine MOSCOW (Reuters) -Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, called on Thursday for both sides of the war in Ukraine to observe a Christmas truce, a step dismissed by Kyiv as a cynical trap. Many Orthodox Christians, including those living in Russia and Ukraine, celebrate Christmas on Jan. 6-7. "I, Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, appeal to all the parties involved in the internecine conflict to cease fire and establish a Christmas truce from 12:00 on Jan. 6 until 24:00 on Jan. 7 so that Orthodox people can attend services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day," he said. A senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Mykhailo Podolyak, cast the Russian Orthodox Church as a "war propagandist" that had incited the "mass murder" of Ukrainians and the militarisation of Russia. "The statement of the Russian Orthodox Church about the 'Christmas Truce' is a cynical trap and an element of propaganda," he said. The Russian Orthodox Church is by far the biggest of the churches in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which split with Western Christianity in the Great Schism of 1054. Today it has about 100 million followers within Russia and more outside. But the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has divided the two biggest Slav congregations, and added to a growing dispute within Slav Orthodox Christianity that goes back more than a thousand years to the very roots of Russia and Ukraine. The Russian Orthodox Church in Russia has backed what the Kremlin calls its "special military operation". President Vladimir Putin says he is defending Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine and casts it as a conflict with an "absolutist" West led by the United States that wants to destroy Russia and its culture. Kyiv and its Western backers note that many Russian speakers have fled the Russian invasion, which they say is an imperial-style land grab that has given the biggest boost to Ukrainian nationalism in a century. Story continues As many Ukrainians sought to shed Russian dominance after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Kyivan Orthodox Church of Ukraine was granted autocephaly, or self-governorship, by Constantinople, which oversees most modern Orthodox churches, causing discord with Moscow which considers it a usurper. After Christianity came to Eastern Slav lands in the 9th and 10th Centuries, Kyiv had its own Metropolitanate but it was subordinated to Russia's Church in 1685 under Tsar Peter the Great. (Reporting by Reuters, editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Alex Richardson) The Russians shelled Nikopol three times during the night with Grad multiple rocket launchers and heavy artillery; a man who was wounded the day before during Russian shelling has died in the hospital. Source: Valentyn Reznichenko, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Quote: "A 64-year-old man, who was seriously injured the day before during the enemy shelling of Nikopol, has died in the hospital. Nikopol itself suffered from new attacks both in the evening and overnight." Details: The Russians have shelled the city three times with Grad multiple rocket launchers and heavy artillery. At least 30 shells have landed there. Several houses and outbuildings, a civilian infrastructure facility and power lines have been damaged. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin's call on Thursday for a 36-hour ceasefire in Ukraine is "hypocritical" and the only route to restore peace is for Russia to withdraw its troops from the country, European Council President Charles Michel said. The Kremlin said Putin had ordered a ceasefire from midday on Friday after a call for a Christmas truce by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, head of the Russian Orthodox Church. "Withdrawal of Russian troops is [the] only serious option to restore peace and security. Announcement of unilateral ceasefire is as bogus and hypocritical as the illegal and grotesque annexations and accompanying referenda," Michel said in a tweet. Ukraine spurned the ceasefire offer over Orthodox Christmas, saying there would be no truce until Russia withdraws its invading forces from occupied land. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 in what Moscow calls a "special military operation". The war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and devastated large swaths of Ukraine. (Reporting by Kate Abnett; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) MOSCOW (Reuters) - Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday warned the United States that hypersonic missiles would soon be close to NATO's shores after the U.S. embassy said in a video it stood in solidarity with Russians who opposed the war in Ukraine. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has triggered one of the most deadly wars in Europe since World War Two and the deepest crisis in Moscow's relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. "The main gift for the New Year with an ammunition package of Zircon missiles left yesterday for the shores of NATO countries," Medvedev said, referring to President Vladimir Putin's deployment of a warship with hypersonic cruise missiles to the Atlantic. Medvedev said the missiles could be placed 100 miles (160 km) off the U.S. coast, adding: "So rejoice! It will bring to their senses anyone who poses a direct threat to Russia and our allies." He was speaking after the U.S. embassy to Russia released a video that it called an "an appeal to the people of Russia". The 50-second video included images of the impact of bombing in Ukraine, saying what was happening there "is not worthy of you". "We stand in solidarity with each of you who are striving to create a more peaceful future," the video said, showing an image of the slogan "No to war" in Russian sprayed on a wall. "Throughout history, our countries have been united by the commonality of cultures and our achievements," the video said, adding that Russia and the United States had "competed and collaborated" for decades. The video showed images of Soviet cosmonauts, writers such as Fyodor Dostoevsky and leaders such as Leonid Brezhnev, Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin. Putin was not included. Medvedev, a close Putin ally, lashed out at the video, describing the U.S. government as cynical "freaks" and "sons of bitches" who he said were using the tricks of Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels. Since the war began, Medvedev's rhetoric has become increasingly vitriolic though his published views sometimes chime with thinking at the top levels of the Kremlin elite. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Edmund Blair) Homicide detectives on Tuesday arrested two men accused in the shooting death of a 24-year-old man three months ago in North Highlands. Armando Baltazar, 20, and Guillermo Gonzalez, 18, were arrested on suspicion of homicide in connection with the Oct. 11 shooting death of Hector Velazquez, the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office announced Wednesday. Homicide detectives determined two suspects were responsible for Velazquezs shooting death. The Sheriffs Office identified Baltazar and Gonzalez as the wanted suspects and as gang member associates. But the Sheriffs Office did not indicate whether investigators believe the fatal shooting was motivated by street gang activity. The detectives, with help from the sheriffs Gang Suppression Unit and the Special Enforcement Detail, took Baltazar and Gonzalez into custody. They were booked Tuesday afternoon at the Sacramento County Main Jail. They were being held without bail and were scheduled to make their first appearance Thursday in Sacramento Superior Court. The shooting was reported about 9:30 p.m. in the 3800 block of Madison Avenue, just east of Roseville Road. A ShotSpotter activation, which alerted deputies, detected three shots had been fired. Deputies arrived and found an unconscious man, later identified as Velazquez, with a gunshot wound to his torso on the eastbound side of the street. Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District medics pronounced Velazquez dead at the scene a short time later. As the next in a series of storms move through Stockton and Northern California, local schools altered bus routes and San Joaquin County declared an emergency and opened more resources for residents. Stockton closed all city parks on Tuesday due to uprooted trees, and Stockton Unified School District adjusted their bus pickup and drop off spots. Pick-up/drop-off at Angel Cruz Park will be relocated to Pulliam School at 230 Presidio Way Pick up/drop-off at Panella Park will be relocated to the Arnold Rue Center at 5758 Lorraine Avenue "The governor has proclaimed a State of Emergency to support relief efforts," SUSD spokesperson Melinda Meza said in an email to parents. "There has been some inquiry about school closures. At this point there are no school closures in the county, but we are working closely with emergency officials, county officials and city officials." Meza said there could be more changes, and the school district will issue another update to parents at 6:30 a.m. Jan. 5. For more information on Stockton Unified storm response, visit stocktonusd.net. San Joaquin County has opened additional storm resources for residents. Information on free sandbag locations, road and boat launch closures and warming centers can be found at sjready.org. More:Everything to know for California storm prep: Stockton parks close, sandbag locations County Director of Emergency Operations Tiffany Heyer said most of the waterways that were cause for concern during and after the weekend storm receded to lower levels. As of Wednesday afternoon, she said the Mokelumne River was on the monitor level the river may produce overbank flows causing minor flooding of low-lying lands and roads particularly near Bensons Ferry and Thornton, where the Cosumnes and Mokelumne rivers meet. A parked car lays partially submerged on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023 from rising waters of the Mokelumne River at New Hope Landing RV Park near Walnut Grove. Quickly rising waters of the river forced many of more than 50 park residents to evacuate over the weekend to move their trailers to nearby Thornton. A handful of unoccupied trailers were unable to be moved. We arent seeing major impacts on levee systems and things that weve typically seen in the past, Heyer said. However, this is a major storm that is fairly unpredictable. Story continues Heyer said crews are working through homeless encampments along waterways to get people into shelters, and that the county is better prepared to handle the next set of storms with most public agencies now on 24-hour standby to respond to the coming storms. More:'Avoid travel as much as possible': Stockton road closures, flooding info ahead of storm Everything that happened in the last 48 hours or so, it really caught everybody by surprise nobody, not even the Weather Service expected it to play out the way it did, Heyer said. We are monitoring (the waterways) and if the situation changes, we would initiate evacuation warnings or orders and give people as much time as possible to make sure they can get out of those areas. Newly appointed County Chair Robert Rickman ratified San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services emergency declaration at a brief Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday. The city of Stockton also declared an emergency several days ago. The declarations allows local, state and federal officials to mobilize resources in responding to needs in communities dealing with emergencies. Supervisor Steve Ding who was sworn in along with Supervisor Paul Canepa was in public service during the 1997 Northern California floods when working with former Congressman Richard Pombo. Thats when your mettle gets tested, Ding said. Over the next couple of weeks were going to have some challenges I think were going to be ready to go. This article originally appeared on The Record: San Joaquin County declares emergency as powerful storm hits California A Hobart man was sentenced to 8 years Wednesday after admitting to chasing and stabbing a man in the leg and abdomen. Thomas J. Foster, 22, pleaded guilty in October to aggravated battery. He was originally charged with multiple counts including attempted murder and battery. Advertisement Defense lawyer Lonnie Randolph II said Foster was raised mostly by a grandmother and grew up largely without a family. Since 16, he was living on his own, moving from home-to-home. It didnt justify what happened, but maybe could explain a bit, he said. Fosters contact listed on a pre-sentencing report was his friend, no family, which was completely unusual, the lawyer said. Foster had a limited criminal history with one prior juvenile conviction for theft and no prior felonies, he said. Advertisement He had no figure to guide him and was remorseful for his actions, Randolph said, a real sad situation. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Keith Anderson said the victim was informed, the sentencing was appropriate and asked the judge to accept it. Foster declined to speak in court. Its a big deal, youre young, Judge Salvador Vasquez said, noting Foster had never spent a long time in prison. This is unfortunate and it is a sad day, the judge said. Foster appeared emotional. Before was led away in handcuffs, Randolph appeared to give him several words of encouragement. Co-defendant Ryan Lehmanns next hearing is Jan. 12. A man dating Fosters sister told police he was arguing with her on Mar. 21, 2021 around 1:45 a.m. on the 1900 block of Central Avenue when Foster, Lehmann and Lehmans relative started chasing him, charges allege. Advertisement The man ran several blocks toward the Lake Station police station. Videotape this, Im gonna gut him like a fish, Foster said, according to the victims statement to police. Foster caught him and stabbed him in the leg, the man told police. A few blocks away, Lehmann tripped him and Foster stabbed him two times in the abdomen, charges state. He was later taken to the hospital. At precisely 11:35 a.m. on a recent Friday, hundreds of kids with backpacks slung over their shoulders file through the blue and red doors of the Garfield High School lunchroom in East Los Angeles. Many carry books, folders and brightly colored notebooks. Some chat enthusiastically as they dig their hands into foil bags of crunchy snacks. A line quickly forms through the dining area and into the cafeteria, where the days offerings are on display under bright warming lights. The students make their way down the line and fill their trays with wrapped cheeseburgers and spicy breaded chicken sandwiches, floppy wedges of cheese and pepperoni pizza, bowls of penne pasta with turkey meatballs under red sauce, plastic containers of chicken Caesar salad, vegan Chik'n nuggets, roasted potato wedges, bagged sliced apples and cartons of milk. Mostly, it looks like the quality of food you might find at a sports stadium concession stand. At Los Angeles' Garfield High School, students choose their own lunch items from a display case. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) Its constant, but were a well-oiled machine, says the high school's cafe manager, Mario Fiore. Every day that school is in session, Fiore arrives at the East Los Angeles school between 5:30 and 6 a.m. to open the kitchen, take care of the mornings deliveries and input yesterdays supper participation numbers into a computer. The culinary school graduate has worked at a country club, the Circus Circus hotel in Las Vegas and the Ritz Carlton, but for the past 16 years, hes been with the L.A. school district, the second largest in the country. We usually feed around 1,500 kids a day, he says. Fiore estimates that he goes through around 600 to 800 pounds of fruit, 2,000 slices of bread, several hundred gallons of milk and 100 gallons of fruit juice a week. He's used to feeding large groups, but what happens during that 30-minute lunchtime service at Garfield High School, and at dozens of other schools across the city, is nothing short of a small miracle. Cafe L.A., the food services division of the Los Angeles Unified School District, serves more than 107 million meals a year. Its a feat that requires an army of cooks, kitchen managers and nutritionists coordinating across more than 1,000 schools. They must adhere to strict sets of nutrition guidelines for each meal and, most important, appeal to the picky palates of kids. Story continues Maria Lazaro makes smoothie bowls at Garfield High School. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) During that Friday lunch rush, Garfield High School senior Leah Richardson, 17, squeezes in a quick lunch with three friends before a pep rally. Not all of us can bring lunch from home and oftentimes its nice to have warm food during lunch, she says as she tucks into her tray of chicken nuggets, French fries and a tangerine. Next to her is fellow senior Abraham Flores, 18. He and his friends say they take advantage of the free lunch daily. Playing a sport after school, Flores doesnt often get home until after 6 p.m., and the lunches, he says, help sustain him through the day. From the beginning of our freshman year to now, the food has changed and its gotten a lot better, Flores says. Before him sits a tray of pizza and French fries. It was just simple sandwiches and simple things and now its a lot better and more overall, just more options. Some of those options include menu items introduced this year, including Walking Tacos (chips in a bag with ground turkey , cheese and pico de gallo); spicy Nashville-inspired chicken tenders; ham and cheese croissants; cinnamon rolls; a meatball sub; macaroni and cheese; mango, strawberry and blueberry smoothies; and smoothie bowls. At a press conference just prior to the start of the school year last fall, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho participated in a taste test of a few of the new items with a group of students. We listened carefully to the voice of parents and students and they told us that sometimes, the food that we were serving didnt really appeal to them, he said. So we heard from the community, who said bring us food that represents our culture. The kung pao chicken bowl is a new menu item for the current LAUSD school year. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) The feedback resulted in a few new items this year, including kung pao chicken with vegetables over rice; a ramen bowl with edamame; and a carnitas bowl to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in October. With a new menu rollout twice a year, in addition to limited-time offerings, the process for introducing more options can be lengthy, convoluted and expensive. It starts with various vendors who present items to the Cafe L.A. team inspired by food trends and what they believe will resonate with students. For each item, vendors must provide documentation that ensures products meet specific nutrition requirements. All meals must follow multiple sets of guidelines including the LAUSD nutrition policy and standards, and USDA and California rules, regulations and nutritional requirements including meal patterns and dietary specifications. Senior nutrition specialist Ivy Marx and a nutrition team make sure specifications such as the correct ounces of protein and grains are met. The USDA also has specific requirements for the types of vegetables (dark greens once a week, a bean or legume and also something orange or red such as carrots), a target amount of milk (one cup per meal) and fat and calorie counts for each grade. A spicy breaded chicken sandwich with a side of lettuce and tomato and apple juice is offered for lunch at Garfield High School. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) The vendors also must guarantee that they can provide the food in large enough quantities. Youre talking about something that could potentially be 300,000 servings for one day, says Florence Simpson, food services deputy director. When the Cafe L.A. team introduced the carnitas bowl, they had to go through the process above to source the ingredients from multiple vendors. Inflation and the ongoing drought in California have compounded the difficulties Simpson and her team face when sourcing ingredients for the various dishes. And all of the products need to be sourced from the U.S., unless American is unavailable or substantially higher in price. With global warming happening and all the heat that weve had in California, even though we are in the heartland of where produce comes from, were not able to procure those goods, Simpson says. Recently, there were plums, nectarines and peaches on a Monday menu. Simpson received a call from her supplier the previous Friday afternoon letting her know that he didn't have enough crops to supply the coming week's order. She was already having issues sourcing romaine lettuce, something that usually doesnt happen until the winter months. Mario Fiore, LAUSD cafeteria manager, prepares plates to sample new breakfast and lunch items at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) When something isnt available, Simpson is left scrambling to find thousands of products at market price, sometimes raising the price per serving by 20 cents. Once all the ingredients are sourced, the assembled dishes need to be tested. Just like any recipe, it takes multiple times and multiple iterations before we get it right in a small batch, Simpson says. Then we use managers like Mario to prepare a large batch for his school. So we go from a batch of, say, 30 to 50 to having him produce it for 500 to 800 students. But nothing makes it onto the menu without student approval. Multiple student tastings happen at some schools across the district throughout the year. After the food is served, students are given thumbs-up or -down cards. In order for something to be considered for an upcoming menu, it must have a 75% to 80% approval rating. Vendors are given the chance to improve items based on feedback such as a protein being too chewy. We live in Los Angeles people want flavor, says Manish Singh, director of food services. Im Indian, I need flavor. The kids need the same. Tinniya Wilson, 9, a fourth-grade student at Compton Avenue Elementary School, rates new breakfast and lunch items at a tasting before the start of the school year. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Singh notes the most popular dish served over the years is hot wings, an item that was discontinued four years ago. When I ask Flores and his friends what theyd like to eat for lunch if they could have anything in the universe, the answer was a resounding hot wings. But with rising costs and supply chain issues, its simply not an option at the moment. The Nashville-inspired tenders were designed as a hopeful consolation. Funding the meals is its own challenge. Starting this school year, all public schools in California must provide free breakfast and lunch to students in grades transitional kindergarten through 12 thanks to Californias Universal Meals Program. Before the pandemic, parents and guardians with eligible incomes who weren't already part of a free meal service option for districts in low-income areas applied for the National School Lunch Program to subsidize meals. According to the Los Angeles Trust for Childrens Health, more than 84% of LAUSD students live at or below the poverty line, in a district with one of the states highest concentrations of low-income students. The district works with a set budget and receives a federal reimbursement of $2.83 for each breakfast and $4.43 for each lunch. Thats an increase of about 15 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch from the previous school year to help with rising costs. But not all meals are considered reimbursable. Letting students pick up their own food is designed to cut down on waste. Here, students pick lunch items at L.A.'s Garfield High School. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) In order to receive the reimbursement for each meal served, the students must leave the cafeteria line with certain items on their trays. Each cafeteria uses a system of "offered versus served" in which students are offered and served a specific amount of grains, protein, vegetables, fruit and dairy. For breakfast, they are offered four and required to take three; one must be a fruit. At lunch, they are offered five and required to take at least three, including one fruit or vegetable. After a student builds their own tray, a staff member looks over the tray to make sure the required components are present. If the student didnt have a fruit or vegetable, then we kindly suggest, encourage, Marx says. What do you think? A bag of carrots, you know, maybe an apple?' And then they can go on their merry way. If a student doesnt eat that required bag of carrots or apple, theres a share table where students can drop or pick up items they may want to eat throughout the day. The offered versus served model and the share table are designed to cut down on food waste. Its a system that takes a certain amount of monitoring by the cafeteria staff that differs in diligence and difficulty depending on the grade. Fiore notes that its much easier to tell a 17-year-old to grab an apple than it is to convince a 6-year-old to add a vegetable to their tray. He estimates that he needs to remind 10 out of every 100 high school students to take a fruit or vegetable. Were advocating for one meal plan with one set of regulations and one set of reimbursements, says Simpson. Because more than anything, our cafeteria managers and staff, they cant just focus on feeding students. And that takes the focus away from actually providing really good, nutritious meals. If a student walks out without the correct number of components on the tray, that meal is not considered reimbursable. Fiore uses a computer program that logs participation numbers and menu items for each day of the week to help him anticipate how much food hell need for that day. If its raining or there is a pep rally, hes learned to prepare a little less. With the given reimbursement model, funding is directly tied to the number of kids willing to partake in the free lunch. According to Singh, participation for elementary school children hovers around 80% to 85%. That number drops to 45% for middle school children and even further, to 28% to 35%, for high school kids. He hopes the new free lunch program will help reduce the stigma attached to kids who have to apply for a free lunch and those who can afford to pay. Hes also hoping to boost participation numbers with the new YumYummi app, which launched in 2022. Its a way for kids to view menus, nutrition information and allergens and leave feedback. Antonio Plascensia, 8, a third-grade student at Euclid Elementary, samples a mango smoothie during a tasting before the school year. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) LAUSD also applied for USDA and state funds that would allow the district to buy equipment to increase the availability of certain items and introduce more options (Garfield has a new immersion blender it uses for smoothies) and also to invest in nutrition education for student leaders to become ambassadors and encourage peer-to-peer learning. Were just starting to build momentum on the program, says Simpson. Every dollar that you put into child nutrition, youre going to benefit further down the line. Flores and his classmates also hope that some of those dollars find their way to funding the return of the beloved hot wings. "They used to look very similar to the Chuck E. Cheese hot wings and that's why I liked them," Flores says wistfully. "They are so good." But he only allows himself a few seconds to lament the wings. In one swift motion, he shoves the rest of his pizza into his mouth and swings a backpack over his shoulder, then runs out to join the pep rally. The kitchen staff at Garfield High School in Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Security cameras captured a fugitive, who had escaped during a deadly riot at a Mexican state prison in Juarez, attempting to cross the southern U.S. border into El Paso, Texas, officials said Tuesday evening. Twenty-five inmates escaped during a violent, large-scale breakout from the Cereso No. 3 state prison on New Year's Day. The event left 10 guards and seven inmates dead, along with allowing 25 prisoners to escape. Chihuahua authorities said it is unknown if the fugitive filmed by cameras made it across the border, but said El Paso law enforcement was notified. A search continues on both sides of the border. The identity of the fugitive was not disclosed. The gang-related prison breakout on Sunday was followed by deadly shooting attacks on police, including a confrontation that left two state police officers and five alleged assailants dead Monday evening. More:Warden fired, violence continues, 'VIP' cells discovered after Juarez prison breakout The surge in violence and the manhunt for the escapees led to a massive response by city, state and federal forces, including the arrival of 200 Mexican special forces soldiers . Mexican military take control of a prison in Ciudad Juarez a day after 27 inmates escaped on New Years Day. 10 prison guards were killed and seven inmates were killed during he escape. Mexico's national defense department announced the army special forces troops are part of what the military calls Operation Juarez 2023, which seeks to help curb the rise in violence linked to organized crime. The special forces soldiers will join more than 500 Mexican army soldiers and nearly 400 National Guard troops already working in conjunction with city and state police, the military said. How the attack at the Juarez prison unfolded The riot was a well-planned assault involving bulletproof vehicles, rifles and even a grenade launcher on the state-run prison holding about 3,900 inmates, top members of Mexico's Security Cabinet said Monday at a news conference in Mexico City. Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said the attack started about 6:30 a.m. Sunday when a white Hummer H2 pulled up and a guard was killed at a checkpoint at the prison entrance. The Hummer fled and two men inside were killed in a confrontation with police after a vehicle chase, he said. Story continues The checkpoint attack is believed to have been a diversion for a planned riot that erupted inside the prison, said Sandoval, a Mexican army general. Prison guards and a reaction team responding to the riot were attacked by inmates armed with firearms. Authorities are trying to determine how the weapons used by prisoners were smuggled into the facility. Sandoval explained that of 10 rifles found by responding forces, only three belonged to the guards. The prison's electrical system and gas lines were damaged during the rioting, causing delays as authorities tried to regain control of the facility, state officials added. Aerial photos showed crowds of men in gray prison-issued sweatsuits forced to sit with their hands on their heads in the prison yards while surrounded by soldiers or state police as they regained control. Ernesto Alfredo Pinon de la Cruz, alias "El Neto," reputed leader of the Mexicles gang, escaped from the Cereso No. 3 state prison in Juarez, Mexico, on Jan. 1, 2023. The Chihuahua Attorney General's Office initially reported that at least 24 inmates had escaped. The number was later increased to 27, but Mexican federal authorities later determined there were actually 25 escapees after it was learned that two died. The main target for police forces is Ernesto Alfredo Pinon de la Cruz, 33, known as "El Neto," the eye patch-wearing reputed leader of the Mexicles gang who escaped while serving a more than 200-year sentence on kidnapping and homicide cases. U.S. Consulate in Juarez reopens after deadly prison break The U.S. Consulate in Juarez resumed normal operations on Wednesday after canceling public appointments on Tuesday because of safety concerns. The consulate also lifted its order for employees to shelter in place because of a spate of shootings between police and gunmen on Monday night. "U.S. citizens in Ciudad Juarez should remain alert for potential violence throughout the city," the consulate stated on its Twitter account. Mexican special military forces arrive in Ciudad Juarez to reinforce the cityOs police force a day after two Chihuahua State Police officers were shot dead by armed commandos in a residential area of the city. High-risk inmates transferred to other prisons after 17 die The Mexican military, in conjunction with Chihuahua authorities, has begun transferring some high-risk inmates out of the Cereso No. 3 to prisons in other parts of Mexico, state officials said. On Tuesday, security forces loaded 191 prisoners onto National Guard planes that flew them to Mexico City. The prisoners were then transported to various federal prisons in the Mexico City area and the states of Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas. Archives:Pope Francis speaks of mercy at Juarez prison The transferred prisoners were serving sentences for crimes such as homicide, organized crime, kidnapping and firearms violations, the Chihuahua Attorney General's Office said. The transferring of inmates to other prisons is sometimes done as an attempt to break up the power of prison gangs at certain facilities. Cereso is an acronym for Centro de Readaptacion Social, or Center for Social Re-adaptation. The Chihuahua state-run prison houses about 3,900 inmates. Inmates from the CERESO #3 Ciudad Juarez prison are transported to other prisons in Mexico after dozens had escaped on New Years Day and a day after armed commandos attacked Chihuahua State Police, killing two officers on Monday. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Mexican prison riot: Prisoner escapes, tries to cross US border into El Paso The Counter-intelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine has busted another collaborator recruited by the FSB in Lviv Oblast. Source: press service of the SSU, Lviv Oblast Prosecutor's Office Details: The Russian accomplice turned out to be a 34-year-old resident of Zaporizhzhia; he worked as an engineer of one of the state facilities located in Ukraines east. The SSU notes that the man had been recruited by the Russian secret service to conduct reconnaissance and subversive activities against Ukraine at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. At first, on Russias task, the traitor collected information on the location of strategic facilities in Ukraine's southeast. In addition, he proposed his assistance to the representatives of the aggressor country in the development of the latest radar installation based on information about the Ukrainian radar, the intelligence service reported. Under the guise of a "business trip", the collaborator travelled to Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia to identify energy facilities and railway infrastructure, on which Russian forces carried out missile attacks. He was to inspect their technical condition and the level of possible damage and prepare a "report" for the FSB. His next "trip" was to Lviv Oblast, where he tried to establish the location of critical infrastructure facilities. The received information was to be sent to the Russian secret service in the form of electronic coordinates and georeferenced photos. Russian forces needed the intelligence information to prepare and conduct a series of targeted missile strikes on the territory of Lviv Oblast, the SSU emphasises. The Counterintelligence detained a man in an attempt to pass classified information to the aggressor. A mobile phone with evidence of correspondence with Russia and symbols of the Communist totalitarian regime have been found during the search. The offender has been notified that he was under suspicion of high treason and justification of the armed aggression against Ukraine. The court ordered the arrest of the suspect without the alternative of bail. Investigative actions are underway. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) After much anticipation, Louisiana's U.S. Sen. John Kennedy told supporters he will not run for governor in October. Kennedy, a Republican, had long indicated an interest in running for governor, but he made it official Wednesday afternoon, in an email to supporters, that he will not seek the position. Kennedy, who has mostly provided a safe Senate vote for Republicans and been a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump, easily won reelection to Congress November, fending off 12 challengers and securing himself a second six-year term. I have looked hard into my heart and decided to remain in the Senate and not to run for Governor, Kennedy said in the email to supporters. Senator and Governor are very different jobs. Kennedy added, At this juncture, I just think I can help my state and my country more in the Senate. Louisiana's current Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, is term-limited, making him unable to run this year. That opens a huge opportunity for Republicans hoping to capture the states top government post. But with the election about nine months away, only one person, Attorney General Jeff Landry, has officially launched a gubernatorial bid. Similar to Kennedy, in November, the states other U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy announced he would not launch a gubernatorial bid, opting to focus on his role in Congress. For the last several years, I have been working on specific legislation that is critical for the future of our state and country. I dont know if these will pass, but I know they will not pass if I decide to run for another office, Cassidy, who is in the midst of his second six-year term in Senate, said in a statement. I have chosen to remain focused on the job I was sent here to do and to see these efforts through. With the two GOP senators deciding not to enter the gubernatorial race, all eyes are on other possible candidates. Louisiana State Treasurer John Schroder, Republican, said in December that should Kennedy not choose to run, he would plan to announce and pursue the title of Governor in 2023. Story continues Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser confirmed to reporters he plans on making an announcement on possible gubernatorial plans in early January. Additionally, U.S. Rep. Garret Graves and state Sen. Sharon Hewitt have indicated they are considering the contest for the states highest position. Landry, the only candidate thus far, is a conservative Republican and staunch supporter of Trump. Landry has already received an early endorsement from the Louisiana Republican Party an announcement that sparked outrage from potential candidates who have yet to officially throw their hats into the ring. It remains unclear who will emerge as a Democratic candidate. However, during Gov. Edwards' monthly radio call-in show, in November, the Democrat was asked what he thought about Shawn Wilson the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development as a possible Democratic gubernatorial candidate. I have tremendous respect for him and his ability, Edwards said. However, Edwards added that he does not know whether running for governor is something Wilson fully intends to do or not. The head of Britain's Trade Union Congress said Elon Musk is a "perfect recruitment tool," for organized labor movements. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images Elon Musk is a "perfect recruitment tool," for trade unions, a senior UK union boss told Politico. The number of Twitter staff joining one union has increased "tenfold" since Musk took over, Paul Nowak said. Musk has slashed Twitter's workforce and mandated long hours from remaining staff since his October takeover. A senior union boss in the UK has said Elon Musk is a "perfect recruitment tool" for trade unions and that unions in the country have already seen increased sign ups from Twitter staff since his takeover of the company, Politico reported. "Elon Musk is a perfect recruitment tool for the trade union movement," the recently appointed head of Britain's Trade Union Congress, Paul Nowak, told Politico. Nowak said that one of Britain's unions, Prospect which represents engineers, managers and scientists has seen the number of Twitter employees signing up increase "tenfold" since Musk became Twitter's CEO in October. Nowak said that the increase in sign-ups is a direct response to Musk, adding that he believes the billionaire "thinks he can issue a directive from San Francisco that somehow just happens all around the world with no regard to employment law." Musk has slashed Twitter's workforce since he took control, getting rid of CEO Parag Agrawal, chief financial officer Ned Sagal, and legal chief Vijaya Gadde on his first day, and proceeding to cut around 50% of the company's roughly 8,000 staff in his first week. Musk even issued an ultimatum to staff on November 15 to either sign up to his new vision of "Twitter 2.0," and commit to working "long hours at high intensity," or quit. If staff didn't sign up to his plan by the end of the day on November 17, they would be laid off. Less than half the company's remaining employees signed up to stay on. Musk's turbulent behavior and spontaneous decision making have left staff in the dark about the stability of their roles. Nowak said this is "a great recruiting tool" for unions. Story continues "If I was a young worker in tech, I'd be thinking that being a union member might be a good investment at the moment," he said. "If it can happen at Twitter, it can happen anywhere." Layoffs have swept the tech industry in the past year with major tech firms slashing thousands of roles. Meta announced plans to lay off 11,000 employees in November; Salesforce said this week it will cut roughly 7,000 staff; and Amazon plans to lay off a staggering 18,000 workers. Meanwhile Microsoft has just recognized its first labor union in the US saying it respected its employees "legal right" to form or join a union. Nowak emphasized that organized labor is "beginning to make inroads" in the tech sector but still needs to "step up that work." Read the original article on Business Insider A younger Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and CEO of Creative Technology, presents the new 7.1 External Sound Blaster Audigy 2 NX with 24-bit Advanced HD audio quality for notebook during the launching of the two new products in Singapore, on 11 September 2003. (PHOTO: AFP PHOTO/ROSLAN RAHMAN) By Sandy Pramuji SINGAPORE The chairman and chief executive of Creative Technology, Sim Wong Hoo, has died, aged 67. He passed away on Wednesday (4 January). In a statement, the company announced that Sim, arguably Singapore's most famous tech entrepreneur, "passed away peacefully". No further details were given. "On behalf of all staff of the Company, the Board expresses its deepest sorrow over the death of Mr Sim and conveys its condolences to his family," the company said in a filling with the Singapore Exchange on Thursday. Sim founded Creative Technology in 1981 and has been its chairman and chief executive since inception. The company became famous for its Sound Blaster sound cards, which was launched in 1989. It had sold 400 million units as of 2019, according to The Straits Times. Following Sim's passing, the board of Creative has, for a transition period, appointed lead independent non-executive director Lee Kheng Nam as acting chairman, and Ng Kai Wa, its independent non-executive director as acting vice-chairman. The board has also appointed Song Siow Hui, the president of the company's Creative Labs Business Unit as its interim CEO. "I have known and worked with Mr Sim for over 30 years. This is a sad and sudden development and we feel a great loss especially since Mr Sim and I recently had extensive discussions on the future direction of the company," said Song. "The best thing to do now is to ensure the continued smooth running of the company, and also to execute and realise the vision and strategy that Mr Sim had for the company." Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Screenshot from UglyFood's website. By Tria Dianti SINGAPORE Local food-waste start-up, UglyFood, has announced its closure, saying it has failed to raise enough funds after seven years of operations. Announcing on Wednesday (4 January) that it is "winding up" on its Facebook page and on Instagram, UglyFood said, "Sadly we are unable to raise the funds required to grow further, it's been a good run." The company also said that all deliveries from Wednesday will be refunded and its website will cease to take all orders. There will be a closing-down sale at Uglyfood's Gambas Crescent store from 5-8 January. It will be for walk-ins only, from 4-9pm. According to its statement, vegetable and fruit boxes will go for S$20 for up to 10 items while meat, seafood, dry goods and alcohol "add-ons" will go for $40 for between five and 10 items. "Everything available in the online store should be present," UglyFood said. Customers disappointed Many customers voiced their disappointment on social media. "This is super sad, really enjoyed ordering from you and you were doing a great job getting decent food out where possible. Best of luck, wish it continued," said Sabrina Shah on the UglyFood Facebook account. Another customer, Joseph Ooi, wrote,"This is sad news. I've been getting my supply of oat milk and protein from you." UglyFood was founded in 2016, with a mission to eliminate food waste and revamp the food ecosystem by selling excess or ugly fruits and vegetables as well as its own branded products and sustainably sourced goods. According to Crunchbase, the company previously raised US$120,000 in a pre-seed round. In 2021, it was reported that UglyFood was in talks with three investors to raise funding of about US$1 million. Story continues Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Two sisters visiting relatives in the Kansas City area allege they were injured and their civil rights violated when U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents grabbed them and took one of them into custody at an area park, according to court documents filed in federal court. The women filed a multi-count lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Kansas City against the United States, Paul Eric Dechir and Patrick W. Thornbrugh, the two ICE agents involved. The sisters accused the agents of violating their Fourth Amendment rights through the use of excessive force and unlawful search and seizure. They also accuse the agents of assault and battery, false imprisonment and arrest, and intentionally and negligently inflicting emotional distress upon them, according to the court filing. They seek an unspecified amount in actual and punitive damages. The women declined to be interviewed or identified, saying they were unable to comment beyond what was contained in the court filings, and fear for their safety. One of the sisters is an American citizen, while the other is legally in the United States on a visa. Their attorney also declined comment. Documents reveal the two women in their 50s and 60s feared for their lives when they were approached and grabbed by the two male agents in the parking lot of a Gladstone park; how one of the women watched as her sister was dragged to an unmarked car and how that woman was terrified as she begged to be let go. A witness took a photo of Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents forcing a woman into a car in Happy Rock Park in Gladstone. The woman and her sister, who are from Virginia and were were visiting family in the Kansas City area, have filed a lawsuit alleging their civil rights were violated after the ICE agents mistook their identity. The sisters contend in the lawsuit that the agents never identified themselves by name or adequately as ICE agents. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency also declined to comment. ICE will not comment on ongoing or pending litigation, an ICE official said in a statement. Ambushed and violently grabbed The two sisters, who were visiting family in Missouri at the time, drove to Happy Rock Park in Gladstone on Oct. 25, 2021, to go for a jog and walk. Prior to heading out, they left their purses with their IDs in the car. Story continues The women contend they were ambushed and violently grabbed by Dechir and Thornbrugh within seconds of exiting their rental car. Both agents were wearing civilian clothes with no visible badges. One of the women told police the men yelled they were immigration police and flashed a badge from a distance as they sprinted towards the women, according to a police report filed with the lawsuit. They, however, began to fear for their lives because they didnt observe anything indicating the men were real law enforcement. The sisters, originally from central Honduras, stated theyve heard stories throughout their lives of fake police abducting men, women and children, according to the lawsuit. The agents did not request identification from the two women, reveal a warrant or inform them of their rights prior to grabbing the women, per the suit. Thornbrugh allegedly punched one of the women with a closed fist in the face and pushed her down in the parking lot. She got up to help her sister, but Thornbrugh allegedly tackled her, causing her to strike the back of her head on the concrete when she landed on her back, according to the lawsuit. As she was lying on the ground, she watched as her sister was dragged to an unmarked Dodge Charger. The woman screamed that they were from Virginia visiting family. She also yelled out their names and that she was being kidnapped by the men. One of the sisters fled into the street to get help, according to the suit. The agents allegedly handcuffed and forcibly threw one woman onto the back seat of the Dodge, slamming her head against the transport cage bar. A witness tried to intervene until one of the men flashed a badge saying they were serving a warrant. The witness took a photo of the agents forcing the woman into the car. Meanwhile, the other woman attempted to flag down passing drivers because she was not able to unlock her sisters phone and call 911. One driver stopped and she told him that two men had taken her sister and she pointed to the Dodge still in the parking lot. Then Dechir drove away with her sister and Thornbrugh followed in an unmarked black SUV, according to court documents. The driver who had stopped also followed the Dodge until it reached Missouri 152 highway, where he lost sight of it. He then called police and gave a description of the car. The captive woman pleaded with Dechir to let her go, saying she had two children and a husband and money. She also demanded to see his badge. The lawsuit contends Dechir flipped a badge over his shoulder while driving, but pulled it away before she could fully see it. The woman screamed at Dechir that he had the wrong person, and that she was a citizen from Virginia. He allegedly proceeded to play loud music so she couldnt be heard, according to the suit. Gladstone police responded to the park on a report of a kidnapping in progress and issued an alert that was broadcast to surrounding police agencies telling them to be on the look out for the vehicle, suspects and victim. Got the wrong person After leaving the park, the agents drove to an isolated building and parked in the garage. The woman they had taken believed that she was going to die once the garage door closed, according to the lawsuit. Dechir and Thornbrugh forced her up a flight of stairs and into a dark open area. Dechir turned on lights revealing a table, some computers and three glass cells. The woman was detained in one of the cells, per court documents. A female agent searched her without her consent as Dechir stood outside and watched, according to the suit. At the end of the search, the woman allegedly turned and pointed to Dechir and yelled, Youve got the wrong person! Dechir fingerprinted her twice. When he went to take her photo, she pulled back her hair in attempt to make sure her bloodied and swollen head injury would be documented. Oh, you want to look pretty now, Dechir allegedly mocked. After the photo, she was allowed to call her husband and told him that she had been kidnapped and held captive by two men. She was detained at the ICE building for about 30 minutes before Dechir forced her back into the Dodge and drove back to Happy Rock Park. On the way back, police spotted the Dodge and followed with their lights and sirens activated. Once at the park, she was released. The woman told a Gladstone police officer that she is a person too and she had been treated like an animal. The two sisters were reunited at police headquarters. Allegedly mistaken for a relative Police also took Dechir and Thornbrugh to police headquarters for questioning. Dechir told police that he appeared to have mistaken the woman for a relative, who was not at the park. Dechir said he advised her that her family member had an alleged warrant for DUI. The sisters contend in the lawsuit that only time the two agents properly identified themselves by their names and as immigration agents was to a Gladstone police officer, after they were forced to release the woman. The sisters were taken to a hospital where one was treated for bruises on her right arm, hand and wrists and severe right shoulder pain and swelling. She also suffered from red, swollen body parts, scrapes, severe pain, numbness and emotional trauma. The other woman was treated for a contusion to the right side of her face where she was punched and severe back pain from being tackled and shoved onto the ground. She also had a burst fracture of one of her vertebrae in her lower back. The two sisters contend they continue to suffer emotional damages from the incident, and no longer feel safe to go outside their home. Since the attack, the sister visiting on the visa has had to spend time communicating with immigration officials, filling out additional paperwork, participating in biometric screening and requesting additional time to extend her stay in the U.S. The incident may jeopardize her immigration status preventing her being able to return to the United States to visit her family in Virginia and Missouri, according to the lawsuit. China calls for avoiding politicization of COVID-19 pandemic: spokesperson Xinhua) 10:04, January 05, 2023 BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Wednesday said China hopes that the focus will be on tackling the virus rather than politicizing the COVID-19 issue, and countries can step up solidarity and make joint efforts to defeat the pandemic at an early date. Mao made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price's remarks on China over COVID-19 information sharing. Mao said China has always put the people and their lives above all else since the COVID-19 epidemic began, made the best effort to protect people's life and health, and effectively coordinated COVID-19 response with economic and social development. Noting that China has been sharing information and data with the international community in a responsible manner, Mao said according to incomplete statistics, China has carried out over 60 technical exchanges with the World Health Organization over the past three years. China continues to share the genome data of the virus via the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID). Health experts from many countries have said that entry restrictions targeting China are unnecessary, Mao added. The Chinese government has taken responsible policies and measures, done its best and made important contributions to protecting Chinese people's lives and health, and promoting global solidarity against the pandemic and promoting world economic recovery and growth, said Mao. "We have noted that recently some people in the United States have made comments on China's COVID-19 policy adjustment. We also noted that quite many people have said if the United States had not politicized the pandemic, and had treated it responsibly and put people's life first like the Chinese government, perhaps the COVID-19 situation in the United States and the whole world would not have become what it is today," Mao said. "We truly hope the focus will be on tackling the virus rather than politicizing the COVID-19 issue, and countries can step up solidarity and make joint efforts to defeat the pandemic at an early date," Mao said. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) You are here: Arts Iran will add Chinese language courses to its school curriculums from early 2024, Hamshahri Online news website reported Wednesday, citing Education Minister Yousef Nouri. From the beginning of the Iranian year 1403, or March 21, 2024, "we will add several languages, including German and Chinese, as optional" language courses to the school programs, Nouri was quoted as saying. Students' needs should be taken into consideration and the officials should take steps in this regard, he added. Chinese language courses are now only offered in Iranian universities. A Utah ski resort employee is dead after being ejected from a chairlift when a pine tree fell onto a lift cable, resort officials and police said. The 29-year-old ski patroller died Monday after being knocked off the lift just before 11:25 a.m. at Park City Mountain, according to a press release from the Summit County Sheriffs Office. The resort is in Park City, about 40 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. Representatives of Park City Mountain and the sheriff's office said the employee fell as much as 50 feet from the Short Cut chairlift into a deep ravine. According to the release, sheriffs office Capt. Andrew Wright said the tree likely hit the line behind the chair the patroller was riding, causing it to oscillate and unseat him. The victim, Wright said, landed in deep snow. The Park City ski patrol attempted to treat his injuries and evacuated 10 others who also were on the chairlift by 1:06 p.m., Sara Huey, senior manager of communications told the Aspen Times. Several other chairlifts in the area were closed to support the response. Resort officials could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY on Wednesday and did not release the employee's name. The Summit County Sheriff tweeted the office planned to release the name of the victim, a resident of Millcreek, on Wednesday. Tweets by SummitCountySO The Short Cut chairlift will remain closed, officials said, pending an investigation. We are all deeply saddened by this tragic incident, and we will be providing support for our employees as we grieve this devastating loss," said Deirdra Walsh, the resort's vice president and chief operating officer. Contributing: The Associated Press Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Park City Mountain, Utah, ski staffer dies; ejected from chairlift Justice Sonia Sotomayor said that she felt a sense of despair with the direction of the Supreme Court amid the fallout from its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade over the summer. Speaking to an audience of law professors, Sotomayor said that she was shell-shocked and deeply sad about the courts decision on abortion rights at the end of its term in June, according to Reuters. I did have a sense of despair about the direction my court was going, Sotomayor said via video at the annual meeting of the Association of American Law Schools in San Diego. She did not explicitly mention the ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization or the draft opinion that was leaked into publicly before the Supreme Courts eventual decision on the matter. Sotomayor, who was appointed to serve on the court by then-President Obama in 2009, added that shell continue to be a voice of dissent on the majority-conservative court and was optimistic the direction of the court will change in the future. Its not an option to fall into despair, Sotomayor said. I have to get up and keep fighting. Sotomayors remarks come at the start of a new session of the Supreme Court, which could issue transformative rulings rule on affirmative action, voting rights and businesses refusing service for LGBTQ people. During oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health in December 2021, Sotomayor suggested the court would not survive the stench if it were to uphold the controversial 15-week abortion ban ruling. Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts? Sotomayor asked an attorney who backed the Mississippi law. I dont see how it is possible. The Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade brought an end to 50 years of the constitutional right to an abortion, effectively leaving the issue to states. Multiple GOP-led states quickly implemented their own abortion bans and restrictions, including a number of trigger laws that took effect soon after Roe was overturned. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The incoming Republican chairs of three top House committees delivered a fresh warning that the drawn-out fight over the speakership is damaging the chamber's national security oversight. Ahead of an expected seventh vote Thursday, the presumptive chairs of the Intelligence, Armed Services and Foreign Affairs panels issued a statement backing Rep. Kevin McCarthy's embattled bid for speaker. They warned that the days-long drama risks delaying their committees' work even further. "The Biden administration is going unchecked and there is no oversight of the White House, State Department, Department of Defense, or the intelligence community," Reps. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said. "We cannot let personal politics place the safety and security of the United States at risk," they said. The trio's shot at the 20 conservative holdouts preventing McCarthy from taking the gavel comes as concerns mount among security-oriented lawmakers that they can't do their work until a speaker is elected. Those complaints in the opening days of the new Congress include not being able to access classified information and an inability to begin committee work. Until a speaker is elected, lawmakers cannot be sworn in. Committees won't form, new Republican chairs won't be confirmed, new members won't be appointed to panels and subcommittee chairs won't be named. The Intelligence, Armed Services and Foreign Affairs panels -- chaired by Turner, Rogers and McCaul, respectively -- feature prominently in the GOP agenda. The lawmakers reiterated they "strongly support" McCarthy as the fight heads into a third day. "McCarthys Commitment to America agenda outlines a stronger approach to countering China, a plan to investigate the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, and how a Republican majority will hold this administration accountable," they said. Story continues It's the most high profile warning so far as McCarthy and his allies look to break a logjam on the House floor. But Democrats and Republicans tasked with oversight of the Pentagon and intelligence community have been sounding the alarm throughout the week about the impact of a drawn-out fight. House GOP military veterans aired their concerns at a press conference on Wednesday. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) said he and fellow Armed Services member Don Bacon (R-Neb.) were scheduled to meet with Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley in secure House facilities on Wednesday to discuss security in the Indo-Pacific region , but were barred from doing so. "I'm informed by House security that, technically, I don't have a clearance," Gallagher told reporters. "I'm a member of the Intel Committee, I'm on the Armed Services Committee, and I can't meet in the SCIF to conduct essential business. "My point is we have work to do that we can't do right now," he added. Lawmakers aren't required to obtain security clearances, but are permitted access to sensitive information through their positions. Gallagher has also been tapped by McCarthy to chair a select committee to assess the wide array of security and economic threats posed by China. The panel is a major pillar of the House GOP national security agenda, but a resolution establishing the committee can't be considered until the House elects a speaker and organizes. Intelligence Committee member Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) also complained that members of his panel "don't have access" to their secure facilities or classified information. "The secure facility that we work in every day when we're here, we can't go in there right now," Wenstrup said. "We would get daily briefs. We're in there all the time. And right now, we can't be in there at all." The concerns are bipartisan. Incoming Armed Services ranking Democrat Adam Smith of Washington said the chaos on the House floor is "a problem" for committee work. "We're going to be without any committees for potentially weeks," Smith told POLITICO. It's unclear how long McCarthy can sustain his bid. Though he has the backing of the majority of the GOP conference, the California Republican has flipped no votes in his favor in six ballots. McCarthy may have made progress overnight with a series of concessions to conservatives , however, including allowing a lower threshold for forcing a vote to oust the speaker and granting seats on the House Rules Committee to members of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus. His path to the speakership may include granting some coveted gavels to conservatives. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), a top McCarthy opponent, is seeking an Armed Services subcommittee gavel , among other conservative lawmaker requests for committee spots. But Gaetz later said McCarthy solicited a list of committee assignments conservatives wanted and then leaked it to embarrass them. Gaetz has since said he will never back McCarthy. But Rogers, the presumptive Armed Services chair, acted as an enforcer for McCarthy ahead of the floor battle. The Alabama Republican argued in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday before the speaker election that GOP members who vote against McCarthy should lose their committee assignments. And Rogers dismissed the possibility of handing a subcommittee gavel to Gaetz on Wednesday, though the issue may now be moot. "Everybody else has to go through the Steering Committee and make their case. They want to skip all that," Rogers told POLITICO. "And of course I'm going to tell one of my subcommittee chairs, 'Yeah, I want you to step aside so I can reward Matt Gaetz with a chairmanship.'" (Bloomberg) -- Senate Democrats could face a tougher road to keeping their narrow majority in 2024 after Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, a member of their leadership team and chair of the Agriculture Committee, announced Thursday that she would not run for reelection. Most Read from Bloomberg Her departure sets up an open seat in a presidential battleground state, albeit one won by Joe Biden in 2020. Democrats will also be defending Senate seats in Ohio, West Virginia and Montana, states won easily by Donald Trump. Complicating matters for Democrats, they have to defend 23 of the 33 seats on the ballot in 2024. Inspired by a new generation of leaders, I have decided to pass the torch in the US Senate, she said, adding that she plans to finish a new five-year farm bill. Stabenow noted she was first elected to a county commission office in 1974 when she was just 24. She also cheered on the growing ranks of women in elected office since she first got involved in politics. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana are among the key Democrats who havent announced their plans, and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona has complicated the map further for Democrats after she declared as an independent though she still aligns with Democrats for control of the Senate. Arizona is yet another key battleground state. Democrats are also waiting on other senior Democrats, such as Dianne Feinstein of California, the most senior Democrat, to announce their plans. Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown, the chairman of Banking Committee, told a home-state newspaper that he does plan to run for reelection. Michigan Representative Elissa Slotkin, 46, is seriously considering a bid for Stabenows Senate seat, according to two people close to the congresswoman who were granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations. Story continues Slotkin, a former CIA analyst whose family created Ballpark Frank hot dogs, won against Republican opponent Tom Barrett in November in a district that leans red and includes Lansing but also has rural areas northwest of Detroit. Her race was one of the most expensive congressional elections, according to AdImpact, which tracks political spending. Slotkins spokesman declined to comment. Stabenow served earlier in the House, first winning a seat there in 1996. She made history in 2000 when she became the first woman ever elected to the Senate from Michigan. She was reelected three times. Shes made a priority of climate-change policies but also has tended carefully to the needs of the automobile industry in her home state. On the Senate Finance Committee, shes backed legislation to provide tax credits for electric-vehicle buyers that could help companies such as General Motors Inc. and Tesla Inc. --With assistance from David Welch. (Updates with reporting on Elissa Slotkin, starting in seventh paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. There's finally an electric Ram truck or at least a concept of one. Stellantis is the world's fifth largest automaker with a stable of more than a dozen North American and European brands including Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Maserati and Fiat. The company has set extremely ambitious goals to drastically reduce its carbon footprint by the end of the decade, as part of Dare Forward 2030, with 100 percent of its European sales and half of its US sales to be of the fully-electric variety. As part of that effort, Stellantis has already teased us with an EV concept from Chrysler, came right out and showed us next year's electric Jeep and, on Thursday, unveiled the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept. The Ram 1500 BEV will be available in the 2024 model year alongside the as-of-yet-unnamed Jeep (with which it also shares a STLA EV frame). The Concept shown off Thursday will serve as a design template for the upcoming production vehicle. Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept Stellantis describes the Ram BEV's exterior as "brutiful," a portmanteau of "brutal yet beautiful." I think that prominent split between the cabin and quarter panels just makes it look like an Autobot who hasn't quite fully finished transforming yet. Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept Of course as a concept vehicle, Ram has affixed every bell and whistle it can to the vehicle's exterior, from "grand saloon style" doors to an animated RAM grille logo and fully animated LED tail lamps and badging. The sideview mirrors are 3D-printed to reduce weight and drag. Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept You're goddamn right it has a frunk. And a powered tailgate, flush-mounted door handles, power side and rear steps and why does your truck have to be so big it requires built-in step ladders. Hey so how much gravel are you planning on hauling in your luxury electric pickup truck, exactly. The one with a self-leveling suspension, 24-inch rims and little light up center caps. Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept Under the hood, the Ram will offer dual-motor AWD and four wheel steering with up to 15 degrees of articulation. The company hasn't revealed the battery size yet but did confirm that the system will use an 800V architecture enabling it to add up to 100 miles of range in about 10 minutes on a 350 kW DC fast charger. Story continues Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept The Ram BEV Concept's interior benefits greatly from its flat cabin floor. Ram's one space environment theme centers on flexibility with a rail attachment/floor track system that allows the seats and consoles to shift and even be removed entirely. The concept vehicle also has space for a set of third-row jump seats like a minivan but with lower utility. With the passthrough window open, the Ram concept can fit 18-foot items without needing the rear liftgate lowered. Yeah, all the bells and whistles. The Ram concept's center console consists of two 14-inch screens. The upper screen can be shifted between three positions as the driving situation calls for or even be pulled off entirely and reaffixed elsewhere in the vehicle. The lower screen also slides around. An augmented reality heads-up display projects relevant driving details onto the front windscreen. It's got an exterior projector that doubles as an outdoor movie theater. I feel bad for whoever breaks the rearview mirror in this truck because it houses "a smart backup camera with 360-degree views, speakers, and receivers compatible with voice assistants such as Alexa and Siri." That's not going to be cheap to replace. Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept The steering wheel is collapsible (a la Demolition Man) for when it engages its supposed Level 3+ ADAS. Remember, this is a concept vehicle, they can just make capabilities up. The wheel also incorporates capacitive controls while, "tactile swiping technology enables occupants to configure the sun visors or the entire electro-chromatic roof with the ability to adjust the opaqueness." Why do some people have to sleep outside? Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept The BEV features an AI assistant because this is hell, we are in hell and we deserve our incoming highway HALs. It responds to voice commands. With a 3D RAM avatar which serves, per the release, "as the vehicle's face." The driver doesn't even have to be in the vehicle to issue verbal commands. The BEV concept has a dedicated subset of exterior controls like "close the windows, play music, take a picture" and "follow me," which is literally ghost whipping that has somehow gotten past Stellantis' legal department. It "allows the vehicle to automatically follow the driver walking ahead of the vehicle," using a mix of voice commands, onboard sensors and cameras. The feature, RAM argues, "can be useful in situations where the driver needs to move a short distance and doesn't want to get back in the truck." So c'mon you lazy blockheads, show us your best Jeremy Renner impression. One of the roommates who survived the quadruple murder of four University of Idaho students saw the masked killer leaving the home after he told his victims Im going to help you, according to chilling details revealed in newly-released court documents. A statement from Moscow Police Officer Brett Payne was released on Thursday in support of Mr Kohbergers arrest affidavit, providing new details about the murders and the crime scene. On 13 November, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were found brutally stabbed to death in an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho. Two roommates were home at the time of the attack but were left unharmed. In the documents, the officer revealed the terrifying account from one of the two students who survived the stabbing spree. The survivor, identified as D.M. in the documents, said she heard a mans voice saying something to the effect of its ok, Im going to help you. When she opened her door, she said she saw a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the persons mouth and nose walking towards her. As she stood in a frozen shock phase, she said the man walked past her and headed towards the back sliding glass door of the home. The witness said that she then locked herself in her room. The documents also reveal that the killer left a tan leather knife sheath on the bed of victim Madison Mogen next to the 21-year-olds butchered body. The sheath contains the DNA of a single male the 28-year-old criminology PhD student now charged with the four murders. I also later noticed what appered to be a tan leather knife sheath laying on the bed next to Mogens right side (when viewed from the door). The sheath was later processed and had Ka-Bar USMC and the Unicd States Marine Corps eagle globe and anchor insignia stamped on the outside of it, the officer writes. The Idaho state lab later located a single source ofmale DNA (suspect Profile) left on the button snap of the knife sheath. Story continues It also reveals where the four victims were found inside the bloodied home. Mogen and best friend Kaylee Goncalves were both found stabbed to death in Mogens single bed in her bedroom on the third floor, Mr Payne states. The bodies of young couple Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were both found in Kernodles bedroom on the second floor of the property, with the 20-year-old woman found on the floor. Goncalves pet dog was found unharmed in Goncalves bedroom, which is also on the third floor, the officer wrote. You are here: Business Shanghai-based Spring Airlines announced it will resume flights between Shanghai and Thailand's Phuket, as well as Guangdong province's Guangzhou and Chiang Mai of Thailand, starting in January. In the meantime, flights from Shanghai to Hong Kong and Taipei will also be relaunched this month. The budget carrier said resumption of flights between Shanghai and Singapore is being considered. Likewise, private carrier Juneyao Air also announced late December it will resume its flights between Shanghai and Chiang Mai starting January 18, with more flights to other outbound destinations likely to resume. The relaunched offshore flights of the two Shanghai-based carriers is a response to the latest decision of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, which removed certain COVID-19 restrictions on international passenger flights starting January 8, 2023. The relaxation includes that they will no longer identify high-risk inbound flights, and will remove the 75 percent passenger load factor cap for inbound flights. Bryan Christopher Kohberger, the suspect accused of killing four University of Idaho students, arrived in Idaho late Wednesday, Jan. 4, and was booked into the Latah County jail on murder and burglary charges. Kohberger, 28, arrived at a regional airport just across the state border in Pullman, Washington, on Jan. 4, where he was escorted by Pennsylvania State Police officers and handed over to local authorities. Idaho prosecutors said he will be formally charged with four counts of first-degree murder and felony burglary in connection with the November slayings. A caravan of five vehicles took Kohberger across the border into Idaho, NBC News reported, where he was booked into the Latah County jail, according to jail records. Bryan Kohberger mugshot. (Courtesy Latah County Sheriff Dept. ) "Mr. Kohberger will be evaluated by Jail staff when he arrives, as does every other inmate who enters our facility," Latah County Sheriff Richard Skiles said in a statement to NBC News. "Mr. Kohbergers housing classification will be based on the evaluation given by jail staff." The 28-year-old's arrival in Idaho paves the way for court documents like an arrest warrant to be unsealed, potentially giving more details on what evidence led investigators to suspect Kohberger in the crime. Kohberger waived extradited to Idaho on Jan. 3, and his public defender in the extradition, Jason LaBar, said on TODAY his client told him he believed he was going to be exonerated. "He said this is not him, LaBar told TODAY on Jan. 3. "He believes hes going to be exonerated. Thats what he believes, those were his words." Kohberger had been held in Pennsylvania after he was arrested at his parents home in Albrightsville, in the Poconos area, on Dec. 30 in connection with the deaths of Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21. split photo of murder victims in U of I murder case (@xanakernodle via Instagram / @kayleegoncalves via Instagram) The four students were found stabbed to death in their home near the University of Idaho campus on Nov. 13. Kohberger was arrested after a seven-week manhunt. Story continues Kohberger was a PhD student at the nearby Washington State University studying criminology and criminal justice at the time of the slayings. He is no longer enrolled as a student at the university, a school representative told NBC News on Jan. 3. Kohberger apparently stayed in Pullman, Washington, and finished the semester, while many University of Idaho students returning home after the stabbings. Kohberger's father flew out to Washington State in December to embark on a cross-country road trip with his son to their home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. The pair were pulled over twice in Indiana on the same day in a white Hyundai Elantra, authorities said, and both times were given warnings for following other vehicles too closely. This article was originally published on TODAY.com STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden will require travelers from China to show they have tested negative for COVID before they can enter the country, the Nordic country's government said on Thursday. "The Swedish government has this morning decided on temporary restrictions on entry for journeys from China to Sweden," Health Minster Jakob Forssmed told reporters. On Wednesday, the EU's Integrated Political Crisis Response group (IPCR) recommended that member states should introduce restrictions. (Reporting by Simon Johnson, editing by Anna Ringstrom) California Taco Shop, a local restaurant with locations in Shaler and Wexford, is now ready to set up its third location on Butler Street in Lawrenceville. The restaurant recently posted an obligatory coming soon sign in the former location of Reed & Co. at 4113 Butler St., where it looks to replace what was a grab-and-go breakfast and lunch operation. A call to the restaurants ownership wasnt immediately returned. The location, next to Row House Cinema, is amid a busy stretch for Mexican-style restaurants. Click here to read more from our partners at the Pittsburgh Business Times. TRENDING NOW: Damar Hamlin: Vikings defenseman Harrison Phillips buys family dinner, starts fundraiser Dollar General clerk charged after shooting, killing armed robber Target 11 Exclusive: Pittsburgh police officers told not to follow controversial traffic stop policy VIDEO: We are homeless: Roosevelt building residents forced out after fire, many have nowhere to live DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinas decision to end a more than decade-long subsidy for electric vehicle purchases has forced automakers, including Tesla, to deepen discounts to maintain sales as demand eases in the world's largest market. The government originally planned to phase out the support scheme for EV makers and battery suppliers by the end of 2020, but extended it until the end of December in response to the pandemic. As China grapples with the upheaval of an upsurge in COVID-19 cases and its economy grows at the slowest pace in decades, Tesla, Xpeng and SAIC-GM-Wuling have opted to hold consumer prices flat in January. The subsidy accounted for around 3% to 6% of the cost of the best-selling electric vehicles in China last year, a Reuters analysis found. Other EV makers, including Tesla's larger rival BYD and SAIC-Volkswagen, have raised prices for some models but opted to absorb most of the cost of the subsidy, the Reuters tally showed. The subsidy, paid to the automaker at the point of purchase, began in 2009 and was scaled back over time. It paid out nearly $15 billion to encourage EV purchases through 2021, according to an estimate by China Merchants Bank International. As some consumers rushed to take advantage of the subsidy while there was time, BYD doubled its retail sales in China in December from a year earlier, while Tesla's retail sales in China fell by 42%. J.P. Morgan said in a research note on Thursday, it expects "a transitional pain period," with January and February industry-wide sales of EVs and plug-ins in China down between 40% to 60% from year-end levels. DYNASTIES AND DISCOUNTS BYD raised prices on its best-selling EVs, named after Chinese dynasties. Tesla, meanwhile, is defending its market share by selling the basic, rear-wheel drive Model Y for 288,900 yuan ($42,053.63) in China, unchanged from December. It is also offering another 10,000 yuan in cash incentives and insurance rebates for buyers in January, which means it has effectively cut prices in China by up to 12% since early September, when that model was sold for 316,900 yuan. Story continues Buyers of BYD's best-selling electric cars have to pay 2,000 yuan to 6,000 yuan more in January, depending on the model they choose, compared to those who placed the orders in 2022, posted prices show. That represents a price hike of between 2% and 3%. China's Association of Automobile Manufacturers said in December it expected sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids to grow by 35% in 2023, accounting for a third of total vehicle sales. But William Li, chief executive of automaker Nio, said it could take until May for China's EV market to begin to recover. "It will take time for both the supply chain and consumer demand to recover," Li told reporters last month. ($1 = 6.8698 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh; Editing by Kevin Krolicki and Barbara Lewis) Tesla's sales in China dropped in December despite discounts. STR/AFP via Getty Images Tesla is keeping the discounts rolling in China. The carmaker sold far fewer cars to Chinese customers in December than the previous month. China is facing a COVID-19 outbreak that will hurt car production and sales, JPMorgan analysts warn. Tesla made the rare move of discounting its cars in China and the US toward the end of 2022 in an apparent effort to boost sales amid sluggish demand. They came as a surprise, as Tesla has seemingly had no trouble selling every single car it's produced in recent years. Now the electric-car maker is keeping the discounts rolling in China, at least to energize sales in the world's biggest auto market, which is crucial to the company's continued growth. Through the end of February, Tesla is offering Chinese buyers of its Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV an incentive of up to 10,000 yuan, roughly $1,500 at current exchange rates. Tesla also didn't raise its prices to reflect the end of the Chinese government's subsidy program for electric vehicle sales on January 1, meaning it's absorbing the hit. Slowing sales in China a huge market for electric vehicles filled with competition could explain the aggressive price cuts. Despite the new strategy, Tesla's domestic sales there dropped roughly 30% between November and December 2022, according to JPMorgan. The situation in China may get worse before it gets better, the bank's analysts said in a note to investors in January. "Into the next few months, we will likely experience a transitional pain period (with surging cases which may impact both auto production and consumption) before we likely return to a stronger recovery phase," they said. Read the original article on Business Insider Tens of thousands of Catholics traveled to St. Peters Square Thursday morning to pay their respects to Pope Benedict XVI, who passed away on New Years Eve at the age of 95. Pope Francis began the ceremony with a prayer for Pope Benedict which was followed by singing from the Sistine Chapel Choir. Gods faithful people, gathered here, now accompanies and entrusts to him the life of the one who was their pastor. Like the women at the tomb, we too have come with the fragrance of gratitude and the balm of hope, in order to show him once more the love that is undying. We want to do this with the same wisdom, tenderness and devotion that he bestowed upon us over the years, Francis said during his sermon. Benedict became the first pontiff in nearly six centuries to resign from his post, citing old age. Prior to becoming pope in 2005, Joseph Ratzinger served as archbishop of Munich and later as the Vaticans chief doctrinal enforcer. Ratzinger was particularly concerned with fighting sexual abuse within the Church. Benedict became the first pope to meet with victims of sexual assault and upon becoming pope wrote the first pastoral letter from a sitting pontiff about addressing the issue following a spate of abuse scandals in Ireland, the New York Times noted. Benedict also defrocked a Mexican reverend and serial abuser, Marcial Maciel Degollado, in 2010. Pope Francis bid an emotional farewell to his predecessor, former Pope Benedict, at his funeral in St. Peter's Square. https://t.co/wAzHMs0uDL pic.twitter.com/HDgjhhj6CI ABC News (@ABC) January 5, 2023 However, critics of Benedict insist that the pope could have done more to prevent ongoing abuse. As archbishop of Munich, Cardinal Ratzinger ended a trial of an American priest who molested hundreds of deaf boys citing the priests repentance. Story continues The funeral ceremony Thursday was scaled down to reflect Benedicts status. Whereas the funeral of Pope John Paul II drew an estimated 1.1 million mourners, only 50,000 people were in attendance Thursday morning, Vatican sources report. Holding fast to the Lords last words and to the witness of his entire life, we too, as an ecclesial community, want to follow in his steps and to commend our brother into the hands of the Father, Pope Francis said in closing. The funeral procession marked the first modern occasion when a sitting pope presided over a funeral for a pope emeritus. Benedict will be buried in the crypt beneath St. Peters Basilica alongside the tombs of dozens of papal predecessors. More from National Review ORLANDO, Florida A small group of protesters gathered Thursday in front of Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa in Orlando to spotlight what they claim are unethical sales practices by the Westgate timeshare company. The demonstration coincided with the companys annual owners meeting. I dont like to speak up about anything, said Lori Kelso, who flew in from her home in Indiana to attend. What they did was so wrong, I just had to do something. Around noon, the mini-protest fluctuated between five and three people. They got wet from rain and sprinklers going in front of the resort as they waved signs saying, Westgate Buyer Beware, and Dont buy. They lie. Ask me why. Kelso, who works as an assistant to a real estate company, is the creator of Westgate Timeshare Hostages, a Facebook group with more than 1,600 members. The page is full of stories about people who say they were misled by high-pressure sales tactics. Asked about the protests, Mark Waltrip, Westgates chief operating officer, referenced a shooting at Orlando Westgate locations in December. The 19-year-old suspect in the shooting, which wounded two people, said he felt scammed when a Westgate hotel wouldnt let him check in for being under 21 (a company policy), and told detectives he felt a sense of relief after the shooting. Unfortunately, an isolated group of individuals are leveraging the shooters actions to harass the resort with comments on social media wishing that our CEO had been shot, as well as staging a protest at our resort owners meeting, Waltrip wrote in an email. Kelso, however, produced a Facebook event page showing the protest had been scheduled days before the shooting. On Westgate Timeshare Hostages, one post at the time of the shooting included a comment from a user asking if CEO David Siegel was shot, followed by another comment that had been deleted. Kelso, 51, says she bought a unit in 2010 and a second one in 2012. She says she tried to sell them after paying off their mortgages, but the company denied her, and she had been unaware of a hidden contract document that allowed them to deny sales without giving a reason. Story continues Kelsos complaint has similar elements to a lawsuit the company lost in 2015 in Tennessee. In court and other public statements, Westgate has denied allegations that it intentionally hid the document, though it did admit in the Tennessee case that it had failed to provide an updated version of it. Kelso said the goal of the protest was to prevent consumers from falling for the sales pitch [and] to wake up the regulating agencies that seem to be turning a blind eye. She said the Florida attorney general has received more than 500 complaints about the company. A spokeswoman Ashley Moodys office was unable to confirm that number in time for publication. China will optimize its regulations on travel between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao on Jan. 8, the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said on Thursday. The office quoted a document released by the State Council joint COVID-19 prevention and control mechanism team, which said that travelers from Hong Kong will need a negative result from a COVID-19 nucleic acid test taken up to 48 hours prior to their trip. They will not need to take a second nucleic acid test after arrival. If travelers from Hong Kong report or are found with symptoms such as fever, customs authorities will ask them to take an antigen test. Those who are tested positive can be quarantined at home for self care or advised to go to the hospital depending on severity of their symptoms. Travelers from Macao will not need to take any test if they have not traveled overseas for seven days prior to their trip to the mainland, according to the document. The quarantine measures for people traveling from Macao to the mainland will remain as before. International travelers will be able to enter the mainland via Hong Kong and Macao, and restrictions on the passenger load factor for flights between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao will be lifted, per the document. Mainland residents' application for tourist and business travel permits for Hong Kong and Macao will be resumed. Passenger services at land and port borders will be resumed gradually, and tourism between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao will be restored in an orderly manner, the document said. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A host of top cabinet officials from the United States and Canada will take part in a North American Leaders' Summit in Mexico City next week, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Thursday. U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will visit Mexico City early next week for meetings that will encompass climate change, competitiveness, immigration, security and equity, Ebrard said. The summit will be the first in person encounter between the three leaders since late 2021. Biden and Lopez Obrador would meet for private talks on Monday afternoon, after which high level meetings would take place between Mexican and U.S. officials, Ebrard told a news conference alongside the Mexican president. Those would include Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Special Presidential Adviser for the Americas Chris Dodd and others, he added. Mexico's ministers of the interior, finance, economy, environment and security, as well as the country's migration chief would be at the talks too, he added. The leaders of the three countries would meet for dinner on Monday evening with their wives, Mexico's government said. On Tuesday, a trilateral meeting between Biden, Trudeau and Lopez Obrador would take place, as well as a working lunch for the government delegations. Afterwards, Biden would depart for the United States, according to Ebrard. On Wednesday, Lopez Obrador would hold bilateral talks with Trudeau, who would be joined by Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and International Trade Minister Mary Ng, Ebrard said. "More confirmations from Canada should come through today," he added. (Reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Aurora Ellis) Toronto Mayor John Tory's latest proposal of a $48.3 million budget increase for the Toronto Police Service (TPS) has outraged many residents of Toronto. The proposal brings Toronto police's 2023 budget to approximately $1.16 billionhigher than the police budget in 2022 and 2021, which was $1.1 billion and $1.07 billion respectively. The investment would introduce 200 more officers in the police force, which the city describes as "priority response units". One of our principal responsibilities is to keep our community safe and to keep Torontonians safe. This will show itself in a proposed 4.3 per cent increase in the police budget, Tory said at a news conference Tuesday announcing the investment. Tory has faced a lot of backlash by the residents of the city, who believe that Toronto needs funding in other arenas instead. Toronto is already facing a major hospital and housing crises, with high inflation and food insecurity since the pandemic. John Tory is announcing a $48 million increase to the police budget. He rewards his friends in uniform, while neglecting the basic services we need to live. Investments in people, not policing, will keep us safe A statement from @NoPolicing pic.twitter.com/owznf7jluI Bran Van Jones (@DesmondCole) January 3, 2023 I would prioritize affordable housing, but what do I know. https://t.co/EHHPFxX50M Chris Walder (@WalderSports) January 4, 2023 Mayor @JohnTory before you further balloon Toronto Police Budget by nearly $50mill please consult outside your 4 walls. You may wish to begin with families of Taresh Bobby Ramroop, Regis Korchinski Paquet, D'Andre Campbell and COUNTLESS others. Address ROOT causes. Dr. Jill Andrew, PhD (she/her) (@JILLSLASTWORD) January 5, 2023 Dear @JohnTory , How is increasing Toronto police budget by nearly $50 million going to address lack of affordable housing, food insecurity, and lack of mental health services in underfunded neighborhoods? Which people are you truly trying to police? What's your goal? Birgit Uwaila Umaigba (@birgitomo) January 3, 2023 @JohnTory is deliberately deaf to what his constituents need/require of him because of his constant pandering to @TorontoPolice as well as the #TorontoPoliceCommission! It's beyond disgusting. He won't listen to Harm Reduction professionals on how to fix the overdose crisis! https://t.co/67sZ7vX7fh Natalie - Harm Reduction, Peer Support Worker (@HarmReductWork) January 5, 2023 #Toronto @cityoftoronto @JohnTory. I regret voting for you during the 1st run for mayor. I did NOT make that mistake the 2nd time as I knew the hard working folks of Toronto would suffer. SHAME. https://t.co/xhvgvDwqLR H (@H__Wall) January 5, 2023 All I heard was ridiculous amounts to the police. That does not solve problems, work on your social issues and you can decrease the police funding further. Not rocket science. S Loughead (@sanl) January 5, 2023 Police is the largest budget item in the books, has been for a while. Why hasnt that brought down violent crime? Asif Hossain (@asifintoronto) January 5, 2023 The TTC budget explicitly links the 10 cent fare increase to hiring 25 new special constables. As if $48M wasn't enough @JohnTory wants you to pay for more transit policing every time you take the TTC. Directly from your food and rent budget, not even taxes. rapidly warming girl summer (@latestagewhat) January 5, 2023 Welcome to Toronto, we don't have swimming lessons, reliable transit, public toilets, not-gross garbage cans, remotely affordable housing or adequate sewer capacity Which is why we will spend $50m more on our budget's biggest line item, which addresses none of those problems https://t.co/fbhQMBAfoo Denise Balkissoon (@balkissoon) January 3, 2023 One of our principal responsibilities is to keep our community safe and to keep Torontonians safe." Except police don't prevent crime, they react to it. If you want a safer city, you need economic changes. Cheaper housing, free transit, community programs. This is basic stuff. https://t.co/qQtXcZC3pM Filipe Dimas (@FilipeDimas) January 4, 2023 @JohnTory .... what happened to understanding the root cause of criminality, and in this city there are many social reasons where money should be spent to help with this vs going directly to policing. This move is NOT my Toronto. https://t.co/Wx2w6h0GXz Lesley Sparks (@LesleyASparks) January 4, 2023 The idea here is that if they spend more trashing the tents that more & more people have to live in, persecute more racialized people, criminalize more people who use substances, those with mental health issues, sex workers, newcomers, then, it'll look like they are the problem. https://t.co/L5tdVEDPgV Ameil J. Joseph Ph.D. (he/him) (@ajesusjoseph) January 4, 2023 Imagine what 48.3 million would do for housing, employment counselling, community programming and support for substance users. https://t.co/K6DmzpSjRn Jase Cole (they/them) (@jasecolelab) January 3, 2023 Utahs Alissa Pili may be an undersized post player at 6-foot-2. Just dont tell her that. The scouting report on Pili: A physical presence down low (she attributes that to being an offensive/defensive lineman in football). Difficult to box out (a quality from her wrestling days). Quick reflexes (thanks, volleyball). Talented singer, too (If I Aint Got You by Alicia Keys is her go-to jam ). Pili is the leading scorer and rebounder for an eighth-ranked Utah team that's not only off to a 14-0 start, but also just climbed to the highest AP ranking in program history. The versatile forward who transferred from Southern California this season has seamlessly meshed with the Utes. She was recently named to the midseason top 25 watch list for the John R. Wooden Award, which recognizes the outstanding player in college basketball. We just look to improve every practice and every game and I think were doing a good job at that, said Pili, whose team is 3-0 in Pac-12 play heading into Friday's game at Colorado (12-3, 2-1). Obviously, we have really skilled players, so that helps, too. A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Pili is the second of nine kids. She grew up playing pretty much every sport imaginable, but football was her first love. She was on teams with her older brother, Brandon, who suited up for Southern Cal in the Cotton Bowl. Pili was in the stands with her family to watch his final game ( a 46-45 loss to Tulane ). You're never bored, Pili cracked about her family. We support each other like crazy. My siblings and my parents were always at my games. There were plenty of them, too. Her dad wanted her to be a well-rounded athlete. That's why she participated in a little bit of everything. Years of football on both sides of the ball helped build strength. Years of wrestling helped with endurance and strength. Volleyball increased her reaction time. The shot put and discus amassed more strength. It all set her up for success on the basketball court, where she became a three-time Alaska Gatorade player of the year at Dimond High School and earned the Pride of Alaska award from the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame. Story continues Initially, Pili followed the route of her brother to Southern California, where she blossomed into the Pac-12 freshman of the year in 2019-20. A hard-to-heal sprained ankle hampered her sophomore campaign, and after last season averaging 7.8 points she decided she needed a change of scenery. When I entered the transfer portal, I was really deliberate about the things I was looking for in a school," said Pili, who has a tattoo down her right leg thats a representation of her Polynesian culture. "Utah's style of play it played a big part. So did this: Utah coach Lynne Roberts' familiarity with Pili's game. When with the Trojans, Pili had a 29-point performance against the Utes on Feb. 28, 2020. There was a good foundation and good culture, Pili said of her move to Utah. It was a pretty smooth transition fitting in. Pili scored 27 points in her Utah debut on Nov. 7 against Idaho. She also had a streak in December where she scored 25 or more in three straight games, something a Utes player hadnt accomplished since Kalee Whipple in 2009-10. Currently, Pili is shooting 63.7% from the floor, including 12 of 30 from 3-point range, and averaging 19.7 points (6.1 rebounds). She has plenty of scoring help, too, with Gianna Kneepkens (14.1 points), Jenna Johnson (11.6) and Kennady McQueen (11.0). Everybody knows how good Gianna is, and how good Kennady is, and Jenna, in terms how they can shoot and put the ball on the floor, Roberts said after an 85-58 win over Colorado on Dec. 14. Everybodys keying on them and it's opening up the key. Its nice to have somebody (Pili) whos pretty automatic. Pilis plan is to play one more year at Utah before hopefully embarking on a career in the WNBA. But that's a conversation for another time. Her focus is simply on the Utes keeping this run going. Their best start to the season was 16-0 in 1997-98 when Utah was a member of the Western Athletic Conference. Were all pretty level-headed and everybodys humble on this team," Pili said. "I dont think the rankings have any effect on how everybody acts or plays. Its just motivation to stay on top. ___ AP womens college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 An off-duty Boston MedFlight staff member was praised for his tremendous heroism after saving a person from a burning vehicle on New Years Day in southeastern Massachusetts. Rob Johnson came upon an accident and immediately jumped into action, pulling at least one person from a burning vehicle and performing lifesaving care before emergency crews arrived on the scene. Rob remained on scene to assist with the care and packaging of patients prior to their transport to a trauma center. Officials with the local fire department gave Rob a special shout out for his heroic actions despite being alone and unequipped, providing expert care under the dark of night and middle of a busy highway. Thank you, Rob, for delivering lifesaving intervention during such a moment of need, according to the Boston MedFlight. A special shout out for the heroic actions of Rob Johnson, an off-duty Boston MedFlight staff member, following a... Posted by Boston MedFlight on Thursday, January 5, 2023 This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW By Gram Slattery WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump failed on Wednesday to persuade 20 fellow Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives to fall in line behind Kevin McCarthy's bid for speaker, underscoring the former president's declining power over the party he reshaped. "It's now time for all of our GREAT Republican House Members to VOTE FOR KEVIN," Trump wrote on his Truth Social media service in an early morning appeal to his allies, who largely represent conservative voters at the core of his support. They ignored him, voting three more times against McCarthy after three such votes on Tuesday, and instead backing second-term Representative Byron Donalds. Lauren Boebert, one of the hardline holdouts, called on Trump to change his mind, imploring him from the House floor: "The president needs to tell Kevin McCarthy, 'Sir, you do not have the votes and it's time to withdraw.'" Representative Matt Gaetz, long a Trump supporter, called Trump's announcement "Sad!" in a brief statement. Trump is the only Republican to have so far launched a campaign for the party's nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 2024 election. But after a four-year White House term during which Trump regularly proved he could change Republican lawmakers' minds with popular social media posts, Wednesday showed his power had waned, several Republicans acknowledged. "It does demonstrate that Trump can't just snap his fingers and get members to do what he wants," said Sarah Longwell, a Republican strategist who opposes Trump. "That's because Trump's relationship with the party is increasingly becoming less about Trump the man, and more about the forces Trump has unleashed on the party." Trump did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. His allies have privately contacted offices of several House Republicans who voted against McCarthy, including the office of Donalds himself, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. Story continues Some in the party blame Trump for the weaker-than-expected performance in the November midterm elections that gave them a narrow 222-212 majority in the House, amplifying the power of hardliners representing less than 10% of House Republicans. Opinion polls show Trump facing a growing challenge from Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. (Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Scott Malone and Howard Goller) MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The United States will provide $23 million in additional aid to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean to assist migrants with emergencies and to foster their local integration, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said Thursday. Salazar also said on Twitter the two countries and Canada would discuss further discuss immigration and measures to provide security, labor pathways and economic opportunity at an upcoming trilateral summit. (Reporting by Kylie Madry, Editing by Isabel Woodford) (Reuters) - U.S. authorities are investigating the chief engineer of bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, Nishad Singh, ratcheting up pressure on founder Sam Bankman-Fried's inner circle, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Singh could be charged as soon as this month if federal prosecutors in Manhattan find he played a role in the alleged multiyear scheme at FTX and trading firm Alameda Research to defraud investors and clients, the report added. Authorities have not accused Singh of wrongdoing. It was not clear if Singh was cooperating with U.S. officials, the report said. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan declined to comment. The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are also probing Singh, the report said, citing a source. A lawyer for Singh, Andrew D. Goldstein, did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The SEC and CFTC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lawyers for Bankman-Fried did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In mid-2020, Singh had tweaked the cryptocurrency exchanges software to exempt Alameda Research, a hedge fund owned by Bankman-Fried, from a feature on the trading platform that would have automatically sold off Alameda's assets if it was losing too much borrowed money, Reuters reported last month. (Reporting by Aishwarya Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Matthew Lewis) Washington President Biden on Thursday announced a revamped migration management strategy that pairs increased expulsions with expanded opportunities for migrants to enter the country legally, in an attempt to reduce record levels of unlawful crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border. The multi-pronged effort, which follows a "carrots and sticks" approach, will allow migrants from Nicaragua, Cuba and Haiti with U.S.-based financial sponsors to enter the country legally through a program modeled after Biden administration policies that have offered a safe haven to displaced Ukrainians and Venezuelans. After passing background checks, eligible migrants from these crisis-stricken countries would be allowed to enter the U.S. under the humanitarian parole authority, which allows beneficiaries to live and work in the U.S. legally on a temporary basis. This expanded legal pathway, which would be capped at 30,000 admissions each month, would be paired with a deterrence measure designed to discourage illegal entries along the southern border. Migrants from Nicaragua, Cuba and Haiti would face immediate expulsion to Mexico under the Title 42 pandemic-era measure if they cross the U.S. border illegally. Officials said Mexico had consented to 30,000 monthly returns. For over two years, the Mexican government only accepted the return of its citizens and migrants from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador expelled from the U.S. under Title 42, a public health law that was first invoked by the Trump administration in early 2020. But in October, the Biden administration convinced Mexico to accept Venezuelan migrants as part of a deal in which the U.S. committed to allowing up to 24,000 Venezuelans to enter the country legally under the parole authority. The dual policies for Venezuelan migrants led to a dramatic drop in the number of Venezuelans entering U.S. border custody, and Biden administration officials pledged to "build on" on the strategy's success. Story continues "We can't stop people from making the journey," Mr. Biden said during remarks at the White House. "But we can require that they come here in an orderly way under U.S. law." President Biden speaks about U.S.-Mexico border security and enforcement in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Jan. 5, 2023. / Credit: KEVIN LAMARQUE / REUTERS While Mr. Biden said the new effort will allow his administration to better manage the historic migration flows along the southern border, he conceded it was a short-term fix, calling on Congress to revamp the U.S. immigration system, which has not been updated since the 1990s. "The actions we're announcing today will make things better," Mr. Biden said, "but will not fix the border problem completely." The Biden administration announced additional border-related measures on Thursday, including a proposed regulation that would disqualify migrants from asylum if they crossed the U.S. border illegally after failing to ask for protection in a third country, like Mexico. If enacted, the proposal would allow U.S. border officials to rapidly deport migrants subject to the restriction, even after Title 42 is lifted. Officials also said they would expand the use of a process known as expedited removal to quickly deport migrants who are not processed under Title 42. The policy, dating back to the 1990s, allows the U.S. to deport migrants without a court hearing if they do not seek asylum or fail to establish credible fear of persecution. The Department of Homeland Security said it would increase processing of vulnerable asylum-seekers along the U.S.-Mexico border by allowing those migrants to request appointments to enter the country legally at ports of entry through a mobile app. The process will initially allow migrants determined to be vulnerable to request exemptions to Title 42 and will remain in place after the measure is lifted. Migrants processed at ports of entry would be allowed to work in the U.S. legally. The expansion of Title 42 to include migrants from Cuba and Nicaragua will be a seismic shift in U.S. policy, as the vast majority of the tens of thousands of Cubans and Nicaraguans processed along the southern border over the past year have been released and allowed to seek asylum because their home countries severely limit U.S. deportations. Mass exoduses from Cuba and Nicaragua have contributed to record levels of U.S. border apprehensions in the past year. In recent months, arrivals from these countries have surpassed the number of Guatemalan, Honduran and Salvadoran migrants entering U.S. border custody, an unprecedented demographic change. The new effort would also represent a dramatic and unprecedented expansion of the parole authority, which the Biden administration has already used to resettle tens of thousands of refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine. U.S. law allows immigration officials to use the parole authority to admit immigrants who otherwise don't have legal permission, such as a visa, to enter the U.S., if their entry is deemed to be justified on humanitarian or public interest grounds. The humanitarian crisis along the southern border has become a political liability for Mr. Biden, who has been accused by Republicans of ignoring the issue. They've also argued the record border arrivals reported over the past two years stem from the Biden administration's decision to reverse some Trump-era policies, including a program that required certain migrants to wait for their asylum hearings in Mexico. An aerial view of the Mexican and American flags fly over an international bridge as immigrants line up next to the U.S.-Mexico border fence to seek asylum on Dec. 22, 2022, in El Paso, Texas. / Credit: Getty Images In fiscal year 2022, U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped migrants 2.2 million times along the southern border, an all-time high that surpassed the record set the previous year, federal figures show. More than 1 million of those encounters resulted in migrants being expelled from the U.S. under Title 42. While it revoked some of the Trump administration's asylum restrictions, the Biden administration maintained Title 42 for over a year, defending the Trump-era argument that the policy was needed to control the spread of COVID-19. In April 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it would stop authorizing Title 42 due to improving pandemic conditions, including higher vaccination rates. But a group of Republican-led states convinced a federal judge in Louisiana to block the rule's termination on procedural grounds. Then, on Nov. 15, another federal judge declared Title 42 unlawful, saying the CDC had not properly explained the policy's public health rationale or considered its impact on asylum-seekers. At the request of the Biden administration, the judge gave border officials 5 weeks, until Dec. 21, to end Title 42. Nineteen Republican-led states asked several courts to delay Title 42's rescission indefinitely, warning that chaos would ensue otherwise. On Dec. 27, the Supreme Court said it would suspend the lower court order that found Title 42 to be illegal until it decided whether the Republican-led states should be allowed to intervene in the case, likely postponing the policy's termination for months. Immigration experts said Mr. Biden's speech, and the measures he announced, showed his administration wants to prioritize border security in 2023. Mr. Biden is also set to visit El Paso, Texas, on Sunday for his first trip in office to the U.S.-Mexico border. "They're finally taking the border seriously," said Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. "I think they realized it can create a crisis of credibility if there isn't a perception that they're managing the border well." Migrants look across the Rio Grande, where there is law enforcement activity as they build a fence and receive asylum seekers, in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, on Dec. 22, 2022. / Credit: VERONICA G. CARDENAS/AFP via Getty Images Selee said the combination of increased enforcement and expanded migration avenues would likely lead to a reduction in migrant arrivals along the southern border, at least in the immediate future. But he said the parole component could be blocked in court if Republican-led states file a lawsuit against it, just like they have challenged other major Biden administration immigration policies. "There's a vulnerability in this, which is it's not what parole was intended for. And there's no end point for people who come into the country on parole to get long-term legal status," Seele said. "But on the other hand, it is a creative solution at a time when Congress hasn't been able to agree on expanding legal pathways." Theresa Cardinal Brown, a former DHS immigration policy official under Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, said Thursday's announcement represented the Biden administration first "comprehensive strategy to manage the border." But she also expressed concern the strategy mainly relies on the continued enforcement of Title 42, a temporary measure the CDC has said can no longer be justified on public health grounds. "We shouldn't be relying on a public health order to enforce immigration law. That's what they're doing," Cardinal Brown said. In addition to criticism from Republicans, Mr. Biden's border policies have faced significant pushback from progressives and advocates for asylum-seekers, who say he has not fully complied with asylum law, which allows migrants on U.S. soil to request protection as a way to stop their deportation. While they praised the expansion of legal pathways unveiled Thursday, human rights groups, advocates and some Democrats denounced the expansion of Title 42 and the proposed asylum eligibility restriction, which resembles a Trump administration rule that was struck down in court. "Republicans should be held accountable for their lack of action on immigration and the border and the president is doing what he can within his executive authority to manage migration," Tyler Moran, who was Mr. Biden's senior adviser for migration until early 2022, told CBS News. "But any bans on asylum are simply a continuation of the failed policies of the last administration." Democratic New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, meanwhile, said, "The Biden Administration's decision to expand Title 42, a disastrous and inhumane relic of the Trump Administration's racist immigration agenda, is an affront to restoring rule of law at the border." Storm driven by atmospheric river turns deadly in California Biden unveils new immigration policies, aiming to curb migrant arrivals Bed Bath & Beyond warns of potential bankruptcy By Mike Stone and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A new U.S. weapons package for Ukraine will include about 50 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, two U.S. officials said on Thursday, with one of the officials saying the package will be worth roughly $2.8 billion. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden said that sending the Bradleys, a U.S. Army staple, to Ukraine was being considered to help fight Russia's invasion. Russia's ambassador accused the United States of plotting a "dangerous course." The latest security package for Ukraine is expected to be unveiled on Friday, the officials said. Of the roughly $2.8 billion package, around $800 million of the funds came from Foreign Military Financing to help Ukraine procure weapons, one official said. The balance of the funds came from Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) for Ukraine, which allows the United States to transfer defense articles like Humvees, trucks and munitions from stocks quickly without congressional approval in response to an emergency. The armored vehicle with a powerful gun, which is manufactured by BAE Systems Plc, has been used as a staple by the U.S. Army to carry troops around battlefields since the mid-1980s. The Army has thousands of Bradleys, which could give the Ukrainians more firepower on the battlefield. Biden's move, however, is short of sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine, which the Ukrainians have been requesting. Late last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told the U.S. Congress that the tens of billions of dollars of aid it had approved to help Ukraine combat the Russian invasion was not charity, but an investment in global security. The United States has sent about $21.3 billion in security assistance to Kyiv as Europe's biggest land conflict since 1945 grinds on, killing tens of thousands. The size of Friday's security aid package was not immediately clear. The White House declined to comment. Russia's ambassador in Washington said the Bradleys "decision" showed Moscow's U.S. interlocutors "have not even tried to listen to our numerous calls to take into account possible consequences of such a dangerous course by Washington." Story continues Ambassador Anatoly Antonov, in comments published in Russian and English on the Facebook page of the Russian embassy, said there could be no more talk of weapons transfers being of a defensive nature. The administration's actions, he said in remarks framed as responses to media questions, "indicate a lack of any desire for a political settlement." The United States has increasingly sent more capable weapons to Ukraine. As the war progressed and Ukraine's needs changed, more complex weapons systems, including High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), were shipped to Kyiv. Most recently, the United States pledged to send a Patriot missile system to repel Russian missile and drone attacks. Training and other logistics still need to be worked out. The Army is working to retire its Bradley fleet, and is working with industry to build a replacement as it seeks to modernize. (Reporting By Steve Holland, Mike Stone and Elaine Monaghan; Editing by Leslie Adler and Raju Gopalakrishnan) A group of University of Florida medical-school faculty members challenged controversial guidance by state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on COVID-19 vaccinations, but a university official said Wednesday the guidance is outside the scope of Ladapos work with the school. Ladapo, who holds a faculty position in the universitys College of Medicine, was tapped in September 2021 by Gov. Ron DeSantis to serve as surgeon general and secretary of the Florida Department of Health. Ladapo has become a controversial national figure because of his positions on issues such as COVID-19 vaccines and mask requirements. In October, Ladapo issued guidance advising males ages 18 through 39 to avoid getting shots with COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. The Department of Health published an analysis that showed an increase in the relative incidence of cardiac-related death among males in that age group roughly a month after receiving the shots. The report by the UF College of Medicines Faculty Council Committee, first reported by The Washington Post, was shared with medical-school faculty Tuesday. It outlined seven major critiques of Ladapos vaccine guidance. Among the critiques was an assertion that Ladapos analysis committed reporting bias by cherry picking results; focusing only on evidence that supports his stance, ignoring contradicting evidence, and failing to appropriately acknowledge the limitations of his own data set. Read: It puts things into perspective: Jaguars players, coach reflect on Damar Hamlins injury The committee said it has concerns that Ladapo violated UFs research integrity policy and that the issue had been referred to the schools research integrity officer. But David Norton, vice president for research at the university, said in a statement Wednesday that UFs research integrity office has no standing to look into the committees accusations. Read: St. Johns School Districts Transgender Bathroom Policy Could be Headed to the US Supreme Court Story continues As this work was done by the Dr. Joseph Ladapo in his role as the state of Florida Surgeon General and not in his role as a UF faculty member, the UF Office of Research Integrity, Security and Compliance has no standing to consider the allegations or concerns regarding research integrity set forth in the Faculty Council task force report, Norton said. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Read: Former Jacksonville high school student receives sports scholarship for womens flag football [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. LONDON (Reuters) - Investors sold a record 8.38 billion pounds ($10 billion) worth of UK-focused equity funds last year, shunning Britain as the country braces for the worst recession among major economies, a global funds network said. Calastone said on Thursday that investment fund flows in 2022 were the weakest in at least eight years, with 6.29 billion pounds pulled from equity funds as the war in Ukraine helped to drive record inflation and interest rate hikes. Fleeing into cash and fund categories perceived to be lower-risk, investors also sold a record 1.17 billion of North American funds - the first year of outflows since 2016. Exits from European equity funds hit 2.65 billion pounds, while Asia-Pacific funds saw 1 billion pounds of withdrawals. Calastone said hopes that rate rises across the globe might be tapering off prompted tentative buying in November and December, although investors focused in part on global ESG equity funds and continued to shun UK-focused equities. Property funds, meanwhile, have been buffeted by outflows, partly because economic downturns snuff out demand for commercial property. But last year, they were the lowest since 2018, with investors withdrawing 535 million pounds - one quarter of the 2.14 billion withdrawn in 2011 - Calastone said. Edward Glyn, Calastone's head of global markets, said investors had signalled "a very large vote of no-confidence", particularly given a structural bias towards fund inflows because people use equities for pensions and savings plans. "The sudden flip by central banks from floods of liquidity and cheap money to a barrage of rate hikes aimed at taming rampant inflation turned asset markets upside down," he said. "Sentiment has improved markedly in recent weeks, but there is enormous uncertainty over the future course of interest rates and economic growth around the world and we may yet see the bear roar again before the bull market cycle can begin anew." ($1 = 0.8304 pounds) (Reporting by Kirstin Ridley, editing by Sinead Cruise and Barbara Lewis) (Bloomberg) -- Rishi Sunak faces a big challenge to deliver on his pledge to make math teaching compulsory until the age of 18 in English schools, the Conservative chair of the House of Commons Education Committee warned. Most Read from Bloomberg While calling the ambition a good idea in principle, Robin Walker, who is also a former schools minister, told Bloomberg that the UK prime minister needs to clarify several aspects that are causing concern among Tory lawmakers. It would be difficult to find enough good-quality math teachers for the 16-18 age group as there is already a shortage of teachers at 11-16 and schools funding is already stretched, Walker cautioned in an interview on Thursday. Read More: Sunak Pledges Maths to 18 for All English Pupils as Woes Add Up With other Tory backbenchers also signaling their opposition to the plan, Walkers words illustrate the tightrope the premier has to walk to get new policies past a rebellious party that ousted two prime ministers last year. It means that despite enjoying a working majority of 69 in the House of Commons, Sunak has to ensure buy-in from different party factions. Walker said the government should also explain how the policy would not threaten Englands international gold standard of having a high level of specialization at A-Level, warning: I wouldnt want to see that undermined. Specialization Three Conservative backbenchers, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Bloomberg they would also seek assurances from ministers on the issue of the specialization of subjects at the age of 16. One said it was essential the government protected pupils ability to specialize in subjects of their interest at A-Level. All three said they would oppose the policy if they were not satisfied. Story continues Walker said the government would have to make the math-to-18 package attractive so people dont get put off. This should mean a more vocational approach and a focus on math that is contextual and useful, such as a focus on financial education rather than complex equations, he added. Teachers in England and Wales are currently being balloted on strikes over pay, with a walkout expected in the coming months if they vote for it. Sunaks math plan would add more pressure to teachers who dont think the government is tackling underlying problems in schools, according to the National Education Union. --With assistance from Emily Ashton. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. [Source] A woman from the U.K. who falsely accused an Asian grooming gang of rape was found guilty of perverting the course of justice. Eleanor Williams, 22, claimed she was groomed, trafficked and beaten in a Facebook post in May 2020. The post, which included photos and was shared more than 100,000 times, prompted Tommy Robinson, the founder of anti-immigration group English Defence League, to visit her hometown of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria to "investigate" her claims. Williams had also previously accused multiple men of rape as early as 2017, including 22-year-old Jordan Trengove, who was falsely imprisoned in 2019. More from NextShark: Jack Ma Appears for the First Time in Months in Short Video, Alibaba Shares Jump 5% On Tuesday, a jury at Preston Crown Court found Williams guilty of eight counts of acts tending and intended to pervert the course of justice. According to prosecutors, the photos of the injuries that Williams had posted on social media were self-inflicted with a hammer that police had recovered at her home. Williams was accused of sending messages to herself and making them appear as if they were sent by traffickers or other victims. She would also pressure real people to send messages to her, which she would then claim to be from her abusers. More from NextShark: Atlanta Shooter Indicted on Murder Charges, Prosecutor Seeks Death Penalty The defendant goes online to her social media contacts and effectively finds random names on the internet she presents as being victims of trafficking or perpetrators, prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford KC reportedly told the jury. Although Williams denied telling a pack of lies to the jury, she pleaded guilty to one count of perverting the course of justice at an earlier hearing for asking her mother and sister to bring the hammer to her solicitor. Williams is set to be sentenced in March. More from NextShark: North Korea broadcasts dramatic, movie-style video of Kim Jong-un overseeing ICBM launch Trengove recalled the night out with Williams in March 2019 that changed his life forever. Trengove was arrested for drugging and raping Williams. He spent his 19th birthday in prison before he was freed. Story continues Although he was not explicitly named in Williams Asian grooming gang accusations, Trengrove, who is white, had his name linked to the case by Facebook users. A rally of protestors reportedly organized in the town where Trengove lives with banners that read Justice for Ellie. More from NextShark: Cambodian Woman Who Makes Purses for Michael Kors, Kate Spade is Imprisoned Over a Facebook Post I went downhill, Trengove told The Guardian. I tried killing myself over it. I tried running away from it all. I tried ending my relationship, walking away from my family. The amount of problems put on my life just from one [Facebook] post is ridiculous. Because Im autistic, its even harder. I got diagnosed with complex PTSD because of it all. Ever since this went on I feel like Ive been trapped in my own little prison, he added. I dont feel like I have a life any more. Trengove, who became a father in August 2021, was in court on Tuesday to witness the jury finding Williams guilty. Im over the moon, Trengove said. Ive got my life back. Related Articles: The online retailer said most of the job losses will come from its shops including Amazon Fresh and Go. Photo: Henry Nicholls/Reuters Amazon (AMZN) is cutting 18,000 jobs the biggest round of layoffs in the company's history in a move that will affect workers in the UK. The online retailer said most of the job losses will come from its shops including Amazon Fresh and Go and its human resources division. The cuts amount to 6% of the company's roughly 300,000-person corporate workforce. It has a global workforce of more than 1.5 million. It is understood jobs in the UK and Europe will be affected, but Amazon has not given details of how each country will be hit. Read more: More UK retailers charging fees to return items bought online Chief executive Andy Jassy said in a note to employees, which was made public: These changes will help us pursue our long-term opportunities with a stronger cost structure. He blamed the move on an uncertain economy, adding weve hired rapidly over the last several years. The group expects to tell staff directly impacted by the cuts from January 18 and said it is offering a separation payment, transitional health insurance benefits, and job placement support. "Between the reductions we made in November and the ones we're sharing today, we plan to eliminate just over 18,000 roles," said Jassy. The company had announced 10,000 layoffs in November. The announcement comes Amazon is set to endure a strike by workers in the UK for the first time. Members of the GMB union at the US tech company's Coventry warehouse are due to walk out on 25 January as part of a fight for better pay. "GMB urges Amazon UK bosses to give workers a proper pay rise and avoid industrial action altogether," the union's senior organiser Amanda Gearing said. "They've shown they're willing to put themselves on the line to fighting for what's right. "But people working for one of the most valuable companies in the world shouldn't have to threaten strike action just to win a wage they can live on." Story continues Other big tech firms including Meta - which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp - and cloud-based business software firm Salesforce have also both recently announced big cuts. Salesforce (CRM) said it was laying off about 8,000 employees, or 10% of its workforce. Workers who lose their jobs at the firm would receive nearly five months of pay, health insurance, career resources and other benefits, according to the company. Read more: Money: What to expect in 2023 Meta (META) founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg told workers the firm will cut its headcount by 13%, or 11,000 employees, amid falling revenue, grim global economic forecasts and increased competition. At the start of COVID, the world rapidly moved online and the surge of e-commerce led to outsized revenue growth, said Zuckerberg. Many people predicted this would be a permanent acceleration that would continue even after the pandemic ended. I did too, so I made the decision to significantly increase our investments. Unfortunately, this did not play out the way I expected. Twitter has laid off thousands of employees under the management of new owner Elon Musk. Musk laid off about half of Twitters workforce last shortly after his takeover, and later pushed out additional employees, including through an ultimatum requiring them to work hardcore or exit the company. More than 100 former Twitter employees have filed demands for arbitration or are participating in proposed class action lawsuits related to the layoffs. According to the website layoffs.fyi, which tracks job cuts in the tech industry, over 150,000 employees were laid off last year. Watch: Amazon CEO says layoffs to exceed 18,000 roles PARIS (AP) The French Defense Ministry said Thursday it will soon hold talks with its Ukrainian counterpart to arrange for the delivery of armored combat vehicles in what France's presidency says will be the first time this type of Western-made wheeled tank destroyer will be given to the Ukrainian military. Discussions will include the delivery timetable and the training of Ukrainian soldiers on the equipment, the ministry said. Designated as light tanks in French, the AMX-10 RC carries a 105-milimeter cannon and two machine guns. It's primarily designed for reconnaissance missions and has enough armor to protect against light infantry weapons, according to the French defense ministry. They have wheels rather than tracks, allowing it to be more mobile than heavy tanks. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to Twitter to thank France the weapons and for "intensifying work with partners in the same direction. Ukraine has for months sought to be supplied with heavier tanks, including the U.S. Abrams and the German Leopard 2 tanks. The Czech Republic and Poland have provided Soviet-era T-72 tanks to Ukrainian forces. France's decision was announced after an hour-long call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Zelenskyy Wednesday afternoon. The Elysee declined to provide details about the agreement. The AMX-10 RC has been in service with the French military since 1981 and has undergone recent upgrades. France's defense ministry said the combat vehicle is now being gradually replaced by the new equivalent named Jaguar. The decision is another in France's military support to Ukraine, following the French defense minister's visit to Kyiv last week. Paris has supplied Ukraine with a substantial chunk of its arsenal of Caesar cannons, as well as anti-tank missiles, Crotale air defense missile batteries and rocket launchers. It is also training some 2,000 Ukrainian troops on French soil. Story continues U.S. President Joe Biden said his administration is considering sending to Ukraine Bradley Fighting Vehicles, a medium armored combat vehicle that can serve as a troop carrier. Biden was asked during an exchange with reporters while traveling in Kentucky whether providing the tracked armored fighting vehicle to Ukraine was on the table. He responded yes, without offering further comment. The German government has for months faced calls from Kyiv and some lawmakers at home to deliver Leopard 2 heavy tanks to Ukraine, but has said that it wouldnt go alone with such a move and that no other country has supplied similar Western equipment. The co-leader of Chancellor Olaf Scholzs party, Saskia Esken, told n-tv television Thursday that Scholz and the government are in regular and close contact with our partners, with our friends, of course particularly with the Americans on weapons deliveries. Britain says it has given Ukraine more than 200 armored vehicles for troop transport, but no tanks as of yet. ____ AP Writers Geir Moulson in Berlin, Jill Lawless in London, Monika Scislowska in Warsaw and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to the story. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Troopers with 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division firing the 25mm canon on a Bradley fighting vehicle in order to zero the vehicles weapons systems at a range in Poland on August 18, 2022. . US military photo by Staff Sgt. Charles Porter The US, Germany, and France are sending Ukraine Western-made armored vehicles for the first time. Ukrainian forces will be trained by the US and Germany on how to use their respective systems. The move would give Ukraine a significant ground combat capability boost for offensive operations. Western-made armored vehicles from the US, Germany, and France will be heading to Ukraine for the first time since Russia started a deadly and destructive war with its neighbor 10 months ago, and they are expected to give Kyiv a significant firepower and ground combat capability boost. The White House announced in a joint press statement on Thursday that the US intends to provide Kyiv with Bradley fighting vehicles, while German leadership revealed plans to send Marder infantry fighting vehicles. Reports have indicated that Ukraine will receive 50 Bradleys. Ukrainian forces will be trained by both countries on how to use their respective systems, which are capable of carrying troops into battle and also providing fire support. A Marder armored vehicle Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/picture alliance via Getty Images President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made the decision public after speaking on the phone Thursday, when the two leaders discussed military, diplomatic, humanitarian, and financial support for Ukraine. Earlier, both countries had hinted that Western armored vehicles could be included among future military aid. The joint statement also said that Germany will send Ukraine a Patriot air defense missile battery. The announcement comes just a few weeks after the US said it would do the same. And a Pentagon spokesperson confirmed that a new round of security assistance is expected to be announced on Friday. The announcement from the US and Germany came just one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron, who decided to "transfer light tanks and Bastion APCs" to Kyiv. Zelenskyy did not specify which light vehicles he was referring to, though French politician Benjamin Haddad later confirmed that they are AMX-10 RC armored fighting vehicles. Story continues The AMX-10 RC is French-made armored combat and reconnaissance vehicle designed in 1970 and has seen decades of service in places like western Africa, the Middle East, and Afghanistan. The Bastion is a more modern French armored personnel carrier. An AMX-10RC armored vehicle during a training exercise. US Marine Corps "Agreed with [Emmanuel Macron] on further cooperation to significantly strengthen [Ukrainian] air defense and other defense capabilities," Zelenskyy said. "We also agreed to work on the implementation of #PeaceFormula. Thank you friend! Your leadership brings our victory closer." Ukraine's defense ministry said on Thursday, before the announcement from the US and Germany, that Macron's decision will move Ukraine closer to victory, "especially when the AMX-10 RCs are joined by their American and, we believe, German peers." Ukraine has repeatedly requested tanks and other armored vehicles from Western countries. Although the infantry fighting vehicles won't necessarily deliver the same effects as heavy tanks, they still provide valuable transport and mobile firepower capabilities for Ukrainian offensive operations. The news that France, Germany, and the US plan to send armored vehicles comes ahead of the anticipated start of a 36-hour-long ceasefire that was announced earlier on Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the upcoming Orthodox Christmas holiday. If it is implemented, the ceasefire would be the first major truce of the war, but Kyiv has not been very receptive of the proposal. "After 10 months of genocide, after hundreds of destroyed Ukrainian churches, isn't it too late for the kremlin to think of God?" the Ukrainian defense ministry said on social media. Read the original article on Business Insider (REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko) Russian President Vladimir Putin should brace for more attacks inside of his country in the new year, Ukraines top military intelligence official warned in an interview that aired Wednesday. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraines chief military intelligence official, said there will be strikes deeper and deeper inside Russia in an interview with ABC News. But he didnt clarify whether Ukraine would be behind the upcoming attacks. His word of warning comes just weeks after blasts rang out on Russias Engels air base and Dyagilevo base in the Ryazan region, attacks which Russia and others widely attributed to Ukraine. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Budanov said he was glad to see the attack on Engels. The series of blasts rattled some Russian officials, raising alarm about whether Ukraine has become emboldened to inflict damage inside Russia proper as Putins war nears its one year mark. Its also raising questions about whether Russia is capable of thwarting Ukrainian strikes at all. The prospect that Ukraine may be willing to expand its arsenal of attacks inside Russian territory in the coming days could mark a new arc in the warwith Ukraine taking more brazen actions against Russia and Russia on its backfoot. Budanovs warning comes as Russia grapples with a series of military failures inside Ukraine. An attack against a building in Russian-held Makiivka inside Ukraine that killed dozens of Russian soldiers has left the Kremlin scrambling to find a scapegoat, including Russian troops cellphone use. And following counteroffensives from Ukraine, Russian troops have withdrawn from multiple regions within Ukraine in recent months. Meanwhile, Russias military has been grappling with a host of internal problems, from logistics issues to infighting. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces continue to wage assaults against one another. But Russian forces have begun shifting some of their forces away from Bakhmut, after failing to seize the city for months, according to The Wall Street Journal. Story continues Ukrainian forces continue to work to strike Russian military logistics in Luhansk, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Ukrainian aviation on Wednesday carried out 17 strikes against the Russians, as well as four strikes against Russian anti-aircraft missile complexes, according to a brief from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ukraine is working to bolster its ability to take on Russia in the new year in other ways. The country has launched a military psychological training program to train troops to intervene with their comrades when they freeze up due to combat stress, the military psychologist in charge of the program told The Daily Beast in an exclusive interview. The hope is that the program will lead to more victories against Russia by building up more resilience amongst Ukrainian forces. Budanovs warnings about attacks within Russia may also be an attempt to prove a point to Russians that Ukraine has the moral high ground, according to Jay Truesdale, a former U.S. diplomat who has served in both Russia and Ukraine. What Ukraine would seek to demonstrate is that it is fighting a more just warnot only a war to defend its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also with means that are differentiated from Russia, which is attacking civilian targets, Truesdale told The Daily Beast. There is one consistent element among the attacks that have occurred on Russian soil or in Crimeaattributed to Ukraine by Russian government officials, Russian bloggers, or non-government Ukrainiansand that's that theyve targeted military facilities or facilities that could have a military purpose, such as supply depots. In other words, the common denominator is that these all could be considered legitimate military targets. Attacking inside of Russian territory could raise questions about whether Russia may escalate the war with nuclear weapons to respond. Russian authorities have warned that attacks against Russia will warrant harsh responses. After an attack on the Kerch bridge to Crimea, the peninsula which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, Putin himself warned that Russia would not hold back. If attempts to carry out terrorist attacks on our territory continue, Russia's responses will be harsh and, in terms of their scale, will correspond to the level of threats posed, Putin said in October. It is simply impossible to leave crimes of this kind unanswered. And while Russia began launching assaults against civilian infrastructure in October, cutting off civilians from water and heat, after several attacks and explosions in Crimea, Russia has still not resorted to nuclear weapons. There are other signs that Russia may not be willing or capable of dramatic escalation. Russias military posture has become so degraded throughout the war in Ukraine that its ability to respond forcibly or in an escalatory way is diminishing by the day, said Truesdale, now CEO of Veracity Worldwide, a political risk consultancy. As of last month, Russia only maintained enough missiles in its arsenal to conduct three to five more waves of missiles strikes against Ukraine, according to Vadym Skibitsky, a representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. It will be difficult for Putin to dramatically escalate even though such a step would be consistent with Russias military doctrine. The Kremlin has put itself in a difficult position by deploying so much of its high-powered weaponry to attack civilian infrastructure, thereby reducing resources available to escalate in a conventional sense, Truesdale said. If Ukraine conducts and then admits to a greater number of strikes on Russian territory, this could indicate a new chapter in the war. It would suggest Ukraine believes it has the means and the need to put more pressure on the Russian government, Truesdale said, adding that, If Ukraine begins to admit to conducting attacks on Russian territory, this may only be an acknowledgement of the multifaceted way in which Ukraine has been fighting. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. On Thursday, 5 January, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a telephone conversation with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey, that Russia is open to dialogue over Ukraine, but Kyiv must take into account "new territorial realities". Source: The Kremlin, following the conversation between Erdogan and Putin, European Pravda reports. The Kremlin noted that Putin spoke about the "destructive role of the West", which is "pumping Ukraine with weapons". At the same time, Vladimir Putin allegedly "reaffirmed Russia's openness to a serious dialogue", provided that the Kyiv authorities fulfil the well-known and repeatedly voiced requirements and consider "the new territorial realities". Apart from that, according to the Kremlin, Putin and Erdogan discussed the Istanbul agreements on the export of Ukrainian grain and the supply of food and fertilisers from Russia. "The need for a conscientious comprehensive approach, which involves the removal of all barriers to Russian exports, was emphasised," the statement of the Kremlin reads. Erdogan's press office said the Turkish president had offered Putin to back up calls for peace and talks with a unilateral ceasefire announcement and a "vision of a just solution". Background: On Tuesday, 3 January, Ibrahim Kaln, Turkish presidential advisor, announced Erdogan's telephone conversations with the presidents of Ukraine and Russia. Whether the conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy took place has not been reported yet. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A worker sweeps up debris in the library of a school building following a missile strike in Kharkiv on Sept. 3, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images When Russian missiles struck Ukraines capital city of Kyiv on New Years Eve, the damaged buildings included a university and at least two schools. As a researcher who is studying the role of culture and education in this war and as co-author of a book based on my research on Ukrainians resilience; that is, their ability to carry on despite adversity I see these attacks as part of a broader and long-standing effort to dismantle Ukraines schools and ultimately remake them as subservient to Russian interests. Despite the attacks, at the start of the school year in September 2022, 51% of Ukrainian schools opened for in-person education, with an option for remote instruction if parents wanted it for their children. The fact that children are returning to school at all in the midst of this war is remarkable. Nearly a year into the war, a look at how Ukraine has continued to operate its schools offers important insights on how the nation has provided education despite the most adverse circumstances. A Ukrainian serviceman inspects a room in a damaged school building in the liberated village of Petropavlivka, near Kupiansk, Kharkiv region, on Dec. 15, 2022. Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images A target From the earliest days of the war, it became clear that schools were a target of Russian forces. On Feb. 27, 2022 three days into the attack - the United Nations reported that six schools had already been shelled. Some, like School 21 in Chernihiv, northeast of Kyiv, had been turned into shelters for families during the first days of the war, and painted with the word CHILDREN in big letters with the hope that the building would be spared. On March 3, the school was bombed, killing at least nine people, including one student a 13-year-old boy. It was by no means a rare or happenstance event. In what I believe is a clear violation of international law, schools across Ukraine are still being destroyed. As of May 2022, Ukrainian authorities stated that Russia had shelled more than 1,000 schools. By August, that number doubled. As of Sept. 23, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine reported that over 2,500 schools had been damaged by the war 300 of which have been completely destroyed. Story continues Not just physical Much more than physical safety is at risk as Russia targets institutions of learning. Education is as much a front line of this war as the actual trenches in cities like Bakhmut, Kherson or Kharkiv. Oleksandr Pankieyev, research coordinator at the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Alberta, argues that Russia has weaponized education. This is not new Russia has waged war on Ukrainian history and identity for hundreds of years: Kyiv Mohyla Academy, founded in Kyiv in the early 1600s, was prohibited from using the Ukrainian language by Catherine the Great in 1763. In 1804, the Ukrainian language was banned in all schools and universities. In 1876, Czar Alexander II of Russia issued a decree, the Ems Ukaz, banning the use of Ukrainian language in public. The decree also forbade Ukrainian publications, education and the staging of any lectures or theatrical events in Ukrainian. With its declaration of independence in 1991, Ukraine gained control over its education system. Censorship of the Ukrainian language and study was lifted, and Ukraine was able to revise its school curriculum to include Ukrainian history and literature, and to teach about historical events that had been systematically omitted under Soviet rule, including the Holocaust and the genocidal Holodomor famine. Now, when Russia occupies a city or town, one of the first things it does is forcibly replace the curriculum with one that is in line with the Kremlin agenda that erases Ukrainian history. Russia does this based on Putins claim of the unity of Ukrainian and Russian people, a claim that serves as the basis for the Russian invasion. There are regular accounts of Russian soldiers ransacking civilian homes, not searching for weapons, but for books. Ukrainian language books, history books, textbooks and school laptops are among the items confiscated and destroyed. Russian occupiers threaten to remove the parental rights of parents who refuse to send their children to designated Russified schools. Teachers are sent to Moscow for certification in the Russified curriculum. Teachers have resisted these attempts, refusing to collaborate despite the danger to their lives. Returning to schools At the beginning of the war, school districts and civic organizations like Saved Schools developed plans that addressed specific local circumstances. The town of Bohdanivka, near Kyiv, for example, was occupied by Russia for 20 days in March 2022. During that time, the school was closed and converted into a base for the Russian military. When Ukrainian forces liberated the city, Russian soldiers torched the school building. Determined to keep students in school, local authorities resumed education in alternate places in the town, such as the public library or cultural center, for its 300 students. By mid-March, schooling had resumed in most of Ukraine. The All-Ukrainian Online School was created by the Ukrainian government for students to ensure that all of them have access to education under all conditions. In regions where internet is not available, the lessons are broadcast on local television. Bomb shelters and emergency drills Ukrainian schools were required to build bomb shelters over the summer. Teachers, families and the school children themselves rushed to prepare shelters in time for school to start.. When a shelter is too small to fit all students at once, they attend school in shifts or online, where some are in person and some remote, to ensure safety. Now, when bombings disrupt power and internet in their school buildings, teachers set up outside, despite the frigid temperatures, to access public internet in order to teach online. They use computers that they charged at invincibility centers equipped with generators for emergency public use. First aid and counseling Schools have mounted emergency first aid programs so that students would know how to handle an attack, apply tourniquets and provide other emergency aid. In eastern regions of Ukraine such as Dnipro and Zaporizhya, these training programs began when Russia first invaded in 2014. Local officials in Kyiv issued instructions for emergency bags for each child, which should contain a card with the childs full name, emergency contact information, blood group, a flashlight and a container for water. Psychological support of students is a central concern for parents, teachers and local government administrations, who understand that Russians are intent on occupying not only Ukrainian territory, but Ukrainian minds. Students psychological care takes shape in a variety of ways. The routine and relative normalcy of school is itself a major component of support for students. School spaces are decorated in bright and uplifting colors. Teachers create and teach songs about the importance of self-care. As Ukrainians defy the odds on the battlefield, they are also fighting to preserve their history and identity. It is a fight for existence, cultural memory, freedom and democracy. In this battle, schools are an indispensable and essential force. This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Katja Kolcio, Wesleyan University. The Conversation is trustworthy news from experts, from an independent nonprofit. Try our free newsletters. Read more: Katja Kolcio does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Ukrainian soldiers shot down a Russian Su-25 ground attack aircraft and a Mi-8 helicopter on Thursday, 5 January. Source: report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Quote: "Our defenders also shot down a Su-25 jet and a Mi-8 helicopter of the enemy." Details: The General Staff has also reported that Ukrainian aircraft carried out 15 strikes on clusters of Russian military manpower and three attacks on the positions of anti-aircraft missile systems over the course of 5 January. Background: On Wednesday, Ukrainian anti-aircraft units destroyed a Russian Su-25 ground attack aircraft, a Ka-52 helicopter and an Orlan-10 UAV. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Ukrinform, quoting the spokesman of the regional prosecutors office, Dmytro Chubenko, reported that on Dec. 22, Kharkivs Dzerzhynskyi District Court chose a preventive measure against Kryhina in the form of detention with the possibility of bail of UAH 496,200 ($13,569). Read also: Russian agent detained in western Ukraine after settling near energy infrastructure facility Kryhina was released from the detention center after posting bail. The accused was released from the pretrial detention center on Dec. 23, the prosecutor has already filed a motion to take her into custody without bail," Chubenko said, commenting on the courts controversial decision. Read also: Almost 1,900 Russian saboteurs detained in Ukraine since February, says interior ministry According to Ukraines SBU security service, the 29-year-old female collaborator arrived in Kharkiv Oblast from Russian-occupied territory. In accordance with tasks from her (Russian) supervisor, the woman established the coordinates of the citys military and critical infrastructure, as well as the whereabouts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and National Guards units, the SBU said. The woman is suspected of providing the targeting information to the enemy. The detainee was charged under Part 3 of Art. 1142 (espionage) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The article provides for imprisonment from eight to 12 years. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine LONDON (Reuters) - Prince Harry declined to commit to going to the coronation of his father King Charles, according to a clip from an upcoming interview with broadcaster ITV, adding that staying silent about his issues with the British royal family would not help matters. Harry, the younger son of King Charles, has recorded two interviews with broadcasters to air before the publication of his memoir "Spare" next week which could see him deliver further stinging criticisms of the royal family and their aides. Asked if he would attend the coronation if he is invited, Harry says: "There is a lot that can happen between now and then. But, you know, the door is always open, the ball is in their court. "There's a lot to be discussed and I really hope that they are willing to sit down and talk about it." The clip was posted by ITV on Twitter on Thursday, hours after the Guardian newspaper released extracts from his book in which he accused his elder brother William of knocking him to the floor during an argument. "I don't know how staying silent is ever going to make things better," Harry said. When asked about William's reaction to his criticisms since stepping down from royal duties in 2020, Harry replied: "He'd probably say all sorts of different things." The ITV interview and a separate appearance on U.S. broadcaster CBS's "60 Minutes" programme will be shown on Sunday, two days before publication of Harry's autobiography. (Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Kate Holton) UNITED NATIONS (AP) The Palestinians and many Muslim and non-Muslim supporters sharply disagreed with Israel on Thursday at an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting over the visit of an ultranationalist Israeli Cabinet minister to a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site and its impact. The Palestinians warned it could lead to another deadly uprising, while Israel dismissed it as a trivial matter and non-event. The Palestinian U.N. ambassador, Riyad Mansour, said new Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a West Bank settler leader who draws inspiration from a racist rabbi, didnt go to visit the site, but to pursue his extremist view, to end the historic status quo under which Jews have been allowed to visit but not pray there since Israel captured the area in the 1967 war. Known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif, Arabic for the Noble Sanctuary, the site is the holiest in Judaism, home to the ancient biblical temples. Today, it houses the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam. The site has been the scene of frequent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces. Calling Ben-Gvir an extremist minister of an extremist state who was convicted of incitement and is known for his racist views, Mansour said the Israeli minister is committed to allowing Jews to pray at al-Haram al-Sharif. He urged the Security Council and all countries to stop this from happening, and to uphold international law and the historic status quo, warning that if they dont, our Palestinian people will. Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan, who also visited the Temple Mount as minister of public security in 2017, criticized the Security Council for holding the emergency meeting, saying Ben-Gvirs 13-minute visit was non-violent and within the status quo and his right as a Jew. Erdan told reporters that calling the meeting is an insult to our intelligence and pathetic, and that the council should instead be meeting about the war in Ukraine or Irans killing of protesters. Story continues Israel has not harmed the status quo and has no plans to do so, Erdan said. The only side that is changing the status quo is the Palestinian Authority. Why? Because by turning the site into a battleground the Palestinian Authority is making it clear that not only is Jewish prayer intolerable on the Temple Mount, but so is any Jewish presence. This is pure anti-Semitism, he added. Khaled Khiare, the U.N. assistant secretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, briefed the council at the start of the meeting, saying that Ben-Gvirs visit wasnt accompanied or followed by violence. But, he said, it is seen as particularly inflammatory, given the ministers past advocacy for changes in the status quo. The visit sparked widespread condemnation in the region and internationally as a provocation that risked sparking further bloodshed, he said. Khiare said that U.N. efforts to de-escalate the situation will continue and that leaders on all sides have a responsibility to lower the flames and create the conditions for calm. In September 2000, Ariel Sharon, then Israels opposition leader, visited the Temple Mount, which helped spark clashes that led to a full-fledged Palestinian uprising known as the Second Intifada. The Security Council deplored Sharons visit, which it called a provocation. Most recently, in April 2021, clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian demonstrators in and around the site also fueled an 11-day war with Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. When Ben-Gvir visited the Temple Mount on Tuesday he described it as the most important place for the Jewish people and decried what he called racist discrimination against Jewish visits to the site. With the Islamic shrine the Dome of the Rock in the background, he said visits would continue. As for threats from Gazas Hamas militant group, Ben-Gvir said in a video clip taken during the visit: The Israeli government wont surrender to a murderous organization, to a vile terrorist organization. At the emergency meeting, which was called jointly by the Palestinians, the United Arab Emirates, China, France and Malta, all 15 council members expressed concern at Ben-Gvir's visit and the potential fallout, and strongly supported the status quo at Jerusalem's holy sites. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood underscored the firm support by President Joe Biden for the historic status quo, especially the Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount. Wood said the United States, which is Israels closest ally, noted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus platform calling for preservation of the status quo, adding: We expect the government of Israel to follow through on that commitment. Wood also said that the possibility of a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be preserved, and we must ensure all Israelis and Palestinians enjoy equal measures of freedom, justice, security and prosperity. UAE deputy ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, the Arab representative on the council, and Jordanian Ambassador Mahmoud Hmoud, whose country's ruler is custodian of Jerusalem's Islamic and Christian holy sites, both called Ben-Gvirs act the storming of Al Aqsa mosque under protection of Israeli forces. They said it was a provocative move that violates the historic and legal status of Jerusalems holy sites. Abushahab said the minister's action further destabilizes the fragile situation in the Palestinian territories, moves the region further away from a path to peace, and threatens to escalate current tensions and contribute to fueling and stoking extremism and hatred in the region." Hmoud warned that serious consequences and repercussions could result from any unilateral Israeli measures that aim to impose new realities on the ground," such as annexing more land, expanding settlements, violating Jerusalem's holy sites or demolishing houses. Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, expressed serious concern" at Ben-Gvir's visit and said he hoped the new Israeli Cabinet will not take the path of escalation" and create irreversible realities on the ground." The explosive developments in Jerusalem once again demonstrate how urgent it is to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," he said. He reiterated Russia's call for a ministerial meeting of the so-called Quartet of Mideast mediators the U.N., U.S., Russia and the European Union and key regional players to relaunch direct dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians. Nebenzia said the U.S, has again and again refused to cooperate in resuming the peace process" under the Quartet, which he called the only internationally recognized mechanism approved by the Security Council. There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in United U-LI Corporation Berhad's (KLSE:ULICORP) returns on capital, so let's have a look. What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)? For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for United U-LI Corporation Berhad: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.18 = RM62m (RM414m - RM64m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2022). Therefore, United U-LI Corporation Berhad has an ROCE of 18%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Building industry average of 5.7% it's much better. See our latest analysis for United U-LI Corporation Berhad roce In the above chart we have measured United U-LI Corporation Berhad's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company. The Trend Of ROCE United U-LI Corporation Berhad is showing promise given that its ROCE is trending up and to the right. The figures show that over the last five years, ROCE has grown 42% whilst employing roughly the same amount of capital. So our take on this is that the business has increased efficiencies to generate these higher returns, all the while not needing to make any additional investments. The company is doing well in that sense, and it's worth investigating what the management team has planned for long term growth prospects. Story continues The Key Takeaway To sum it up, United U-LI Corporation Berhad is collecting higher returns from the same amount of capital, and that's impressive. Given the stock has declined 41% in the last five years, this could be a good investment if the valuation and other metrics are also appealing. With that in mind, we believe the promising trends warrant this stock for further investigation. Since virtually every company faces some risks, it's worth knowing what they are, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for United U-LI Corporation Berhad (of which 1 is potentially serious!) that you should know about. If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here China has achieved remarkable results in space exploration, especially in 2022, including the successful launch of the Shenzhou-15 manned spacecraft in November, which wrapped up the last stage of the construction of China's space station, Tiangong, or "Heavenly Palace." China's progress in the space industry has gained momentum over the past three decades. During that time, it independently developed its manned space program and achieved leapfrog development in space science and technology. In 2020, its Chang'e-5 mission retrieved lunar samples, making China the third country in the world to return samples from the Moon. China is now pursuing a dream of developing a robotic research station near the Moon's south pole, aiming to facilitate a crewed lunar landing and build an outpost near the pole in the 2030s, as per its plan. The country has already reached Mars, with its robot conducting thorough research on the red planet. It is also planning to launch a new space telescope called Xuntian to map stars and supermassive black holes. The telescope will periodically dock with the space station for maintenance. The rapid development of China's space industry owes to its growing scientific and technological strength and innovation capability. The country has stepped up efforts to expand its talent pool in the space industry, and its strong manufacturing sector has also provided support for the development of the sector. Moreover, the country has also proved its mettle in overcoming difficulties in order to materialize its dreams. Thanks to all these efforts, the Chinese people are reaping the dividends of progress in space technologies. For example, the launch of different types of satellites has contributed to the protection of natural resources and the environment. They have also played important roles in disaster prevention and mitigation, management of emergencies, weather forecasting, and climate change responses, thereby helping improve people's well-being in the country and the world at large. While making new progress in its aerospace industry, China has committed to promoting international space cooperation. It has promised to open its space station to all member countries of the United Nations, sharing its achievements in the aerospace sector with the rest of the world. It has also signed cooperation agreements and conducted projects with France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Pakistan, as well as space agencies and organizations from around the world. Space research and exploration used to be a scientific avenue being navigated by only a handful of nations. However, outer space resources are the common wealth of all mankind. China's openness in its aerospace progress may present greater opportunities for countries, especially developing countries, to be part of space exploration and encourage them to dream of carrying out their own research in deeper space. Outer space not only reveals the past of the universe but also tells the future of the Earth. As more international astronauts and scientists have the opportunity to work and live on the space station, more breakthroughs are expected to be made in space exploration, which will in turn deliver greater benefits to humanity. Ershad Shikdar is a Bangladeshi journalist and opinion writer based in Beijing. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. The United States and Germany have agreed to send additional fighting vehicles to Ukraine, a decision that could pave the way for allies to eventually send Kyiv formidable Western tanks in its fight against Russia. The deal, which was cemented after President Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke by phone Wednesday, means Washington with send the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and Germany intends to provide Ukraine with Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles, the White House announced in a Thursday release. Biden and Scholz expressed their common determination to continue to provide the necessary financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine for as long as needed, the statement said, adding that the two countries plan to train Kyivs forces on the respective systems. The Bradleys will be included as part of another round of security assistance for Ukraine anticipated on Friday, the Pentagons top spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters later on Thursday. The Armys primary infantry fighting vehicle, the Bradley is a powerful armored and tracked vehicle that carries a turret-mounted machine gun. Made by BAE Systems, the vehicle has been called a tank killer, capable of destroying any other vehicle on the battlefield with its heavy firepower. The decision by the United States and Germany follows Frances Wednesday announcement that it will send Ukraine its own light battle tanks, the AMX-10 RC armored fighting vehicle, becoming the first nation to arm the embattled country with the Western-style fighting vehicles. The vehicles will likely boost Ukraines battle abilities, as they are lighter and more agile than the Soviet-era tanks Ukraine has, which also includes those given by European countries after Russia first attacked on Feb. 24. But President Volodymyr Zelensky, who on Wednesday thanked France for the contribution, still urged the West to send its tanks, such as the Abrams or Leopard, and other heavy weapons. Story continues There is no rational reason why Ukraine has not yet been supplied with Western tanks, Zelensky said. The United States has already given Ukraine more than 2,000 combat vehicles, including Humvees and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. The addition of the Bradley, however, will boost Kyivs battle abilities as it plans a renewed spring offensive in the east. The United States and Germany also on Thursday affirmed their intention to further support Ukraines urgent requirement for air defense capabilities in light of Russias ongoing missile and drone attacks against Ukraines critical infrastructure. That follows the U.S. announcement last month to send a Patriot air defense missile battery to Ukraine. Germany will also supply an additional Patriot air defense battery to Kyiv. Updated at 8:18 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Bloomberg) -- Officials from the US and Taiwan plan to hold trade talks in Taipei this month, highlighting the expansion of ties between the two sides in the face of increasingly fraught relations with China. Most Read from Bloomberg The US will send a delegation led by Assistant US Trade Representative Terry McCartin and officials from other government agencies for four days of meetings starting Jan. 14, according to a statement late Wednesday from the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto US embassy in Taiwan. Deputy Trade Representative Yang Jen-ni will lead the Taiwanese side in the talks with input from various government agencies, the Cabinet in Taipei said in a statement. Read: US, Taiwan Plan In-Person Trade Talks as China Tensions Simmer Washington and Taipei have been forging closer ties as Chinese leader Xi Jinping ramps up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on the democratically ruled island. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen rejects the one country, two systems governance model Beijing proposes for the island it has pledged to someday control. Tsai argues Taiwan is a de facto independent nation deserving greater recognition globally. Last year, China ramped up incursions of warplanes into areas around Taiwan, sending some 1,700 flights, nearly double the number in 2021. It also held unprecedented military drills around the island in August in response to a visit by Nancy Pelosi, who became the first sitting House speaker to visit Taipei in 25 years. Last month, Taiwan announced plans to extend its compulsory military service to one year from four months, signaling to Beijing it is serious about defending itself. Story continues See: China Warplane Flights Near Taiwan Surged in 2022 Amid Tensions Next weeks trade talks are part of the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade that was launched in June last year to reach agreement in areas including trade facilitation and regulatory practices. Officials held conceptual discussions in New York in November. The initiative was first announced weeks after President Joe Biden launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework in May, a deal designed to counter Chinas influence in the region that didnt feature Taiwan despite more than 50 senators urging Biden to include the island. China has criticized the US for holding the trade discussions with Taiwan, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin saying in August his nation is always against any country negotiating economic and trade agreements of sovereign implication or official nature with Chinas Taiwan region. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. In August, Kansas voters went to the polls with the eyes of the nation upon them. Abortion, long an issue which had divided the state, had transfixed the country and the Sunflower State was the first one where the matter was on the ballot. Voters on Aug. 2 defied expectations by rejecting a measure that would have eroded constitutional abortion rights protections in Kansas. But the issue remains a live one in Kansas, as lawmakers are said to be considering running with a variety of abortion-related measures when they return to Topeka next week for the annual legislative session. Abortion pills: Abortion pills for early pregnancy can be dispensed at pharmacies, FDA says A womans abortion-rights stands out during a rally at the Kansas Statehouse on July 30, 2022. Rumors have flown around the Statehouse that this might include a potential effort to implement a ban on abortions after 15 weeks, a measure that would almost certainly prompt a legal challenge, even if it were to become law. Other options exist as well, including more funding for so-called crisis pregnancy centers, that would be less likely to run into a legal barrier. Kansans for Life, the state's top anti-abortion group, said they plan to share details of their legislative agenda publicly once the session begins. "Kansans for Life will never stop pursuing stronger protections for women and preborn babies along with better ways to ensure access to the support they deserve," Danielle Underwood, the group's communications director, said. "Meanwhile, the abortion industry and its allies are working to remove existing protections for women and babies that Kansans worked across the aisle to enact." But make no mistake the debate over abortion is far from over. "Maybe there is some interest in trying to play some legal game," said Patrick Miller, a professor of political science at the University of Kansas. "But I think one thing to watch is what other abortion restrictions the Legislature tries to bring up." Will further abortion restrictions be considered in Topeka? Anti-abortion signs greet lawmakers as they enter the House of Representatives for leadership elections on Dec. 5. The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that overturned Roe v. Wade, which protected abortion rights across the United States, triggered a renewed wave of attention, protest and legislating on the issue across the nation. Story continues But the back-and-forth over the subject has been largely muted in the halls of the Statehouse since January 2021, when lawmakers voted to put the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot. That effort was, in turn, fueled by a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court ruling that said the Kansas Constitution confers a right to an abortion, setting up a much higher legal standard that all restrictions on the practice must meet. That high bar has been used to nullify a ban on a common second trimester abortion procedure and, potentially, the state's halt on abortions performed via telemedicine. Abortion laws in the US: Arizona appeals court rules abortions OK up to 15 weeks; doctors cant be charged Any new measures, such as a potential 15-week abortion ban, would need to capture overwhelming support from Republicans in order to overcome an expected veto from Gov. Laura Kelly. But they also would need to pass review from the state courts. Top Republicans have, to date, been coy on their plans. Incoming House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, said he believed legislation further restricting abortion will get introduced but whether anything will come of it remains uncertain. "All of my 10 years here, there's always been an abortion ban bill every year," he told reporters in November. "Do they get heard? No. But there's always a bill that's introduced, and there will be a lot of bills be introduced. And, you know, then you have to evaluate." Even some of the most ardent anti-abortion legislators say they are unconvinced that narrowing state law from the current ban on abortion, which kicks in at 22-weeks gestation, is a viable option. "Would I like to see it personally? Yeah," sid Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee. "Is it possible given the Legislature? I don't know. That's my own personal faith and belief. But what can be done politically is a lot of times another story. So we have to take a look and see where we can go and what kind of advancements we can make there." Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson, has already pre-filed a bill that would prohibit "the prescribing of drugs intended to cause an abortion using telemedicine." The state's current restrictions on telemedicine abortion, which requires the first dose of the abortion medication mifepristone be administered by a doctor in the same room as a patient, was put on hold by a Shawnee County judge in November. Shortly thereafter, Planned Parenthood said they had begun conducting telemedicine abortions in the state. Maternal health care: Inequities in maternal health care access are not new. They have deep roots in history. Democrats have argued that any effort to further restrict abortion would be tantamount to a slap in the face of voters who rejected the abortion amendment in August. "It's just, at this point, completely unnecessary," said Rep. Jo Ella Hoye, D-Lenexa, the top Democrat on the House committee that handles abortion policy. "Like we've had the voters weigh in. We actually know how they feel on this issue. And it's just a distraction from other things that we'll be working on." Speaking with The Topeka Capital-Journal, Gov. Laura Kelly said she wanted to wait and see what specifics, if any, were proposed on the issue. "There's no erasing the voice of the people, you know," Kelly said. "They made it very, very clear where they stand on an issue that the Legislature doesn't agree with them on, as a whole." 'Born-alive' bill could be on the abortion policy agenda in 2023 The Trust Women abortion clinic, May 3, 2022, is the site of where Dr. George Tiller, who was killed in 2009, practiced late-term abortion at the then Women's Health Care Services center in Wichita. Other measures, both directly and indirectly related to abortion, are also likely to be on the table when legislators return to Topeka. Gaining traction is a so-called "born alive" measure that mirrors a proposal rejected by Montana voters in November that would require medical providers to perform life-saving care for newborns, even if they were born after an induced abortion or caesarean section. Proponents argue it is necessary to increase legal protections so that a baby who survives an abortion cannot be left uncared for, though such actions would already be barred under Kansas law. Statute requires doctors "must exercise the same skill, care, and diligence for infants who survive abortion" that would be given to any other child. The Montana measure resembled model legislation proposed by the national anti-abortion group Americans United for Life, though the model bill text would allow parents to opt out of the requirements for physicians. Abortion in Kansas:Churches spoke loudly and spent big, only to lose abortion vote. Will anything change? "I think there's a chance that we see that," Hawkins said. "Does that have a chance to pass muster with the courts? I think that does. I mean, that's a whole lot different." But opponents of the Montana proposal argue its practical impact would have been divorced from abortion. Instead, they say, it would require doctors intervene even if a baby had unresolvable medical issues, taking a dying baby away from its parents in its last moments. Zachary Gingrich-Gaylord, a spokesperson for Trust Women, a Wichita abortion clinic, said that born-alive bills are unnecessary, "inflammatory" and are "not backed by any kind of medicine or science." "They're just another trap, a way to chip away at people's access and rights to access to reproductive health care," he said. As abortion demand remains high in Kansas, funding for crisis pregnancy centers could be at stake Lawmakers likely will also consider more funding for the Senator Stan Clark Pregnancy Maintenance Initiative, a state-funded program that is designed to support mothers to bring their pregnancy to term. The program has received a relatively paltry amount of state funding for years; in the most recent fiscal year its funding came out to $350,000. But money can't be given to any entity that performs, promotes or educates in favor of abortion and the grants are given out in part based on which regions of the state have the most abortions. And at least two crisis pregnancy centers received funding in the most recent fiscal year. Crisis pregnancy centers: Latinas have long been targeted by abortion misinformation. It's getting worse, experts say. Chuck Weber, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference, predicted after the August vote that the program, as well as support for crisis pregnancy centers more broadly, would be a top priority. The centers are routinely criticized for offering misleading or false information on abortion or pregnancy issues. Supporters say they are an effective way of connecting women with services and support to bring their baby to term. "Now that (the amendment) has been defeated, at least for the time being, we are going to almost certainly see an influx of women and girls coming into Kansas for abortions," Weber said in August. "We want to provide for them alternatives, the resources and the alternatives, so that they bring their child into the world and then not only bring their child into the world, but also thrive and prosper with that child and help show them that life is a beautiful thing, that a child is not a disease." Abortion clinics have seen a surge of patients even dating back to severe abortion restrictions approved in Texas in 2021, with volume rising steadily since Roe was overturned. Planned Parenthood has opened a third clinic in the state in Kansas City, Kan., as a response to the demand. For Trust Women, one day in December brought 16,000 phone calls to both of its clinics in Kansas and Oklahoma. While the Wichita clinic once focused on Kansas patients, 70% now come from out-of-state. "We are doing what we can to just increase capacity in what is essentially a permanent bottleneck," Gingrich-Gaylord said. The August vote was unique in that it was a rare instance where a singular issue was presented to Kansas voters. Perhaps paradoxically, voters again elected a Republican supermajority in the Kansas House in November, a move that could have ramifications on what policies lawmakers eventually elect to pursue on the issue. But Hoye said she believed that Kansans would not stop paying attention as Aug. 2 continues to recede into the state's collective memory. "People show up when there's an issue on the ballot, and don't always connect that with particular elected officials," she said. "So some of that is up to us to educate, you know, how we're standing up for people's rights, how we're protecting that constitutional right to an abortion that we have in Kansas and taking that seriously." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: After abortion vote, Kansas Legislature set to consider restrictions One year after calling organised retail theft gangs a real issue that forced store closures, a topic that animated right-wing media tabloids over the the last two years, a top Walgreens executive said the pharmacy retailers fears may have been overblown. Maybe we cried too much last year, Walgreens chief financial officer James Kehoe said during an earnings call on 5 January, according to CNBC. Weve put in incremental security in the stores in the first quarter. Actually, probably we put in too much. We might step back a little bit from that. Mr Kehoe said shrinkage the difference between the companys inventory recorded on its balance sheet and whats actually on the shelves amounted to 3.5 per cent of the retailers total sales in the last year. Those losses have stabilised and are closer to the mid two and a half range, CNBC reported. That figure accounts for things that were shoplifted but also includes damaged and lost items. Over the last two years, Walgreens was among retailers raising the alarms about theft in their stores, as brazen viral videos and a growing perception of lawlessness within Democratically run cities proliferated across local news and right-wing media outlets ahead of 2022 midterm elections. This is not petty theft. Its not somebody who cant afford to eat tomorrow. These are gangs that actually go in and empty our stores of beauty products, Mr Kehoe said during a first-quarter earnings call one year ago. As with all of our peers, its a real issue. Stores locked down certain items on their shelves and the company spent a fair amount to crack down on theft, according to Mr Kehoe. But private security has been largely ineffective and the retailer now for the most part relies on local law enforcement to handle thefts, he said. Were quite happy with where we are, he said. A 2022 study from trade association the National Retail Federation claimed that organised retail crime at retailers surged over the previous year, allegedly driving inventory shrink and resulting in $94.5bn in losses. Story continues National reporting of organised theft rings was particularly acute in San Francisco, where the issue dominated coverage of a recall effort targeting now-former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Data released by the San Francisco Police Department in October 2021 did not support Walgreens claim that rampant theft forced the retailer to close five stores in the area. On average, stores reported two shoplifting incidents a month from 2018 to their closures in 2021. Other retailers including Home Depot, Target and Walmart also have pointed to retail theft as a threat to their businesses, threatening to close locations, even while posting record profits during the Covid-19 pandemic. Walgreens sales jumped to $33.4bn in its fiscal first quarter, according to its reporting. It also reported $3.7bn in losses, largely driven by a $5.2bn settlement that the company was ordered to pay related to opioid litigation, after several states accused the pharmacy of mishandling prescriptions. NEW BEDFORD An "excellent opportunity" for residents to have a say in how $7 million in federal funds will be spent to improve life and address homelessness in New Bedford will be provided in public hearings on Jan. 10 and Jan. 11. The city's Office of Housing and Community Development will host the two identical public meetings, which will also allow residents to suggest specific additions or improvements to facilities and services in their neighborhoods, according to a press release. The first public meeting will be held Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 6 p.m. in person at Carney Academy, 247 Elm St. The second will be held Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m. via Zoom, athttps://us06web.zoom.us/j/83041179361?pwd=NUsxQ2tSYTlGSUdzTXBQa1BwNUwyUT09Meeting ID: 830 4117 9361 Passcode: 463504 These public meetings are designed to gather input from New Bedford residents, both with respect to the use of Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership Program, and Emergency Solutions Grant funding in Fiscal Year 2023 and relative to the development of the HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program Allocation Plan. The publics input will assist the city in formulating a strategic plan for the utilization of federal CDBG/HOME/ESG funding to address needs and priorities in the areas of housing, public facilities, public infrastructure, parks and playgrounds, community services, homelessness resources, and economic development. Input from the community is integral in shaping the priorities of these federal programs, according to the release. The city anticipates receiving approximately $2.7 million in Community Development Block Grant, $975,000 in HOME Investment Partnership Program, and $230,000 in Emergency Solutions Grant funding to serve low-and-moderate-income residents and neighborhoods in Fiscal Year 2023, which runs from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. Anyone who intends on applying for funding is strongly encouraged to attend and participate in one of these two public forums. Story continues Tackling the issue:New Bedford's 'tremendous' housing needs raised during Amaral interview for city post In addition to discussion around CDBG, HOME and ESG funding, both public meetings will also feature information relative to HOME-ARP funding. The city was awarded $3.1 million in HOME-ARP funds from the American Rescue Plan to help individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. In keeping with HUD requirements, this funding will be presented as a substantial amendment to the citys FY21 Annual Action Plan. Discussion around HOME-ARP funding will be focused on soliciting resident and stakeholder input to help shape the program design in specific eligible areas: affordable housing, supportive services, tenant-based rental assistance, homeless prevention services, non-congregate shelter, and housing counseling. Public comment will be solicited during the meetings that will inform the citys development of its HOME-ARP Allocation Plan. The Jan. 10 and 11 public meetings will include presentations by city staff, an assessment of community needs and priorities, and a review of the citys recent housing and community development accomplishments. Likewise, both meetings will overview HOME-ARP funding, qualified populations and potential eligible activities along with the anticipated timeframes for the different funding sources. The Office of Housing and Community Development will also conduct two virtually based RFP Workshops on Friday, Jan. 13 at 9 a.m. (CDBG) and at 10:30 a.m. (ESG) to assist potential applicants with the CDBG and ESG Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Those interested in attending one or both of these proposal-based workshops are asked to check out the OHCD website that provides the necessary ZOOM access information for these workshops at: https://www.newbedford-ma.gov/housing-community-development/. Questions regarding the public meetings or the Annual Action Plan process may be directed to Joshua Amaral, director, or Jennifer Clarke, deputy director, Office of Community Development at 508-979-1500 or by email at Joshua.Amaral@newbedford-ma.gov or jennifer.clarke@newbedford-ma.gov. This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford to host 2 meetings on $7 million in federal funding's use The suspect in a quadruple homicide on the University of Idaho campus was stopped twice by police in Indiana on Dec. 15. Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested in Pennsylvania on Dec. 30 and charged with four counts of murder and one count of felony burglary. Kohberger was driving from his apartment near Washington State University to his family home in Pennsylvania weeks after the high-profile murders when he was pulled over twice while passing through Indiana. The interactions with police were caught on bodycam video, as he was let off with a warning each time. Authorities in Idaho had released very little information publicly at the time of the stops, only asking for the public's help in identifying a white Hyundai Elantra that had been seen in the area. Police announced they were sorting through registrations for 22,000 registered Elantras from the model years 2011 to 2013. Kohberger had also been issued new plates days after the murders, according to a report by The New York Times and others on Wednesday. Authorities had not publicly released any description of a suspect in the case at the time of the stops. Did the FBI tell Indiana police to stop the Idaho murder suspect? Fox News reported the FBI had directed police in Indiana to make the stops in order to see the suspect's hands, but the FBI denied that report on Thursday. Contrary to reports, the December 15th traffic stops conducted on the vehicle being driven by Bryan Kohberger in Indiana were not requested or directed by the FBI, the agency said in a statement to media outlets. The latest on the Idaho murder case Court documents released on Thursday shed new light on the investigation and what lead to the arrest. A roommate in the house told authorities she saw a tall, masked man in black inside their home at the time of the early morning attacks, the documents said. Police also said they zeroed in on Kohberger through a combination of DNA evidence left on a large knife sheath found at the scene of the attacks, trash collected from his parents' Pennsylvania home, surveillance video, cell phone records and license-plate readers that tracked his car on a cross-country drive. Story continues More coverage of Bryan Kohberger, U of I murder case The victimsMemorial services for four University of Idaho students stabbed near campus are underway What we know about Bryan KohbergerArrested in the slaying of 4 University of Idaho students Timeline:A mystery, no leads, then a break in the case: Timeline of the Idaho student murders investigation Investigation is ongoing Prosecutors and police said they were still seeking information from the public, and urged anyone who had information about Kohberger or the case to contact tipline@ci.moscow.id.us or 208-883-7180. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Watch: Indiana police stop Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger twice Snoop Dogg has revealed that Dionne Warwick once scared him after calling him out for his lyrics. The interaction occurred in the 1990s when the rapper, whose real name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr, first found success in the music industry. Walk on By singer Warwick was not impressed with Snoop Doggs decision to use misogynistic slurs in his songs and, in a new documentary, revealed she set up a meeting to dress the rappers down. In CNNs Dionne Warwick: Dont Make Me Over, Warwick, 82, and Snoop Dogg, 51, recalled the meeting, with the latter saying: We were kind of, like, scared and shook up. The rapper said that he and his fellow rap stars, including Tupac and Death Row Records founder Suge Knight, showed up almost 10 minutes early as they feared arriving too late. Were powerful right now, but shes been powerful forever, Snoop Dogg continued. Thirty-some years in the game, in the big home with a lot of money and success. Speaking about her issues with the lyrics, Warwick said: These kids are expressing themselves, which theyre entitled to do. However, theres a way to do it. Warwick said she told the group of rappers: You guys are all going to grow up. Youre going have families. Youre going to have children. Youre going to have little girls, and one day that little girl is going to look at you and say, Daddy, did you really say that? Is that really you? What are you going to say? Snoop Dogg appreciated the singers advice, explaining: She was checking me at a time when I thought we couldnt be checked. We were the most gangsta as you could be, but that day at Dionne Warwicks house, I believe we got out-gangstered that day. Dionne Warwick once called Snoop Dogg out for his lyrics (Getty Images for Tribeca Film Fe) Dionne Warwick: Dont Make Me Over aired in the US on 1 January 2023. A UK release date is yet to be announced. Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. at the Great Hall of the People during the latter's state visit to China on Wednesday. Marcos is the first foreign leader hosted by China in 2023. This visit is his first visit to China as president and his first official visit to a country outside the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). "This speaks volumes about the close ties between China and the Philippines and the important place that the two countries take in each other's foreign policies," Xi told Marcos. A journey to retrace history and plan for the future China and the Philippines are close neighbors facing each other across the sea. In their exchanges over a millennium, good faith and mutual assistance have remained the defining feature of bilateral relations and a precious legacy cherished by the two peoples, Xi said. Forty-eight years ago, the father of President Marcos Jr. and the Chinese leaders of the older generation keenly grasped the changing situation at that time. They followed the trend of the times and made the historic decision of establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries. Over the past half-century since then, despite changes in the international landscape and the domestic politics of the Philippines, President Marcos Jr. and his family have stayed committed as ever to promoting the China-Philippines friendship, a commitment that is most invaluable, Xi said. Xi expressed his hope that this visit will be a journey to retrace history and, more importantly, a journey to plan for the future. Xi said China views the Philippines as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and approaches its relations with the Philippines from a strategic and overall perspective. Xi expressed readiness to stay in regular strategic communication with President Marcos Jr. and make comprehensive plans for the growth of bilateral ties so that the two countries will stay good neighbors helping each other, good relatives sharing affinity, and good partners pursuing win-win cooperation, delivering more benefits to the two peoples and contributing more positive energy to peace and stability in the region. Marcos expressed his pleasure at making a visit that he has long looked forward to, which is also his first state visit to a country outside ASEAN. He expressed his hope to prove to the world through this visit that the Philippines-China relationship is in very good shape and is very important, and that both sides attach great importance to this relationship and are committed to taking it to a new height. Marcos said although it has only been 48 years since the Philippines and China established diplomatic relations, the friendship between the two peoples has lasted over a millennium. He underscored his privilege of being part of history in the establishment of the diplomatic ties, and noted the important responsibilities that he is taking on to carry forward the longstanding friendship between the two countries. Vast potential for bilateral cooperation Xi emphasized that despite different national conditions and systems, China and the Philippines have similar goals and paths of development and enjoy vast potential for cooperation. He said the two sides need to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning between government agencies, between legislatures, and between political parties to form greater synergy between their development strategies, seek more complementarity in each other's modernization drive, and better serve development and prosperity in both countries. The two sides have identified agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and people-to-people exchanges as four priority areas of cooperation. They are the main pillars for the China-Philippines relationship of comprehensive strategic cooperation, and more efforts must be made to nurture new growth areas and highlights in these fields, according to Xi. As China is advancing rural revitalization across the board and moving faster to build the country's strength in agriculture, it stands ready to help the Philippines in agricultural and rural development, by such means as turning the Philippine-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology into a signature project, carrying out cooperation on the whole industrial chain including breeding, production, processing and storage, and accelerating cooperation in Juncao technology, Xi said. He called on the two countries to promote cooperation in infrastructure and connectivity, including good implementation of key cooperation projects in "hard" infrastructure and broader cooperation in "soft" infrastructure including telecommunication, big data and e-commerce, to boost the overall economic and social development of the Philippines. Xi said China and the Philippines have a lot to offer each other when it comes to cooperation on both fossil fuels and clean energy. China will work with the Philippines to continue to properly handle maritime issues through friendly consultation, resume negotiations on oil and gas exploration, promote cooperation on oil and gas exploration in non-disputed areas, and conduct green energy cooperation on photovoltaics, wind power, and new energy vehicles. The Chinese president said China will continue to import more quality agricultural and fishery products from the Philippines and support Chinese business investments and cooperation in the Philippines. The two sides need to deepen people-to-people exchanges in all respects, expand cooperation on basic and vocational education, and explore innovation cooperation in such areas as meteorology and aerospace. China will continue to work with the Philippines on vaccine research and development, and foster a new mode of mutual assistance and cooperation between provinces, cities, districts and counties in light of local industrial strengths. China is taking proactive steps to adapt its COVID response and better coordinate it with economic and social development in a science-based manner. The people in China and the Philippines can soon resume close exchanges like before the pandemic, Xi said. Marcos said the Philippines is ready to work with China to unlock potentials, further enrich the bilateral relationship, and deepen cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure, energy, people-to-people exchanges, trade, investment, science and technology, and digital economy, among others. Marcos said China is the strongest partner of the Philippines, and nothing can hold back the continuation and development of the Philippines-China friendship. The Philippines adheres to the one-China policy. It is willing to continue to properly handle maritime issues through friendly consultation, and resume negotiations on oil and gas exploration. Marcos thanked China for providing valuable support to his country's fight against COVID-19. He expressed his hope that when the pandemic is over, more Chinese tourists and students will go to the Philippines and more people-to-people exchanges will take place to lay a more solid foundation for the long-term development of bilateral relations. He expressed full confidence in the outlook of the bilateral relations. China, ASEAN focus on cooperation and development Xi stressed that China and the Philippines, two developing countries in Asia, have their development rooted in a friendly neighborhood and in the big family of Asia featuring win-win cooperation. He said China will work with the Philippines and other ASEAN countries to focus on cooperation and development, uphold ASEAN centrality in regional cooperation, and advance the five proposals on building a shared home together, to ensure the region stays away from the shadow of the Cold War and from bloc confrontation and remains a fine example of development and prosperity. China appreciates the Philippines' support for the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. China will work with the Philippines to render each other greater support, uphold the common interests of the two countries and other developing countries, advocate humanity's common values, promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and contribute to better regional and global governance, Xi said. Marcos expressed his readiness for close communication with President Xi and closer cooperation on all fronts to open a new chapter in the Philippines-China relationship of comprehensive strategic cooperation, better resolve common challenges and issues facing the two countries, deliver more benefits to the two peoples, and make new contribution to reestablishing the region as a major engine of the world economy. After the talks, the two presidents jointly witnessed the signing of cooperation documents on Belt and Road cooperation, agriculture, fishery, infrastructure, finance, customs, e-commerce and tourism. Authorities are increasing patrols across one Worcester County town after several businesses and homes were broken into in the last two days. Westborough Police say theyre investigating five commercial and residential break-ins within a 48 hour period from Monday to Wednesday. Officers responding to Sachi Japanese Steakhouse on Union Street found the restaurant was ransacked, according to police, with an unidentified amount of money taken. On Tuesday, officers say True Salon and Deluxe Spa and Nails on Turnpike Road were both robbed, with money taken from each establishment. During that same period, a suspect was able to gain entry to two homes on Charlestown Meadows Drive, where cash and personal property were stolen, according to police. Law enforcement officials say the homeowners had been staying at another location due to ongoing residential repairs and no one was home when the suspect was in the house. On Wednesday morning, police say they again responded to a house on Charlestown Meadows Drive for another break-in. The caller reported they returned home from vacation and noticed their belongings had been rummaged through. Police are asking anyone with information regarding any of these cases to come forward. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Jan. 4A Lower Kalskag man faces charges of first-degree murder and arson after a house fire that killed two people and forced others to jump out a bedroom window to escape. Levi Levi, 26, is being held on $500,000 bail, Alaska State Troopers said. He and 18-year-old Alexandria Evan are accused of trying to stab multiple people before the house was set ablaze, according to a complaint filed in Bethel on Sunday. Evan was charged with felony third-degree assault. Upper Kalskag is roughly 70 miles northeast of Bethel along the Kuskokwim River. Witnesses told troopers that Levi and Evan were drinking with a group inside an Upper Kalskag home Friday, according to a sworn affidavit filed with the complaint by Trooper Timothy Miller. Levi began threatening to hurt others and grabbed a knife from the kitchen that he used to try to stab people with, the affidavit said. Evan also began threatening people with a knife, Miller wrote. The group barricaded themselves into a bedroom to escape Levi and Evan, who tried to break in, the affidavit said. One of the people in the room called for help around 8:30 a.m., and troopers said they began heading toward the village in a state aircraft, according to the affidavit. The witnesses told troopers that at some point they could not longer hear Levi and Evan, and they began to smell smoke and realized the house was on fire, the affidavit said. They jumped from a window to escape the blaze. One of them experienced difficulty breathing and received oxygen at the clinic, according to the document. Troopers were notified before they reached the village that the home was on fire. As they approached, Miller said he saw the building fully engulfed by flames, with heavy smoke pouring from it and numerous people and vehicles around the home. State fire marshals investigated and found two people dead inside the home, the affidavit said. Officials believe they know who the victims are, but the remains were sent to the State Medical Examiner Office for positive identification, the affidavit said. Story continues The house was destroyed by the fire. Troopers contacted Evan and Levi at another man's home nearby, the affidavit said. The man told troopers that he woke up when Levi came in, said something derogatory about the house, then showed the house on fire to the man, according to the affidavit. Miller wrote that Evan and Levi appeared to be severely intoxicated. They were arrested and taken to the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center in Bethel. Levi was interviewed by troopers at the Bethel jail, and the affidavit said he denied starting the fire but did not remember portions of the night. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, first-degree arson and two counts of third-degree assault. Levi is also facing a charge for violating conditions of release because he was charged in October with third-degree assault and was ordered not to contact Evan. An online court database shows that Levi was released from custody in that case on $500 bail in November. WhatsApp is launching proxy support for its users all over the world, the company announced on Thursday. The support will allow users to maintain access to WhatsApp if their connection is blocked or disrupted. Choosing a proxy enables users to connect to WhatsApp through servers set up by volunteers and organizations around the world dedicated to helping people communicate freely. WhatsApp says connecting via proxy maintains the same level of privacy and security the app provides and that personal messages will still be protected by end-to-end encryption. The company says messages will not be visible to anyone in between, not the proxy servers, WhatsApp or Meta. We continue to fight for your right to communicate freely and privately. Now, when connecting to WhatsApp directly is not possible, you can stay connected around the world through a server set up by volunteers and organizations dedicated to helping others communicate freely. WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) January 5, 2023 "Our wish for 2023 is that these internet shutdowns never occur," WhatsApp wrote in a blog post. "Disruptions like weve seen in Iran for months on end deny peoples human rights and cut people off from receiving urgent help. Though in case these shutdowns continue, we hope this solution helps people wherever there is a need for secure and reliable communication." The new option is available in the settings menu for all users running the latest version of the app. WhatsApp says if you have internet access, you can search through social media or search engines for trusted sources that have created a proxy. To connect to a proxy, you need to go into your WhatsApp settings and tap "Storage and Data" and select "Proxy." Then you need to tap "Use Proxy" and enter the proxy address and tap "Save" to connect. If the connection is successful, you will see a check mark. If you are still unable to send or receive WhatsApp messages using a proxy, that proxy may have been blocked. In this case, you can try again using a different proxy address. WhatsApp notes that the use of a third-party proxy will share your IP address with the proxy provider. Superman is famous for fighting for truth and justice, and the Man of Steel not only inspired incoming congressman Robert Garcia with his values, but also helped teach him to speak English as a young immigrant from Peru. Garcia will be sworn in as a representative for California's 42nd congressional district with a copy of the Constitution, his citizenship certificate, a photo of his parents, and a vintage first-edition of Superman #1 on loan from the Library of Congress. Rep. Elect Robert Garcia Will Be Sworn In With Vintage Superman Comic, U.S. Citizenship Certificate Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images; Robert Garcia/Twitter "I came to America at the age of five as a Spanish-speaker," Garcia told PEOPLE. "As a kid, I would pick up comics at old thrift shops and pharmacies and that's how I learned to read and write in English." Garcia particularly identifies with the Kryptonian orphan as a fellow immigrant and a firm believer in the same core principles. "Superman is the first comic I read as a kid," Garcia said. "He was an immigrant from another planet who was raised to believe in truth and justice and those are things I value. So, definitely, there's a personal connection there." Will be proudly sworn-in to Congress on the U.S. Constitution. Underneath the Constitution will be 3 items that mean a lot to me personally. A photo of my parents who I lost to covid, my citizenship certificate & an original Superman #1 from the @librarycongress. pic.twitter.com/YGW43OLsIp Robert Garcia (@RobertGarcia) January 3, 2023 Superman made his debut in Action Comics in 1938 and proved so popular the following year he was given his own series, a superhero first, and the rest is billion-dollar franchise history. Just last year, an original 1939 Superman #1 became the most expensive comic book in history with a record-breaking sale of $5.3 million. Luckily, the Library of Congress had one just sitting around for Garcia to borrow for his special day. Story continues That special day, however, has been delayed since the House of Representatives has been unable to elect a new Speaker, but once they do, Garcia will be the first openly gay immigrant in Congress. Garcia became a citizen in 2001, a moment he considers the proudest in his life and his reason for going into public service. He was serving as the mayor of Long Beach when his parents died, just days apart, of COVID in 2020, but Garcia still wanted them be a part of his swearing-in ceremony in some way. "Not having them here is difficult," Garcia said. "My mom immigrated here. We grew up very, very poor and she worked as a health care worker at the same clinic for more than 25 years. To go from immigrant to seeing her son sworn in to Congress would be a huge deal. I know they are observing from afar, and having them be a part of this is really important." Related content: Credit - Illustration by Giulio Bonasera for TIME Looking at the world around us, happiness may seem an unattainable goal. As we move into the fourth year of a pandemic that has killed millions and continues to threaten health and well-being worldwide, compounded by devastating consequences of climate change, spikes in hate crimes, and continued fallout from systemic oppression and inequality, there seems little reason to be happy. Indeed, results from the 2022 annual Stress in America survey indicate one-third of the respondents report that their stress in the face of these challenges is overwhelming. Simply ignoring or denying stress, or suppressing your negative emotions and pretending everything is just fine, will not lead to enduring happiness. In most cases, negative emotions are, surprisingly, usefulthey provide important signals about our environment and can guide us to an appropriate response. For example, fear signals that you might be in a potentially dangerous situation and you should try to get away; anger may motivate you to confront an injustice. Similarly, overly focusing on pursuing positive emotions like happiness can paradoxically result in less happiness. Really, too much of any emotion in the wrong context will not serve you well. Noticing, recognizing, and labeling your emotionsboth the negative and the positiveis associated with better physical health and emotional well-being. The key to enduring happiness is not to rid your life of negative emotions; instead, the goal is to also experience positive emotions even in the midst of difficulties. This balance can be particularly challenging when times are dark. In my research, I work with people who are experiencing significant life stress, such as diagnosis with a serious disease or caregiving for a loved one with dementia, and teach them skills to increase the positive emotions of the experience alongside the negative. These skills include noticing and savoring positive events, mindful awareness, nonjudgment, gratitude, and acts of kindness, among others. Our research has demonstrated practicing these skills leads to more happiness, even when life seems especially difficult. Story continues One of our study participants who is caring for a family member with dementia described to me how she uses positive emotional skills she learned in our program to cope with the stress of caregiving: There are days I just want to go and jump in my car and drive and never come back. So I think, OK, Im grateful for this. I have this, I can do this. Im resourceful. In the past, she says, I would just be so angry sometimes at my situation. Now Im able to go, OK, I can be angry for two minutes and then, Done! Not all day long. Practicing these skills works for me too. During the pandemic, I have been noticing and savoring the small things morefor example, this morning, before I sat down to write, I took the time to appreciate that even though it is cold here in Chicago, the sun is out, a welcome change from the past week or so of clouds. The sun shining is not going to change any of the really big problems in the world right now, but by taking a moment to notice, I get an additional hit of positive emotion and feel better equipped to cope with whatever challenges come up in my day. In 1867, abolitionist, feminist, and human-rights crusader Sojourner Truth captured this philosophy well: Life is a hard battle anyway. If we laugh and sing a little as we fight the good fight of freedom, it makes it all go easier. I will not allow my lifes light to be determined by the darkness around me. Rather than a laser focus on achieving happiness in the face of lifes big and small challenges, follow Sojourner Truths advice and find the small things you can do to bring more moments of happiness into each day, while still acknowledging that life can be a hard battle. Donate to an organization that feeds the hungry. Let a co-worker know that you are grateful for their help on a big project. Take a few moments to savor your delicious morning coffee or even just look at pictures of puppies and kittens on the internet. Intentionally seek out the moments of laughter and song that will allow your lifes light to shine, even when the world seems darkest. Thats the definition of happiness. Moskowitz is a professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University and director of research at the Northwestern Osher Center for Integrative Health A CalTrans sign warning of debris flow flashes at the turn-off to Forest Falls, where forecasters are calling for up to 2 to 4 inches of snow in lower elevations and up to a foot of snow in the higher elevations. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) Southern California mountains could see up to 2 feet of snow in the higher elevations starting Thursday as a persistent winter storm marches through the region, according to weather forecasts. A winter storm warning is in effect until 6 p.m. for the San Bernardino Mountains above 7,000 feet of elevation, according to the National Weather Service. The area is expected to receive 6 to 10 inches of snow above 7,500 feet and 1 to 2 feet of snow above 8,500 feet. Snow levels will drop to around 6,000 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains after 3 p.m. and into the evening, according to weather forecasts, and the area could see 2 to 4 inches of rain above 6,500 feet. A light snow peppered Big Bear City Airport on Thursday morning, according to the weather station monitors operated by the National Weather Service. Riverside County mountains can expect 2 to 4 inches of snowfall above the 8,000 feet elevation and 6 to 10 inches on the highest peaks. The amount of snowfall forecast is in line with previous winter storms that arrive on an atmospheric river, a west-to-east-flowing jet stream that can increase rainfall totals, said meteorologist Casey Oswant with the National Weather Service in San Diego. Wind gusts are forecast to reach up to 55 mph in the mountain areas. "It's going to get pretty windy," Oswant said. "Once you get into the mountains, if youre at those higher elevations, its going to be hazardous conditions. People should try to refrain from being out and about." A wind advisory is in effect through 6 p.m. for the San Bernardino Mountains, Apple and Lucerne valleys, including Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear City, Big Bear Lake, Running Springs, Wrightwood, Victorville and Hesperia. South winds are forecast to reach 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Officials warn residents to be aware of downed power lines and tree limbs. Large swaths of the Inland Empire, San Bernardino, Riverside and Santa Ana mountains, along with the foothills in Orange County, are under flood watch through 4 p.m. Thursday. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Wisconsin Department of Justice has identified the man shot and killed by Kenosha officers last month, after police say he opened fire on the officers and bystanders. Matthew C. Lopez, 32, died at the scene, after being fired upon by Sgts. Adam Jurgens and Brian Miller, the DOJ announced Wednesday. According to the DOJ, at approximately 8:19 p.m. Dec. 19, officers with the Kenosha Police Department and the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office responded to a call of an active shooter in the 1300 block of 56th Street. Upon arrival, police were fired upon by Lopez. Officers returned fire and killed Lopez. The DOJ said a preliminary investigation indicates Lopez shot at other bystanders as well, injuring three people. Two of those people have since been treated and released, while one person is still hospitalized. The officers were not injured. Jurgens and Miller were placed on administrative duty, per department policy. The DOJ said the investigation is ongoing. Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: DOJ identifies man shot and killed by officers in Kenosha last month Carmen Broesder and her daughter Courtesy Carmen Broesder With tears in her eyes, Carmen Broesder told the camera that she was bleeding out in the emergency room. Im just gonna fucking bleed out on this table before somebody actually comes and helps me, she said in a video posted to TikTok. Broesder, a 35-year-old mother of one in Idaho, knows about miscarriages. She had four in 2022, and three of them felt like a bad period, she said. But the most recent one, which happened after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, lasted for weeks and was severely painful. And due to Idahos strict abortion laws, Broesder said she was not able to get the healthcare she needed. Angry and overwhelmed, Broesder turned to TikTok and began documenting how she was feeling throughout the miscarriage and multiple frustrating hospital visits. Her 12 videos about her 19-day miscarriage ended up being viewed hundreds of thousands of times. On Dec. 8, when Broesder was six weeks pregnant, she began to bleed heavily. I knew this miscarriage was different than the others, she told BuzzFeed News. I was bleeding massively. I was having massive pain. I needed help. After an ultrasound, the doctor told her they could not hear a heartbeat. Broesder knew the fetus was dead, so she asked for a D&C, also known as a dilation and curettage procedure, which removes tissue from inside a persons uterus. I knew the baby was not going to come back to life, Broesder said. Theres nothing I can do and I didnt want it inside me. Because performing a D&C on a pregnant person leads to the same outcome as an abortion, Broesders doctors in Idaho refused to offer it to her. I was angry, Broesder said. I was livid. Nobody is actually coming to help, Broesder said in her TikTok. In another video, Broesder explains that she couldnt travel out of state because she has a young daughter to care for. Normally, only 100 or so followers see her content, but her miscarriage TikToks quickly went viral and resonated with a larger audience. Women flooded her comments with advice and donations, encouraging Broesder to go to the emergency room again. Story continues I was in excruciating pain by the time I went to the third ER visit, Broesder said. Ever since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in June, pregnant peoples lives are now being put at risk because in states where abortion is illegal, doctors have to refuse to offer certain treatments that either are considered abortions or may lead to them; otherwise, they risk being prosecuted. Still, with her healthcare professionals unable to perform a D&C, Broesder said she was only offered tranexamic acid, which treats heavy periods, and told to only come back if the bleeding got worse. They said theyre treating this basically now like a bad period, Broesder said in a TikTok. This miscarriage, which lasted 19 days, was awful for Broesder. In 2006, she delivered a stillborn baby at full term, and even with that experience, she said this miscarriage was worse. I had experienced the worst-case scenario of having a 9-month child inside me that was dead, she said. I got induced 36 hours later. I had the baby and then I got a D&C with light bleeding. Within like two days, I was done. I thought that was horrific. Broesder said this miscarriage was especially painful because she and her boyfriend had put a deadline on how long they would try for another baby and this was their last shot. I have a body that fights against me, she said. I want to have babies, but it doesnt carry for a very long term. Even though Broesder wanted a baby, she said Idahos strict abortion laws still directly affected her, and she wants to make sure people who plan to keep their pregnancies are aware that their health can still be impacted by laws they may theoretically support. We need the law to change so people dont die, she said. More on this On board an Air India flight, an intoxicated man allegedly exposed himself and urinated on an elderly woman. The plane was on its way to Delhi from New York on November 26, 2022. Air India issued a statement published on social media by Asian News International on Jan 4, 2023. It said in part, an inebriated male passenger urinated on a female co-passenger in Air Indias business class on Nov 26. Unfortunately, poor and even criminal behavior in the skies isnt uncommon. And this isnt Air Indias first rodeo with terrible passengers. In 2019, we reported that a stressed out man stripped off his clothes mid-flight. He paced the aisle before the crew wrapped him in a blanket and restrained him until the plane landed. After that, authorities took over. The Crew Was Apparently Indifferent The already nasty experience was exacerbated by the inaction of the crew. According to Rum Raiders, after peeing on his female co-passenger, the reportedly intoxicated man allegedly faced no consequences from the flight crew. When the woman complained, she was allegedly told by the crew to return to her soiled seat. Rum Raiders also added, more than a month later, the woman reported the incident to Air India and only then was the complaint given to the police on Dec. 28. The Victim Penned A Letter Of Complaint A letter written by the victim was published by The Indian Express. It was addressed to Natarajan Chandrasekaran, a chairman for Air India. My clothes, shoes and bag were completely soaked in urine, the woman complained. The stewardess followed me to the seat, verified that it smelled of urine, and sprayed disinfectant on my bag and shoes. The bag contained my passport, travel documents and currency, among other items, and I wanted to immediately check the safety of the contents. I asked the stewardess to help me retrieve my bag, but she initially refused to touch the bag, and also told me to pick up my shoes and clean them myself in the bathroom. Story continues When I started cleaning my own bag, then she began to assist. I was given a set of pajamas and disposable slippers to change into. After changing, I stood near the toilet for about 20 minutes. I asked for a change of seat but was informed that there were no seats available. The situation got worse when the plane landed. Rum Raiders wrote, the woman reportedly was not taken care of after disembarking, despite being promised a wheelchair in order to leave more quickly. What Were The Consequences? A spokesperson for Air India explained, the passenger has been banned from flying with Air India for 30 days or till the decision of the internal committee, whichever is earlier. If found guilty, action will be taken against the unruly passenger as per regulatory guidelines. The Delhi Police also stepped in; booking the man on charges of molestation and indecency. There Have Been Other Incidents Spawned By Intoxication Air India isnt the only carrier that has had to deal with drunk passengers. Bottom line: theres never an excuse to misbehave. Travel Noire reported last October that an intoxicated passenger bit a flight attendants finger. This necessitated an emergency landing. One man on board a United Airlines flight struck a flight attendant and tried to storm the cockpit in April 2021. Another man traveling on an American Airlines flight closing in on Los Angeles, puked from drinking too much. A third man, after drinking quite a bit of whiskey, grabbed an Easy Jet flight attendant by the throat, and had to be restrained by other passengers. A Blaine woman who was stranded in Las Vegas is waiting to see if Southwest Airlines makes good on promises to reimburse her. Diane Wilson says it took a week for her to get home to Blaine after the airline had a nationwide system meltdown right before Christmas. Wilson said several flights back to Bellingham from Long Beach, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, were canceled, forcing her to take extra steps to try to get home. She said her ordeal lead to an unplanned side trip and stay in Las Vegas, a flight to Vancouver, BC, (not on Southwest), a pickup by a family member, and a more than three-hour wait at the border. Despite all that, she considers herself a lucky traveler amid the mess. Yes, it was a nightmare. Yes, it was the worst Christmas ever. It was it was just the perfect storm, she said. Wilson says she was among the thousands of people stymied by the Southwest Airlines meltdown that saw tens of thousands of flights canceled across America right during the Christmas travel rush. She had gone on a Hawaiian cruise and returned to Long Beach around Dec. 22 when she was supposed to fly to Bellingham via Oakland. None of those plans played out. Wilson did say she was able to hold onto her bags as she changed planes. Agents said there was a flight to Las Vegas and from there, she could theoretically find another flight, so she opted to fly there. Once there, she realized flights were getting canceled and there would be no return home. So they booked a room on the Las Vegas strip and stayed there for days over Christmas. The Southwest gate agents in Las Vegas worked hard to try to find her a flight, but it didnt work out, according to Wilson. She even said that the agent she was working with had her own family at the airport as she tried to deal with hundreds of angry passengers who were not able to get home. Everyone knows it was a disaster, but I feel for everyone who was taking their kids to see their grandparents for the first time in two years. How do you put a price tag on that? said Wilson. Story continues Southwest passengers have managed to get home and find bags, though some are still struggling with the fallout from the cancellations by airline as its computer booking system crumbled. Wilson found a way home, and opted to fly Air Canada into Vancouver, B.C., then had a relative drive her and her husband across the border. She said the wait time at the border was in excess of three hours. She did admit she would probably not join a class action lawsuit against Southwest. The U.S. Department of Transportation has urged people to file complaints if their needs are not addressed by Southwest. Many passengers are planning or filing federal complaints against Southwest now, but Wilson is waiting to see if the airline reimburses her. If they dont, she says she will consider filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation. U.S. DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg has informed Southwest by letter, as well as in numerous television appearances, that he will be monitoring how the airline responds to the passengers seeking compensation. When Wilson was in the process of navigating the trip home, at first she was told that Southwest was not planning to cover her expenses and tickets, blaming the weather for the initial flurry of cancellations. Since then, Southwest has changed its tune and says it will work to try to compensate passengers that were hampered by the airlines system collapse. Senior members of both the Southwest pilots union and flight attendants union made appearances at the height of the crisis and said the blame squarely fell on Southwest for not updating its antiquated computer system. A vice president with the pilots union also said that the issue was raised with the airline several times for years with little to no action. Wilson is hoping that reimbursement does come her way. Theyve said theyll make it right. Theyve said theyll refund, theyll cover out costs they were trying their hardest to work with a system that was broken, said Wilson. Southwest officials have promised to try to reimburse and refund people who experienced problems traveling during the holidays and admitted that their booking system failed under pressure. Wilson said Southwest has delivered on a promise of 50,000 travel miles. Jan. 5WILKES-BARRE Despite being acquitted by a Luzerne County jury of setting a fire inside the 8th Street Laundromat more than three years ago, Michael Inman was sentenced Wednesday for endangering firefighters and police officers. Inman, 33, of Monument Avenue, Wyoming Borough, was charged by Wyoming Borough police with igniting a fire in the basement of the laundromat on Eighth Street on Aug. 16, 2019. As firefighters battled the blaze, Inman rushed inside claiming he wanted to find his cellular phone. Inman initiated a struggle causing a police officer to stumble into several laundry machines, court records say. After Inman was handcuffed and placed in a cruiser, he kicked open a door that struck an officer. Following a two day trial before Judge David W. Lupas in October, a jury found Inman not guilty on two counts of arson and a single count of burglary. Inman was convicted of criminal mischief and recklessly endangering another person. Lupas sentenced Inman to six-to-20 months on the two convicted counts to be served at the county correctional facility. He was also ordered to pay $501 in restitution for damage to the the cruiser's door. Attorney Andrew J. Katsock III represented Inman. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a regular meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Staff on Thursday, 5 January. Source: Presidents Office of Ukraine Details: The President's Office said that reports on the operational situation at the front and possible actions of the Russian Federation in the near future had been heard at the meeting. The state of provision of the defence forces of Ukraine with the necessary weapons and ammunition, as well as attack and reconnaissance UAVs, was analysed. The President's Office said that the participants considered current results of the "army of drones" project in this context. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! BEDFORD A grand jury on Tuesday indicted a North Carolina man on a first-degree murder charge in connection with a Forest womans October death. Trenton David Mills Frye, 28, of Greensboro, is accused in the killing of Katlyn Lyon Montgomery. Frye appeared via video Wednesday in Bedford General District Court in what was scheduled to be a preliminary hearing on a second-degree murder charge. No evidence was presented in Bedford General District Court on Wednesday. Bedford Commonwealths Attorney Wes Nance told Judge Randy Krantz of the grand jury direct indictment of the higher murder charge coming the previous day and dropped the second-degree murder count. Attorney Joseph Sanzone is representing Frye, who has been in custody at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority since his Nov. 30 extradition to Virginia from North Carolina. A trial date is scheduled to be set March 7, according to online court records. Search warrant affidavits filed Oct. 17 in Bedford Circuit Court state law enforcement, in the course of investigating the death of Montgomery, 28, became aware she recently was in a relationship with Frye. Montgomery was found unresponsive in an apartment at 1060 Madison View Drive in Forest on Oct. 7, and Lynchburg General Hospital physicians noted markings on her neck consistent with being strangled, according to search warrant documents. Investigators executed a search warrant on the residence and located phone charging cords wrapped up in a blanket on the bed, according to court documents. Law enforcement assessed the cords appeared to be the same size as the markings on Montgomerys neck. Montgomery died Oct. 8, the Bedford County Sheriffs Office has said. Her body was taken to the medical examiners office in Roanoke for an autopsy by Dr. Amy Tharp, who advised strangulation could not be ruled out as a cause, according to court documents. Investigators learned Montgomery had recently ended the relationship with Frye and the two were arguing through text message exchanges the night of Oct. 6 and into the early morning of Oct. 7, search warrant documents state. Frye denied having knowledge of where Montgomery was residing when contacted in North Carolina by Bedford investigators and, on Oct. 13, law enforcement received data from Fryes cellphone that showed it transmitted to a tower at Ashwood Park Road in Forest at 10:19 p.m. Oct. 6, about a mile from Montgomerys apartment, search warrant documents state. On Oct. 13, investigators interviewed Fryes employer, who advised Frye did not work the night of Oct. 6 or Oct. 7, according to court documents. Frye was identified as a suspect through a joint investigation between the sheriffs office and the FBI and was taken into custody without incident Oct. 20 in Greensboro, the Bedford County Sheriffs Office has said. <&rule> Weather Alert The following is transmitted in collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy... WHAT...Air Quality Alert WHERE...Eastern Nebraska WHEN...Through Wednesday afternoon POLLUTANT...PM 2.5 particulates AIR QUALITY INDEX...Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups ADDITIONAL DETAILS... During Moderate (AQI yellow category) conditions, those who are unusually sensitive to particle pollution should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion. Prescribed burning is being conducted in the region for the management of prairie and rangelands, and smoke may affect the air quality in Nebraska. Smoke levels and wind directions are monitored by Nebraska and other states to predict when impacts to the air quality may occur. Air Quality alerts for smoke are issued for affected areas by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Environment and Energy and posted on agency webpages and social media sites. By notifying the media and local health departments, alerts help citizens protect their health by informing them of days where outdoor activities should be reduced or avoided to minimize exposure to smoke. Alerts are based on data available from weather forecasts, smoke plume modeling, satellite imagery, and from air quality monitors located in Omaha, Bellevue, Lincoln, Beatrice, Grand Island, and Scottsbluff. Weather Alert ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR ALL OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR ALL OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA.. The National Weather Service in Omaha/Valley has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from noon to 8 PM CDT Thursday. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. * Affected Area...In Iowa, Monona, Harrison, Shelby, Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont and Page. In Nebraska, Knox, Cedar, Thurston, Antelope, Pierce, Wayne, Boone, Madison, Stanton, Cuming, Burt, Platte, Colfax, Dodge, Washington, Butler, Saunders, Douglas, Sarpy, Seward, Lancaster, Cass, Otoe, Saline, Jefferson, Gage, Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee and Richardson. * Winds...South 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. * Relative Humidity...As low as 21 percent. * Impacts...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. && Somalian police said two suicide car bombers killed at least 15 people in the Hiraan region in a terrorist attack Wednesday. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack. The attackers targeted a military facility in the Mahaas district of Hiran region that is at the heart of the governments offensive against al-Shabab. The two vehicles exploded after the dawn prayer in a neighborhood full of civilians that killed at least 15 people. Local leaders and security officials said two military bases were targeted in Mahaas in retaliation for operations against al-Shabab fighters. The district in central Somalia is at the center of the ongoing government offensive against the al-Qaida-linked group of thousands of fighters that has controlled parts of central and southern Somalia for years. The government has vowed to defeat it this year. The Somali army, together with local militias, recently opened a key supply route to Mahaas after it had long been under siege. The armed groups media office claimed responsibility in a statement, saying fighters had detonated explosives at military bases in Mahaas and also attacked another base in a nearby Dadan. The statement added al-Shabab had targeted apostate militias and soldiers. The group has been under pressure since last August when President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched a military offensive shortly after taking office. The Somali government says it has killed, with support from the United States and African Union troops, hundreds of al-Shabab fighters and recaptured dozens of settlements, although different sides often give conflicting accounts of clashes. But, despite the offensive, al-Shabab remains entrenched in vast swaths of rural central and southern Somalia and carries out frequent attacks targeting both civilians and military objects. Mali and Brazil are committed to deepen their bilateral cooperation in the fields of security, agriculture and livestock breeding as Bamako is concerned with security of all Malians and food security. The announcement was made by Malian PM Lieutenant Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga upon return from the South American country where he attended the inauguration of President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva. He held talks with the new Brazilian leader who returned to power after a spell in prison. Brazil has two particularities for us which make our country take a singular interest in it. The major concerns of the Head of State and the Transitional Government today are the definitive return of security for Malians and their property, he told media. The second major concern is how to feed our population so that we are no longer dependent on imports, which are massive and weigh heavily on the States tax revenues. It so happens that in the specific fields of agriculture and livestock we have a long-standing cooperation, multiform supports that are to be renewed and deepened, he added. We have Brazilian aircraft in our military air fleet. So, for us, cooperation and especially the densification and diversification in the areas of security in our country and in its food self-sufficiency are key elements of our policy. With Brazil, we are working on this project. During his trip to Brazil, the Malian Premier was accompanied by the Minister of Rural Development, and officials from the military and home security. According to data gathered by the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), the worlds leading data visualization tool for international trade data, Malis export to Brazil stood at $349,000 dominated by Electrical Capacitors while Brazils export were valued at $3.6 million and mostly made of rice and firearms. Brazil is member of the BRICS composed of Russia, India, China and South Africa. Russia is currently Malis top security partner. The Spanish Customs and Civil Guard announced that they dismantled an organization that had sent more than 5,000 tons of hazardous electronic waste from the Canary Islands to several African countries including Ghana and Mauritania, Africa News reports. The criminal organization had, during the last two years, managed to send from the island of Gran Canaria to Africa more than 5,000 tons of hazardous waste of electronic devices, and would have earned more than one and a half million euros of profit, the customs indicated. The shipments were sent by boat, mainly to Mauritania, Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal. The Spanish authorities have arrested 48 for alleged environmental offences, forgery and membership to a criminal organization. The organization reportedly was removing waste from the legal channel with the help of a supposed management company that falsified documents on the origin and management This waste was then presented as second-hand items to be sent to these African countries. The e-waste which contains mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic and phosphorus, must normally be handed over to authorized companies for decontamination. US plane maker Boeing will manufacture 12 CH-47F Chinooks for Egypt as the Arab country moves to modernize its military helicopter fleet. The US Army has awarded Boeing a $426 million contract for the aircraft. The contract comes more than seven months after the US State Department approved the foreign military sale on May 26 for Egypt to buy 23 F models and related equipment for $2.6 billion, online media Defense News reports. Egypt plans to replace its fleet of CH-47D helos with the F model, which will enhance Egypts Chinook capabilities and help effectively accomplish its heavy-lift objectives, Ken Eland, vice president and H-47 program manager at Boeing, said in a statement. The sale, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, would help improve Egypts security as a major non-NATO ally of the United States. Deliveries of the aircraft are expected to start in 2026. Morocco-EU: Shared Desire to Deepen Dialogue, Cooperation Morocco and the European Union (EU) expressed, Thursday in Rabat, their shared desire to deepen dialogue and cooperation, within the framework of the strategic partnership established between the two parties, to which King Mohammed VI attaches particular importance. This willingness was expressed during talks held in Rabat this Thursday between Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, who is currently visiting Morocco, the department of the Head of Government said in a statement. During the talks, Akhannouch welcomed the momentum of relations between the Kingdom and the EU, which has helped structure the partnership between the two parties and improve it at different levels. He welcomed, in this regard, the positive results of the partnership in the areas of agriculture and fisheries, finance, investment, green economy, migration and security. The Head of Government also commended the level of trade between the two parties which has enabled Morocco to position itself as the first economic and commercial partner of the European Union on the African continent, the level of trade between the two parties having reached, in 2021, more than 45 billion and tripled in 10 years. Akhannouch also expressed satisfaction at the harmony and concordance between the agenda of social and economic reforms undertaken by Morocco under the enlightened leadership of King Mohammed VI, and the support provided by the European Union to these projects, a number of which will be implemented in 2023. The European official also held talks with Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. The two men affirmed the two partners willingness to strengthen their cooperation, and protect their partnership. The European Union is a key strategic partner for Morocco, which is working to strengthen this partnership in various fields, said Bourita at a joint press conference following his meeting with Josep Borrell. For his part, Josep Borrell affirmed the European Unions desire to broaden and deepen the partnership with Morocco which is based on values, underlining the shared objective to build up a more ambitious partnership. The head of European diplomacy also announced two new initiatives to strengthen this partnership. These are a high-level dialogue on security that will be organized in Rabat soon, and enhanced cooperation in multilateral bodies between Morocco and the European Union. In this context, he said multilateral international architecture must be reviewed, adding that the initiatives carried out by the countries of the North and the South have their place in this process of renewal. Borrell is on a two-day official visit to Morocco, which is intended to provide an opportunity for an in-depth discussion on the implementation of the EU-Morocco partnership, including in the context of the new Mediterranean Agenda. The historic partnership between Morocco and the European Union has continued to develop in recent years, becoming a reference in the EUs neighborhood policy. Armed men Monday (2 January) attacked a civil defense post in a small southwest town in Mali in what was a rare attack near the capital Bamako, killing five people, Malis security ministry has said. The ministry said in a statement Tuesday (3 January) the unidentified armed individuals attacked the defense post in the town of Markacoungo, about 80 kilometers from the capital, killing two members of the civil defense force and three civilians. It said Malis security forces were taking all measures to identify and arrest the attackers and called on the public to collaborate with security forces. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Markacoungo lies on the main road northeast of Bamako, an area that rarely sees such attacks. Violence in Malis decade-long conflict with Islamist militants has been mostly in the north and center of the country, though attacks in the south are increasing. Six people were killed in a attack in July last year on a checkpoint 70 kilometers from Bamako followed by an attack one week later on Malis main military camp, just 15 kilometers from the capital. Mali has been under military rule since a coup in August 2020. Malis military government has denied working with the Wagner Group, a private Russian military company with links to the Kremlin, saying it works only with official Russian instructors. French troops, which were helping fight Islamist militants in northern Mali since 2013, withdrew last year over concerns about Malis work with the Wagner Group. Equatorial Guineas Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, who is also the son of the president, has accused the countrys former colonial power Spain of interference after the countrys judiciary opened an investigation into the kidnapping and torture of two Spanish nationals in the West African states capital Malabo. The two Spanish nationals, Feliciano Efa Mangue and Julio Obama Mefuman, were opponents of Equatorial Guineas President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogos regime. He is now 80 years old and has been in power since 1979, which makes him the longest-serving president in Africa. The investigation by a judicial source reportedly targets three relatives of President Obiang. One of the three is another of his sons, Carmelo Ovono Obiang, who is the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service; Nicolas Obama Nchama, the Minister of National Security, and Isaac Nguema Endo, the Director General of Presidential Security. The three individuals are among the most senior security officials in the small but wealthy West African oil state. Its also one of the most closed states in the world and it endures one of the worlds most authoritarian regimes. The three men are suspected by the Madrid court of having had four opponents forcibly returned to Spain from South Sudan in 2019. The four include two Spanish citizens of Equatorial Guinean origin, all of whom were allegedly tortured. Their trial was observed by the American Bar Associations Center for Human Rights and as part of the Clooney Foundation for Justices Trial Wch Project. It found the trial was marred by egregious procedural irregularities, including the Presidents appointment of military judges and prosecutors by executive decree. Frances foreign ministry is backing its ambassador in Burkina Faso despite a request by authorities there to replace him amid mounting anti-French sentiment in the country. I would like to express my support and our support for our ambassador and for all the embassy staff, who are doing a remarkable job in conditions which, as you know, are difficult, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said on Thursday (5 January), adding that the letter had requested a change of envoy. Last month, Ouagadougou had sent a letter requesting the departure of Frances ambassador Luc Hallade, a move the French government described as not standard practice. Relations between France and Burkina Faso, a former French colony in West Africa, have deteriorated after prolonged insecurity caused by armed groups led to political instability and military coups in January and September 2022. In a separate development, the military junta in Burkina Faso has launched an investigation into an attack that saw at least 28 people killed over the weekend. Attacks targeting the security forces and civilians have increased in recent months, especially in northern and eastern regions bordering Mali and Niger, countries also battling a jihadist insurgency. The government in Ouagadougou says it remains fundamentally opposed to any form of abuse or human rights violations on any grounds. One of the worlds poorest countries, Burkina Faso has already seen two coups by disgruntled army officers last year that have put the military in power. The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, reiterated, Thursday, January 5, from Rabat, the position of the EU on the issue of the Sahara, saying the Union acknowledges and values the serious and credible efforts made by Morocco to find a solution to this regional dispute. We have taken note and we greatly value the serious and credible efforts made by Morocco to this end (finding a solution to the Moroccan Sahara issue), Josep Borrell told the media after a meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. The EU supports the UN process and the initiatives of the personal envoy of the UN Secretary-General aimed at reaching a political solution which is fair, realistic, pragmatic, lasting and mutually acceptable and which is based on compromise, in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, he said. The EU High Representative stated further that the EU encourages all parties to continue their commitment in the spirit of realism and compromise in the context of an arrangement in accordance with the purposes and principles set out in the Charter of the United Nations. The head of European diplomacy said he understands the fundamental importance of the Sahara issue, an existential question for the Kingdom. At the joint news conference, the head of European diplomacy also announced two new initiatives to strengthen the EU-Morocco partnership. These are a high-level dialogue on security that will be organized in Rabat soon, and enhanced cooperation in multilateral bodies between Morocco and the European Union. In this context, he said multilateral international architecture must be reviewed, adding that the initiatives carried out by the countries of the North and the South have their place in this process of renewal. Josep Borrell, who is on a two-day official visit to the Kingdom for an in-depth discussion on the implementation of the EU-Morocco partnership, including in the context of the new Mediterranean Agenda also held talks with the head of government, Aziz Akhannouch. The two officials expressed the shared will of the two sides to deepen dialogue and enhance cooperation within the framework of their strategic partnership. This historic partnership has continued to develop in recent years, becoming a benchmark in the EUs neighborhood policy. By buying an index fund, investors can approximate the average market return. But if you buy good businesses at attractive prices, your portfolio returns could exceed the average market return. Just take a look at Bursa Malaysia Berhad (KLSE:BURSA), which is up 11%, over three years, soundly beating the market decline of 7.1% (not including dividends). However, more recent returns haven't been as impressive as that, with the stock returning just 9.7% in the last year , including dividends . So let's investigate and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress. Check out our latest analysis for Bursa Malaysia Berhad While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price. During three years of share price growth, Bursa Malaysia Berhad achieved compound earnings per share growth of 8.0% per year. This EPS growth is higher than the 3% average annual increase in the share price. Therefore, it seems the market has moderated its expectations for growth, somewhat. You can see how EPS has changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values). Dive deeper into Bursa Malaysia Berhad's key metrics by checking this interactive graph of Bursa Malaysia Berhad's earnings, revenue and cash flow. What About Dividends? As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. In the case of Bursa Malaysia Berhad, it has a TSR of 29% for the last 3 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. This is largely a result of its dividend payments! Story continues A Different Perspective We're pleased to report that Bursa Malaysia Berhad shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 9.7% over one year. That's including the dividend. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 3% per year), it would seem that the stock's performance has improved in recent times. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Bursa Malaysia Berhad that you should be aware of before investing here. Of course Bursa Malaysia Berhad may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on MY exchanges. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here This is the fourth year the City of Opelika has made a proclamation announcing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and the second year the city will be part of the Trafficking Free Zone Initiative. The work the city has been doing to raise awareness and to train first responders and city employees has been in partnership with the Child Trafficking Solutions Project and Worthy (worthy squared), an organization that aims to fight human trafficking and advocates for victims and survivors. Kathryn Guthrie, the founder of Worthy, said she is proud of Opelika for stepping forward by not only recognizing the problem, but also by taking action against it. Opelika is the first city in Lee County to join the national initiative. I think a lot of people, when we started doing this work here five years ago, nobody would even believe that it was happening in our area, Guthrie said. I think the awareness now has really grown, and Opelika has been amazing about stepping up to the plate with the Trafficking Free Zone Initiative. Through this initiative, first responders and all city employees went through a training program where they learned how to spot human trafficking, what to do if they see it and how to report it. According to the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, over 15% of all men in America purchase sex and 25% of sex trafficking victims are minors. Human Trafficking is a $150 billion industry globally. At Tuesday nights city council meeting, Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller said hes glad the city is working with Guthrie and Worthy to fight human trafficking. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which victims are forced to work in various forms of exploitation, including debt bondage, forced marriage, labor and commercial sexual exploitation of adults and minors, that are induced through force, fraud, or coercion, Fuller read from the proclamation. The City of Opelika is committed to ensuring that our community is prepared to recognize signs of human trafficking. The first step in eliminating human trafficking in our community is to educate others, Fuller continued reading. We must work diligently to ensure that all front-line industries, educators and first responders are aware of this issue and how to spot it. Guthrie said the organization's goal for 2023 is to concentrate on Lee County as a whole. Worthy is part of the Envision Opelika Foundation and works locally as well as with different partner agencies and law enforcement agencies on the federal and state level. In 2022, Guthrie and the organization worked with five female victims who testified against Lonnie Mitchell, 36, of Montgomery, during a trial in June. According to the United States Department of Justice, Mitchell was found guilty of coercing several victims, including a minor, to engage in prostitution over the course of several years. The jury found him guilty of sex trafficking a minor and three counts of coercing and enticing an individual to travel in interstate commerce for prostitution purposes. Mitchell was sentenced to 60 years in prison and ordered to pay over $950,000 in restitution for a sex trafficking scheme that involved forced prostitution, the release from the Department of Justice said. Guthrie said all five victims that testified were trafficked in Lee County. One girl had over 2,000 ads placed, not in our area but in general over the course of her trafficking, she said. Even if somebodys being trafficked in Montgomery or Birmingham, theres that loop, so they come through our area. Guthrie said Lee County is part of the human trafficking loop on I-85 that includes Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery and Auburn-Opelika. In October of 2022, Guthrie said a teenage girl went to the Opelika police station and told officers that shed been trafficked. That shows the progress thats been made because that girl got away from her trafficker, showed up at the police station and said, Im being trafficked. Chief (Shane) Healey, Captain (Johnathan) Clifton and their team knew what to do, Guthrie said. They knew how to make her feel safe and then how to go about keeping her safe so that they could get the trafficker and put him in jail, and thats what they did. Guthrie hopes to see more victims freed and more traffickers caught and punished for their crimes this year. To find out more about the Trafficking Free Program, go online to usiaht.org/traffickingfreezone. Donations can be made to Worthy in the fight against human trafficking at envisionopelika.org or by mailing a check to Envision Opelika Foundation at 1103 Glenn Street, Opelika, AL 36801. Include For Worthy on the memo line. Willy? Snort. Also isnt Harry shirt for Henry? This is weird. Reply Thread Link Harry is short for Henry, Harrison or Harold, babe. Reply Parent Thread Link No but isnt his actual name Henry? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It can be short for a few things. And frankly it sounds like he was being a dick by calling him Harold instead of his given name. Edited at 2023-01-05 02:29 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link it is. probably a joke full name Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It is. Will was probably being snide. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link if dick can be short for richard then henry to harry makes sense to me Reply Parent Thread Expand Link why would you use a two-syllable nickname for a two-sy--actually, idc that much lmao Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Im like 95% certain that William does not remember or care what Harrys given name is Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Its a nicholasname. Reply Parent Thread Link Sorry guys, only child here. Reading the comments, it all makes sense now lol. Reply Parent Thread Link This is what I zoned in on, too. Like...does he not know his brother's name? Reply Parent Thread Link Harry is short for attention whore Reply Parent Thread Link I know there are rumors of William having a temper but never wouldve pegged him as being violent with how proper they all are. And Charles is so gross for that comment about a spare, what is wrong with him? That entire institution is toxic and I hope the monarchy burns to the ground. Reply Thread Link thats how they all talk. they are so removed from regular life they think its okay to talk about people like that Reply Parent Thread Link never wouldve pegged him lol Reply Parent Thread Link The title Spare makes a little more sense as I now see it rhymes with Heir lol Reply Parent Thread Link You're not familiar with the term The heir and the spare? It's to ensure royal lineage, like having a back up kid(s) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link And Charles is so gross for that comment about a spare, what is wrong with him? IDK it's been apparent since forever he didn't love Diana and only had kids cause it was his duty. I know everyone thinks he's a shit father and he probably is, but he was raised in a shitty way and I honestly think he did the best he could to parent his kids all things considered. It's just really sad it clearly wasn't enough. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Royal gossip about William's temper has been around forever. He's always being reported as being "incandescent" with anger. Charles' comment is also old news. Diana talked about it. She said he was set on having a girl and she found out she was carrying a boy, so she kept it a secret, fearing his reaction. The day Harry was born, Charles had a tantrum in her hospital room, blamed her, and considered his "duty" done, and also abandoned her and their marriage that day. He fled the hospital, went to a polo game with Camilla and basically moved to Highgrove to be with Camilla and left Diana with the boys at Kensington Palace. He didn't consult Diana, he just did it. He's a horrible father. Edited at 2023-01-05 03:16 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link William was once quoted as being "incandescent with rage". Yikes. Reply Parent Thread Link Chuck has always been a gross pos. Quelle surprise that Willy is following him - infidelity? Has anger management issues and is a turd squirt like daddy.... Whether you like Harry/Meghan or not, I'm all for them burning this shitshow to the ground. Keep poking the bear Dad/Bro, I'd love for Harry to spill piping hot tea with soaked receipts. Reply Parent Thread Link Maybe he's in need of a good pegging. Reply Parent Thread Link He would've liked it if you pegged him ... Reply Parent Thread Link but then every child after the first you have is a ~spare. if harry was a girl would they have another child to try for a boy? that would be interesting Reply Parent Thread Expand Link And Charles is so gross for that comment about a spare, what is wrong with him? My friend (mother of 1) is trying to get her tubes tied and the doctor flat out said "you need a spare kid, what if your only one dies?" Sadly, it's not that uncommon for people to treat a second child like a backup. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I remember reading something about how Charles was mad at Diana because Harry wasn't a little girl. Dude has always gotten shit on by this family. Reply Parent Thread Link 20 minutes to shop.gif Reply Thread Link hyped that there seems to be some new messy drama in the book! will is an asshole. im very very curious how he is going to talk about charles. at the time of the oprah interview he seemed SO mad at charles but that seems to have cooled off. he fucking hates will and i wonder if he's gone softer in charles while amping up the rage against will Reply Thread Link Most people talking about the book say that. Just what you said, he softened on Charles and goes in on William and Kate Reply Parent Thread Link He was pissed because charles removed the security and when he told he would pay for it but needs access to policy intel as witjout that they would still in danger, they refused .. Reply Parent Thread Link Wonder if the Palace is FINALLY going to respond or are they going to continue to say nothing. I wanna see them try to defend this OR call Harry a liar. DO IT, ROYALS. DO ITTTTTT Reply Thread Link if harry is smart (which...lol hes not but work with me here) he will include mostly stories like this. things that arent THAT bad but extremely believable. if he gets too messy people won't believe him. but stuff like this is going to be very hard for the firm to ignore i think Reply Parent Thread Link yeah i feel like this is the kind of thing the Firm is going to have to finally address? idk though. i can also see them continuing to go 'no comment' though. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Harry's not nearly as dumb as he's been painted. You have to understand that everything people know about him has been created by the British media, working in tandem with the royal family to make William, the heir, look good at the expense of the spare. Keep in mind, every bad thing you've seen about Harry, his older brother did it first and sometimes worse. Like when William got caught with weed at college, they covered it up by planting a story about Harry smoking weed and made him tour a rehab center. They made him look like a drug addict to keep the real story about William out of the paper. And Camilla's son was literally a drug dealer at college. These negative stories are part of the "invisible contract" between the royal family and the British media. Harry was used as the scapegoat for William his whole life and he went along with it until William started planting negative stories about Meghan. That crossed the line. Edited at 2023-01-05 03:28 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I was listening to Italian TV complaining that the real problems are the wives (Margaret, Camilla, Diana and now Meghan and Kate), so I wouldn't count on the BRF being forced to comment when Europe is basically going 'oh these silly women, forcing their men to do stupid things'. It's maddening. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I expect some kind of bubblegum 'families are complicated and ours is no exception' response. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Unless there are much worse stories, I don't think they directly will address this. I'm not trying to downplay Will physically attacked his own brother. It's just that I've seen too many people think this kind of behavior is okay and normal. Reply Parent Thread Link They're not bright enough to really address it. Their response to Spare so far is "Harry is jealous of William and desperate to come crawling back," which Harry has demolished in his Anderson Cooper interview where he says he's absolutely not interested in living in England again. People who paid attention know that going back to 2008, Harry's on video saying he wished he could live outside the UK. He and Meghan wanted to live in Africa until their plan was leaked by the Palace, at which point it became impossible to do. Charles and William can't fathom how Harry could walk away from the monarchy. Their view is so skewed, they literally can't comprehend how anyone could leave their lifestyle to be a mere peasant in California. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Wonder what the usual Will (and Kate) defenders on these posts who like to pretend theyre neutral, are gonna be saying now lol. Reply Thread Link willy? HAROLD? i'm sorry but this sounds like a one direction fanfiction not two grown ass men STOP IT aslkjalksdj Reply Thread Link Brothers act so dumb together so this doesn't even sound that weird to me. Reply Parent Thread Link you know what you're absolutely right lmao this is the exact kind of dumbassery that two dumb brothers would use when having a fight Reply Parent Thread Link the part where he calls him harold even though it's not his name made me think oh yeah yep this is a true story 100% Reply Parent Thread Expand Link British people have weird ass nicknames, that's something i've come to expect honestly lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link siblings have some weird nicknames. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link "Please, boys. Don't make my final years a misery." lmaoooo NGL this is the kind of thing my mom likes to say to me and my sibling when she's guilt tripping us. Reply Thread Link one time my sister and I got into an argument and my mom was like "can y'all just not, I don't want you fighting in front of your grandparents like this" it was the ultimate trump card to play bc she knows we don't fuck around in front of them lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmao it reminds me of those two brothers who were political pundits, one a dem the other a republican, and they were arguing on cspan and their MOM called in and was basically like fucking knock it off you clowns, don't bring this shit to my house for thanksgiving Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I grew up with my Mom telling us that someday shed be gone and all wed have is each other I cant stand my brothers so it didnt age well Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I love that Charles just defaulted to self pity as usual. Maybe he should have thought of this before making Dianas life a misery! (and I am not even a Diana stan) Reply Parent Thread Link Parent guilt trips are the same at a socioeconomic level: Stars- theyre just like us! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link My grandfathers dying wish was for his children to stop fighting and they still couldnt. They fight about the pettiest shit and it breaks my grandmothers heart. It makes me rage Reply Parent Thread Link Me at work tomorrow tbh Reply Parent Thread Link First of all, since when does Harry go by freaking Harold ? I've heard about him using Spike but that's a new one on me. Other than that, even as messy as Meghan & Harry are, I do believe William got violent with him. Y'all have seen how comfortable he is being unkind to Kate even at official events. Reply Thread Link Sounds like the kind of name youd use when youre trying to be sarcastic or condescending. Lol theres a footballer called Harry Kane and when hes having a bad game its not rare to see fans from the team call him Harold. Reply Parent Thread Link My brother is named Harry and we call him Harold when hes being annoying Reply Parent Thread Link I only use my brother's government name when he's talking down to me, a woman 12 years his elder who changed his diapers. Sassy little manchild. Reply Parent Thread Link [tiffany pollard voice] SPIKE? Reply Parent Thread Link Spike???! noooo lmao Harold is prob a name older brother called him growing up to irk him Reply Parent Thread Link spike????? why Reply Parent Thread Link I'm always shocked by how badly William treats Kate in public. I don't even like her but I can't help but feel sorry for the way he has to be reminded that she exists. From ignoring the way she has to struggle with a long gown on stairs to walking next to her with an umbrella and holding it so it only covers himself to rushing to get in a car and leaving her standing there to open the car door for herself while Harry never let's go of Meghan until she's carefully seated. The difference is striking. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Y'all have seen how comfortable he is being unkind to Kate even at official events. Really? I thought it was just the affair that was supposed to be on the downlow tbh I didn't know he mistreated her in public like that tho... Reply Parent Thread Link What's he doing with Kate? I only know about his cheating but I don't follow the royals much so him being more an to her in public has passed me by Reply Parent Thread Link ETA People are guessing these were taking after the incident Edited at 2023-01-05 02:39 am (UTC) William has been known for his bad temper, I guess he didnt count on someone telling on his ass.ETA People are guessing these were taking after the incident https://twitter.com/PearlKadupul/status/1610806790630899715 Reply Thread Link Tweet deleted. What did it say? Reply Parent Thread Link it was pic of harry in a car looking roughed up, I will try to find it Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I want the monarchy gone but I can't enjoy this. Family hurts like nothing else. Reply Thread Link same. on top of the monarchy, they just sound like an unkind, uncaring family. it's all so cold. Reply Parent Thread Link right? All that wealth and privilege and still such toxicity. Can't expect colonizers to be lovely and kind, even to their own kin. Reply Parent Thread Link lol the crown got a lot this right. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link In the structure they grow up in, with the expectations and traditions, there is probably zero chance of a family being warm and loving Reply Parent Thread Link I just keep thinking about them as two little boys who lost their mother after she was basically murdered by the press. And then to be raised in such a cold environment. Thats all I can see when I look at them and it makes me terribly sad Reply Parent Thread Expand Link That said I wonder if the palace will respond to this OR not give it attention and it let it get buried? Ahh this is all so sad, you kinda hoped the brothers would maintain a united front :(That said I wonder if the palace will respond to this OR not give it attention and it let it get buried? Reply Thread Link What united front? They have barely acknolwedged each otherin the past few years. Reply Parent Thread Link Oh idk they use to seem pretty close. Obvs in these last few years there's been a fracture but prior seemed fine. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It has been obvious for years now that William has been actively screwing them over through the media, theyve not been a United front for years and years. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It's a reminder how people can change especially in adulthood. Now that they both are married and have children. William has always seemed "traditional"" and Harry more liberal. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I have my issues with Harry and the gross shit he did/said when he was younger, but I absolutely cannot blame him for wanting to distance himself from what is not only a toxic institution on a societal level, but also sounds toxic on a very personal level given what he and Meghan have been experiencing. I remember there being a lot of speculation that Harry in particular is disillusioned/disappointed by William growing up to be such an active/enthusiastic participant in the system that hurt their mother so much and engaging in a lot of the same bad behaviours as their father like the bad temper and (allegedly) cheating on Kate... I don't know if he's ever confirmed it (I am very ONTD Doesn't Read about the royals and don't ever click their actual articles/videos lol) but honestly it would make perfect sense to me. It would feel like such a betrayal imo to see the brother you leaned on when all that was going on & then when you lost your mother seeming to go against everything you learned and choosing to engage in the same behaviours that resulted in so much pain. Reply Parent Thread Link Biofuels are often seen as only a part of a solution as they compete with other crops. Arizona State University research shows a pathway toward full decarbonization of U.S. aviation fuel use by substituting conventional jet fuel with sustainably produced biofuels. The study found that planting the grass miscanthus on 23.2 million hectares of existing marginal agricultural lands land that often lays fallow or is poor in soil quality across the United States would provide enough biomass feedstock to meet the liquid fuel demands of the U.S. aviation sector fully from biofuels, an amount expected to reach 30 billion gallons/year by 2040. Everyday, 45,000 planes fly across the United States, carrying some 1.7 million passengers. Aviation dominates a frequent travelers individual contribution to climate change, and yet is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonize. The United States is the largest contributor to aviation carbon dioxide emissions in the world, and is responsible for more than a quarter of all carbon dioxide emitted from flying. But what if we could make all U.S. air travel nearly emissions free? What if we could replace carbon-intensive jet fossil fuels with a cleaner alternative: biojet fuels derived from rain-fed grass grown in the U.S.? The research published in the journal Nature Sustainability shows a pathway toward full decarbonization of U.S. aviation fuel use by substituting conventional jet fuel with sustainably produced biofuels. A visual comparison of forest, crop land and marginal land for biofuel assessment. Image Credit: Graphic created by Alex Davis at Arizona State University. For the largest view click the press release link. The study, led by a team of Arizona State University researchers, found that planting the grass miscanthus on 23.2 million hectares of existing marginal agricultural lands land that often lays fallow or is poor in soil quality across the United States would provide enough biomass feedstock to meet the liquid fuel demands of the U.S. aviation sector fully from biofuels, an amount expected to reach 30 billion gallons/year by 2040. Nazli Uludere Aragon, co-corresponding author on the study and a recent ASU Geography PhD graduate said, We demonstrate that it is within reach for the United States to decarbonize the fuel used by commercial aviation, without having to wait for electrification of aircraft propulsion. If we are serious about getting to net zero greenhouse gas emissions, we need to deal with emissions from air travel which are expected to grow under a business-as-usual scenario. Finding alternative, more sustainable liquid fuel sources for aviation is key to this. Integrating ecosystem, atmospheric science, and economic expertise In the study, the researchers used an integrated framework of land assessments, hydro-climate modeling, ecosystem modeling, and economic modeling to assess where and under what conditions across the United States, energy crops used for biojet fuels could be grown sustainably using criteria that evaluates both environmental and economic performance. Related: The LNG Boom Could End With Billions In Stranded Assets The criteria was extensive. The team first identified and assessed where optimal marginal agriculture lands already existed in the U.S. They then assessed whether or not one could grow the right energy crops on the land without using additional water. The team then analyzed whether growing energy crop feedstocks on these lands would have detrimental effects on the surrounding climate or soil moisture and predicted the potential productivity of yields of two different grasses miscanthus and switchgrass as suitable biomass energy feedstocks. Finally, the team quantified the amount and the cost of biojet fuel that would be produced and distributed nationwide at scale. Nathan Parker, an author on the study and an assistant professor in the School of Sustainability said, The current way we produce sustainable jet fuel is very land inefficient and not on a large scale. There are very limited ways that aviation could become low carbon emitting with a correspondingly low climate impact and this is one way weve shown that is feasible and can get the aviation industry to be carbon neutral through agriculture. The scientists emphasized that this integrated systems perspective was critical to the study. In the past, research around the potential of biofuels has largely consisted of isolated assessments that have not been well-integrated, for example, overlooking key data on how the altering crop cover influences the surrounding climate. When you plant crops over strategically designed areas, the planting of these crops has an impact on the climate, said Matei Georgescu, co-corresponding author of the study and associate professor in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning and Director of the Urban Climate Research Center at ASU. If there is a change in the underlying landscape, for example an increase or decrease in the amount of vegetation, there may be implications for local to regional scale climate, including more or less precipitation, or warmer or cooler temperatures. To account for these land-atmosphere interactions, the research team took outputs from their hydroclimate model to inform their ecosystem model. The team then evaluated the economic feasibility for farmers to grow these grasses. Real-world solutions For any uptake of an alternative energy pathway solutions need to make economic sense. The researchers in their analysis, benchmarked the financial returns of the existing uses for the lands they identified some already are used for growing corn, soy, or various other crops, and others are being used as pasture against those from cultivating either miscanthus or switchgrass as biomass feedstock. Growing miscanthus or switchgrass needed to be more profitable to replace the existing use of the land in each area. These lands we identified are owned and operated by real people for different agricultural uses, said Uludere Aragon, who is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Environmental Defense Fund. The cost-effective biofuel potential from biomass feedstocks is influenced largely by the opportunity cost of alternative land uses. In the end, researchers found miscanthus to be the more promising feedstock, and biojet fuels derived from miscanthus can meet the 30 billion gallons/year target at an average cost of $4.10/gallon. While this is higher than the average price for conventional jet fuel typically about $2/gallon the team concluded it is reasonable when considering biojets potential to cut emissions. Notably, in 2022 jet fuel prices have varied from $2 to $5/gallon (not to be confused with retail gasoline) due to changes in supply and demand, showing prices above $4/gallon are well within the range of possibility. A template for the future The researchers say that in finding further solutions to the Earths climate crisis it is important that the scientific community bridges disciplines and moves past incremental reductions in emissions. Rather, the researchers emphasize the importance of realistic solutions that scale. This was an interdisciplinary team with expertise from ecosystems sciences, climate modeling and atmospheric sciences and economics, said Georgescu, who acknowledged this research was a culmination of eight years of modeling work and collaboration. To truly address sustainability concerns, you need the expert skills of a spectrum of domains. As academics, we should remember economics drives peoples decisions on the ground. It is vitally important to find the circumstances when these decisions are also aligned with desirable environmental outcomes. *** ADVERTISEMENT This is a really well written press release. It all sounds so possible. The first matter is the reality check. The assessments, analysis, evaluations, etc, are terms that make good cover for what are really assumptions. The assumptions may be well founded in a reality of the moment, but they roll into the model as assumptions. Maybe right, close, way off or wrong. There are a lot of them in comprehensive modeling. That leads to modelings prime problem. In engineering there is the matter of accumulative tolerance, that when lots of fittings of parts are required, they can bedevil the most elegant and absolutely perfect design. Tolerances are a range of sizing that when parts fit together such that the range of sizing within the tolerances are when fitted can construct units that are perfect all the way to units that are completely unusable. Most units turn out mediocre. Major manufacturers have invested for decades to understand, plan for, correct for and minimize the accumulative tolerance problem. Its an immense undertaking and hugely expensive to correct when a miss or failure occurs. The more complex the unit the more risk and demand for extensive testing. Its the kind of thing that drives executives to early retirement. Modeling has the same kind of problem with assumptions, in lieu of parts, and another one as well. Handling assumptions is done principally with math and algorithms. Here too that bugaboo of accumulative tolerance comes into play. Even more variability is possible and small variances from the most likely probability can vastly alter the result. Meanwhile the most likely probability is dynamic and will surely change over time. The last matter is the consequences. The models put a fine face on the most narrow of outcomes. What they dont do is illuminate the indirect consequences. That is up to the experience and prescience of decision makers of capital, or more frightening, political or special interests. Capitalists will worry about the risks, politicians and special interests will worry for public perception and getting their cut. Modeling has come a long way. But the need for lots, maybe hundreds of assumption sets, is still overlooked along with the need for dozens of programs to run the model. There are some models working pretty well. Weather forecasts use models and theyre getting pretty good. The closer to an event, the better. The rain earlier this week was only about double the forecast and ran about half again beyond the forecasted time. Meteorologists have been working at model building for only a few decades. By Newenergyandfuel.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Despite being a huge manufacturing country the biggest in the world, in fact until recently, China has not been on the radar when it comes to car manufacturing. Chinese automakers have never gained global attention for their high-quality petrol or diesel cars, with other U.S., European or Asian automakers proving more popular. However, as China takes the lead on renewable energy operations, the country is heavily focused on electric vehicles (EVs), with the government and private firms pumping billions into research and development. China accounts for around 28.7 percent of the global manufacturing output, followed by the U.S., at 16.8 percent. And yet, most people worldwide are far more aware of American car brands, with the U.S. earning $47.6 billion in car exports in 2020. But China is no longer focused on expanding its internal combustion engine (ICE) car market, as it directs its attention to EVs. Long before many other cities, in 2017, Beijing announced plans to ban the use of new ICE taxis, instead requiring any new taxi to be run on an electric battery, at an expected cost of $1.3 billion for the total conversion. This is not surprising considering that China has led the way in several types of green energy and related technologies, despite its continual reliance on fossil fuels for its domestic energy demand. And this is just one of the hundreds of initiatives that have given way to the rise of EVs. Several EV manufacturers have boomed in China in recent years, with around 450 EV makers registered. By mid-2022, the four biggest included BYD, valued at $149 billion, with a 27.9 percent market share, SGMW with a 10.1 percent share, Chery at 4.9 percent, and GAC with a share of 4.2 percent. The EV and hybrid manufacturer BYD has attracted greater attention in recent years, as the worlds biggest EV producer, overtaking Tesla to claim the title in July 2022. Warren Buffet is among its famous investors. BYD now plans to launch three new EV models in Europe in competition with some of Europes most prominent automakers offerings. Related: The LNG Boom Could End With Billions In Stranded Assets Despite the lack of global awareness of Chinese car brands, China overtook Germany to become the worlds second-largest car exporter in 2022, shipping 2.6 million vehicles in the first 10 months of the year. This has been supported by investments from the major automakers in their own ships, to transport their cars from China to other markets. BYD ordered six ships in October at a cost of $710 million, with a capacity for 7,700 cars. Meanwhile, state-owned SAIC Motor Corp. intends to purchase seven new ships to transport 8.900 vehicles. Chinas biggest car export markets in the past have been concentrated in Africa and the Middle East. However, thanks to the rise of its EVs, it is beginning to develop export markets in North America and Europe, offering higher-end options than previously available from the Chinese market. In the first half of 2022, Western Europe accounted for around 34 percent of Chinas passenger vehicle exports, with Belgium as the biggest importer. This is a trend that is set to continue as the global EV market continues to expand with Europe leading this growth. With Chinese automakers having risen to compete with the likes of Tesla in recent years in China, many of these manufacturers believe they can compete with other major car makers such as Volkswagen and BMW, which have only just begun their foray into EV development. Most European automakers continue to manufacture ICE vehicles, with strong demand for fossil fuel-powered cars expected to continue until city and country bans come into place, starting in 2030. This means that very few car makers are focusing solely on the development of their EV models and markets. By comparison, heavy subsidies from the Chinese government have made it possible for Chinese EV manufacturers to emerge quickly and become highly competitive with foreign rivals. And while European manufacturers have the advantage of close access to the European market, as does Tesla thanks to its first European factory in Berlin, China is a manufacturing giant when it comes to electric batteries providing around 75 percent of the worlds total and other EV components. It is also the biggest lithium producer in the world, offering around 60 percent of the worlds lithium a vital component in electric battery manufacturing. Recent estimates from Fitch Solutions suggest that the share of Europes EV market from Chinese automakers could increase to 15 percent in 2025, from around 5 percent in 2022. This is largely thanks to their low-price offerings, which many European manufacturers simply cannot compete with. But can this boom last? Ana Nicholls, director of industry analysis at the Economist Intelligence Unit, explains: It's hard to see how the EV market can carry on expanding at quite this rate in the future. And other Asian, European, and North American automakers are rapidly rising to compete with major EV makers, with plans to release several new EV models in the coming years. As demand rises, so will supply, and competition will become fiercer. But, for now, China looks likely to lead the way in the EV market in the coming years. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Despite its economic problems, Egypt continues to be a major energy player, with the country launching a round of bids for oil and gas exploration rights in the Nile Delta and the Mediterranean Sea. As both inflation and Egypts national debt soared in 2022, the IMF has had to extend a $3 billion loan to the country, the fourth such loan in six years. Egypt has been in a seemingly endless financial crisis over the past decade, first due to political turmoil following the 2010 Arab Spring and then due to economic mismanagement. The recent Russian invasion of Ukraine has further exacerbated the complicated economic situation. However, Egypt recently signed a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to improve its economic outlook. And despite its financial woes, Egypt has continued to be a major international player in energy, with several exploration projects awarded in 2022, and new auctions now going ahead. In November 2022, BP won two oil exploration blocks offshore the Nile Delta, in the Mediterranean Sea. The Northwest Abu Qir Offshore Area and Bellatrix-Seti East block were awarded to BP by the state-owned Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company. BP owns an 82.75 percent stake in Northwest Abu Qir Offshore Area, with the rest belonging to Wintershall-Dea, and a 50 percent stake in the 3440km Bellatrix-Seti East block, with 50 percent owned by Eni. BP was also awarded the North El Fayrouz offshore area, King Mariout Offshore Area, and the North El Tabya area extension in 2022. Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath, BP gas and low carbon energy executive vice-president, stated of the acquisition, Egypt has long been important for BP We now look forward to an even more successful future, continuing to help meet Egypts growing energy needs by providing cost-competitive supplies of gas and supporting Egypt through the energy transition by exploring growth opportunities in hydrogen, for example. BP has invested around $35 billion in its oil operations in Egypt over 60 years. In late December, Egypt launched a new round of bids for oil and gas exploration rights in the Nile Delta and the Mediterranean Sea. The tender includes 12 blocks, with 6 onshore and the rest offshore. A deadline of April 30, 2023, has been set. The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El Molla said that the tender is being offered by Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Co. and is part of the ministrys strategy to boost investment in oil and gas in Egypt. The strategy, established in 2016, aims to increase international interest and investment in the countrys energy industry. The tender will, once again, be managed online through the Egypt Upstream Gateway, making it easy for potential investors to access information about the blocks. In addition, Egypts gas industry has seen huge success in 2022, with gas exports increasing to $8.4 billion, from $3.5 billion in 2021, as the world shifts away from Russian gas to other sources. The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said Egypt announced in December that its natural gas exports rose by 14.3 percent in 2022, at around 8 million tonnes. Liquified natural gas prices have risen significantly over the last year, adding to this profit. Egypt has been self-sufficient in gas since 2018, producing around 64 billion cubic meters a year. The Ministry stated, The petroleum sector succeeded in investing in the government's plan to rationalize electricity consumption to provide additional quantities of gas for exports. The Egyptian government established a plan in August to decrease gas and electricity consumption at the national level to be able to boost its exports to Europe, with a significantly increased level of demand for Egyptian gas due to a shift away from Russian gas. While Egypts energy industry has been gradually expanding in recent years, attracting greater foreign interest in oil and gas, the country has faced a vast array of economic difficulties. Recent reports suggest that Egypts economic growth will likely decline to 4.5 percent in the fiscal year 2022-23, from 6.6 percent in 2021-22. This is largely due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the lingering effects of the Covid pandemic. However, financial aid from the IMF has helped Egypt to create some stability during its ongoing financial crisis, and the recent deal is expected to help finally pull Egypt out of its financial turmoil. In 2016, Egypt was awarded a $12 billion loan from the IMF, for which Egypt devalued its currency, the Egyptian pound, to obtain the loan. However, most of this money went towards military and intelligence agencies, with many Egyptian citizens being plunged into poverty due to poor decisions from the government. Now, the IMF is offering Egypt a new agreement, providing a loan with stricter terms, which will require the government to establish a comprehensive financial reform plan for the next 46 months. This financial support is expected to ease Egypts economic crisis and support the further development of its energy industry. The IMF will provide $3 billion in funding for the Egyptian government to stabilize its economy while developing a clear economic reform, which is expected to aim towards providing social security, encouraging private-sector-led growth, and boosting job creation. While Egypt continues to face economic uncertainty, recent support from the IMF offers some hope. The countrys energy industry has continued to perform, despite the ongoing economic crisis, and greater economic stability will only boost the sector further. ADVERTISEMENT By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Banks arranged and underwrote more capital for the development of renewable energy projects than for oil, gas, and coal firms for the first time ever last year. Last years slump in capital raised by the fossil fuel industry doesnt necessarily mean that there is a marked shift away from oil and gas lending. It may have just been the result of healthier balance sheets of oil and gas firms amid soaring commodity prices and the tapping of alternative financing, such as from private equity or asset-backed securitization transactions. Clean Energy Funding Exceeds Fossil Fuel Debt Issues Traditional lending to the oil and gas industry hasnt gone away. But more banks pledged in 2022 to stop funding some or all types of new fossil fuel developments as lenders are under increased pressure from shareholders and society to cut back on the emissions profiles of their client portfolios. The oil and gas industry, on the other hand, was flush with cash last year as prices soared, but the sector stuck to capital discipline and, especially in the United States, focused on remunerating shareholders and paying down debts instead of taking on more loans. Last year, clean energy projects and ventures saw around $580 billion in money raised on the debt markets, per data compiled by Bloomberg. At the same time, the debt issuance arranged for oil, gas, and coal firms was nearly $530 billion. That was the first time renewable energy funding topped the debt financing for fossil fuels, according to the data crunched by Bloomberg. Related: Surge In China Covid-19 Cases Leads To Spike In Rare Earth Prices Still, the data from 2022 may not be indicative of the beginning of a new trend in debt markets for the energy sector. Oil and gas firms have started to turn to alternative sources of funding, which are more difficult to readily compile, according to April Merleaux, research manager at environmental nonprofit Rainforest Action Network (RAN). Its difficult to say with confidence that theres a new trend in the lending markets that will extend into 2023, Merleaux told Bloomberg. Alternative Financing For Oil And Gas Booms Private U.S. oil and gas producers are looking at a booming market for alternative funding, as banks have pulled back from funding oil and gas operations and other traditional sources of financing, such as equity investment or reserve-based lending (RBL) facilities, are drying up. This new market, which emerged in 2019, is the proved developed producing (PDP) securitization, in which an oil or gas producer issues bonds in an asset-backed securitization (ABS) transaction. In other words, upstream producers use the cash from their oil and/or gas production as collateral for the notes placed with investors. Securitizations backed by oil and gas assets help diversify funding sources for companies that would typically access capital from more traditional sources, such as reserve based lending (RBL) facilities, high-yield bond issuance or equity investment, Fitch Ratings said in early 2020 when this type of funding was brand-new and the pandemic hadnt crushed oil demand yet. In 2022, the oil and gas asset securitization market blossomed, with energy ABS deals tripling in value from 2021, according to data from Guggenheim Securities cited by Reuters. In the UK, due to the recent hike in the windfall tax on North Sea oil and producers, many small operators in the basin could see their reserves-based lending regularly assessed by banks slashed by 50%, industry groups told the Financial Times last week. Some Banks Back Out Of Oil & Gas Lending Pressured by ESG trends and shareholders, banks have started to announce cuts to lending to the oil and gas industry. At the end of last year, two prominent banks in Europe vowed to significantly cut exposure to the fossil fuels sector. Credit Agricole, the largest retail lender in France, said in early December that it targets to have no new financing granted for oil extraction projects by 2025, and to cut its oil exploration and production exposure by 25% by 2025 compared to 2020. In response to the new pledges, environmental nonprofit group Reclaim Finance called on Credit Agricole to also stop financing new gas extraction projects and to raise the level of requirements for its clients in terms of divestment from fossil fuels. Earlier in 2022, ING said it would aim to grow new financing of renewable energy by 50% by year-end 2025 and would no longer provide dedicated finance to new oil and gas fields. ADVERTISEMENT Banking giant HSBC announced last month it would stop funding new oil and gas field developments and related infrastructure as part of a policy to support and finance a net-zero transition. Following HSBCs pledge, the pressure is now on U.S. banks to halt funding for new oil and gas projects, RAN and other climate community groups said. U.S. banks were the biggest funders of fossil fuel projects in the world and are still refusing to make real commitments on climate, the environmental groups added. Four US banks, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and Bank of America, are the top fossil fuel funders and make up one quarter of the total global funding for the industry. Between 2016 and 2021 these banks pumped over US$1.2 trillion into the fossil fuel sector. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: After a sharp drop in the first trading days of the new year, oil prices are climbing back up but the upside potential remains limited in light of the latest economic news updates and a warmer-than-usual winter in the northern hemisphere. After crashing from over $82 per barrel to some $78, Brent crude is today on the mend, inching closer to $79 and West Texas Intermediate is moving to $74. However, the economic outlook is quite bearish. First, earlier this week, the head of the International Monetary Fund said she expected a third of the worlds economies to slip into recession this year. This immediately weighed on prices and will continue to depress them in the absence of any evidence that counters this outlook. Then, the December reading of the U.S. purchasing managers index turned out to be lower than expected, at 48.4 versus an expected 48.5. Despite the minor difference, it was enough to deepen the economic gloom that features expectations of weaker oil demand, not least because it was the second consecutive month of declines. Meanwhile, covid infections are on the rise in China and worry abounds that this will delay the recovery of the global economic powerhouse despite the governments U-turn on its zero-Covid policy. "While reliable data is seemingly hard to come by, the view appears to be that there'll be significant disruption in the coming months and then a recovery from around the middle of the year which should then boost demand, Oanda senior analyst Craig Erlam told AFP. A weaker dollar also helped push oil prices higher earlier today, as did traders buying the dip of the last two trading sessions, Reuters noted in a report earlier in the day. Brent and WTI shed a combined 9 percent in the first two trading days of 2023, the report also noted, which was the biggest two-day trading loss at the start of a new year since 1991. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: With its massive oil and natural gas reserves, Turkmenistans economy is heavily dependent on foreign exchange earnings from the export and sale of these resources. Given this, the countrys economic stability is tied to Ashgabats foreign policy and cooperation with its neighbors, including those territories located in the path of target markets (Iess.ir, February 8, 2021). Iran, in particular, has always intended to take advantage of its location for oil and gas swaps with the countries of the Caspian Sea and Central Asia in hopes of becoming a hub for regional energy trade, though various sanctions have caused some energy swap contracts between Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan to be canceled (Shana.ir, November 28, 2021). In December 2021, after the bilateral meeting of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the Economic Cooperation Organization summit, an agreement was signed by the oil ministers of both countries, according to which 1.5 to 2 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas will be delivered annually from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan, transferred via Iranian territory. According to the agreement, Tehran will receive gas exported from Turkmenistan at the two countries shared border and, with it, will meet part of the gas needs of Razavi Khorasan, North Khorasan, South Khorasan, Gilan and Semnan. Then, Iran will deliver the same amount of gas to its border with Azerbaijan (Yjc.ir, December 12, 2021). Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji noted that the total annual volume of these gas swaps will reach 1.5 bcm. Owji also proclaimed that Iran is willing to engage in a similar trilateral arrangement with Turkmenistan and Armenia (Shana.ir, September 13). Related: The LNG Boom Could End With Billions In Stranded Assets Gholam Abbas Arbab Khales, the Iranian ambassador to Turkmenistan, informed the Islamic Republic News Agency that bilateral trade between Iran and Turkmenistan had reached $233 million in the first six months of 2022, surpassing the total amount of trade between the two nations in 2021, which came to almost $227 million. This is significant as Iran is looking to develop better relations with its neighbors, including strengthening ties with Turkmenistan. Thus, increased volume in trade between the two states is not only advantageous but also expected (Al-Monitor, August 30). Turkmenistan has also expressed interest in using Iran as a transit country to supply other nations with electricity. At the end of November 2022, Owji traveled to Ashgabat to meet with Turkmenistani President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. During these talks, it was proposed that Irans energy system be used to send energy to third-party countries. As an agreement on energy swaps already exists between Tehran and Ashgabat, this is not a stretch for the two countries. Other markets could be reached using agreements in line with that of the TurkmenistaniIranianAzerbaijani arrangement (Orient.tm, June 16). For example, in recent months, contacts have been made between Baghdad and Ashgabat for the export of Turkmenistani gas to Iraq, and Iran represents one of Turkmenistans better options for transiting natural gas to Iraq (Etemad, November 20). Iran, meanwhile, has repeatedly demanded an increase in the amount of gas imported from Turkmenistan and has expressed its desire to swap Turkmenistani gas with Pakistan and India. (Financial Tribune, May 6, 2018). The TAPI (TurkmenistanAfghanistanPakistanIndia) gas pipeline has the potential to be incredibly beneficial for the South Asian market. Turkmenistan will be able to use TAPI as part of its diversification plans and send gas exports further afield. Currently, China is the main export destination for Turkmenistans natural gas, but the development of TAPI means that it would not be necessary for Ashgabat to overly rely on a single country. Iran and Turkey can also benefit from Turkmenistans diversification goals (Modern Diplomacy, August 14). Furthermore, after determining the legal status of the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are hoping to increase cooperation in the energy sector, and if possible, gas from the Dostluq joint field is to be sent to Turkey and Europe via Azerbaijan (Business.com.tm, February 19, 2021). Nevertheless, Tehran cannot begin importing larger quantities of Turkmenistani natural gas until it pays off its outstanding $1.8 billion debt with Ashgabat (see EDM, July 14, 2022). In January 2016, Turkmenistans national gas company Turkmengaz filed a complaint with the International Court of Arbitration against Irans National Gas Company, with the court issuing its verdict in June 2020. According to a statement from the Iranian Ministry of Oil, Tehran has paid an installment of 400 million ($424 million) to Turkmenistan and has negotiated with Ashgabat about the second installment, valued at 470 million ($498 million) (Jahansanat, November 19). Iran was primarily an exporter of natural gas in previous years, but the inconsistencies in gas consumption and production have caused the country to gradually become a net importer. In October 2022, Jalil Salari, Iranian deputy minister of oil and CEO of the National Refining and Distribution Company, implicitly confirmed that Tehran was importing natural gas from Turkmenistan (Mizenaft.com, November 24). In March 2022, statistics from the Iranian Ministry of Energy showed that Irans electricity imports had reached 341 million kilowatts per hour, an increase of 72 percent compared to April 2021. Meanwhile, electricity exports fell by 54 percent to 239 million kilowatt per hour in November 2022. Thus, Iran has also become a net importer of electricity for the first time (DW, May 14). Indeed, Ashgabat can play a key role in facilitating the energy security of Iran and others. Electricity production in Turkmenistan has grown by nearly 60 percent during the past decade. And Iran has received half of its imported electricity from Turkmenistan and the other half from Armenia. According to Iranian Energy Ministry representative Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi, the start of 2021 saw Turkmenistan export 140 megawatts of electricity to Iran to help Tehran meet its needs. Mashhadi explained that such energy imports are necessary to ensure the power supply of Irans northeastern provinces (Turkmenportal, March 6, 2021). As a result of the current energy crisis in Iran, Tehran will need to import more electricity and natural gas from Turkmenistan and other countries. Yet, Irans debt with Turkmenistan and the continuation of Western sanctions remain the main obstacles to deepening cooperation between Tehran and Ashgabat. Ultimately, solving these issues will enable Turkmenistan to use its natural gas exports to create mutual dependence with Iran, in the hopes of strengthening bilateral relations to facilitate future cooperation. By Umud Shokri via The Jamestown Foundation ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A few years ago, the notion that the United States could become the largest LNG exporter in the world would have sounded fantastical. And yet last year, it did just that: the U.S. exported as much liquefied natural gas as Qatar in 2022, at over 81 billion cu m. And its going to export more this year. But the boom may end sooner than many expect. Most of the gas liquefied at Gulf of Mexico terminals last year went to Europe, which was blown off its course towards a fossil fuel-free future by the war in Ukraine and its own reaction to the Russian invasion, which took the form of sanctions that prompted an unsurprising response from Moscow in the form of lower gas deliveries. Few expected that U.S. LNG producers would be able to fill the gap left by Russian gas, especially after Freeport LNG went offline following an explosion, remaining offline until the end of the year. Yet mild weather for most of the time since the start of heating season in Europe helped, and it ended 2022 with sufficient gas supply. This year is expected to be even tougher on European countries, with a lot less Russian gas coming in than last year. Even with higher imports from the United States, there might be a supply gap, which will, in all likelihood, push LNG prices even higher and destroy more demand. And this could ultimately be the undoing of the latest U.S. LNG boom. Related: OPECs Oil Production Rises By 120,000 Bpd In December The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, an energy NGO, wrote in a recent piece on the LNG export boom that there were several important lessons to be drawn from itand these lessons could have significant implications for the future of the U.S. LNG industry. One was that the Biden administration played on role in the surge of exports. A second one was that even with all the U.S. LNG it received, Europe is still short on energy. A third lesson was that the increase in U.S. LNG deliveries was possible without a major increase in production capacity. Another lesson was that Europes comfortable LNG supply levels came at the expense of Asia. The last lesson that the IEEFA said one could draw from LNG export patterns is perhaps the most important: U.S. producers shouldnt rely on long-term demand from Europe. The European Union has been open about this, too. Virtually every EU and member state government official with anything to say about energy has stuck to the transition scenario that sees the EU reducing its dependence on fossil fuels in the long run. Last year has shown that there could be obstacles that might temporarily increase the use of fossil fuelscoal demand from the EU also surged last yearbut this does not appear to have shaken the EUs resolve to continue reducing its dependence on oil and gas. Many would argue that this reduction is physically impossible because, like every other region, the EU needs reliable energy, and wind and solar cannot supply it. Yet high LNG prices could do the trick and deter major demand growth, perhaps even leading to a demand decline as the IEEFA projects. Reuters Gavin Maguire noted in a recent column that U.S. LNG imports into the EU have been both a lifeline and a drain for the bloc. On the one hand, he noted, these increased imports secured sufficient gas in storage for the winter. On the other, it rather emptied European pockets. While last year, prices were the last thing European gas buyers were thinking about, too preoccupied with just finding enough gas to fill storage caverns, this year, prices may draw more attention. Signals of this came last year when 15 EU member states forced the Commission to come up with a proposal for a price cap on imported gassomething all exporters said is not the best idea in the world. U.S. LNG exporters generated revenues of $35 billion over the first nine months of 2022, Reuters Maguire noted in his column. This compared with $8.3 billion in the year-earlier nine-month period. Most of this is essentially the LNG import bill of Europe, and it comes with many other bills for national governments that struggled to cushion the energy price blow for businesses and households. Over the short term, the U.S. will remain Europes top LNG supplier. U.S. companies will continue building new LNG export terminals amid a bright demand outlook for the commodity, including in Asia. ADVERTISEMENT But Asian countries starved of LNG in favor of Europe will be looking for alternativesany alternativeswhile Europe itself doubles down on its renewable energy plans as it comes to realize it has simply switched one gas dependence for another. Over the long run, the ramp-up in U.S. LNG export capacity could end up as stranded assets unless Europes renewable energy dream fails, which, based on the fundamental realities of critical metal supply, is quite likely. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: China to develop community psychiatric rehab services Xinhua) 10:30, January 05, 2023 A psychological counselor in Haikou, Hainan province, answers a phone call about the novel coronavirus outbreak on Feb 1, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua] BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- China has issued a circular on starting a three-year campaign to develop community-based psychiatric rehabilitation services nationwide. Issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the National Health Commission and two other authorities, the circular reveals plans to establish an information platform covering medical facilities, community rehabilitation centers, and patients with mental disorders across the country. The circular requires all prefecture-level cities in China to set up community psychiatric rehabilitation centers with assessment and referral services. It also stresses that staff members at rehabilitation centers should be properly trained. The Ministry of Civil Affairs and several other authorities jointly issued a guideline in 2017, planning to make community rehabilitation psychiatric services accessible in at least 80 percent of China's county-level regions by 2025. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) Russias crude grades from the Arctic, which used to be sold in Europe before the EU embargo, are now heading East to the two biggest buyers of Russian oil since the invasion of UkraineChina and India. Russias grades from the Arctic Arco, Arco/Novy Port, and Varandey have been selling at deep discounts in China and India as the EU embargo and the G7 price cap have further pushed more Russian crude to customers in Asia that have not joined the Price Cap Coalition, according to trade data and sources cited by Reuters. All these Arctic crudes usually go to the EU but now they have to go elsewhere, a Singapore-based trader told Reuters. India imported at the end of 2022 its first cargo of Varandey crude from the Timan-Pechora oilfields operated by Lukoil, per sources and vessel-tracking data from Refinitiv. Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was a small marginal buyer of Russian crude oil. After Western buyers started shunning crude from Russia, India became a top destination for Russian oil exports alongside China. Russia overtook Iraq to become the single-largest oil supplier to India in November, as Indian refiners raced to stock up on Russian oil ahead of the December 5 price cap and associated bans on transportation services for Russias crude. In China, independent refiners have seen their refining margins jump in recent weeks as they have been able to negotiate steeper discounts for their preferred Russian crude grade, ESPO, even if they buy it above the G7 price cap. While China hasnt joined the Price Cap Coalition, the fact that a price cap now exists gives the worlds top crude oil importer, as well as other buyers of Russian crude such as India, more bargaining power to negotiate steep discounts for the Russian crude even outside the price cap mechanism, analysts say. ADVERTISEMENT By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Senior parliamentarians in the UK are sounding the alarm bells over Chinese extensive involvement in North Sea oil and gas, which they say poses a serious security threat to the country. MP Duncan Smith, chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), told City A.M. that Chinese-backed investments in British energy resources pose a very real risk to security. Chinas state-run oil giant CNOOC holds over 43% interest in the UKs North Sea Buzzard oilfield, and over 36% interest in its Golden Eagle oilfield, as well as a near-majority interest in an exploration block, according to SP Global. This, Alicia Kearns, UK Foreign Affairs Select Committee chair, told City A.M. represents a fundamentally inconsistent approach to Chinese investments in the UKs strategic industries. She warned Chinas growing dominance in many key energy sectors poses a very real risk to our security. She called on Downing Street to treat the UK oil and gas industry in the same manner that it has treated the nuclear industry, where the government bought out Chinas 20% stake in Sizewell C. On November 29, the UKs conservative government led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that China would be stripped of its 20% stake in Sizewell, and a joint venture would instead be formed with French EDF. The announcement followed Sunaks statement that the golden era of UK-China ties was over as the Chinese posed a systemic challenge to the countrys strategic interests. Speaking to City A.M., Smith called on Downing Street to expunge Chinese involvement in key strategic industries, accusing the government of failing to take Beijings involvement in the domestic energy sector seriously. We have been calling on the government to carry out a full inventory of Chinese involvement in our strategic industries. They have simply failed to do so, Smith told City A.M. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Iraqi supreme court has issued an arrest warrant for former U.S. President Donald Trump for the assassination on Iraqi soil of Irans Quds Force commander, Qasem Soleimani, IraqiNews reports, citing a Baghdad news agency. The warrant was issued on Thursday in connection both with the killing of Soleimani and of another Iraqi militia leader, chief of staff of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraqboth of whom were killed in a drone strike in January 2020 near the Baghdad airport. That assassination operation led to Iranian strikes on the Aia Al-Assad U.S. base in Iraq. The arrest warrant charges Trump with premeditated murder. While the warrant is clearly symbolic, a conviction of this nature carries the death penalty. The court said the investigation into the killings was still ongoing, AP reported. Citing Baghdad Today news agency, IraqiNews quoted Supreme Judicial Council head Faiq Zaidban as calling on Baghdad to hold Trump accountable for this heinous crime. At the same time, in November, Iraqs parliamentary speaker confirmed that hundredsand possibly thousandsof people had been kidnapped and killed by Iran-backed militias from 2014 to 2016. Iraq, the second-largest oil producer in OPEC, is caught between rivals Iran and the United States, while Irans influence has grown exponentially since the toppling of Saddam Hussein following the 2003 U.S. invasion. In October, ending a long-running stalemate, Iraqs parliament named a new pro-Iranian prime minister and pro-Iranian parties now dominate, having sidelined Shiite rival Moqtada al Sadr, who had been paralyzing the government with anti-Iranian protests. The PMF figure assassinated in a Trump-ordered military operation represented the head of an umbrella group that brought together pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, which enjoyed government support as a loosely defined element of the Iraqi armed forces. ADVERTISEMENT By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Talibans signing of an international oil deal with the Chinese was televised on Thursday--its first international agreement since it took over Afghanistan in August 2021, according to the Diplomat. The Taliban struck a 25-year deal with China-based Xinjiang central Asia Petroleum and Gas Co (CAPEIC) for the Amu Darya oil project. Under the terms of the deal, CAPEIC will invest $150 million per year over the next three years in Afghanistan, then $540 million per year for the next 22 years. The Taliban will carry a 20% share in the project but will have the option to increase its stake to 75%. The Amu Darya oil project will encompass a 4,500 square kilometer area that will be explored over the next three years, during which between 1,000 and 20,000 tons of oil will be extracted, the Talibans Acting Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Shahabuddin Dilawar said. The crude from Amu Darya will be refined in-country, but the Chinese could build the refinery. The Amu Darya basin was previously estimated to hold up to 87 million barrels of crude. CNPC made a deal with the former republic government in Afghanistan over a decade ago to exploit the same resources. Under that former deal, the Afghani powers at the time claimed to be ready for production, according to the Diplomat, but work was stopped shortly thereafter. Since then, the project and its prospects havent been the topic of much discussion. Russia also signed a preliminary deal with the Taliban back in October to provide key fuels to Afghanistanalthough officially, Russia recognizes it as a terrorist group, Iran has showed a willingness to trade with the Taliban as well. The Talibans rule over Afghanistan is precarious and unrecognized by the world. And like Russia, the Taliban has found itself mostly cut off from the global banking system. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: LINCOLN The Nebraska Legislature avoided a partisan fight Wednesday over how to elect committee chairs but couldnt get away from partisanship in their selections. In the two leadership elections pitting a Republican senator against a Democrat, the results almost exactly matched the party breakdown of state lawmakers. State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, a Republican, defeated Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont on a 32-17 vote to take over as Education Committee chairman. Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, a Republican, won against Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha on a 33-15 vote to become Rules Committee chairman. Walz, who chaired the Education Committee for the past two years, said the results were right down party lines, obviously. Nebraskas officially nonpartisan Legislature has 32 GOP members and 17 Democrats. But the first session of the 108th Legislature began with little drama, after a Republican-led push to adopt public voting for leadership elections was postponed to another day. That meant the three committees with leadership contests were decided using the traditional secret ballots. Uncontested chairmanship candidates were elected by acclamation. The first day of the session began with the swearing in of 25 senators who were elected or reelected in November, along with one appointed senator, followed by Sen. John Arch of La Vista being chosen the next Speaker of the Legislature without opposition. Lawmakers temporarily adopted last years rules, which will remain in effect until permanent rules are adopted on or before Jan. 20 under a motion from Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood. There was no attempt to amend the rules, as some suspected there might be. The suspicion stems from an ongoing Republican effort to end secret ballot voting to elect legislative leadership. The effort gained momentum last year when the Nebraska First PAC, founded by former GOP gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster, set its sights on making the rules change a reality. Lawmakers still have a chance to change the permanent rules, but if the effort succeeds, it would not affect legislative leadership until the 109th Legislature begins in 2025. Under Nebraskas Constitution, the state Legislature is nonpartisan. That means state lawmakers are elected and serve without regard to party affiliation and political parties are not part of the legislative structure or process. Defenders of secret ballots said the practice helps preserve that nonpartisanship by allowing senators to vote for the best person rather than being pressured to vote for the one chosen by political leaders. But using secret ballots didnt keep partisanship out of this years leadership elections. Most of the candidates seeking chairmanships were unopposed, after potential opponents counted noses and decided against running. Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue, who had previously said she wanted to run for the Business and Labor Committee spot, ended up dropping out. She said she made that decision because she did not want to participate in a process that has become increasingly partisan and more influenced by deal-making. Party affiliation wasnt the only issue separating the Education Committee candidates, however. Murman and Walz outlined very different views on education in their nomination speeches. Murman said the committee should work with Gov.-elect Jim Pillen to revamp school funding to provide state aid to more school districts and help property taxpayers. Pillen has called for distributing state dollars on a per-pupil basis, rather than based on educational needs and district resources. He said parents should be recognized as the foremost decision-makers in their childs upbringing, including having a choice in where their children are educated. He also called for K-12 education to hammer down on the basics including an appreciation of the God-given rights this nation has preserved for students. Walz touted her work as Education Committee chair in responding to the COVID pandemic, the teacher shortage and the school shooting at a Uvalde, Texas, grade school, including bills providing funding for teacher incentive pay and working to set up a state school safety task force. She said she had worked to build bridges with educators and other stakeholders to make sure all were on the same page about educating kids and also providing a future workforce. She promised to continue to showcase all the good our schools do for our families, communities and the state. Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, who was elected chairman of the Legislatures Executive Board, said Wednesday that he thinks an attempt will be made to change the rules but doesnt believe it will be successful. Not for lack of support, he said, but because lawmakers dont have the means to cease debate and force a vote in the event that opponents filibuster the amendment. Briese previously told The World-Herald that leadership elections are one of the most important parts of each session, so lawmakers votes should be known to the public. Rod Edwards, spokesman of the Nebraska First PAC, previously estimated that as many as 31 senators may support the rules change, but that may not matter if opposing senators opt to filibuster. Unlike bills and resolutions, a rules amendment can be filibustered, but the filibuster cant be stopped by a cloture motion, according to Patrick ODonnell, former clerk of the Legislature. In 2017, ODonnell said lawmakers spent two months debating amendments to permanent rules, and the debate only stopped when the lawmakers backing the amendments abandoned their effort. Erdman, the new Rules Committee chair and one of 25 senators who signed a pledge supporting the end of secret ballot voting, said Wednesday that he hopes this session wont see a repeat of 2017. He said the committee will start looking at proposed rules changes on Friday. We can figure out how to (adopt permanent rules) efficiently and quickly, he said. Photos: Omaha World-Herald best photos of 2022 McLean County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours Wednesday, Dec. 14 IWU Hansen Center, Bloomington Photos by Carlos t. Miranda The McLean County Chamber of Commerce announced its 2022 Legacy of Excellence honoree and its finalists for the Business Excellence Awards. Awards will be presented at the chambers annual gala on Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Illinois State University Brown Ballroom. Julie Dobski, owner of Little Jewels Learning Center, will receive the chambers most prestigious honor, the Legacy of Excellence award. The Business Excellence Awards honor member businesses, agencies and individuals that have shown outstanding performance, quality customer service and business distinctiveness. Finalists for the award, which is given in five categories, are as follows: Micro business: OhmFit Activewear Tracy Patkunas, Realtor with RE/MAX Rising Suzi Nafziger, Compass Mortgage Reiser, Chinksi LLC PIP Printing Small business: Covenant Plumbing Snyder Insurance Agency Carlson Exteriors K-9 Country Club Ropp Jersey Cheese Large business: Synergy Home Care Wilber Group Gailey Eye Clinic OBrien Mitsubishi Growmark New/emerging business: BloNo Pizza Co. Reliable Pools Summers Plumbing Heating & Cooling Nothing Bundt Cakes Stable Music Lounge Ghana is poised to request debt relief through the G20 Common Framework programme and has sought reassurances that the negotiations can be expedited before proceeding, Reuters sources have said. It said Ghana, which secured a $3 billion staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in mid-December, has been hesitating due to the long delays faced by other countries using the process, one source familiar with the government's thinking said. The West African country must restructure its debt to get the final approval to access the IMF funds. In December, Ghana launched a domestic debt exchange and later said it would default on nearly all of its $28.4 billion of external debts. The source said Ghana had reached out to the Paris Club of creditor countries in December to ask for assurances that the Common Framework process, set up by the Group of 20 leading economies in 2020 in response to COVID-19, could be expedited. If it received such assurances, the government would quickly sign up to the Common Framework, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A Paris Club official told Reuters that the group had received a letter from Ghana's government, but declined to give further detail. Another source with knowledge of Ghana's debt restructuring said it was hard to see any other outcome for Ghana than signing up to the Common Framework as they had no other options left. A third source, who is familiar with the thinking of the IMF, said Ghana going through the Common Framework programme was under discussion and the most probable outcome, as well as the preferred option for the Paris Club. The Common Framework, designed to allow for speedy debt reworks, has been widely criticized for its glacial progress. Chad, Ethiopia and Zambia signed up in early 2021. While Chad secured a deal with creditors in November, Zambia is still locked in talks. Ethiopia's progress was held up by civil war. No comment Ghana's finance ministry did not respond to a request for comment. However, speaking on the day when the IMF deal was announced, Ghana's finance minister said the Common Framework was "plagued with difficulties" and that the government would need guarantees of speed to sign up to it, in order not to "derail momentum". Only poorer nations are eligible to request a Common Framework treatment, which will lead to an official creditor committee being convened and negotiations that are supported by the IMF and the World Bank. Alternatively, a country aiming to restructure can do so by negotiating individually with each creditor. Ghana's public debt was 467.4 billion cedis ($47.7 billion) in September 2022, of which about $4 billion was bilateral, according to the Institute of International Finance. Of that, $1.9 billion was held by Paris Club countries and $1.7 billion by China. Some holders of Ghana's $13 billion overseas sovereign dollar bonds had previously said they would prefer the country not to go through what they viewed as a drawn-out and ineffective process. Source: Reuters Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is taking giant steps to have debts of Ghana, along with five other countries cancelled. If the negotiations go through, Chad, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Ethiopia and Zambia, are also to benefit from a possible cancellation of debts owed their respective international creditors. The possible cancellation of debts owed international creditors by Ghana and the other countries follow the distressed debt challenges of the countries. Making the disclosure in an interview on Wednesday, Managing Director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva stated that, It is very important for their people that we find the resolution to the debt problem, but the risk of contagion is not as high. Ms. Georgieva explained that current global condition makes it difficult for debt distressed countries to honour their debt obligations due to international liquidity squeeze. If the debt list continues to grow, let us remember that 25% of emerging markets are tragically stressed territory she warned, adding that global economic giants are themselves struggling due to COVID-19 and the Russia invasion of Ukraine. Providing some details, she stated that the IMF is engaging both traditional and non-traditional creditors to find some space for poor countries in debt distress positions to bring some relief. In the IMF, we are working very hard to press for that resolution for these countries. We have engaged the traditional creditors, and the non-traditional creditors, like China, India, and Saudi Arabia. We have to act now, she stressed. She pointed out that 2023 is going to be a tough year for China, a major non-traditional creditor. This, she said could further affect developing countries with high debt level since China will not be able to provide cheaper funds. Ghana commences external debt restructuring discussions with creditors Ghana, in December 2022 commenced external debt restructuring discussions with its external creditors. Discussions with external creditors the Finance Chief Ken Ofori-Atta noted, was between the Government of Ghana and both bilateral and individual creditors. According to the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, discussions with external creditors had intensified and was hopeful external creditors would agree to Governments external debt restructuring programme. We have already started external debt restructuring discussions with external creditors, he noted at a press briefing in December last year. Currently, Ghanas debt to external creditors is in the range of $28bn. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mrs. Grace Nyarko Yeboah, a Senior Staff Nurse at the Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital, has advised pregnant mothers to attend ante-natal healthcare clinics to prepare well for safe delivery. She said attending ante-natal clinics and following the pieces of advice from health staff, coupled with prayers helps a lot to avoid complications during childbirth. This, she said, also guarantees the safety of the mother and baby. Mrs. Yeboah gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency about ante-natal clinic attendance and the number of births recorded at the hospital during the Christmas and New Year festive season at Dormaa-Ahenkro, Dormaa Central Municipality of Bono Region. She said the hospital recorded 15 births-11 males and four females on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and one birth on New Years Day. There were two deliveries by the caesarian section, but the babies and their mothers were in stable condition and had been discharged. Related Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Dr. Ernest Ofori Sarpong is the Chief Executive Officer of Special Group of Companies and Co-founder of United Television (UTV), all based in Accra in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The business magnate with a heart of gold has a pristine credibility and integrity worth emulating by all young entrepreneurs and upstarts. Dr. Ernest Ofori Sarpong has over the years positioned himself in the business world not just outstandingly but also become the source of livelihood and inspiration to many Ghanaians and the world at large. Bridging the unemployment gap, he has created several jobs for tons of people, provided for the needy and the deprived in society in a way that leaves many people in awe admiring his magnanimity. Philanthropically, Dr. Ernest Ofori Sarpongs name will for a lifetime remain on the lips of his beneficiaries as he gives cheerfully and willingly with love and a sense of responsibility to be genuinely good to people. In the corporate and business world, one cannot mention names without this foremost figure whose business acumen is second to none. Dr. Ernest Ofori is a global icon, a humble man and leader with an immaculate record distinguishable from others and a great inspiration to both the young and old. PROFILE Dr. Ernest Ofori Sarpong is an astute businessman with many years experience. He is a product of the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (Presec). He has an amazing business career in the small and medium enterprise industry; an industrialist and holds MSc in Finance and Investment Management from Salford University Manchester in United Kingdom. He set up the SPECIAL INVESTMENTS LTD which is a real estate and construction business and can boast of a significant number of estate houses and apartments in very strategic areas of the city and numerous office complexes and shops. In 2011, he solely founded and set up the mineral water company, SPECIAL ICE LTD. He also founded SPECIAL HOMES LTD, a real estate company. He co-founded with a close friend; BESTPOINT SAVINGS AND LOANS CO. LTD which is already a highly recognized financial institution in Ghana, BEST ASSURANCE LTD, which is a renowned insurance company. U2 SALT LTD a 600 acre salt mining company and a refinery at Winneba in the Central Region. UNITED TELEVISION (UTV Ltd), which is currently the leading TV station in the country. Honors The Peristrofi World Honorary International Award Conference bestowed on him an Honorary Ambassador of Business Entrepreneur in West Africa. He has been conferred with a Doctorate Degree of Philosophy in Law from Barkley University for his contribution to the socio-economic development of Ghana. He has been decorated with the Highest Distinction of Global Dignity Awards for Service to Humanity at the United Nations, New York with the Proclamation by the Senate of New York. He has received lots of recognitions and awards locally and internationally and has attended various local and international conferences, seminars and business workshops among others. He is; Honorary Fellow Chartered Institute of Credit Management Ghana Honorary Member, Ghana Institute of Journalism The President of East Legon Executive Fitness Club. The Global President of PRESEC Old Boys Association The Board Chairman of the Governing Council, PRESEC The Board Chairman Emy Awards He has been appointed to the Board of National COVID Trust Fund of Ghana by the President of Ghana. Source: Adu Gyamfi Ameyaw/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Trade and Industry Minister Hon Alan Kyerematen has commissioned a rice processing factory in Savelugu in the Northern Region as part of the 1D1F industrialization project. The long-serving Trade and Industry Minister led a team of officials in the Northern Region to commission the Savelugu rice processing factories at a short ceremony on Wednesday, December 28, 2022. Under the theme "Boosting Local Enterprise For Job Creation and Economic Prosperity Towards a Ghana Beyond Aid", the latest commissioning adds to several local enterprises boosted by the One District One Factory Project (1D1F). The Trade and Industry Minister charged natives and other home-based technocrats to move towards industrialization in a bid to create a Ghana Beyond Aid. The rice processing factory is set to employ hundreds of Ghanaians both in direct and indirect Agricultural chains. As a flagship social intervention and unemployment remedy, One District One Factory is a brainchild of Hon Alan Kyerematen and has since lived up to its billing in the last six years. New factories and enterprises have been set up under the policy whiles existing state-owned and private firms have been revamped with logistics and finances. Known for his industrial expertise, Hon Alan Kyerematen carved a niche in the political space thanks to his rich foresight on future economic trends and employment demands. Speaking at the Commissioning of the Rice processing factory in Savelugu, the trade Minister has this to say. "Hon Minister, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I believe you will agree with me that for any industrialisation drive to thrive, there will be the need for ready technological support in terms of equipment repairs, component and spare parts provision, maintenance and other services. Accordingly, what we have done is introduce the Technology Solution Centre concept under the Rural Enterprises Programme and the GRATIS Foundation. As indicated by the National Director of REP, Savelugu Technology Solution Centre is expected to support not only the rice factory here, but provide modern-day technology support services to all factories in its catchment area. To ensure the sustainability of the operations of the Technology Solution Centre, processes are underway to recruit a private-sector operating firm. Full-scale operations will then commence as soon as the process is completed", Hon Alan Kyerematen told the stakeholders present. He then urged the District Assemblies to provide other logistics needed for the smooth administration of the facility. "In conclusion, let me thank the District Assemblies for providing the land and Electricity Transformer for the factories. I urge them to provide all other needed support at the local level to ensure that the factories are profitable and sustainable and ultimately contribute to the promotion of local economic development. Let me also invite financial institutions especially the Participating Financial Institutions under the 1D1F programme to support these companies with the required financial assistance to make them more competitive. The Ministry will continue to provide the enabling business environment to ensure the sustainability of your businesses", the visibly excited Trade Minister urged. The industrial revolutionist has given life to the home-based technocrats with persistent calls for empowering the technicians and other Vocation specialists. He is expected to commission other factories in the coming months as part of the Agenda One District One Factory (1D1F)Project. Source: peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghana's Trade and Industry Minister Hon Alan Kyerematen has inspired Ghanaians to be hopeful of the future as 2023 held a lot of promise. He said despite the difficulties the country faced in 2022, measures put in place with assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would help turn things around for the better. Speaking at the Calvary Charismatic Church in Accra, the revered politician chronicled the woes of other countries across the globe as against the current state of Ghana. He thanked the Almighty Allah for His Mercies on Ghanaians at a time globally revered economies were on their knees. "Find out from even the most advanced countries like UK, United States of America, Germany or France, from north to south, east and west, go and find out some were queuing for bread, petrol and cooking oil. These are even rich nations, but for Gods grace we never queued for petrol. "This was not because of our might or knowledge or government power, it was by the grace of God", the Minister said and asked Ghanaians to be thankful to God for His mercies bestowed on us. Hon Alan Kyerematen ended 2022 with prayer visits to Faith Gospel Church, Family Chapel International, St Cyprian Anglican Cathedral and Calvary Charismatic Church (CCC) to usher in 2023. He has recently commissioned a number of factories in the last few weeks to crown his dream industrialization agenda. Ghana's Trade and Industry Minister Hon Alan Kyerematen has inspired Ghanaians with an emotional message on New Year day after a promising end to the hectic 2022. The experienced Minister leaned on the promising end to the year with an inspiring message to Ghanaians amidst global economic meltdown. Speaking at the New Year's Eve service at the Calvary Charismatic Church in Kumasi, the revered politician chronicled urged Ghanaians to trust in the prudent management of the economy as against serious odds, Ghanaians have coped better with the global economic crises than countries. "Find out from even the most advanced countries like UK, United States of America, Germany or France, from North to South, East and West, go and find out some were queuing for bread, petrol and cooking oil. These are even rich nations, but for Gods grace we never queued for petrol or any of these commodities. "This was not because of our might or knowledge or the governments power. It was by the grace of God", the Minister said and asked Ghanaians to be thankful Gods mercies on the nation. Hon Alan Kyerematen ended 2022 with prayer visits to Faith Gospel Church, Family Chapel International, St Cyprian Anglican Cathedral and Calvary Charismatic Church (CCC) in Kumasi to usher in 2023. He recently commissioned a number of factories in the last few weeks to crown his dream industrialization agenda. Source: peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghanaian business magnate and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of McDan Group of Companies, Dr. Daniel Mchkorley, has government intensify its industrialization agenda under the One District One Factory initiative amidst the global economic crisis. The globally celebrated business mogul heaped kind words on the potential economy-changing 1D1F project, describing it as the best thing to ever happen to Ghana. As part of the Industrialization drive under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Hon Alan Kyerematen and his team of officials majored in the One District One Factory Project as a flagship policy from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). The project, which has since produced over *100* functional factories, created thousands of direct and indirect jobs across beneficial districts. As a seasoned and successful business mogul on African soil, Dr. Daniel Mchkorley did not mince words in celebrating the priceless nature of the policy. Speaking on Joy News Super Morning drive, McDan as he is affectionately known, called on Ghanaians not to politicize the initiative. "We don't have to play politics with it because this is what will create jobs for the ordinary man on the street. This is a business model that can make you fall in some areas. The one District One Factory is one of the best things to ever happen to this country. I really supported it and still support it. There is too much hope in the 1D1F and we don't have to joke with it", McDan said on Joy News. The One District One Factory is a collaboration between the Ghana government and the private sector that has seen many new factories set up or old and defunct factories revived. The policy has seen many Automobile factories, rice processing, juice processing, and other domestic sectors revived through the collaboration of the government and private sector. "What we lack here is job creation and one of the requirements from IMF is that the government can't employ. This is the time the Private sector can set in to employ people", McDan emphasized. On the workability of the initiative, the successful businessman urged the government to put a monitoring team in place to guide the activities of the 1D1F initiative. "I thought the government was going to set up a monitoring and evaluation team to look after 1D1F. They were to look at where to set up factories", he concluded. One District One Factory is one of the most celebrated initiatives from the ruling NPP and has been credited as the brainchild of the current Trade and Industry Minister, Hon Alan Kyerematen. Some African countries have studied the functional mode of the initiative and are currently implementing it across the globe. Source: peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghana Police Service and Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) have debunked claims of the whereabouts of some 48 alleged terrorists. In a joint statement, they said No supposed terrorists have been arrested by the Police and the Ghana Immigration Service, and there is certainly no blame game going on between the two state security agencies as is being falsely claimed by the Ghanaian Times Newspaper. 48 alleged terrorists missing? According to the Ghanaian Times Newspaper, confusion has erupted over the whereabouts of 48 foreigners who were arrested in connection with alleged terrorism and other fraudulent acts in September, last year. While the police claimed the suspects were handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) in the Ejisu Municipality to deal with them, the latter insists the police handled the matter. Those arrested are not terrorists The joint statement, however, admitted there was an arrest but the suspects are not terrorists. We would like to put on record, for the avoidance of any doubt, that some 48 foreign nationals were arrested by the police and the Immigration in two separate operations at Ekyem, Achiase and Akokoamong near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region in September 2022 for engaging in illegal Network Marketing (QNET). A portion of the statement said Read the below full statement 1. The attention of the Police Service and Immigration Service has been drawn to a publication by the Ghanaian Times Newspaper - on the front page and page 12 - of Thursday, January 5, 2023, which story has also since then been carried by other media houses alleging that there is a blame game between the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Immigration Service over the whereabouts of some 48 alleged terrorists. 2. We wish to state categorically that the said publication is false and should be disregarded. No supposed terrorists have been arrested by the Police and the Ghana Immigration Service, and there is certainly no blame game going on between the two state security agencies as is being falsely claimed by the Ghanaian Times Newspaper. 3. We would like to put on record, for the avoidance of any doubt, that some 48 foreign nationals were arrested by the police and Immigration in two separate operations at Ekyem, Achiase and Akokoamong near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region in September 2022 for engaging in illegal Network Marketing (QNET). 4. All 48 suspects were profiled in line with the standard operating procedures of our two institutions and were repatriated to their various home countries between September 26th and September 29, 2022. 5. We would like to urge the public, especially the media, to be circumspect in their use of the term terrorists and avoid using the word loosely and irresponsibly, thus create unwarranted fear and panic in a peaceful society such as ours. 6. Our two state security institutions continue to collaborate and partner with each other in the discharge of our respective mandates for the good of our beloved country. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A female teacher at Atebubu Anglican JHS, Madam Akosua Rose Adubea has donated a quantity of pampers to nursing mothers at Atebubu Government Hospital to relieve them of the burden of the cost of purchasing same, especially during the yelutile. Presenting the items, Rose Adubea said she was motivated by the fact that prices of goods and services have risen up including baby diapers hence the need to assist nursing mothers who delivered babies during the Christmas festivities and the new year. ' Some of them are from poor farming communities and purchasing diapers required by nurses for use of their babies is a challenge so I thought it wise to at least assist them with my widow's might during their stay at the facility as part of my Christmas gifts. They include 960 medium-size pieces and 450 small-size pieces. They should distribute them to nursing mothers at the maternity and children's wards. Receiving the items, the midwife in charge of the maternity ward, madam Theresa Oppong Yeboah thanked the donor for it and further appealed to other benevolent organizations and well-wishers to replicate her example and come to her aid so that she will be able to do to other facilities in the Bono East region. Other private clinics in the municipality also benefited from her kind gesture. Source: peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Bernard Oduro Takyi, a former JCR president of Commonwealth Hall, University of Ghana, has asked the management of the university to maintain the reputation and tradition of the Commonwealth Hall and not seek to alter its current status. He argued that it is unconstitutional for the university administration to attempt to remove all male students enrolled in Mensah Sarbah Hall and the Commonwealth Hall. Making a case for why the long-standing repute and tradition of the hall should be kept, he claimed that because of the hall's status, Queen Elizabeth II, flew from the United Kingdom in 1957 to honour the Chief Vandal of the hall. In 2023 they want to sack every student here and bring in only freshmen, and were saying no. This hall that you see, a whole queen Elizabeth came from the UK to greet our chief vandal in 1957 and you think we will sit down for one vice chancellor with professorship to change that hall, she is joking, Bernard Oduro Takyi angrily said. The former JCR president of the Commonwealth Hall in an interview with GhanaWeb argued that the University has systems in place to address housing difficulties and that the management violated the appropriate legislation and took unconstitutional measures. The Management of the University of Ghana last December revoked the accommodation of all continuing male students of the Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Halls after another round of clashes involving the two feuding halls. According to a statement signed by the Registrar of the University on December 14, 2022, the residents are to be randomly assigned to available rooms in any of the University of Ghana Enterprise Limited Hostel (UGEl) and private hostels. The statement further mentioned that continuing female students of Mensah Sarbah Hall and students with special needs in both halls will not be affected. Source: ghanaweb Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Honourable Samuel Atta Akyea, has called for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to unite behind Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as the partys flagbearer for the 2024 elections. Atta Akyea said Bawumias competence is unmatched, describing it as over the top and said he is uniquely qualified to deliver Ghana from any economic woes. Atta Akya made his submission during an appearance on Metro TVs Good Evening Ghana programme on Tuesday, January 3rd 2022. I am of the humble view that Dr. Bawumia will be the first president who is an economist and therefore nobody is going to say that the president didnt understand the economy that is why the economy is a mess. Now, he is in the saddlenow you are president, deliver us from the economic mess. Who understands the economy better than the one who is an economist himself? So, in terms of competence, I am persuaded that he has it and he is over the top, he told host Paul Adom-Otchere. Atta Akyea said the NPP must prioritise competence above all in choosing a running mate and not default to tribal or religious considerations. The legislator said the NPP should simply unify behind Dr Bawumia rather than go through a divisive primary and called for Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyeremanten to be named as Bawumias running mate to satisfy all factions. The NPP is expected to elect a flagbearer for the 2024 elections later this year. A slew of top party officials are expected to contest including the Agric Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong and former party General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyapong. The race is widely expected to be a two-horse race between Dr Bawumia who has won the hearts and minds of the party faithful with his economic genius and digital agenda and Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten who would be coming for his due after being denied the flagbearer position by Nana Akufo-Addo in 2008. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Lawyer for Akonta Mining Company, Kwame Adom Appiah, has appreciated President Akufo-Addo for exonerating the mining firm after it was wrongly accused of engaging in illegal mining. Lawyer Adom Appiah stated that from his position as Counsel for Akonta Mining, he was aware that the operations of the mining firm never contravened the law. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has exonerated Akonta Mining Company Limited from any wrongdoing, stressing that the Company is not involved in any illegal mining anywhere in Ghana. Let me respond briefly to the chairperson on the issue of illegal mining, President Akufo-Addo remarked after concerns about the menace came to the fore at the 28th National and 16th Biennial Congress of the National Union of Ghana Catholic Diocesan Priests Association held in Koforidua. I want to assure him and all of you that Akonta Mining is not engaged in any illegal mining anywhere in Ghana as we speak. Further, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has through the agency of the Forestry Commission with the assistance of the military made the effort to cordon off all 294 sites of forest reserves in the country and rid them of illegal mining as we speak. President Akufo-Addo was responding to a concern expressed by the chairperson of the occasion, Ing. Ken Ashigbey, regarding Akonta Mining Company Limiteds supposed infraction of the laws to mine in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Western North Region. Lawyer Adom Appiah noted that Akonta mining is a registered large scale mining firm and investigations conducted by the Minerals Commission and Forestry Commission has proven that there was nothing illegal about its operations. State institution responsible for the investigation were given all evidence and realized that people had falsely accused Akonta mining. Forestry commission and minerals commission were all involved and facts proved, Akonta wasnt engaged in any illegal activity, he said. Taking at swipe at some media houses who deliberately accused Akonta Mining and its owner Chairman Wontumi for operating his mine, lawyer Appiah stated that on the compound of the mining company, they had their own dam which doesnt run into any water body but we had some media houses in Ghana saying otherwise. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The United Kingdom branch of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is mounting more pressure on the main opposition political party, National Democratic Congress (NDC) especially its new National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and the 2020 presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, following a confession made in connection with the 2020 polls. The NPP UK branch is calling on former President Mahama, Asiedu Nketiah, and the entire NDC party to apologize to the Supreme Court Judges, and the good people of the Republic of Ghana, for deceiving the entire nation. Following the mind-boggling revelation and confession by Mr Asiedu Nketiah, Mr Mahama must also apologize to the Judiciary for the unwarranted disparaging comments he made about the Supreme Court following the dismissal of his petition. In a leaked audio recording, the NDC General Secretary, who was addressing some Party executives, stated emphatically that even though they knew that their Party (NDC) had lost the 2020 General Election on fair grounds and therefore did not have any cause of action, they still went ahead to deceive their supporters and lie to the Ghanaian people that the election was rigged, and petitioned the Supreme Court under false pretences, portions of the statement read. The NDC, led by former President John Mahama, vigorously embarked on a campaign of hate against the Judiciary, scandalizing and attacking the very integrity of the Justices, and calling them UNANIMOUS FC, simply because they judged rightly that his petition lacked merit. It is against this that the NPP finds this conduct of the NDC leadership not only unpatriotic but also very disgraceful and unconscionable. As a group, we find this development very worrying considering the content in the leaked audio which in the words of Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, confirmed their party had no collated results. Hence without any substantial basis to proceed to court, and describing the election as rigged in favour of the 2nd respondent. He went further to confirm their lead counsel Lawyer Tsikata according to the said audio, had gone ahead to advise them not to proceed to the court since there was nothing substantial to rely on with the information at their disposal. With members of the NDC party were thrown onto the streets with claims by their leadership of election rigging, which almost brought the country to a standstill but by the timely intervention of the security agencies. It is therefore necessary for the above-mentioned names to apologize and exhibit patriotism and care, especially as a group and persons that seek to lead the country and its people. Their conduct could have easily put the entire country in flames. It is on this basis we as a political group in the UK, is calling for the NDC party and its leadership to apologize to the good people of Ghana, a statement signed by NPP UK Communications Director- Kwaku Bimpeh read in part. It continued that Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah was severally asked about actual figures obtained by his candidate and could not produce but only gave a cheeky answer that they did not present that as their case but they had it. Knowing he had sworn on the Holy Bible in court to be truthful, he clearly deceived the court knowing he and his team couldnt even collate simple results. Sadly, the situation was compounded when former President Mahama with all his public life experiences, publicly described the Supreme Court Justices as Unanimous FC. This was the lowest any state official could go, let alone a former President. There are several efforts to repair the long-compounded existing perception of our state institutions and their conduct. It described the comments by the NDC after the 2020 polls as irresponsible which further threaten the foundations of the state democratic systems, and should never be encouraged by any political group. On this basis, according to the NPP branch, we find it very important the former President and his NDC party apologize to the Judges first, and then to the good people of Ghana. If former President Mahama truly care about Ghana and mean well, then assuming he was misled, he should apologise to the very people he led and the institution that worked under his leadership. We do believe no group or persons with such conduct and actions should be allowed close to the corridors of power as a serious country. We on this basis are calling on former President Mahama, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, and the entire NDC party to apologize to the Supreme court Judges and the good people of Ghana for deceiving the entire country about the alleged 2020 election rigging when indeed they had not even collated their results to have a basis to even start with their petition. It therefore called on all well-meaning Ghanaians and other social, religious and political organizations, as well as other civil society organizations, to join the call to ensure the NDC and its leadership do the needful, saying that It is about time people are held accountable in all they do. Meanwhile, ahead of the NDC national executives election, Mr. Nketiah after admitting to no evidence of the party winning the 2020 polls, told morning show host of Peace FM that the audio recording which he was captured on making the confession was not a leaked tape but he had said it on several campaign platforms. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The artificial intelligence item pool generation tool uses natural language processing to create items that can be used in the development of personality scales. Credit: Ivan Hernandez When it comes to hiring, it can be a challenge for an employer to find the perfect person for the job. As a result, organizations often utilize personality scales as an aid in determining whether a candidate is the right fit. While there are several widely used personality tests on the market, organizations may be looking for traits or skills that are not measured by scales already in existence. Creating a new scalewhich takes the work of experts such as personality, organizational, social, or clinical psychologistscan be time-consuming and costly. With this in mind, Ivan Hernandez, an assistant professor in the Virginia Tech Department of Psychology, wanted to find a way to make the creation of personality scales easier and more accessible. "As psychologists, there are so many different aspects of personality that we'd be interested in measuring," said Hernandez. "But the hard part is, how do you do it? How do you come up with the right questions to know if a person is a good friend, to know if a person would be a diligent worker, to know if a person is emotionally intelligent?" While those questions are typically devised by subject matter experts, Hernandez has suggested an alternative sourceartificial intelligence. Working with research consultant Weiwen Nie of Hogan Assessment Systems Inc. Hernandez has created a framework for using various natural language processing models to assist researchers with developing valid psychological scales. In the traditional method of creating personality scales, subject matter experts are called on to create a pool of items that may fit a particular personality traitfor example, "I like going to parties" as a measure of extraversion. That pool forms the basis for the scale creation, which is administered and tested before being deployed. In Hernandez's framework, a transformer-based language model generates the artificial intelligence-based item pool (AI-IP), consisting of a million new itemsfar more than any group of experts could create. Additional language processing models narrow the pool to the items most relevant to the desired construct, such as extraversion. Essentially, this multimodel framework enables researchers to create longer, cohesive scales from a small set of relevant items. The best part? Scales created using the AI-IP perform just as well as scales that are created through the human process of validation and calibration. "When we give these items to people and we show them real items that were not made by a computer, people just can't tell the difference," said Hernandez. "This song and dance that we do as humans of making personalized scales through committee can really be resolved by leveraging the internalized knowledge of an artificial intelligence model." The framework designed by Hernandez and Nie can help organizations cut down on the time and expense involved in creating personality scales. By relying on artificial intelligence to create the pool of items, the inherent subjectivity, inconsistency, and bias of humans is also bypassed. More importantly, the framework, which is openly available, achieves Hernandez's goals of improving accessibility to personality measurements. Now anyonewhether it's a lawyer who wants to gauge the trustworthiness of a jury pool or a college student wondering about their new roommate's cleanlinesscan create a personality scale. "This framework was intended for organizational use, but I truly think it's something that can help everyday people," said Hernandez. "People are interested in personalitybut I think they just perhaps don't know of more validated ways to go about exploring their interest than the measures most commonly seen on social media or in pop culture." An article describing the framework and how it was created is being published in a 2023 Personnel Psychology special issue focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in personnel selection and staffing. Those interested in experimenting with the AI-IP generation tool can access the application online. More information: Ivan Hernandez et al, The AIIP: Minimizing the guesswork of personality scale item development through artificial intelligence, Personnel Psychology (2022). DOI: 10.1111/peps.12543 Journal information: Personnel Psychology This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Number of Antarctic taxon-specific collections held by museums versus principal investigators. Data were obtained from a survey deployed to Antarctic scientists, museum curators, and collection managers in 2021. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212800119 Not everybody can travel to Antarctica for months at a time to study the continent's unique ecology, flora and fauna. Now two Northeastern University professors are among those calling for the establishment of an Antarctic biorepository to make sure that any serious researcher who wants to study the birds, animals, plants and microorganisms of the polar south gets a chance to do so. According to Daniel Distel, director of the Ocean Genome Legacy Center, and H. William Detrich, professor emeritus at Northeastern's Marine Science Center, the repository would help preserve a record of the rich biological diversity of the Southern Ocean and continent, which are uniquely susceptible to global warming. The coldest place on earth, Antarctica is also the fastest warming, Distel says. He says researchers need access to biological samples from the area to learn "how global warming is affecting Antarctic species and to better understand how to protect them." "The biorepository will help democratize science, especially biological science," Detrich says, adding, "There are many more scientists who want to study species in Antarctica than are able to actually get there." The Antarctic biorepository network would operate as a network from which people could borrow frozen tissue samples and dried biological specimens from collections across the U.S. "People would be able to tap into a central database and find out where the materials are," Distel says. Detrich and Distel were among nearly two dozen scientists who contributed to a Dec. 8 commentary in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences calling for the National Science Foundation to fund an Antarctic biorepository network. Currently, invaluable specimens are scattered across dozens of private collections and university laboratories. A few are also housed in museums. Not only are the specimens hard to track down, Detrich says, they are in danger of being tossed when scientists retire. In Detrich's case, his freezer full of biological samplescollected on more than 20 expeditions to Antarcticawere saved from the waste heap when he and Distel got the idea to establish a polar genomics collection at the Ocean Genome Legacy Center of the Marine Science Center and Coastal Sustainability Institute in Nahant, Massachusetts. "The U.S. Antarctic program has invested millions of dollars in my research program on the ice. Those millions of dollars are now in my freezer at Northeastern," Detrich says. The Ocean Genome Legacy Center now houses more than 30,000 marine DNA samples, not only from Detrich's Antarctic explorations but also from the research of ocean scientists around the world. Researchers already are able to borrow samples from OGL, but the establishment of a national Antarctic biorepository would make the lending process easierand more uniform, Distel and Detrich say. "Currently, researchers make their own collections and store their materials in their own way and store data in their own way," Distel says. Uniform standards would make the lending process easierand increase confidence in the reliability of specimens and data. Distel says participants in a three-day virtual workshop in February convened by Kristin M. O'Brien of the University of Alaska in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic recognized that the lack of a biorepository was "an opportunity lost." "They realized that there was a vast resource out there that was not being adequately tapped," Distel says. A white paper that came out of the workshop resulted in the PNAS opinion piece by O'Brien and Elizabeth L. Crockett of Ohio University to which Distel and Detrich also contributed. As a subject of study, Antarctica is unique and holds important clues about the planet's health. The continent's ice sheath is the largest on earth and contains 90% of the world's ice in addition to 70% of its fresh water. As the continent and its ocean warm faster than any other place on earth, the clock is ticking on opportunities to study its biodiversity, most of which consists of marine life, Distel and Detrich say. "We need to be able to predict what kind of changes will occur to the biology of the ecosystem," Detrich says. "What kind of predictions can we make about the future of the food web in the Southern Ocean? Are some animals or phytoplankton more sensitive than others? If we have genomic resources, we can study these processes very closely, very carefully," he says. There is much to be discovered about life forms in Antarctica, Distel says. "We know that there are threats facing all these organisms, but we haven't completely cataloged what's out there," he says. "A lot of what's out there is still unknown, so there's the risk of losing things before we've even learned they exist." Teaching responsibilities and lack of research funds keep many would-be Antarctic researchersespecially those who are young or from underrepresented communitiesfrom studying the fauna of the polar south "on the ice," as Detrich words it. Detrich's expeditions to Antarctica, which started in 1981, typically lasted from two to three months due to both the demands of his research and the limited window of time in which to travel by ship across unfrozen seas to his main base at Palmer Station. "Palmer Station closes, going into winter operations, around the beginning of June and opens up again in early November," which is the southern hemisphere's spring, Detrich says. Detrich knows full well the challenges of traveling to Antarctica. On his last trip, in 2018, he suffered a fractured hip and pelvis when large waves hit the ice-hardened ship in which he was traveling and threw him out of his bunk bed. The rest of the group, including a Northeastern co-op student, was able to complete the expedition, but Detrich had to be flown back to the U.S. for surgery. "Getting across the Drake Passage is no easy matter," Detrich says. "Most people get seasick." The establishment of an Antarctic biorepository network would mean that researchers who can'tor don't want totravel to the continent could access anything from genomic data on mollusks and icefish to tissue plugs from living whales and penguins. The next step, Distel says, is for O'Brien and Crockett to write a proposal for funding from the National Science Foundation to cover the costs of setting up software connecting the disparate collections, hiring coordinators and establishing a catalog and shipping protocols. "Democratizing science and rescuing retiree collections are the two big ideas behind a biorepository," Detrich says. More information: Kristin M. O'Brien et al, The time is right for an Antarctic biorepository network, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212800119 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Skylark Alauda arvensis, at the grassy edge of a small field. Cornwall, England. June. Credit: RSPB In the latest Journal of Applied Ecology, researchers from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) say a more strategic approach to wildlife-friendly farming schemes is required to recover England's farmland bird populations after monitoring their responses to different agri-environment scheme implementation levels. A new study calls for a more strategic approach to wildlife-friendly farming schemes to recover England's farmland bird populations, with a greater emphasis on "higher-tier" style agreements that manage around 10% of land for nature. To recover farmland birds by 10% over ten years, approximately one-third of the lowland farmed landscape needs to be managed under these higher-tier agri-environment agreements. However, targeting these agreements to farmland that already holds the highest numbers of priority birds, means less land needs to be managed in this way making more efficient use of government spending. A more strategic approach to wildlife-friendly farming schemes is required to recover England's farmland bird populations, according to a new study led by the RSPB. A new paper published today in the British Ecological Society Journal of Applied Ecology, with support from the BTO and funding from Natural England, monitored how farmland bird populations responded to different levels of agri-environment schemes in arable, pastoral and mixed farming landscapes. The U.K. government has recently introduced a legally binding target to halt species abundance declines in England by 2030, with similar timebound EU targets currently under discussion. With many of our previously common farmland birds such as Starlings and Skylarks in steep decline, there is a pressing need to rapidly implement effective conservation interventions across the farmed landscape, including through the new Environmental Land Management Schemes currently being developed and piloted in England. A European starling perched on bramble in front of houses. Credit: RSPB This 10-year study measured changes in the abundance of farmland birds on land managed under bird-focused lower- and higher-tier agri-environment schemes, as well as land no bird-friendly farming initiatives. Under the higher-tier scheme, an average of 11% of the farm was devoted to bird-friendly measures, whereas <4% was managed under the lower-tier schemes. The authors specifically studied bird-friendly measures that provide seed-rich habitat for winter foraging, insect-rich habitat for feeding chicks, and nesting habitat for ground nesting species such as Lapwing. Higher-tier farms also received bespoke one-to-one management advice prior to the start of their agreements. The results showed that when approximately 10% of a farm was devoted to bird-friendly farming practices under the higher-tier scheme, this benefitted over half of the farmland bird species in two of the three study regions. Although lower-tier provision generally failed to increase bird numbers, it helped to sustain populations of some species, which continued to decline in the absence of agri-environment support elsewhere. The second part of the study asked what proportion of the farmed landscape would need to be placed into higher-tier agreements to recover farmland birds by 10% over ten years. The answer was similar in the two regions26% in the pastoral West Midlands and 31% in arable East Anglia. However, by targeting higher-tier agreements to farms that already hold higher numbers of priority farmland birds, this requirement drops to 17% and 21% respectively, which represents a significant cost saving. This is the first study to shed light on the amount of nature friendly farming that might be required to recover farmland birds at a landscape scale. Wildflower margins at RSPB Hope Farm, Cambridgeshire. Credit: RSPB RSPB Conservation Scientist and lead author of the study Dr. Rob Hawkes said, "This is the first study to ask the questionHow much nature-friendly farming is needed in the English landscape to recover our depleted farmland bird populations? Agri-environment schemes can only recover farmland birds if sufficient bird-friendly habitat is provided at both the farm and landscape scales. There needs to be better, more strategic, thinking when agreeing these nature-friendly packages." The study cautioned that some species with specialist requirements, like the turtle dove, will need specific tailored habitat management that is carefully targeted to the sites where the species is still hanging on. The generic bird-friendly measures tested in this study had no discernible benefits for this species. Alice Groom, RSPB Senior Policy Officer said, "This research has landed as Governments from the four U.K. countries develop new agricultural policies to replace the EU's Common Agricultural Policy. This provides a critical opportunity to design future agri-environment schemes that are effective and deployed at a sufficient scale to recover farmland wildlife. "Welsh Government have proposed making the 10% farm scale provision a universal element of the Sustainable Farming Scheme. In England, Defra has yet to set out how they will ensure the new Environmental Land Management scheme (ELM) contributes to the new legally binding targets to halt the loss of species abundance by 2030 and reverse it by 2042." While the study only reviewed the impact of bird-friendly farming initiatives on farmland bird populations, the authors suggest that these, and other wildlife-friendly schemes will benefit more than just wildlife. Nature underpins our ability to produce food and can provide food-sustaining ecosystem services like clean water and better soils. Simply put, nature can improve the resilience of the farming sector. More information: Elwyn Sharps et al, Reversing declines in farmland birds: How much agrienvironment provision is needed at farm and landscape scales?, Journal of Applied Ecology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14338 Journal information: Journal of Applied Ecology This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Number of student and recent graduate trainees entering USDA forest service between 1996 and 2017. Credit: PLOS ONE (2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277423 A growing number of student and recent graduate trainee and internship programs have been implemented over the last few decades as one potential solution to address the underrepresentation of women and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in science and natural resource management institutions. However, data on the effectiveness of this strategy is scarce. A team of researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service and a University of Minnesota faculty member, Michael Dockry, conducted a rare study on this topic, using information from a comprehensive employee dataset from the USDA Forest Service, which has the largest natural resource management workforce in the country. Their findings were recently published in the journal PLOS One. The evaluation suggests that, while internship employment programs can be an effective tool for hiring a diverse workforce, they are not sufficient to close the overall workforce diversity gap. First author Michael Dockry, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Forest Resources at the University of Minnesota, worked with the team of researchers to analyze the demographic characteristics and career paths of paid interns from 1996 to 2017. The researchers found: The majority of employees who started as interns later converted to permanent employment with the USDA Forest Service, but only 2% of the total employees within the agency were former interns. People who started as interns had significantly shorter USDA Forest Service careers than those who started in permanent positions. Black and Hispanic interns were, respectively, five and three times more likely than white interns to work for the agency in permanent positions after their internships. Male BIPOC employees who started as interns were fired at significantly higher rates than all other employees. White women entering directly into permanent positions typically advanced to higher pay grades through promotion faster than white women who entered as interns. These findings suggest that internship employment programs insufficiently address the workforce diversity gap. To achieve a level of representation that mirrors the civilian labor force, this study suggests that internship programs need to focus on long-term employee retention and be of significantly larger scale. "STEM fields in general, and natural resource fields specifically, have not reflected the diversity of our society. This study is important because it gives us insights into building institutions that are more reflective of society as well as improved science and natural resource management. While these findings seem limited to one agency, there are many lessons from this work that we can learn about creating a diverse workforce," said Dockry. As for next steps, the researchers hope to uncover why interns had significantly shorter careers than those who started in permanent positions with the U.S. Forest Service. They will also work to understand how universities can work with natural resource agencies to continue to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in internship opportunities that lead to longer retention of employees in a more diverse workforce. More information: Michael J. Dockry et al, Student trainee and paid internship programs have positive results but do little to influence long-term employee diversity in the USDA forest service, PLOS ONE (2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277423 Journal information: PLoS ONE This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The power of JWST to map galaxies at high resolution and at longer infrared wavelengths than Hubble allows it look through dust and unveil the underlying structure and mass of distant galaxies. This can be seen in these two images of the galaxy EGS23205, seen as it was about 11 billion years ago. In the HST image (left, taken in the near-infrared filter), the galaxy is little more than a disk-shaped smudge obscured by dust and impacted by the glare of young stars, but in the corresponding JWST mid-infrared image (taken this past summer), it's a beautiful spiral galaxy with a clear stellar bar. Credit: NASA/CEERS/University of Texas at Austin New images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) reveal for the first time galaxies with stellar barselongated features of stars stretching from the centers of galaxies into their outer disksat a time when the universe was a mere 25% of its present age. The finding of so-called barred galaxies, similar to our Milky Way, this early in the universe will require astrophysicists to refine their theories of galaxy evolution. Prior to JWST, images from the Hubble Space Telescope had never detected bars at such young epochs. In a Hubble image, one galaxy, EGS-23205, is little more than a disk-shaped smudge, but in the corresponding JWST image taken this past summer, it's a beautiful spiral galaxy with a clear stellar bar. "I took one look at these data, and I said, 'We are dropping everything else!'" said Shardha Jogee, professor of astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin. "The bars hardly visible in Hubble data just popped out in the JWST image, showing the tremendous power of JWST to see the underlying structure in galaxies," she said, describing data from the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey (CEERS), led by UT Austin professor, Steven Finkelstein. The team identified another barred galaxy, EGS-24268, also from about 11 billion years ago, which makes two barred galaxies existing farther back in time than any previously discovered. In an article accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, they highlight these two galaxies and show examples of four other barred galaxies from more than 8 billion years ago. This simulation shows both how stellar bars form (left) and the bar-driven gas inflows (right). Stellar bars play an important role in galaxy evolution by funneling gas into the central regions of a galaxy, where it is rapidly converted into new stars, at a rate typically 10 to 100 times as fast as the rate in the rest of the galaxy. Bars also indirectly help to grow supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies by channeling the gas part of the way. Credit: Francoise Combes, Paris Observatory "For this study, we are looking at a new regime where no one had used this kind of data or done this kind of quantitative analysis before," said Yuchen "Kay" Guo, a graduate student who led the analysis, "so everything is new. It's like going into a forest that nobody has ever gone into." Bars play an important role in galaxy evolution by funneling gas into the central regions, boosting star formation. "Bars solve the supply chain problem in galaxies," Jogee said. "Just like we need to bring raw material from the harbor to inland factories that make new products, a bar powerfully transports gas into the central region where the gas is rapidly converted into new stars at a rate typically 10 to 100 times faster than in the rest of the galaxy." Bars also help to grow supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies by channeling the gas part of the way. Montage of JWST images showing six example barred galaxies, two of which represent the highest lookback times quantitatively identified and characterized to date. The labels in the top left of each figure show the lookback time of each galaxy, ranging from 8.4 to 11 billion years ago (Gyr), when the universe was a mere 40% to 20% of its present age. Credit: NASA/CEERS/University of Texas at Austin The discovery of bars during such early epochs shakes up galaxy evolution scenarios in several ways. "This discovery of early bars means galaxy evolution models now have a new pathway via bars to accelerate the production of new stars at early epochs," Jogee said. And the very existence of these early bars challenges theoretical models as they need to get the galaxy physics right in order to predict the correct abundance of bars. The team will be testing different models in their next papers. JWST can unveil structures in distant galaxies better than Hubble for two reasons: First, its larger mirror gives it more light-gathering ability, allowing it to see farther and with higher resolution. Second, it can see through dust better as it observes at longer infrared wavelengths than Hubble. Undergraduate students Eden Wise and Zilei Chen played a key role in the research by visually reviewing hundreds of galaxies, searching for those that appeared to have bars, which helped narrow the list to a few dozen for the other researchers to analyze with a more intensive mathematical approach. More information: Yuchen Guo et al, First Look at z > 1 Bars in the Rest-Frame Near-Infrared with JWST Early CEERS Imaging, arXiv (2022). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2210.08658 Journal information: Astrophysical Journal Letters , arXiv This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Rachel Horowitz. Credit: WSU More than 500 years ago in the midwestern Guatemalan highlands, Maya people bought and sold goods with far less oversight from their rulers than many archeologists previously thought. That's according to a new study in Latin American Antiquity that shows the ruling K'iche' elite took a hands-off approach when it came to managing the procurement and trade of obsidian by people outside their region of central control. In these areas, access to nearby sources of obsidian, a glasslike rock used to make tools and weapons, was managed by local people through independent and diverse acquisition networks. Overtime, the availability of obsidian resources and the prevalence of craftsmen to shape it resulted in a system that is in many ways suggestive of contemporary market-based economies. "Scholars have generally assumed that the obsidian trade was managed by Maya rulers, but our research shows that this wasn't the case at least in this area," said Rachel Horowitz, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of anthropology at Washington State University. "People seem to have had a good deal of economic freedom including being able to go to places similar to the supermarkets we have today to buy and sell goods from craftsmen." While there are extensive written records from the Maya Postclassic Period (1200-1524 AD) on political organization, much less is known about how societal elites wielded economic power. Horowitz set out to address this knowledge gap for the K'iche' by examining the production and distribution of obsidian artifacts, which are used as a proxy by archeologists to determine the level of economic development in a region. Obsidian collections from the site of Q'umarkaj and the surrounding region. Credit: R. Horowitz She performed geochemical and technological analysis on obsidian artifacts excavated from 50 sites around the K'iche' capital of Q'umarkaj and surrounding region to determine where the raw material originally came from and techniques of its manufacture. He results showed that the K'iche' acquired their obsidian from similar sources in the Central K'iche' region and Q'umarkaj, indicating a high degree of centralized control. The ruling elite also seemed to manage the trade of more valuable forms of nonlocal obsidian, particularly Pachua obsidian from Mexico, based off its abundance in these central sites. Outside this core region though, in areas conquered by the K'iche, there was less similarity in obsidian economic networks. Horowitz's analysis suggests these sites had access to their own sources of obsidian and developed specialized places where people could go to buy blades and other useful implements made from the rock by experts. "For a long time, there has been this idea that people in the past didn't have market economies, which when you think about it is kind of weird. Why wouldn't these people have had markets in the past?" she said. "The more we look into it, the more we realize there were a lot of different ways in which these peoples' lives were similar to ours." The Middle American Research Institute at Tulane University loaned Horowitz the obsidian blades and other artifacts she used for her study. The artifacts were excavated in the 1970s. Moving forward, Horowitz said she plans to examine more of the collection, the rest of which is housed in Guatemala, to discover further details about how the Maya conducted trade, managed their economic systems, and generally went about their lives. More information: Rachel A. Horowitz, Economic Integration and Obsidian Consumption in the Late Postclassic Period K'iche' Region, Latin American Antiquity (2022). DOI: 10.1017/laq.2022.79 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain With its powerful digging shovels, the European mole can burrow through the soil with ease. The same applies to the Australian marsupial mole. Although the two animal species live far apart, they have developed similar organs in the course of evolutionin their case, extremities ideally adapted for digging in the soil. Science speaks of "convergent evolution" in such cases, when animal, but also plant species independently develop features that have the same shape and function. There are many examples of this: Fish, for example, have fins, as do whales, although they are mammals. Birds and bats have wings, and when it comes to using poisonous substances to defend themselves against attackers, many creatures, from jellyfish to scorpions to insects, have all evolved the same instrument: the venomous sting. Identical characteristics despite lack of relationship It is clear that scientists around the world are interested in finding out which changes in the genetic material of the respective species are responsible for the fact that identical characteristics have evolved in them, even though there is no relationship between them. The search for this is proving difficult: "Such traitswe speak of phenotypesare of course always encoded in genome sequences," says plant physiologist Dr. Kenji Fukushima of the Julius-Maximilians-Universitat (JMU) Wurzburg. Mutationschanges in the genetic materialcan be the triggers for the development of new traits. However, genetic changes rarely lead to phenotypic evolution because the underlying mutations are largely random and neutral. Thus, a tremendous amount of mutations accumulate over the extreme time scale at which evolutionary processes occur, making the detection of phenotypically important changes extremely difficult. Novel metric of molecular evolution. Now, Fukushima and his colleague David D. Pollock of the University of Colorado (U.S.) have succeeded in developing a method that achieves significantly better results than previously used methods in the search for the genetic basis of phenotypic traits. They present their approach in the current issue of the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. "We have developed a novel metric of molecular evolution that can accurately represent the rate of convergent evolution in protein-coding DNA sequences," says Fukushima, describing the main result of the now-published work. This new method, he says, can reveal which genetic changes are associated with the phenotypes of organisms on an evolutionary time scale of hundreds of millions of years. It thus offers the possibility of expanding our understanding of how changes in DNA lead to phenotypic innovations that give rise to a great diversity of species. Tremendous treasure trove of data as a basis A key development in the life sciences forms the basis of Fukushima's and Pollock's work: the fact that in recent years more and more genome sequences of many living organisms across the diversity of species have been decoded and thus made accessible for analysis. "This has made it possible to study the interrelationships of genotypes and phenotypes on a large scale at a macroevolutionary level," Fukushima says. However, because many molecular changes are nearly neutral and do not affect any traits, there is often a risk of "false-positive convergence" when interpreting the datathat is, the result predicts a correlation between a mutation and a particular trait that does not actually exist. In addition, methodological biases could also be responsible for such false-positive convergences. Correlations over millions of years "To overcome this problem, we expanded the framework and developed a new metric that measures the error-adjusted convergence rate of protein evolution," Fukushima explains. This, he says, makes it possible to distinguish natural selection from genetic noise and phylogenetic errors in simulations and real-world examples. Enhanced with a heuristic algorithm, the approach enables bidirectional searches for genotype-phenotype associations, even in lineages that have diverged over hundreds of millions of years, he says. The two scientists analyzed more than 20 million branch combinations in vertebrate genes to examine how well the metric they developed works. In a next step, they plan to apply this method to carnivorous plants. The goal is to decipher the genetic basis that is partly responsible for these plants' ability to attract, capture and digest prey. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A group of new or expectant parents attend a session at the Family Expectations program in Oklahoma City. Credit: Family Expectations The birth of a child is a major life transition, and it can be a stressful time for new parents. Family and relationship education programs are available to help individuals and couples deal with these challenges. But do such programs work as intended? A new study from the University of Illinois has evaluated Family Expectations, a federally-funded parenting and couple enrichment program for expectant parents. The researchers found significant improvements in participants' mental health, couple functioning, and parenting skills after completing the program. "In the last 20 years or so, there's been significant federal funding towards couple and relationship education. We wanted to learn if such programs are effective, in order to ensure we are making good use of the time and resources that are being devoted to them," says Allen Barton, assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at U of I and lead author on the paper. Family Expectations is a program for new and expectant parents based in Oklahoma City, funded through the Administration for Children and Families under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Program participants meet once a week for 12 weeks, starting in their second or third trimester of pregnancy. "Family Expectations has had a large reach in terms of number of couples participating, but it is also important to evaluate impact, or change, in program participants," Barton says. "It is a holistic, multifaceted program that includes content about birth, caring for a newborn, parenting together, stress management, and how to strengthen the couple relationshipall important areas for families to navigate during this time." The study included 339 couples who were enrolled in Family Expectations between 2017 and 2019. Most were first-time parents, while 29% already had another child. The researchers conducted surveys with respondents before they started the program, at its conclusion, and 12 months later. "We found positive effects across the board," Barton states. "Participants at the end of the program report lower psychological distress, better mental health, and improved couple functioning. For parenting outcomes, we see improvement particularly for those who were already parents. They had lower levels of harsh parenting, as well as higher levels of co-parenting satisfaction, or sense of working together as a team." After a year, changes appearing immediately after the program were associated with continued benefits, including lower psychological distress, better couple functioning, and improved parenting skills in individuals. "These are people who are going through a major transition. If you can make changes in how they approach this time so they are less anxious and nervous, that's going to have long-term benefits for their mental health, as well as for the couple relationship, as our results show." The researchers cannot conclude with certainty that the program directly caused the improvements, as no data were collected from a control group at the end of the program for comparison. But Barton points out the birth of a child is generally a difficult time where people rarely get better in these areas on their own. "Typically, life is more stressful with the birth of a new baby. But we're seeing that individuals who went through this program are actually reporting less psychological distress. Given that, it's unlikely these are just natural changes happening during this time period. Our findings suggest the program is successful in helping individuals and families," he says. The research included an ethnically diverse sample, including 55% white, 28% Black/African American, 12% Native American, 3% Asian, and 1% other. Twenty percent identified as Hispanic/Latino/a. Most were low-income couples, with a median combined income under $15,000. Less than half (39%) of couples were married but 91% were cohabitating. The researchers found few differences in results for married versus unmarried couples, though married couples seemed to benefit slightly more from the program in areas where differences were observed. Barton says this may be because these couples have already made a public commitment to the relationship; therefore, devoting attention to strengthening the relationship is consistent with the commitment and desire. He notes these types of education programs must continue to adapt as family patterns evolve. "We know that stable, healthy families matter for adults, for kids, and for communities. But there's an increasing amount of complexity in families today. Family scholars and practitioners need to think about the fluidity in relationship formation," he says. "How can we take this complexity into account and create programming that will be effective for individuals across the spectrum of relationship statuses and types?" More information: Allen W. Barton et al, Changes in couple, parenting, and individual functioning following Family Expectations program participation, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (2022). DOI: 10.1111/jmft.12613 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: New research reveals that Prochlorococcus exchange genetic information with one another, even when widely separated, by a previously undocumented mechanism. Credit: Thomas Hackl et al / MIT News From the tropics to the poles, from the sea surface to hundreds of feet below, the world's oceans are teeming with one of the tiniest of organisms: a type of bacteria called Prochlorococcus, which despite their minute size are collectively responsible for a sizable portion of the oceans' oxygen production. But the remarkable ability of these diminutive organisms to diversify and adapt to such profoundly different environments has remained something of a mystery. Now, new research reveals that these tiny bacteria exchange genetic information with one another, even when widely separated, by a previously undocumented mechanism. This enables them to transmit whole blocks of genes, such as those conferring the ability to metabolize a particular kind of nutrient or to defend themselves from viruses, even in regions where their population in the water is relatively sparse. The findings describe a new class of genetic agents involved in horizontal gene transfer, in which genetic information is passed directly between organismswhether of the same or different speciesthrough means other than lineal descent. The researchers have dubbed the agents that carry out this transfer "tycheposons," which are sequences of DNA that can include several entire genes as well as surrounding sequences, and can spontaneously separate out from the surrounding DNA. Then, they can be transported to other organisms by one or another possible carrier system including tiny bubbles known as vesicles that cells can produce from their own membranes. The research, which included studying hundreds of Prochlorococcus genomes from different ecosystems around the world, as well as lab-grown samples of different variants, and even evolutionary processes carried out and observed in the lab, is reported today in the journal Cell, in a paper by former MIT postdocs Thomas Hackl and Raphael Laurenceau, visiting postdoc Markus Ankenbrand, Institute Professor Sallie "Penny" Chisholm, and 16 others at MIT and other institutions. Chisholm, who played a role in the discovery of these ubiquitous organisms in 1988, says of the new findings, "We're very excited about it because it's a new horizontal gene-transfer agent for bacteria, and it explains a lot of the patterns that we see in Prochlorococcus in the wild, the incredible diversity." Now thought to be the world's most abundant photosynthetic organism, the tiny variants of what are known as cyanobacteria are also the smallest of all photosynthesizers. Hackl, who is now at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, says the work began by studying the 623 reported genome sequences of different species of Prochlorococcus from different regions, trying to figure out how they were able to so readily lose or gain particular functions despite their apparent lack of any of the known systems that promote/boost horizontal gene transfer, such as plasmids or viruses known as prophages. What Hackl, Laurenceau, and Ankenbrand investigated were "islands" of genetic material that seemed to be hotspots of variability and often contained genes that were associated with known key survival processes such as the ability to assimilate essential and often limiting nutrients such as iron, or nitrogen, or phosphates. These islands contained genes that varied enormously between different species, but they always occurred in the same parts of the genome and sometimes were nearly identical even in widely different speciesa strong indicator of horizontal transfer. But the genomes showed none of the usual features associated with what are known as mobile genetic elements, so initially this remained a puzzle. It gradually became apparent that this system of gene transfer and diversification was different from any of the several other mechanisms that have been observed in other organisms, including in humans. Novel integrative elements and genomic plasticity in ocean ecosystems. Credit: Cell (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.12.006 Hackl describes what they found as being something like a genetic LEGO set, with chunks of DNA bundled together in ways that could almost instantly confer the ability to adapt to a particular environment. For example, a species limited by the availability of particular nutrients could acquire genes necessary to enhance the uptake of that nutrient. The microbes appear to use a variety of mechanisms to transport these tycheposons (a name derived from the name of the Greek goddess Tyche, daughter of Oceanus). One is the use of membrane vesicles, little bubbles pouched off from the surface of a bacterial cell and released with tycheposons inside it. Another is by "hijacking" virus or phage infections and allowing them to carry the tycheposons along with their own infectious particles, called capsids. These are efficient solutions, Hackl says, "because in the open ocean, these cells rarely have cell-to-cell contacts, so it's difficult for them to exchange genetic information without a vehicle." And sure enough, when capsids or vesicles collected from the open ocean were studied, "they're actually quite enriched" in these genetic elements, Hackl says. The packets of useful genetic coding are "actually swimming around in these extracellular particles and potentially being able to be taken up by other cells." Chisholm says that "in the world of genomics, there's a lot of different types of these elements"sequences of DNA that are capable of being transferred from one genome to another. However, "this is a new type," she says. Hackl adds that "it's a distinct family of mobile genetic elements. It has similarities to others, but no really tight connections to any of them." While this study was specific to Prochlorococcus, Hackl says the team believes the phenomenon may be more generalized. They have already found similar genetic elements in other, unrelated marine bacteria, but have not yet analyzed these samples in detail. "Analogous elements have been described in other bacteria, and we now think that they may function similarly," he says. "It's kind of a plug-and-play mechanism, where you can have pieces that you can play around with and make all these different combinations," he says. "And with the enormous population size of Prochlorococcus, it can play around a lot, and try a lot of different combinations." Nathan Ahlgren, an assistant professor of biology at Clark University who was not associated with this research, says, "The discovery of tycheposons is important and exciting because it provides a new mechanistic understanding of how Prochlorococcus are able to swap in and out new genes, and thus ecologically important traits. Tycheposons provide a new mechanistic explanation for how it's done." He says, "they took a creative way to fish out and characterize these new genetic elements 'hiding' in the genomes of Prochlorococcus." He adds that genomic islands, the portions of the genome where these tycheposons were found, "are found in many bacteria, not just marine bacteria, so future work on tycheposons has wider implications for our understanding of the evolution of bacterial genomes." The team included researchers at MIT's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the University of Wurzburg in Germany, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Ohio State University, Oxford Nanopore Technologies in California, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in Maine, and Wellesley College. More information: Thomas Hackl et al, Novel integrative elements and genomic plasticity in ocean ecosystems, Cell (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.12.006 Journal information: Cell This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Researchers at Columbia for the first time demonstrate the coexistence of superconductivity and ferroelectricity, two properties thought to be incompatible with one another, in bilayer molybdenum ditelluride. Drawing on this discovery, they create a superconducting switch controlled by an external voltage which has potential applications in quantum computing and single-photon detectors. This material is extremely air-sensitive and needs encapsulation in an inert environment to probe its properties in the ambient. Here is an image of the device used in the experiment. Credit: Apoorv Jindal When it comes to two-dimensional materials, it's best to expect the unexpected. Writing in Nature, researchers at Columbia find evidence that two competing phenomenasuperconductivity and ferroelectricitycan occur within the same material. "This is the first time that a tunable switch between ferroelectricity and superconductivity has ever been seen," said corresponding author Daniel Rhodes. "We don't fully understand it just yet, but it's definitely there." Rhodes, now an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin, has a particular knack for growing high-quality crystals that can be peeled into atom-thin layers to explore the unusual properties that can arise in two dimensions. He started working on the material in questionMoTe 2 as Ph.D. student at Florida State. When he joined Columbia's National Science Foundation-funded Materials Research and Science Engineering Center (MRSEC) as a postdoctoral fellow in 2016, he and colleagues found initial evidence of superconductivitythe resistance-free transport of electrical currentsin single layers of MoTe 2 . The effect was there but not as easy to manipulate as theory suggested, so Rhodes and the MRSEC began exploring stacks of the material. They found superconductivity to be much easier to control in a two-layer system, which also comes with a unique structural feature: it's not symmetric. Atoms between the layers don't line up, which should inherently create an internal electric field, known as ferroelectricity, explained Apoorv Jindal, first author and Columbia physics Ph.D. student who continued Rhodes' work on the material after he moved to Madison in 2019. Whereas superconductivity is typically characteristic of electricity-conducting metals, ferroelectricity was long thought to only occur only within insulating materials. In 2018, however, researchers working with David Cobden at the University of Washington found initial evidence of a ferroelectric metal in WTe 2 , a tungsten-based material with the same crystal structure as MoTe 2 . Having already confirmed that superconductivity occurs in MoTe 2 , Jindal and Rhodes wondered if ferroelectricity might also turn up. Jindal applied an electric field, and the results blew him away. "I forwarded it to Dan and asked, is this possible? Can a ferroelectric superconductor even exist?" he recalled. The team performed additional measurements across temperatures, magnetic fields, and electrostatic doping and found a manipulatable transition between superconductive and ferroelectric states within MoTe 2 . "Finding these two properties together is magical," said Jindal, especially given the effort it took to build the samples. MoTe 2 is an extremely air- and water-sensitive material, so the layers had to be carefully prepared and combined in the confines of a glovebox and then sealed to prevent exposure to the ambient environment as they were transported to different instruments for testing. It took over six months just to perfect a fabrication process that would preserve bilayer MoTe 2 's unique properties, he said. The superconducting state itself is also surprising, particularly in the way it behaves as the number of charge carriers is changed by gating. Theoretical modeling carried out by Ph.D. student Amartya Saha, under the guidance of professors Turan Birol and Rafael Fernandes, all at the University of Minnesota, suggest that superconductivity is not of the conventional type, in which vibrations of the atoms provide the glue that makes electrons form coherent pairs. "The fact that superconductivity requires two types of charge carriers (electron-like and hole-like carriers) to be present is a telltale sign of the importance of electronic interactions," said Fernandes. Because superconductivity and ferroelectricity are both intrinsic to the material itself, there could be a number of potential applications, particularly in quantum computing and information. For example, one approach to building quantum computers involves combining superconducting materials with an insulating barrier in between to form what are known as Josephson junctions, Jindal explained. The ability to use a single material, like MoTe 2 , rather than two separate ones could help eliminate interfacial problems that can make these junctions less efficient. The rapid speed at which the material can be switched between the two properties may also hold promise for quantum logic applications. Those questions, said Rhodes, are for engineers to take over. From here the team, which includes Columbia physicists Cory Dean and Abhay Pasupathy and engineer James Hone as well as theoretical collaborators at the University of Minnesota, plans to explore why these two properties exist and how they can be controlled. "There are fundamental science questions still to ask that to date, we just haven't had a system in which to explorenow we do," said Rhodes. More information: Apoorv Jindal et al, Coupled ferroelectricity and superconductivity in bilayer Td-MoTe2, Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05521-3 Journal information: Nature This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain For some communities, the digital divide remains even after they have access to computers and fast internet, new research shows. A study of the Bhutanese refugee community in Columbus found that even though more than 95% of the population had access to the internet, very few were using it to connect with local resources and online news. And the study, which was done during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders in Ohio, found that nearly three-quarters of respondents never used the internet for telehealth services. The results showed that the digital divide must be seen as more than just a technological problem, said Jeffrey Cohen, lead author of the study and professor of anthropology at The Ohio State University. "We can't just give people access to the internet and say the problem is solved," Cohen said. "We found that there are social, cultural and environmental reasons that may prevent some communities from getting all the value they could out of internet access." The study was published recently in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. For the study, researchers worked closely with members of the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, a nonprofit organization helping resettled Bhutanese refugees in the Columbus area. The study included a community survey of 493 respondents, some who were surveyed online and many more who were interviewed in person. While many of respondents lived in povertymore than half had annual incomes below $35,00095.4% said they had access to the internet. More than 9 out of 10 of those surveyed said access to digital technology was important, very important or extremely important to them. But most had a very limited view of how they could use the internet. "For just about everyone we interviewed, the internet was how you connected to your family, through apps like Facebook or WhatsApp," Cohen said. "For many, that was nearly the only thing they used the internet for." Findings revealed 82% connected to friends and family, and 68% used social media. All other uses were under 31%. Not surprisingly, older people, the less educated and those with poor English skills were less likely than others to use the internet. A common issue was that many refugeesespecially the older and less educatedwere just not comfortable online, the study found. "Of course, that is not just an issue with the Bhutanese. Many people in our country see the internet as just a place where their children or grandchildren play games, or attend classes," he said. "They don't see it as a place where they can access their health care or find resources to help them in their daily lives." Language was another issue. While there was a local program to translate some important resources from English to Nepali, the most common language spoken by Bhutanese refugees, many respondents remarked that the translations were "mostly gibberish" and nearly impossible to understand, Cohen said. Even for those who spoke English, fewer than 25% described themselves as excellent speakers. "People had access to the internet, and this information was available to them, but they couldn't use it. That is not a technological issue, but it is part of the digital divide," he said. Because the study was done during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the main areas of focus in the study was access to health care and information on COVID-19. Even though telehealth services were one of the main ways to access health care during the pandemic, about 73% said they never used the internet for that purpose. And COVID-19 was not the only health issue facing many of the those surveyed. "The Bhutanese community is at high risk for cardiometabolic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and about 72% of those surveyed had one or more indications of these conditions," Cohen said. "If they aren't taking advantage of telehealth to consult with doctors, this could be putting them at greater risk." Cohen said one key lesson from the study is that researchers must engage and partner with communities to ensure that proposed solutions to problems, including the digital divide, respond to local needs. Co-authors were Arati Maleku and Shambika Raut of the College of Social Work at Ohio State; Sudarshan Pyakurel of the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio; Taku Suzuki of Denison University; and Francisco Alejandro Montiel Ishino of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at NIH. More information: Jeffrey H. Cohen et al, Exploring the Digital Divide among the Bhutanese Refugee Community during COVID-19: Engaged Research in Action, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2022). DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416854 Journal information: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Toxoplasma gondii cyst hosted in a mouses brain, similar to the parasites that one third of human beings have. The reddish elements that can be seen in the cyst are bradyzoites, dormant individuals that would give rise to a new infection if the mouse were eaten by a cat. Credit: Jitender P. Dubey/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY A recurring fantasy in science fiction is the implantation of tiny elements in peoples' brains, which would be used to control and direct our actions and emotions. Regardless of the direction that technological development may take in this sense, in nature these tricks were invented millions of years ago. Different types of parasites are able to modify the behavior of organisms that host them, forcing them to stop acting to conserve their own genes to become promoters of foreign ones. Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most common parasites in humans. It is hosted by approximately one third of people. Even so, most of us only know of its existence during pregnancy, when pregnant women receive instructions to not eat uncooked meat because it might cause toxoplasma gondii. Nevertheless, all signs point to the fact that it plays an important role in many aspects of our lives. Toxoplasma is a protozoan, a unicellular being so small that it lives inside animal cells. This parasite only reproduces sexually in the intestine of felines (the definitive hosts) but it has a complex life cycle and spends periods of time being hosted by other animalsfrom birds to crocodiles and from rodents to cetaceans. The list of possible hosts also includes humans. Intermediate hosts acquire toxoplasma by ingesting its oocysts (which are a bit like its eggs) via surfaces or food contaminated with feline excrement, or by ingesting other intermediate hosts that are already infected. When toxoplasma enters the body of intermediate hosts, it acts in a very surprising way. It begins to reproduce asexually and takes control of our immune system, promoting a specific response that causes the parasite to form cysts in different tissues, with a preference for the brain. When the immune response is deficient, as occurs with fetuses or immunosuppressed individuals (for example, people with HIV), the toxoplasma does not encyst and proliferates in the intermediate host, thereby causing severe disease. When the immune response does act, the process of infection and cyst formation is asymptomatic or generates only mild discomfort. These cysts are essentially waiting for a feline to come along and eat the intermediate hostwhich would give rise to a new population of toxoplasma. But the wait is far from passive. The toxoplasma does everything it can to make this predation event happen. And it can do a lot. Kamikaze mice As a general rule, without toxoplasma, rodents try to minimize the chance of being eaten by predators. To do this, they travel via sheltered places and move away when they come across any evidence of the presence of cats. When a rodent hosts toxoplasma cysts, however, it begins to exhibit reckless behavior, exposing itself in open areas and going to places marked with the scent of cat feces and urine. Equally uninhibited behaviors occur in other animals hosting toxoplasma cysts. Hyenas get closer to lions, Tasmanian marsupials start being careless and are more frequently run over on roads and sea otters (infected by contamination of the water with cat feces) fall prey to sharks more easily. The abandoning of prudent behavior implies a radical change in one of the main premises of animal lifethe drive for self-preservation. A tiny parasite starts making the decisions rather than the animal. So could it also be possible that toxoplasma influences human behavior? Until recently, the presence of toxoplasma cysts in humans was considered to be asymptomatic. But there is an increasing amount of solid evidence to the contrary. It has been proven that the presence of toxoplasma cysts among people who die in traffic accidents is disproportionately high, and it is thought that the parasite would be responsible for several million of these accidents each year. Accidents are not necessarily the result of fearless behavior, but a recent study of around 100 deaths linked reckless deaths to toxoplasma infection, as occurs in rats, mice, hyenas or sea otters. It is also known that around 20% of cases of schizophrenia are related to the presence of toxoplasma cysts, and there are indications that they are involved in other psychological disorders. Likewise there is a strong association between toxoplasma and suicide attempts, to the point that it is estimated that every year more than one million suicide attempts worldwide are related to the parasite. Until now, toxoplasma in a dormant state presents itself as a serious public health problem, which poses enormous challenges to health systems and which, until very recently, had been overlooked. But there's more. Entrepreneur cysts Toxoplasma generates behavioral changes with potential importance in human societies. For example, there seems to be a relationship between carrying toxoplasma cysts and starting a business. People carrying the parasite are more likely to want to be entrepreneurs when they are students and to start their own businesses in adult life. In a study involving more than 16,000 Danish women, it was found that those living with toxoplasma were more entrepreneurial, a particularly notable difference when it came to solo entrepreneurship, but they also abandoned their business venture more easily. These observations may be related to those of another study in which it was observed that hosting toxoplasma causes people to place less importance on the benefits they can obtain from their actions, which would make them take more risks, dismissing the consequences. All these changes seem to reflect a decrease in neophobia associated with toxoplasma, which would make us face new situations without fearing the risks they imply. This reduced fear of the unknown is characteristic of individuals responsible for new inventions, who are the ones who create cultural innovations. Along the same lines, it is possible to speculate about the role of toxoplasma in great changes in human societies. I like to imagine that the first person who painted animals or represented the palms of their hands on a cave had toxoplasma cysts in their brain, just like the person who dared to control fire or create musical instruments. Perhaps those who embarked on intrepid voyages of exploration, those who tried drugs for the first time, those who began breeding the wolves that eventually gave rise to the dog, or those who grew the teosinte that finally produced corn, had toxoplasma. Perhaps Bach, Frida Kahlo, Jimmy Hendrix or Marie Curie achieved their achievements with the help of a small parasite hosted in their brains, waiting for a feline to eat them. A parasite against free will We humans like to see ourselves as the pinnacle of evolution. But toxoplasma is here to take us down a notch. What we consider to be our free will may, in some cases, actually be the intentions of a tiny being that has slipped into our brains. It could even be the case that this parasite has participated in humanity's great innovations and feats. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A look inside the ProtoDune Cyrostat Final structure inside a mine in South Dakota. Credit: CERN Neutrinos mind their own business. Each second, billions of these fundamental particles will pass through stars, planets, buildings, and human bodies and will rarely ever be stopped by them, like a subatomic subway crowd. It's why they're often described as "ghostly" or "elusive." If scientists could create and capture the rare instances when these tiny and weakly interactive particles run into something, they could step into the gray area that all physicists ultimately hope to explore, said theoretical physicist Patrick Huber: that of facts that exist outside the standard model of Particle Physics, beyond its explanation. Neutrinos live there, and so does dark matter. Neutrino behavior, if accurately measured, could hold the evidence for how weand our bodies and buildings and planets and stars, all made of matterhave been able to exist since the Big Bang. "There are certain things that the standard model does not explain, like why there's more matter than antimatter in the universe," said Huber, a professor in the Department of Physics and a Roger Moore and Mojdeh Khatam-Moore Faculty Fellow in the Virginia Tech College of Science. "But we never have found the ingredients which make these known facts outside of the standard model really work. If there is to be a large contribution of new physics, it can only really manifest itself in neutrinos." To find out what neutrinos are up to, physicists will need to shoot them from the most powerful beam ever made at a distant, massive, subterranean, and painstakingly precise particle detector. More than a thousand scientists have come together to create that kind of experiment in a decades-long project called the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, or Fermilab. For the past decade and in the buildup to DUNE's development, Huber has collaborated with experimental physicist Camillo Mariani at Virginia Tech's Center for Neutrino Physics, where they've looked at ways to achieve the unprecedented precision an experiment like DUNE will need to measure neutrino behavior and discover the "new physics" sought by the field. Mariani has brought what they've learned to his work on DUNE's international team as they develop the facility. Their pursuit of precision is one piece of a puzzle that Raymond Davis Jr. and John Bahcall started in the 1960s, with attempts to count solar neutrinos. When two physicists stared up at the sun Raymond Davis Jr. led one of the first experiments to measure neutrinos coming from one of nature's abundant sources: the sun. As Davis built the experiment at the Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, Bahcall calculated the amount of solar neutrinos he predicted the experiment would collect from the nuclear reactions that took place inside its large, underground tank filled with cleaning fluid. But the Homestake Experiment, which ran from 197092, only collected one-third of the neutrinos Bahcall had predicted. Most physicists at the time figured that either Davis had done something wrong with the experiment or that Bahcall's calculations were off. The issue of the missing neutrinos became known as the "solar neutrino problem" that physicists would try to solve for years. Scientists at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory finally solved it in a 2002 experiment at a Canadian mine. Using a giant sphere full of heavy water, they measured neutrinos via the light produced inside by nuclear reactions. They found the reason for the missing neutrinos: Neutrinos change type, or "flavor," as they fly through space. There are three known neutrino flavors: electron, muon, and tau. The Sudbury experiment was sensitive to all three, unlike Davis's, which only picked up electron neutrinos. It's this phenomenon of changing flavors, known as "neutrino oscillation," that directly contradicts the standard model, which had predicted neutrinos to be massless. Mariani breaks down neutrino oscillations using ice cream flavors. "You can imagine that you go to an ice cream shop, and you get your favorite: banana," Mariani said. "And then you step out, and your ice cream flavor now becomes strawberry. You take another two steps, and the strawberry becomes vanilla. Another three steps, and the vanilla becomes coconut. This is what people call an oscillation. And it can be a function of distance traveled over a function of time. And these only happen if the mass of the particle is not zero." With the problem of missing solar neutrinos solved, physicists have since moved on to probing how neutrino oscillations work. The big, underlying science question today is whether these flavor changes in neutrinos and antineutrinos happen at the same rate or not, Huber said. If they oscillate differently, that differencea physical process known as CP violationcould help to explain why our universe consists of us and our surroundings, over light and light alone. Physicists believe that 14 billion years ago, there were exactly the same amounts of matter and antimatter in the universe. "If that were true, and it always remained like that, then eventually, all matter and antimatter would have met each other and become light," Huber said. "The universe would then contain only light and nothing else. Obviously, that's not how it happened." Because we exist, it's clear that matter dominated over antimatter during the Big Bang, in a break of symmetry. Neutrino oscillations could show how this was possible by demonstrating their own asymmetry. DUNE provides a way to catch that asymmetry in the actor not. The difference in oscillation rate between neutrinos and antineutrinosor lack thereofis not going to be glaring, Huber said, which is why physicists like him and Mariani are so fixated on precision. It could come down to tenths or hundredths of a number in DUNE's measurements. Though it's a feat, DUNE is the minimum needed to get it done, Huber said, because in the case of precisely measuring neutrino oscillations, "you need a Saturn rocket to fly to the moon." "Physics in the last two decades has gone from a field where we're happy just saying, "Oh, we've seen neutrinos, hooray," to the point where we're trying to do very precise measurements," Huber said. "DUNE is the epitome of that. That really is the end of a decades-long evolution where neutrino physics became more and more precise. DUNE is trying to do one of the most precise measurements ever attempted with neutrinos." A Saturn rocket to fly to the moon There are some musts in measuring neutrino oscillations: creating enough neutrino events, only a handful of which will be snatched up by an experiment; putting enough distance between the neutrinos' source and their endpoint for them to exhibit their oscillations; and establishing a setup that's massive and highly-resolved enough to capture the energy the events leave behind. DUNE's answer to this starts with a powerful neutrino beam based at Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois. Here, physicist will shoot neutrinos underground across 1,300 kilometers of underground distance at a 40,000-ton particle detector filled with liquid argon. The detector will be located at the same mining area used by the Homestake Experiment in South Dakota. As neutrinos bump into the argon inside the detector and leave behind trails of energy, that material will offer unmatched precision in measuring them, Mariani said. "Essentially, it's like taking a photo camera from the 1980s and comparing that with your phone camera that has millions of pixels," he said. The College of Science has another DUNE connection, quite close, too. Kevin Pitts, who started his tenure as dean of the college this past June and who is an affiliated faculty member of the Department of Physics, last year was named the chief research officer at Fermilab. There, he oversaw the lab's science program, which includes the multibillion-dollar DUNE project. "The DUNE experiment will be a truly remarkable technological achievement that will lead to truly remarkable scientific insights," Pitts said. "This experiment will feature 40,000 tons of liquid argon a mile underground in an abandoned gold mine in the Black Hills. Scientists from around the world are contributing to this effort because they are excited by the transformational science that will be performed at this facility." For years, Mariani and Huber have worked at ensuring that this part of the DUNE project doesn't fail. Because scientists don't actually see neutrinos themselves as the particles hit a detector, they must reconstruct the interaction that took place with the energy left behind. Getting that right depends on the microphysics of what happens within the interaction, Huber said. Reconstructing the interaction is as complex as tracing the effects of shooting a bullet at a clock, he said, "Depending on how you may hit the clock, you may have gears flying out, you may have the numerals fly off. To really reconstruct the clock, or the whole interaction, from that, I need to know the probability for the bullet to eject each given subpart of the system." When shooting neutrinos at argon atoms, argon nuclei can eject all sorts of particles: neutrons, protons, and new particles like pions, which are easy for detectors to miss and which all need to be counted for an accurate measurement of the total energy produced by the neutrino event. "In our work with Dr. Mariani, I think we were the first group who really tried to look into the details of that and quantify what kind of systematic uncertainties would arise from that," Huber said. "I think that work had a huge impact on how people think about designing the whole experiment." Huber and Mariani see the Center for Neutrino Physics as one of the few places where that degree of collaboration between theorists and experimentalists could happen. Since its founding in 2010, the center has built up both its theoretical and experimental programs with the sense that as neutrino physics evolved, theorists and experimentalists would always need each other. When an experimentalist and a theorist go for coffee In physics, theory and experiments tend to go back and forth in a feedback cycle: the theorists put forward a question, the experimentalists figure out a way to build an experiment to try to answer the question, and once they have the data, the theorists try to figure out what it means. When theorists and experimentalists have trouble understanding each other, this back and forth won't go smoothly. It's becoming easier and easier for that to happen, Huber said, as carving out a career path in physics tends to push scientists to self-identify as either a theorist or an experimentalist. "By the time you're a grown researcher, you often lose this ability to effectively communicate with each other," Huber said. "I think the only way around this is regular social interaction, where in the end, you learn to understand the language of the other side." Huber, the center's director, said it's important to look for ways to keep theorists and experimentalists talking, in theory-experiment joint seminars or in something as simple as a shared cup of coffee. "Dr. Mariani happens to have a nice coffee machine," he said. "It's really that you have this casual social interaction and a relationship where nobody feels embarrassed to ask stupid questions. I can go down the hallway and ask any of my experimental colleagues, "Hey, what happens if you did X?" And mostly they will tell me, "Well, X will blow up," or something like that. But sometimes you find you have some genuinely interesting new things you can do." So it will go with DUNE. The project's ability to surface new insights on neutrinos will depend in part on how its scientists can center their different talents on the same question, Huber said. DUNE is planned to collect data on neutrino oscillations for 20 years, starting in 2029. It'll be another 10 to 15 years before physicists can find meaning in the results. They may or may not find evidence answering the question of matter's dominance over antimatter in the universe. But DUNE's potential goes beyond that, Huber said. DUNE represents a facility with technologies physicists will be able to use in ways they haven't yet dreamed up. "This is where it gets really interesting," Huber said. "Once you have this new facility and technical capability, people become very creative and find thousands of other ways to extract new science from that. In reality, what we do in science is driven by curiosity. That's the reason we're doing this." This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Immunofluorescence images of wildtype (WT) and Zfp462 deleted (Zfp462 KO) cells during neural differentiation. The neuronal lineage marker SOX1 is shown in green and the endodermal lineage marker FOXA2 is in magenta. Non-neural cells are detected during the neural differentiation of Zfp462 KO cells. Credit: Bell Lab / NCB /IMBA Weiss-Kruszka syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by craniofacial anomalies, developmental delay, and autistic features. Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles uncovered the molecular mechanism underlying Weiss-Kruszka syndrome: The causative mutation in the gene ZNF462 leads to a failure to safeguard the neural lineage specification during early embryonic development. The study, conducted in disease-modeled murine cells, was published on January 5 in Nature Cell Biology. Mutations in genes encoding heterochromatin regulators are frequently associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Heterochromatin, tightly packed DNA, is thought to stabilize neural cell identity and function by enforcing transcriptional silencing of lineage non-specific genes through epigenetic chromatin modifications. However, most heterochromatin modifiers are ubiquitously expressed and lack sequence-specificity. Hence, it remains unclear how the precise targeting of gene silencing is controlled and how mutations in heterochromatin modifiers contribute to NDD-associated neuronal defects. The researchers at IMBA and USC now uncovered the molecular mechanism that targets the heterochromatin regulators G9A/GLP to chromatin to repress lineage non-specific genes during early neurogenesis. They found that the previously uncharacterized murine zinc finger protein ZFP462 directly interacts with G9A/GLP. By doing this, ZFP462 establishes repressive heterochromatin at enhancers of mesoderm and endoderm-specific genes in mouse embryonic stem cells and neural progenitor cells. Failure to target G9A/GLP to non-neuronal enhancers in Zfp462 mutant cells resulted in their aberrant expression. This, in turn, led to the misspecification of neural cells towards meso- and endodermal cell lineages. In humans, a mutation on one allele of the orthologous ZNF462 gene causes a rare genetic disorder known as Weiss-Kruszka Syndrome and presents a high-confidence risk for autism spectrum disorder. Based on the results in mouse cells, it is plausible that the neuropathology in individuals suffering from Weiss-Kruszka Syndrome is caused by defects in neural cell specification. ZFP462 and cell lineage specifications in the early embryo "We demonstrated that ZFP462 plays a key role in safeguarding neural lineage specification in cells of early mouse embryos," says first and co-corresponding author Ramesh Yelagandula, who started this project during his postdoc in the research group of former IMBA group leader Oliver Bell. In their study, Yelagandula, Bell, and their team showed that ZFP462-mediated recruitment of G9A/GLP facilitates the formation of heterochromatin at non-neural enhancers. Heterochromatin restricts the binding of activating transcription factors and prevents the expression of genes involved in specification towards mesodermal and endodermal cell lineages. Thus, ZFP462 is essential to promote ectoderm identity so that neuronal cells can develop properly. Safeguarding neuronal cell identity "The three cell lineages leading to ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm emerge very early during embryonic development," says last and co-corresponding author Bell. Ectodermal cells further differentiate into neuronal cells and tissues such as nerves, brain, and spinal cord. "Once the different cell lineages are specified, maintaining their identity is critical for safeguarding the function of particular cells and tissues," says Yelagandula. Loss of cell identity can cause developmental defects and lead to disease. Therefore, effective epigenetic silencing by heterochromatin regulators is needed to maintain lineage specification and cell identity. Possible future therapy? ZNF462, the gene implicated in Weiss-Kruszka syndrome, is highly conserved in vertebrates. By characterizing the mechanism of the mouse ortholog Zfp462, the new findings shed light on the possible molecular mechanism underlying a rare human neurodevelopmental disorder. "Our data suggest that Weiss-Kruszka syndrome could arise from the aberrant activation of lineage non-specific genes in the neuronal lineage during early embryogenesis," says Bell. The researchers are considering possible applications to help treat affected patients. Patients diagnosed with Weiss-Kruszka syndrome carry only one mutant allele of ZNF462 harboring an early stop codon, while the second allele is functional. As only one normal allele is present, the level of functional protein is reduced. "We are currently investigating if the mutant allele produces a truncated, potentially misfolded protein that has a dominant-negative role in ZFP462 regulation. If this were the case, we might be able to intervene by neutralizing the truncated protein and help alleviate the patients' symptoms," reports Yelagandula. More information: Ramesh Yelagandula, ZFP462 safeguards neural lineage specification by targeting G9A/GLP-mediated heterochromatin to silence enhancers, Nature Cell Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-01051-2. www.nature.com/articles/s41556-022-01051-2 Journal information: Nature Cell Biology Provided by IMBA- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Underwater Kronan excavations. Credit: Lars Einarsson A new study published in the journal Cell on January 5 captures a genetic history across Scandinavia over 2,000 years, from the Iron Age to the present day. This look back at Scandinavian history is based on an analysis of 48 new and 249 published ancient human genomes representing multiple iconic archaeological sites together with genetic data from more than 16,500 people living in Scandinavia today. Among other intriguing findings, the new study led by Stockholm University and deCODE genetics (Reykjavik) offers insight into migration patterns and gene flow during the Viking age (7501050 CE). It also shows that ancestries that were introduced into the area during the Viking period later declined for reasons that aren't clear. "Although still evident in modern Scandinavians, levels of non-local ancestry in some regions are lower than those observed in ancient individuals from the Viking to Medieval periods," said Ricardo Rodriguez-Varela of Stockholm University. "This suggests that ancient individuals with non-Scandinavian ancestry contributed proportionately less to the current gene pool in Scandinavia than expected based on the patterns observed in the archaeological record." "Different processes brought people from different areas to Scandinavia [at different times]," added Anders Gotherstrom, Stockholm University. The researchers hadn't originally planned to piece together Scandinavian history over time and space. Rather, they were working on three separate studies focused on different archaeological sites. Sandby borg archaeological excavations. Credit: Daniel Lindskog "When we were analyzing the genetic affinities of the individuals from different archaeological sites such as the Vendel period boat burials, Viking period chamber burials, and well-known archaeological sites like the Migration period Sandby borg ringfort, known for the massacre that occurred there [in] 500 CE, and individuals from the 17th century royal Swedish warship Kronan, we start to see differences in the levels and origin of non-local ancestry across the different regions and periods of Scandinavia," Rodriguez-Varela explained. "Initially, we were working with three different studies," Gotherstrom said. "One on Sandby borg, one on the boat burials, and one on the man-of-war Kronan. At some point it made more sense to unite them to one study on the Scandinavian demography during the latest 2,000 years." The goal was to document how past migrations have affected the Scandinavian gene pool across time and space to better understand the current Scandinavian genetic structure. As reported in the new study, the researchers found regional variation in the timing and magnitude of gene flow from three sources: the eastern Baltic, the British Irish Isles, and southern Europe. British Irish ancestry was widespread in Scandinavia from the Viking period, whereas eastern Baltic ancestry is more localized to Gotland and central Sweden. In some regions, a drop in current levels of external ancestry suggests that ancient immigrants contributed proportionately less to the modern Scandinavian gene pool than indicated by the ancestry of genomes from the Viking and Medieval periods. Finally, the data show that a north-south genetic cline that characterizes modern Scandinavians is mainly due to differential levels of Uralic ancestry. It also shows that this cline existed in the Viking Age and possibly even earlier. Underwater Kronan excavations. Credit: Lars Einarsson Gotherstrom suggests that what the data reveal about the nature of the Viking period is perhaps most intriguing. The migration from the west impacted all of Scandinavia, and the migration from the east was sex biased, with movement primarily of female people into the region. As the researchers write, the findings overall "indicate a major increase [in gene flow] during the Viking period and a potential bias toward females in the introduction of eastern Baltic and, to a lesser extent, British-Irish ancestries. "Gene flow from the British-Irish Isles during this period seems to have had a lasting impact on the gene pool in most parts of Scandinavia," they continued. "This is perhaps not surprising given the extent of Norse activities in the British-Irish Isles, starting in the 8th century with recurrent raids and culminating in the 11th century North Sea Empire, the personal union that united the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and England. The circumstances and fate of people of British-Irish ancestry who arrived in Scandinavia at this time are likely to have been variable, ranging from the forced migration of slaves to the voluntary immigration of more high-ranking individuals such as Christian missionaries and monks." Overall, the findings show that the Viking period in Scandinavia was a very dynamic time, they say, with people moving around and doing many different things. In future work, they hope to add additional genetic data in hopes of learning more about how the ancestries that arrived during the Viking period were later diluted. They'd also like to pinpoint when the north-south cline was shaped based on study of larger ancient datasets from the north. "We need more pre-Viking individuals form north Scandinavia to investigate when the Uralic ancestry enter in this region," Rodriguez-Varela said. "Also, individuals from 1000 BCE to 0 are very scarce, [and] retrieving DNA from Scandinavian individuals with these chronologies will be important to understand the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age in this part of the world. Finally, more individuals from the Medieval period until the present will help us to understand when and why we observe a reduction in the levels of non-local ancestry in some current regions of Scandinavia." "There is so much fascinating information about our prehistory to be explored in ancient genomes," Gotherstrom said. More information: Ricardo Rodriguez-Varela, The genetic history of Scandinavia from the Roman Iron Age to the present, Cell (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.11.024. www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(22)01468-4 Journal information: Cell WILTON The tree service worker who was killed after falling to the ground at a Wilton job site on Dec. 28 has been identified. Eric LaRue, 57, a resident of the town of Providence, died after falling about 30 feet from a tree on Mount McGregor Road in Wilton, according to a news release. LaRue had been working for a tree service company. LaRue was pronounced dead at the scene. The Saratoga County Sheriffs Office responded to the incident with assistance from Wilton EMS. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. Nearly a half-century of storied Avalon nightlife is up for sale as the Zurawski family has listed the Princeton, the Circle Tavern, the Whitebrier, two liquor licenses and an entire block of prime shore land along Dune and Ocean drives. The asking price? Not specified. But those in the know say if youre a prospective buyer not thinking in the neighborhood of $65 million, the three-acre property is probably not in your wheelhouse. The sale has the tony shore town buzzing, with rumors flying about hotel chains and other potential buyers. Anthony Zurawski, the 80-year-old owner, along with two of his children, had been pressing the town to allow boutique hotels in the area, as median home prices passed $3 million on their way to $4 million. Crazy but just heard that Tommy Brady, Serena Williams, Carly Rae Jepsen and Rick Moranis have bought the block with Princeton & Whitebrier, joked one observer on Facebook. Their plan is to turn it into 36 pickleball courts. Zurawskis advocacy for the boutique hotel concept did not go over well in certain Avalon sectors, and the borough has not taken any firm steps to codify the idea. His 2016 application for a 21-room hotel was previously rejected. What South Jersey is looking forward to in 2023 From the opening of a waterpark in Atlantic City to a variety of music festivals in the regi While Zurawski noted the success of the Reeds, a luxury boutique hotel in neighboring Stone Harbor, some in Avalon worried that the Cooler by a Mile town and its low-rise, low-density, laid-back albeit already quite upscale brand were being eroded by the proliferation of massive houses and mixed-use developments. The loss of family-owned landmarks including Tonios Pizza and Sylvesters Seafood, both of which folded last fall has added to a sense that the Avalon beloved by many older residents is slipping away, block by block. That feeling is prevalent in other changing shore communities, like Margate and in towns on Long Beach Island, as sales skyrocketed and older homes were torn down and replaced by higher, fancier summer homes. Zurawski did not return a message seeking comment. The listing, at CBRE, notes that the property is in one of the hottest real estate markets in the country. The site is across Ocean Drive from the bay and three blocks from the beach in one of the most affluent beach communities on the East Coast, the listing notes. In 2021, Avalon was ranked as the most expensive zip code in South Jersey and one of the top 100 most expensive zip codes in the United States with average home values surpassing $3.4 million. The average sales price of single-family homes in 2022 year-to-date is over $4 million. South Jersey's top 10 weather events of 2022 The top 10 weather events of 2022 encapsulate the range of weather we have in South Jersey. The listing notes that the two businesses, the Princeton and the Whitebrier, generate over $10 million in annual revenue. The site spans 3.12 acres and is located in the B-1 zoning district, which allows for a mix of uses, including retail, restaurants, and residential housing. Robert Fahey, CBRE executive vice president, referred questions about Zurawskis reasons for selling to the family. Fahey said the company would be accepting bids on the property until mid-February, in what is effectively a private auction. (Though he added that if Serena Williams walked in with an offer, as the Facebook wags have written, that might wrap things up.) Were actively soliciting offers, Fahey said Wednesday. The opportunity that were presenting is really twofold: Its a very, very successful food and beverage nightclub operation thats been around for 50 years or more. And theres enough excess land to build 20 or more homes and/or retail establishments. Zurawski had said this summer he hoped to build a 50-plus-room boutique hotel on the vacant parcel next to the Princeton. There should be a couple of boutique hotels along Dune Drive, Zurawski told The Inquirer this summer. Ventnor receives nearly $550K for coastal infrastructure, resilience projects VENTNOR The city will spend $546,003 in grant funds to replace 500 feet of failing bulkhea Everyone knows the positive impact of the Reeds, Zurawski said. The boutique hotel zone isnt about me. Its about making Avalon a better place. Ann Delaney, an Avalon Realtor, noted that while the center-of-it-all location, two liquor licenses, and development potential of the land make the property unusual, a similar full-block property, the Golden Inn, sold recently to the Icona company, complete with restaurant, hotel, and liquor license. The Golden Inn is now known as the ICONA Avalon. Icona also bought the Windrift, another landmark Avalon bar. Delaney said when she first heard of the sale, she thought thats Anthony ticked off at the borough, but she also noted that the family has been hard at work, hands on, for nearly a half-century. His kids run it, she said. You need an end game. Its a tough business. Theyve been in the business their whole lives. If they cash out, good for them. One of three men accused of beating an Egg Harbor Township man outside a Pleasantville strip club before he was found dead pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated assault, the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office said. Jamaul Timberlake, 31, of Atlantic City, could face four years in prison when he is sentenced Feb. 22. Timberlake pleaded before Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Nancy Ridgway that he and two co-defendants, brothers Garnell and John Hands, overpowered Irving Mayren-Guzman, beating the 19-year-old outside Centerfolds Cabaret on Delilah Road, causing him significant injuries, the Prosecutors Office said Thursday in a news release. After entering his guilty plea, Timberlake asked to be released from jail. While appreciating his admission, Ridgway denied his request, finding he remained a danger to the community, the Prosecutors Office said. His plea and sentence are contingent on both Hands brothers also entering guilty pleas later this month, the Prosecutors Office said. Mayren-Guzman was discovered dead Jan. 25, 2022, in the marsh several hundred feet from the strip club. He was reported missing Jan. 23 after his friends couldnt find him after he was reportedly thrown out of the club by bouncers. 2 accused in Mayren-Guzman assault case apply for pretrial intervention program MAYS LANDING Two of the three men charged with assaulting Irving Mayren-Guzman in January An autopsy attributed Mayren-Guzmans death to hypothermia, drowning and alcohol intoxication. The autopsy did not show evidence that he had sustained a traumatic brain injury near the time of his death. None of the men was charged with murder. After Mayren-Guzmans death, hundreds in the local Latino community rallied around his family by holding protests outside the club and later the courthouse in Mays Landing, chanting in Spanish for justice. Pleasantville City Council rescinded Centerfolds mercantile licenses Feb. 23, 2022. Mayren-Guzmans family, meanwhile, filed a lawsuit against the club and the three suspects for his death. The familys attorney, Randolph Lafferty, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday. PLEASANTVILLE A city resident has filed a petition to the state Department of Education alleging local school board member Yadira Falcon has not lived in the city for the amount of time required under state law for her to hold the position. The petition asks that Falcon not be seated while the matter is adjudicated. It also requests that a hearing be held at the state Office of Administrative Law. Former board member Rick Norris filed the petition, which was prepared by attorney Robert Merenich. He asks that Atlantic County Superintendent Robert Bumpus replace Falcon with an alternative member. (The) Petitioner maintains that the ongoing presence of Ms. Falcon, who does not have the requisite residence qualifications to be a board member, would be an irreparable harm to the District, Merenich said in a letter about the petition. The public will rightfully question the integrity of the votes taken by the (Pleasantville Board of Education) which has seated an individual who clearly lied on her nominating petition and who is not a resident of Pleasantville. No other remedy than Falcons removal from the Board can avoid this irreparable harm. Falcon told The Press of Atlantic City on Wednesday that she lives in Pleasantville with her sister. She said questions about her residency were being made in bad faith and amounted to an attempt by her opponents to unfairly force her from her seat. Theyre not going to scare me away, and thats what theyre trying to do, Falcon said. Local governments reorganize as 2023 begins Governing bodies across South Jersey are set to reorganize this week. Falcon won election to the school board in November by finishing in third place with 993 votes. She was joined by board member Alejandrina Alberto and newcomer Andrea Gray. Falcon has previous experience on the board, having served on the body in 2021. Falcon was not in attendance at the school boards reorganization meeting Tuesday. She told The Press she had to attend to sudden personal matters and stressed she was not letting the petition force her from her seat. William Scull, a private investigator and retired State Police captain, was retained by Merenich for the case and investigated Falcons residency. The affidavit indicates Scull had determined Falcon lied when she said she lived in the district in a July 25 nominating petition. Scull said he had spoken to the tenant living at the Pleasantville property listed on Falcons nominating petition as of December. The tenant is said to have told Scull that she and her child were the sole residents at the property for the past 2 years. The owner, also interviewed by Scull in December, also indicated that the current tenant and her child were the only residents of the property for the past two to three years. A November letter from the Atlantic County Improvement Authority indicates the tenant had received rental assistance as part of a COVID-19 relief program. The petition also produces the deed to the property, seeming to confirm the identity of the current owner. Scull said he asked Falcon directly for an address last week. She purportedly gave an address in the city different from what was listed on her nominating petition. Scull later determined that house as having been the residence of another woman with the last name Falcone. The investigation further maintains that Falcons driver license and registration list the address of a Galloway Township property said to be owned by her father. She is said to have first used the Galloway address when reporting to the state Motor Vehicle Commission in December 2020 and prior to that used a Pleasantville address. She most recently used the Galloway address when renewing her drivers license and registration in 2022. Scull said he surveilled Falcon and never saw what he said was her car at four other Pleasantville addresses with which she was associated. He said he did occasionally see her car outside a Galloway address and, during the night, an Absecon address. The affidavit also cites a 911 call from June 2020 in which Falcon tells dispatchers she lives at the Galloway address. Police reports from 2020 are produced in the petition, although those reports indicate Falcon told police she was living in Pleasantville. The affidavit indicates Falcons residence was among other things that Scull was retained to investigate, although it does not specify what his other tasks may have been. A private investigator retained by Merenich to serve a summons and complaint in a separate case had also sworn out an affidavit alleging Falcon did not live at one of her associated Pleasantville addresses that he had visited. That affidavit also cites her vehicle registration. The private investigator served Falcon a complaint and summons at the Galloway address in August. The case appears to be related to a lawsuit that Pleasantville Superintendent Natakie Chestnut-Lee had filed against multiple current and former school board members and school district employees. The challenge to Falcons residency is just the latest in a string of controversies to unsettle the school board. The bodys business has been consistently disrupted over the past year by dueling ethics complaints and intrigue over professional appointments and outside political influence. Chestnut-Lee has been suspended from her role as superintendent since October 2021, due to allegations that she had not been honest about why she left a previous job, something Chestnut-Lee has disputed. The board voted to fire Chestnut-Lee in July, although that decision must still be authorized by the acting state commissioner of education. The dispute is also not the only residency challenge to disrupt politics in the city recently. Cory Young, the winner of a June 7 Democratic primary race for City Council, withdrew his candidacy after a petition filed in Atlantic County Superior Court challenged his residency status. James Barclay, the first runner-up set to be sworn in Wednesday evening, had alleged Young was actually living in Atlantic City, citing the appearance of Youngs name on an intercom system at an Atlantic City property six days after the election was held. (Young told The Press he dropped out because he wanted to gain more community-work experience and spend more time with family. He maintained his primary residence was in Pleasantville.) Any prolonged absence for Falcon could create further disruption on the board. With only eight members at Tuesdays reorganization meeting, nobody was able to garner a majority of votes to be board president or vice president. The meeting ended with those positions still vacant. NORTH WILDWOOD In the latest volley in the battle between the city and the state Department of Environmental Protection over dune projects, city officials say they filed a motion seeking $20 million in damages from the state. A statement from the city Wednesday alleged ongoing failure on the part of the DEP to provide meaningful shore protection. The claim, filed Wednesday, is in response to a Dec. 6 suit filed in Superior Court seeking an injunction against the city for constructing a bulkhead on the beach. There have been disagreements for years between the city and the DEP over how to deal with rapidly eroding beaches and dunes in the city. But things heated up after an October storm brought new erosion, badly damaging the dune at 15th Avenue. City officials said they would address the steep cliffs on the dunes and install a bulkhead to protect the city against more storms this winter. The DEP did not approve emergency permits to work on the dunes, and also told the city not to move forward on a plan to install a bulkhead in that area. Mayor Patrick Rosenello said he would do what was necessary to protect property and lives in his community, regardless of the states position. The DEP side: Unauthorized beach work will do more harm than good NORTH WILDWOOD City work to shore up storm protection along its beachfront could do more h He kept up the heat in a statement released Wednesday. Our answer and motion for a counterclaim is a damning indictment of the incredible lack of professionalism and scientific integrity at the NJDEP, Rosenello said. He accused the DEP of relying on survey work from someone without a license using armature survey equipment in denying the emergency authorization for the dune work. DEP spokesperson Larry Hajna said Wednesday there would be no comment on pending litigation. But letters released from the DEP stated that North Wildwoods proposed efforts could do more harm than good. In the spirit of partnership, we again remind the city that taking perceived self-help measures, including the destruction of dunes or other regulated coastal resources, the unauthorized installation of bulkheads, or other regulated activities without required DEP review or permits, is a violation of the states environmental laws, some of which carry severe monetary and other penalties, DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette wrote to Rosenello on Dec. 1. State goes to court to stop North Wildwood dune work NORTH WILDWOOD A fight simmering between the state and the city over sand dunes appears to According to city officials, the counterclaim, and answer to the DEPs request for an injunction, included details from Stewart Farrell, who recently retired from Stockton Universitys Coastal Research Center, calling him the states leading expert on coastal erosion. Dr. Farrell has confirmed that the beach and dune area in and around 15th Avenue in North Wildwood has seen the highest rate of beach and dune erosion of any site in the state of New Jersey going all the way back to the mid-1990s, reads a statement from North Wildwood. The city is ready to start building the bulkhead. Thursday afternoon, piles of steel sat on the sand along with a giant crane and other heavy equipment. Erosion at the site appeared worse than it was in October, when the city first acted unilaterally to make temporary repairs to the dune by pushing piles of sand up against it. Here we are dealing with a real-life emergency that has the potential to put public safety at risk and damage public and private property, and the NJDEP has the unmitigated gall to base their decision on the issuance of an (emergency authorization) on survey data collected by an unlicensed individual using equipment that is no better than a phone app, Rosenello said. This useless information was then used by a so-called scientist at Stevens Institute to produce a report that is the definition of junk science. Our answer is also an indictment of NJDEPs refusal to recognize an emergency that is of its own doing. Sand dunes in the city were hit hard in October as the remnants of Hurricane Ian passed the region, cutting steep cliffs in some areas. A significant portion of dune was swept away at 15th Street. At the time, Rosenello said the city would act quickly to address the situation and protect the city from future storms. The state Department of Environmental Protection gave emergency authorization for some of the work but told North Wildwood not to touch the dunes and declined emergency authorization for a permanent bulkhead. In December, the state asked the Superior Court to step in, filing a lawsuit to request a temporary injunction ending the work. Judge Michael J. Blee told North Wildwood officials to appear in his courtroom Jan. 17 to show why the injunction should not be imposed. In October, staff with the DEP said the department granted emergency authorization for 20-foot segments of concrete barrier from 15th Avenue to 16th Avenue, but not the other work, saying that did not qualify for emergency approval and instead would need to go through the usual reviews before approval. A federal beach replenishment project has been in the works for the area for years but has been held up over ongoing negotiations over plans to create a sand dune stretching the length of the beachfront of the Wildwoods. The Associated Press contributed to this report. What's Happening in the Region Writing Elbasy Out of Kazakhstans Constitution For nearly 28 years, Nursultan Nazarbaev ruled as president of independent Kazakhstan. Nazarbaev had big plans for Kazakhstan from the early days of independence. But as time went on, he also began to have big plans for himself, his image, his legacy, and seemingly his personal fortune and that of his family. In 2010, the Kazakh parliament officially bestowed on Nazarbaev the title of Elbasy, leader of the nation. The move was recognition of Nazarbaevs contributions as Kazakhstans first president, but the title came with privileges that were written into the Law on the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in June 2010. Among those privileges, Elbasy could not be held liable for actions committed during the period of his exercising the powers as President of Kazakhstan. Elbasy may not be detained, arrested and kept in custody, searched, interrogated or personally searched. Inviolability of all property owned by Elbasy Nazarbaev and members of his family living with him was guaranteed along with bank secrecy and inviolability of bank accounts of Elbasy and members of his family living with him. Nazarbaev stepped down as president in March 2019, though he retained much of the power he enjoyed as president due to amendments to the constitution. Since the violence in Kazakhstan that broke out in early January 2022, during which it appears Nazarbaev loyalists attempted to oust current President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, Nazarbaevs fortunes have waned significantly. Nazarbaev no longer holds any state post. On December 28, 2022, deputies in the Mazhilis, Kazakhstan's lower house of parliament, began discussing the the Law on the First President. After the session, Mazhilis speaker Yerlan Koshanov told the press that some deputies in the session were discussing cancelling the law. If the law is no longer in effect, Koshanov said, than all the immunities provided for by the law are also no longer in effect. Why Its Important: Nazarbaev tried to manipulate the law and use legislation to protect his legacy and his rumored fortune, but that now appears to be falling apart. Hopefully this will be a lesson to leaders not only in Kazakhstan, but in Central Asia. Attempts to legalize all that leaders accrue through being in power are just as easily removed when they are no longer in power. Kyrgyzstan Jails Doctors Is it malpractice or injustice? At the end of 2022, a court in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek ordered five doctors be held in jail until January 10. The five doctors are from two separate Bishkek hospitals the City Children's Clinical Hospital and the National Center for Maternal and Child Protection. They are suspected of violating Article 146 of the Criminal Code improper performance of professional duties by a medical or pharmaceutical worker. A young boy, reportedly three years old and complaining of stomach pains, was brought first to one of the city hospitals at about 7:00 am local time, then transferred to the childrens hospital at around 12:30 pm. The boy died shortly after arriving at the childrens hospital. Media reports have not specified the cause of death. But on December 30, the five doctors were detained and put in custody. Bermet Baryktabasova, the head of the independent Medical Trade Union of Kyrgyzstan, complained on Facebook on December 31 that the rights of the doctors are grossly violated and this happens for the first time in the history of Kyrgyzstan, without evidence of guilt... Baryktabasova wrote the real reason for the doctors being detained and possibly losing their jobs was because the relatives of the dead child are high-ranking individuals. Baryktabasova was correct. The deceased child was the grandson of Nurlan Japarov. Nurlan Japarov is the brother of Akylbek Japarov, the current head of Kyrgyzstans cabinet of ministers. Why Its Important: Baryktabasova wrote the medical profession intends to save lives, reduce pain and suffering. But not everything is in [the doctor's] hands. All the facts of this case are not yet clear, but it is starting to look like the doctors are being made scapegoats for the unfortunate death of the boy. This is the latest example of what appears to be a deterioration of the rule of law in Kyrgyzstan. Opposition politicians, activists, journalists, and bloggers have been detained in recent months and remain in custody based on flimsy accusations from authorities. The Latest Majlis Podcast This weeks Majlis podcast looked back at 2022, which was a notably active year in Central Asia. There were protests in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; fighting between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan that left more than 100 people dead; the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens fleeing their homeland, and more. This weeks guests are Catherine Putz, Managing Editor at The Diplomat magazine; Luca Anceschi, Professor of Central Asian studies at Glasgow University; and Temur Umarov, Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the OSCE Academy. What I'm Following Turkmen President Heads to China Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhammedov is making an official visit to China on January 5-6, his first visit to China since being elected president in March 2022. The announcement from Chinas state CCTV comes as Turkmen media reports Turkmenistans trade with China during the first 11 months of 2022 totaled $10.12 billion, of which $9.33 billion was Turkmen exports, mainly natural gas, to China. According to Turkmen media reports, that represents a 53.2 percent increase over the trade figure for the same period in 2021. Another Summit of the Turkish, Turkmen, and Azerbaijani Leaders The presidents of Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan met in Turkmenistan on December 14. Ahead of that summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was predicting big news about supplies of Turkmen gas through Turkey to Europe. There was no big news about Turkmen gas for Europe. But days later Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said a roadmap for Turkmen gas will be developed in the near future and President Erdogan said there would be another summit soon. Fact of the Week Uzbek news outlet Gazeta.uz reported 2,155 babies were born in Uzbekistan on the first day of 2023. If that is roughly the average number of births daily in Uzbekistan, the countrys population will increase by more than 750,000 this year. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Uzbekistans population was about 20 million, but by July 2022, the population was just over 35.6 million. Thanks for Reading Thanks for reading our Central Asia in Focus newsletter! I appreciate you sharing it with other readers who you think may be interested. Feel free to contact me on Twitter or by responding to this email, especially if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or just want to connect with me about topics concerning Central Asia. Please consider filling out this brief survey so that I can better understand how this newsletter can be useful for you. See you next week for more on whats happening in Central Asia. Until next time, Bruce Passengers face harrowing time as two out of five escalators are shut down to carry out maintenance By: Rahul Deshmukh & Yashpal Sonkamble Commuters departing from and arriving at the Pune railway station faced a distressing time as two of the five escalators installed at the station were shut down on Thursday in order to carry out maintenance work. A team from Mirror carried out a reality check after receiving complaints from the passengers and found escalators servicing platforms two and three to be closed. The luggage scanner at the main entrance was not working as well. In addition, the drinking water vending machines were also non-functioning and the ramp at the main entrance was closed. Narrating his experience, Jagdish Kamble, a daily commuter, said that he travels daily from Akurdi to Pune by local train. The elevator servicing platforms two and three have been out of order since last week. Senior citizens, differently-abled people, pregnant women, and children were the worst affected as they were forced to ascend and descend the staircases while carrying luggage. Escalators must always be maintained in working condition, he added. PHOTOS: RAHUL DESHMUKH Mirror spoke to a senior citizen, Prakash Pandey, who said that he found it difficult to climb stairs. A few years ago, we used the ramp starting from the entrance servicing all platforms. Now with the ramp being shut, it is difficult to use the central foot over-bridge always. The railway administration must restart the escalator and provide wheelchairs for senior citizens. Echoing similar thoughts, another commuter, Shradha Patil, said that the railway administration must ensure that the escalators, wheelchairs, and commuter vehicles are functional around the clock. Often, the commuter vehicles are malfunctioning, she added. Commenting on the issue, Manoj Zanwar, public relations officer of the Pune regional railway department said that one of the escalators, luggage scanner, and commuter cars remained shut. The escalators are under maintenance and the luggage scanner is also under repair. These facilities will restart in the next two days. Due to the non-availability of the ramp, two cars have been barred from functioning completely. The pure drinking water vending machines will also be repaired in the next few weeks, he added. Only 3.71 pc aspiring teachers clear the test; MSCERT launches training to improve numbers Who is to be blamed if the teachers themselves fail? Ask any of the 4.51 lakh plus teachers who have failed in the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) held in 2021 and the pat reply would be, Of course, the tough examination. Consider this, only 17,322 out of over 4.68 lakh candidates could qualify to become a teacher in 2021. In short, the pass percentage for the TET in December 2021 was only 3.75 per cent. No wonder, the TET has been at the centre of a storm in the field of education since the results were announced on December 21, 2022. While teachers are worried about their future, education department officials are concerned about how to fill the backlog of vacant positions. The Right to Education Act (RTI) of 2009 makes qualifying the TET mandatory for a primary teachers job. The exam consists of two papers: One with a mix of all essential subjects for aspiring teachers from Class I to Class V and the other with two sections, one for mathematics and science and one for social science. The TET was first introduced in Maharashtra in 2011. As a result, no school can hire a candidate who is not a TET qualified teacher. Those who have joined various schools as teaching assistants on contract or clock hour basis are also required to qualify the TET to become eligible for confirmation in service or for appointment on aided post of teacher in government or private schools. The teachers who could not pass the TET have been complaining about the nature and difficulty of the exam, and have called for a change in the examination pattern. On the other hand, the school education department is concerned about the poor results, which may result in a shortage of teachers, and has begun taking steps to improve the deteriorating quality of school education. The latest initiative in this regard is STARS a special training course designed by the Maharashtra State Council for Educational Research and Training (MSCERT) to improve teachers leadership, teaching, and communication skills. The National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will conduct this initiative in online and blended modes to expose teachers to new technical skills. Teachers representative Jyoti Belawale said, The difficulty level of the TET offline examination was extremely high. No one can pass the TET in the first attempt due to the heavy workload and unpredictable questionnaire. TET papers 1 and 2 should be based on textbooks and the D Ed syllabus from classes I to VIII. So, on behalf of all teachers, we are requesting that the TET examination pattern be changed. Mahendra Ganpule, principal and spokesperson, Maharashtra Principals Federation, said, The TET examination pattern should be based on classes I to VIII textbooks and student-friendly teaching skills. Primary education director Sharad Gosavi said, In the last nine years, the number of prospective teacher candidates who passed the TET cannot reach above 4 percent on average. Only 1.45 percent of candidates passed the mathematics and science subjects paper in the recently announced TET, raising serious concerns about the quality of teachers. As a result, the education department has taken steps to improve the quality of current teachers. Speaking on the initiative, Maharashtra State Council for Education Research and Training (MSCERT) director MD Singh said, In order to improve the quality of teachers in the state, content-based assessment of primary and secondary school principals and teachers will soon be conducted for the year 2022-23 through the MSCERT. School education secretary Ranjit Singh Deol said, School education minister Deepak Kesarkar launched the initiative. The implementation work is underway. The course will be launched once some important administrative matters are completed. The Right to Education Act requires constant updating of teacher training. Suhas Hirlekar, leader, the Maharashtra Teachers Association, said, Training for principals and teachers in all government and aided schools has started in this regard. This is a welcome step. However, the recruitment of teachers is pending. If the government pays attention to this, students will get enough quality teachers. WHAT WE KNOW: Orion trustees hired Ion Environmental Solutions to handle the village's water system with the upcoming retirement of Water Superintendent Arnie Sandberg. WHAT'S NEW: Dan Helm of Ion Environmental attended Wednesday's board meeting and congratulated Sandberg on a certificate honoring the village for the "highest standard of compliance" with the Illinois Fluoridation Act for the 25th year in a row. "To do that and do it that many years, that is a feat," Helm said. Village President Jim Cooper asked Helm to attend the first board meeting of the month for several months to facilitate communication between Ion and board members. In response to a recent water main break, Trustee Steve Newman said the village could bring in the Illinois Rural Water Association during the summer months to advise the village on what to do about water leaks. "It's something to think about," he said. Trustee Mel Drucker said a 2000 engineering study advised replacing all water mains, but it cost over $300,000 just to do 10th Street to 13th Street. Drucker said it would be worth looking into grants. WHAT'S NEXT: The board approved a $17,209.02 bid from Triangle Construction and Lumber of Cambridge to replace the band shell floor in Central Park. Cooper noted $10,000 for the work was donated by Coulter Trust. The trustees stipulated the work should be complete by May 15 in advance of eighth-grade promotion. Village attorney John Ames said he didn't know what the penalty would be for not meeting the deadline and conversely, if the board sets a deadline there should be a bonus for completing the work early. The Moline Police Department will undergo an independent assessment for accreditation and is inviting the public to provide input on the police department. Accreditation is an ongoing review process where agencies evaluate policy, procedure, and compliance against already established criteria. The on-site assessment will evaluate 69 professional standards in the areas of administration, operations, personnel, and training. Police Chief Darren Gault, along with the accreditation team, is inviting the public to meet from 4-5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9 at the Moline Police Department, 1640 6th Ave., to voice opinions, experiences, and other information with the accreditation team. Citizens may call 309-524-2113 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10 to privately speak with representatives from the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. Citizens may also email comments to ILEAP@moline.il.us. Trained assessors from the ILEAP team will conduct on-site assessments of the police department Monday, Jan. 9, and Tuesday, Jan. 10. The assessors from peer agencies across Illinois will conduct inspections, file reviews, and audits of the police department. They will also examine the department to ensure the city's police department is worthy of accreditation through the ILEAP council. Accreditation is widely regarded a high standard that can give the public trust that the police department is operating within the established practices and laws. GRACE KINNICUTT While many of my stories are about the crime issues facing the Quad-Cities, my favorite stores are those that show the best sides of the Quad-Cities, the history, and its residents. So we start off with Dennis Voy, owner of 61 Drive-In in Delmar, Iowa. In the age of streaming services, Delmar's 61 Drive-In going strong after 50 years In the fall of 1971, while having coffee with a friend at the Green Mill Cafe in Maquoketa, Dennis Voy got the opportunity to purchase the 61 Drive-In Theatre located about 5 miles south of Maquoketa near Delmar. For all the talk about renewable energy, here is a story about a company and local farmers actually making the investments and showing the world how it's done. Coming full circle: Innovations in ag aim to protect the environment On a sunny Monday in September, Scott County farmer Bryan Sievers watched as workers from St. Louis-based Roeslein Alternative Energy dug a trench for a gas pipe near the two 970,000-gallon anaerobic digesters on his Stockton farm. In the wake of Hurricane Ian, a former Davenport cop and his friends find a way to help. Former Davenport Police Officer and his friends find a way to help someone in Hurricane Ian's path When Hurricane Ian roared through Fort Myers, Fla., retired Davenport Police Sgt. Jim Stark and his wife, Julie, were looking for ways to help those in need. It is always rewarding and humbling to cover the Honor Flights. Military made Honor Flight veteran a man U.S. Air Force veteran Gordon Siokos, 80, of Davenport, was happy at the crowd that greeted him and about 90 other Vietnam-era veterans Tuesday night at the Quad Cities International Airport in Moline. The Night to Shine will be in person in 2023, but it was still fun to cover it in 2022 when it was a drive-thru event due to COVID. Night To Shine parade adds a special flair to virtual event Dressed to the nines with a sparkling tiara on her head, Jade Weller was all smiles waving to the crowd of people lined up Friday inside one of the buildings of the Iowa National Guard Armory on West Kimberly Road in Davenport. Natalia Mulica graduated from St. Ambrose in 2020. In November 2021 she opened her business, and a year later was celebrating its first anniversary. But on New Year's Day 2023, her good fortune ran out. Mulica awoke to a phone call at 5 a.m. from the Davenport Fire Department. A pipe had burst on Mound Street in the Village of East Davenport, right beside her business. Grilled Cheese Bar is in the lower corner of the Village Market Place, the green building that faces River Drive. Initially, it was thought to be a water main break. However, Iowa American Water officials confirmed the water was caused from a broken fire service line inside the property, which is the responsibility of the property owner to maintain and repair. Because the pipe was inside the building, and not a water main, the damage was worse than she originally thought. Based on the phone call Sunday, Mulica thought she would come into a flooded bar, remove the water removed and reopen the next day. It wasn't that easy. "We come in the next day, I look behind the bar and the cement is all broken up. There was mud; you could walk up a hill of mud," she said. "It was immediately complete heartbreak because everything was destroyed." She discovered Monday that the water had pushed through the building's foundation and broke through the baseboards. Mud, silt and dirt poured in, destroying furniture, the walls and leaving a quicksand-like mess for Mulica and her team to clean up. "Tuesday we came back in, but it had rained. Everything we did the day before was washed away," she said. "So we had to start over again." Close Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main break on Jan. 1. Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main broke on Jan. 1. The break caused water, silt and mud to break through the floor boards and flood into the bar. Owner Natalia Mulica has started a GoFundMe to raise funds to help re-open the bar. Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main broke on Jan. 1. The break caused water, silt and mud to break through the floor boards and flood into the bar. Owner Natalia Mulica has started a GoFundMe to raise funds to help re-open the bar. Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main break on Jan. 1. The break caused water, silt and mud to break through the floor boards and flood into the bar. Thursday, the majority of the mud had been cleaned away. Owner Natalia Mulica has started a GoFundMe to raise funds to help reopen the bar. Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main broke on Jan. 1. The break caused water, silt and mud to break through the floor boards and flood into the bar. Thursday, the majority of the mud had been cleaned away. Owner Natalia Mulica has started a GoFundMe to raise funds to help re-open the bar. Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main broke on Jan. 1. The break caused water, silt and mud to break through the floor boards and flood into the bar. Thursday, the majority of the mud had been cleaned away. Owner Natalia Mulica has started a GoFundMe to raise funds to help re-open the bar. Grilled Cheese Bar closes temporarily after flooding Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main break on Jan. 1. Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main broke on Jan. 1. The break caused water, silt and mud to break through the floor boards and flood into the bar. Owner Natalia Mulica has started a GoFundMe to raise funds to help re-open the bar. Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main broke on Jan. 1. The break caused water, silt and mud to break through the floor boards and flood into the bar. Owner Natalia Mulica has started a GoFundMe to raise funds to help re-open the bar. Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main break on Jan. 1. The break caused water, silt and mud to break through the floor boards and flood into the bar. Thursday, the majority of the mud had been cleaned away. Owner Natalia Mulica has started a GoFundMe to raise funds to help reopen the bar. Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main broke on Jan. 1. The break caused water, silt and mud to break through the floor boards and flood into the bar. Thursday, the majority of the mud had been cleaned away. Owner Natalia Mulica has started a GoFundMe to raise funds to help re-open the bar. Grilled Cheese Bar, 1019 Mound Street in Davenport, is temporarily closed after a water main broke on Jan. 1. The break caused water, silt and mud to break through the floor boards and flood into the bar. Thursday, the majority of the mud had been cleaned away. Owner Natalia Mulica has started a GoFundMe to raise funds to help re-open the bar. Originally from Chicago, Mulica stayed in Davenport after graduating with her business degree. Being from a family of entrepreneurs, she wanted to try bringing something unique to the region. "There's a lot of bar and grills, but I wanted to take the Chicago aspect, something different and touristy, and bring it to the Quad-Cities," she said By Thursday, the majority of the mud was cleared away, but the nightmare continued. After hours of back-and-forth phone calls, she found out her insurance company would not cover the damage. The landlord was deemed responsible because the pipe is inside to the building. To help recoup from financial loss, Mulica has started a GoFundMe page. More than $2,000 in food had to be thrown out, furniture was destroyed and walls have to be repainted, she said. "We have our bills we still have to pay, but we have no money coming in," she said. "When we do reopen again, we'll need that to get back on our feet." Mulica said the goal was to finish cleaning as soon as possible, then move on to getting health inspections scheduled. Her goal is to open for takeout only until the dining room is ready for guests. There is no estimated timeline for when the water main will be repaired, but Mulica is hoping to be up-and-running again in a few months. "We're just waiting for the water to be turned back on so we can finish cleaning up," Mulica said. As previously reported, many Quad-City homes and businesses sustained damage as a result of frozen water pipes that resulted from the pre-Christmas winter storm. In Mulica's case at the Grilled Cheese Bar, the landslide of mud and debris compounded the damage. The two candidates who squared off for Scott County Attorney in Novembers election will team up to prosecute the man accused of kidnapping and murdering Breasia Terrell. Republican Kelly Cunningham won the 2022 Scott County Attorneys race, defeating Democratic candidate Caleb Copley to replace Mike Walton as he retired after a 15-year tenure as the countys top prosecutor. Cunningham confirmed Tuesday she will lead the prosecution of Henry Earl Dinkins, the man who is charged in the disappearance and killing of 10-year-old Breasia in July of 2020. Copley, who was working on the case before the election, asked Cunningham to remain on as an assistant prosecutor. The teaming of former political foes comes after Cunningham also announced Assistant County Attorney Amy Devine has taken an extended leave of absence from the office to, in Cunninghams words, rest and travel the country. Devine was Waltons lead prosecutor on the Dinkins case. His murder trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 8 in Linn County District Court in Cedar Rapids. He is being held in the Marshall County Jail in Marshalltown. I think I can come up to speed on the trial fairly easily in that time, Cunningham said. It is eight months and that should be enough time. Judge Henry Latham made the decision to delay the trial in early October 2022, granting a request filed by Dinkins attorneys, Chad and Jennifer Frese, in order to ... allow them adequate time to prepare. Walton filed a resistance to the motion. In arguing against the continuance, Walton pointed to the fact six previous continuances were granted in the case. Two of those requests were made by Dinkins defense teams and were not opposed by Walton. While the delay will give her time to get up to speed, Cunningham said, the continuance also made sense for the trials integrity and from a defense standpoint. As a prosecutor, you want the defense to do the best job it can do, she said. What almost always happens is a defendant will file for post-conviction relief on the grounds of incompetent defense. It is then the prosecutors job to defend those defense attorneys. You want to know they did the best job possible. And I can say, specifically in this case, the defense needed more time with discovery. Cunningham, who specialized in prosecuting drug crimes while serving as Muscatine County Assistant Attorney over the course of the last two years, has previous experience in murder cases. A Bettendorf resident, Cunningham previously worked for the Scott County Attorneys office from 1993 to 2016. The greatest challenge, she said, will be navigating the emotions and fear that come with a murder prosecution. Im someone who has the emotional strength and experience to guide the family, the witnesses, and the community through the process of trying this case, she said. I have experience preparing witnesses and helping them have the confidence needed to testify. I think that is something family members and the community will see. Dinkins is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping in Breasias death. Each charge is a Class A felony that carries a mandatory prison sentence of life without parole. The girl last was seen either late July 9 or early July 10 of 2020. She spent the night with her brother Dinkins son whom he had with Breasias mother at Dinkins home during the time period she disappeared. Her remains were discovered March 22, 2021, near DeWitt, and her identity was confirmed on March 31. The charges against Dinkins were announced May 5, 2021, in a news conference. A Quad-Cities dermatologist accused of practicing in an unsafe manner has agreed to pay a $1,000 penalty and undergo additional training. The Iowa Board of Medicine charged Dr. Ravindra Kumar Gangadhariah of Davenport with practicing in a manner that is harmful or detrimental to the public because of his alleged failure to possess and exercise a level of skill thats expected of physicians. The board also charged Gangadhariah with improper management of medical records. In its public statement of charges, the board alleged that at some unspecified time in the past, Gangadhariah returned an unused portion of lidocaine, a topical anesthetic, to a multi-dose vial. The board did not elaborate, although its settlement agreement with Gangadhariah suggested the doctors actions created a potential risk of infection. With regard to Gangadhariahs medical records, the board said it found numerous instances where patients were billed for services rendered with incomplete or missing documentation. As part of the settlement agreement between Gangadhariah and the board, the doctor agreed to pay a $1,000 civil penalty and complete instructional courses on record-keeping and on infection control related to the use and storage of lidocaine. In 2017, a Quad-Cities patient named Tim Daley sued Gangadhariah for medical negligence, alleging the doctor had punctured four blisters on his leg after misdiagnosing them as scabies, then failed to prescribe antibiotics. As a result, Daley alleged, he was later hospitalized with MRSA, which can lead to staph infections. The case was dismissed by the court after Daleys attorney failed to disclose to the defense the names of any expert witnesses he planned to call in the case. Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter. Two men await sentencing in federal court for a 2022 Davenport shooting. Authorities accused Leonard Fisher, 32, Davenport; and Timothy Eugene Angel, 39, Clinton, of being the gunmen in a Jan. 29, 2022, shooting that took place outside the Thunderguard Club, which at the time was at 1314 Washington St., Davenport, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa. On Wednesday a jury found Fisher guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and his sentencing is pending, the release stated. Angel has already pleaded guilty to a count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and has a sentencing hearing on Jan. 24. Fisher and Angel each faced up to 10 years in a federal prison, the release stated. According to the release: The incident that led to the charges began as an altercation inside the establishment and spilled into the street. Numerous shots were fired, and when police arrived, they found a gun beside a pool of blood. They also recovered two sets of shell casings. Testing showed Fishers DNA matched the blood, and video footage recovered by investigators showed him to be one of the shooters. The gun Angel used was not found, so he was charged with the count of ammunition possession. The Davenport Police Department, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, investigated the case. The South Dakota Attorney General's Office took another step on Wednesday towards fleshing out the state's response to the crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous people with the formation of the state's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Advisory Council. An overwhelming percentage of missing people in South Dakota are Native American. Despite making up only 9% of the state's population, Native Americans make up 60% of people currently listed on the state's missing persons' clearinghouse. The council will advise Attorney General Mark Vargo on establishing goals, protocols and parameters for the new MMIP office, which currently consists of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator Allison Morrisette, who is based in Rapid City. Morrisette started in the position at the end of Nov. 2022. She is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and came to the position from the Pennington County States Attorneys Office, where she served as the adult supervision coordinator. "The issues surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women demand attention," said former Attorney General for the Oglala Sioux Tribe and current co-chair of the council Tatewin Means in a statement. "I look forward to working with MMIP Coordinator Allison Morrisette, the Council and the Attorney General in making the MMIP Coordinator efforts successful." The council will meet for the first time on Feb. 14. On June 30, they'll deliver a list of goals and objectives for the MMIP coordinator and then meet at least annually after that to receive a report from the MMIP coordinator, according to a press release. The council consists of advocates, prosecutors and law enforcement representatives for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, tribal and state agencies as well as members of the state legislature, according to attorney general spokesperson Stewart Huntington. Current Attorney General Mark Vargo will also serve as co-chair when he returns to his post as Pennington County State's Attorney when Attorney General-elect Marty Jackley takes office on Jan. 7. "The MMIP initiative within the Attorney General's Office is extremely important for the state," Vargo said. "When the Legislature established the MMIP position, it left it up to the Attorney General to fill in the details. That task will be done best with input from all appropriate corners." Most of the council's members' names have not been released. Huntington said there are about 15, but Vargo wants to give the council time to meet and begin the process of reaching a consensus on goals and messaging before announcing the full membership. After being tossed back and forth between committee and council meetings for several weeks, the fate of TikTok on Rapid City government devices has been decided for now. On Tuesday, with a speedy roll-call vote in the middle of a City Council meeting that lasted a mere 17 minutes the council voted eight-to-one in favor of tabling the item effectively killing it. Ward 3 Councilman Jason Salamun introduced the issue in mid-December, authoring a legal and finance committee agenda item that would direct the City Attorneys Office to draft a resolution banning the app from city devices, networks and prohibiting city departmental accounts. Winter Storm Diaz canceled that meeting, forcing the discussion to the Dec. 19 full council meeting, where it was then sent back to committee for Dec. 28. It went before the council this week with a three-to-two vote from legal and finance, with Laura Armstrong and Ritchie Nordstrom voting in opposition. After the meeting, Salamun said he was disappointed in the outcome, but his position remains the same. If I thought something was a threat and I did not bring that up, it would be negligent on my part, he said. When its a serious issue for our country, and then for our state and not just our state, but plenty of others of course I need to take action. Thats my duty. My conscience would not be clear if I did not bring this up. During the previous two meetings, Salamun regularly defended his request, citing action by the federal government to ban the app on its work devices, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noems ban on state-owned devices because of a threat to national security. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Wray expressed similar concerns during a House Homeland Security Committee meeting in November. Those in opposition to the TikTok app say its owner, Chinese-based ByteDance, could collect and release user data to the Chinese Communist Party. Laura Armstrong, who represents Ward 5, spoke often at all three meetings in opposition to a potential ban, previously calling it a solution in search of a problem. She provided a draft report from the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Public Policy's Internet Governance Project that quantified a TikTok ban as being no different than an argument against the free and open internet. All forms of global digital connectivity and applications involve exchanges of extensive amounts of technical and behavioral data, read the report. If Chinese ownership of an app developer in peacetime constitutes a threat to national security, then all foreign apps, regardless of the country of origin, generate threats to the security of all nations. Armstrong repeatedly insisted that she received the draft report unsolicited. She forwarded the email containing the draft from Dr. Milton L. Mueller with GITs School of Public Policy received the morning of Jan. 3. Salamun said he hadnt had a chance to read it, but that one report doesnt solidify either sides argument. Its one of a number of them, he said. For every study that you could present for one side, I could say, Well, heres another expert from another university that would disagree. Armstrong was happy with the Councils action. Im glad our council came together and demonstrated leadership so we dont have to participate in media McCarthyism or digital protectionism, Armstrong said. Because tabling kills the item, a council member wishing to revisit it would have to re-introduce it in a different form. Salamun said he believes that if the council saw other cities and counties taking similar action, they might take action in the future. I dont think the council wants to lead the nation as local authorities bringing this forward, he said. Now that the focus on TikTok appears to be over, Salamun has several other ideas in the works, including reaffirming the citys commitment to the impacts of the 1972 flood. One thing I think we should consider down the road is should Rapid City have a resolution where we can agree, I hope, to say we recommit to not developing on that floodplain out of respect for the memories of those lives lost, and to ensure that everybody in the next generations knows that this was important, he said. The next City Council meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Timothy White, a 42-year-old EMT who allegedly produced child pornography along with his wife, slouched his shoulders and kept his head down in a Rapid City federal courtroom Wednesday morning as his lawyer talked to him in a hushed voice. White and his 24-year-old wife, Leslie White, were both arrested on Dec. 19 for producing child pornography from Feb. 1 to Dec. 19, 2022. The criminal complaint against them states the couple, "knowingly permitted the minor to engage in and assist any other person to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct." The "visual depictions," which could be photos or videos, were then transmitted over the internet, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. After White's short conversation with Federal Public Defender Ellie Bastian on Wednesday, the lawyer told Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann her client decided to waive his right to a preliminary hearing at the start of the time-slot reserved for it. Preliminary hearings are where prosecutors must establish there is enough evidence to support bringing charges. Prosecutor Heather Sazama told Bastian ahead of the scheduled hearing the pornography wouldn't be shown in court, but the investigators, who sat in the courtroom waiting to testify, would describe it. If convicted, the Whites would face a statutory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison as well as fines. Sazama told Wollmann that the government intends to add additional charges on top of the production charge. Prior to his and his wife's arrest, White worked as an EMT at Spearfish Emergency Ambulance. Executive Director Brian Hambek confirmed Wednesday that White was terminated as soon as he was arrested because of the charges. Both Whites are being held at the Pennington County Jail on federal holds. Wollmann ordered that both be held in custody while their cases are pending. Both pleaded not guilty to the charges. Currently, the deadline for the Whites to reach a plea deal with the government is Feb. 10 and a trial date is set for Feb. 28. The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI and the Butte County Sheriff's Office are investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Rapid City said that the couple were arrested during an ongoing investigation involving online child pornography production and distribution. A Stevensville man is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly assaulting a woman and breaking into a second womans apartment to hide from law enforcement on New Years Day. Samuel Wilbert Berning, 43, was charged with felony partner or family member assault, felony burglary and misdemeanor obstructing a police officer on Tuesday, Jan. 3 in Ravalli County Justice Court. According to court documents, a Ravalli County sheriff's deputy responded to reports of a disturbance at a Stevensville residence around 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 1. Upon arrival the deputy spoke with a woman who had previously been in a relationship with Berning. She reported having a verbal argument with Berning at her residence that morning in which Berning allegedly became increasingly belligerent and called her vulgar names. Berning then left the residence, the woman quickly locking the door behind him. The woman said that Berning later returned and started pounding on the door, demanding she let him in and eventually attempting to break down the door. She said she was scared he was trying to break in to beat her as he has a previous history of assaulting her. She reportedly told police this is how he gets every time he beats the shit out of me. Berning was no longer at the residence when law enforcement arrived, having reportedly left immediately before the officer pulled up to the scene. About five minutes after leaving the residence, the officer received a call that Berning had returned to the womans front door, but the officer was unable to locate him upon arrival. She then informed the officer of another person who lived in the apartment complex that was friends with Berning, and that he may be hiding there. The deputy went to the second apartment and knocked on the door but reported that no one responded, although he did hear loud noises indicating that someone was inside. He then waited outside the apartment complex until he saw the resident of the second apartment park her car and enter her residence. The deputy then quickly followed and knocked on the door. The woman reportedly opened the door and stated go get him to the officer, allowing three officers with a K-9 unit into her apartment to retrieve Berning. The police announced their presence but Berning did not respond, at which point K-9 Rico was deployed. Rico found Berning hiding under a bed inside the womans apartment. The resident of the second apartment said that she had returned home to find Berning inside, and that he did not have permission to be there. Berning allegedly admitted to law enforcement that he had been at the apartment of the woman who reported his attempt to break down the door. He reportedly said he left to go drinking at the Rainbow Bar in Hamilton around 9:30 a.m. and later returned to the apartment complex, entering the second womans apartment while she was not home. Berning had a blood alcohol level of 0.142 at the time of his arrest. Berning has previous been convicted of strangulation of a partner or family member in Ravalli County in 2020, as well as convictions for domestic violence in Carson City, Nevada in 2014, domestic battery in Douglas County, Nevada in 2012 and domestic battery in Reno, Nevada in 2003. Justice of the Peace Jennifer Ray set bail at $10,000. In a blow to the GOPs right wing in the Montana Legislature, a coalition of centrist Republicans joined with minority Democrats on Wednesday to advance a set of rules that critics say curb the power of a newly minted red supermajority. The vote on a modified set of rules that will govern the House for the remainder of the session followed a nearly hour-long debate that pitted members of the GOPs right wing against its Conservative Solutions Caucus. The latter group includes members who in the past have voted with Democrats to pass major legislative initiatives or put the brakes on others. The exchanges on the third day of the 90-day term included Republicans making accusations of manipulation and laid bare division in the caucus. In a series of floor votes, the coalition of Republicans and Democrats fought back a pair of attempts to return the rules to something more palatable to the right wing. The rules were adopted Wednesday by a comfortable margin, 57-42. Republicans hold 68 seats in the chamber, while Democrats have 32. One of the disputes was over a change that would lower the threshold required to blast a bill from a committee from 60 votes, as was the case during the 2021 session, to 55 votes. Those blast motions essentially override the committees decision and lets the full House debate and vote on the bill. In past sessions, its allowed bipartisan coalitions to advance major legislation to ultimately become law after languishing in committee. Rep. Casey Knudsen, a Malta Republican who sponsored the resolution to change the rules, has been aligned with the GOPs Solutions Caucus. We have 100 members in this body that represent over 1 million Montanans, Knudsen said. I believe that these rules provide fairness and the equality in debate that our constituents expect from us. Republicans on the partys right wing, however, argued that lowering the threshold would undermine the historic mandate that Montana voters gave to Republicans in November. The GOP holds more than two-thirds majorities in both the House and Senate, a first in Montanas modern political history. Several Republicans also argued that doing so would lead to the work of committees being disregarded, instead of deferring to the expertise of those groups of lawmakers. Youre going to see stuff come to this floor that youre not going to have time to read, Rep. Steve Galloway, R-Great Falls, said. Youre going to have to depend on the committee members and lobbying with them or talking with them to know if its any good or not. Rep. Ed Buttrey, a Great Falls Republican who helped shepherd the changes through a committee on Monday, argued that the rationale for lowering the threshold to 55 votes was that it would require agreement from at least one-third of GOP House members to do so, in addition to the buy-in of all Democrats. Im all for majority rule, Buttrey said. I dont think that a minority of our members should decide how we conduct our business on this floor. The debate grew heated as Rep. Jedediah Hinkle, a Belgrade Republican aligned with the partys right wing, accused his more centrist colleagues of trying to concentrate power within their faction. Every single one of you know exactly whats going on, Hinkle said. These rules are being used to manipulate this system and empower a small group of people by using the minority party for the votes. The accusation prompted House Democrats to stand in protest, and House Minority Leader Kim Abbott asked representatives to refrain from accusations about the minority party being used." Several members made references to the intense behind-the-scenes pressure on Republican lawmakers regarding the rules vote. Rep. Larry Brewster, R-Billings, had voted in committee to lower the threshold for a blast motion. But he sponsored the amendment that would have changed it back to a 60-vote requirement. In an interview after the floor session, he said he changed his mind after getting a lot of emails from constituents and GOP central committees. Keeping the threshold higher, he suggested, would encourage more relationship-building. We have two parties, we have lots of factions within both parties, said Brewster, a former Billings City Councilman. I worked with nine other city council people, and every issue had a different majority, so you have to build relationships. Speaker Matt Regier, who opposed the committees changes lowering the threshold, said after the vote that it doesnt necessarily signal a major rift within the House Republican caucus. Regier was elected to the top post in the House last month, over Knudsen. Just changing the blast motion down to 55, in my mind its disappointing but I think its still something everybody can get beyond," Regier said. "There will be feelings well have to overcome, but yeah, that happens every session, whether its rules or legislation or parking spaces." Another substantive change to the rules affects select committees, which are set up to handle special issues or policy proposals. Under the proposed rules, those special committees cant send their recommendations straight to the House for consideration. They instead would have to submit their work through a standing committee, which are the committees that exist each session to hear bills. House and Senate leadership recently agreed to set up a special committee to review the states election processes, a controversial proposal spearheaded by Republicans who have advanced unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud. In addition to the Conservative Solutions Caucus, a new GOP caucus on Wednesday announced its formation the Montana Freedom Caucus. A press release named 14 members of the group but said there were more unnamed legislators involved. We will adhere to our oath of office to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the state of Montana. We will stand on the founding principles of the supremacy of individual rights, limited government, and personal responsibility," said caucus chair Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton. "We know that when government expands, liberty contracts. We stand for states rights and work to rein in federal overreach. Montana citizens have made it clear that this is their desire." The caucus said their priorities will be to "stand firm in refunding the income tax surplus to Montana citizens to whom it belongs, safeguarding elections as the Legislature is constitutionally directed to, securing medical freedom and the right to self-determination, ensuring the judicial branch operates within appropriate constitutional boundaries, creating school choice free of any government interference, restoring parental rights, protecting religious freedom and free speech, properly managing the peoples natural resources, removing the harmful effects of social credit scores, and much more," according to the release. Note: This article originally published in High Country News For the past two years, La Nina, the cooling of ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, has wreaked havoc on weather around the globe. Now the World Meteorological Organization expects the phenomenon to return for a third consecutive year, a rare occurrence that forecasters predict could bring wackier-than-usual winter weather to the West, once again. La Nina is the yin to El Ninos yang. Normally, trade winds the tropical winds near the Earths surface blow west along the equator, moving warm Pacific Ocean water from the Americas toward Asia. This cycle is disrupted every two to seven years by El Nino-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, events, which typically last about a year. During El Nino, the winds weaken, and warm water is pushed back toward the Americas. La Nina, meanwhile, strengthens trade winds, bringing cool water to the surface of the Americas West Coast. A study published this summer by University of Washington researchers suggests global warming could be to blame for this years La Nina encore. The two weather phenomena have different effects: El Nino tends to bring wetter conditions to the Southwestern U.S., while La Nina usually brings moist, cool weather to the Northwest and hot, drier conditions to the Southwest. Still, you might not want to plan your winter around these predictions. Meteorologists have been tracking these phenomena and their impacts on Western weather for about seven decades, but its hard to forecast exactly what they mean for any particular location. Pretty much the entire West was unusually moist during the La Nina winter of 2007-08, for example, and all of it including the northern regions saw above-average temperatures last year. When it comes to weather, its best to hedge your bets. To get some sense of what we might expect this year, we look back on some of 2022s notable weather events and trends to see how they followed and diverged from the expected La Nina patterns. 71 Number of monthly high-temperature records tied or broken in the West in February 2022. This included a 93-degree Fahrenheit reading in Chula Vista, California, but also several readings in the 70s in Oregon. The Southwest was indeed warm, as is typical of La Nina, but the heat in Pacific Northwest was unusual. Chalk it up to climate change. 40 The high temperature in degrees Fahrenheit in Utqiagvik, Alaskas northernmost city, on Dec. 5, 2022. That shattered the previous high record of 34 degrees, set in December 1932, and also set a new record mark for the latest date the mercury hit 40 degrees F. It was also only the third December day on record that the temperature climbed above freezing. Much of Alaska is roasting relatively speaking under warmer-than-average temperatures so far this winter, even though the La Nina pattern would normally cause the state to be colder than usual. 13.4 inches Snow water equivalent a measure of snowpack in the Upper Colorado River Basin at its 2022 peak on March 23. Normally, the peak is about 16 inches and occurs more than two weeks later. It was, in other words, a dry, warm winter, following the typical La Nina pattern. But by summers end, precipitation for the entire water year had risen to the median level, thanks to heavy summer rains unusual for La Nina. 900,000 Number of acres burned in wildfires in New Mexico by the start of summer 2022, thanks to tinder-dry forests following a meager winter. 113 Percent of median precipitation the Yellowstone River headwaters received during Water Year 2022 (Oct. 1, 2021, to Sept. 30, 2022), in line with the typical La Nina pattern. 50,000 cubic feet per second Peak flow of the Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs, Montana, on June 13, 2022, about four times the median flow for the date. This 500-year flooding event was caused by abundant winter snowmelt, combined with an atmospheric river storm system that dumped record-breaking rainfall as much as 3.6 inches in 24 hours in and around Yellowstone National Park. July 24 Date that the Rio Grandes flow through Albuquerque, New Mexico, fell to zero cubic feet per second. While the river often dries up farther downstream, this was the first time since 1983 that it happened that far north. 1,810 cubic feet per second Flow of the Rio Grande through Albuquerque on Aug. 7, less than two weeks after it had gone dry. An unusually bountiful monsoon dropped 2.48 inches of precipitation on Albuquerque that month, the second-highest monthly amount since 1995. 48 Number of all-time high temperature records tied or broken in the West during a September heat wave. The temperature exceeded 115 degrees in several cities in Northern California. 1,160 cubic feet per second Flow of Mill Creek upstream from Moab, Utah, on Aug. 21 following a sudden deluge. The stream had been running at about 15 cfs just moments earlier, and the unexpected torrent flooded Moab streets and businesses. This does not jibe with typical La Nina patterns. .76 inches Amount of rainfall in the Phoenix, Arizona, area on Dec. 3, the wettest 24-hour period of the year not what youd expect for a La Nina year. Total precipitation in November was just .08 inches. SOURCES: World Meteorological Organization; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Weather Service; U.S. Geological Survey; National Resource Conservation Service; R.C.J. Wills, Y. Dong, C. Proistosecu, K.C. Armour and D. Battisti. S. (2022). Systematic Climate Model Biases in the Large-Scale Patterns of Recent Sea-Surface Temperature and Sea-level Pressure Change, Geophysical Research Letters, 49, e2022GL100011. Climate schematics based on those by Emily Eng/NOAA. Infographic design by Luna Anna Archey/High Country News Jonathan Thompson is a contributing editor at High Country News. The Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council has excluded a Lame Deer pastor accused of sexual abuse from the reservation in an ordinance passed on Tuesday. In December, Dean Alan Smith pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of abusive sexual contact and three counts of abusive sexual contact by force and of a child. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and no less than five years of supervised release. The FBI is investigating his case, and the U.S. Attorneys Office is prosecuting it. An indictment alleges that between 2017 and 2019, Smith knowingly caused a person, identified as Jane Doe 1, to engage in a sexual act by using force and that Smith caused this person to engage in sexual contact through force. Smith also allegedly knowingly caused someone identified as Jane Doe 2, who was not yet 12 years old, to engage in sexual contact by force. The indictment also alleges that between 2019 and 2020, Smith knowingly caused people, identified as Jane Doe 3 and Jane Doe 4, who were not yet 12, to engage in sexual contact by force. Smith served as a pastor at Morning Star Baptist Church in Lame Deer for more than 20 years, according to his LinkedIn profile. YouthWorks, a group that leads mission trips nationwide, on Dec. 23 referred to Smith as a former community partner" in a Facebook post. YouthWorks has cooperated with and will continue to cooperate with civil and law enforcement authorities in their investigation and prosecution of this matter, the group wrote. Neither Smith nor Morning Star Baptist Church responded to requests for comment. The Tribal Council, as the legislative body of a federally-recognized sovereign tribe, has the authority to exclude individuals from the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, reads a news release from the tribe. The council wrote that Smiths exclusion was done to keep our community safe, as the well-being of our tribal members is our top priority. The council added that exclusion from the reservation is a rare occurrence." Annita Lucchesi is the founder and director of research and outreach for Sovereign Bodies Institute, a Billings-based organization that collects data on gender and sexual violence against Native people. Lucchesi, who also serves on the tribes Human Trafficking Task Force, said she is thankful that leadership took swift action to protect the community. Yes, we have exceptionally high rates of violence in our community, she said. But we also have exceptional leadership and grassroots advocates and community members who are working hard to create better support for survivors, accountability for harm done and healing and prevention programming. While data on sexual violence against Indigenous women is limited, a 2016 Department of Justice report found that more than four in five Native women have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence or stalking in their lifetime. Located in southeast Montana, the Northern Cheyenne Reservation spans 444,000 acres and is home to nearly 5,000 people. The Northern Cheyenne Tribe encourages people who have information about Smith to contact the FBI Billings Office at 406-248-8487. Survivors and their families are encouraged to contact Sovereign Bodies Institute at 707-335-6263, Northern Cheyenne Behavioral Health Program at 406-477-4514 and the StrongHearts Native Helpline at 844-762-8483. Reporter Paul Hamby contributed to this story. Members of Montanas American Indian Caucus condemned a draft joint resolution that urges Congress to investigate alternatives to the American Indian reservation system. The draft was requested by Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell. Regier did not respond to a request for comment. Specifically, the resolution asks the Legislature to find that the Indian reservation system has clearly failed to positively enhance the lives and well-being of most of the Indians or the other citizens of the State of Montana. It would also have the Legislature tell Congress the reservation system has produced the negative effects of drug abuse, alcoholism, domestic violence, welfare dependence, poverty and substandard educational achievements, resulting in lack of opportunity for their future well-being and happiness. Sen. Shane Morigeau, D-Missoula, said he was not surprised when he read the draft. When I first saw it, I thought it was a (public relations) stunt, he said. You know, attack the Indians to muster excitement from your base. And if thats the case, its really sad. Unfortunately, in this political game, people just want attention. Its disappointing, but we expected this. It asserts that tribes that do not own property have the highest poverty and lowest life expectancy rates of any ethnic group in America. The draft resolution claims that the reservation system is based entirely on race, which is diametrically opposed to both the United States Constitution and Constitution of the State of Montana. Federal Indian law has long interpreted the status of tribal members as a political classification, not a racial one. The resolution also claims that reservations confer 'Sovereign nation status to individual tribes a policy that is, again, diametrically opposed to the Constitution of the United States. It also asserts that past judicial decisions regarding reservations in Montana have produced confusion, acrimony and animosity among the general population. The continuation of the reservation system is not in the best interests of either the Indians inside our borders or for our common Montana citizens, it reads. We believe the investigation of alternative ways of approaching the reservation system can and will produce a new system that will enhance the lives, the happiness and the opportunities for our Indian citizens while at the same time promoting peace, harmony and stability for all. Though the resolution speaks to the best interests of Native people in Montana, it was drafted by a non-Native lawmaker. The federal government recognizes tribes as distinct governments through written treaties ratified by Congress. American Indian Caucus reacts Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, said Native people have been under attack for centuries. The atrocities our people have endured over the years have been horrific at best, Windy Boy said on Wednesday, citing federal Indian policy, voter suppression efforts and forced sterilization of Native women. Will this ever end? he asked, adding that the draft resolution is proof we are still under attack." Morigeau said the resolution mirrors a familiar pattern of lawmakers attacking Indigenous people in Montana. He said draft bills have proposed to threaten water rights. And last month, legislative aide Drew Zinecker publicly questioned whether Native Americans living on reservations in Montana should be able to participate in state elections. A lot of people just dont like us, Morigeau said. Were a thorn in their side. They want us to go away, and were not going away. Were citizens of this state and of this country. Morigeau said he plans to introduce a bill that would expand Indian Education for All to apply not just to Montana public school students, but to lawmakers as well. For example, he noted that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribal homeland once spanned 20 million acres. When the tribes were forced to sign treaties and move to the Flathead Reservation, Morigeau said it shrunk to 1.3 million acres. This is why its so important to have basic civics in Montana, he said. If people actually understood history in Montana, theyd see that the reason they have these lands and have wealth today is from taking Indian land. They used treaties to gain wealth, and yet we still get people who feel they still dont have enough. They always want more. Its greed and entitlement. Native voter turnout was low in the 2022 midterm election, and members of Montanas American Indian Caucus warned that a Republican supermajority in the Legislature could threaten tribal sovereignty. The Richmond School Board voted this week to include George Wythe High School in the ongoing effort by most members to change the names of schools named for enslavers or Confederates. The board voted in November to rename three schools named for Confederates, a move that prompted some opposition from board members who cited the cost, which can range from $25,000 to $50,000 per school. This weeks vote signifies an intent to rename the school, which kicks off a process for public hearings. It does not guarantee the renaming of a school. Dana Fox, Richmond Public Schools director of school construction, said it would cost less to change the name of George Wythe High School now because the building will soon be rebuilt, and it is still in the design process. Construction would cover the costs of certain aspects of the name change like a new marquee and gym floor, but not administrative costs like stationery or band uniforms. Wythe, one of Virginias seven signers of the Declaration of Independence, was a lawyer, judge, state attorney general and a legislator in what was then the House of Burgesses. At the College of William & Mary, he was the nations first law professor. At various times, he was a teacher of and a mentor to future presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe and future Chief Justice John Marshall. Wythe voiced opposition to slavery, but owned slaves for most of his life. He began to free some of his slaves after his wife died in August 1787, according to Encyclopedia Virginia, and owned no slaves at the time of his death. In 1806, at the age of 79, Wythe was fatally poisoned in Richmond, and his teenage grandnephew, George Wythe Sweeney, was charged with murder. Forensic errors and racist laws that restricted who could testify resulted in Sweeneys acquittal. Wythes death was the subject of Bruce Chadwicks 2009 book: I Am Murdered: George Wythe, Thomas Jefferson, and the Killing That Shocked a New Nation. Fourth District representative Jonathan Young cast the lone dissenting vote, and 3rd District representative Kenya Gibson abstained. A public comment period of at least one month will begin shortly, per board policy, and the public can suggest new names for the four schools. The board also voted at its first meeting of the year this week to appoint 5th District representative Stephanie Rizzi as board chairwoman and 7th District representative Cheryl Burke as vice chair. PHOTOS: Vigil for eight-year-old in Hopewell The State Board for Community Colleges named a new chancellor Wednesday, ending a long search in which the first choice backed out and Gov. Glenn Youngkin threatened the jobs of the board members. David Dore, an administrator at an Arizona community college, will become the head of Virginias 23 community colleges, saying hell prioritize producing a more highly skilled workforce to meet industry needs. That vision aligns with the governors. Dore replaces Sharon Morrissey, who was named interim chancellor last summer when the boards first pick changed his mind. The board hired a Michigan community college president, Russell Kavalhuna, in March, but Kavalhuna later backtracked and chose not to take the job. In the summer of 2021, former chancellor Glenn DuBois announced he would retire after more than 20 years on the job. Before the board named his replacement, Youngkin interjected, saying he was concerned with the search process. Youngkin asked the board to restart its search and to accept the input of his administration. But the board defied his call and days later named Kavalhuna the new chancellor. After meeting with Youngkin, Kavalhuna decided not to take the job. The board named Morrissey as the interim replacement. Seizing the opportunity, Youngkin doubled down on his demand, telling the board to accept his administration into the search and to buy into his vision for community colleges or to resign immediately. The board acquiesced, and Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera was added to the search committee as a non-voting member. Dore seems to be a match for the governors vision focusing on workforce development. Hes currently president of campuses and executive vice chancellor for student experience and workforce development at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz. He led the colleges implementation of Centers for Excellence, which focused on meeting Arizonas workforce needs and partnering with businesses. Dore said hell look at Virginias industries and see how well each college aligns with them. Youngkin previously said he wants every high school student to graduate with some kind of credential such as an associates degree. Dore said hes on board with that concept. The new chancellor added that 2023 is a challenging and exciting time for higher education. After falling for 10 straight years, enrollment at Virginias community colleges finally flattened out last fall. There are roughly 145,000 community college students in the state. Douglas M. Garcia, chair of the board, said the members were looking for someone with a strong workforce development background from the beginning. The board did not have to compromise any of its original priorities. When DuBois announced his retirement, the board initially said it wanted someone who would broaden educational opportunities through strong leadership, public policy and private investment. The board also asked for a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, anti-racism and a passion for serving first-generation, low-income and minority students. The second job posting highlighted the importance of workforce development and included a statement from Youngkin. I think we were kind of steadfast in seeking someone thats going to be transformational for our 23 colleges, Garcia said. Dore starts April 1. The United Network for Organ Sharing on Wednesday asked a federal information technology agency to inspect its computer systems, more than a year after the agency criticized UNOS for having woefully outdated technology. UNOS, based in Richmond, asked the United States Digital Service to complete a review of its systems. UNOS holds a federal contract to oversee the transplantation of kidneys, lungs and other organs across the United States. The nonprofit is amid a congressional investigation for shortcomings in its performance. USDS is the technology unit of the White House. UNOS has defended its IT infrastructure but, until now, has not invited USDS to inspect it. In 2021, USDS criticized UNOS technology in a draft report, saying staffers must enter data by hand, which leads to error. It said UNOS operates its own data center instead of placing information in cloud computing. The report said UNOS had determined it was too expensive or too difficult to modernize its technology. The draft report was publicized last summer, shortly before a congressional hearing. DonorNet, the software linking UNOS to hospitals and organ procurement organizations, is outdated and slow to function, Diane Brockmeier, CEO of Mid-America Transplant, told Congress in August. During the congressional hearing, UNOS then-CEO, Brian Shepard, defended the technology, saying UNOS computers function 99.9% of the time. He said the network had gone down only once for more than an hour. He conceded that data entry should be automated. Shepard resigned in the fall. Maureen McBride was named interim CEO. It is incumbent upon us to ensure we are utilizing all available resources to continually improve the strength and security of the system, UNOS leaders wrote in a letter to USDS. (Image: Bernama) Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change Minister, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has said that the government is planning to extend the tax incentives provided for electric vehicles (EVs) in the upcoming re-tabling of Budget 2023. This is in a bid to encourage Malaysians to transition to low-emission vehicles and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The minister also said that Malaysia aims to increase the number of EV charging points in the country from the existing 900 charging points to 10,000. There will be a greater push from the government to ensure we reach the 10,000 target, he said. (Image: BusinessToday) Under Budget 2022, the government had provided several tax incentives to support the local EV industry as well as to stimulate the publics interest in EV adoption. These included full exemptions on the import and excise duties on these vehicles, as well as full sales tax exemption. Additionally, EV car owners were able to enjoy a full waiver on road tax, on top of a tax relief of up to RM2,500 for the cost of purchase and installation, rental, and subscription of EV charging facilities. Meanwhile, Budget 2023 is scheduled to be re-tabled on 24 February 2023. (Source: The Edge Markets) 0 0 votes Article Rating SHARE Chetumal man arrested in murder of local doctor Chetumal, Q.R. The State Attorney Generals Office (FGE) of Quintana Roo has arrested Alnor H in the murder of a Chetumal doctor. The murder took place December 3 of 2022 inside the doctors home. According to the FGE, on December 3, the victim, who was a local doctor, was at home when Alnor H injured him about the neck with a sharp object. The unidentified doctor was then held down on the floor until he died. He was stipped of his phone. After an investigation, a warrant was issued for his arrest. The FGE says police complied with the judicial order and detained Alnor H in the streets of the Jardines neighborhood in Chetumal. Authorities did not provide any information as to how the doctor knew his alleged killer or any possible motive surrounding his death. Mexican authorities apprehend yoga instructor in 2010 murder of Maryland woman Guadalajara, Jalisco A man hiding in Mexico from the FBI has been located and arrested. It was at the end of December that authorities finally located Jorge Landeros, who had been living under the name of Leon Ferrara. Landeros has been wanted by Maryland authorities since 2010 in the death of university accounting professor, Sue Marcum. Marcum, who was 52 at the time of her death, was found in her basement in Bethesda in October of 2010. Landeros became the prime suspect in her death. The two met during Spanish classes that Landeros taught in Bethesda. They became close, developing close financial ties that included a $500,000 USD life insurance policy of which Landeros was beneficiary. Marcus Jones, Chief of the Montgomery County Police Department, described Marcums murder as a heinous crime and accused Landeros of the coldblooded deed. Landeros landed on the FBIs Most Wanted list after fleeing the U.S. to Mexico where he was born. He has been wanted in the death of Marcum as well as for fleeing the country to avoid prosecution. Landeros was located in Guadalajara in late December of 2022 living as yoga instructor, Leon Ferrara. He was arrested but remains in a Mexican prison since he has not yet been extradited to the U.S. to face charges. Over 118,000 seek refugee status in Mexico during 2022 Mexico City, Mexico Over 118,000 migrants applied for refugee status in Mexico last year. Of those, Hondurans lead way. On Tuesday, the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance reported that during 2022, Mexico received 118,478 migrant petitions for refugee status. The agency said it was the second highest after Mexico received 131,488 refugee status requests in 2021. That year, Mexico received the most requests from Haitians. This is the second largest number of applicants registered in Mexico, only below the record number in 2021. Second consecutive year with more than 100,000 applicants, reported Andres Ramirez Silva who heads the Commission. Of the requests in 2022, more than 31,000 were from Hondurans. Other nationalities to apply included 18,087 from Cuba and 17,068 from Haiti. Those request figures were followed by 14,823 from Venezuela and 8,971 from Nicaragua. Other countries in the top 10 to apply included El Salvador (7,803), Guatemala (5,271), Brazil (2,592), Colombia (2,482) and Dominican Republic (1,421). La Comar also reported that the immigration office that received the most requests was Chiapas. Migration has increased in Mexico since October 2018 when caravans of thousands, mostly Central Americans, began to enter Mexico to cross the country to the U.S. border. The arrival of migrants into Mexico has continued despite the pandemic and imposed restrictions. The Tuskegee Airmen took flight to break ground in the United States racial history. One of those World War II heroes sons will talk about it on Friday, at the Harrison Museum of African American Culture. Gordon Smith whose father, Luther Smith, flew 133 combat missions and destroyed a dozen German aircraft will speak at the Harrisons The Legend of the Tuskegee Airmen event. The younger Smith, a 1980 Princeton University graduate with an American history degree, has told his fathers story across the country. Luther Smith, who died in 2009, at 89, experienced racism on both sides of the war despite his heroism as an aviator and seven months spent as a prisoner of war after he bailed out of his damaged aircraft over Yugoslavia. Luther Smith, a captain in the 302nd Fighter Squadron, was forced to retire from the U.S. Army Air Corps due to his injuries. I flew 133 missions. On the last one, I didnt make it back. It was Friday the 13th. It was my lucky day Im still alive, Smith said in 2007 before he and his fellow Black airmen received the Congressional Gold Medal, according to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch account. The Iowa native returned to the University of Iowa and completed a mechanical engineering degree, according to the Post-Dispatch. Stateside, he made history, too, as the first Black aerospace engineer with General Electric, according to the website for CAF Rise Above Squadron, cafriseabove.org. He worked there from 1951 to 1988, and in May 1995, he was one of seven veterans who accompanied President Bill Clinton to Europe for the 50th anniversary of World War II, according to the Post-Dispatch. The event, a fundraiser for the Harrison Museum, is free to students with ID. A drive-by shooting that injured three juveniles on New Years Eve has sparked fresh urgency in Roanoke to remedy the citys ongoing gun violence problem. No one is more frustrated by the bloodshed than Mayor Sherman Lea, who visited one of the critically injured boys in the hospital. It was a tough experience. But with the permission of his mother, I was able to get back and visit with him in intensive care, Lea said Wednesday. Its a very disheartening picture for me, to see a young man who is actually fighting for his life, and I pray that he will get through this and make it okay. But its just so tragic. Police reported Sunday that two juveniles were shot in the Dec. 31 incident, which occurred shortly after 11 p.m. in the 2800 block of Melrose Avenue. Lea said he believes three juveniles were involved. Two were shot, and a third persons leg was grazed by a bullet. The victims were involved in city programs designed to provide support to at-risk youth. Theyre trying to improve themselves, the mayor said. They were walking the sidewalk from their home all the way to the store. And there was a drive-by shooting. It was just very senseless, and they didnt have to do that. But it happened. There were 17 gun-related homicides in Roanoke during 2022, and at least 51 additional incidents in which a person was injured by gunfire. The firearm deaths set an annual record for the city. Lea, speaking with local news media after the latest shooting and during Tuesdays city council meeting, advocated for both enforcement and expansion of a curfew for Roanoke youths. Roanoke already has a curfew written into its code, under section 21-5, which makes it unlawful for any person sixteen (16) years of age or younger to loiter, idle, wander, stroll or play in or upon any public street, highway, alley, sidewalk, park, playground, other public place or upon any vacant lot or other place unsupervised by an adult. The curfew is in place between midnight and 5 a.m. any day of the week. On Sunday through Thursday, the curfew also occurs between 11 p.m. and midnight. The code section allows police officers who discover a minor that may be in violation of the curfew to make an immediate investigation, including the questioning of the minor. If the investigating officer finds that a violation has been made, a report is made to a Roanoke Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court judge. Lea has suggested extending the existing curfew, implementing it from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. instead of from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. If youre a teenager, thats a dangerous zone, the mayor said. Not a lot of good is going happen from that. City Attorney Tim Spencer said Wednesday that Roanokes mayor does not have the authority to declare curfews. Even in a state of emergency, like those declared in hurricane scenarios, curfews have to be submitted as an ordinance and approved by the city council. If Roanokes council wants to amend the current curfew code section, a resolution to make the change would also require councils approving vote, Spencer said. While putting more enforcing officers on the ground sounds like a solution, the Roanoke Police Department is still short-staffed. Lea said Wednesday that around 40 positions are vacant. City Police Chief Sam Roman recently said police are still learning how to navigate a post-George Floyd, post-pandemic world, and departments need technology to supplement officers efforts. There is no blueprint for law enforcement. The expectations from the community are so diverse and so wide, Roman said in an earlier interview. What kind of technology can we have in our area that can maybe do the job of two police officers? Not to get rid of two police officers, but then to be able to put those officers in perhaps a community position. All four of our community resource officer positions are vacant right now. On Dec. 13, the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services awarded Roanoke about $750,000 for the purchase of equipment related to real-time crime infrastructure and technology to support law enforcement response to violent crime, according to Tuesdays city council meeting packet. The funding comes through the justice departments American Rescue Plan Act Law Enforcement Grant Program. According to the grant application, the funding can be used to purchase crime mapping, forensic, video, virtual simulation and tactical equipment, ballistics technology, artificial intelligent cameras, license plate recognition systems and real time crime center and investigative platforms. My most comfortable posture is a proactive posture, versus a reactive posture. And thats what a real-time crime center does for us, Roman said during Tuesdays city council meeting. It arms the officers with proactive information to try to get in front of crime happening, instead of simply responding to a shooting. A company called ShotSpotter supplies law enforcement agencies with gunshot detection technology. Roman explained that with that kind of technology, real-time crime center staff members can look at surveillance cameras in a specific area after a shot is fired and perhaps identify a vehicle leaving the scene. The officers are armed with that information as they are responding to the incident, versus waiting until officers get there to maybe speak with a witness that says, There was a black car with tinted glass, Roman said. When city council member Luke Priddy asked Roman if ShotSpotter would be purchased with the awarded justice department funds, Roman said the department was not planning to apply for the technology. Lea said Roanoke has a lot of money that can be used to fight violent crime with short-term solutions, such as brighter lights in neighborhoods prone to shootings, higher dollar amounts for reward money to discourage unspoken rules about snitching and council-led community forums to hear the concerns and suggestions of caretakers. Theres a lot of things that we can do that we havent done in awhile and maybe hadnt been enforced in a while, the mayor said. I think its going to be a council decision, and I think they all feel the concern that I have, as a council, that something has to continue to happen. As this violence continues to occur, weve got to continue to stay with it. We just cant back up. Lets go with it. Bart Edwards, a northwest Roanoke resident, said the YMCA on Orange Avenue hosted an overnight program in the late 1990s that kept kids off the street. Parents or guardians could drop their children first graders to high school juniors at the facility around 7 p.m. and pick them up the following morning. It was a good program. For 12 hours, parents could do what they wanted to do. They didnt have to worry about babysitting, said Edwards, who volunteered and interacted with the participating youth. It was a controlled environment run by people who cared. During New Years, what was out there for kids? Kids want to celebrate, Edwards said. We as adults need to think about the kids, too. What can we do to help them sometimes? What events can we put on so they can celebrate? Its not always about adulting. Edwards also shared his concerns about gun violence during the public address period of Tuesdays city council meeting. Lea said Edwards is on the right track, and hopes the city can find a way to help these kids out and get them off the streets. I feel as mayor, its my responsibility to make sure your streets are safe, make sure your children are safe. And I ask you, as a guardian or the parent, do you know where they are? Lea said. Parents, you got to be parents. Mom, you got to be a mother. Dad, you got to be a dad. Uncle, grandpa, you got to be who you are now. Because we live in challenging times now. This environment is not what it used to be. People think its a rite of passage to have a gun. The Galen College of Nursing, a for-profit nurse training school with 14 campuses nationwide, will open a 15th in the Roanoke Valley this April. The college will open in partnership with the HCA Virginia Health System, to which the LewisGale Medical Center belongs. Galen plans to offer a two-year program for an associate degree in nursing, together with a advanced associate program with prerequisites required for registered nurse or licensed practical nurse training. Amy Woods, the chief nursing officer at LewisGale, said the partnership would offer a new pool of trained nurses to fill the more than 800 vacancies for nursing jobs in the Roanoke and New River valleys. Eventually, the college will also expand to offer new programs, and accelerated programs, Woods said. Currently, LewisGale and other local clinics pull most of their nurses from programs offered by Virginia Western Community College and Radford University. Radford offers nursing education on its main campus and at a Roanoke site that is affiliated with Carilion Clinic, which is LewisGales competitor for medical services in the region. This new college would provide a new option for recruitment with an advantage toward LewisGale. The Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) owns LewisGale, and holds a majority stake in Galen College of Nursing. Through the partnership between the hospital and the college, LewisGale will be able to recruit new nurses from the college before other local clinics and medical entities, according to Molly Lewis, the associate director of campus operations at Galen. When looking at locations for campuses, we look for areas with strong HCA presence, and places that have a need for qualified nurses. Lewis said. The partnership will also allow Galen nursing students to receive clinical training through LewisGale clinics, and some of the faculty will also come from LewisGale. The programs offered at Galen are aimed specifically at easing the nursing shortage caused, in part, by the COVID-19 pandemic, Audria Denker, the executive vice president of Galens nursing program, said. During the pandemic, the portrayal of nursing was almost like being in a combat zone, and a lot of people left the profession, Denker said. Admission is down nationwide. At Galen, we try to remind people that this is a great job, and that theres a softer, gentler side to it as well. Denker said that, since the pandemic, the school has put a greater focus on hiring social workers for each campus, to assist students, and to help them stay with the program. A lot of people who enter our programs are homeless, the average age of our students are 30-32, so most of them have dependents, or are dealing with a range of things in their social lives, and nurses often leave the program for social reasons, Denker said. The program is also easier to be accepted into than other nursing programs, with fewer prerequisites required, and shorter wait periods, according to Denker. We admit students and graduate four times a year, Denker said. So that you never have to wait more than three months to start the program. To enter Galens nursing programs, the basic requirements are a high school diploma or GED, and ACT score of at least 18 or a passing score on the schools entrance exam, and for applicants to pass a criminal background check. College officials expect to enroll 30 to 40 students in the first semester, and hope to increase that number to 100 by the end of 2023. Classes at the Roanoke site will begin on April 6, and will be online only for the first semester. The facility is located at 1819 Electric Road (Virginia 419) in Roanoke County in a building formerly occupied by Allstate Insurance. The LewisGale Medical Center is located about a mile away, also on Electric Road. Galen Colleges website lists campuses in eight states: Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Texas and Florida. The other Virginia campus is in Richmond. It also offers online programs. GLASGOW Jade Harris is 25, but already has worked in small business and served as vice mayor on the Glasgow Town Council in Rockbridge County. As the Democratic candidate in the special election for Virginia House District 24, Harris seeks to represent all, not just a fraction of the districts residents. Harris is opposing Republican Ellen Campbell, the widow of the late Del. Ronnie Campbell, in the Jan. 10 special election to fulfill the final year of the term. Ronnie Campbell died last month of cancer. The district includes Bath and Rockbridge counties, the cities of Buena Vista and Lexington, and portions of Augusta and Amherst counties. Harris recently gained experience on the Glasgow Town Council as a member and vice mayor. Her term expired at the end of 2022. Its about working across the aisle, said Harris of her town council experience. For example, the council updated water and sewer in Glasgow. Everyone agreed we need to help the citizens. That type of collaboration is so important to the council, she said. If elected, Harris wants to pursue several initiatives. I really want to expand mental health services. That is in the governors budget, she said. I support that. Harris also would focus on the recruitment and retention of Virginia school teachers. I saw a video of a teacher leaving to work at Costco. We need to prevent that from happening. We need to compensate teachers, she said. Virginias infrastructure would also be a priority. We need to bring the infrastructure into the 21st century, she said of the need for modern water, electrical systems and broadband access across the commonwealth. The interest in government came early for Harris. She remembers accompanying her mother to the polls in 2004 to cast a ballot for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. While a political science student at Mary Baldwin University, where she graduated, Harris dove deep into state and local government studies. I feel that (state and local government) impacts citizens the most, she said. After college, Harris has served as a manager of the Split Banana, a downtown Staunton small business. Im here for small businesses, and I know their needs and want to support them, she said. Its full speed ahead until the special election next week. Harris spent Monday campaigning in Lexington and Amherst County. Im knocking on doors and making calls, she said. Harris is also busy texting voters to inform them of her platform. Every day is a week and a half in a normal campaign, she said. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. " " Dinosaurs met their demise when an asteroid hit Earth around 66 million years ago. What was left behind is the massive Chicxulub crater in Yucatan, Mexico. Elena Duvernay/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images Around 66 million years ago, the last of the dinosaurs (other than birds) died out. So did the pterosaurs, the dinosaurs' reptilian cousins that flew around on membranous wings. Joining them in death were the era's giant marine reptiles, like the four-flippered plesiosaurs and the mosasaurs of "Jurassic World" fame. Advertisement It was all part of a global mass extinction event. During that bleak chapter in our planet's history, approximately 75 percent of all the species alive at the time were killed off. So, what happened? That question has inspired controversy for decades. But in 1978, a hidden piece of the puzzle was discovered along the Mexican Gulf Coast. Geologists working for the Pemex petroleum company were conducting a magnetic survey in the Caribbean at the time. Guided by their instruments, they noticed something the naked eye couldn't detect: a strange arc buried under the seabed, just north of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Further research showed that the arc was part of a massive underground crater. Straddling the peninsula's northern shoreline and some of the adjacent ocean floor, the crater is absolutely huge, with an estimated diameter of between 112 and 124 miles (180 and 200 kilometers). All these years later, we're still grappling with the implications of that fateful discovery. The '78 survey gave scientists their first look at the calling card of a giant extraterrestrial object. Perhaps it was created by an asteroid impact or even a comet. Whatever it was, we know the crater's maker smacked into Earth roughly 66 million years ago coinciding with the disappearance of non-avian dinosaurs from the fossil record. FLORENCE, S.C. A West Florence High School student suffered a sprained knee and wrist when he fell off the schools front balcony during a physical exchange between students, West Florence High School Principal Matthew Dowdell said in a press release. The fall happened Wednesday morning, shortly after the second block of classes, Dowdell said. Administrators and nurses responded, and called emergency medical services, which arrived quickly and took the student to McLeod Hospital for further examination, Dowdell said. The student was released to his parents later Wednesday. The other student was taken to the principals office, Dowdell said. School administrators started an investigation into the matter. After the investigation ended, the evidence was presented to the Florence County Sheriffs Office, which hasnt released any additional information. The event was isolated between these two students and was immediately taken care of, Dowdell said. West Florence prides itself on keeping our school a safe-learning environment. "Death Penalty Abolition, the Right to Life, and Necessity" | Main | Quite a remarkable account of one January 6 rioter's sentencing story January 5, 2023 Council on Criminal Justice releases "Reflections on Long Prison Sentences: A Conversation with Crime Survivors, Formerly Incarcerated People, and Family Members" In this post last year, I noted the formation of the Council of Criminal Justice's impressive Task Force on Long Sentences. Today, CCJ released its latest publication from the Task Force, titled "Reflections on Long Prison Sentences: A Conversation with Crime Survivors, Formerly Incarcerated People, and Family Members." This full 20-page report is worth a full read, and here are the document's "Key Takeaways": While participants shared their experiences with long sentences from different perspectives, the views expressed reflected numerous common themes. These included: + Prison sentences-including long sentences-should serve the purpose of rehabilitation, a goal that many participants said was often impeded by a lack of programming in prisons. + Long sentences are not synonymous with accountability; rather, accountability comes from taking responsibility for the harm caused and making amends through personal changes. + People serving long sentences should have the opportunity to seek reconsideration of that sentence after a period of time through a process that bases release decisions, in part, on the cognitive, behavioral, and/or emotional growth individuals make while incarcerated. + Victims and survivors of crime should have a role in any sentencing reconsideration. Participants made several specific recommendations in line with these themes. These included: + Provide programming and counseling to all individuals serving long sentences + Permit crime victims and survivors to request specific programming for the defendant in their case to complete while incarcerated, as part of pre-sentencing investigation reports + Provide victims and survivors, upon request, with information regarding expressions of remorse, educational or skills training, and other personal changes made by incarcerated individuals in their cases + In cases of sentencing reconsideration, provide victims and survivors general information about supports available to the incarcerated person post-release + Provide more opportunities for victim-offender dialogue throughout long prison sentences + Enhance transparency and communication during criminal justice processes and create mechanisms for quickly referring victims and survivors to community-based counseling and other therapeutic services + Give judges more complete contextual information about the background of the person being sentenced or resentenced, including facts about the impact of the crime(s) on victims and survivors + Provide earlier intervention and healing to at-risk children to prevent future crime, sparing individuals, families, and communities from the pain of violence and from the loss of young persons to long prison sentences January 5, 2023 at 02:07 PM | Permalink Comments On topic: https://reason.com/volokh/2023/01/05/ex-con-hired-as-law-clerk-for-michigan-supreme-court-justice-then-resigns-after-controversy-arises/ Posted by: federalist | Jan 5, 2023 3:36:48 PM I am inclined to share Eugene's take, federalist. Do you? Posted by: Doug B | Jan 5, 2023 8:46:14 PM Yep. As you probably know, I am all about harsh sentences for bad crimes. Much of that reason comes from ideas about risk allocation. This guy has proven that he can live in a society (meaning that the risk allocation rationale is gone)--so I have zero interest in further punishing him. I'd consider a pardon were I governor. His crimes were serious, and he did serious time for them. He got a chance (maybe he should not have, but he did), and he made the most of it. He paid a heavy price. Nothing is served by adding to that price. I wish that the judge had more fortitude. Posted by: federalist | Jan 6, 2023 10:48:39 AM I assume, Doug, that my response was pretty much what you thought it was going to be. I'll say this--I may not agree with taking chances on a particular criminal, but if that chance is taken, and the criminal lives a law-abiding life, I wouldn't generally agree with revisiting the chance that was taken or inflicting additional harm on the particular criminal. Posted by: federalist | Jan 6, 2023 10:56:02 AM I was unsure, federalist, which is why I asked. Bill Otis was quick to criticize me when for a commentary in which I suggested a person with history in prison ought to be a member of the US Sentencing Commission. Even folks who generally favor second changes sometimes contend (a) that certain types of offenders ought not get a second chance, and/of (b) that certain types of opportunities (eg, govt service) ought not be part of any second chance giving. This case, with a police shootout as part of the crime and with the position a prominent clerkship, could fall into either category for some. Posted by: Doug B. | Jan 6, 2023 12:07:59 PM I don't know that I'd reserve a spot on the US Sentencing Commission for a criminal, but I wouldn't be categorically opposed. This guy working for a Supreme Court is a lot less offensive than Kevin Clinesmith getting his law license back. Posted by: federalist | Jan 6, 2023 12:25:13 PM Post a comment By Raphael Satter LONDON (Reuters) - Hackers stole the email addresses of more than 200 million Twitter users and posted them on an online hacking forum, a security researcher said Wednesday. The breach will unfortunately lead to a lot of hacking, targeted phishing and doxxing, Alon Gal, co-founder of Israeli cybersecurity-monitoring firm Hudson Rock, wrote on LinkedIn. He called it one of the most significant leaks I've seen. Twitter has not commented on the report, which Gal first posted about on social media on Dec. 24, nor responded to inquiries about the breach since that date. It was not clear what action, if any, Twitter has taken to investigate or remediate the issue. Reuters could not independently verify the data on the forum was authentic and came from Twitter. Screenshots of the hacker forum, where the data appeared on Wednesday, have circulated online. Troy Hunt, creator of breach-notification site Have I Been Pwned, viewed the leaked data and said on Twitter that it seemed pretty much what its been described as. There were no clues to the identity or location of the hacker or hackers behind the breach. It may have taken place as early as 2021, which was before Elon Musk took over ownership of the company last year. Claims about the size and scope of the breach initially varied with early accounts in December saying 400 million email addresses and phone numbers were stolen. A major breach at Twitter may interest regulators on both sides of the Atlantic. The Data Protection Commission in Ireland, where Twitter has its European headquarters, and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission have been monitoring the Elon Musk-owned company for compliance with European data protection rules and a U.S. consent order respectively. Messages left with the two regulators were not immediately returned on Thursday. (Reporting by Raphael Satter in London; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) 25 2%4% 515.41 84.12 ChatGPTOpenAIChatGPT bug15 Twitter 10GPUAI 240IFC 0.86% 1.92%5% 397084.2 CMBS 10 IMF 7% ChatGPTAI 9600CCASS5% 0.59% 1.09%14% 14%iPhone 15 Pro 1997 11% 13.6 FRB 5%9600CCASS 16% 12% 1496H 10% 0.02% 0.19%2% 1.5 325 KOKO MARE220021 14.9% LOS ANGELES Melanie Senn's father, long dead, appeared to her as she lay back in the dimly lit room at the Santa Monica clinic, a mask over her closed eyes, and the psychedelic trip began. More precisely, it was his thumb. It was disembodied and huge, materializing in her mind to wipe away her own image. Just as a parent might lick a thumb, she said, and use it to clean the dirtied cheek of a child. "It wasn't like an aggressive move," said Senn, 51, recounting the experience. Her father's thumb had appeared right after the word "goodbye" stretched before her, like a banner in the sky. "It was like, 'Goodbye. We're going somewhere else. And you cannot take this version of yourself,'" she recalled. Her father had died decades earlier after struggling with alcohol use disorder and bouts of homelessness. She didn't see herself as an alcoholic it was a word that seemed out of place in her stable life as an educator, wife and mother but she had begun to think about how much wine she was drinking at night, the sapped energy and headaches she endured by day. Senn, who lives in San Luis Obispo, said she had signed up for the clinical trial, hours away in Santa Monica, to see whether therapy with psilocybin, the chemical compound in "magic mushrooms" that can cause hallucinations, might change her relationship to a much more familiar and socially sanctioned drug. "If my dad had had access to psilocybin treatment," she had wondered before her trip at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, "could that have helped him?" Psilocybin and many other psychedelics are broadly prohibited under federal law, categorized by the Drug Enforcement Administration as having "no currently accepted medical use." Yet U.S. researchers have been legally scrutinizing possible uses of psychedelics in scores of clinical trials approved by the government, addressing their effects on anorexia, migraines and a range of other maladies. The Food and Drug Administration has deemed psilocybin a potential "breakthrough therapy" for treating depression, a designation that could fast-track the path to new pharmaceuticals. Popular interest in psychedelics has been bolstered by the books of Michael Pollan, whose writing inspired Senn to look up psilocybin trials. And money, long the limiting factor in psychedelic research, is pouring into the field from corporate investors and intrigued philanthropists. Addiction treatment has been one of the most keenly watched areas of psychedelics research in recent years, as studies explore whether they could help people shake off the need for other substances, both legal and illegal. Early studies have shown promise with treating addiction to tobacco and alcohol. The question has gained urgency as the U.S. faces an overdose surge that is killing more than 100,000 people annually, the majority linked to opioids, and a spike in deaths tied directly to alcohol, which have hit their highest rate in decades. Peter Hendricks, a public health professor at the University of Alabama Birmingham, said cocaine users have asked skeptically, "You're going to help me stop getting high by getting me high?" He is studying whether psychedelics paired with therapy could ease cocaine dependency. Hendricks said he explains that psilocybin is not considered to be addictive. Some participants, he said, "will tell me, 'Look, this sounds kind of crazy, but I've tried everything at this point, so I'm willing to give it a try.'" At Johns Hopkins University, researchers examining whether psilocybin could help with tobacco cravings received a grant in 2021 from the National Institutes of Health the first the agency has awarded in more than half a century to study therapeutic uses of a psychedelic drug. Physicians in New York and New Mexico published a study this summer finding that patients treated with psilocybin and psychotherapy cut back more on heavy drinking than those who received psychotherapy and a placebo. Hendricks is exploring possible benefits for cocaine users. Others have hoped to turn the powers of psychedelics toward easing opioid addiction. The striking thing about psychedelics is that they have shown promise in treating addiction to a range of substances, said Matthew Johnson, a psychiatry professor at Johns Hopkins University. "It's not simply quelling the cravings. ... It's really allowing the person to wrestle with much deeper psychological questions at the heart of addiction." In addiction treatment, "we really are at a place where we need radical advances," Johnson added. "As a field, we keep banging our heads against the wall." Experts say it's unclear exactly why psychedelics seem to help some people with addiction. Scientists have found that psilocybin acts on key areas of the brain that are important in addiction, said Dr. Lorenzo Leggio, a senior investigator with the National Institutes of Health whose research focuses on identifying new treatments. Psilocybin also indirectly stimulates a receptor for serotonin, a chemical in the brain that plays a role in addictive behavior, Leggio said, and some research suggests that psilocybin increases "plasticity," so that "the brain becomes easier to adapt and to adjust." Some researchers say a psychedelic trip appears to free the brain to make new connections and eject itself from familiar ruts a tool that could help patients break loose from destructive ways of thinking. Hendricks said many people with substance use disorders devote a lot of time and energy to thinking about their urges and how to satisfy them, but during a psychedelic experience, "for many people, there is this intense experience of awe where they think outside of themselves in a very profound way." "It's one thing for me to tell you, 'Hey, your drinking is negatively affecting your relationship with your family members,'" he said. "It's another thing to have a very visceral and vivid experience in which it is shown to you." Johnson, who has studied addiction to tobacco, said smokers, after tripping on psilocybin, have relayed realizations about the psychological reasons they use cigarettes. Many had "experiences that sort of opened them up to a different way of viewing the world," seeing it as "this miraculous gift." If you suddenly see life as a miracle, "the question of whether or not you're going to be smoking just seems trivial," Johnson said. Leggio, like many others, cautioned that research on psychedelics is in its early stages. It's unclear whether the hallucinations tied to psilocybin are critical to any therapeutic effects or could be disentangled from them in a new medication. Psychedelic research has also struggled to find a placebo that participants cannot easily distinguish from a psychedelic trip. "There is a lot of excitement and I share that excitement," Leggio said. But "we also need to make sure that we don't overlook safety." Psychedelics have known risks, especially outside a clinical setting where patients are being monitored, experts have warned. People undergoing psychedelic trips may see things that are disturbing, experience increases in heart rate or blood pressure, panic and put themselves in danger or be vulnerable to exploitation. In rare cases, users may suffer ongoing problems such as paranoia or hallucinatory flashbacks, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. As scientists probe possible benefits in therapy, some local laws on psychedelics have been eased. In Oregon, voters passed measures to create a regulatory framework for the use of psilocybin in supervised settings and eliminate criminal penalties for possessing limited amounts of controlled substances, including psilocybin and many other psychedelics. Colorado voters in November passed a measure to decriminalize the personal possession of psilocybin and other psychedelic plants. In 2022, California lawmakers weighed a bill proposed by state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, that would have allowed the possession of psilocybin and several other hallucinogenic drugs for personal or facilitated use. Among those lobbying for the California bill were military veterans who say psychedelic treatment helped them with addiction and trauma. "It's not that it's an overnight panacea or miracle, but it certainly was far more effective than anything we had tried to date," said Amber Capone, who had been preparing to leave her husband, Marcus, before he underwent treatment in Mexico with the psychoactive substance ibogaine. The couple have founded a nonprofit, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, that helps veterans get such therapies abroad. Opponents of the California bill contended that therapeutic uses should not be conflated with decriminalizing such drugs more broadly. The group Crime Victims United of California argued that a possible therapeutic benefit "by no means justifies their wholesale legalization for the masses who are not necessarily under the watchful eye of a licensed therapist." The bill was scaled back to a proposed study, then shelved in the fall. Wiener pledged to try again and recently introduced a revised version of the proposal. In Santa Monica, Dr. Keith Heinzerling has long wondered about those crucial moments that people talk about in Alcoholics Anonymous. "They talk about these epiphanies, where the switch flips and then they just feel different," said Heinzerling, who was an addiction-medicine doctor and researcher at UCLA before joining the Pacific Neuroscience Institute. "Myself and some of the clinicians were always like, 'How do you facilitate that?' Because people would try, try, try and it would happen at the least expected time." Psychedelics seem to him like one way to help patients get to those transformative moments "a roller coaster that takes you on a tour of your inner self." Heinzerling describes psychedelics as the most empowering model for therapy he has found. "It's not mind control," he said. "It's a door that you can choose to open." The Treatment & Research in Psychedelics program better known as TRIP has let patients, through federally regulated clinical trials, open that door in a softly lit room with a comfortable sofa and attentive therapists. One of the latest studies, which recruited participants with alcohol use disorder, sought to gauge the safety and tolerability of playing a video with classical music trickling over majestic scenes of butterfly wings, mountain ridges and waterfalls to ease patients into the experience before they cover their eyes. Heinzerling said the therapists reassure participants that "we're going to keep your body safe here and allow you to let your mind go." After the psilocybin session, they meet again weekly through the course of the study to talk about the experience, with therapists helping patients process what they felt and saw. Senn, one of a score of people participating in that pilot study, called it "hands-down the most profound experience of my life." During her trip, she said, she experienced her father gently wiping away her image "almost like he was erasing my ego" then taking her to a celestial place that she strained to describe in words. "I'm not a religious person," she said, "but I truly think I have now been cured of my atheism." At one point, she saw her own children, connected to her with long, black umbilical cords; at another, she opened her mouth, and incandescent light poured out of her like a bulb as the message "No one is angry at you" resounded. She saw her mother, shrouded in a dark covering of wraiths, bones and melting faces, and felt her overwhelming grief. "I felt completely wrung out afterward," she said. "Kind of just raw, but also, like, soft and in awe." A friend picked her up from the Santa Monica clinic and drew her a bath, where she soaked for hours. Her husband joked on the phone, "Are you coming back a teetotaling vegan?" This was, after all, a study related to alcohol that required her to track how many drinks she had each day. Senn said the depth of her psychedelic experience feels at odds with making simple declarations like "I'm not going to drink anymore." But tripping through the cosmos with her long-deceased father did bring home to her that "you have all these connections. You have all this love. ... You don't have to hurt yourself." Months after taking psilocybin, she drank less, then not at all. Senn said her psychedelic trips were one part of a bigger journey that included changing her career, reading books on addiction, meditating, writing and practicing yoga. The transcendent beauty of her experience, she said, had made drinking seem dull and limiting. "Seeing this sublime connection is making me feel so alive," she said. "So much more alive than drinking myself to sleep." ___ Most commonly misused prescription drugs in the US Most commonly misused prescription drugs in the US #8. Morphine #7. Tramadol #6. Codeine #5. Hydrocodone #4. Oxycodone #3. Fentanyl #2. Hydromorphone #1. Buprenorphine JACKSON, Neb. When looking for improvements to his family's farming operation, Taylor Nelson seeks solutions that will lead to greater efficiency. In that search, he's embraced technology and how it can help get work done faster, better and with fewer workers. "It's about having a mindset that embraces change. Not every problem will be solved with technology, but a lot of them will. It's got to be a willingness to learn and adapt to change," said Nelson, a fifth-generation farmer who operates Nelson Farms with his father, Doug. That willingness to seek improvement is one reason Nelson was recently named one of America's Best Young Farmers and Ranchers, an honor given annually to five farmers nationwide by DTN/Progressive Farmer magazine. The award recognizes the next generation of ag producers who demonstrate business innovation, betterment of agriculture and community improvement. Nebraska farmer awarded one of America's Best Young Farmers and Ranchers Taylor Nelson stands amidst the tractors in the Nelson Farms machine shed in rural Jackson, Neb. Nelson, 32, was recently recognized by DTN/Pr "You work hard and do the best you can. To be recognized nationwide is an honor," the 32-year-old Nelson said. "It's not just a credit to me, but also a credit to the generations before." Nelson Farms grows corn and soybeans on 9,000 acres in Dakota, Dixon and Thurston counties. Look inside the farm's machine shed in rural Jackson, and you'll see John Deere tractors and farm equipment similar to what others use. Nelson is helping John Deere take the next step forward, serving as a spokesman for the manufacturer's autonomous tractor technology. John Deere engineers have spent hours at Nelson Farms testing one of the tractors, which through GPS and other technology, operates remotely without a driver and performs fall tillage while Nelson is in the combine harvesting crops in other fields. Autonomous tractors ultimately will be programmed to perform other jobs, allowing farmers to do two or more tasks at once, saving them time and the need to find as many capable hired hands in a tight labor market. Nelson foresees a day when autonomous grain carts will aid harvest. "We're always looking for what's a better way to do something, a more efficient way," he said. Nebraska farmer awarded one of America's Best Young Farmers and Ranchers Taylor Nelson uses a model to explain John Deere's autonomous tractor technology being tested at Nelson Farms, a 9,000 operation he runs with Nelson met the Progressive Farmer editor a year ago at a John Deere symposium and was interviewed about his relationship with the tractor manufacturer. That interview led Nelson to apply for the Young Farmer award, something he'd seen featured in the magazine over the years. He submitted his application, highlighting his farm's quest for efficiency and also his community involvement. He was notified in May or June that he'd been named one of the award recipients, and magazine staffers came to the farm for an interview, photos and video. They returned for another round of interviews and photos at harvest time before announcing the recipients in November. Nelson and the other four honorees were recognized at an awards program in Nashville. Nelson wanted to farm since he was a boy. The cost of getting into agriculture after he graduated from college was steep, so he started Jackson Express, a convenience store and fuel center, in 2012. Before selling the business in 2020, he'd learned how to build and manage a business and employees, helpful skills for full-time farming. He's relied upon his familiarity with technology to implement changes he hopes will make Nelson Farms more efficient and increase production. Along the way, he and other farmers his age helped re-establish the Northeast Nebraska Corn Growers Association, through which they launched the Growing Potential Ag Youth Festival, an annual event in which up to 300 fifth-graders in a six-county area spend a day in hands-on, interactive activities that teach them about agriculture and introduce them to career opportunities. Nebraska farmer awarded one of America's Best Young Farmers and Ranchers Taylor Nelson climbs into a tractor at the Nelson Farms machine shed in rural Jackson, Neb. Nelson, 32, was named by DTN/Progressive Farmer ma "I've taken the position of wanting to embrace the future of farming and future of agriculture," Nelson said. A young farmer hoping to plant the seeds of agricultural possibilities in the minds of the next generation. SIOUX CITY COVID-19 community transmission in Woodbury County has fallen from the "medium" level to "low," while the number of positive tests being reported has increased. Data updated by the Iowa Department of Public Health on Tuesday, shows 84 positive COVID-19 tests in the county, which is up from 74 positive tests reported on Dec. 27. COVID-19 is circulating in the community, along with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which generally causes mild cold-like symptoms, influenza and other respiratory viruses. The State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa reported 384 cases of RSV in Iowa from Dec. 18 to 24, down from 655 cases and 840 cases the previous two weeks. Overall state-wide flu activity remains "high," according to the respiratory virus surveillance report. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker rates Woodbury County's COVID-19 community transmission level as low. That level was calculated on Dec. 29 using data from Dec. 22 to 28. A new subvariant of omicron now accounts for roughly 40% of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States, according to the CDC. The omicron offshoot XBB.1.5 has overtaken BQ.1 and BQ.1.1. When community transmission is low, the CDC recommends that individuals stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms. Wearing a mask is advised on public transportation and when a person has symptoms, tests positive for the virus, or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19. The CDC says individuals may choose to wear a mask at any time as an additional precaution to protect themselves and others. SAC CITY, Iowa A woman has been charged with animal neglect after a landlord discovered dead dogs and a cat in freezers while cleaning out a Sac City house the woman had been renting. Sac City police were called on Sunday to a house in the 200 block of East Ahrens Street after the landlord told them the previous tenant, Billi Jo Beyer-Langner, had left two dead cats in the house. Two emaciated, decomposing dogs also were found in a chest freezer in the garage. According to court documents, the house was filled with animal feces and urine, and animals had been kept there without adequate food and water. Police located Beyer-Langner at a home in the 600 block of Park Avenue later Sunday, and she attempted to flee back inside the house before police arrested her. Officers returned to the rental home on Monday, when the landlord reported finding a partially decomposed cat in the kitchen freezer. Beyer-Langner, 47, who gave a Farnhamville, Iowa, address, has been charged with five counts of animal neglect with serious injury or death, all aggravated misdemeanors, and a simple misdemeanor charge of interference with official acts. SAC CITY, Iowa A Lake View, Iowa, man involved in a string of burglaries at rural Sac County homes has been placed on probation. District Judge Christopher Polking on Tuesday suspended a 10-year prison sentence for John Bogue and placed him on three years' probation. He was sentenced according to terms of a plea agreement. Bogue, 34, pleaded guilty to second-degree arson and three counts of third-degree burglary. He was one of four people charged in connection with burglaries and thefts in which copper piping and wiring and other property was stolen from at least three locations from Dec. 1, 2021, through March 4. He and Nick Bogue also set a fire that destroyed a house and two outbuildings. John Bogue was ordered to pay a total of $8,454 in restitution jointly with Kennedie Ford and James Becker. A restitution amount for the arson charge has yet to be determined. Nick Bogue, 42, of Lake View; Becker, 34, of Wall Lake, Iowa; and Ford, 27, of Lake City, Iowa, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the burglaries, and all were placed on probation. OMAHA A Macy, Nebraska, man has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for sexually assaulting a girl. Talis Dale, 23, pleaded guilty in September to one count of sexual abuse of a minor. He was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Omaha to 78 months in prison. He will serve six years on supervised release after completing his prison sentence. Dale entered the girl's bedroom in her Macy home during the early morning hours of May 3, 2021, and began touching her, stopping after becoming concerned that she was loudly demanding that he leave her room. The girl, listed as age 12-16, fell asleep, and told investigators that she woke up later in the night to find Dale on top of her. The girl said her underwear had been removed and that Dale began to have sexual intercourse with her. When the girl asked what he was doing, Dale stopped. The girl pushed Dale off of her, told him to leave, and he did, court documents said. SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa A Minnesota man was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without parole for the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend outside her Milford, Iowa, workplace. District Judge Carl Petersen handed down the sentence, which is mandatory under Iowa law, to Christian Goyne-Yarns, who was found guilty in December of first-degree murder. Goyne-Yarns, 26, of Jackson, Minnesota, shot Shelby Woizeschke on Feb. 3 in the parking lot at GrapeTree Medical Staffing as she arrived for work. According to court documents, she was shot at least twice and was able to call 911 and identify Goyne-Yarns as the shooter. He was arrested about an hour and a half later. Woizeschke, 24, of Spencer, Iowa, died in a Sioux Falls hospital Feb. 6. She had two young sons from a previous relationship with Goyne-Yarns. Petersen ordered Goyne-Yarns to pay $150,000 in restitution to Woizeschke's estate. The judge also denied Goyne-Yarns' motion for a new trial. The case was delayed for several weeks after a defense request for a psychiatric evaluation of Goyne-Yarns, who, his lawyers said, was unable to assist in his own defense. After he was evaluated by a psychiatrist, who submitted a report to the court, Goyne-Yarns' attorneys did not seek a second evaluation and withdrew their motion to suspend court proceedings. Petersen had moved the trial to Buena Vista County, granting the defense's change of venue motion, which said media coverage and publicity surrounding the shooting and subsequent hearings would have made it hard to find an impartial jury in Dickinson County. Iran to add Chinese language learning to school programs: minister Xinhua) 10:36, January 05, 2023 TEHRAN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Iran will add Chinese language courses to its school curriculums from early 2024, Hamshahri Online news website reported Wednesday, citing Education Minister Yousef Nouri. From the beginning of the Iranian year 1403, or March 21, 2024, "we will add several languages, including German and Chinese, as optional" language courses to the school programs, Nouri was quoted as saying. Students' needs should be taken into consideration and the officials should take steps in this regard, he added. Chinese language courses are now only offered in Iranian universities. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) ODEBOLT, Iowa An Odebolt couple have been arrested for allegedly holding a woman against her will in Sac County early Wednesday morning. Edwin Edgardo Diaz, 34, and Amy Jo Hartwig, 40, were booked into the Sac County Jail on charges of extortion, a class D felony; false imprisonment, a serious misdemeanor; and obstruction of emergency communications, a simple misdemeanor. The Sac County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that law enforcement officers seized a firearm, ammunition, marijuana, methamphetamine, injectable steroids, unknown pills and drug paraphernalia, including assorted scales, while executing a search warrant Wednesday night at the couple's home in the 300 block of Willow St. in Odebolt. They also found "evidence that corroborated the victim's statement." According to a criminal complaint filed in Sac County District Court, Diaz and Hartwig had the victim get into the front seat of a red Chevy Cruze on Wednesday. Hartwig was driving and Diaz was in the rear passenger seat behind the victim, who was told they were going to a friend's house in Lake View. However, the complaint states that they never reached that destination. Hartwig and Diaz allegedly questioned the victim about a recent Ida County criminal case and asked her for her phone, which the victim handed over. The victim told authorities that she could hear the click of handcuffs in the back seat, according to the complaint. "(The victim) was forced to sign a statement that (she) would take responsibility for Diaz's drug charges in Ida County. (She) was asked to get out of the vehicle and was advised by Hartwig and Diaz that she could not until the paper was signed. Diaz recorded (the victim) reading the statement aloud," the complaint states. Diaz allegedly said that he would not hurt the victim but knew people that would, according to the complaint. The victim was eventually dropped off at a convenience store in Early, which was closed at the time, with a dead cell phone. Authorities found the note the victim was forced to sign and handcuffs, during the search of the couple's residence. A handcuff key was located in the back passenger seat of the red Chevy Cruze, according to the complaint. Jesse Chavez, 43, had pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Chavez was involved in the sale of meth in the Sioux City area from September 2021 through December 2021. On Dec. 14, 2021, Sioux City police officers observed Chavez acting suspiciously in a Walgreens parking lot and inside the store, confronted him and obtained consent to search his vehicle. Officers seized 3 ounces of meth, and learned Chavez obtained multiple-ounce quantities of the drug from his supply sources and sell lesser amounts to others. STORM LAKE, Iowa Storm Lake police have arrested a man suspected of robbing a Storm Lake liquor store at gunpoint. Police were called to Al's Liquors, 215 W. Milwaukee Ave., at 9:22 p.m. Sunday after an employee reported being robbed. The worker reported a man had entered the store, grabbed her by the hair and held a gun to her head while ordering her to open the cash register. The man took approximately $300 in cash and fled the store on foot. The employee was not injured. Police investigating the robbery executed search warrants at two Storm Lake homes on Tuesday and located clothing believed to have been worn by the suspect, cash and a black BB gun believed to have been used in the robbery. Officers arrested Eh Lwe, 24, of Storm Lake, and booked him into the Buena Vista County Jail on charges of first-degree robbery, assault while participating in a felony, going armed with intent and assault while participating in a felony. He is currently being held on a $37,000 bond. During their search of the other home, police found drug paraphernalia, marijuana, methamphetamine and two guns. The robbery remains under investigation, and more charges are possible, police said. Lwe was charged in November with child endangerment in connection with a June 20 incident in which he is accused of choking and hitting a 7-year-old child. He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial March 14. As Matt Blomstedt's final days as Nebraska education commissioner tick down, some educators would welcome a fresh start for the department he ran for nine years. Blomstedt, whose last day was Tuesday, will join Foresight Law + Policy, a national education law and consulting firm, where he hopes to have an impact on education policy across the country. The firm, in a news release, described Blomstedt as a "thought leader" in Nebraska and national education policy circles. "His nationally recognized work drew peer recognition and awards and three invitations from Congress to testify about the state's education system and leadership," the release said. As commissioner, Blomstedt has been comfortable in the realm of policymaking, able to navigate the voluminous maze of federal and state education laws. He cut his teeth on that side of the education world, not as a teacher or school administrator. His grasp of those overlapping laws and regulations were useful as his department created Nebraska's current school accountability and assessment system. The AQuESTT system an acronym for Accountability for a Quality Education System Today and Tomorrow uses multiple measures to classify schools as Excellent, Great, Good or needing assistance. But even as colleagues sent him off heaped with praise, there is talk among some educators that the next commissioner should have something on his resume that Blomstedt never had: experience as a superintendent. The man he replaced in 2014, Roger Breed, had been superintendent of Elkhorn Public Schools. Before Breed, Doug Christensen held the job 14 years. Christensen had worked as a superintendent in the Bloomfield and North Platte districts in Nebraska, as well as in Colby, Kansas. Blomstedt, whose father was on a local school board, had previously been the executive director of the Nebraska Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council, created by law in 2007 to oversee the work of Nebraska's 17 educational service units. He also had headed the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association and worked as a research analyst for the Legislature's Education Committee. Melissa Poloncic, president of the Nebraska Association of School Administrators, said superintendents and many educators across the state believe the next commissioner should come from the pool of practicing Nebraska school administrators. "The education community in Nebraska is unique, and the new leadership should represent its culture," said Poloncic, who is superintendent of Douglas County West Community Schools. Deborah Neary, a member of the State Board of Education from Omaha, said she wants to put superintendent experience in the job qualifications when the state advertises the position. "I am asking that it become a requirement," which was the case with previous commissioners, Neary said. Neary said she believes the next commissioner needs to have experience leading school districts of all sizes and experience working in both urban and rural school districts. Board member Kirk Penner of Aurora said he would like someone from Nebraska who understands local control of schools and has experience in the classroom and as principal and superintendent. "We want somebody that understands our system," Penner said, "and for too long and superintendents, I think, would tend to agree with me we've had a lot of decisions coming down from the State Board of Education or even from the Legislature that really should be left up to the local school districts." In addition, he said, Nebraska needs "somebody who understands what the NDE and State Board of Education have gone through the last two years." On Blomstedt's watch, the department and the board were accused of overreach and of advocating a left-leaning agenda, particularly when it came to writing health education standards for the state's schools. The initial draft called for teaching children as young as first grade about gender identity and gender stereotypes and older children about homophobia, transphobia and vaginal, oral and anal sex. Although the standards would not have been mandatory, and were praised by advocates of LGBTQ youths, the controversy sparked a hail of criticism that led the board to postpone adoption indefinitely. Forty-seven school boards passed resolutions or sent letters opposing the initial draft. Dissatisfaction with the board and the department led to the election last November of three conservative candidates to four-year terms on the eight-member board. Penner, Sherry Jones and Elizabeth Tegtmeier will be sworn into office in January. Criticism has come from within the education establishment over testing and accountability. Recently, some Nebraska educators and state board members suggested the academic tests Blomstedt implemented for the state's third through eighth graders should be replaced. The dispute bubbled up at the December board meeting, where the board split on whether to stamp its approval on the assessment plan for the coming year. It passed 6-2, with Neary and Penner voting no, but the issue of how to best test for accountability will be on the table for the new year. Some educators question the validity of the test on which accountability is based, the NSCAS (Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System) Growth. Some concern centers on the cut score that is, the threshold state officials set for proficiency. It is a high hurdle set to ensure longevity of the test as schools improve their scores year to year, but critics say it yields proficiency levels out-of-sync with other assessments used in schools. Blomstedt faced a monumental task in designing the accountability system. AQuESTT was intended to provide a more accurate and complete picture of how schools were doing than the federal No Child Left Behind system. Nebraska educators wanted a new system that would use multiple measures, not just test scores, to gauge school performance. AQuESTT, as a result, includes various measures, such as student academic growth and whether schools are using best practices, to classify schools. However, it still tends to classify high-poverty schools lower than more affluent ones. Blomstedt said AQuESTT was designed with the idea of adding additional measures and metrics to classify schools if necessary. But making significant changes would require convincing federal and state lawmakers, he said. He said education is a substantial public investment, particularly when it comes to property taxes, and schools should expect to be held accountable. The system, however, was designed with the intent of helping struggling schools, not just labeling them. "I don't think this system was designed to say it's the schools' fault alone," he said. "There's some accountability to the state to make investments in places that are struggling." Accountability systems naturally draw some criticism, he said, "but I don't think you'll find another system across the country that is designed any more thoughtfully than what we've done." Board President Patsy Koch Johns of Lincoln, speaking at Blomstedt's final board meeting, said he is "without a doubt a champion for schools, teachers, students and administrators." Koch Johns said he assembled a talented staff, modernized the department, led schools during the pandemic, wrote many bills and approached issues as a consensus builder who wanted to meet people in the middle and reach agreement. Blomstedt said the board faces an important task in picking the next commissioner. "That's a big role, and I think that'll set them on a path for the next several years," he said. His hiring was unusual, he said, because the board had a tradition of hiring former superintendents. If the board limits applicants to current or former superintendents, "that's a pretty small number of folks compared to the challenges of the job," he said. "It doesn't mean there won't be folks certainly well qualified from those ranks." He said a lot of people could bring their experiences to the job and be successful. He noted that the department has no students. "People forget that the department isn't a school," he said. Blomstedt said the department itself has responsibility well beyond the school system, including vocational rehabilitation and disability determinations. Its leader must understand that, and understand state government and state budgeting, he said. "I think school superintendents probably come into a job like the commissioner job and go, 'Oh, I didn't realize this.' I certainly did, too. And I think I went in as well aware as anyone could," he said. As for the new board to be seated this week, he said members have an important role in providing stability to the system, and he's hopeful that both new members and old will understand the board's responsibilities. As for education in Nebraska, he said it's "very, very sound." The education system measures up well against other states, he said. "Not just the pandemic, and not just in Matt Blomstedt's time, but we've managed a high-quality education system as a whole," he said. "And the system's not perfect. But it remains among the best in the country." ORANGE CITY, Iowa Beginning at 5:30 p.m., on Saturday, Jan. 28, Northwest Iowa residents will have the chance to take in a number of different cultures with the return of the "Festival of Culture" to the Northwestern College campus. "The aim of the event is to bridge the gap between cultures represented on campus and to give students and the community a taste and feel of what other individuals eat and experience in their culture," said Kelsey Joseph, the associate director of intercultural development at Northwestern College. To that end, the event (which is $12 for adults and $7 for kids ages 4-11) will feature the food and beverages of countries around the world, a fashion show and multiple student performances including one by a group of visiting Japanese high school students. According to Northwestern, the college presently has students from: Austria, Brazil, Belarus, Bahrain, Bahamas, Colombia, Chile, Canada, Germany, Ghana, Gambia, Honduras, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Panama, the Philippines, Spain and South Korea. SIOUX CITY An appointment will be made to fill the Woodbury County District 5 Board of Supervisors position, recently vacated by Rocky De Witt. A committee made up of Treasurer Tina Bertrand, County Attorney James Loomis and Auditor Pat Gill met on Wednesday to decide how to fill the seat vacated by De Witt who left to serve as the Iowa Senate District 1 representative. Loomis said that based on the code the vacancy started on January 1. De Witt submitted his resignation this week, allowing the committee to meet. By law, the committee can make an appointment within 40 days of the vacancy or choose to hold a special election. Voters can petition for a special election within 14 days of the publication of the vacancy or appointment. Gill made the motion to fill the vacancy by appointment, seconded by Loomis. The motion passed 3-0. The committee will meet at 1 p.m. on Tuesday to discuss the timeline and process of the appointment. One concern the committee members expressed is the current budget situation for the Board of Supervisors. A special election would not occur in time for the individual to participate in the hearings. Gill has said he believes it is important to have a full board during budget deliberations. Previously, eight people had contacted Gill expressing interest in the seat. The names read were Nathan Heilman of Correctionville, Angela Kayl of Lawton, John Van Eldik of Lawton, Mark Nelson of Correctionville, Willard Brian McNaughton of Lawton, Barbara Sloniker of Sioux City, Jeanette Beekman of Pierson and Charles Clark of Lawton. Kayl and Clark were identified as having no party affiliation, while the rest were identified as Republicans. Nathan Heilman, John VanEldik, and Willard Brian McMaughton ran with De Witt and three others for the seat in 2016. If voters do not want an appointment made, or do not approve of the individual who is chosen, a petition for a special election can be made. The petition must be signed by at least ten percent of the votes cast in the last general election, which would be at least 2,882, Gill said previously. All voters in Woodbury County can vote for all seats on the board, not just the district they live in. Gill said a special election would cost around $40,000. Gill had previously said he would suggest a special election. He said the Sioux City Community School District previously expressed interest in holding a special election in March for the use of the Advanced Vision for Education Fund. Gill said they withdrew that request when informed they would have to put their recently vacated seat, currently held by Bernie Scolaro, on the ballot. Since the polling places are schools, Election Day is a no-school day for students; students would still have classes during a special election. Gill said parents have contacted him in the past stating they do not like having students in the building during elections. SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa The interim tag can be removed from Steve Goodlow's job title. The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday appointed Goodlow as Dickinson County attorney. Previously an assistant county attorney, Goodlow had been serving in an interim capacity since the resignation of Amy Zenor last month. There were no other applicants for the position, and county residents had not requested a special election to fill the vacancy. Zenor resigned last month after she was arrested in November and charged with public intoxication. She told the board she was resigning because of a temporary medical disability and the voluntary suspension of her Iowa law license. NEW YORK With House Republicans riven by infighting, unable to coalesce around a pick for speaker, former President Donald Trump had an emphatic message for the new GOP majority. "Do not turn a great triumph into a giant & embarrassing defeat," Trump warned in all-caps on his social media platform Wednesday morning, urging the 20 or so insurgents to "close the deal" and back Kevin McCarthy. It didn't help. Only one voter budged: a previous McCarthy backer who opted to vote "present" instead. The stalemate is more than an embarrassment for McCarthy, who is now the first person in a century to muddle through multiple ballots and appears no closer to clinching the job than when voting began. The revolt is raising alarms within the party as members warn they are sabotaging their new, narrow majority and alienating voters as they struggle to perform their most basic function: electing their own leader. The episode also poses more profound questions about the party's identity and future. It's a fresh reminder of Trump's waning influence inside the GOP even among the most vocal supporters of his Make America Great Again political movement as he again seeks the party's presidential nomination, exposing a leadership vacuum with no obvious alternative to unite the party and guide it through practical governing responsibilities and political challenges. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich warned that the anti-McCarthy Republicans were "playing with fire." "This is the greatest danger we've had as a party since 1964," Gingrich said in an interview, referring to the Republican National Convention that saw moderates facing off against conservative insurgents. The Republican base, he said, is "watching chaos in the House and they're watching the potential for a Never-Trump and an Always-Trump collision that could be devastatingly divisive." The party's allies in conservative media were equally distressed. "This is a disaster for the Republicans," Fox News host Steve Doocy said Wednesday on "Fox & Friends." Sean Hannity said Tuesday night that House Republicans "are now on the verge of becoming a total clown show if they're not careful." On Tuesday, McCarthy failed to win the required majority on three ballots as a group of 20 Republican rebels insisted on a more conservative alternative. On Wednesday, the anti-McCarthy group ticked up to 21 through three more failed votes. McCarthy fell short again in multiple rounds of voting Thursday. Until a speaker is chosen, the elected representatives to the House cannot be sworn in, leaving Congress' lower chamber in a suspended state of dysfunction. The extraordinary infighting rippled across the Republican ecosystem as the 2024 election cycle gets underway. "What I'm hearing from grassroots Republicans, donors, candidates and even federal elected officials is that there's a significant leadership vacuum on the Republican side," said Harmeet Dhillon, a California attorney who is challenging Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel to lead the party's organizing committee. Dhillon declined to issue an endorsement in the speaker's election, noting only that "there's a feeling that the old guard doesn't get it." The chaos stood in sharp contrast with Democrats, who are largely united behind President Joe Biden heading into the new presidential election season. As one of the failed Republican House votes unfolded Wednesday, Biden appeared alongside Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell at a Kentucky event designed to highlight the bipartisan infrastructure package the Democratic president signed into law in 2021. Trump responded by lashing out at McConnell in a racist attack against McConnell's wife, Trump's former transportation secretary. "This is who they are. Crisis, confusion, disarray. It's unfortunate," Pete Aguilar, the House Democratic Caucus chair, said at a news conference. Much of the dysfunction plaguing the current-day GOP is linked to the party's embrace of Trump's slash-and-burn politics and the former president's weakened political standing. McCarthy exemplifies that model, having traveled to Mar-a-Lago in early 2021 to visit Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection a move that helped cement Trump's political resuscitation and was widely seen as part of an effort by McCarthy to bolster his speaker bid. But while Trump explicitly called for his supposed loyalists to back McCarthy on Wednesday morning, none of the 20 House Republicans who opposed McCarthy the day before all from the so-called MAGA wing of the party heeded Trump's call. That's even after Trump phoned McCarthy's Republican critics and asked them to "knock it off," Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert said on the House floor Wednesday as she nominated Florida Republican Byron Donalds to the speakership instead. In a moment of rare public defiance of Trump's wishes, Boebert said Trump needed to instead "tell Kevin McCarthy that, 'Sir, you do not have the votes and it's time to withdraw.'" As Trump struggled to exert his influence, several would-be rivals in the upcoming presidential primary offered their own brand of leadership from afar. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, coming off a strong reelection victory in November, criticized the Republican-led House. "Should we really be surprised that a bunch of morons in Congress are holding things up? Of course not," Sununu said in a statement. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who is expected to launch a White House bid after he leaves office later this month, used the moment to highlight his own executive leadership. "Republicans are hungry for meat-and-potato conservative results from the new majority in Washington like Republican governors are already delivering, but all they're getting is a handful of mixed nuts," Hogan said. "It's time to move past this circus and show the country that we can govern with competence and common sense." Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, another potential 2024 Republican contender, suggested his party's struggle to elect a new speaker was a somewhat typical challenge for the party that does not occupy the White House. "We need to have this fight out in public. We need to have it out loud. And we need to then resolve it," Christie said in an interview. "This is what happens when you're a party out of power that doesn't have a clear national leader." Photos: Scenes from historic speaker vote of 118th Congress WASHINGTON As members of the Proud Boys extremist group stormed past police lines and swarmed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, their leader cheered them on from afar, prosecutors say. "Do what must be done," Enrique Tarrio wrote on social media. "So what do we do now?" someone asked later that day in a Proud Boys encrypted group chat. "Do it again," Tarrio responded. Two years later, Tarrio's words are at the center of the Justice Department's seditious conspiracy case against the former Proud Boys national chairman. Prosecutors in his trial in Washington are trying to build on their recent courtroom victory against leaders of another far-right extremist group, the Oath Keepers. Tarrio, who led the neofacist group as it became a force in mainstream Republican circles, is perhaps the highest-profile defendant yet to stand trial for charges stemming from the insurrection. Tarrio and four lieutenants face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of seditious conspiracy. Jury selection was underway. The trial comes at a pivotal time in the Justice Department's wide-ranging Jan. 6 investigation. Key aspects are now overseen by special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Smith has issued a number of subpoenas in recent weeks to state election officials, seeking their communications with Donald Trump and others involved the then-president's efforts to overturn his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden. The House committee that investigated the Capitol riot urged the department to bring criminal charges against Trump. While the referrals carry no legal weight, the recommendation could increase public pressure on the department to prosecute Trump, who called on supporters to "fight like hell" before the siege that halted congressional certification of Biden's victory. The department is buoyed by the recent sedition guilty plea of a close Tarrio associate, who could provide potentially damning testimony under a cooperation deal, and the convictions in November of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and the head of the anti-government group's Florida chapter. In Tarrio's case, prosecutors are hoping to convince jurors that they should convict him of overseeing a violent plot to stop the transfer of presidential power even though he was not in Washington on Jan. 6. Tarrio had been arrested in a separate case days earlier. Tarrio's lawyers say he did not instruct or encourage anyone to go into the Capitol. Their defense may focus on communications they say show Tarrio was informing law enforcement in the run-up to Jan. 6 of the Proud Boys' plans to protest the results of the election and party that night with as they wrote in court papers "plenty of beer and babes." The trial will put a spotlight on the Proud Boys, which remains an influential force in right-wing circles even with many of its top leaders behind bars. Trump energized the group and elevated its profile when he infamously told the Proud Boys to " stand back and stand by " during a 2020 debate with Biden. While there were signs the Oath Keepers were in disarray even before Rhodes' conviction, the Proud Boys have proved more resilient. Proud Boys members have reveled in street violence since the group's inception, typically clashing with anti-fascist activists at rallies. Tarrio initially called on members to stand down after Jan. 6 and refrain from holding public events. Instead, local Proud Boys chapters found new targets to menace. Proud Boys have recently disrupted story-telling sessions by drag performers and other LGBTQ events. Members have showed up at school board meetings and other local government forums, often to protest COVID-19 masking requirements. They joined anti-abortion protests surrounding the Supreme Court's landmark ruling overturning Roe vs. Wade last year. The autonomy afforded local Proud Boys chapters has helped the group weather the loss of its leaders better than the Oath Keepers have, said Jon Lewis, a research fellow at George Washington University's Program on Extremism. Lewis, who has written about the Proud Boys' violent evolution, said securing a conviction of Tarrio and his lieutenants would not cripple the group or prevent local chapters from organizing. Tarrio's co-defendants are Ethan Nordean of Auburn, Washington, who was a Proud Boys chapter president; Joseph Biggs of Ormond Beach, Florida, a self-described Proud Boys organizer; Zachary Rehl, who president of the Proud Boys chapter in Philadelphia; and Dominic Pezzola, a Proud Boy member from Rochester, New York. The jury's mixed verdict in the Oath Keepers case shows the challenge prosecutors face in proving the rarely used seditious conspiracy charge. While Rhodes and Oath Keeper Kelly Meggs were found guilty of sedition, three co-defendants were acquitted of the charge. All five were convicted of serious felonies, but it was the first time jurors had acquitted any Jan. 6 defendants of a crime. It came after defense lawyers spent weeks hammering prosecutors for their lack of evidence that the Oath Keepers had a specific plan to attack the Capitol before Jan. 6. In the Proud Boys case, however, prosecutors say they have communications showing that members did discuss storming the Capitol before Jan. 6. 5 takeaways from the Jan. 6 report 1. Eight chapters 2. New details, pressures 3. Behind the scenes 4. Safeguarding democracy 5. Record for history Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 A Hastings woman has been arrested and charged after allegedly trying to smuggle drugs into a state prison in Lincoln. Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Tammy Rocco, 52, with three counts of possession with intent to deliver (methamphetamine, marijuana and suboxone, a prescription drug used to treat opioid addiction) and unlawful acts in prison. In an affidavit for Rocco's arrest, Nebraska State Patrol investigator Nate Eymann said he was advised of an ongoing investigation by the intelligence unit at the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services following a prior visit by Rocco. She was suspected of passing contraband to an inmate, a relative, at the Reception and Treatment Center on West Van Dorn Street during a prior visit. Eymann said when Rocco arrived for a visit over the noon hour Monday, investigators approached her in the parking lot, asked for permission to search her and her vehicle and ultimately found four plastic wrapped packages containing 20 suboxone strips, THC concentrate and 13 grams of meth that had been hidden on her. Rocco made her first appearance on the felony charges Tuesday. RAQQA, Syria Marwa Ahmad rarely leaves her run-down house in the Syrian city of Raqqa. The single mother of four says people look at her with suspicion and refuse to offer her a job, while her children get bullied and beaten up at school. She and her children are paying the price, she says, because she once belonged to the Islamic State group, which overran a swath of Syria and Iraq in 2014 and imposed a radical, brutal rule for years. Ahmad is among tens of thousands of widows and wives of IS militants who were detained in the wretched and lawless al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria after U.S.-led coalition and Syrian Kurdish forces cleared IS from the region in 2019. She and a growing number of families have since been allowed to leave, after Kurdish authorities that oversee the camp determined they were no longer affiliated with the militant group and do not pose a threat to society. But the difficulties they face in trying to reintegrate back in Syria and Iraq show the deep, bitter resentments remaining after the atrocities committed by IS and the destructiveness of the long war that brought down the militants. There also remains fear of IS sleeper cells that continue to carry out attacks. IS militants in Raqqa on Monday attacked and killed six members of the Kurdish-led security forces, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces. The attack came following a surge of SDF and U.S. raids targeting IS militants in eastern Syria. Ahmad said she and her sister joined IS after their brother, an IS member, was killed in a U.S. airstrike in 2014. She married a member of the group, though she says he was a nurse, not a fighter. He has been detained since 2019. Ahmed says she now rejects IS. Her community doesn't believe that, though, and she claims it's because she wears the conservative niqab veil that covers most of her face. "Now, I have to face people, and many of the people in this society have been hurt by (IS)," Ahmad said. "Of course, it was not only the organization that did so. We, the people who live in Syria, have been hurt by the Free Syrian Army, the regime, and IS, right? But they don't say that." She says the neighborhood bakery sometimes refuses to give her bread. Even her own father, who did not approve of her joining the extremist group, threatened a shop owner who employed her that he would accuse him of communicating with IS if he didn't fire her. After IS overran Raqqa, large parts of northern and eastern Syria and western Iraq in 2014, the group declared a so-called Islamic caliphate over the territory. Thousands came from around the world to join. U.S.-backed Kurdish-led authorities battled for years to roll back IS. Finally in March 2019, they captured the last sliver of IS-held territory in Syria, the small village of Bahgouz. Ahmed's husband was captured by the SDF at Bahgouz, and Ahmed and her children were sent to al-Hol camp. Ever since, what to do with the women and children at al-Hol has been a conundrum for the Kurdish-led authorities. Thousands have been released and sent home. Still, some 50,000 Syrians and Iraqis, half of whom are children, remain crowded in tents in the fenced-in camp in the desert. Several thousand foreigners from dozens of countries also remain. Conditions are dire. Kurdish-led authorities and activists blame IS sleeper cells for surging violence within the camp, including the beheading of two Egyptian girls, aged 11 and 13, in November. Armed militants affiliated with IS still control large parts of the camp, Human Rights Watch said in a recent report, citing camp authorities. The U.S. Central Command said it conducted 313 raids targeting IS militants in Syria and Iraq over the past year, detaining 215 and killing 466 militants in Syria, mostly in cooperation with the SDF. The Kurdish-led forces announced Thursday, citing a surge in IS attacks, that they launched a new military campaign against the extremist group, dubbed "Operation Al-Jazeera Thunderbolt," to target sleeper cells in al-Hol and nearby in Tal Hamis. Ahlam Abdulla, another woman released from al-Hol, said life in the camp was better than in her hometown of Raqqa. "In general, everyone is against us. We are fought wherever we go," she said. She said her husband joined IS and worked in an office for the militant group, while she just looked after the house. With the support of her tribe's elders, the mother of five returned to Raqqa in 2020 without her husband, who has been missing for four years. She said authorities watched their every move and asked for their personal information. "We are scared," she said. "If anyone asks, I just say my husband died at the Turkish border." She tells no one she was at al-Hol. Local charities and civil society groups have tried to help the children reintegrate into schools and help their mothers improve their skills to find better jobs. Tribe elders also have been trying to help women find housing and livelihoods. Saeed al-Borsan, an elder of the al-Walda tribe, said reintegrating women and children from al-Hol has been a huge challenge. "The children especially have faced difficulties, lack of education and disconnection from society for five years," he said. "They're victims." MEXICO CITY A violent prison break in which 30 inmates escaped and 17 people mostly guards were killed has revealed a shocking level of self-rule by prisoners inside the prison in the northern Mexico border city of Ciudad Juarez. Not only were criminals able to sneak guns, drugs and luxury goods into prison Number 3, they actually held the keys to some sections of the facility, which is located across the border from El Paso, Texas. It was evident that the inmates themselves were practically in charge of security, and that on some cell blocks they had the keys to common areas, like classrooms or cafeterias, said Nestor Manuel Armendariz, the president of the Human Rights Commission in the northern state of Chihuahua. Searches after Sundays uprising and jail break turned up 10 VIP cells outfitted with televisions and other comforts. One even had a safe filled with cash. Authorities also found cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and marijuana inside the prison, and they found 14 guns just outside. But Armendariz said supposed searches in 2021 didnt find any of that. Ten of the dead were prison guards who were attacked by gunmen who arrived early Sunday in armored vehicles and fired on the entrance and inside dormitories. The seven other dead included two policemen and five suspected attackers. The director of the prison was fired on Tuesday, and 191 inmates considered high-risk were transferred out of the over-crowded prison. The inmates who escaped have been identified as members of the Mexicles gang; the Mexicles leader, who was serving a sentence for murder and other crimes, was among the fugitives. The Mexicles have been one of Juarezs main gangs for decades and for many years were known to work with the Sinaloa Cartel. At the time of the jail break, prison Number 3 held 4,000 inmates, 23% more than it was designed to hold. As is common in Mexican prisons, people awaiting trial 90% of inmates at the Ciudad Juarez facility are mixed in with convicted criminals. Despite the prisons long history of problems, authorities prefer to look the other way, said Saskia Nino de Rivera, who leads the incarceration reform group Reinserta. Security is totally politicized, because the prisons dont win you political points, Nino de Rivera. The problem is particularly sensitive in Ciudad Juarez, where local gangs work for drug cartels and any violence inside prisons can quickly spill out onto the streets of the city. That happened in August when a riot inside the same state prison spread to the streets of Juarez in violence and left 11 people dead. She said Sundays riot is a clear example of what is occurring in a large number of Mexican prisons, which are completely forgotten by the authorities and which are completely out of control. In 2016, 49 inmates were killed in a riot at the notorious Topo Chico prison in the northern border state of Nuevo Leon. Investigators found the prison to be full of contraband and weapons. The state government finally closed it in 2019. Mexico has a prison population of some 226,000 people, many held in overcrowded conditions in prisons without sufficient guards. The problem is fed by policies that allow, and in some cases require, suspects to be held for a wide variety crimes for long periods before trial. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. After a second day of three failed votes, the House of Representatives remained speakerless, memberless, and without rules on Wednesday evening. The mood in the chamber has moved from fascinated, to bored, to salty and sarcastic. The next stage could be heavy drinking, which could lead to brawling. There is an overriding sense that this needs to end, soon. That means Kevin McCarthy, who dropped out of the speakers race in 2015, but this time has vowed to stick around for as many ballots as it takes, needs to start making hard decisionsor have them made for him. Advertisement Republican leaders had hoped to begin the day with a vote to adjourn: That would have spared them another afternoon of televised incompetence as they sought a path forward. But when the session began at noon, the fourth speaker vote began immediately. There werent even enough votes to adjourn. Both Democrats and some of the 20 Republicans opposing McCarthy wanted to see the point made over, and over, and over again that McCarthy did not have the votes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the course of three votes, in which the dissenters lined up each time behind Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, the only changed vote was Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz, who switched her vote from McCarthy to present. McCarthys total support, from the first ballot through the sixth, has fallen from 203 votes to 201. Republican holdouts were entirely unmoved by former President Trumps reaffirmed support for McCarthy Wednesday morning. Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, in a nominating speech for Donalds, even addressed Trumps endorsement head-on. Advertisement Even having my favorite president call us and tell us we need to knock this off, I think it actually needs to be reversed, Boebert said, looking directly at McCarthy seated about 10 feet away. The president needs to tell Kevin McCarthy that, Sir, you do not have the votes and its time to withdraw. Democrats, who have taken to the old classroom murmur of oOoOoh many times this week, were beside themselves. McCarthy smiled. It was a rare one. The smile McCarthy wore in the old days of speaker balloting (Tuesday) had mostly dissipated on Wednesday. What can he do? Consider that McCarthy has oriented every moment of his life for the last seven years toward becoming speaker. Hes embraced Trump, fallen out of favor with Trump (after Trumps words inspired a siege on his workplace), and gone on down to Mar-a-Lago to beg for forgiveness. He put in his time as majority leader under Speaker Paul Ryan and as minority leader for the last four years. He raised hundreds of millions of dollars to win back the House, and won it. If there was something he could give the holdouts within reason to get their votes, he would do it. Advertisement Advertisement But what do they want? Some of them, like Virginia Rep. Bob Good or Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale, explicitly want someone who is not Kevin McCarthy to serve as speaker. Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz reportedly wants to leapfrog others to a subcommittee chairmanship on the Armed Services Committee. I asked South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman to name the change that could bring him to throw his support behind McCarthy. Advertisement One of the things is, is he willing to shut the government down rather than raise the debt ceiling? Norman said. I noted that the consequence of not raising the debt ceiling is default, not a government shutdown. He said that thats why you need to be planning out now what path youre gonna take now, to trim government. Advertisement Refusing to raise the debt ceiling is not a realistic concession. Its a fantasy. This is what McCarthy is dealing with. So what are McCarthys options if there are no more concessions to break the impasse, and even the combined pressure from fellow members, the press, and Donald Trump isnt moving the rebels? He could turn to an untapped pool of 212 votes out there called the House Democratic Caucus to try and strike a deal. Democrats could ask for some concessions in order to put McCarthy over the topbetter committee ratios, perhaps gavels for a few committees, joint subpoena power, some sort of agreement on the debt ceiling. But as Michigan Rep. Dan Kildee, one of Democrats top vote-counters, told me, these deals are easy to come up with conceptually but trickier to work out in practicality. Besides, he said, theres another demand Democrats would probably make in exchange for their votes: A different candidate for speaker. Someone more moderate? Someone more trustworthy. In other words, McCarthy will either need to pull a rabbit out of a hat soon or make the decision to step aside. Some McCarthy supporters have already begun the inevitable float of Majority Leader Steve Scalises name as a replacement should this go much longer. Its far from a sure thing that Scalise could lock up the votes, though. But his candidacy would meet one of the dissidents key criteria: It would come after theyd collected a scalp. Over the past 30-ish hours, Congress has put on quite the show: Republican California Rep. Kevin McCarthy is repeatedly failing at securing enough votes to become the next speaker of the House. Its a situation that hasnt happened in a century, but McCarthys speakership contest is far from the most divisive fight to occur in the hallways of Capitol Hill. Most speaker elections are considered almost formalities, but there have been 14 instances requiring multiple ballots, like whats happening now. Arguably the most contentious speaker vote took place in 1856, for Republican Rep. Nathaniel Banks. Securing the speakership took Banks 133 ballots over the course of two months. Advertisement McCarthy is only on ballot number six (as of Wednesday). With Republicans holding very narrow control of the House, hes mostly been fighting with the extreme right wing of the Republican Party, including those in the House Freedom Caucus, some newly elected members, and a few constant problems (think Rep. Lauren Boebert). These pesky lawmakers are refusing to vote for McCarthy over a slew of issues that mostly boil down to the idea that he is too Republican establishment and too likely to agree with Democrats government spending packages, but theyre also ostensibly trying to change some House rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in 1856, Banks also faced a fractured partybut the divide centered on a very different set of issues. Banks was anti-slavery and part of the Know Nothing Party, a faction of the Republican Party. A separate majority of his Republican colleagues were still interested in expanding slavery in the 1850s. According to House archives, the situation of the unresolved speakership prompted a bill that required candidates for speaker to publicly state their opinions of Congress recent actions, which at the time was about slavery and how it had spread to the western territories. It was correctly considered a delay tactic, and it didnt even work. Even after holding a three-hour Q&A session with candidates, including Banks, about their views on recent laws and provisions relating to slavery, none of them secured a majority in the following speaker votes. Advertisement The 19th-century version of Americas Congress operated a lot differently than what we have today. The two-party system did not exist as we now know it, and particularly in this period, lawmakers were essentially sectioned off between Northerners and Southerners. That created multiple political factions within the Democratic and Republican parties, like the Northern Whigs, Southern Whigs, and the Know Nothings, with slavery even creating internal divides within those very factions. In fact, Banks set the record for running for Congress on multiple political party platformshe ran as a member of the American Party, as a Democrat, a Republican, a Liberal Republican, and an Independent (he won a House seat on the Liberal Republican ticket). Advertisement During his bid for speaker, thanks to the many parties and factions that existed, Banks faced off against more than 21 lawmakersa much different situation than what McCarthy faces today. (Right now, the Democrats are aligned behind Hakeem Jeffries, while the 20 or so disobedient Republicans have been jockeying their support between Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, whos publicly supported McCarthys bid and also said he doesnt want to be speaker, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, and Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs.) The numerous factions meant there were more serious candidates when Banks was running, which led to longer votes and delayed proceedings. The situation got so bad that it inspired a one-time change to official congressional rules: The House lowered the threshold for a speakership victory to a plurality of votes, meaning whoever got the most votes would win even if they didnt receive a majority. Unfortunately for McCarthy, that rule has since been reverted back and he needs a majority of the House to land speaker, which is 218 votes. In the end, 103 of 234 members voted for Banksand only 100 voted for his pro-slavery challengerallowing him to assume the speakership. The whole debacle is an outlier in American politics: After that year, only two more speaker elections required multiple ballot rounds, in 1860 for Rep. William Pennington and in 1923 for Rep. Frederick Huntington Gillett. We can now add McCarthy to this list. At least he should remember that it could continue to get worse! Listen to three foreign artists discuss the creative pursuits that give their lives meaning. The contributions foreign artists offer to society are often overlooked, but their impact is undeniable. (Source: Pexels) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The Na Slovensku Aj Po Anglicky podcast, with the support of Fjuzn, is continuing its series on the migrant experience with a new episode. This time we are talking about the artistic things foreigners do that get them out of bed in the morning. Life can be stressful and overfilled with mundane tasks. To find balance and make sense of the world, people search for things that give their lives a sense of purpose. This can come as relationships, faith, sports, hobbies, or (as you will hear in this podcast) art. https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/1GXu6WskXWBeK5mLpMrseK?utm_source=generator For some foreign artists, having a creative outlet helps them process the feelings of being a foreigner. Sometimes that outlet is speaking directly about these emotions as Naomi does in her blog Almost Bananas. She describes the feeling of writing about homesickness as cathartic. Less directly, Naomi blends her past and present in her professional cooking. Having a camera in hand has helped Piotr from Poland find a Slovakia he never otherwise would have seen. You know, when you come somewhere, youre on the surface. Piotr lamented of the typical foreigner experience. However, once he was granted access to ordinary institutions like schools or even the water department, he understood what life is like for average Slovaks. Creating art may relieve an itch, but it doesnt always pay the bills. Unfortunately, this is especially true for foreign artists. Slovakias art scene can be an exclusive club where it helps to know other established artists. This, naturally, is impossible for most foreigners. Listen to the podcast: Listen to the podcast: That's what friends are for Read more Sharon from Malaysia finds that selling her beautiful creations in the art markets fun but challenging. Back home, she can engage with potential customers, but in Slovakia she feels forced to look down and hope that her work sells itself. Sharon also feels that her unique cute, anime style to be unfamiliar to most Slovaks. Although she has found some interest in the younger crowds. Nevertheless, all of these artists persevere. The contributions foreign artists offer to society are often overlooked, but their impact is undeniable. They use their talents to not only satisfy themselves but also to bring joy and a piece of themselves and their home culture to Slovakia. A selection of this year's changes in tax and insurance legislation. Plus, a new duty for home beer makers. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Good evening. Here is the Thursday, January 5 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes. Do not forget that January 6, known as Epiphany, is a public holiday in the country. Most shops will be closed. Symbol of Russia's war in Ukraine on tanks in eastern Slovakia Illustrative collage. (Source: TASR) A propaganda symbol was found on a World War II tank, which was once used during liberation from fascist forces. The Dargovsky Priesmyk pass in the eastern-Slovak mountain range of Slanske Vrchy is best known as the site of an important battle between the Nazi army and anti-fascist forces, in this case mainly the Red Army. After the war, locals raised a monument as a sign of gratitude for the gesture. A T-34 tank used in the battle has been recently vandalised. An unknown offender drew the letter "Z" on the tank tower. Related: You can find more stories on the war in Ukraine here. More stories from The Slovak Spectator website If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription. Thank you. TRAVEL STORY FOR THURSDAY Another Banska Stiavnica calvary under protection Banska Stiavnica (Source: Spectacular Slovakia) The neglected calvary in Horna Roven above Banska Stiavnica was entered in the list of national cultural monuments in December 2022. What happens next with the calvary? IN OTHER NEWS: The state Slovakia is in - chaos - is unacceptable , Smer-SD leader Robert Fico said on Thursday. He called on people to take part in the January 21 referendum on an early election. The referendum will cost 8.8 million, the Interior Ministry said. , Smer-SD leader Robert Fico said on Thursday. He called on people to take part in the January 21 referendum on an early election. The referendum will cost 8.8 million, the Interior Ministry said. Those who honour democracy cannot cooperate with those who despise these values, Interim Prime Minister Eduard Heger (OLaNO) posted on Facebook. He refuses to cooperate with the Smer-SD, Hlas-SD, LSNS, Republika and SNS parties in the future. Households in Slovakia should pay an average of less than 10 more per month for heat this year . If extraordinary government measures to cushion the impact of rising energy prices were not in place, households would pay over 53 more for heat per month. (SITA) . If extraordinary government measures to cushion the impact of rising energy prices were not in place, households would pay over 53 more for heat per month. (SITA) The weather in the mountains of central Slovakia will be extremely windy. The weather forecast service has issued yellow and orange warnings for Friday. Thank you for reading The Slovak Spectator. Enjoy your Friday off. P.S. If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230104/never-gonna-give-you-up-us-to-continue-backing-venezuelas-guaido-after-opposition-abandons-him-1106046187.html Never Gonna Give You Up: US to Continue Backing Venezuelas Guaido After Opposition Abandons Him Never Gonna Give You Up: US to Continue Backing Venezuelas Guaido After Opposition Abandons Him Even as the opposition throws in the towel and Venezuelan oil flows back into American pumps, the US continues to insist the elected government in Caracas is... 04.01.2023, Sputnik International 2023-01-04T23:57+0000 2023-01-04T23:57+0000 2023-01-04T23:52+0000 americas venezuela juan guaido opposition party nicolas maduro us interventions /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107274/15/1072741536_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_aad411c9f0b692bdf6e563105caf6c12.jpg The US will continue to recognize the so-called interim presidency of Juan Guaido even after Venezuelan opposition parties recently voted to abandon their claim to the office, the White House said Wednesday."Our approach to [Venezuelan President] Nicolas Maduro is not changing, State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated in comments to reporters. The head of state recognized by the countrys military and civic institutions, Price insisted, is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela.Instead, the US will continue to recognise what Price called the only remaining democratically elected institution in Venezuela today the 2015 National Assembly.But it appears the US is refusing to recognize the decision of that body, which voted to dissolve their simulated government last week.On Friday, Guaidos claim to the presidency was terminated by the 2015 National Assembly which continues to proclaim itself the countrys legitimate legislature even though its mandate expired in 2020 following the conclusion of its members 5-year terms.But the sincerity of the US governments public refusal to recognize Maduro as president is not entirely clear. Just a week after Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine in late February, senior US officials traveled to Caracas in a bid to convince their longtime target to provide them with access to Venezuelan oil supplies.In November, the Treasury Department granted Chevron a six-month license to restore its operations in the Caribbean country in a move the US presented as a way to pressure the Venezuelan government to return to negotiations with the countrys notoriously obstinate political opposition.Discussions between the Maduro administration and the US-backed opposition groups were suspended in 2020 after the US successfully pressured authorities in Cape Verde to extradite Alex Saab, a Venezuelan diplomat who was arrested on dubious charges while en route to Iran on a diplomatic mission.A massive oil tanker arrived in Caracas on Tuesday to make its first collection as part of a 500,000-barrel quota of heavy crude expected to be shipped to Chevrons refinery in Pascagoula, Mississippi, this month.The US abandoned diplomatic relations with Venezuela in 2019 after the Trump administration claimed without evidence that the countrys presidential elections were fraudulent, with a number of European nations immediately following Washingtons lead. Western states rallied around Guaido a largely-unknown disciple of disgraced opposition figure Leopoldo Lopez who they insisted was Venezuelas legitimate president despite him never having run for the office.The US government was also directly implicated in the attempted 2002 coup detat which nearly overthrew revolutionary firebrand Hugo Chavez, Maduros direct predecessor.The top Reagan administration official was heavily implicated in the Iran-Contra affair and closely linked to some of the US governments most violent and scandalous regime change operations in Latin America in living memory.Abrams was appointed the US special envoy to Venezuela in 2019. In that capacity, Abrams helped impose a deadly sanctions regime on Caracas which former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Alfred de Zayas estimated had killed over a hundred thousand Venezuelans by 2020. https://sputnikglobe.com/20221230/so-long-farewell-venezuelan-opposition-puts-end-to-interim-government-led-by-juan-guaido-1105936413.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20190427/maduro-us-envoy-chavist-1074508994.html americas venezuela Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Wyatt Reed Wyatt Reed News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Wyatt Reed venezuela, juan guaido, opposition party, nicolas maduro, us interventions https://sputnikglobe.com/20230104/say-another-go-aint-so-joe-1106045485.html Say Another Go Ain't So, Joe Say Another Go Ain't So, Joe Well, Mr. and Mrs. Biden, the holidays are over. You know, the holidays during which you were going to decide whether or not to run for reelection. So, what... 04.01.2023, Sputnik International 2023-01-04T23:04+0000 2023-01-04T23:04+0000 2023-01-04T22:59+0000 analysis us joe biden kamala harris 2024 us presidential elections /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0c/17/1105735399_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_3b0bbeb4851b229df59b403c42b19522.jpg This being a democracy, we hope you came down on the side of the 70% of voters who dont want you to run in 2024. Even if that figure reflects the feelings of every single Republican (and it probably doesnt), it includes a lot of Democrats too.At your age, Mr. President, decision-making can take a little extra time. Let me help you weigh the pros and cons:Pros: You get to try to beat Donald Trump again. You have some legislative achievements to brag about. Youll make history as the oldest person to ever run and perhaps win.Cons: You have low poll numbersand we may be heading into a recession. You might lose, which would suck, especially if it were to Trump. The Hunter Biden laptop investigation could turn ugly, maybe even implicate you in criminal wrongdoing. You wont be able to campaign from your basement this time; a real presidential campaign is grueling and youll be 81. Actuarially, theres a strong chance you may die during your second term, elevating the deeply unpopular Kamala Harris to the Oval Office. She would tarnish your legacy and hurt the Democratic Party.Youre still sharp enough to see the right choice.Next up: what to do about the vice president?With only 28% of Democrats saying they would vote for Harris in the 2024 Democratic primaries, she would be far from a shoo-in for the nomination, which ought to be a given for a sitting vice president. She was a terrible campaigner - I would say in the 2020 primaries, but she didnt even make it into 2020. The former prosecutor, who still hasnt worked to release the innocent Black men she sent to prison, could easily face a devastating - even lethal - primary challenge from the left.Cutting Harris loose is the smart, arguably required, move. But shes a woman of color. Sidelining her will look racist and sexist. The only way to ease her out of the race somewhat gracefully is to make it look like her idea. Convince her that her only future in politics is a humiliating defeat. Find her a soft landing: university president, NGO CEO, MSNBC anchor.Being a lame duck wont feel good. Run again or retire, Mr. President, youre a lame duck either way. Republicans control the House, Democrats barely have the Senate, campaigning begins this fall. Legacy-defining legislation is in your rearview mirror.What matters now is nominating the strongest possible person to run against the Republicans next year. The best way to accomplish that is to subject the contenders to trial by fire. The nominee must be battle-hardened in preparation for the general election.2016 shows what happens when a candidate has the nomination handed to her by superdelegates, cheating, backroom deals, and other DNC shenanigans. Hillary Clinton was smart and experienced but also arrogant and entitled. And why not? The nomination was handed to her. If shed gotten accustomed to having to fight for every vote, she might have felt the hunger and drive to campaign in Wisconsin in the general or refrain from insulting Bernie Sanders and his supporters.Clear the field, stand aside and give potential contenders as much time as possible to fundraise and organize their campaigns. Mr. Biden, as eminence grise and de facto leader of your party, you can pressure the DNC and top Democrats to abolish what remains of the superdelegate system and scrupulously refrain from endorsing or criticizing any contender for the Democratic Party nomination for president. Progressive or liberal, let the best person win and lead the party you have served for a half century to a victory that will serve as a lasting legacy of your wisdom.(Ted Rall (Twitter: @tedrall), the political cartoonist, columnist and graphic novelist, co-hosts the left-vs-right DMZ America podcast with fellow cartoonist Scott Stantis. You can support Teds hard-hitting political cartoons and columns and see his work first by sponsoring his work on Patreon.) Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Ted Rall https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125340_0:0:360:360_100x100_80_0_0_1ed1a3494a53cde87e19521c3658fe92.jpg Ted Rall https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125340_0:0:360:360_100x100_80_0_0_1ed1a3494a53cde87e19521c3658fe92.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ted Rall https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125340_0:0:360:360_100x100_80_0_0_1ed1a3494a53cde87e19521c3658fe92.jpg us, joe biden, kamala harris, 2024 us presidential elections https://sputnikglobe.com/20230104/us-house-adjourns-for-break-after-sixth-failed-ballot-to-elect-chambers-next-speaker-1106044958.html US House Adjourns Until Noon Thursday After Failing to Elect Chamber's New Speaker US House Adjourns Until Noon Thursday After Failing to Elect Chamber's New Speaker The situation marks the first time in a century that the House of Representatives has failed to select a speaker on the first ballot. House lawmakers cannot be... 04.01.2023, Sputnik International 2023-01-04T22:05+0000 2023-01-04T22:05+0000 2023-01-05T01:41+0000 americas us us house of representatives speaker of the house kevin mccarthy voting us congress /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/03/1106013153_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_5c60d6f3aa4707c38a8eab63a2162389.jpg The US House of Representatives voted late Wednesday to adjourn until noon on Thursday after the chamber failed for a second straight day to elect a new speaker for the 118th Congress as Republicans remain at an impasse.The vote to adjourn came down 216 to 214, with four Republicans voting alongside Democrats to oppose the motion.The motion came hours after an earlier vote was put before the lower chamber to implement a pause on voting after a sixth ballot on selecting the next speaker proved fruitless.Moments before the House was due to pick up voting once again, Rep. Kevin McCarthy informed reporters that he did not want to hold a seventh speaker vote on Wednesday despite the minimal progress made during the initial adjournment.Ballots to elect a speaker began on Tuesday during the Houses first session of the new Congress. The House held three failed ballots on Tuesday and three more on Wednesday before adjourning for a break. Republicans hold a 222-212 majority in the House, with 218 votes needed to elect a speaker. However, 20 Republican members are casting votes for Congressman Byron Donalds instead of McCarthy, whom the majority of the party backs. The Republicans opposed to McCarthy have criticized the former minority leaders ability to reform House rules and push for the partys priorities. US President Joe Biden called the situation embarrassing, noting that the rest of the world is watching what is happening in the House, but that it is not his problem. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230104/trump-throws-his-weight-behind-mccarthy-amid-house-speaker-deadlock-1106041580.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us, us house of representatives, speaker of the house, kevin mccarthy, voting, us congress https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/a-house-divided-cannot-stand-whats-behind-maga-republicans-rebellion-against-kevin-mccarthy-1106061131.html A House Divided Cannot Stand: What's Behind MAGA Republicans' Rebellion Against Kevin McCarthy A House Divided Cannot Stand: What's Behind MAGA Republicans' Rebellion Against Kevin McCarthy Whats going on in the House? Who are the GOP holdouts dragging out the process to select a speaker? And whats their problem with Kevin McCarthy? Sputnik explains. 2023-01-05T13:16+0000 2023-01-05T13:16+0000 2023-01-05T13:38+0000 sputnik explains house of representatives speaker kevin mccarthy house speaker battle politics selection election lauren boebert /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/05/1106060413_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_dbd20e913fa5954bedd321389cf0d4bb.jpg The US' lower legislative chamber will convene Thursday at noon for a fresh showdown on California Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthys bid for House speaker. The job is significant: the rest of the House cannot be sworn in until a speaker is in place, and that means no legislation, no House investigations, no lobbying, no politicking, no wheeling, and definitely no dealing.Traditionally, the speaker selection process is a cinch, with the party with the most votes (in this case the Republicans) electing their party's senior-most member for the job. McCarthy has been House minority leader since 2019, was majority leader from 2014-2019, and before that, worked as majority whip from 2011-2014, coordinating proposed legislation within his party.Republicans took the House in the 2022 midterms, securing 222 seats in the 435 seat chamber four seats more than the 218 needed to form a majority. That means, in theory, that McCarthy should have been elected speaker Tuesday immediately after the new Congress convened.What's the Holdup?But there was a hitch. 20 GOP members of Congress voted against him, and one more voted "present," bringing his total support among Republicans to 201 in the latest round of voting. With Democrats also rejecting McCarthys candidacy, the California politician failed to secure majority support.What happened? The core of the problem is the pro-Trump "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) wing of the Republican Party, which has transformed the party beyond recognition from what it was under Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush. Ever since New York real estate developer turned-celebrity gameshow host Donald Trump's election in 2016, the party has seen an influx of anti-interventionists, libertarians, and "America First" jingoists, who have challenged mainstream Republicans on issues ranging from foreign wars and border security to tariffs, taxes and the national debt.While the majority of the party remains thoroughly entrenched in the Washington "swamp's" "uniparty" culture, i.e. the idea that both Democrats and Republicans are looking out for the interests of the economic, financial and military-industrial complex establishment, a small but increasingly vocal minority has stepped out in opposition.Here's what the anti-McCarthy holdouts have in common: 19 are associated with the so-called House Freedom Caucus. Created in 2015 by lawmakers associated with the Tea Party, a fiscally conservative political movement pushing for lower taxes, lower spending, social conservativism, small government and general opposition to the US' enforcement of a "liberal world order," the Freedom Caucus has been described as the "farthest-right bloc" among House Republicans. Since Trump's election, the group has sided with the president and his promises to "drain the swamp," repeal Obamacare, defended him during Russiagates and his impeachments, and, after his 2020 loss siding with him in the view that the election was "stolen" from him.Key figures in the Freedom Caucus include Arizona Congressmen Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar, Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, and Texas Congressman Chip Roy. All five are among the 20 who voted to block McCarthys speaker bid. Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene and Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan are two more key members of the Freedom Caucus, but have not joined their comrades in pushing to get rid of McCarthy. More on that below.What's the Group of Twenty's Beef With McCarthy?The GOP rebels pushing for the long-shot ouster of McCarthy have criticized him for different reasons, and want different things. For some, it seems to be about bitterness over the midterm results, when the promised "red wave" failed to materialize to give Republicans total control of Congress.."We've been trying to work this out in privatefor months. But Kevin McCarthy didnt even want to listen to us before his disappointing midterms. We all want a unified party. But this isnt chaos. Its a functioning constitutional republic," Lauren Boebert said in an interview Wednesday.Boebert presented a laundry list of concerns about McCarthy, including his refusal to support a plan to shore up security along the border with Mexico, and said she simply does "not trust Kevin McCarthy to deliver at this point" on promises he's made, including border security, energy independence, and debt reduction.Matt Gaetz hinted that some of the 20 holdouts, but not himself, could vote for McCarthy if he made concessions on membership in the rules committee and the appropriations committee a pair of powerful legislative committees in the House which set the agenda for the flow of legislation, and which are tasked with regulating government expenditures."Remember, before this last [$1.7 trillion] omnibus Kevin McCarthy was paving the way for some of the worst legislation driving our country deeper into debt, and borrowing against the futures of the next generation, and so if we got control of those key committees in the hands of conservatives, I think there are some of the 20 who might vote for Kevin McCarthy," Gaetz said.In a series of no-holds barred attacks on Twitter, Gaetz accused McCarthy of "selling out" to Washingtons powerful lobbyists, and claimed that the Republican was someone with "no ideology," but rather a vessel through which lobbyists and special interests operate."Chip Roy echoed Gaetz's sentiments about the committee appointments, recalling how the McCarthy-filled committees worked successfully to push through the omnibus in December."It's not an ideological purity test. This isn't about KevinWhen I hear assertions that say 'oh they gave you everything you wanted,' hold on a second. 72 hours to read a bill? Thats already the rule and it gets waived. You know how it gets waived? Because the rules committee is chock full of a bunch of establishment people who say 'oh, whatever we need to do to jam through the big spending bill that [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell just sent to us.' Look, when the leadership actually votes with the minority, votes with the Democrats, to steamroll Republicans, which is the past history of our Republican leadership, then maybe we should do something different, Roy said in an television interview.Roy also gave an impassioned speech Wednesday reiterating his concerns about McCarthys alleged spendthrift policies and the makeup of the rules committee."What we're doing is exercising our rights to vote and have a debate and have a discussion about the future of this country through the decision of choosing a speaker. This is not personal. Its not. This is about the future of the country. This is about the direction of the country. American people who are looking at this body and wondering why we can pass $1.7 trillion bills that are unpaid for, that can just slide in $45 billion for Ukraine but not pay for it; $40 billion for emergency spending and not pay for it; a 10 percent increase in defense spending, a 6 percent increase in non-defense spending and not pay for it; and not do a thing except put language in a bill that prohibits our ability to use the money to secure the border. That bill gets rammed through, and we know exactly how it gets rammed through: because the defense world and the non-defense world come together and say 'you know what? We're gonna cut a deal, and we'll all go to the mics and we're all gonna give speeches, and the American people are the big losers," he said.Congressman Andy Biggs echoed some of these concerns in an interview with Judge Napolitano on Wednesday. "We need to get somebody in office who is not so compromised. [Kevin is] compromised, [he is] weakened. And our conference is full of people who could adequately do this. There are some who would be exceptional. And if we do not change the course now, Judge, I fear this will actually further entrench the DC cartel, the uniparty as you call it. We cannot allow the K-Street lobbyists anymore, the bureaucrats anymore, nor can we allow those in the media to control what goes on in government."Whats Trump Saying?Mainstream Republicans have lambasted the 20 holdouts over their stubborn intransigence, with former Congressman Trey Gowdy charging them with looking "like a clown show on national television" and demanding that they "get behind Kevin."Don Bacon, representative from Nebraska, said hes heard the holdouts referred to as the "Taliban 20," citing "anger" among the majority of GOP lawmakers, "because we negotiated in good faith and gave a lot more than we ever wanted."Donald Trump weighed in on the issue on Wednesday, urging the Freedom Caucus to get in line and "vote for Kevin, close the deal, take the victory and watch Crazy Nancy Pelosi fly back home to a very broken California." Trump's surprise endorsement for McCarthy, which came despite his personal bad blood with the politician over his assertion that the former president was "partially responsible" for the January 6 Capitol riots, came amid his concerns that Republicans risk turning their "great triumph" in the midterms "into a giant and embarrassing defeat."Gaetz dismissed Trump's recommendation as "sad," saying it would not change his position on McCarthy, nor his continued support for Trump on other issues. As for Congressman Bacons "Taliban" label, Gaetz tweeted that "as hurtful and false as that isI too am prepared for an extended battle that I will ultimately win."Like Trump, MAGA Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene similarly urged Republicans to rally around McCarthy, accusing them of "playing Russian roulette with our hard earned Republican Majority" and warning of the possibility of a House "coalition leadership" consisting of both Republicans and Democrats. The "coalition leadership" idea is a reference to an idea floated by New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.What are McCarthys Options Now?McCarthy's office has reportedly continued negotiations with the Freedom Caucus, reportedly yielding on a proposed rules change which would allow a single member of the House to call for a vote to replace the speaker, and promising to add Freedom Caucus members to the rules committee. The politician has also included a hint of stick alongside the carrot, allegedly threatening to keep people off committees if they dont fall into line and vote for him.One unlikely scenario would be for McCarthy to simply drop out of the race. Who his potential replacement might be is anyones guess, with the Group of 20 floating Jim Jordan (who endorsed McCarthy) on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, Representative Byron Donalds of Florida.The Freedom Caucus holdouts have been accused of drawing names out of a hat, with Lauren Boebert suggesting she might nominate Donald Trump next. "Is this a game show? Like were gonna pick Jim Jordan one day, Trump the other day?" Fox news host Sean Hannity indignantly asked, scoffing at the suggestion."A game show would absolutely produce a better speaker than Kevin McCarthy. Game show participants dont have to sell out to lobbyists," Gaetz retorted. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230104/us-house-adjourns-for-break-after-sixth-failed-ballot-to-elect-chambers-next-speaker-1106044958.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/their-problem-to-fix-dems-refuse-to-help-mccarthy-gop-after-aoc-floats-coalition-government-1106047765.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230104/trump-throws-his-weight-behind-mccarthy-amid-house-speaker-deadlock-1106041580.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230103/everything-you-need-to-know-about-us-house-speaker-elections-1105997911.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov house republicans, house of representatives, kevin mccarthy, speaker election, house speaker, rebellion, holdup, delay https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/berlins-co2-emissions-behind-schedule-think-tank-says-1106058352.html Berlins CO2 Emissions 'Behind Schedule,' Think Tank Says Berlins CO2 Emissions 'Behind Schedule,' Think Tank Says Germany's current carbon dioxide emissions are jeopardising the countrys ambitious climate goals, think tank Agora Energiewende has warned. 2023-01-05T12:03+0000 2023-01-05T12:03+0000 2023-01-05T12:03+0000 world germany emissions carbon dioxide co2 emissions greenhouse gas angela merkel sanctions /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/05/1106056258_0:215:2875:1832_1920x0_80_0_0_db09e2bb2c9bd3cbc49e43ad148a5905.jpg Amid a surge in the use of oil and coal in 2022 to make up for waning gas deliveries, Germany's current carbon dioxide emissions are jeopardizing the countrys ambitious climate goals, the think tank Agora Energiewende has warned.Back in 2021, under then-Chancellor Angela Merkel, Berlin set itself the target of slashing emissions by 65 percent by 2030, compared with 1990, and by 2024 becoming carbon-neutral. However, Germany's greenhouse gas emissions totalled close to 761 million tons last year, stalling behind the 2020 target of a 40 percent cut as compared to 1990, the think tank underscored.Behind ScheduleWhile the country's energy consumption in 2022 dropped by 4.7 percent year-on-year, and renewables reached a record 46 percent share of it, surging costs and a drop in Russian gas imports amid the sanctions campaign unleashed by the West ran roughshod over these efforts. The industrial powerhouse began to urge its citizens to implement a personal economy drives amid Europes largely self-inflicted energy crisis. As Berlin joined the European Unions campaign of anti-Russian sanctions over Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, the restrictions produced a boomerang result, affecting Germanys industry, businesses, and citizens. As part of the measures to offset the energy crisis, Germany conceded to demands to reactivate coal-fired power plants or extend their lifespan. Implementing such measures is what made Germany fall behind schedule with its climate goals, Simon Mueller, Agoras director in Germany, underscored.While the industrial sector met its emissions-slashing goal by eight million tons last year, it was the transport and building sectors that missed their annual targets, according to Agora, which added:Economy Minister Robert Habeck, however, insisted that Germany was on course to reach its targets, pointing to a swathe of bills passed last year to boost renewable energy growth. This comes as Germanys government has found itself in the midst of a spat with the transport sector. Volker Wissing, Free Democrat (FDP) minister of transport and digitalization, has obdurately resisted mulled emissions cuts in his sector. The FDP's green coalition partners have slammed Wissing for failing to stand by Germanys supreme constitutional court climate protection ruling dating from 2021. The country's transport sector has been reluctant to show progress in emissions reduction in recent years, critics stated, amid its focus on road transport and passenger vehicles. https://sputnikglobe.com/20221209/more-than-one-in-three-germans-expect-decline-in-income-in-2023---1105270383.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20190515/germany-climate-plea-criticism-1075019616.html germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko germany, surge in use of oil and coal in 2022, greenhouse gas, co2 emissions, waning gas deliveries, boost to renewable energy production, energy crisis, sanctions campaign unleashed by the west, transport and building sectors missed annual targets https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/eight-bodies-including-five-children-found-dead-at-utah-home-police-say-1106053813.html Eight Bodies Including Five Children Found Dead at Utah Home, Police Say Eight Bodies Including Five Children Found Dead at Utah Home, Police Say The bodies of five children and three adults, who presumably sustained gunshot wounds, have been found in a residential building in the US state of Utah during a welfare check, the Enoch City Police department said. 2023-01-05T07:33+0000 2023-01-05T07:33+0000 2023-01-05T07:33+0000 americas police us utah death /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/01/19/1081869502_0:139:1920:1219_1920x0_80_0_0_2fe5191d293640bed04f1ff69b830a53.jpg The police also said that there was no threat to the public or "any suspects at large." They added that the investigation was underway and that more information would be provided at a later time. americas utah Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International utah killing, family killed in utah, enoch family shot dead, five children found dead in enoch https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/israeli-opposition-condemns-unilateral-coup-amid-politicized-push-to-weaken-judiciary-1106047086.html Israeli Opposition Condemns Unilateral Coup Amid Politicized Push to Weaken Judiciary Israeli Opposition Condemns Unilateral Coup Amid Politicized Push to Weaken Judiciary As Netanyahus new ruling coalition looks to minimize judicial independence, the head of the opposition says the attempted overhaul threatens to destroy the... 05.01.2023, Sputnik International 2023-01-05T02:09+0000 2023-01-05T02:09+0000 2023-01-15T17:27+0000 world yair lapid opposition supreme court benjamin netanyahu israel /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/06/03/1083067933_0:0:3245:1825_1920x0_80_0_0_1f84a1352e101eb42a08b61a31ab5c66.jpg Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has condemned an attempted overhaul of the court system by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus ruling coalition as a unilateral coup.In comments published by Israeli media, Lapid noted the apparent push to erode the judiciarys independence came just one day before justices were set to debate a controversial new law that would allow a politician to circumvent a ban on convicted criminals serving as ministers.Under the recently-passed legislation, the authority of the High Court of Justice would be severely curtailed and the Knesset would gain significant control over the judicial selection committee, which oversees the appointment of justices to the Supreme Court.Netanyahus allies have expressed hopes of reversing Supreme Court rulings banning Israeli outposts on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and the extended detention of asylum-seekers from Africa, and are likely to direct the new court to let the ulta-Orthodox minority dodge the Israeli draft.What Yariv Levin presented today is not a legal reform, it is a threat, Lapid said. They threaten to destroy the entire constitutional structure of the State of Israel.Vowing to fight the proposed legislation in every possible way, Lapid insisted those who carry out a unilateral coup in Israel need to know that we are not obligated to it in any way whatsoever.The new Israeli administration has defended the move as an effort to strengthen democracy, rather than undermine it. We go to the polls and vote, choose, but time after time, people who we didnt elect decide for us, said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a longtime critic of Israels supreme court. Thats not democracy.The time has come to act, Levin insisted. https://sputnikglobe.com/20221228/new-israeli-gov-pushes-ahead-on-policies-us-jewish-leaders-warned-would-imperil-their-support-1105863657.html israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Wyatt Reed Wyatt Reed News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Wyatt Reed yair lapid, opposition, supreme court, benjamin netanyahu, israel https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/national-security-state-pushed-russia-gate-on-twitter-gop-unable-to-elect-a-house-speaker--1106046578.html National Security State Pushed Russia Gate on Twitter; GOP Unable to Elect a House Speaker National Security State Pushed Russia Gate on Twitter; GOP Unable to Elect a House Speaker New documents reveal that the national security state and the Democratic party forced the Russia Gate narrative on the staff of Twitter despite the failure of... 05.01.2023, Sputnik International 2023-01-05T08:54+0000 2023-01-05T08:54+0000 2023-04-12T17:15+0000 the critical hour cold war israel ukraine adam schiff the twitter files elon musk european union (eu) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/05/1106046432_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_92ad5b16a36848aa88e1bddfeccab270.png National Security State Pushed Russia Gate on Twitter; GOP Unable to elect a House Speaker New documents reveal that the national security state and the Democratic party forced the Russia Gate narrative on the staff of Twitter despite the failure of evidence to support their accusations. Ted Rall, political cartoonist and syndicated columnist, joins us to discuss the Twitter files. New documents reveal that the national security state and the Democratic party forced the Russia Gate narrative on the staff of Twitter despite the failure of evidence to support their accusations.Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations security analyst, joins us to discuss Ukraine. The new Israeli government seems poised to go against the US narrative on Ukraine. Also, the Russian military is re-evaluating measures for supplies to troops.Gary Flowers, radio talk show host, joins us to discuss domestic politics. The Republican party is in disarray as a few holdouts refuse to support the proposed Speaker of the House. Also, George Santos has reported for duty but faces massive ridicule.Jim Kavanagh, writer at thepolemicist.net and CounterPunch, and author of "Danger in Society: Against Vaccine Passports," joins us to discuss the EU. Poland is facing a crisis as the Ukrainian nationalists continue to celebrate their national hero, Stepan Bandera, who was responsible for genocide against the Polish people.Caleb Maupin, journalist and political analyst, joins us to discuss world revolutionary change. China has eliminated absolute poverty. Also, President Lula is moving to address poverty in Brazil, and Cuba continues to resist US imperialism.KJ Noh, peace activist and writer, joins us to discuss foreign policy. US defense spending has risen dramatically, but the output has not matched the price. Also, the US and South Korea are threatening North Korea.Ajamu Baraka, 2016 US vice presidential candidate for the Green Party, joins us to discuss international politics. America is fighting its new cold war on the African continent. Also, we discuss the left's necessity for ideological lines.Dan Lazare, investigative journalist and author of "America's Undeclared War," joins us to discuss articles from Consortiumnews. The News Guard operation is attacking a highly respected news website for opposing US imperialist policies at home and abroad.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comThe views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik. israel ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Garland Nixon https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125302_0:0:239:239_100x100_80_0_0_d5d43c970b0740f228597fbcdb4ffd66.jpg Garland Nixon https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125302_0:0:239:239_100x100_80_0_0_d5d43c970b0740f228597fbcdb4ffd66.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Garland Nixon https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125302_0:0:239:239_100x100_80_0_0_d5d43c970b0740f228597fbcdb4ffd66.jpg cold war, israel, ukraine, adam schiff, the twitter files, elon musk, , european union (eu) https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/north-korean-drone-flew-directly-into-no-fly-zone-around-south-koreas-presidential-palace-1106067474.html North Korean Drone Flew Directly Into No-Fly Zone Around South Korea's Presidential Palace North Korean Drone Flew Directly Into No-Fly Zone Around South Korea's Presidential Palace North Korea launched five drones into South Korean airspace on December 26, sparking a military alert and outrage from Seoul. 2023-01-05T17:06+0000 2023-01-05T17:06+0000 2023-01-05T17:06+0000 military north korea south korea drone presidential palace seoul provocation /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/103332/07/1033320716_0:157:3087:1893_1920x0_80_0_0_e3603900af856c2dfe46eeb6659dc269.jpg One of the five stealthy North Korean drones launched into South Korea in late December penetrated the 3.7 km no-fly zone around the countrys presidential office in central Seoul, a South Korean military official has conceded.The admission, which comes after more than a week of denials from authorities that the violation of the no-fly zone had occurred, and statements by the countrys Joint Chiefs that media reports to that effect were untrue and groundless, comes amid heightened concerns in the South regarding the capabilities of its neighbors unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).The South Korean military clarified that the errant drone had not flown over the presidential palace itself, and that the safety of the building, situated in a secure area known as P-73, was not in jeopardy at any point.The South Korean military previously stated that it could not immediately detect and successfully intercept the small North Korean surveillance drones launched into the country in late December due to their ability to radically alter their speed and trajectory in flight, and because of their small size with radar cross section of the craft too tiny to be picked up by traditional radar systems.After illegally entering the countrys airspace on December 26, the North Korean drones ended up loitering over the country for up to five hours, with fighters and helicopters scrambled to try to take them down, firing up to 100 shots, but reportedly failing to hit the intruders. A South Korean KA-1 attack aircraft crashed after taking off from the Wonju Base to intercept the drones, with its two pilots hospitalized.The South Korean military believes the drones were sent to snap pictures of its military facilities, with one making its way to Seoul and the rest traveling further along the countrys western coast.President Yoon has called on the military to develop an overwhelming response capability to North Korean provocations going beyond proportional levels, and instructed the armed forces to create a new multipurpose drone warfare unit, as well as drone-killer systems.The Yoon administration announced a $261.3 billion five year defense budget in late December, with spending to include over $441 million in outlays for drone defenses including both offensive and defensive UAV technology, plus anti-drone systems such as electromagnetic and laser weapons.South Korea retaliated to the December drone incursion North Koreas first since 2017, by flying its own UAVs North.Relations between North Korea on one side and South Korea and the United States on the other have deteriorated sharply over the past two years, with the friendly personal rapport established between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump replaced by a return to the long-reigning status quo of high tensions under the latter two mens successors. In December, the Yoon government officially returned the enemy label on North Korea, which had been lifted by Moon in 2019. In his year-end address last week, Kim Jong-un announced that Pyongyang would boost its nuclear missile production exponentially in the coming year amid growing tensions. 2022 saw a record number of North Korean missile launches and artillery drills, as well as large-scale military exercises, including drills using nuclear-capable bombers, by South Korea and the US. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230103/us-s-korea-plan-to-coordinate-on-potential-responses-to-n-koreas-tests-according-to-white-house-1106020488.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230103/biden-says-not-discussing-joint-nuclear-exercises-with-south-korea-1106001949.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230102/south-korean-president-says-people-fed-up-with-for-show-only-summits-between-north-and-south-1105988095.html south korea seoul Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov north korea, south korea, drone, uav, unmanned aerial vehicle, presidential palace, incident https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/prince-harry-deflects-blame-for-2005-nazi-costume-choice-on-william--kate-in-upcoming-memoir-1106063678.html Prince Harry Deflects Blame for 2005 Nazi Costume Choice on 'William & Kate' in Upcoming Memoir Prince Harry Deflects Blame for 2005 Nazi Costume Choice on 'William & Kate' in Upcoming Memoir Prince Harry deflected blame for 2005 Nazi costume gaffe on brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, according to upcoming memoir. 2023-01-05T14:04+0000 2023-01-05T14:04+0000 2023-01-05T14:04+0000 uk royal family prince harry duke of sussex prince william nazi costume kate middleton viral europe uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/05/1106062850_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_9486fd28f9f9ef996cef248809760e22.jpg Prince Harry has deflected blame for the Nazi uniform scandal dating back to when he was 20 years old to his brother, Prince William (now Prince of Wales) and his sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, in his new memoir, Spare, as quoted by media outlets.The Duke of Sussex is cited as claiming he was torn between donning either a Nazi uniform or a pilot's outfit to wear to a "Native and Colonial"-themed party back in 2005. Unable to decide, he ostensibly called his brother and sister-in-law to glean their opinion.Prince Harry also reportedly writes that when he went home and tried the costume on before his brother and Kate Middleton, they, "both howled," adding, "Worse than Willys leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point.UK media outlets had a field day at the time, many publishing a front-page photo of Prince Harry in what they said was the attire of a member of Nazi General Erwin Rommels Afrika Korps, complete with a red armband emblazoned with a swastika. Prince William was also a guest at the private fancy dress party of a friend on January 8, 2005, wearing a homemade lion outfit.After the scandalous attire triggered huge backlash, and the Board of Deputies of British Jews denounced the costume as being in "bad taste," Prince Harry apologized several days later, saying:"I am very sorry if I have caused any offense. It was a poor choice of costume, and I apologize.This comes as Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has been promoting his upcoming book Spare in TV interviews, with teasers of the book making their way into the press in the wake of the Sussex's Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan.Interestingly, in the third episode of the documentary series, directed by filmmaker Liz Garbus, the royal addressed the Nazi costume scandal, saying: https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/prince-harry-says-his-brother-physically-attacked-him-in-upcoming-book-spare-1106047252.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko prince harry, duke of sussex, deflected blame, 2005 nazi costume gaffe, nazi uniform at a costume party, brother, prince william, sister-in-law, kate middleton, howled with laughter, upcoming memoir. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/prince-harry-says-his-brother-physically-attacked-him-in-upcoming-book-spare-1106047252.html Prince Harry Says His Brother Physically Attacked Him in Upcoming Book Spare Prince Harry Says His Brother Physically Attacked Him in Upcoming Book Spare Buckingham Palace isnt going to want to hear about this. 05.01.2023, Sputnik International 2023-01-05T03:58+0000 2023-01-05T03:58+0000 2023-01-05T03:53+0000 viral prince harry royal family uk royal family /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/0d/1100718023_0:0:2000:1125_1920x0_80_0_0_9ec5c5de38a4a559178257434525cd10.jpg A new excerpt of Prince Harry's upcoming book Spare has detailed an incident where Prince William, next in line for the British throne, became physically violent with his younger brother following a dispute over the Duchess of Sussex.The Duke of Sussex alleged in his memoir that his brother Prince William (now Prince of Wales) grabbed him by his collar and knocked him to the floor. The fight broke out at Harrys home in London in 2019 during which Harry says William labeled Meghan as difficult, rude and abrasive. Harry then accused his brother of falling in line with the press's biased narrative about his American wife, and the fight escalated.I landed on the dogs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me.Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex has been setting Windsor's teeth on edge as he promotes his upcoming book Spare in TV interviews. The latest teasers of the book come after the Sussex's rather successful, even if poorly rated, Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan.As the Windsors have refrained from speaking out against the bold accusations made by their relatives across the pond, Prince Harry is the first royal family member to be candid with interviewers since his late mother Princess Diana. She, of course, separated from King Charles in 1992 before her explosive interview with BBCs Martin Bashir in 1995, which the Peoples Princess was lured into under false pretenses.Prince Harry deeply criticized the British media in his Netflix docuseries as a necessary evil which was used by Buckingham Palace to control certain family members narratives. He hinted some of his family members chose to leak negative stories about him and Meghan as a distraction from other negative attention royal family members would have faced.However, the Duke is still using the media as a way to promote himself and his wife, perhaps as a way to regain control of the narrative, or as a way to bankroll the couples luxurious lifestyle. And, to pile irony on top of hypocrisy, the excerpt from Harrys book which was published by The Guardian was somehow unknowingly obtained, despite the fact the book has security which rivals that of JK Rowlings Harry Potter series.The book, which is 416 pages, is already number two on Amazons best-seller list in pre-sales across North America and the United Kingdom. The book reportedly delves into his childhood, schooling, his career as a royal and as a British soldier, his relationship with his family, and of course, his relationship with Meghan Markle, as well as his split from royal duties. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230102/relations-between-prince-william-and-harry-hanging-by-a-thread-report---1105986424.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Mary Manley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg Mary Manley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Mary Manley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg prince harry, royal family, uk royal family https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/removal-of-greek-parthenon-marbles-likened-to-stripping-salisbury-of-stonehenge-by-uks-stephen-fry-1106060559.html Removal of Greek Parthenon Marbles Likened to Stripping Salisbury of Stonehenge by UK's Stephen Fry Removal of Greek Parthenon Marbles Likened to Stripping Salisbury of Stonehenge by UK's Stephen Fry Greek fifth-century BC Parthenon Marbles carvings should be returned to their country of origin, British actor and writer Stephen Fry has said. 2023-01-05T13:25+0000 2023-01-05T13:25+0000 2023-01-05T13:25+0000 world uk greece athens parthenon elgin marbles /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/05/1106057691_259:0:3900:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_b83b92c39ac645b3036709e04a636a5d.jpg The fifth century BC Greek Parthenon marble carvings should be returned to their country of origin, British actor and writer Stephen Fry has said in a UK media interview.The sculptures, originally part of the temple of the Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens, were removed by British diplomat Lord Elgin during the Turkish occupation in 1802. They were brought to Britain and are now on display in the British Museum in London. The UK has long argued that Elgin was given permission to take them by local Ottoman rulers. Greece has consistently demanded the return of the sculptures on display in the British Museum, claiming they are "the product of theft."English actor, broadcaster, and comedian Stephen Fry has long been advocating for the return of the collection of classical Greek sculptures by architect and sculptor Phidias. Wading into the protracted ownership debate with Greece, Fry suggested that an amicable solution to the contentious issue could be built around a cultural partnership. This option would allow for various remarkable Greek artifacts to be exhibited in the UK for the first time.The shrewd and prolific writer argued that the ancient carvings "bring to life the Greek history, myths and legends that captivate lovers of classical antiquity like me. Not only do I believe they rightfully belong to Greece, but would these intricately carved sculptures not be all the more stunning to behold if seen reunited as a single artistic piece of work in the Acropolis Museum?Stephen Fry has thrown his support behind the Parthenon Project. Established by Greek industrialist John Lefas and chaired by former UK Culture Minister Ed Vaizey, the campaign group has been pushing for precisely such a solution to the debate. Imagine a transformed Duveen Gallery in the British Museum featuring pieces from Greece like the astonishing gold funereal Mask of Agamemnon. I cant imagine the British Museum would not see footfall increase as a result," Fry said.The writer acknowledged the various ongoing restitution campaigns around the world, but underscored that the debate around the Parthenon sculptures was one about the reunification of a magnificent work of art, not restitution.A "magnanimous" return of the Parthenon sculptures would serve to forge a "new cultural partnership between our two countries," he claimed, with benefits for the overall Anglo-Greek relationship.Stephen Frys comments came as the British Museum issued a statement that it was having constructive discussions with the Greek government regarding the fate of the ancient sculptures.Throughout 2022, ex-UK chancellor, now British Museum chair, George Osborne, was locked in talks on the issue with the Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. While the British Museum Act (1963) prevents the institution from deaccessioning "disputed items," Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in December ruled out amending the legislation.As to popular opinion, commissioned by the Parthenon Project, recent polling by YouGov revealed that a majority of Britons (53%) believe the "Elgin Marbles" should be returned to their country of origin. https://sputnikglobe.com/20200620/greece-again-calls-on-uk-to-return-ancient-parthenon-marbles-1079676007.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20211122/greece-makes-fresh-push-to-get-elgin-marbles-returned-but-british-museum-is-not-budging-1090862435.html greece athens Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko rightfully belong to greece, greek fifth-century bc parthenon marbles carvings, country of origin, british actor and writer stephen fry, classical greek sculptures by architect and sculptor phidias, protracted ownership debate, cultural partnership, reunited in the acropolis museum https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/rosatom-proposed-floating-npp-project-suits-indonesia-ambassador-says-1106049588.html Rosatom-Proposed Floating NPP Project Suits Indonesia, Ambassador Says Rosatom-Proposed Floating NPP Project Suits Indonesia, Ambassador Says The floating nuclear power plant (NPP) project, proposed by Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, is suitable for Indonesia, since the technology is reliable, Indonesian Ambassador to Moscow Jose Antonio Morato Tavares told Sputnik. 2023-01-05T05:26+0000 2023-01-05T05:26+0000 2023-01-05T05:26+0000 russia indonesia russia rosatom /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107652/09/1076520997_0:193:3071:1920_1920x0_80_0_0_1a738f554d61004c91331d277976a764.jpg In October 2022, Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Lyudmila Vorobyova said Russia was ready to build a nuclear power plant in the future capital of Indonesia, Nusantara. She said Russia also has the technology of floating NPPs that attach to large ships and can be placed anywhere, making them indispensable in the event of natural disasters. In the summer of 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo cooperation in work on a nuclear project in Indonesia. Putin said Rosatom has sufficient experience, competence and technological reliability for that. Indonesia is located in the most seismically active zone of the planet and is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Every year, seismologists register 6,000-7,000 earthquakes with a magnitude above 4.0 there. indonesia russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International rosatom, floating nuclear power plant, floating npp, rosatom floating npp, npp in indonesia, indonesia nuclear power, russia and indonesia cooperation, nuclear cooperation, https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/rossiya-segodnya-head-kiselev-slams-latvia-for-illegal-detention-of-sputnik-lithuania-editor-1106065311.html Moscow Calls Latvia's Detention of Sputnik Lithuania Editor a Violation of International Obligations Moscow Calls Latvia's Detention of Sputnik Lithuania Editor a Violation of International Obligations Sputnik Lithuania editor Marat Kasem was detained by the Latvian intelligence agency in Riga and taken into custody at the order of a Riga court on Thursday, Sputnik has learned. 2023-01-05T15:31+0000 2023-01-05T15:31+0000 2023-01-05T16:47+0000 world europe sputnik lithuania latvia russia dmitry kiselev detention journalist journalist /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/103812/73/1038127301_0:160:3077:1890_1920x0_80_0_0_9ff57e1c76d8404c48cd748a89ae98b8.jpg Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, has called Kasem's detention in Latvia a "violation of international obligations" when it comes to free speech and the the protection of the rights of journalists.The spokeswoman called for the involvement of international organizations in order to clarify the reasons for Kasem's detention, adding that the Russian Foreign Ministry is working to find out the details."We demand that international organizations, freedom-of-speech watchdogs and all international institutions take action because this journalist repeatedly reported being threatened," Maria Zakharova told Sputnik. "We regard this [his arrest] as a violation by Latvia of all international obligations related to the freedom of speech, the protection of journalists rights and inviolability of rights and freedoms."For his part, Dmitry Kiselev, the director general of the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, has slammed the Latvian authorities for "absurd and illegal" detention of Sputnik Lithuania editor Marat Kasem.Kiselev stressed that the detention shows the essence of the European country's regime, which is "a very dangerous trend for the entire EU."According to the head of the Rossiya Segodnya group, the detained journalist felt politically persecuted and often spoke about it."This is a clear political persecution, absolutely unlawful, absurd and unfounded. It is unfortunate that a real person found himself in a difficult situation," he said. "It characterizes a regime that has no respect for freedom of speech, which is developing in this country and which is being established throughout the European union. This is a very dangerous trend."Kiselev drew parallels with the situation of Kirill Vyshinsky, who was detained in Kiev in 2018 and sentenced for working for RIA Novosti Ukraine. Vyshinsky was released in 2019 as part of a prisoner exchange."Russia has already been demonized, now they are doing the same with everyone who works with it. The Latvian authorities have a usual approach - if there was a person, but there would be an article," Kiselev said.Kasem, a Latvian citizen, was detained on suspicion of violating EU sanctions against Russia and over allegations of espionage, an offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison. His lawyer has 10 days to appeal the ruling. Kasem had been working in Moscow where he was employed by the Rossiya Segodnya news agency, whose director general is on the EU blacklist. He returned to Latvia in late December for family reasons. https://sputnikglobe.com/20221210/man-detained-in-latvia-for-setting-up-broadcasting-of-russian-tv-channels-reports-say-1105298168.html lithuania latvia russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International sputnik journalist detained, sputnik lithuania editor marat kasem, sputnik lithuania editor marat kasem detained, alleged violation of eu sanctions regime against russia, alleged espionage, political persecution https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/the-endless-war-on-truth-and-how-to-fight-back-against-this-tyranny-1106046093.html The Endless War on Truth and How to Fight Back Against This Tyranny The Endless War on Truth and How to Fight Back Against This Tyranny On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events including Kevin McCarthy losing 5 votes in a row for House speaker, and Meta... 05.01.2023, Sputnik International 2023-01-05T08:59+0000 2023-01-05T08:59+0000 2023-02-03T08:42+0000 the backstory minsk agreements war elon musk us congress radio /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/04/1106045826_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_d54b5e39761f3acceed84bbde3f17df8.png The Endless War on Truth and How to Fight Back Against this Tyranny On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events including Kevin McCarthy losing 5 votes in a row for House speaker, and Meta being fined $416 Million by the Irish government. GuestSonja Van Den Ende - Independent Journalist, Writer | Russia Celebrates the New Year, Putin Delivers a New Year Speech, and The Media Ignore the Russian Military Strikes on UkraineCarter Laren Co-host of Unsafe Space | The War on Truth, Donald Trump has Lost His Touch with his Base, and No House Speaker in Congress is a Success In the first hour, Lee spoke with Sonja Van Den Ende about the Russian military casualties on New Year's day, the Orthodox Christmas, and President Putin talks about the importance of family. Sonja talked about the Minsk agreement and the admission by former French President Hollande, that the Minsk agreement was meant to help Ukraine fight against Russia. Sonja commented on Putin's New Year speech and the importance of having strong leadership in Russia.In the second hour, Lee spoke with Carter Laren about the Republican Congress acting principal, Kevin McCarthy, and the psychology of politicians. Carter praised some of the Republicans for the refusal to vote for Kevin McCarthy as House speaker and President Trump's endorsement of establishment politicians. Carter discussed America's moral bankruptcy and the danger of pragmatism in politics.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comThe views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Lee Stranahan https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125222_0:0:293:292_100x100_80_0_0_a8bc846f559660e5bf7574f8a9608a1d.png Lee Stranahan https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125222_0:0:293:292_100x100_80_0_0_a8bc846f559660e5bf7574f8a9608a1d.png News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Lee Stranahan https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125222_0:0:293:292_100x100_80_0_0_a8bc846f559660e5bf7574f8a9608a1d.png minsk agreements, war, elon musk, , us congress, radio https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/trump-announces-plan-to-destroy-drug-cartels-if-elected-president-1106068113.html Trump Announces Plan to Destroy Drug Cartels if Elected President Trump Announces Plan to Destroy Drug Cartels if Elected President Former US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he had come up with a plan to fight drug cartels if he is elected president. 2023-01-05T18:28+0000 2023-01-05T18:28+0000 2023-01-05T18:28+0000 americas us us-mexico border donald trump joe biden drug cartels /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/02/1100296636_0:172:3071:1900_1920x0_80_0_0_f47b6afdf6ae7828ce13c632ca526b73.jpg "The drug cartels are waging war on America - and it's now time for America to wage war on the cartels. The drug cartels and their allies in the Biden administration have the blood of countless millions on their hands. Millions and millions of families and people are being destroyed. When I am back in the White House, the drug kingpins and vicious traffickers will never sleep soundly again," Trump said in a video message. A statement accompanying the video said Trump will use a counter-terrorism approach. Transnational criminal organizations have become experts at avoiding law enforcement interdiction and facilitating drug smuggling operations at the US border. In Fiscal Year 2021, US border officials seized 221,000 pounds of drugs a nearly 40% increase over Fiscal Year 2019. Earlier, President Joe Biden said he will visit El Paso, Texas on Sunday in his first trip to the southern border since taking office after the White House released a plan to alleviate the immigration crisis. The White House said the new measures include allowing up to 30,000 migrants from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba and Haiti each month, in addition to 20,000 from other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean from 2023 through 2024. The United States has seen two consecutive record breaking years of illegal crossings into its territory since Biden assumed office in January 2021. Well over two million illegal crossings into the United States were recorded in fiscal year 2022, according to Customs and Border Protection data. https://sputnikglobe.com/20211112/drug-cartels-murder-individuals-on-american-side-of-us-mexico-border-amid-migration-crisis-1090678637.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International drug cartels, war on drugs, trump elected president, president trump, trump 2024, maga 2024, trump-biden rivalry, us-mexico border, us southern border https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/us-guided-missile-destroyer-chung-hoon-transits-through-taiwan-strait-in-fresh-provocation-1106067353.html US Guided-Missile Destroyer Chung-Hoon Transits Through Taiwan Strait in Fresh Provocation US Guided-Missile Destroyer Chung-Hoon Transits Through Taiwan Strait in Fresh Provocation The US guided-missile destroyer Chung-Hoon transited through the neutral waters of the Taiwan strait in a demonstration of the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. 2023-01-05T16:50+0000 2023-01-05T16:50+0000 2023-01-05T16:50+0000 us-china tensions over taiwan us taiwan taiwan strait china /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/05/1106066963_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_22d3eb7aa45e2bb4cea7f0af98e2cfcf.jpg The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit Jan. 5 (local time) through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law, the 7th Fleet Public Affairs said in a press release. Chung-Hoons transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The situation around Taiwan escalated after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in early August. Beijing condemned Pelosi's trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of the island. Despite this fact, several countries, including France, Japan and others, have sent their delegations to the island since then, further increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan maintains that it is autonomous but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contact of foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable. https://sputnikglobe.com/20221230/chinese-foreign-ministry-urges-us-to-stop-arms-sales-to-taiwan-1105926218.html china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International uss chung-hoon in taiwan strait, us provocations against china, us' taiwan provocations, us-china tensions over taiwan, taiwan strait tensions, one china principle, china's territorial integrity, taiwan is china https://sputnikglobe.com/20230105/us-offers-10-mln-for-information-about-persons-responsible-for-2020-kenya-terror-attack-1106066799.html US Offers $10 Mln for Information About Persons Responsible for 2020 Kenya Terror Attack US Offers $10 Mln for Information About Persons Responsible for 2020 Kenya Terror Attack The United States is offering up to $10 million for information leading to the capture of members of the Al-Shabaab terror group who conducted an attack against on US and Kenyan personnel at the Manda Bay Airfield in Kenya in 2020. 2023-01-05T16:19+0000 2023-01-05T16:19+0000 2023-01-05T16:20+0000 africa east africa kenya us terrorist attack terrorism al-shabab /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/08/1a/1100018985_0:0:2709:1524_1920x0_80_0_0_12782010d76ae117b8a658146e5e214c.jpg "The US Department of States Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of Maalim Ayman or any individual who committed, attempted, or conspired to commit, or aided or abetted in the commission of the January 5, 2020 terrorist attack on US and Kenyan personnel at the Manda Bay Airfield in Kenya," the statement said. US Army Specialist Henry Mayfield and Defense Department contractors Bruce Triplett and Dustin Harrison were killed in the attack, the statement said. The State Department noted in the statement that Ayman is the leader of Jaysh Ayman, an Al-Shabab unit conducting terror attacks in Kenya and Somalia. Ayman was responsible for preparing the January 2020 attack in Kenya and the State Department designated him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in November of that year, the statement said.*Al-Shabaab is a terrorist group banned in Russia. https://sputnikglobe.com/20200225/us-airstrike-kills-terrorist-behind-attack-on-kenya-base-that-killed-3-americans--africom-1078403671.html africa east africa kenya Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International al-shabaab terror group, us offers $10 mln for information, persons responsible for 2020 kenya terror attack, 2020 kenya terror attack In case youre keeping track, the four-year-old pacing mare Divine Art will be gunning for her 14th straight victory when she suits up in Friday nights fourth race at Cal Expo for new owner/driver/trainer Gerry Longo. A daughter of Outrageous Art, Divine Art was a terror in Canada last season and caught Longos attention. I like to watch the races up there and I was on the lookout for a three or four-year-old filly to round out my stable down here, noted the 77-year-old conditioner. I ended up buying her from Nate Sobey and, when she first got here, I was a little concerned because she was pulling pretty hard. Then I talked to Nate and he said she needed a hood, a tuck tie and mini bit, and that did the trick. Divine Art, a multiple Alberta stakes champion who is up for national honours at next month's O'Brien Awards, made her only start at the Cal Expo meet for Longo on Dec. 26 and looked every bit the odds-on choice that evening as she was parked to the lead at the half and took complete control from that point to romp. The goal with her would be the Sire Stakes that start at the end of the month and, after this meet is over, well take her to Minnesota and see what she can do there. She makes a real nice stablemate for Rockin With Lou, who races with the top mares. Speaking of quality racing mares, Longo noted that the popular 13-year-old Kiss On The Lips was given some time and will be returning to the wars soon. Shes a warrior, praised her mentor. Shes been one-two-three in half of her 300 starts and, the way shes going, Ill probably race her here through next year and then let her be a mama. Dancin Lance favoured in Friday's Open Dancin Lance, who has two Open wins at the Cal Expo meet, and Major Attribute, who denied him a third in the most recent clash at the head of the class, will square off in Friday nights featured $7,500 Open Pace. Major Attribute was the one taking bows following the Dec. 18 Open in what was his first appearance at the meet since coming in from Hoosier Park in Indiana. He is owned by Rpm Stables, trained by Luke Plano and will have Brad Irvine doing the honours. Sent off at 5-2 in his local debut with Irvine handling the lines, Major Attribute was last of the eight when the field hit the opening quarter. He began to pick up momentum on the final bend, took aim on Dancin Lance in the stretch and nailed that one by a head in the 1:53.1 mile over a 'good' track. Dancin Lance looked to be home free in that contest after opening a long lead at midstretch but was collared right on the money in another solid effort. Lean Smith trains the six-year-old for Juan Pacheco and Devon Tharps has the assignment. Dancin Lance accounted for back-to-back Open Paces on Nov. 5 and Dec. 2, was third in a blanket finish in the Dave Goldschmidt at next asking and then just missed in the aforementioned Dec. 18 tour. Completing the field are A Major Omen for Gerry Longo; his stablemate, Hoo Nein, with Vod Farris at the controls; Grab N Go, to be guided by Elson Miller; and Major Attributes barnmate, Bombay Hanover, with trainer Luke Plano in the sulky. There will be 12 races decided under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post set for 6:45 p.m. (With files from Cal Expo) Standardbred Canada (SC) is partnering with Equine Guelph, Ontario Racing and the Central Ontario Standardbred Association to offer three online courses in the winter of 2023 in priority healthcare areas of lameness, respiratory and gut health. Sponsored by SC, the Racehorse Injury/Lameness Prevention & Care course will be first off the gate in January of 2023. The two-week online short course, developed specifically for the horse racing industry, will be offered from Jan. 23 - Feb. 3, 2023 and available free (value of $95) to the first 100 Standardbred Canada and/or Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario licence holders who enroll. Last years 2022 offering of the Racehorse Injury/Lameness Prevention & Care course quickly filled to capacity and received glowing reviews from the students: This was by far the best short course I have taken. I registered for the course along with my employees who all felt it was exceptional. Everyone learned and retained a lot of knowledge from this course. I really enjoyed the course. I learned a lot and feel I have a good introduction to lameness. I am looking at horses differently when they move. Response was also very positive for practical tips gained from the video presentations with expert veterinarians and researchers such as Dr. Jeff Thomason. Course participants learn how to notice the small, subtle changes which signify there is something going on before they become a large, noticeable lameness, at which point irreparable damage could have already occurred. They also learn about bone remodelling during early training, key signs of lameness to look out for and when to take a break from training. Dr. Melissa McKee will act as course instructor and Dr. Orlaith Cleary will be on-hand in week two as guest expert. Dr. Melissa McKee grew up in the local horse industry. After graduating, she worked in New Jersey at a large equine referral hospital that provided surgical care, lameness, medicine, emergency and ambulatory practice, followed by a year in equine practice in Alberta before returning to Ontario as a founding partner of McKee-Pownall Equine Services. She is certified in Veterinary Spinal Manipulation Therapy through the COAC. McKee has served on the American Association of Equine Practitioners Scholarship, Racing, Education and Ethics committees, and is an Equine representative for the Ontario Animal Health Network. McKees professional interests include lameness, diagnostic imaging, MRI, VSMT and racehorse/sports medicine practice. McKee will be joined by guest expert Dr. Orlaith Cleary, who graduated with a veterinary degree from University College Dublin, Ireland in June 2003. Cleary joined the Ontario Equine Hospital team in April 2019. Clearys special interests are in advanced imaging (MRI, CT, scintigraphy), as well as all aspects of soft tissue and orthopedic surgery. McKee and Cleary will be discussing common lameness issues and recent research updates for racehorses as well as early detection and prevention. Students will also learn about the horses musculoskeletal system, how they move, best practices for detecting lameness, assessment tools, management of a lame horse and the latest research. McKee and Cleary will also be joined by Industry Ambassadors, Ruleen Lilley and Renee Kierans, who will be on-hand as peer helpers to assist students and ask questions on hot topics. In the 2017 Ontario Horse Racing Industry Survey conducted by Equine Guelph, injuries/lameness was ranked the number two health issue of concern after respiratory issues. We are thrilled to once again offer these valuable short courses on the hot topics of lameness prevention, respiratory health and gut health to the racing industry, said Gayle Ecker, director of Equine Guelph. Many thanks to our partners Standardbred Canada, Ontario Racing and Central Ontario Standardbred Association (COSA) for sponsoring this free series for essential horse healthcare to provide educational opportunities and research updates for their members. Ontario trainers, grooms and owners can sign up now for the free Racehorse Injury/Lameness Prevention & Care course, starting Jan. 23. Help your racehorses reach their full potential. For those who have never taken an online course before, no prior online learning experience is required. Limited registrations available. Be sure to hold the dates and register now for these two-week, racing-exclusive online courses: Racehorse Injury/Lameness Prevention & Care: Jan. 23 - Feb. 3, 2023 Racehorse Gut Health & Ulcer/Colic Prevention: Feb. 27 - March 10, 2023 Racehorse Respiratory Health: March 20 - 31, 2023 SC members can sign up by visiting TheHorsePortal.ca/SC. (Equine Guelph) Russian student Yulia Temelidi poses with some traditional Chinese medicines at Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 5, 2022.(Xinhua) BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- A couple of weeks ago, Russian student Yulia Temelidi caught Omicron in China, but she recovered soon with the help of a small health kit with different types of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). "Unlike Western medicines, TCM tends to have less side effects, and my body will accept TCM a little bit more calmly," said Temelidi, who studies at China's Tsinghua University. Having lived in China for years, she holds the view that TCM has played an important role in fighting the virus over the past three years. She even recommends TCM to her best friend, who now takes it as a wonder for the successful treatment of many kinds of diseases. Temelidi has found TCM very useful even before her Omicron infection. "The TCM health kit could help me a lot when I have a headache or a stomachache or just a small fever. In winter, the medicine called Qingyandiwan helped me a lot with sore throat." Temelidi said that during the past three years of fight against virus variants, China had provided good protection to its people as well as foreigners in China. During the first pop-out of COVID-19, Temelidi was in China staying at home. Very few things about the coronavirus were well understood by scientists at that time, and China made strict prevention and control policies to protect people, she said. "At that time, the only thing that I could do is to stay at home," she said, noting COVID-19 was absolutely really horrible then. In 2021, Temelidi learned that some of her friends in Russia caught COVID-19, and it seemed like a horrible experience. "They were having a type of Alpha virus or Delta virus. One of my friends experienced a fever of about 40 degrees Celsius for more than a week. He couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, didn't have any taste in his mouth, and it was absolutely horrible." In her eyes, China raced against time during the three years to inoculate its people and conduct research on possible new medicines. In her three years of study, the international student was impressed with warmth and goodwill from surrounding people. As she had to study online sometimes, the Russian student felt worried at the beginning. "Actually, I've been kind of anxious and kind of worried that I couldn't get everything that I needed, such as the proper amount of knowledge, and I don't have a clear idea of how to live in China. But people around me, including all the professors, helped me a lot. My professors told me to message them every time I had a question, and they would answer me very soon," Temelidi said. She also spoke highly of the medical staff doing regular nucleic acid tests. "I want to say a huge thank you to them, because, first of all, it's really hard for them to wake up in morning to the same job every time. This is very hard and very challenging for their body, for their health," she said, adding that the medics were braving the biggest risk of actually getting COVID-19 for the sake of others' health. With China's optimized prevention and control policies, she now plans to spend the coming Spring Festival in south China's resort city of Guilin. "With evolving COVID-19 response strategy, our life is returning to normal," said Temelidi. No need to keep quiet at the Iredell County Board of Commissioners meeting as the Iredell County Public Library Employees received the Medium Staff Development of the Year Award from the North Carolina Public Library Directors Association in December 2022. The library received the award for programming guidelines last year, which was done to encourage staff to think critically about library program ideas, intended audience and their outcomes for events and public relations. Its a real honor for our staff, especially because they work very hard to provide great services for the community, so I really appreciate the fact Jenny (Levins) is being acknowledged for all her hard work implementing our new guidelines, Library Director Juli Moore said. County tackles concerns with short-term rentals It was recently brought to the county commissioners attention the continued frustrations residents had concerning vacation rental properties along Lake Norman, as well as other parts of the county. Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson said that while the county cant track the number of these short-term rentals, it was 75 properties over the last few years that received complaints. Robertson said she believed it should be the countys goal in the words of former commissioner Tommy Bowles that We need to try to satisfy the offended without offending the satisfied. She said that noise was one of the most common complaints from nearby residents. Robertson said calls are received by a number of departments concerning the legal, business and environmental concerns that come from those properties as the property isnt the owners primary residence. Whether it is noise complaints or questions if its really a residence and not just a business, she said the county has worked to stay abreast on the issue. Commissioner Gene Houpe asked what could be done without changes to county regulations or without asking the state legislature to consider changing. Im looking for a remedy that is legal for us to do, and try, but I was curious to what other people have tried, but failed, Houpe said. But to your point, were going to need some type of legislative changes potentially for us to strengthen our local ordinances and policies, right? It was noted that the state of North Carolina is considered one of the friendliest when it comes to regulations concerning short-term rental properties. The state doesnt allow the county to have a registration or permitting system on the properties. We do continue to look at what we can do to make a difference, Robertson said. What we are really trying to regulate is the party houses. Government center entrance The board of commissioners approved a contract for the Government Center New Entrance Project (GC5E) for design, bidding and construction administration services from Fuller Architectural for $100,500. It passed with a 4-1 vote. The new entrance will be more compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and built to be a more prominent entrance to the building. Public hearings Rezone: Lourdes Aleman asked for the 4.07-acre properties along the Salisbury Highway to be rezoned. The two parcels would go from Residential Agricultural (RA) to General Business (GB). No one spoke at the public hearing and the motion was approved 5-0. Project Weave: Public hearing to consider an economic development incentive for Project Weave that could be up to $77,905 over a five-year period, and is based on a $5 million investment. The source of funding will be the general revenues of Iredell County and in accordance with the Iredell County Industrial Incentive Policy. No one spoke at the public hearing and the motion was approved 5-0. Consent agenda The following issues are considered administrative matters by the board and discussed in a pre-meeting before the regular meeting at 7 p.m. All are passed with a consent vote unless moved to the regular agenda. Emergency Management: Brian Weatherman of Dominion Energy was appointed as the 2023 chairman of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). Animal Services: The commission voted to accept the amended Animal Control Ordinance that was debated last year in a public hearing. Changes were made to dangerous dog ordinances, as well as community cat caregiver ordinances, the Trap-Neuter-Return Program, and what constitutes shelter, among others. Library: Accepted Non-Recurring State Aid to Public Libraries in the amount of $8,192. Working with Iredell County IT, the library will use the additional funds to purchase storage for digitized local history materials. ICATS: Approved budget amendment to repay N.C. Department of Transportation for 5311 and 5307 CARES to fund and to rebill for new expenditures, totaling $483,688. Director Bradley Johnson said it was needed to fix noncompliance issues with CARES funds. He said ICATS can then bill them properly and should be able to receive those funds back. Planning & Development: Public hearing is set for Jan. 17 in regard to a request by Tony DAlessandro to release zoning and subdivision jurisdiction to the Town of Mooresville. According to the county, DAlessandro with Dala Casa Properties LLC has requested the release of the zoning and subdivision jurisdiction of 11.8 acres to the Town of Mooresville. The proposed use of the property is to combine it with the surrounding property already in the towns Jurisdiction for a storage facility The city denied a request for a public hearing to be set for Jan. 17 in regard to a request by Dorothy Collins to release zoning and subdivision jurisdiction to the Town of Troutman. According to the county, Collins has requested the release of the zoning and subdivision jurisdiction of 28.31 acres to the Town of Troutman. The proposed use of the property is a residential development. Finally from P&D received approval to apply for the N.C. Department of Transportation Trail Feasibility Study for the Iredell Mecklenburg Trail (3 Corners Trail) and adoption resolution of support. The county said in 2021, NCDOT was allocated $2 million in one-time funding from the N.C. General Assembly to establish a feasibility study program for paved trails. The purpose of the grant program is to improve bicycle and pedestrian projects accessing state and federal funding, resulting in the successful implementation of projects. The estimated cost of a feasibility study is $60,000-$120,000. Finance Department: Approved a loan program for fire departments and rescue squads to meet cash-flow needs. The county had appropriated $3 million in ARPA funds to assist fire departments and rescue squads with cash-flow needs. These are 0% interest loans and repayment will be deducted from the next fiscal year allocations. The Finance Department also was approved to purchase walking floor trailers for the Solid Waste Department from CRTS at the cost of $824,257. Bids were received from three vendors; Pinnacle Trailer Sales, Inc., CRTS, Inc., and Phoenix Contracting, LLC. The bid amounts from the three vendors for each trailer were $115,600 (after deducting federal excise tax), $117,751, and $148,895, respectively. Another request from the department was to approve of real estate agency listing agreement renewal. The board had previously authorized staff in March 2021 to engage a real estate brokerage firm, Allen Tate Realtors, to list the surplus real property at 204 Bluefield Road, Mooresville, which expired at the end of 2022. The realtor requested a six-month extension. The departments final request was for consideration of an offer to purchase that property. The county received an offer to purchase the property on Dec. 27, 2022, in the amount of $750,000. The buyer has included in its offer the required 5% bid deposit of $37,500. The staff will begin the upset bid process. Administration: A request was to amend the Jennings Park Project Ordinance and Edifice as the Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) for preconstruction services for the Jennings Park Project. Edifice was selected to work with Stewart Engineering on the Jennings Park Project. The board approved County Manager Beth Mull to sign a contract with Edifice for preconstruction services for $111,020. WYTHEVILLE State Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick, was found not guilty of assaulting political adversary Del. Marie March, R-Floyd, during a court hearing Wednesday morning. Judge Becky Moore ruled that Marchs attorneys fell short of establishing that Williams intentionally bumped into her while exiting a Republican meeting in Wytheville in September 2022. Its very clear there was a touching, Wren Williams admits to that, said Jimmy Turk, Williams attorney, during closing remarks. The question is whether or not he beyond a reasonable doubt unlawfully touched her, or whether this touch was unintended. Using surveillance camera footage and a witness testimony as evidence, Turk said the contact was accidental. Commonwealths Attorney Kathryn Hagwood said the contact was clearly intentional, using witness testimony as proof. The bottom line is it was an unwanted touching that was purposeful, Hagwood said during closing remarks. We have met our burden to prove it was assault and battery. But the judge said the evidence fell short of proving that contact between Williams and March in a crowd of people was intentional. During her testimony, March said she was not expecting and did not see the contact coming, but she was able to brace herself to keep from falling. I was talking to people and he slammed into me, March said. After he slammed into me, everyone gasped moments later, I heard him mutter, oh, sorry, from a distance. Williams testified that he was going to stop at a table nearby to sign out of the event, and did not know beforehand that March was in a circle of people blocking the doorway. When I was walking out something grabbed my shoulder and twisted me around I guess I had bumped into her somehow, Williams said. I said oops, Im sorry. It was like reflexive, I didnt know who I ran into, I would have said it to anyone. He said he was trying to leave with his pregnant wife and legislative assistant. She said, you did that on purpose, Williams said. I said, no Marie, I didnt bump you, and thats when I left. Leaving the courtroom, March said she had no comment, except that she is very disappointed. Williams called the accusations a political hit-job. Inside the courtroom, the two delegates described their relationship. I dont really know him, March said of Williams. Im just running against him in an election. March said she considers Williams an adversary. Williams testified otherwise. I consider her a friend, got no issues with her, Williams said of March during the court proceeding. I dont think she considers me a friend. Hagwood responded, saying Williams nor March can be re-elected to the same political seat they are running to hold. The first-term Republicans were shifted into a shared new Virginia House of Delegates district when political maps were redrawn last year. They are running against each other in a primary election scheduled for June. The Virginia General Assembly, March and Williams included, convenes for its annual lawmaking session next week, on Jan. 11. UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The UN Central Emergency Response Fund on Wednesday released 7 million U.S. dollars for people suffering insecurity in Mali's north, a UN spokesman said. "Humanitarian needs in Mali are dire, as the country faces a multidimensional crisis," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "This year, humanitarians will need 868 million U.S. dollars to help 6.2 million people." Dujarric said that UN Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths, the world body's humanitarian relief coordinator, allocated the life-saving assistance to support 423,000 people impacted by hostilities in the Gao, Kidal and Mopti regions, including internally displaced people, refugees and host communities. "This new allocation will support projects for education and protection," the spokesman said, adding that the areas of health, water and hygiene, shelter and psychological assistance will be covered. Mali has been engulfed in security, political and economic crises since 2012. Independence insurgencies, jihadist incursions and inter-communal violence have left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced in the West African nation. Only last month, the UN peacekeeping mission, known as MINUSMA, reported two peacekeepers were killed and four others injured in the northern town of Timbuktu. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted 50 people in 2022 for attempting to swindle the government and associated financial institutions out of nearly $125 million in COVID-19 relief funds. But there is still considerable work to be done, the offices chief attorney says. Last years effort topped the work done in 2021, when the office prosecuted 30 people who attempted to steal $105 million in pandemic aid. Last years most egregious case involved Quin Ngoc Rudin, 55, a felon who was sentenced in Alexandria in October to 10 years in prison; he pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to defraud the federal Paycheck Protection Program out of $43 million by preparing dozens of false loan applications. Rudin sought to steal $100 million, and the fraud occurred while he was on supervised release after serving five years for another massive fraud scheme, federal prosecutors said. Rudins conviction included defrauding the IRS by filing false income tax returns on behalf of at least nine professional athletes. He pocketed $19 million. Two of the largest cases prosecuted in Richmond last year included Sadie Mitchell, 30, a state employee who used her position to bilk Virginia and the U.S. out of $1.2 million in pandemic relief funds; and Moe Mathews, 51, a local real estate developer and investor who defrauded the Small Business Administration and associated financial institutions out of $1.1 million. In terms of the financial loss, the cases involving Mitchell and Mathews were in the top 10 of major COVID-related fraud schemes prosecuted in Virginias Eastern District ranking fifth and sixth. Prosecutors said Mitchell and Mathews sought to steal $1.8 million and $1.7 million, respectively. Mitchell, 30, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Richmond in September to nearly seven years in federal prison; Mathews was sentenced in October to a term of 3.4 years. Mitchell, a program support technician with the Virginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board, submitted bogus applications using the identities of state prison inmates and exploited the personal information of Virginians she obtained from a government database. She used the information to file bogus claims for pandemic unemployment assistance, unemployment insurance, paycheck protection loan funds and economic injury disaster loan payments. Her boyfriend, Lamar Jones, conspired in the scheme. He was killed in a shooting in Richmond in December 2021 and never charged. Prosecutors said Mathews, as co-owner and manager of Fresh Start Properties Solutions LLC based in Rockville, among other ventures, robbed the government relief program designed to save businesses and their employees from the economic impact of the pandemic. He and an unnamed co-conspirator submitted at least 38 fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program applications. Our country has been dealing with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic for over two years now, but there is still considerable work to be done, said Jessica Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, in a statement. We continue to uncover more CARES Act fraud almost every day. The COVID landscape has changed dramatically in the past year but what has not changed is our dedication to recovering every possible dollar defrauded from these programs, she added. We will continue to use a range of civil and criminal tools, in addition to interagency partnerships, to meet this goal. The defendants convicted of COVID fraud are require to make restitution as part of their dispositions. Mitchell was ordered to repay a total of $1,158,674 to the Virginia Employment Commission, the federal Small Business Administration and a financial institution in Arizona. Mathews is required to pay $1,166,941 to the SBA and the eight financial institutions that lost money through his schemes. *** Also cashing in were Virginia prison inmates, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars. In June, Keith Scott Smith Jr., 41, an inmate at the Baskerville Correctional Center in Mecklenburg County, was sentenced to nearly three more years behind bars for defrauding the VEC out of $233,984 in COVID-relief unemployment funds. He recruited fellow prisoners to provide their personal information, and that information was passed to his wife, Virginia Smith, to file at least 22 fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance and pandemic unemployment assistance. She also pleaded guilty in the scheme. He took advantage of the system, U.S. District Judge David J. Novak said in sentencing Smith to 33 months, which will run consecutively to a 10-year sentence he received in 2018 for maliciously wounding his former girlfriend in Chesterfield County. During this tragic time, when the government was pumping money out to people to survive, you got crooks in jail getting money. This is ridiculous. I think [Smiths] conduct is utterly offensive. The crooks are getting all the money to the detriment of working people, the judge added. The fact that this was committed while he was incarcerated makes it even more mind-boggling. Two brothers are in custody in connection to a December reported theft of firearms in Silver Lake. Elmer Craig Reynolds, Jr., born in 1962, and Richard Reynold, 56, were in Cowlitz County Jail as of Wednesday afternoon. Deputies say they used a reported-stolen computer to track the suspects. According to the Cowlitz County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded Dec. 12 to a report of stolen firearms and a computer in the 200 block of George Taylor Road in Silver Lake. The computers location feature allegedly alerted deputies to a residence near the 400 block of Hansen Road in Toutle, and nearby they stopped Elmer Reynolds, who reportedly told authorities he had no firearms. However, deputies report they saw empty bullet casings on the ground that matched the size of the swiped guns. A sergeant reports seeing a pistol in Elmer Reynoldss pocket and he eventually admitted there were additional guns inside his vehicle. Deputies report they found ammo, stolen firearms and a rifle scope in the vehicle. Deputies then contacted Elmer Reynolds brother Richard at a home in the 200 block of South Toutle Road, after Elmer Reynolds said he gave firearms to him. Richard Reynolds, who has a lengthy criminal history that includes retail theft, burglary and unlawful possession of a firearm, was discovered to have multiple firearms, including two stolen rifles, all of which he is prohibited from owning based on prior convictions. Deputies transported the brothers to jail, where they were booked Monday and could face charges, including possessing stolen firearms and possessing stolen property. Elmer Reynolds could also face the charge of carrying a concealed weapon. Elmer Reynolds bail is set for $10,000 and his brothers is set for $20,000. Both men are expected to appear before a Cowlitz County Superior Court judge on Jan. 12 for an initial arraignment. A 20-year-old Kelso man was sentenced in December after pleading guilty to sex crimes, including rape, and received alternative sentencing as part of a plea deal that wont require jail time. Some of the incidents occurred when he was a minor. Tanner Wayne Currence was arrested in 2021 on suspicion of five counts of rape, two counts of assault with sexual motivation, two counts of indecent liberties, and unlawful imprisonment. The Department of Corrections recommended, and Currence accepted a Special Sex Offender Sentencing Alternative in each of the five cases. He is ordered to attend sex offender treatment. Not every person accused of a crime is eligible for SSOA. A person has to have been found guilty of a sex crime other than second-degree rape, enter a plea deal, have no past convictions or felony sex crimes, and the accusations must not result in substantial bodily harm to the victim. According to the Cowlitz County Prosecutors Office, Currences age and mental impairments were factors when the court determined his punishment. If he violates the deal, he could land in state prison for 86 to 160 months, according to the prosecutors office. Police say Currence has a timeline of sexual assaults. 2018 A person who was 16 years old in September 2018 told authorities in 2021 Currence offered them a ride to Kelso High School after missing the bus. However, instead of going to Kelso High, the victim said Currence, who was also a minor at the time, drove to Rotary Skate Park and proceeded to sexually assault them. Currence allegedly told the person he wouldnt take them to school until they had sex and then forcibly removed the victims clothes. The person said they tried to escape, but he locked the car doors and windows. 2019 A police report states a parent brought her 15-year-old child to the Kelso Police Department in July 2019. The parent reportedly told investigators that her child snuck out of their home in Longview and was driven to Currences Kelso home, where he allegedly undressed and sexually assaulted them with force. Currence, who was 16 years old during the alleged assault, was interviewed by Kelso police in August 2019, but he denied the assault took place, and investigators could not find enough evidence to charge him, a police report states. Authorities documented that the victim had visible hickeys and marks on their face and chest area. 2020 In March 2021, a third underage victim came forward with a story that during a five-month relationship with Currence in 2020 he sexually assaulted them on three separate occasions, one of which they claimed he raped them in the backseat of his car similar to the 2018 incident. Currence would have been between the ages of 17 and 18 when he allegedly committed the three assaults, according to court documents. On March 23, 2020, a parent also filed a restraining order on behalf of his child against Currence. The parent asked the court to issue a sexual assault protection order, writing that he feared that Currence may continue to sexually assault his 14-year-old child and that he may manipulate [them] to lie and say it did not happen. A judge later denied the order due to a lack of evidence. May 1, 2021 On May 11, 2021, police arrived at Kelso High School to conduct a rape investigation that involved a 16-year-old student and Currence, according to a police report. The student said the pair were headed to local Dollar Store for art supplies on May 1, 2021, but Currence, who was 18 at the time, took a detour to an empty church parking lot on Solomon Road, where he attempted to kiss them. Currence allegedly became angry with the victim and reportedly started choking them in his cars back seat. The victim told police Currence raped them while they were screaming and crying for him to stop. Currence allegedly bit the person several times and left scratch marks on their back. Later the same day, Currence reportedly denied to police that he heard the victim scream for help, but admitted that he did hear them say no. May 6 and 7, 2021 Around the same time police were talking to the 16-year-old Kelso High student, they also interviewed a senior who had reportedly had two similar interactions with Currence. The person told authorities five days earlier, they were at Riverside Park, when Currence grabbed their chest even after the victim said no. The following day they met again, this time in the back seat of his car, and Currence pinned my hands to the seat and my legs down to where I could not physically move, the victim told police in a report. The person said he sexually assaulted them, even choking and biting. The person would later provide a text message from Currence in which he apologized, saying Im sorry I hurt you, I really am. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Graphical abstract. Credit: Chemical Engineering Research and Design (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2022.11.008 Using the Canadian Light Source (CLS), a team of researchers from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has found that a common agriculture byproduct can treat waste water contaminated by antibiotics and other pharmaceutical chemicals. Dr. Catherine Niu, a chemical engineering professor in USask's Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, said there is considerable interest in finding more cost-effective ways to remove pollutants from water sources. In this study, Niu and colleagues demonstrated that flax shives that have been treated with heat and steam adsorb the medication carbamazepine from wastewater. Flax shives are the material left after fiber is extracted from flax stems. The team's findings are published in the journal Chemical Engineering Research and Design. "We saw there are so many agricultural byproducts generated that aren't effectively used," she said. "We wanted to explore the new use of those materials for water treatment." Niu hopes that by creating adsorbents that are inexpensive and easily accessible, they can attract the attention of businesses looking for more efficient ways to treat wastewater. "The project has generated results which show such methods have potential for future industrial applications," she said. "We're still optimizing the process to develop adsorbents." Niu's team used spectroscopy analysis at the CLS to examineat the subatomic levelhow and why the carbamazepine binds to the surface of flax shives. "It is very important to understand what causes this adsorption," Niu said. "Without the CLS, we get partial evidence. Using the near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, we get information to confirm our estimates." More information: Aylin Aghababaei et al, An investigation on adsorption of carbamazepine with adsorbents developed from flax shives: Kinetics, mechanisms, and desorption, Chemical Engineering Research and Design (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2022.11.008 ANKARA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to take "concrete steps" against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria, Turkiye's presidential office said in a statement. Erdogan told Putin in a phone call that "concrete steps should now be taken to eradicate the terrorist organization YPG from Turkiye's border regions, especially from Tal Rifaat and Manbij" in northern Syria, the statement said. Erdogan has repeatedly vowed to launch a ground operation into northern Syria "at the most convenient time" to build a security zone. Ankara considers the YPG as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for over three decades. The two leaders also discussed a Ukrainian grain export deal and natural gas cooperation, according to the statement. Turkiye will improve its infrastructure in order to build a natural gas center, Erdogan told Putin, adding that Ankara hoped to complete the roadmap and take concrete steps to implement the plan as soon as possible. Ankara and Moscow achieved positive results of the negotiations on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, along with the issues of resuming the grain corridor, prisoner exchange, and the safe zone initiatives around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Erdogan said, adding that calls for peace and negotiations should be supported by a unilateral ceasefire and a vision for a fair solution to the Ukrainian conflict. Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley recently announced Blue Bell Creameries as the regions 2022 Local Employer of Excellence. This award was presented at the Texas Workforce Commissions 25th annual Texas Workforce Conference that took place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 in Dallas. The award honors private-sector employers that are actively involved with Texas Workforce Solutions and make a positive impact on workers, the community and the state, according to press release from Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley. From entry-level positions for our recent high school graduates in manufacturing and distribution to management level positions for returning college graduates, Blue Bell has proven that they are committed to hiring locally and investing in the training and advancement of their employees the press release said. Blue Bell cranks out the best when they participate in our hiring events and serves up a sample to the high school juniors and seniors that attended Helping Youth Prepare for Employment. Vicky Bridier of College Station lost her 4-year-old daughter to terminal cancer in 2016. The cause, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, is an aggressive brain tumor in children. When Jade passed away within five days of diagnosis, we lost everything, Bridier recalled. We lost our whole entire life and our purpose and meaning. My goal and my last promise to my daughter at her gravesite was that I will fight to my last breath to find a cure to this cancer that no one is really touching. After being in health care for more than 20 years, I had never heard of this disease. For that to be a primary factor and cause in my childs death, I was just very alarmed to know that zero funding was going toward DIPG; only 4% of federal funding was going toward childhood cancer. I really wanted to devote my time to find a cure and I found an organization that was as dedicated as I was. That organization is known as The Cure Starts Now and Bridier became the director for the Central Texas chapter in order to raise awareness and funds for research to find a cure for families whose children have the disease. The Cure Starts Now has 41 chapters in three countries including the United States, Australia and Canada. At the local level, Bridier and her husband, Troy, a state trooper, wanted to find a way to raise money for research and utilize local law enforcement agencies. I was thinking about what I could do and I was talking to a colleague of mine and I heard them joking around about beards and I wanted to see if they would be allowed to grow beards and raise money for cancer, Vicky Bridier said. They said, There is no way anyone is going to approve that policy. So I reached out to the four agencies here and asked them Will you partner with us? They did partner with her and since 2016, each November and December, officers in the Texas A&M University, Bryan and College Station police departments and the Brazos County Sheriffs Office donate money to the Cure Starts Now-Central Chapter and in exchange get to grow a beard or wear nail polish, which is typically not allowed in uniform. These law enforcement agencies participated in the Beard it Up and Color for the Cure campaigns, raising $10,480. On Wednesday morning they presented a check to Cure Starts Now outside of the Brazos County Sheriffs Office in Bryan. Brazos County law enforcement agencies were the first to join the campaign, and since 2018, more than 110 law enforcement agencies in 21 states have raised over $670,000, according to Kole Taylor, public information officer for the Bryan Police Department. On Nov. 1,2022, officers participating from the local agencies donated $50 to grow a beard or $30 to grow a goatee. Female officers donated $30 to paint their nails a color that coincides with a cancer that has affected them or someone they know. Most of the departments at that time [2016] had strict no-beard policies, Taylor said. Bryan PD as well, we are not allowed to have beards except for at the end of the couple months of the year for this cause. This is a way for our officers to donate, and if you donate to the cause youre able to keep your beard for these couple months. With their full beards and fresh nail polish, the Brazos County law enforcement agencies contributed to Bridiers goal. As of January they have raised $702,000 with 100% of the funds going toward research, which she said is a long way from the first year. I partnered with Austin Chapter Director James Fleming he was a retired officer and his son passed away from DIPG three months after my daughter did, she said. We partnered and we started reaching out and our goal was to raise $10,000 that first year. We raised over $150,000 that year. After reaching a wider audience, Bridier said she established a support group for mothers who had lost their children to this cancer, and so far her group has 50 members. However, with the recent research, she said doctors have been able to expand a childs lifespan after diagnosis. The average lifespan for a child post diagnosis is nine months to live; my daughter didnt have that chance, she said. I want all of the other children to have an opportunity not only to live cancer free, but to live longer than nine months. What we see now with all of the funding we have done with these research studies, is that childrens lives are extending now to two years, three years, four years, we have some battling five years. I hate to see them battle, but their lives have been extended because of this community, of the people who have just poured into the love of donating and supporting us. To find out more or donate to the Central Texas chapter, visit thecurestartsnow.org/get-involved/chapters/texas-central. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe A financially motivated threat actor tracked as Blind Eagle has resurfaced with a refined toolset and an elaborate infection chain as part of its attacks targeting organizations in Colombia and Ecuador. Check Point's latest research offers new insights into the Spanish-speaking group's tactics and techniques, including the use of sophisticated tools and government-themed lures to activate the killchain. Also tracked under the name APT-C-36, Blind Eagle is notable for its narrow geographical focus and launching indiscriminate attacks against South American nations since at least 2018. Blind Eagle's operations have been documented by Trend Micro in September 2021, when it described a spear-phishing campaign primarily aimed at Colombian entities that's designed to deliver a commodity malware known as BitRAT, with a lesser focus towards targets in Ecuador, Spain, and Panama. Attack chains commence with phishing emails containing a booby-trapped link that, when clicked, leads to the deployment of an open source trojan named Quasar RAT with the ultimate goal of gaining access to the victim's bank accounts. Some of targeted banks consists of Banco AV Villas, Banco Caja Social, Banco de Bogota, Banco Popular, Bancoomeva, BBVA, Colpatria, Davivienda, and TransUnion. Should the email recipient be located outside of Colombia, the attack sequence is aborted and the victim is redirected to the official website of the Colombian border control agency, Migracion Colombia. A related campaign singling out both Colombia and Ecuador masquerades as the latter's Internal Revenue Service (SRI) and makes use of a similar geo-blocking technology to filter out requests originating from other countries. This attack, rather than dropping a RAT malware, employs a more complex multi-stage process that abuses the legitimate mshta.exe binary to execute VBScript embedded inside an HTML file to ultimately download two Python scripts. UPCOMING WEBINAR Learn to Secure the Identity Perimeter - Proven Strategies Improve your business security with our upcoming expert-led cybersecurity webinar: Explore Identity Perimeter strategies! Don't Miss Out Save Your Seat! The first of the two, ByAV2.py, is an in-memory loader engineered to run a Meterpreter payload in DLL format. mp.py is also a Meterpreter artifact, only it's programmed in Python, indicating that the threat actor could be using one of them as a redundant method to retain backdoor access to the host. "Blind Eagle is a strange bird among APT groups," the researchers concluded. "Judging by its toolset and usual operations, it is clearly more interested in cybercrime and monetary gain than in espionage." The development comes days after Qualys disclosed that an unknown adversary is leveraging personal information stolen from a Colombian cooperative bank to craft phishing emails that result in the deployment of BitRAT. One more time, U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse sought to play the role of a professorial in-house critic to the Senate, making a farewell address Tuesday that decried performative yelling and extreme partisanship from prophets of despair on the left and right. We seem to be on a foolhardy path of trading the vigor of civic pluralism and consensus building with the disease of my-way-or-the-highway political zealotry, Sasse said. But we get distracted by the differing flavors of the zealotry. We get captivated by the declining brands, Republican and Democrat. Sasse, a Republican from Nebraska, is leaving the Senate two years into his second term. He resigned, effective Sunday, to become president of the University of Florida. While critiquing the Senate and urging it to do better in Tuesdays speech, Sasse did not delve into why he is not staying for the rest of his term to help. A solid conservative Republican vote throughout his eight years in the Senate, Sasse ran afoul of former President Donald Trump during and after his presidency. Sasse referred Tuesday to criticism from Nebraska Republicans after he was one of seven GOP senators to vote in favor of convicting Trump for inciting an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. Our wrestling together, Nebraskans and me over the last eight years, has had some marked ups and downs, as you gave me victories in all 93 counties when I ran for office the very first time in my life in 2014 and then made me the most censured public official in the history of Nebraska over the next six years, Sasse said. But then proceeded two years ago to reelect me again, again winning all 93 counties. He said his relationship with Nebraskans felt many times like a noogie, and a slap, and a headbutt, and a hug all at once. On brand, Sasse peppered his speech with analogies and allusions both lofty and low. He quoted something he said a constituent wrote to him this week: Lets hope that someday the electorate kicks the Senate out of its extended puberty by letting folks know that mooning each other really isnt that cool. Sasse called the U.S. House of Representatives battle over who will be the new speaker the crap show thats happening on the other end of the building right now. Nancy Pelosis party quite obviously lost a referendum on the stewardship of the House of Representatives 60 days ago, but no one won, least of all Kevin McCarthy, Sasse said. Nobody in America is crying out for ambition for ambitions sake. He said false prophets of power and prophets of despair on both the right and left are telling Americans similar stories for similar reasons. They salivate on the idea of chaos in our disrupted age that can be the excuse for seizing more power, Sasse said. They foment anger and fear because they think if were angry and scared enough, well assent to some Caesar-ous solution. The Senate, he said, has a special role to play in American recovery by supporting local institutions, but it is not working well. Sasse said much of what passes for debate in the Senate is performative yelling aimed at landing appearances on cable television shows. So much of the performative BS that happens around here is about getting invited on shows that dont have an audience, Sasse said. These small narrowly targeted programs run on outrage. It is info-tainment fuel. Nobody goes viral for talking about policy trade-offs. And hardly anyone gets booked for a nuanced debate. It is performative, and its beneath the calling of those called to serve in this place. He urged moderation, though not necessarily in policy. We need a Senate that is characterized by tonal and dispositional moderation, Sasse said. And tonal and dispositional moderation flows chiefly from humility, and wisdom, and from an awareness that we are ensouled and that souls cannot be coerced. Sasse said there are three immense and enduring reasons for our hope: the Constitution, our institutions, and most fundamentally the people themselves. TEHRAN, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian foreign minister on Thursday condemned a recent "sacrilegious" visit by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to the Islamic holy site of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, warning the move will have heavy consequences for Israel. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a phone call with Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website. Amir-Abdollahian appreciated the position adopted by the OIC chief in immediate condemnation of the Israeli minister's move to "desecrate" the Al-Aqsa Mosque, proposing the creation of a legal international mechanism for preventing sacrilegious acts against religious authorities and sacred sites. Taha also denounced Ben-Gvir's entry into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound as a "provocative" move, which has "hurt the Muslims' emotions." He said that such Israeli move harms peace and stability in the region, stressing that he is holding consultations with different sides to pressure Israel into putting an end to such actions. In a separate phone conversation with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Thursday, the Iranian foreign minister once again denounced the "desecration" of Al-Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli minister. He also called for greater coordination among Islamic states and their joint action to preserve the historical and legal situation of Al-Aqsa Mosque, highlighting the necessity of establishing a legal mechanism to stop the desecration of Islamic sanctities. The Kuwaiti foreign minister, for his part, also vigorously condemned Ben-Gvir's move, stressing his country's "unchanged position" on the issue of Palestine. He also welcomed Iran's initiative for coordinated action by the OIC to stop Israel's "insulting moves" that endanger regional peace and security. On Tuesday, Ben-Gvir visited the flashpoint holy site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, sparking furious reactions and strong condemnations from the Palestinians and Islamic countries in the Middle East. The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the most sacred place, is regarded by Muslims as their third holiest site. The site has been administered by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, a Jordanian body, since 1948. Under a 1967 agreement between Israel and Jordan, non-Muslim worshippers can visit the compound but are prohibited from praying there. OMAHA Federal regulators have ordered Union Pacific railroad to make sure a livestock producer gets the grain it needs in California to prevent millions of chickens and hundreds of thousands of cattle from starving. The U.S. Surface Transportation Board told the railroad it must improve service to Foster Farms to keep it from running out of feed for livestock it raises. Its the second time in the past year regulators issued an emergency order related to delivery problems at Foster Farms, which is based in Livingston, California, as the railroad struggled with a shortage of crews. This time, however, Union Pacific blamed the weather for its problems. Spokesman Mike Jaixen said last months extreme cold and blizzard conditions slowed deliveries in 20 of the 23 western states the railroad operated in, and additional problems are possible because of the forecast for more severe winter weather. Union Pacific remains committed to serving all of our customers as efficiently as possible, including Foster Farms, weather permitting, Jaixen said. Foster Farms called on the STB to get Union Pacific to give priority to grain trains heading from the Midwest to the livestock producers facilities in Traver, Turlock, and Delhi, California. Union Pacific said the problems at Foster Farms should improve once five trains hauling corn that are already en route arrive, but Jaixen declined to provide an update on those trains Tuesday. The railroad is submitting updates to the STB, but it wants to keep that customer-specific information confidential. Foster Farms attorney Thomas Wilcox said in a letter to regulators that the company has little faith that UP will deliver on its promises because the railroad has failed to deliver any of its grain trains on time in the past two weeks. So in the meantime, Foster Farms has been buying dozens of truckloads of expensive corn to keep its chickens alive while it waits for the grain trains to be delivered, but those truck deliveries cant continue to meet its needs. Union Pacific said its performance has improved since the spring when Foster Farms and many other shippers went before the STB to complain about chronic delivery problems at most of the major freight railroads that were disrupting their businesses. UP and the other major freight railroads have hired hundreds of new workers since the start of the year to help them better handle all the shipments. But railroad executives acknowledge that their service still isnt meeting customer expectations and must continue to improve. Regulators also recently criticized Union Pacifics practice of imposing limits on customer shipments as part of its effort to clear up congestion along the Omaha-based railroads network of 32,400 miles of track across the Western half of the United States. The City of Omaha is requesting an evidentiary hearing in its bid for a new trial in a federal civil case won by a former Omaha police captain. In filings last week, Deputy City Attorney Michelle Peters alleges that one juror of the eight-person jury spoke to people about the trial, which was learned by a former Omaha police officer during the trial. However, that former police officer told The World-Herald that he did not even talk to the juror until after the verdict came out. After a four-day trial in September, a jury unanimously determined that former Capt. Kathy Belcastro-Gonzalez had been wrongly passed over for promotion to deputy chief because she had filed a discrimination complaint with the Mayors Office. The jury awarded Belcastro-Gonzalez a total of $700,000. The city had filed a motion for a new trial in October, alleging juror misconduct and nullification, plus other issues dealing with the admissibility of evidence. Peters wrote in a brief Wednesday that Oscar Dieguez, a former Omaha police officer, had contacted Deputy Chief Tom Shaffer, who testified in the September trial, and told him that he had a friend on the jury. The juror was not named in Peters filings, but she deduced which juror it likely was. In court documents filed this month, Peters submitted Shaffers affidavit detailing the juror misconduct allegations. That affidavit is not available to the public be Peters filed it under restricted view because it contained unspecified confidential information, including juror information. Peters wrote that the exact discussions between Dieguez and the juror are unknown and that at this time, there is not overwhelming evidence, which is why Peters requested an evidentiary hearing to listen to Dieguez and the juror. The Court can bring in Mr. Dieguez and the juror he spoke to and determine whether the conversation(s) were prejudicial and created an unfair process for the defendants, and whether those conversations improperly influenced (the juror) or whether those discussions were shared with the other jurors. Peters said the juror spoke to Dieguez or others during the trial and discussed the case, which would be a violation of the jury instructions. Dieguez disputes that. He said he heard from a mutual friend about the juror who was assigned to the case and thought that was interesting but then didnt contact the juror until after he saw an Omaha World-Herald article reporting the verdict. I saw your guys article, saying the verdict was out, and got ahold of them, he said. I didnt speak to the juror until after the verdict came out. In an interview, Peters said it would be juror misconduct for an active juror to share what trial he or she was involved with. Peters said that Dieguez texted Shaffer on Sept. 7, the second day of the trial, that he knows one of the jurors. The only way that (Dieguez) could have known that was if a juror had told him that or told somebody they mutually know, she said. That in it of itself was a violation of (the juror) oath. Judges order jurors not to read outside information about a case or discuss it with other jurors or anyone outside of trial requirements which are dropped once a verdict has been rendered. Many judges even instruct jurors to tell others who approach them about a case that they are a juror and therefore they cannot talk about it. Responding to the citys filings, Belcastro-Gonzalezs attorney Tom White wrote that the city provided no evidence that juror misconduct or nullification occurred and that the city only said there may have been. According to Whites recounting of the confidential Shaffer affidavit, Shaffer later contacted Dieguez on Sept. 13, the day after the jury rendered their verdict. Mr. Dieguez then relates he spoke to his friend who allegedly said that Mr. Shaffers testimony was sincere but that jurors did not like how things were handled after the errors were discovered and they had to send a message to the city, White wrote in his brief. White first argued that Shaffers affidavit is hearsay and then said that Shaffer never said he was aware of any current or inappropriate communications with a juror. And, White said, if Shaffer knew of the juror contacts during the trial, he did not report the matter or did not believe it was inappropriate. White also questioned why the city didnt provide an affidavit from Dieguez or supply the text communications. When reached for comment, White said he wanted the Shaffer affidavit to be public. We want the record open because then the public can realize that the jury and the verdict were in no way compromised, he said. The public has every reason to trust the integrity of our court system here in Nebraska and the evidence will justify that trust. Shaffer declined to comment and referred questions to the City Attorneys Office for further clarification. In an email, City Attorney Matt Kuhse said the citys legal arguments are sufficient comment. I would only add that the city is in the early stages of our appeal and there are other avenues that the city will pursue. One year ago: Epic wind event in Nebraska High winds Tree down Watch Now: Storm moves through Lincoln Robinson Elementary School, 12.15 Fence Watch now: December storm rolls through Lincoln Tree uprooted on Sheridan Boulevard Watch: High wind warning storm passes through Lincoln High winds roll through downtown Omaha 121621-owh-new-wind-ar02 121621-owh-new-wind-ar03 121621-owh-new-wind-pic-cm001 Watch Now: High-wind storm in Lincoln Weather, 12.15 Weather, 12.15 Weather, 12.15 Watch Now: Time-lapse of the storm rolling into Lincoln Severe weather damage Severe weather damage Severe weather damage Severe weather damage High winds High winds Watch Now: Lincoln storms High winds Watch Now: Omaha storms Tree down Watch Now: West Point storms Camper Debris Loup Watch Now: Columbus storms Watch Now: Kearney storms Watch Now: Fremont storms Watch Now: South Sioux City storms Watch Now: Papillion storms Watch Now: State Patrol cruiser captures semi tipping over near Lincoln Watch Now: Severe storms in Nebraska Grants & Scholarships ALAS Educational Leadership Prize, $10K, Awarded to Connecticut Educator Daisy Torres The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents recently named Daisy Torres as the recipient of its 2022 ALAS Scholarship, sponsored by Curriculum Associates, according to a news release. Torres, the director of services for multilingual learners, dual and world languages at Hartford Public Schools in Connecticut, will receive $10,000 toward her doctoral degree in educational leadership. Torres is an award-winning bilingual educator with more than 20 years of urban school experience at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. In her current role, she oversees programming and services for students in one of Connecticuts largest school districts. Under her leadership, more than 400 students in Hartford Public Schools have been awarded the Seal of Biliteracy. Torres is also leading efforts in the recruitment and retention of 14 teachers from Puerto Rico as part of an innovative Paso a Paso program to diversify talent in the district. Previously, Torres served as the director of bilingual, ESOL, world language, and parent engagement for New London Public Schools in Connecticut, where she created New Londons first-ever Parent University, launched a college- and career-readiness program for middle school students called Latinos in Action, and led program development and design for the districts magnet Dual Language and International Studies K12 pathway. She is also a published author: her bilingual children's book I'll See You on the Bridge was published in 2019. Torres holds a Master of Arts in TESOL/Multicultural and Bilingual Education, a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, and a sixth-year professional diploma in educational leadership from Southern Connecticut State University. Learn more about ALAS scholarship opportunities for educators at ALASEdu.org/Scholarship. CARBONDALE The Rev. Susan Hayward, associate director for the Religious Literacy and Professions Initiative at Harvard Divinity School, will join the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute for a virtual discussion on Tuesday, Jan. 10. Hayward, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, will join John Shaw, institute director, at 2 p.m. for a conversation via Zoom as part of the institutes Understanding Our New World series. The event is free and open to the public; registration is required to gain access to the Zoom webinar. Visit paulsimoninstitute.org/events to register. Hayward and Shaw will discuss Haywards pioneering research on how religious literacy affects global affairs and the importance of interfaith engagement during times of political violence. They will also discuss Haywards research on women, religion, and peacebuilding. Hayward previously worked at the U.S. Institute of Peace and taught at Georgetown University and George Washington University. She lectures to American diplomats at the U.S. Foreign Service Institute. Hayward has a bachelors degree in comparative religions from Tufts University and masters degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and Harvard Divinity School. Rev. Hayward is a path-breaking scholar who skillfully analyzes the complex relationship between religion and international affairs, Shaw said. Drawing on insights she has gained from field work in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Iraq and elsewhere, Rev. Haywards work is academically rigorous and accessible to the general public. We are eager to learn how greater religious literacy among Americans can help the United States operate more successfully on the international stage. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for Hayward on their registration form or email questions to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu. Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be honored in Orangeburg with a street-naming ceremony. Amelia Street will be named Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard during the ceremony. The event will be held on Monday, Jan. 16, which is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A march will begin at Trinity United Methodist Church at 9:30 a.m. and will go to the Martin Luther King Jr. statue on Amelia Street at the Orangeburg County Courthouse. Participants are asked to line up around 9 a.m. at the church. The street dedication ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be hosted by Orangeburg County and the City of Orangeburg. The naming of the street was spearheaded by Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler. Butler approached members of the Orangeburg County Legislative Delegation about honoring King, and they unanimously agreed to the approach. The S.C. Department of Transportation also approved the naming. Amelia Street ends at Trinity United Methodist Church and the universities. King spoke at them all. The resolution approved by the SCDOT commission notes that King delivered a speech at Trinity in the early 1960s reassuring those in attendance that their cause was a righteous one, and he reinforced the importance of non-violence. Dr. Kings speech lifted their spirits, making them all believe that anything was possible. King also, was instrumental in inspiring the citizens of Orangeburg to zealously march, picket, boycott and demonstrate in support of their cause for civil rights. A statue of Dr. King stands along Amelia Street by the Courthouse. The resolution also notes Dr. King gave speeches to students at both Claflin University and South Carolina State University, inspiring them to become involved in the Civil Rights Movement. The street naming will be similar to how a portion of Boulevard Street is named Webber Boulevard in honor of the late Dr. Clemmie Embly Webber and a portion of U.S. Highway 301 is named Marshall B. Williams Boulevard in honor of the late senator. Homes and businesses along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard will continue to have an Amelia Street address for mail and other official purposes. HARARE, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean authorities have warned of possible floods in most of the country due to heavy rains expected to fall between Friday and Sunday. A statement issued by the acting chief director in the Department of Civil Protection, Nathan Nkomo, late Wednesday said that rains in excess of 65 mm were expected in 24 hours in three Mashonaland provinces and Manicaland, Midlands and Masvingo provinces. "The Department of Civil Protection is urging citizens to be on high alert of forecasted torrential rains," he said. "We also call on all relevant stakeholders and traditional leaders to find ways to disseminate the information to their various communities in particular all Mashonaland, Manicaland, parts of the Midlands and Masvingo provinces where heavy rains in excess of 65 mm are expected in 24 hours," he said. He further urged citizens to take heed of the Meteorological Services Department alerts as they continue monitoring the unfolding situation. "Citizens should be on the watch for possible flooding, avoid crossing flooded rivers or streams and stay indoors during the period as the heavy rains may reduce visibility for motorists," he said. Some people have died in the past after attempting to cross flooded rivers, either on foot or in vehicles, despite numerous warnings for them to desist from such practices. Others staying in low-lying areas often take their time to leave their homesteads, resulting in them being marooned and prompting the Air Force of Zimbabwe to dispatch helicopters to rescue them. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley will today turn the sod for the construction of the 112 mega watt (MWac) solar project. The sod-turning comes almost three years after the consortium of bpTT and Shell were selected as the preferred bidder on the project which has caused an escalation in cost to taxpayers. A relative of one of the two men killed along the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway in Piarco, on Monday night, heard the gunshots that ended their lives and saw the vehicle they were in pull to the side of the road. The dead men are Shamba Chandler, a resident of Maracas/St Joseph and Mt DOr Road, Champs Fleurs, and Carlsbury Lewis, also known as Berry, of Mohammed Street, St Augustine. LAGOS, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Eighteen people were killed Wednesday following a head-on collision between a bus and a trailer on a busy road in Nigeria's northeastern state of Bauchi, a local official said Thursday. A total of 21 people were involved in the deadly road accident Wednesday evening near the Nabardo village in the Toro local government area of the state, with three people inside the trailer escaping unhurt, said Yusuf Abdullahi, commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Bauchi State, at a press briefing. Abdullahi said the bus with 18 people aboard, including the driver, went up in flames after the head-on collision with the trailer; both the driver and the entire occupants of the bus were killed. He attributed the accident to a speed violation by the bus driver, who lost control, left his lane and faced the oncoming trailer. The road official advised road users always to be conscious of traffic rules and regulations while plying the roads. Deadly road accidents are frequently reported in Nigeria and are often caused by overloading, bad road conditions and reckless driving. The growing demand for gun licences by members of the business community is understandable, but far from being the practical solution to crime that many seem to believe it to be. With home invasions on the rise, it is debatable whether the business community is at any greater risk of crime than any other group. Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services PHOENIX Katie Hobbs offered Thursday to work with Republicans even as she warned them that some ideas and items are off limits and essentially would be courting vetoes. Let me say unequivocally to every elected official here today that if youre ready to make real progress on the issues that matter most to the people of this state, then my door is always open, the new governor said in her inaugural speech. Hobbs then detailed what she said are her priorities, some of which may not find that common ground she says she seeks. And near the top of that list, she said, is to defend reproductive freedom and womens rights. Hobbs no longer needs to fulfill a campaign promise to call a special legislative session to repeal a law that dates back to territorial days that outlaws all abortions except to save the life of the mother. The state Court of Appeals ruled last month that was superseded by a 2022 measure allowing doctors to perform the procedure through the 15th week of pregnancy. And with Thursdays speech, she sent the message that efforts to repeal that more permissive law would go nowhere if and when they reach her desk. But Hobbs in her campaign has staked out a broader position, seeking to return the law to the way it was in Arizona before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the historic Roe v. Wade decision that said women have a constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy at least through the point of fetal viability, generally considered to be 22 to 24 weeks. That, however, is unlikely to find a majority at the Legislature. Hobbs, aware of that, has said she would support a 2024 ballot initiative to accomplish the same goal. The other priority she emphasized is safeguarding elections. That comes after years of GOP lawmakers, often backed by Doug Ducey, her predecessor, have sought to impose new restrictions ranging from additional voter identification requirements to mandating hand counts of ballots, all in the name of election security. Hobbs had a particular message for proponents of not just those measures but other ideas that she finds unacceptable. Let me also says just as clearly that chasing conspiracy theories, pushing agenda for special interests, attacking the rights of your fellow Arizonans, or seeking to further undermine our democracy will lead nowhere, she said. Hobbs also called on lawmakers to invest in public schools and finally provide the support our students, teachers and parents deserve. While the GOP-controlled legislature recently approved additional funding for K-12 education, it also enacted a program of universal vouchers, allowing any student to get taxpayer funds to attend private or parochial schools. And some lawmakers already are asking for more dollars. Other priorities many expressed in more generic terms may find a better reception at the House and Senate. These include: Creating good paying jobs. Supporting public safety in all communities. Providing access to safe and affordable housing. Securing Arizonas water future. Protecting forest and public lands. The new governor also had an agenda item that could find bipartisan support. She wants to hold Washington accountable for our broken immigration system and its devastating impact on families and communities. But Hobbs provided no details of what she believes that means, either in terms of border protection something she has previously said is not the job of the state or as far as providing for work opportunities for migrants or creating a path to citizenship for dreamers, youngsters who arrived in this country illegally and, under a directive from former President Barack Obama, have been allowed to stay and work but with no clear law about their status. Hobbs also said the state needs to recognize that too many families are struggling to afford the rising costs of essentials like groceries, gas and rent. I know firsthand how families feel when they work hard all week and still come up short, how it feels to have to work a second and third job to make ends meet, how it feels to lose your home to foreclosure, how it feels to grow up in a family that relies on food stamps or other assistance just to get by, she said. Her speech, however, proposed no specific ideas to address that, leaving open the possibility there will be more when she gives her first State of the State speech on Monday. Hobbs also said the election outcome represents a new chapter in the story of our beloved state. You embraced the challenge before us and rejected those who seek to divide, to pit Arizonan against Arizonan, community against community, she said. Instead, you sent a message that its time your elected officials worked together to find real solutions and to build an Arizona for everyone. And she spoke particularly of her victory over Republican Kari Lake, albeit by only about 17,000 votes. You, the people of Arizona, gave me a clear directive: Find common ground, work with people and not political parties, and embrace the challenges that stand before us, Hobbs said. I pledge to you that I will not forget this charge because, just like you, I see challenge as opportunity, she continued. Its not always going to be easy, but just like Arizona, I never back down from a tough fight. Chinese company to make high-end garments at Bangladesh economic zone Xinhua) 10:38, January 05, 2023 DHAKA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) signed an agreement on Wednesday with a Chinese company to set up a high-end garments industry in the country. The SSH (BD) Sustainable Fashion Co. Ltd. will invest millions of U.S. dollars to build its garments factory in a BEPZA economic zone. According to a BEPZA statement, the Chinese company will annually produce 36 million pieces of high-end garment products, including jackets, blazers, coats, suits, pants, trousers, jeans, and shirts, among others. It will create employment opportunities for 2,062 local people, said the statement. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) FREETOWN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio said Wednesday that his government valued the mutual relationship between Sierra Leone and China that has stretched for decades. The president commented while receiving the new Chinese ambassador to Sierra Leone Wang Qing at the State House. "My government is grateful for the relationship between the two countries. At the height of COVID-19, my government got support from China. So, we have enjoyed the relationship at both bilateral and multilateral levels. We are two great friends," Bio said. Bio also assured Wang of his full support in promoting the relations between the two countries. "China and Sierra Leone have enjoyed a great friendship with the aim of having a community of a shared future. I know I will get maximum support from the government and the people of Sierra Leone throughout my stay," said Wang. Does Eat Place, which has been serving steak by the pound and tamales by the dozens in downtown Claremore, announced that it will close following dinner service on Jan. 28. Owner Betty Watowich said the decision to close the restaurant, 520 Will Rogers Blvd., was made because it was getting increasingly difficult to operate without raising her prices. The economy, to be honest, has been pretty cruel, Watowich said. In order for us to keep going, I would have to raise my prices, and I think right now our prices are about as high as I think our market here in Claremore can accept. Its also getting harder and harder to find and keep staff, because even though weve increased our staffs pay, its hard to compete when they can find something that pays more, she said. Watowich opened the Claremore restaurant in 2018 after retiring from her job in the home office of Walmart in Bentonville, Arkansas. The couple relocated to the Claremore area but would often return to Bentonville to dine at the Does Eat Place there. Watowich inquired about a franchise and found an appropriate location for the restaurant in downtown Claremore. Does Eat Place is a regional chain founded in 1941 in Greenville, Mississippi, specializing in thick-cut dry-aged steaks, most of which average about 2 pounds, as well as beef tamales served with a homemade chili. There are two Does Eat Places in Louisiana, as well as three in Arkansas: Bentonville, Fayetteville and Little Rock. A Does Eat Place operated for 11 years on Tulsas Cherry Street before closing in 2015. Watowich said since the announcement on the restaurants Facebook page she has received several inquiries about the property. This wasnt a restaurant space when we started we built the kitchen from the ground up, she said. Im fairly certain that another restaurant will take this location over after we close. As for her own plans, Watowich said she is not certain what might be next. I know Ill find something to do, because Im one of those people who get bored easily, she said. But exactly what Ill do, I have no idea. Im just going to keep an open mind and see what comes along. Boston Deli offers surf & turf special This months Chefs Special at the Boston Deli, 6231 E. 61st St., is a variation on the classic pairing of surf & turf, with a menu that features a pork steak grilled over pecan wood in the restaurants signature Hasty Bake ovens. The pork steak, which is glazed with a mix of Jack Daniels whiskey and cola, is paired with shrimp coated in coconut and panko bread crumbs, then fried and served with a spicy orange marmalade sauce. Sides include a warm potato salad made with coal-roasted potatoes, dill, onion and bacon; and Southern-style French green beans, made with diced smoked pork loin, butter and garlic. Dessert is a German chocolate mousse with toasted pecans, a caramel sauce and coconut whipped cream. The Chefs Special is available from 5 to 8 p.m. each Thursday in January. Cost is $31 per person, and wine and beer pairing are available. Reservations are strongly recommended. 918-492-4745, thebostondeli.com. Carrabbas toasts new year with wine dinner Carrabbas Italian Grill, 11021 E. 71st St., will host a Toast to the New Year Wine Dinner that will feature a four-course Italian dinner paired with wines from the William Hill and Duckhorn Vineyards of California. The dinner will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10. The menu for the dinner will begin with a salad of grilled eggplant, romaine, spinach, artichoke hearts, red bell peppers and Italian cheeses topped with slices of pistachio-crusted goat cheese; followed by linguine pasta in a champagne cream sauce with shrimp, scallops, roasted bell peppers, sauteed mushrooms and tarragon. The entree will be Sirloin Ardente, topped with tomatoes, garlic, basil and melted gorgonzola cheese and served with sauteed broccoli. Chocolate cannoli filled with chocolate ricotta and chocolate chips will be served for dessert. Cost is $55 per person, and reservations are strongly recommended. 918-254-8888, carrabbas.com. Featured video: A man believed to be involved in a mid-October homicide has been charged with first-degree murder. Jayveon Washington is accused of fatally shooting Isaac Walker, 21, around 5:45 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Sunset Plaza apartments, 258 E. Independence St., an affidavit states. According to witnesses, Washington and Walker had been fighting with each other for a couple of months before the shooting. In one incident, Walker had stabbed Washington, the affidavit says. After the stabbing, Washington and his girlfriend relocated to Little Rock, Arkansas, to stay with family, according to the affidavit. A couple of weeks before Walker was killed, witnesses reported a phone call from Washingtons girlfriend saying they were headed back to Tulsa and that Washington intended to shoot Walker, the affidavit states. Cellphone records show Washingtons presence in Tulsa around the time of the homicide, the affidavit reads. Additional records show that a GPS device in a white Toyota Camry that belonged to Washingtons aunt was shut off on Oct. 14 and reactivated the next day, the affidavit states. A car matching the Camrys description was spotted on surveillance video at the Pine Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard intersection about the time of the shooting, driving away from the apartment complex, the affidavit states. Washington was charged on Dec. 28, court records show. He was not in the Tulsa County jail as of Wednesday evening. First District Congressman Kevin Hern isnt saying no to the possibility of becoming a compromise candidate for U.S. speaker of the House. Hern, starting only his third term, received two votes from new 2nd District Congressman-elect Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma and Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert on the eighth ballot Thursday afternoon and continued to receive votes through subsequent ballots. He received seven votes on the 10th and 11th ballots. With a bloc of 20 fellow Republicans holding firm against their conferences elected leader, Kevin McCarthy of California, anything is possible. Both Hern and Oklahoma 4th District Congressman Tom Cole have previously been mentioned as alternatives to McCarthy, who needs almost every GOP vote to be elected speaker because of the partys narrow majority. Asked about the two votes, Herns press office sent a link to a statement made to Reese Gorman of The Frontier that says, in part, If I hear my name, its something Ill have to think and pray about before deciding if its a job Ill run for. To a World reporter's response that that doesnt sound like a no, Herns communications director said, You are not wrong. Hern, Cole and new 2nd District Congressman-elect Josh Brecheen have been in the middle of the speaker fight, now in its third day. Cole is a close ally of McCarthy and stands to become chairman of the powerful Rules Committee when a new speaker is finally chosen. Becheen, on the other hand, is one of the 20 blocking McCarthys election and is holding out for a rules change that would lessen Coles power by opening up the amendment process. For the past several congresses and the proposed rules for the 118th Congress, amendments have had to go through the Rules Committee to get a vote on the floor. Brecheen maintains that the procedure leads to omnibus spending packages like the one passed at the end of December, which he says contributes to unsustainable deficits. Reportedly, Cole has been acting as an intermediary in trying to work out a deal that will get the votes needed for McCarthy to win the speakership. A request for comment from Cole on Thursday had not been answered by evening. Brecheen, speaking before his first vote for Hern on Thursday, did not answer directly when asked whether his position was causing conflicts with Oklahomas other four House members, all of whom have voted for McCarthy. As long as the motives of the people involved are pure, we can find a solution. I appreciation the others in the delegation, said Brecheen, who voted for Hern on the eighth and ninth ballots for speaker. Fifth District Congresswoman Stephanie Bice, who voted for McMarthy again Thursday, said Wednesday on "Meet the Press" that she plans to stick with him for the long haul. At the end of the day, we believe Kevin McCarthy is best prepared to lead this conference in the 118th (Congress), and were prepared to stay here as long as it takes, Bice said. Hern received seven votes, including from Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, in the 10th ballot. The late Carl Albert, a Democrat, is the only Oklahoma to have served as U.S. speaker of the House. He served from 1971 to 1977. OKLAHOMA CITY Four new settlements in the states opioid litigation were announced Wednesday by Attorney General John OConnor. With these new settlements, Oklahoma has recovered more than $900 million, according to OConnors office. Oklahoma ranks near the top of all states in total funds recovered on a per capita basis from the companies alleged to bear partial responsibility for the states opioid crisis, OConnors office said in a press release. The announcement follows settlements agreed to by the state in December with Allergan Pharmaceuticals, CVS, Walgreen Co. and Walmart Inc. Oklahoma will recover $226.1 million from these new settlements, including up to $79.5 million from Walgreens, $73 million from CVS, $41 million from Walmart and $32.6 million from Allergan, an opioid manufacturer. The opioid crisis has inflicted unspeakable pain on Oklahoma families and caused the deaths of thousands of Oklahomans, OConnor said. Between 2016 and 2020, more than 3,000 Oklahomans died from opioid overdoses. These recent settlements bring Oklahomas total recoveries from opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to almost $1 billion. As with prior opioid settlement funds, Oklahomas recoveries must be used to abate and treat opioid addictions and to save lives across our state. The payments are structured to ensure critical support in early years as well as sustained resources over time. Most of Walmarts amount will be paid during 2023; CVSs payments will be spread over 10 years; and Walgreens' payments will be spread over 15 years. To achieve maximum recoveries, the cities and counties within the state would have to sign onto these settlements, OConnors office said. Part of the funds will be distributed to them. I would like to thank the states legal team, which includes the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office and the states outside Counsel, Whitten Burrage and Nix Patterson, for their professionalism, hard work, and dedication over the past five years to secure these landmark settlements for Oklahomans, OConnor said. The states outside counsel said in a joint statement, Weve dedicated the last five years of our lives in and out of the courtroom to helping Oklahoma on the path to recovery from the opioid crisis. It has been an honor to work closely with the Attorney Generals Office, numerous state agencies, legislative leadership, the Oklahoma Commission on Opioid Abuse, and the courageous families who have lost loved ones to this crisis. While our work in the courtroom has come to an end, we will continue to work in the community to offer help. OConnors office did not provide a response to a question about how much the outside law firms had been paid. Featured video: CVS and Walgreens agree to pay a combined $10.7 billion opioid crisis settlement An effort is underway to expand turnpike construction under the guise of economic development. After reviewing the troubled history and past performance of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, we believe projects such as the controversial $5 billion ACCESS Oklahoma project will harm the state. The proposed turnpike expansions will not improve highway safety, reduce traffic or bring development or prosperity. Instead, they are likely to result in annual double-digit toll increases for all drivers and widespread environmental destruction. In short, we believe these new turnpikes would become some of the most expensive mistakes in Oklahoma history. The three new turnpikes planned for the Norman-Oklahoma City area have been resoundingly criticized by local officials and civil engineers because the proposed routes make no economic, engineering or environmental sense. No traffic or environmental studies have been shared with the public, and two of the proposed alignments the south extension and east-west connector planned for east and north Norman would endanger the citys main drinking water reservoir. The routes are too far east to divert traffic from Interstate 35 and would instead pave over the rare geological formation that produces the worlds only barite rose rocks the official state rock of Oklahoma. The proposed turnpikes would also destroy and force hundreds of families out of their homes at a time when available housing is at a 10-year low. Furthermore, the construction of the three new proposed turnpikes is legally unauthorized and prohibited under Oklahomas Turnpike Enabling Act. The act commands that the Legislature, and not the OTA, gets to decide whether and where a new turnpike is built. The three new turnpikes violate the rule of law, the principles of representative democracy and are a clear case of government overreach. City officials in Norman have repeatedly denounced the OTA for keeping these projects secret no elected officials nor any of the over 650 directly impacted homeowners whose properties lie in the path of the proposed routes were invited to take part in the planning process. A judge in Cleveland County agreed. On Dec. 1, the OTA was found guilty of willfully violating the states Open Meeting Act in a legal case that represented 246 affected property owners. The consequences are significant as it invalidates all contract work on the ACCESS Oklahoma turnpike projects performed to date. Twelve engineering firms must now return more than $30 million already received for advance design and right-of-way work. An additional $113.5 million in contracts for pending work were invalidated. This legal ruling reveals the high cost of the OTAs lack of oversight and poor management. Instead of bringing prosperity and much needed development, the OTA has created uncertainty and financial hardship for its contractors. Several other legal challenges are underway with allegations of OTA skirting the rules. Tulsa-area residents should also be aware of the numerous controversies surrounding the recently completed Gilcrease Turnpike extension, including unexpected tolls. With this track record, we are comfortable predicting the ACCESS Oklahoma projects will fail, and those failures will be unbearably expensive. OTA already has the highest debt burden of any state agency, and Oklahoma has more turnpike miles per capita than any other state. ACCESS Oklahoma would create $5 billion worth of new debt and irreparable harm for grandiose projects that are wholly unnecessary. We encourage all Oklahomans to join us in lobbying for a thorough audit of the OTA and a moratorium on all new turnpike construction projects. Featured video: A massive rise in the demand for data storage and the resulting increase in high-quality data centers (DCs) being built to meet that demand have led to Vietnam being named amongst the worlds top 10 emerging markets in the data storage industry. Both foreign and domestic businesses are looking to cash in on Vietnams demand for data storage. In mid-December of last year, local tech firm VNG Corporation put its 12,400-square-meter VNG Data Center into operation in Ho Chi Minh City. VNG Data Center currently features 410 server racks, but plans are in place to expand the centers capacity to 1,600 racks to meet the safe data storage and cloud computing needs of its clients. It is one of three DCs in Vietnam that have been awarded a Tier III certification of design documents (TCDD) and constructed facility (TCCF) by Uptime Institute, the worlds most prestigious data center evaluation system. Vietnams Viettel Group has also involved itself in the DC industry. In October of last year, the military-run corporation launched the Viettel Cloud ecosystem with 13 centers measuring a combined 60,000 square meters and including 9,000 racks. The group also announced that it would invest an additional VND10 trillion (US$426.5 million) in Viettel Cloud to expand its scale to 17,000 racks by 2025. Furthermore, in August 2022, CMC Corporation inaugurated a 13,000-square meter, 1,200-rack DC in Ho Chi Minh City. The center cost VND1.5 trillion ($64 million). In addition to domestic enterprises, several foreign firms have built DCs in Vietnam. For example, Japans NTT Group in March of last year partnered with Quang Dung Technology Distribution Joint Stock Company, an arm of GREENFEED Vietnam Corporation, to develop a Tier III DC in Ho Chi Minh City. The center is expected to be put into service in 2024. Tough competition According to Huy Nguyen, founder and CEO of KardiaChain and former senior technical director at Google, it is no surprise that Vietnam is attracting domestic and global investors in the DC industry, especially given the sector's massive financial upside. My company currently pays a Vietnamese company $50,000 per month for data storage services," Huy Nguyen said. An expert in the sector told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that leading global Internet service providers, such as Google, Facebook, and Apple, had installed servers at DCs in Vietnam before the Law on Cyber Security took effect on October 1, 2022. Pursuant to the law, foreign enterprises providing services in Vietnam must store the data of Vietnamese users locally. Nevertheless, Huy Nguyen assessed that DCs in Vietnam remain small compared with those operated by large firms in other countries, such as AWS, Google, and Microsoft. Domestic DCs currently fail to meet local demands as they have been prioritized for state-owned enterprises and firms which are required to store their data in Vietnam. Due to their small scale, local DC service providers charge high costs compared to companies like AWS, Google, and Microsoft. Vietnams digital transformation is still in progress, so the country still needs to develop more DCs to meet its demand and eventually dominate the Southeast Asian market, Huy Nguyen added. A future regional powerhouse Vietnam was listed amongst the top 10 emerging markets in the global data center industry in 2021 by ResearchAndMarkets, one of the worlds largest market research organizations. The Southeast Asian country generated revenue of some $858 million from DCs in 2020. The Vietnamese data center market is projected to post a growth rate of nearly 15 percent per year until 2026. The growth rate of the Vietnamese data center market is impressive with its capability to provide services meeting international standards and large enterprises, according to ResearchAndMarkets. Domestic enterprises also expect that made-in-Vietnam DCs will significantly contribute to the countrys digital economic development. Tao Duc Thang, chairman and general director of Viettel Group, said it had set a target to provide each Vietnamese citizen, household, organization, and enterprise with a cloud-based data store located in Vietnam and researched, developed, and operated by Vietnamese engineers. Meanwhile, Nguyen Trung Chinh, chairman and executive president of CMC Corporation, said the launch of its DC in August last year is a milestone in pushing Vietnam toward becoming a digital hub in the Asia-Pacific region. To date, Vietnam has been home to nearly 30 DCs, with over 46 percent located in the north, 35 percent in the south, and some 18 percent in the central region. Since 2010, the power volume consumed by DCs in Vietnam has tripled. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A massive rise in the demand for data storage and the resulting increase in high-quality data centers (DCs) being built to meet that demand have led to Vietnam being named amongst the worlds top 10 emerging markets in the data storage industry. Both foreign and domestic businesses are looking to cash in on Vietnams demand for data storage. In mid-December of last year, local tech firm VNG Corporation put its 12,400-square-meter VNG Data Center into operation in Ho Chi Minh City. VNG Data Center currently features 410 server racks, but plans are in place to expand the centers capacity to 1,600 racks to meet the safe data storage and cloud computing needs of its clients. It is one of three DCs in Vietnam that have been awarded a Tier III certification of design documents (TCDD) and constructed facility (TCCF) by Uptime Institute, the worlds most prestigious data center evaluation system. Vietnams Viettel Group has also involved itself in the DC industry. In October of last year, the military-run corporation launched the Viettel Cloud ecosystem with 13 centers measuring a combined 60,000 square meters and including 9,000 racks. The group also announced that it would invest an additional VND10 trillion (US$426.5 million) in Viettel Cloud to expand its scale to 17,000 racks by 2025. Furthermore, in August 2022, CMC Corporation inaugurated a 13,000-square meter, 1,200-rack DC in Ho Chi Minh City. The center cost VND1.5 trillion ($64 million). In addition to domestic enterprises, several foreign firms have built DCs in Vietnam. For example, Japans NTT Group in March of last year partnered with Quang Dung Technology Distribution Joint Stock Company, an arm of GREENFEED Vietnam Corporation, to develop a Tier III DC in Ho Chi Minh City. The center is expected to be put into service in 2024. Tough competition According to Huy Nguyen, founder and CEO of KardiaChain and former senior technical director at Google, it is no surprise that Vietnam is attracting domestic and global investors in the DC industry, especially given the sector's massive financial upside. My company currently pays a Vietnamese company $50,000 per month for data storage services," Huy Nguyen said. An expert in the sector told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that leading global Internet service providers, such as Google, Facebook, and Apple, had installed servers at DCs in Vietnam before the Law on Cyber Security took effect on October 1, 2022. Pursuant to the law, foreign enterprises providing services in Vietnam must store the data of Vietnamese users locally. Nevertheless, Huy Nguyen assessed that DCs in Vietnam remain small compared with those operated by large firms in other countries, such as AWS, Google, and Microsoft. Domestic DCs currently fail to meet local demands as they have been prioritized for state-owned enterprises and firms which are required to store their data in Vietnam. Due to their small scale, local DC service providers charge high costs compared to companies like AWS, Google, and Microsoft. Vietnams digital transformation is still in progress, so the country still needs to develop more DCs to meet its demand and eventually dominate the Southeast Asian market, Huy Nguyen added. A future regional powerhouse Vietnam was listed amongst the top 10 emerging markets in the global data center industry in 2021 by ResearchAndMarkets, one of the worlds largest market research organizations. The Southeast Asian country generated revenue of some $858 million from DCs in 2020. The Vietnamese data center market is projected to post a growth rate of nearly 15 percent per year until 2026. The growth rate of the Vietnamese data center market is impressive with its capability to provide services meeting international standards and large enterprises, according to ResearchAndMarkets. Domestic enterprises also expect that made-in-Vietnam DCs will significantly contribute to the countrys digital economic development. Tao Duc Thang, chairman and general director of Viettel Group, said it had set a target to provide each Vietnamese citizen, household, organization, and enterprise with a cloud-based data store located in Vietnam and researched, developed, and operated by Vietnamese engineers. Meanwhile, Nguyen Trung Chinh, chairman and executive president of CMC Corporation, said the launch of its DC in August last year is a milestone in pushing Vietnam toward becoming a digital hub in the Asia-Pacific region. To date, Vietnam has been home to nearly 30 DCs, with over 46 percent located in the north, 35 percent in the south, and some 18 percent in the central region. Since 2010, the power volume consumed by DCs in Vietnam has tripled. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out the news you should not miss today: Society -- The 10-year-old boy who fell into a 35-meter-deep hollow concrete pile in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has passed away, local authorities said on Wednesday night. -- A new Omicron sub-variant named XBB, believed to be fast-spreading and capable of evading immune responses, has been detected in Ho Chi Minh City. -- Police in Ho Chi Minh City are investigating suspected infractions at an automotive registration center in Nha Be District as its director was found illiterate on Wednesday. -- A 30-year-old woman from Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam was taken to the hospital for emergency care after getting injections of cosmetic fillers into her buttocks and experiencing severe reactions and tissue necrosis earlier this week. -- Police in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam arrested six suspects to facilitate their investigation into a case where a 16-year-old girl was sold to a human trafficking ring on Wednesday. -- Doctors at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi said on Wednesday that they had successfully saved a patient who was suffering from multi-organ failure as a result of overusing corticosteroids to treat the flu at home. -- Twenty-nine men from Ha Tinh Province in north-central Vietnam were fined VND11 million (US$467) each for disobeying the order to undergo a medical checkup for military service in 2023, local authorities said on Wednesday. Lifestyle -- The Can Tho administration, located in Vietnams Mekong Delta, has decided to hold a series of fireworks displays at four venues across the city to ring in the 2023 Lunar New Year. -- Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City issued a decision to establish the Ho Chi Minh City Culinary Association on Wednesday in order to coordinate the local gastronomy industry to promote food culture in the metropolis and throughout Vietnam. World News -- Emergency crews braced for the next bout of high winds and torrential rains forecast to sweep California starting on Wednesday, renewing the threat of power outages and flooding that struck parts of the state over the New Year's weekend, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out the news you should not miss today: Society -- The 10-year-old boy who fell into a 35-meter-deep hollow concrete pile in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has passed away, local authorities said on Wednesday night. -- A new Omicron sub-variant named XBB, believed to be fast-spreading and capable of evading immune responses, has been detected in Ho Chi Minh City. -- Police in Ho Chi Minh City are investigating suspected infractions at an automotive registration center in Nha Be District as its director was found illiterate on Wednesday. -- A 30-year-old woman from Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam was taken to the hospital for emergency care after getting injections of cosmetic fillers into her buttocks and experiencing severe reactions and tissue necrosis earlier this week. -- Police in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam arrested six suspects to facilitate their investigation into a case where a 16-year-old girl was sold to a human trafficking ring on Wednesday. -- Doctors at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi said on Wednesday that they had successfully saved a patient who was suffering from multi-organ failure as a result of overusing corticosteroids to treat the flu at home. -- Twenty-nine men from Ha Tinh Province in north-central Vietnam were fined VND11 million (US$467) each for disobeying the order to undergo a medical checkup for military service in 2023, local authorities said on Wednesday. Lifestyle -- The Can Tho administration, located in Vietnams Mekong Delta, has decided to hold a series of fireworks displays at four venues across the city to ring in the 2023 Lunar New Year. -- Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City issued a decision to establish the Ho Chi Minh City Culinary Association on Wednesday in order to coordinate the local gastronomy industry to promote food culture in the metropolis and throughout Vietnam. World News -- Emergency crews braced for the next bout of high winds and torrential rains forecast to sweep California starting on Wednesday, renewing the threat of power outages and flooding that struck parts of the state over the New Year's weekend, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Ho Huu Tai, director of the 50-17D auto registration center in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City has been found to be unable to read or write. In addition to his illiteracy, an investigation into Tais background found that he left school 50 years ago after completing grade three, according to a statement released on Tuesday by Lieutenant General To An Xo, spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security. Members of the National Assembly (NA) have weighed in on the situation, with many agreeing that the case is unacceptable, and proposed amending and supplementing current regulations on the management of certain centers and agencies. Regulation needed In a discussion with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, NA deputy Tran Van Tien shared his surprise that an illiterate person could be appointed to the director post at an automobile registration center. Tien also called on investigators to clarify exactly how Tien wound up in that position. Vehicle registration centers play an important role in ensuring the safety and quality of motorized vehicles. The directors of these centers must have the abilities to meet the requirements of the job. "Violations at the [50-17D] center have definitely impacted society, Tien said, referring to allegations that Tai, other employees at the 50-17D center, and dozens of other employees and officials at vehicle registration centers across the city had been involved in accepting bribes, brokering bribery, and fraud. As a result, [authorities must] review regulations on the capability of directors, as well as employees, at [vehicle] registration centers." As vehicle registrations centers in Vietnam often have private investors, there is little regulation governing who can be appointed to run such centers. Although private investors can invest in vehicle registration centers, it is unreasonable if the directors of such centers, who are legal representatives and regulate their operations, could not read and write. He should be a shareholder, not a director. A director needs to meet certain standards in ability and professional knowledge, said Nguyen Van Thanh, former chairman of the Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association. If the ability of directors of vehicle registration centers is not regulated by law, then such laws should be amended, Thanh suggested. This is a loophole that needs amending and supplementing immediately. It is impermissible that an illiterate person hold the director post [at a vehicle registration center], said Thanh. Vehicle registration periods should be extended According to Thanh, new vehicles are exempt from registration for up to two years in most countries. However, in Vietnam, new vehicles are required to be registered immediately. Thanh said that current vehicle registration regulations are unreasonable. The Vietnam Register has proposed that the Ministry of Transport scrap the first registration for newly-manufactured, assembled, and imported automobiles for a year from the manufacturing year. Thanh also suggested extending the registration period for some kinds of vehicles to reduce costs. For example, the registration period of family-use cars should be longer than that of older cars and cars for commercial use. In addition, the registration process should be tightened, specifically minimizing the intervention of people and applying advanced machinery and technology, Thanh proposed. Police officers from Ho Chi Minh City and the Ministry of Public Security earlier launched investigations into 12 vehicle registration centers in Ho Chi Minh City and Long An, Tien Giang, Soc Trang, Ben Tre, Bac Giang, and Bac Ninh Provinces, and detected various violations and irregularities. In particular, six cases with 43 people have been prosecuted for allegedly giving and taking bribes and counterfeiting documents. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Ho Huu Tai, director of the 50-17D auto registration center in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City has been found to be unable to read or write. In addition to his illiteracy, an investigation into Tais background found that he left school 50 years ago after completing grade three, according to a statement released on Tuesday by Lieutenant General To An Xo, spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security. Members of the National Assembly (NA) have weighed in on the situation, with many agreeing that the case is unacceptable, and proposed amending and supplementing current regulations on the management of certain centers and agencies. Regulation needed In a discussion with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, NA deputy Tran Van Tien shared his surprise that an illiterate person could be appointed to the director post at an automobile registration center. Tien also called on investigators to clarify exactly how Tien wound up in that position. Vehicle registration centers play an important role in ensuring the safety and quality of motorized vehicles. The directors of these centers must have the abilities to meet the requirements of the job. "Violations at the [50-17D] center have definitely impacted society, Tien said, referring to allegations that Tai, other employees at the 50-17D center, and dozens of other employees and officials at vehicle registration centers across the city had been involved in accepting bribes, brokering bribery, and fraud. As a result, [authorities must] review regulations on the capability of directors, as well as employees, at [vehicle] registration centers." As vehicle registrations centers in Vietnam often have private investors, there is little regulation governing who can be appointed to run such centers. Although private investors can invest in vehicle registration centers, it is unreasonable if the directors of such centers, who are legal representatives and regulate their operations, could not read and write. He should be a shareholder, not a director. A director needs to meet certain standards in ability and professional knowledge, said Nguyen Van Thanh, former chairman of the Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association. If the ability of directors of vehicle registration centers is not regulated by law, then such laws should be amended, Thanh suggested. This is a loophole that needs amending and supplementing immediately. It is impermissible that an illiterate person hold the director post [at a vehicle registration center], said Thanh. Vehicle registration periods should be extended According to Thanh, new vehicles are exempt from registration for up to two years in most countries. However, in Vietnam, new vehicles are required to be registered immediately. Thanh said that current vehicle registration regulations are unreasonable. The Vietnam Register has proposed that the Ministry of Transport scrap the first registration for newly-manufactured, assembled, and imported automobiles for a year from the manufacturing year. Thanh also suggested extending the registration period for some kinds of vehicles to reduce costs. For example, the registration period of family-use cars should be longer than that of older cars and cars for commercial use. In addition, the registration process should be tightened, specifically minimizing the intervention of people and applying advanced machinery and technology, Thanh proposed. Police officers from Ho Chi Minh City and the Ministry of Public Security earlier launched investigations into 12 vehicle registration centers in Ho Chi Minh City and Long An, Tien Giang, Soc Trang, Ben Tre, Bac Giang, and Bac Ninh Provinces, and detected various violations and irregularities. In particular, six cases with 43 people have been prosecuted for allegedly giving and taking bribes and counterfeiting documents. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! HANOI, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam spent nearly 45.1 trillion Vietnamese dong (1.9 billion U.S. dollars) from the state budget for the COVID-19 prevention and control work in 2022, local newspaper Nhan Dan (People) reported on Thursday, citing the country's health ministry. The amount was lower than over 51.2 trillion Vietnamese dong (nearly 2.2 billion dollars) spent in 2021, the ministry announced at the second extraordinary meeting of the 15th National Assembly. Vietnam flexibly implemented a number of restrictive measures to prevent and control the pandemic including those that had not been applied before or not stipulated in laws in urgent situations, the health minister Dao Hong Lan said. According to a report submitted to the National Assembly, Vietnam will consider downgrading COVID-19 from a Class A infectious disease, classified as "especially dangerous" to Class B "dangerous." It will also continue its COVID-19 vaccination program, focus on enhancing the health system and further improving the quality of human resources, as well as handle post-COVID-19 issues and strengthen the inspection to promptly detect wrongdoings and corruption in pandemic prevention work. As of Thursday, Vietnam has reported more than 11.5 million cases of COVID-19 infections including nearly 43,200 deaths. More than 10.6 million cases have recovered and over 265.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, according to the health ministry. A 41-year-old Vietnamese man was sentenced to death for murdering a married couple over a romantic conflict. The Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Court on Wednesday conducted the trial of Quach Hao Quang from the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau. Quang was given capital punishment for murdering H.T.M. and her husband N.H.H.. M. and H. had been legally married since 2013 and lived at a house in Hoc Mon District, according to the case file. In 2019, M. developed a romantic relationship with Quang. She told him that she had divorced her husband. In late 2020, Quang discovered that M. was still living with her husband and became infuriated. On October 9, 2021, Quang was under the influence of alcohol and unable to contact M. via her phone number, thus he assumed his girlfriend had cheated on him. At around 8:30 pm the same day, Quang brought along a knife and headed to M.s house. Quang walked into the house and said he wanted to talk. However, M. said there was nothing to talk about and told her husband to beat Quang. The married couple repeatedly hit Quang and pushed him out of their house, before Quang attacked back with his knife. M. and H. were killed following the incident. At the trial, Quang stated that he was trying to take back the money M. had borrowed from him, but could not provide any proof that he had lent the victim money. Meanwhile, M.s son said that Quang had repeatedly caused trouble at their house and even assaulted M.. The family had to live in fear for a long time and had reported the situation to local police once, but Quang kept coming to their house, the son stated. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A 41-year-old Vietnamese man was sentenced to death for murdering a married couple over a romantic conflict. The Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Court on Wednesday conducted the trial of Quach Hao Quang from the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau. Quang was given capital punishment for murdering H.T.M. and her husband N.H.H.. M. and H. had been legally married since 2013 and lived at a house in Hoc Mon District, according to the case file. In 2019, M. developed a romantic relationship with Quang. She told him that she had divorced her husband. In late 2020, Quang discovered that M. was still living with her husband and became infuriated. On October 9, 2021, Quang was under the influence of alcohol and unable to contact M. via her phone number, thus he assumed his girlfriend had cheated on him. At around 8:30 pm the same day, Quang brought along a knife and headed to M.s house. Quang walked into the house and said he wanted to talk. However, M. said there was nothing to talk about and told her husband to beat Quang. The married couple repeatedly hit Quang and pushed him out of their house, before Quang attacked back with his knife. M. and H. were killed following the incident. At the trial, Quang stated that he was trying to take back the money M. had borrowed from him, but could not provide any proof that he had lent the victim money. Meanwhile, M.s son said that Quang had repeatedly caused trouble at their house and even assaulted M.. The family had to live in fear for a long time and had reported the situation to local police once, but Quang kept coming to their house, the son stated. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Vietnam Immigration Department has suspended an immigration officer at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi as the officer was accused of asking for a tip from a Singaporean passenger, a departmental leader said on Thursday. The department also worked with relevant units and the Singaporean traveler, who had shared the case on his Facebook account. After receiving the news from the police at the airport, the department required its subordinates to initiate an investigation into the case and impose strict sanctions on the immigration officer if the information is true. In particular, Kugan Pillai on Monday wrote on his Facebook account that he was demanded a tip by a Vietnamese immigration officer. He wrote, I was at Hanois airport immigration departing to Singapore today when this immigration officer wrote tips on my air ticket. He was holding my passport and asking for it. I asked him for what but he just kept pointing to what he wrote. I didnt know what to do or whom to ask for help and I was also rushing for my flight. I gave in to him in the end by giving 500000 dong [US$21.4]. I have already informed Singapores MFA [Ministry of Foreign Affairs] about it. I know this may be normal in other countries but I feel that I was held hostage if I didnt give the money, I wouldnt get my passport chopped. He ended his post by tagging the Facebook accounts with a blue verified badge of the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Singaporean Embassy in Hanoi, and the Singaporean Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. After two days, his post has been shared 8,200 times and attracted more than 15,000 reactions. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Vietnam Immigration Department has suspended an immigration officer at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi as the officer was accused of asking for a tip from a Singaporean passenger, a departmental leader said on Thursday. The department also worked with relevant units and the Singaporean traveler, who had shared the case on his Facebook account. After receiving the news from the police at the airport, the department required its subordinates to initiate an investigation into the case and impose strict sanctions on the immigration officer if the information is true. In particular, Kugan Pillai on Monday wrote on his Facebook account that he was demanded a tip by a Vietnamese immigration officer. He wrote, I was at Hanois airport immigration departing to Singapore today when this immigration officer wrote tips on my air ticket. He was holding my passport and asking for it. I asked him for what but he just kept pointing to what he wrote. I didnt know what to do or whom to ask for help and I was also rushing for my flight. I gave in to him in the end by giving 500000 dong [US$21.4]. I have already informed Singapores MFA [Ministry of Foreign Affairs] about it. I know this may be normal in other countries but I feel that I was held hostage if I didnt give the money, I wouldnt get my passport chopped. He ended his post by tagging the Facebook accounts with a blue verified badge of the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Singaporean Embassy in Hanoi, and the Singaporean Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. After two days, his post has been shared 8,200 times and attracted more than 15,000 reactions. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Thai Ly Hao Nam, 10, who fell into a 35-meter-deep hollow concrete pile in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam last Saturday, was pronounced dead by local authorities on Wednesday night. The boy, residing in Phu Loi Commune, Thanh Binh District, fell into the concrete pillar, which is planted some 35 meters into the ground and has a diameter of 25 centimeters, at the construction site of the Roc Sen Bridge project in the commune at noon on Saturday. At the scene of the incident, vice-chairman of the Dong Thap Peoples Committee Doan Tan Buu said the pronouncement was made as forensics and medical experts and local authorities assessed that Nam had been in the deep hollow concrete pillar for over four days. Given the long rescue time and the boys possible injuries, his condition had been forecast to be bad on previous days, Buu said. Rescuers will now strive to recover his body at the earliest possible time, while local authorities will support his family in preparing a funeral for him. Rescue forces will try to pull out the concrete pile after consulting experts as well as local and foreign units over the solution, Buu added. The scene of the incident was blocked within a radius of 500 meters to facilitate the rescue work. Explaining why the concrete pillar has yet to be pulled out of the ground, Buu said as the concrete pile is planted some 35 meters into the ground, the compression ratio of soil is huge. Despite having consulted many experts, we must ensure safety [during the rescue process], so the job will finish later than expected, Buu explained. After five days of attempts to rescue the boy, authorities in Dong Thap Province have affirmed that he already died. Photo: Minh Khang / Tuoi Tre Who will shoulder responsibility? Regarding the responsibility of those relating to the incident, Buu said it will be handled in line with the law. Once work on the [Roc Sen Bridge] project continues, its safety must be a top priority. Lawyer Nguyen Ngo Quang Nhat from the Ho Chi Minh Bar Association said during the execution of projects, contractors must arrange temporary warning and fencing systems at the construction sites and take measures to ensure smooth and safe traffic around the projects. According to lawyer Nhat, the contractor of the Roc Sen Bridge project must bear the main responsibility for the incident of Nam. However, an investigation should be launched to clarify the accountability of other related units. Meanwhile, lawyer Truong Anh Tu from the Hanoi Bar Association said that over the past few years, many accidents have happened at construction sites due to the carelessness of some individuals and units in management. After determining that the boy has died, rescuers decided to change the rescue plan to recover his boy. Photo: Mau Truong / Tuoi Tre The tragic accident in Dong Thap has rung a bell of alarm over safety in construction. We need to launch campaigns to popularize the prevention of labor accidents so that investors, engineers, workers, and residents living near construction sites can suggest solutions for preventing similar tragic incidents, Tu noted. Many local residents agreed that during the execution of the bridge project, the contractor stretched a warning stripe around the construction site but did it with little care. As the construction site is close to a road and rice fields of locals, some residents sometimes enter the site. I cannot imagine how the children could reach such a dangerous place, said H.N., a local man. Buu said that the investor of the project had reminded the contractor to install warning equipment and erect a fence around the construction site. This is an unintentional accident. However, the contractor must assume the responsibility for this accident," he said. A leader of Dong Thap Province on Tuesday admitted to Tuoi Tre that the province had initially been confused about its plan to save the boy. Due to the hard job, the province employed other solutions and asked for help from the Military Region 9, ministries, and agencies. Although the incident is rare and unprecedented, the province must get lessons in rescue missions. It will investigate the responsibility of the investor and the contractor of the project. On Saturday last week, Nam and three friends came to the Roc Sen Bridge construction site in Phu Loi Commune to pick up scrap iron and he fell into the hollow concrete pile by accident. Some witnesses said that the boy cried for help for some ten minutes after falling into the concrete pile. Since then, some 350 people, including military officers from the Military Region 9, and numerous vehicles and equipment have been mobilized to save him. Despite strong efforts, rescuers have faced multiple difficulties and failed to save the boy. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Thai Ly Hao Nam, 10, who fell into a 35-meter-deep hollow concrete pile in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam last Saturday, was pronounced dead by local authorities on Wednesday night. The boy, residing in Phu Loi Commune, Thanh Binh District, fell into the concrete pillar, which is planted some 35 meters into the ground and has a diameter of 25 centimeters, at the construction site of the Roc Sen Bridge project in the commune at noon on Saturday. At the scene of the incident, vice-chairman of the Dong Thap Peoples Committee Doan Tan Buu said the pronouncement was made as forensics and medical experts and local authorities assessed that Nam had been in the deep hollow concrete pillar for over four days. Given the long rescue time and the boys possible injuries, his condition had been forecast to be bad on previous days, Buu said. Rescuers will now strive to recover his body at the earliest possible time, while local authorities will support his family in preparing a funeral for him. Rescue forces will try to pull out the concrete pile after consulting experts as well as local and foreign units over the solution, Buu added. The scene of the incident was blocked within a radius of 500 meters to facilitate the rescue work. Explaining why the concrete pillar has yet to be pulled out of the ground, Buu said as the concrete pile is planted some 35 meters into the ground, the compression ratio of soil is huge. Despite having consulted many experts, we must ensure safety [during the rescue process], so the job will finish later than expected, Buu explained. After five days of attempts to rescue the boy, authorities in Dong Thap Province have affirmed that he already died. Photo: Minh Khang / Tuoi Tre Who will shoulder responsibility? Regarding the responsibility of those relating to the incident, Buu said it will be handled in line with the law. Once work on the [Roc Sen Bridge] project continues, its safety must be a top priority. Lawyer Nguyen Ngo Quang Nhat from the Ho Chi Minh Bar Association said during the execution of projects, contractors must arrange temporary warning and fencing systems at the construction sites and take measures to ensure smooth and safe traffic around the projects. According to lawyer Nhat, the contractor of the Roc Sen Bridge project must bear the main responsibility for the incident of Nam. However, an investigation should be launched to clarify the accountability of other related units. Meanwhile, lawyer Truong Anh Tu from the Hanoi Bar Association said that over the past few years, many accidents have happened at construction sites due to the carelessness of some individuals and units in management. After determining that the boy has died, rescuers decided to change the rescue plan to recover his boy. Photo: Mau Truong / Tuoi Tre The tragic accident in Dong Thap has rung a bell of alarm over safety in construction. We need to launch campaigns to popularize the prevention of labor accidents so that investors, engineers, workers, and residents living near construction sites can suggest solutions for preventing similar tragic incidents, Tu noted. Many local residents agreed that during the execution of the bridge project, the contractor stretched a warning stripe around the construction site but did it with little care. As the construction site is close to a road and rice fields of locals, some residents sometimes enter the site. I cannot imagine how the children could reach such a dangerous place, said H.N., a local man. Buu said that the investor of the project had reminded the contractor to install warning equipment and erect a fence around the construction site. This is an unintentional accident. However, the contractor must assume the responsibility for this accident," he said. A leader of Dong Thap Province on Tuesday admitted to Tuoi Tre that the province had initially been confused about its plan to save the boy. Due to the hard job, the province employed other solutions and asked for help from the Military Region 9, ministries, and agencies. Although the incident is rare and unprecedented, the province must get lessons in rescue missions. It will investigate the responsibility of the investor and the contractor of the project. On Saturday last week, Nam and three friends came to the Roc Sen Bridge construction site in Phu Loi Commune to pick up scrap iron and he fell into the hollow concrete pile by accident. Some witnesses said that the boy cried for help for some ten minutes after falling into the concrete pile. Since then, some 350 people, including military officers from the Military Region 9, and numerous vehicles and equipment have been mobilized to save him. Despite strong efforts, rescuers have faced multiple difficulties and failed to save the boy. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! An aerial view shows a storage facility owned by Lukoil company at the Arctic port of Varandei By Florence Tan and Nidhi Verma SINGAPORE/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Russia is sending more crude oil produced in the Arctic region to China and India, and at steeper discounts, after Europe slammed its doors shut on Russian supplies last month, trade sources and data show. Arctic grades Arco, Arco/Novy Port and Varandey do not normally head East but are now finding new homes further afield after the European Union, G7 nations and Australia introduced a price cap on Russian oil in December, on top of an EU embargo on Russian crude by sea. Sellers are selling the Russian crudes at bigger discounts as they absorb higher shipping costs. "All these Arctic crudes usually go to the EU but now they have to go elsewhere," a Singapore-based trader said. Arctic crude exports to India have steadily increased since May, with a record 6.67 million barrels loaded in November and 4.1 million barrels in December, Refinitiv data showed. Most of the supplies were Arco and Arco/Novy Port produced at fields operated by Gazprom Neft. Arco crude is a heavy sour grade from the Prirazlomnoye field while the better quality Novy Port grade, from the Novoportovskoye field, is a medium to light sweet crude. Last week, India imported its first Varandey crude cargo that loaded in Murmansk port in late November, according to two sources and Refinitiv data. The 900,000-barrel cargo onboard tanker Bear Alcor that sailed via Europe, the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal, was discharged at Cochin port in Kerala on Dec. 27 for refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd. The other two 600,000-barrel cargoes that loaded in November were discharged at Rotterdam in the Netherlands. It was not clear which companies bought these cargoes. Russia has reasonably good volumes of other grades as well, which are being offered to Indian buyers, one of the sources at an Indian refiner said. The gross product margins from processing grades such as Arco and Novy Port bought on a delivered basis are more than $10 a barrel higher compared with similar quality U.S. crudes such as Mars and West Texas Intermediate, he added. Story continues Bharat Petroleum did not respond to a request for comments. MAJOR HOMES Varandey crude, produced from the Timan-Pechora oil fields operated by Lukoil, has an API gravity of around 37 degrees and contains 0.4% sulphur. Its quality is similar to ESPO Blend, a Far East grade favoured by China's independent refineries, known as teapots. Varandey crude is easy for Indian refiners to process although future purchases would depend on price levels, the second source said. "Now India and China are their major homes," he said. At least three oil tankers that loaded Arctic crude in Murmansk port are now heading to China, Refinitiv data showed. One of the tankers, Nikolay Zuyev, carrying about 780,000 barrels of crude, is expected to arrive on Jan. 18 but it still does not have a specific destination. Another two tankers - NS Bravo and Gladiator - carrying about 900,000 barrels of crude each - are expected to arrive at the Chinese eastern city of Qingdao on Feb. 3 and 15, respectively, the data showed. Refinitiv listed the grades carried by these ships as Arco crude although one Chinese trader said there could be Varandey crude onboard. It was not clear which refiners bought the cargoes. Another trader said Arco crude had been offered to Chinese buyers at $9 a barrel below ICE Brent on a delivered ex-ship basis, but it was unclear at what price the deals were concluded. GRAPHIC: Arctic crude shipments to China, India (https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/lgvdkkyyqpo/Pasted%20image%201672819878361.png) (Reporting by Nidhi Verma in New Delhi, Muyu Xu and Florence Tan in Singapore; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) Yannick Carrasco, Joao Felix and Thomas Lemar during Atletico Madrid training session. in Majadahonda, Spain Credit: Alamy Arsenal and Manchester United target Joao Felix was left out of Atletico Madrids squad for their 2-0 victory over Real Oviedo in the Copa del Rey, leading to increased speculation over his future. The Rojiblancos manager Diego Simeone recently admitted that the Portugal international may leave the club in the winter window, with the Gunners currently thought to be leading the race. Felix is also reportedly keen on a move to the Premier League, so these latest developments seem to have only increased the likelihood of that happening in the near future. The Portugal international has been an important player for Atletico since joining the club for a club-record fee of 111m in 2019. However, it looks like his time in LaLiga may soon be coming to an end. Despite some moments of brilliance, Felix has never really lived up to his hefty price tag at the Metropolitano: in 129 appearances across all competitions for Atletico, Felix has scored 33 goals and has contributed 18 assists. While this is a decent return, for a club-record signing you would expect him to be one of the top scorers in the Spanish top flight every year, something which has never really come to fruition. As a result, Felix now doesnt seem to be part of Simeones future plans, as he looks to rebuild his squad with several new additions. In fairness, some of the blame does have to go to Simeone, who has employed a rigid defensive system at Atletico throughout his managerial reign. While this has been effective for the club as a whole, it has never been the right way to get the most out of Felixs ability. However, Mikel Arteta and Erik ten Hag must think he can offer much more for them, as they have both put him at the top of their transfer shortlists. Arsenal still the big favourites to land Felix despite United pursuit Arsenal have enjoyed an outstanding start to their Premier League campaign, currently sitting eight points clear at the top of the table after winning 14 of their 17 games so far. Story continues Indeed, their fine form could be a contributing factor in Felixs ultimate destination should he leave Atletico this month, as he will undoubtedly want to play in the Champions League next season. United are also flying high at the moment, though, currently in fourth place after winning their last four matches. So, it may simply end up being Felixs choice which of the two Premier League giants he opts to join, should a viable offer be submitted by either of them. However, as reported by TEAMtalk on Wednesday, Arsenal seem to be the most likely to get a deal over the line for Felix, despite Man United pushing hard to sign him. It is believed that the Gunners have a secret weapon in negotiations in the form of Thomas Partey who knows Felix well from their time together at Atletico, so Arteta intends to use this connection to convince Felix to head to the Emirates. Atletico reportedly values Felix at approximately 87m, so he will command a huge transfer fee. However, if Arteta believes that he will be enough to ensure that the Gunners lift their first league title since 2004, it will be a price worth paying. READ MORE: Key Arsenal star with trait Pep Guardiola loves tipped for shock Man City switch The article Plot thickens over future of Arsenal, Man Utd striker target after being dropped from squad by LaLiga giants appeared first on Teamtalk.com. Aid groups are warning of a dire situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban's banning of female NGO workers. Many major international aid groups have suspended their operations, including the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). We spoke to the NRC's Afghanistan director, Neil Turner, who said that organisations like his need female employees in order to access the women they serve. He called on the Taliban to live up to their promises, and warned that if the ban is not reversed the effects will be devastating, with millions losing access to food, safe drinking water and vital protection services. "This is a red line for us. We will not resume [our operations] without our female employees," he told us in Perspective. Read more on FRANCE 24 English Read also: Afghanistans NGO ban for women exposes rifts in Taliban ranks UN temporarily stops some programs in Afghanistan after ban on women aid workers Taliban order NGOs in Afghanistan to forbid female employees from working MANILA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- As its COVID-19 strategy has been adjusted to the changing situation of the pandemic in a planned, science-based approach, China's economy will likely see a "robust recovery" and help boost global economic growth in 2023, a Philippine expert has said. Given the relatively mild Omicron variant, a better-equipped health system and a largely vaccinated population in China, "I think that new policies on COVID-19 are one way of simulating and preparing for" a wider opening of the Chinese economy to the world in the near future, Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, told Xinhua in a recent interview. The optimized anti-COVID measures will not only "revitalize economic activities and investments in the country," but also "benefit the wider international community," she said. "The outlook for the Chinese economy in 2023 is definitely positive. I believe China's economic development will soar high," said the researcher, who reckoned the Chinese economy will be "on an upward trajectory, helping pull up the downward economic trajectory of the world while boosting the recovery of the world economy." As the world's second-largest economy, one of the biggest consumer markets, and a major trading partner of almost all economies, the wider China opens to the world, the more other countries will benefit from it through economic and trade cooperation, she said. "It is not only a huge market, but it has a substantial middle-class population with a relatively high purchasing capacity compared to other countries in the developing world." In addition, a further opening of the Chinese market and economy will "reinvigorate the global industrial and supply chains, and countries around the globe will also benefit from this," Malindog-Uy said. From the anti-COVID battle to the post-pandemic recovery, China has always stood with other developing countries. "I'm impressed with China's generosity and solidarity with the rest of the world, especially during the initial onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic," the expert said, citing cooperation between China and the Philippines to curb the pandemic as an example. Their cooperation "has been critical in the Philippines' quest for a quick economic bounce back and recovery from the economic devastation brought by the pandemic," she added. China has contributed to the pandemic response of the Philippines "unprecedentedly." The list of China's donations includes billions of pesos worth of medical supplies and equipment, and most notably, millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines, Malindog-Uy said. "China is the first country to send and donate vaccines to the Philippines that made it possible for the Philippine government to kick off its COVID-19 national vaccination program sooner than later," she said. "Indeed, China is a friend of the Philippines especially in times of need," she concluded. HA NOI Gender imbalance at birth in Viet Nam must be rectified, or it will produce unpredictable consequences and threaten population stability and the sustainable development of the country, the Ministry of Healths General Office for Population and Family Planning said. Deputy director Pham Vu Hoang said the imbalance started in Viet Nam in 2006 but has increased fast in both urban and rural areas. According to the General Office for Population and Family Planning, the country's sex ratio at birth has reached 112 boys per 100 girls in 2021. Viet Nam is among three countries with the highest rate of sex ratio imbalance, behind only China and India. The northern midlands and mountains was the region with the highest level of imbalance with 114.1 boys, followed by the Red River Delta with 110.6 boys. There are six provinces with a sex ratio at birth more than 120 boys - Bac Giang, Ha Nam, Hung Yen, Son La, Hoa Binh, and Ba Ria Vung Tau. Viet Nam is one of few countries in the world where sex imbalance occurs at the first birth, which means that couples have pursued sex selection for their first child. The level of sex ratio imbalance at birth is much higher in couples with high education and good economic status. Gender stereotypes are root causes Hoang said there are many causes for the gender imbalance at birth in Viet Nam, but the root causes are gender stereotypes. The idea of respecting men and disrespecting women is a traditional concept of Vietnamese people. This gender-biased concept has been perpetuated from generation to generation, negatively affecting the position and role of women in the family and society. In addition, new techniques for sex selection have increased dramatically in recent times. Most people can access ultrasound and abortion services for the purpose of sex selection. Despite Government regulations prohibiting fetal sex determination and all forms of sex selection, it is still easy for mothers and fathers to obtain information about the sex of the fetus. Weak social security for the elderly also contributes to the issue. In rural areas, many elderly people do not have a pension or social assistance, so they all depend on their children, mostly sons, to take care of them. When a daughter marries, she is considered to be joining her husband's family, so many people feel anxious and insecure for the future without a son. In rural areas, hard work requires men's manual labour. Therefore, a son is both a spiritual and economic pillar for the whole family. New social norms such as small families with only one or two children are also a motivation for couples to seek fetal sex selection services, he said. Gender imbalance has caused many consequences, Hoang stressed. One of the immediate and visible consequences is marriage pressure, caused by a shortage of women. It is forecasted that by 2034, Viet Nam will have an excess of 1.5 million males aged 15-49 and this number will increase to 2.5 million in 2059 if the current sex ratio at birth remains unchanged. This will make it difficult for many men to get married, especially those with low socio-economic backgrounds, he said. The increase in the sex ratio at birth also poses high risk of gender inequality, child marriage, inbreeding marriage and violence and trafficking in women and girls. Many women are forced to have multiple abortions to get a son, adversely affecting their health, increasing the cost of health care and reducing the income of the whole family, he said. Worse, women may be subjected to stigma, discrimination, and even violence due to son preference. The value and status of a woman without a son is reduced, he added. Men's role re-evaluated The gender imbalance at birth will only be completely resolved when long-term and durable solutions are taken to deal with son preference, improving the status of women, and making an equal society, Hoang emphasised. The Government's project on controlling gender imbalance at birth in the 2016-2025 period has raised people's awareness of the issue. The sex ratio at birth has decreased from 112.8 boys in 2015 to 112.1 boys in 2020, reaching the project's target. But more should be done to advance the role of men in their families and promote mens participation in housework. The Responsible Father Programme is an example. The project, jointly conducted by the Vietnam Farmers Union and the United Nations Population Fund, engages men to take part in building healthy and equal relationships in their families. The project has been piloted in northern Bac Giang, central Quang Binh and southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces and has shown positive results. A Facebook group, created by the Centre for Children and Development and the United Nations Population Fund, has attracted hundreds of men as it helps to create a forum for fathers to share and retell their stories as well as help them re-evaluate their own behavior and their roles in the family. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Communication Director of the Centre for Children and Development, said that fathers have discussed parenting issues and mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships every week. The discussion with the support of psychologists and educators has helped fathers have different perspectives on gender equality, she added. VNS GIA LAI The extraordinary energy of a young man without limbs in the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province of Gia Lai has made people admire him and see the value of life. Being born without limbs and having to walk on his knees on mountain roads to school did not defeat the will of Nay Djrueng, a Jrai ethnic man, in Krong Nang Commune of Krong Pa District. Not only is he overcoming his adversity, but now that powerful young man is able to help other poor children in the village. Overcoming adversity Although war has receded for a long time, the consequences it left behind for the people in Krong Nang Commune still persist. The impact of Agent Orange remains, leading to sadness in many families here. Nay Djrueng's family is one of many victims of the war. During the American War, Nay Djrueng's parents were both armed militia operating in an area that was sprayed with a toxic chemical known as Agent Orange by the US Air Force, and they were exposed to its harmful consequences, which include deformities in offspring. So, when Nay Djrueng's brother was born with a deformity, he was euthanised. His sister was lucky that her limbs were better, so she was allowed to live. In 1994, Nay Djrueng's was born without limbs, which scared the whole village. His parents were forced to euthanise him because they thought he would bring bad luck to the village. Fortunately, his life was saved by his uncle who had a decisive voice in the village. "My mother told me that at that time, my uncle said that he couldn't kill his nephew," Nay Djrueng recalled emotionally. The journey of the life of the boy Nay Djrueng started from there. The older he got, the more he realised that he was different from everyone else. He was always sad and lonely. The children in the village avoided him and thought he was the son of a forest ghost. Even so, that boy was like a tall pine tree, overcoming the stares and discrimination of everyone. Although his appearance was not perfect, people felt from Nay Djrueng a warm heart that loved animals and plants. When he was eight years old, Nay Djrueng asked his family to send him to school. The distance from home to school was only a few kilometers, but every day, his knees were bleeding and festering because he had to walk on his knees. Sometimes the boy without limbs had to crawl down a steep rocky road. The dream of studying and going to school was the driving force that helped him overcome everything. Over time, Nay Djrueng's knees were calloused which helped him cross the bumpy, mountain roads easier. No matter how much pain I had to bear, I never complained or shed tears. But what made my heart hurt was the discriminatory eyes, and words that alienated me, he told Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper. No matter how much I felt sad and pitiful, there was always a will inside me pushing me to rise up, to not surrender to fate. Learning to read was extremely difficult because I had to use my elbows to clasp the pen to write, he said. In fourth grade, Nay Djrueng was given prosthetic legs by the Red Cross Society, which meant a lot to him. With new legs, he stood taller and more confident with everyone and participated in school activities. Possessing a beautiful voice helped him win second prize in a singing contest organised by the district. With a kind heart, smile and warm voice, the boy gained everyone's love. After graduating from high school, he was admitted to a boarding school for ethnic minorities and since then, Nay Djrueng has gradually determined that his goal was to study information technology. When he passed the admission exam to Information Technology College in a Nang City, his parents were so happy that they went to every house in the village to inform the news. New doors opened to Nay Djrueng. Inspiration Currently, he is working as a programmer for a website in HCM City after graduating from the college. The boy of the Tay Nguyen mountains is a symbol and pride of the people of Krong Pa Commune as he fulfils his dreams and inspires everyone. I always try every day to realise my dream of building a playground and work space to serve people with disabilities, he said. Therefore, I am trying to create a communication channel as a place for people with disabilities to exchange and share life experiences as well as stories to overcome difficulties together. The stories will transmit an energy to help people love and do meaningful things in this life, he said. Since 2014, he has carried out the charity programme Tiep suc toi truong (Supporting the Journey to School), then he changed the name of the fund to i qua mua ray(Going Through the Upland Harvest Season) with the hope that after each crop, children would still be able to go to school without having to drop out. To carry out the programme, he raised funds from benefactors and friends, and asked people to donate old textbooks and gifts to poor students at Tran Hung ao Primary and Secondary School in Krong Nang Commune and inh Tien Hoang High School. At every opening ceremony of the new school year, he comes to the schools to give gifts and share his stories with students. Nay Djrueng was honoured with the "Most Inspiring", and "Youth Dedication to the Community" awards in 2020 by the Vietnamese Volunteer Community. I hope young people will do meaningful things, even small things for society, he said. My biggest wish now is to make a small contribution to help the children of my village to study, experience life and not just have to go in the fields every day. VNS China's reopening will help Vietnamese garment and textile enterprises access material sources more easily.(Photo: laodong.vn) Hanoi Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow from China to Vietnam is expected to rise as China is to reopen its doors and resume flights between the two countries, according to Agribank Securities Company (Agriseco). Agriseco attributed the expected rise to the low labour cost in Vietnam and the close geographical proximity between China and Vietnam. Although investment from China slowed down during the past three years due to border closure measures, many Chinese-invested projects continued to be expanded in Vietnam. In the first 11 months of 2022, China ranked fourth among the 97 countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asian country. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, FDI enterprises in China, Hong Kong (China) and Taiwan (China) have gradually moved their factories to Vietnam such as Foxconn, Pegatron and Goertek, Agriseco said, but noted that if China opens up completely, the supply chain will be less disrupted and this will affects FDI registration in Vietnam in the near future. Regarding garment and textile enterprises, China's reopening will help them access material sources more easily, Agriseco said. Vietnam imports more than 30 per cent of input materials for production from China, mainly machinery and electronic components, textile and garment materials. During China's shutdown, many businesses faced difficulties due to a shortage of raw materials, sharp increase in input costs, and congestion of goods. Vietnam attracts 27.72 billion USD in FDI in 2022 Vietnam attracted a total of 27.72 billion USD in foreign direct investment as of December 20, equal to 89 percent of the figure of the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Hanoi attracts nearly 1.7 billion USD in FDI in 2022 Hanoi attracted 1.69 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) last year, still among the localities leading the nation in this field. It is expected to be a critical 12 months for Vietnam when it comes to attracting more retailers from abroad. Nguyen Ngoc Van, representative in Ho Chi Minh City for a major Chinese retailer, said the Fortune 500 company may invest in Vietnam with major projects worth up to hundreds of US dollars this year. The company also works in logistics services. It is expected that when the group enters Vietnam, the countrys online retail and logistics landscapes will see big changes and bigger competition, Van said. The group wishes to venture into the Vietnamese e-commerce market to take advantage of the huge population and rising middle class. Vietnams average per capita income stood at $3,700 last year and is expected to rise to $3,900 by 2025. However, also according to Van, Vietnam and other ASEAN nations have also been cementing their digital cooperation, paving the way for businesses with digital solutions to operate better in the region. This will enable our company to deepen its cooperation with partners not only in Vietnam, but also in other regional markets, Van said. According to the General Statistics Office, 60 per cent of the 98.6 million population in Vietnam are under 35 years of age. They have quick access to new technology, and about 55 per cent of the population use the internet. Van explained that during preparations to penetrate the Vietnamese market, his company has referred to the country being highly valued by the international community in terms of potential and efforts to provide a more favourable business and climate change for businesses. Inter-regional e-portals for customs, trade, and more are becoming ever more popular across ASEAN, Photo: Le Toan Vietnam is strong in internet development, which many tech-savvy people, and this offers great opportunities for groups like ours, he said. After obtaining an investment certificate in Vietnam, the group will work with local partners in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City first. In its development plan, after successfully setting up its presence in these two cities, the group will consider the same initiatives in other localities. At present, Vietnam is home to many big foreign and local platforms like Sendo, Tiki, Lazada, Thegioididong, Shopee, Dienmayxanh, and FPTshop. Great potential This year, ASEAN has committed to go digital in service of its intra-facilitation of trade and investment. In a worldwide race towards digital economy transition, ASEAN is set to pull ahead of the throng. The conditions are ripe for digital transformation to happen, said Satvinder Singh, deputy secretary-general of ASEAN for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). As of late 2022, ASEAN boasted 460 million internet users, 100 million of whom joined in the last three years alone, based on a 2022 study led by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company. By the end of 2022, 370 million of these internet users will become digital consumers, meaning those who buy products and services through digital channels. About 90 per cent of the merchants in the Google-commissioned Dynata SEA-6 Digital Merchant Survey 2021 said they are now accepting digital payments. About 35 per cent of them attribute their businesses survival to digital transactions, and 82 per cent of them expect more than half of their earnings to come from digital sales in the next five years. In total, merchandise sold via digital channels also referred to as gross merchandise value (GMV) is estimated to reach $194 billion by the end of 2022. The regions GMV is expected to soar to $363 billion dollars by 2025. Ted Osius, president and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council, noted that the bloc boasts great potential for boosting digitalisation. The AEC constitutes the worlds fifth-largest economy, with an average GDP growth rate predicted to top 5 per cent each year well into the next decade. Vietnam is expected to lead this charge with more than 7 per cent growth, Osius said. Looking specifically at ASEANs digital economy, the pace of growth is among the fastest in the world, expected to exceed $300 billion by 2025. Ed Vaizey, chairman of the UK-ASEAN Business Council, added, ASEANs digital economy is expected to be worth $1 trillion by 2030 as more and more people in Southeast Asia shop and trade online, accelerated by the pandemic. The chairmans statement of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits released in mid-November 2022 in Cambodia also stressed the need for digitalisation in the bloc. We underscored the increasingly pivotal role of digital technology in achieving an innovative, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economic growth in the region. We also noted the acceleration of the study for the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement in 2023 with a view to commencing the negotiations as soon as possible, the statement read. The agreement is a crucial step for ASEAN to become the leading digital community and economic bloc, powered by secure and transformative digital services, technologies, and ecosystem, as identified in the ASEAN Digital Master Plan 2025. One set of priority measures in the roadmap pertains to the electronic facilitation of intra-ASEAN trade and harmonisation of digital trade standards. For example, the bloc is working towards a faster and more efficient border clearance of goods, including agricultural products, through member states use of digital rather than paper documents, such as the ASEAN customs declaration document, e-phytosanitary certificate, and e-animal health certificate, under the ASEAN Single Window (ASW) system. Vietnamese efforts The government is ordering the improvement of the operation of the Vietnam National Single Window, which facilitate enterprises to conduct all procedures online, and which is connected with the ASW. The ASW is an environment that provides a secure IT architecture and legal framework that will allow trade, transport, and commercial data to be exchanged electronically among government agencies and private sectors. It aims to expedite the cargo clearance process, reduce cost and time of doing business, and enhance trade efficiency and competitiveness. According to the Ministry of Public Security, currently 99 per cent of enterprises in Vietnam are now paying e-taxes, and the ratio of e-commerce in the countrys total retail revenues in 2022 hit 7.5 per cent. Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that Southeast Asia is now Vietnams fourth-largest export market. Vietnams export turnover to the region surged from under $1 billion in 1995 to $18.23 billion in 2015. The figure ascended to $29 billion in 2021 and is estimated to be $33.6 billion in the whole 2022. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia is also Vietnams third-largest import market. The countrys import turnover from other member states totalled $28 billion in 2017 and rose to $32.1 billion in 2020. The figure touched $41.1 billion in 2021 and is estimated to be $47.3 billion in the entire 2022. As of December 20, 2022, Vietnam attracted over $98 billion in registered investment capital from ASEAN member states, including Singapore ($70.85 billion), Thailand ($13 billion), Malaysia ($13 billion), Indonesia ($638.9 million), and the Philippines ($606 million). The 13th National Party Congress has identified national digital transformation as of paramount importance, with digital government, digital economy and digital society being three main pillars. The countrys efforts to develop a pro-business e-government and a digital economy with growing e-commerce have received applause from the international community. Under the UNs Department of Economic and Social Affairs recent e-government survey, Vietnam has increased two places to rank 86th out of 193 countries. With this ranking, the country has maintained its record of consecutive increases since 2014, climbing from 99 in the process. The tax authority in Vietnam has implemented e-filing, e-payment and e-customs initiatives that have helped to improve tax collection and management and have lowered taxpayers compliance costs, the survey report cited. Digital transformation-A key to success for retailers Amidst the acceleration of digital transformation in the country and globally, digital solutions are increasingly proving to be a key to success for retailers in Vietnam. Tech groups hope for boost via M&As Driven by acceleration in digital transformation, technology is emerging as a high-potential industry for merger and acquisition transactions in Vietnam. At the event. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi - The Hanoi Peoples Court on January 4 passed sentences against 36 defendants for violations related to equipment procurement bidding packages for a hospital project at Dong Nai General Hospital. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan, 54, former chairwoman and general director of the Hanoi-based Advanced International Joint Stock Company (AIC Group), was sentenced in absentia to 30 years of imprisonment for "violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences" and "giving bribes" specified in Clause 3, Article 222 and Clause 4, Article 364 of the Penal Code. The trial said that Nhan had fled abroad, and the investigating agency issued a special international arrest warrant but to no avail. Tran Manh Ha, 52, deputy general director of AIC, received 25 years in prison for the same crimes. Tran Dinh Thanh, 68, former secretary of the Party Committee of Dong Nai province, and Dinh Quoc Thai, 64, former chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Nai province, were sentenced to 11 years and nine years of imprisonment for the crime of "receiving bribes", specified in points a and b, Clause 4, Article 354 of the Penal Code, respectively. Phan Huy Anh Vu, 56, former director of Dong Nai General Hospital and director of Dong Nai province's Department of Health, received 19 years in prison for "violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences" and "receiving bribes". Bo Ngoc Thu, 63, former director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Dong Nai province, received three years and six months in prison for "abusing positions and powers while performing official duties". Other defendants received sentences from 30 months probation to six years and six months in prison for "violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences" and "lacking responsibilities leading to serious consequences". According to the indictment, in early 2013, when the provincial People's Committee approved Dong Nai Hospital to hire a consultant to adjust the list of specialised medical equipment, Nhan directed many subordinates to collude with investors, consulting units, and companies to ensure that AIC won the bid. As a result, the AIC company won 16 packages of medical equipment and construction and installation at the project with a total amount of more than 665.7 billion VND (28.4 million USD), illegally making more than 148 billion VND (6.3 million USD) in profit and causing serious damage to State property. The indictment determined that to win medical equipment packages at the Dong Nai Hospital Project, Nhan has spent more than 43 billion VND (1.8 million USD) bribing Tran Dinh Thanh, Dinh Quoc Thai and Phan Huy Anh Vu. The central control room of a nuclear power plant. (Photo:Shutterstock) Jakarta Indonesias President Joko Widodo has signed a regulation that details new safety and security requirements for businesses seeking to mine nuclear materials in the country, The Jakarta Post reported. Government Regulation No. 52/2022, which came into effect on December 12, requires businesses to complete a safety analysis before beginning to mine for nuclear materials. This includes a feasibility study, a design and construction plan for the mine, as well as emergency responses and countermeasures in case of a nuclear accident. In addition, businesses are required to manage their nuclear waste and conduct radiation exposure training programmes. Mining firms are also asked to commit, in a formal document, that they will not work in service of the development of nuclear arms. They must submit a business and development plan and regularly provide authorities with an updated inventory of nuclear materials mined and imports of any special equipment. Those that fail to comply with the safety and security procedures will face administrative sanctions, ranging from written reprimands and administrative fines to license revocations. The new regulation comes a month after Jokowi amended a regulation relating to the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agencys (Bapeten) non-tax revenue sources. Accordingly, Bapeten is allowed to receive non-tax revenue from administrative sanctions for businesses that do not comply with current regulations. The new regulations may serve a government plan, which aims to build the countrys first nuclear power plant by 2040. Indonesia currently has three nuclear reactors for research purposes. They are the 2-MW Triga 2000 reactor in Bandung, West Java, the 30-MW GA Siwabessy reactor in Serpong, Banten, and the 100-kW Kartini reactor in Yogyakarta. President calls for more Indonesian investments President Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed his hope that the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) will encourage Indonesian businesses to pour more investments into Vietnam, in his meeting with KADIN Chairman Arsjad Rasjid in Jakarta on December 23. Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung speaks at the meeting (Photo: VNA) Hanoi Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung presented a report on the National Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050, following the opening of the 15th National Assemblys second extraordinary meeting in Hanoi on January 5. Minister Dung said under the National Master Plan, Vietnam is set to become a developing country with modernised industry, upper middle income, economic growth based on sci-tech, innovation and digital transformation by 2030. By 2050, Vietnam is set to become a developed nation with high income; equitable, democratic and civilised society. The GDP growth will reach about 6.5-7.5% annually during 2031-2050 while urbanisation rate will hit 70-75% by 2050. The GDP growth is poised to hit roughly 7% annually during 2021-2030. By 2030, average GDP per capita at current prices will stand at around 7,500 USD. In order to achieve such goals, the plan laid out four group of key tasks, namely basically setting up national infrastructure framework with a focus on transportation, urban, rural, energy, digital, socio-cultural, irrigation infrastructure; environment protection, fight against disasters and climate change; accelerating economic restructuring in combination with renewal of growth models with priority to potential areas associated with new development space; developing locomotive zones and important national growth pillars; and forming and developing north-south, east-west and coastal economic corridors, industry-urban-service corridors in locomotive and major urban areas. Dung also mentioned orientations to organising development space according to region and territory, and developing national urban and rural systems. Delivering a report examining the National Master Plan, Chairman of the NA Economic Committee Vu Hong Thanh said the draft plan and the Governments report basically meet requirements in line with the Planning Law. He suggested the Government supplement analyses of advantages and disadvantages in terms of geographical location, topographical - geomorphological conditions, geology - soil resources, minerals, climate, and disaster risks, climate change; look into how these conditions affect socio-economic development in the coming time,; and clarify Vietnam's comparative advantages in comparison with other countries in the region and the world. Thanh also asked for realising the Politburos Resolution on improving the efficiency of managing, tapping, using and upholding economic resources for the effort and promptly completing information system and national database on planning in line with regulations. Localities innovating to boost public funding disbursement The decentralisation of government spending will contribute to speeding up public investment disbursement, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Public investment hits forward motion Overcoming a number of socioeconomic difficulties, local public spending disbursement has been accelerating nationwide to ensure goals are reached. Security force members check a vehicle at a checkpoint in Badakhshan province, Afghanistan on Jan. 6, 2023. The Afghan counter-narcotics police destroyed a drug processing lab and arrested two persons on the charge of involvement in the drug business in Afghanistan's northern Badakhsahn province on Wednesday, reported the state-run Bakhtar news agency (BNA) on Thursday. (Photo by Aimal Kakar/Xinhua) FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan counter-narcotics police destroyed a drug processing lab and arrested two persons on the charge of involvement in the drug business in Afghanistan's northern Badakhsahn province on Wednesday, reported the state-run Bakhtar news agency (BNA) on Thursday. Acting on a tip-off, the units of counter-narcotic police launched an operation in Argo district of Badakhshan province on Wednesday, discovering and destroying a drug processing lab and arresting two persons from the site, the news agency reported. According to the media outlet, the police had also uncovered a huge number of materials used in manufacturing heroin from the site. Afghan authorities have intensified their crackdown on illicit drugs and those involved in the underground business as security personnel arrested one alleged drug smuggler in Afghanistan's western Herat province on Sunday. The Afghan Taliban-led interim government issued a decree in April last year, banning poppy cultivation and its processing. Since then, the Afghan police have stepped up the fight against illegal drugs in the country. Security force members check vehicles at a checkpoint in Badakhshan province, Afghanistan on Jan. 6, 2023. The Afghan counter-narcotics police destroyed a drug processing lab and arrested two persons on the charge of involvement in the drug business in Afghanistan's northern Badakhsahn province on Wednesday, reported the state-run Bakhtar news agency (BNA) on Thursday. (Photo by Aimal Kakar/Xinhua) Security force members check a vehicle at a checkpoint in Badakhshan province, Afghanistan on Jan. 6, 2023. The Afghan counter-narcotics police destroyed a drug processing lab and arrested two persons on the charge of involvement in the drug business in Afghanistan's northern Badakhsahn province on Wednesday, reported the state-run Bakhtar news agency (BNA) on Thursday. (Photo by Aimal Kakar/Xinhua) PetroVietnam Transportation Corporation (PVTrans) has reached its full-year business targets three months earlier than scheduled. The company posted an estimated $397.8 million in full-year revenue and $47.56 million in full-year post-tax profit, a 41 and 128 per cent jump on-year, respectively. PVTrans CEO Nguyen Duyen Hieu said that on the threshold of celebrating its 20th anniversary, the company had secured exceptional growth, breaking the previous record and simultaneously confirming its pole role in the domestic shipping market. Petroleum was one of the sectors eyeing buoyant performance in 2022 Amid volatile fuel prices due to geopolitical and economic uncertainties, PVTrans impressive growth leveraged its well-conceived preparation and efforts to finalise investment for several oil tankers, a Supramax bulk carrier, and a dry cargo lighter. According to PVTrans leadership, constantly improved scale and asset quality would bolster the companys competitiveness, meeting their stable and sustainable development demands. Another member in the oil and gas sector, Vietnam Oil Corporation, just unveiled that for the first time in its history, the companys consolidated revenue surpassed VND100 trillion ($4.34 billion), reaching 223 per cent of the full-year target. Its pretax profit was estimated at $33.17 million, a 53 per cent jump on-year. According to VNDirect Securities, businesses distributing petroleum products would witness a bonanza year in 2023, thanks to two major factors. First, the oil price in the world market would become more stable this year, helping to mitigate the risk of inventory price reduction. Second, the countrys demand for petroleum products consumption was forecast to reach a compound growth of 5.5 per cent during 2022-2030. As for Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC, CEO Bui Ngoc Duong shared that the company had outperformed its production and business targets in 2022 in which Dung Quat oil refinery turned out nearly 6.50 tonnes of oil, 23 days ahead of schedule, generating revenue estimated at $7.19 billion, up 80 per cent over projection, and post-tax profit reaching $529.4 million, over ninefold greater than projection. In several other sectors, the market weathered the storm in the last quarter of 2022; thanks to applying flexible measures, a string of firms reached full-year targets beyond expectations. Do Tien Dung, chairman of Hang Xanh Motors Service JSC, said that normally the last quarter was the peak period for the car business, but last year was different, with a nosedive in revenue. However, the first three quarters of last year saw the companys robust business with spiking profit, so Q4 did not affect the companys accomplishment of reaching full-year targets. In 2022, the company's pretax profit was set at $9.2 million. In the first three quarters of last year, the company already counted $10.7 million, and full-year pretax profit was estimated at $12.6 million. Similarly, Thanh Cong Textile Garment Investment Trading JSC secured upbeat business results in 2022 despite the declining export market in Q4 last year, particularly in the EU and US. By end of November 2022, the company had reached 96 per cent of revenue and 99 per cent of the profit target for the whole year. Flexibility, export market diversification and getting hold of input material sources are the factors helping Thanh Cong Textile Garment to surmount difficulties. By end of mid-December 2022, the company has secured export orders for Q1 this year and has plans for Q2 orders. Naming Q3's full-year-plan outperformers After the third quarter this year, many firms from assorted economic sectors have reached, or even far surpassed, their full-year profit targets. Korean tourists welcomed in Vietnam (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) Hanoi Vietnam saw 3.66 million foreign tourist arrivals last year, and those from the Republic of Korea (RoK) accounted for the largest proportion with over 965,000, or 26.4 per cent. In December alone, the RoK was also among Vietnams tourist markets reporting impressive growth with 39.7 per cent, along with Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. The results are attributed to Vietnams efforts to organise a wide range of promotion activities and events in the East Asian nation, right after Vietnam fully reopened its door in March 2022, including the Vietnam Culture-Tourism Festivals in Seoul and Gwangju cities. Last month, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and the Korea Tourism Organisation signed a Memorandum of Understanding on promoting tourism cooperation between the two countries. For this year, the Vietnamese tourism sector has set targets of serving 110 million tourists, including around 8 million foreigners, and earning 650 trillion VND (27.69 billion USD). Ho Chi Minh City develops food streets to attract tourists Ho Chi Minh City is focusing on developing food streets to attract more tourists and make them spend more during their stay in the city. Customers shopping at a Masan WIN store. The company's shares surged on Wednesday, lifting the market's sentiment. Photo courtesy of Masan Hanoi - Shares diverged on Wednesday as the rising selling force after the previous session's increase weighed on the market. However, benchmark indices still closed higher. The VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) gained 2.45 points to 1,046.35 points, an increase of 0.23 per cent. The market benchmark had kicked off 2023 on a positive note with a rise of nearly 37 points, its biggest rally in nearly two and a half months. The market's breadth, however, was negative as more stocks inclined to the downside. Of which, 162 stocks on the southern bourse tumbled, while 155 stocks advanced. Liquidity continued to improve, with a trading volume on HoSE up about 12 per cent over the previous session to VND10.5 trillion (US$448 million). The 30 biggest stocks tracker VN30-Index extended rallies, up 2.9 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 1,050.15 points. In the VN30 basket, 13 stocks jumped with one hitting the maximum daily gain of 7 per cent, while 13 declined. And four ticker symbols ended flat. After stocks soared in the first trading session of the year, some investors seized chances to take profits, pressuring the market. Analysts from Saigon - Hanoi Securities SJC (SHS) said that the market witnessed a positive start in 2023, but as the Tet holiday approaches, investors tend to reduce stock proportions in their portfolios. Therefore, the market's movements are unpredictable at the moment. Even though the VN-Index surged in the previous session, it has not escaped the mid-term downtrend, SHS added. Data compiled by a financial website vietstock.vn showed that Masan Group (MSN) was the uptrend's leader on Wednesday, up 3.44 per cent. It was followed by Petrolimex (PLX), VPBank (VPB), Vietinbank (CTG) and Vinamilk (VNM). All the stocks gained in a range of 1 - 7 per cent, with PLX registering a rise of 7 per cent. On the contrary, real estate stocks led the market's bearish trend. Specifically, Vingroup (VIC) was the biggest loser in market capitalisation, down more than 1.4 per cent. Vinhomes (VHM) and Novaland (NVL) also decreased. The HNX-Index on the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) also settled up on Wednesday. It climbed slightly by 0.5 points, or 0.24 per cent, to 213.06 points. During the trading day, 74.85 million shares were traded on the northern market, worth over VND1.1 trillion. Foreign capital continued to lift the market's sentiment, as foreign investors net bought a value of more than VND400 billion on the two main exchanges. Of which, they net bought VND366.25 billion on HoSE and VND43.42 billion on HNX. In one of the proudest and most impactful events in Vietnams technology sector last year, the Vietnam Blockchain Summit became the first major blockchain festival in the country, with the participation of more than 2,000 experts from top domestic and international blockchain tech companies. The key to promoting digital economic growth in Vietnam, photo shutterstock It not only helped to reflect a vibrant blockchain market in Vietnam, but also demonstrated that the technology is having a strong influence on the economy, especially in economic fields based on public applications. Hoang Van Huay, former deputy Minister of Science and Technology and now chairman of the Vietnam Blockchain Association, said, Blockchain is a special technology for the digital era. It is not only a tool to solve technical problems, but also contributes to creating relationships between partners through the connection of information, especially in the economy and finance. He added that most of the worlds major economies have come up with digital tech development strategies associated with economic growth, and Vietnam is no exception. According to statistics from the Ministry of Information and Communications, Vietnam boasts more than 70,000 digital technology businesses, with revenues from IT reaching more than $152 billion by the end of 2022. Vietnam is also forecasted to achieve the leading digital economic growth in Southeast Asia with a scale of about $52 billion by 2025, according to the e-Conomy SEA 2022 report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company. Last March, the government issued Decision No.411/QD-TTg approving the national strategy for development of the digital economy and society to 2025, with orientation to 2030. The government set a target that the digital economy will account for 20 per cent of GDP by 2025, said Huay. Blockchain technology must also participate in this process and needs to contribute more to promote the development of the digital economy. Currently, blockchain technology is being applied in more than 60 different fields, not only in finance but also in aspects of science and technology, education, and personnel organisation. Nguyen Bach Viet, strategy director of Microtec Vietnam, said that blockchain will contribute to the digital economy with the role of providing traceability data of stages in the production process, automating the application of technologies like AI and e-identification, and contributing to the reduction of human control. In addition, blockchain also helps to speed up transactions between parties, simplifying cross-border payments. The technology will be extremely useful in the car rental business, for example. The lessor and lessee will not need to carry out the same direct procedures as before, but only need a few steps through their phones, said Viet. In the medical field, blockchain is also used in electronic records while in education, information and lessons can be transmitted through a digital platform for students to access knowledge, saving time and travel costs. And in e-commerce, blockchain will also help store and own digital assets. However, according to many experts, one of the reasons hindering the application of blockchain technology to the digital economy is that knowledge about the potential and the tech itself has not yet been widely disseminated. Mai Ngo, a blockchain expert from digital asset exchange platform Gate Learn, said that research is not only the job of banks and businesses, but users also need to actively participate in its process. Improving users digital skills is always a challenge when new technology appears because user behaviour changes as technology changes. Vietnam still does not have many experts in this field, Nho said. Many local leaders and even businesses have not been able to access and disseminate the knowledge. Therefore, we need to promote training on blockchain technology and research to apply it more widely. Tran Quang Chien, founder of ONUSChain, assessed that blockchain tech platforms will help large enterprises reduce operating costs and increase customer trust. In contrast, small businesses with poor financial conditions need to find a smarter way to approach it if they do not want to spend too much money. Misunderstandings about blockchain associated with crypto also make the widespread application of technology in digital economy industries difficult, even though Vietnam is also one of the countries with the highest rate of blockchain adoption in the world, said Chien. In Vietnam, research by MarketsandMarkets shows that the blockchain-related market is expected to reach a value of nearly $2.5 billion by 2026. Currently, there are more than 10 Vietnamese innovative startups in the blockchain field with a market capitalisation of over $100 million. Digital economy to support $74 billion of annual economic impact in Vietnam by 2030 AlphaBeta and Google highlighted the potential in Vietnam's digital economy in a report launched yesterday (October 18) at a digital economy workshop held by the National Innovation Centre. Vietnam, UK enhance cooperation in digital economy, digital transformation Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung and the UKs Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Chris Philp signed a Letter of Intent on cooperation in digital economy and digital transformation on November 1 (London time). A woman facing a retrial in the 2013 death of an infant at her former home day care in Waco will have to wait for jury selection next week to see if the trial will be moved to another county, and prosecutors will have to present their case without hair follicle evidence used in the initial trial. Visiting Judge David Hodges made the rulings at pretrial hearings Wednesday. A McLennan County jury convicted Marian Fraser, 59, of murder in 2015 in the death of 4-month-old Clara Felton, granddaughter of McLennan County Judge Scott Felton, at Frasers Spoiled Rotten Day Care. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned the conviction on appeal, and Fraser has been free on bond. Testimony from the initial trial showed the infant received a fatal dose of diphenhydramine, or Benadryl. Her parents denied giving her Benadryl or giving Fraser permission to administer it to her, and Fraser denied giving Benadryl to children in her care without parents approval. Today our office continued to work diligently to seek justice for Clara, and we appreciated the Courts careful consideration of each motion filed, newly sworn District Attorney Josh Tetens said by email Wednesday. Frasers defense attorneys, Christy Jack and Letty Martinez, partners in a Fort Worth criminal defense law firm, called witnesses and argued that the upcoming trial should be moved to another county because publicity surrounding the childs death prevents a fair trial in McLennan County. The state argued with population growth in Waco and McLennan County in the past 7 years since the first trial it is possible to empanel a jury without any preconceived notions of Fraser or the case. Jack called Thad Barker, 54, of Lorena, a board member of a local church, operations director at an L3Harris facility and a member of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce who knows Fraser and her husband well through church. Back to the beginning and since, media accounts have portrayed Marian in negative light, Barker said. A high percentage of people have knowledge, preconceived ideas and strongly held opinions against her. McLennan County prosecutor Will Hix asked Barker if he knows of the growth in McLennan County in the past seven years through his work with the chamber of commerce. Barker said it was about 6% annually. According to the U.S. Census Bureau the county grew to about 263,000 in 2021 from about 248,000 in 2015. Hix asked if all those new people might not pay quite as close attention to Frasers case as her friends do. Barker acknowledged his point. Martinez called Bette Cook, 66, who has lived in McLennan County since 1995 and also knows Fraser through church. Cook was a defense witness in Frasers original trial. Martinez and Cook discussed how four jurors, after the jury selection process in the original trial, realized in the middle of the trial that they knew her, recognizing her face when she took the stand. Hodges decided jury selection for Frasers retrial would begin next week with a pool of 100 and that he would prepare a questionnaire for them to determine their prior knowledge of the case, the witnesses and parties involved. He wants to see if he can find a jury, Jack said at the lunch recess. If an impartial jury cannot be found, then Hodges will rule on the motion to change venue and move the trial. Forensics lab Another point of contention for Frasers defense team was the recent discrediting of ExperTox, the forensic toxicology lab near Houston that processed hair follicles and found Benadryl in 14 other children in Frasers care around the time Clara died. Frasers defense introduced a draft final report from the Texas Forensic Science Commission on its investigation last year of ExperTox. The Commission encourages all stakeholders in the criminal justice system to submit any forensic analysis performed by ExperTox for review and re-analysis (where possible) by an independent accredited laboratory, the report concludes. The commission approved the report and withdrew accreditation from ExperTox at its July 2022 quarterly meeting. ExperTox appealed at the October quarterly meeting, and a settlement has not yet been reached, according the commission. The visiting judge ruled against use of the hair follicle evidence. We will not have the hair follicle evidence presented at this trial, Hodges said. Hix said he remains confident proceeding to trial next week. The strength of our case against Marian Fraser will be readily apparent to the jurors, Hix said by email after Wednesdays hearings. Though the test results will be excluded, testimony about the day care center from parents of the children whose hair was tested may still be allowed. During Wednesdays hearing, Hix and prosecutor Tara Avants asked Jennifer Felton, a relative of Claras parents by marriage, and Dr. Anna Myers, a local pediatrician, about the napping patterns of their children who were in Frasers care around the time of Claras death. Defense attorneys objected, saying the only reason to compare napping patterns at Frasers day care with napping patters at home was to lead to the hair follicle evidence. Jack and Martinez asked Felton and Myers about their relationships with Fraser and how much they trusted her. Both parents said they trusted her at one time, but when prosecutors asked when and why the trust changed on redirect, the hair follicle evidence came up again. Multiple delays have slowed the progress on a high-budget effort to aid underserved areas of Nebraska, reducing the time lawmakers have to complete an accompanying bill. The $335 million project, approved during the 2022 legislative session, still has the majority of its funding about $250 million left unallocated. It's up to lawmakers to pass a bill in the new session to allocate the remaining money. However, Olsson, the engineering firm hired to develop a list of recommended projects to include in the bill, has yet to release its recommendations nearly a month after its initial deadline. The firm originally was scheduled to share its recommendations in early December, then the release was pushed to late December, and now it isn't expected until early January. Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, the leading lawmaker for the project, said he hopes the list will be finalized by Jan. 9, but it could come later. He said multiple minor problems, primarily a slew of illnesses, contributed to the delays. The delays give lawmakers limited time to introduce a bill, as senators have only the first 10 days of each session to introduce bills. For this legislative session, the deadline is Jan. 18, which means that if the recommendations come when expected, lawmakers will have just more than a week to complete and introduce the accompanying legislation. Despite that, Wayne said he is not concerned about having a bill ready in time. He said work on the legislation already has begun, and there are ways to change the bill after it has been introduced. "I can amend it at any time," Wayne said. Wayne said his team already has submitted the general ideas for the bill to the state's bill-drafting department, though it has yet to get the first draft back. In the event that Olsson doesn't release its recommendations before Jan. 18 which Wayne said would be the worst-case scenario Wayne said he would introduce what he called a "shell bill," which is legislation that explains the general ideas of a proposal but leaves certain areas blank to fill in with specifics later. Regardless of what bill is introduced, Wayne said he expects amendments will be added. He said the bill will be a "complicated process" of hashing out specific regulations depending on which projects are recommended. "I just don't want to set anybody up to fail," he said. If Olsson finalizes the recommendations before Jan. 18, Wayne said, he expects to introduce a more detailed bill shortly after the list is released. The bill will follow Olsson's recommendations, he said. Wayne and other lawmakers were involved in Olsson's development of the recommendations, but even if there is disagreement over what projects are recommended, Wayne said he already is planning to introduce a different bill in a future session to allocate additional funds for remaining proposals. For context, Olsson received more than 365 proposals to review, which Wayne previously estimated would cost more than $3 billion combined. If applicants don't see their projects included in the upcoming bill, Wayne urged them to "hold tight," as he anticipates future funding will become available. The bulk of existing funding comes via the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The money must be spent by 2026. Some projects that already have received funding include about $60 million for an industrial park near Eppley Airfield and about $20 million each for affordable housing in Lincoln and Omaha. The Lincoln Journal Star's top photos from 2022 HANOI, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The second extraordinary meeting of Vietnam's 15th National Assembly (NA) opened on Thursday, discussing "important and urgent" issues of the Southeast Asian country. The deputies will review the resolution on the national master plan for 2021-2030, with a vision towards 2050, amended law on medical examination and treatment and the implementation of some specific policies for COVID-19 prevention and control, Vietnam News Agency reported on Thursday, citing NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. They will also discuss personnel matters including new appointments for some government positions, Hue said. "The extraordinary meeting is a normal activity of the NA to meet the urgent requirements of reality." WATERLOO When seventh-graders Isaiah Shepard and KaLisse Creighton-Evans arrived at Central Middle School on Wednesday morning, it wasnt to their usual classrooms and it wont be for some time. They joined their classmates at the just-opened Waterloo Career Center annex, where middle school classes will be held for the next year as renovations are made on the Central building. Its noisier and less spacious than what theyre used to, and getting adjusted may take a little time. Its probably going to be a lot louder, and its probably going to be more distracting because theres so much new stuff around. People will be distracted by the new things that are around us, Shepard said. However, theyre willing to put up with it and to give the changes a try especially for the prospect of more hallway space next year. As it stands, crowded hallways have been a headache for students and have contributed to tardiness for those caught in the middle. Its an interesting change, Creighton-Evans said. I dont know how its going to be, I dont know how its going to work out, but I hope that its going to be better, especially because of all the space in the hallway. I feel like thats going to work out also. Construction on the 59,810-square-foot expansion of the career center got underway following the April 2021 Board of Education approval of a $28.86 million contract to both build the annex and renovate the middle school. The work is being funded with district revenues from the statewide 1% sales tax for schools. Faculty started moving into the annex over winter break. According to Central Principal Ross Bauer and Akwi Nji, director of school and community relations for Waterloo Community Schools, the renovations being made will change the flow of the building and make it reflect students needs. Central was originally a high school before being changed to a middle school in the 1980s. Bauer and Nji explained different levels of academia require different types of facilities and even different floor plans. The building is designed to accommodate 1,500 people, and there are currently around 480 students. The career center and the new annex account for half of the building space for the two schools. This is what you get when you ask the sports guy to come in to cover a blizzard in the morning show. pic.twitter.com/h0RL9tVQqg Mark Woodley (@MarkWoodleyTV) December 22, 2022 But it was kind of a staggered building like sixth grade was upstairs, seventh and eighth grade were spread all over, Bauer said. So with three grade levels and a square building and two floors it really just didnt flow very well. During renovations, the auditorium, cafeteria, gymnasium and pool will remain open to the students. When the middle schoolers are done using the career center space, there will be an expansion of programs available to high school students. While the number of additions isnt set in stone, Bauer said courses like auto repair and mechanics classes can be expected. As for Shepard, Creighton-Evans and their peers, they can expect their patience to pay off with more space at a better facility. So thats exciting too, Nji said. Its sort of happening in phases, and Ross and I talked a little bit yesterday about the fact that short-term, its not particularly thrilling to be in this space but the staff and the students are going to acclimate pretty quickly, and the endgame is going to be a really amazing facility for our faculty and students. i KNOW - the Networking Conference for industry and academia will take place this year for the 11th time in Graz. Graz, August 16, 2011: Heuer sets the i-KNOW the bar again later, when it comes to science and for the practice of profit making to prepare the increasing convergence of knowledge management, Web 2.0 and semantic technologies. Around 500 expected participants speak for the enormous popularity of the i-KNOW in science and industry. In 2011, the i-KNOW with renowned international keynoter/inside shines. Four English keynotes are the guiding framework for over 100 German - and English-language lectures in science and industry. Gloria Mar k (Professor at the University of California, United States) in her presentation introduces a technology, which is based on the results of several empirical studies and helps knowledge workers to meet their increasingly complex and knowledge-intensive challenges. Knowledge work requires employees to be say at the same time multitasking to absorb large amounts of information, right to associate and to incorporate in the work process; in the age of information overload a real challenge. Daniel A. Keim (Professor at the University of Konstanz, Germany) demonstrates in his keynote speech with several application examples the potentials and limitations of current Visual analysis techniques. In times of increasing data - or information sets, innovative tools for the analysis and exploration of data are in demand more than ever. The Visual Analytics research to support people to analyze data faster and more efficiently, and to prepare for use. Stefan Rueger (Professor at the Open University, United Kingdom) talks about the role of knowledge discovery on the Web. On the Web, both people and data are increasingly networked. One unprecedented unprecedented amount of information opens up completely new possibilities for the development of knowledge: new search engines are able to answer all our facts-related questions? What can we of Computers learn to millions of books read and can see hundreds of TV channels? Christian Dirschl (content architect at Wolters Kluwer Germany) gives an insight into the linked data strategy by Wolters Kluwer and shows how you can deal with challenges such as huge amounts of data or missing quality of information by means of semantic technologies. Presidential Directives for Russian Armed Forces In accordance with the Presidential Directive, the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation has ordered to implement a 36-hour-long ceasefire from 12:00, 6 January 2023, to 24:00, 7 January 2023, along all the line of contact in Ukraine. Considering the address of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I commend the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation to implement ceasefire from 12:00, 6 January 2023, to 24:00, 7 January 2023, along all the line of contact in Ukraine. Proceeding from the fact that the operations areas are inhabited by a large number of citizens who profess Orthodoxy, we appeal to the Ukrainian party to announce a ceasefire, and to give them an opportunity to attend the services on Christmas Eve, and on the Christmas Day. WtR We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form DHAKA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The 10th edition of "Dhaka Lit Fest," Bangladesh's largest cultural event, raised its curtain on Thursday in the capital Dhaka after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bangladeshi State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah, and Indian writer and literary critic Amitav Ghosh inaugurated the event at the Bangla Academy, an autonomous institution funded by the Bangladeshi government to foster the Bengali language, literature and culture. The grand festival will be featured with conversations, dialogues, film screenings, art exhibitions, music, cultural shows and much more. Apart from diverse conversations and dialogues, sessions on science and technology, the Dhaka Lit Fest or DLF will be featured with programs for children and youths, film screenings, drama staging, music and cultural functions. Organizers had earlier said that over 500 speakers, performers, and thinkers representing five continents will participate in the four-day event comprising 175 sessions. The DLF remained suspended for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 9th DLF was held in November 2019. by Yan Jie, Wang Xiaowei MANILA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Jomar Abdon, 29, took on one of Davao City's durian processing facility's critical tasks: sorting durians. Standing in front of a pile of durians, he sorted out skillfully the high-quality spiky fruits and prepared them for packaging. Abdon is happy that China cleared the exportation of Philippine durians to China on Wednesday, saying that the move could raise the income of the local growers of the tropical fruit in Davao City, the Philippines' third largest city. Abdon's daily workload is likely to increase as a result. "Our durians in Davao City are more delicious. For us, it is better to have our produce recognized by (China) and exported (there). It is an added income to farmers. More people will benefit from the proceeds," he said. As one of the most lucrative fruits that command a good price in the world's largest consumer market, access to the enormous Chinese market is a bonanza for Filipino durian growers, especially those in Davao City, whose durian production accounts for about 80 percent of the national total. The local durian season in Davao City is from July to October every year. Compared to other renowned durian varieties, the popular varieties in Davao City, namely Puyat and D101, are more resistant to pests and more productive. Candelario Miculob, the former head of Davao City's Durian Planters Association, told Xinhua that Davao City currently produces more than 50,000 tons of durian annually, with over 3,000 growers and more than five processing factories. According to Miculob, if each household is calculated based on the planting area of 1 hectare with 100 bearing trees, each family will have an additional income of about 2,800 U.S. dollars. After the opening up of the Chinese market, he said China will become the Philippines' largest durian export destination. "We are encouraging farmers to plant more. It will increase the farmers' income, hopefully, improve their livelihood, and help reduce poverty. The two countries will improve their agricultural cooperation, and the Philippines will benefit from the increased agricultural output through the durian export," he added. According to the Philippine Department of Agriculture, around 9,696 direct jobs and 1,126 indirect jobs will be generated after Philippine durians are cleared to export to China. Direct jobs include additional workforce in farm and packing facilities, while indirect jobs include those in packaging, logistics and other services sectors. In recent years, the Philippines and China have achieved fruitful agricultural cooperation, bringing tangible benefits to the people of the two countries. With bananas, pineapples, mangos, young coconuts, and avocados from the Philippines being put on the table of the Chinese people, China has already established itself as one of the top importers of Philippine agricultural products. This position is expected to grow stronger as China seeks to expand its Philippine fruit imports further to boost agricultural cooperation between the two countries. Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said the first of the four major areas of cooperation identified by leaders of the two countries, is agricultural cooperation. He said that although the tropical fruits in the Philippines are of high quality, the income level of the large population of fruit farmers is relatively low. "Therefore, we hope some Philippine fruits that are popular with Chinese consumers can be exported to China, and durian is one of the best choices. We look forward to Philippine durians being placed on the dining table of the Chinese people soon," he added. The Santa Fe Film Institute aims to keep independent filmmakers creating visionary projects. The New Mexico-based organization recently awarded more than $10,000 in grants and scholarships to filmmakers. The $10,300 was given away in regional grants for filmmakers, the Imogene Hughes Scholarship Fund for college students, and the SFFI scholarship for high school students pursuing film studies in New Mexico. These opportunities for filmmakers in the area can seed the beginnings of a real wealth of people with the skills to make movies here, says Jacques Paisner, SFFI president. According to Paisner, four filmmakers were awarded in Santa Fe Film Institutes (SFFI) second Regional Grant cycle. The grant recipients are Scott Hussion with Dead Calm, Colleen Thurston with Drowned Land, Raul O. Paz Pastrana and Alan Dominguez with Commerce City, and Owee Rae with Bone Guitar. Paisner says SFFI created the grant in 2021 as a professional opportunity to motivate and support filmmakers in New Mexico and the surrounding states of Colorado, Oklahoma, Arizona and Texas. Regional Grant winners in 2022 are based in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Colorado, and this years grant amounts range from $500 to $4,000. Paisner says two New Mexico college students became the first recipients of the Imogene Hughes Scholarship for $1,400 each for the purpose of pursuing their film studies. Benny Apodaca of the University of New Mexico and Isabella Edmo of the Institute of American Indian Arts were awarded, Paisner says. The college scholarship, created in memory of Bonanza Creek Ranch proprietor Imogene Hughes, was new to Santa Fe Film Institutes filmmaking initiatives in 2022. Paisner says two New Mexico students have also each earned the $500 Santa Fe Film Institute High School Scholarship. Aleigha Begay of the New Mexico School for the Arts and Emma Meyers of Santa Fe Prep were awarded. Now in its second year, SFFIs Scholarship Program rece ived applications from students attending high schools throughout New Mexico, Paisner says. SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART. Robin Dunitz moved to New Mexico less than two years ago. She immediately was inspired by the murals located all over the state. As she came out of retirement to photograph these murals, she had an idea highlight the murals made by Indigenous artists. Within her research, she met Isleta and Jemez pueblo artist Deborah Jojola. I was meant to meet Deb because she taught me so much, Dunitz says. As the pair started work, Dunitz learned the stories behind the murals from Jojola. Many of these murals are underappreciated, Dunitz says. I was surprised at how involved Indigenous artists were all over the story. Jojola says todays murals are in the same vein of petroglyphs. Its a way of communicating with the masses, Jojola says. These are stories that have been passed on through generations. We have to be aware of these stories. The pair put together the postcard book, Walls of Resistance Wall of Pride: New Mexico Murals by Native Artists, which is available at local retail outlets. Jojola says the 24 postcards showcase the powerful work of New Mexicos Indigenous muralists. They are a small selection of representing the diversity of themes, venues and styles of murals across the state, Jojola says. I drive all over the state and Ive seen many of these murals and wanted to be able to bring attention to the beauty of each one. Among the 24 murals featured are two works from early Indigenous pioneers. Santa Clara Pueblos Pablita Velarde was the matriarch of a handful of women pueblo painters who achieved prominence decades ago. Her mural, Santa Clara Women Selling Pottery, which was painted in 1939 at the Maisel Trading Post on Central Avenue in Albuquerque. In addition, Taos Pueblos Pop Chalees stylistic horses, mystical forests and animated deer, bears and pueblo scenes brought her fame. Her 1945 murals of horses and buffalo hunting gaze down at travelers in the main terminal of Albuquerques International Sunport, Jojola says. The book also includes contemporary murals from Zuni Pueblo and the Navajo Nation, as well as Gallup, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Espanola, Farmington, Shiprock and Albuquerque. Jojola says now that the book is out, people will get a hint of whats out there. I hope people look at the history of the work, Jojola says. I want people to use this book as a map to take a road trip and seek out the murals. Its a fun way to make new discoveries. These images and symbolism make their way across the lands. These messages are so important. Jojola says Native artists are innovative and are breaking ground on various levels. Our voices are strong with messages that come from all directions, Jojola says. We express our emotions of pride, spirituality, love, hurt and pain. Many of the murals found within this book are loud and clear, beautiful and prayerful. Some share creation stories, histories and experiences that are deeply rooted within our soul and from the profound universal dimensions of the cosmos. While many Native artists create symbolic images of this traditional past, we effectively transform new styles, designs and dialogue for a hopeful future. Dunitz gave each of the artists books to sell on their own. She is also donating all of her proceeds to Native American non profits. I never went into this project to make money, she says. Im donating the money to organizations that will help Native artists continue to thrive. Find the book Walls of Resistance Wall of Pride: New Mexico Murals by Native Artists is available in Albuquerque stores at: Albuquerque Museum Store Organic Books Page 1 Books Squidly Gifts Lapis Room and Treasure House Books in Old Town Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 516Arts LA Underground in Nob Hill If COVID has had a chilling effect on the local restaurant business, you wouldnt know it from the lunch scene at the Dog House Drive In on Central. There were at least 20 cars in the small parking lot throughout the hour I was there. When one left, another pulled in to take its place. Two servers handled the situation with aplomb, lugging drinks and bags of food out to cars and then stopping to take orders from the new arrivals. The vehicles that crowded the lot came in all shapes and sizes. A low rider, windows tinted an inky black, sat between an SUV full of kids and a bug-splattered van with Utah plates. There was no sign of Jesse Pinkman waiting to buy a handgun or Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill peddling mobile phones While Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul used it as a backdrop for criminal activity, the real Dog House is a throwback to a more innocent time. It opened in the 1960s at the tail-end of the Golden Age of car travel, when Route 66 was the most viable way westward to the Pacific. After the completion of I-40 in the late 1960s, the so-called Mother Road through Albuquerque fell into a state of neglect; the Dog House, however, defied the odds and prospered in its new location just two blocks west of the original spot on 10th Street and Central Avenue. Some 50-plus years later, the restaurant remains much the same, serving up hot dogs, hamburgers and shakes from a wheat-colored brick hovel crowned with the now iconic neon sign, an elongated dachshund wagging its tail and chewing on a string of sausages. The Dog House has made some accommodations for the modern world. There are bars over the windows and indoor seating is no longer available, a casualty of COVID. A few tables and benches have been arranged out front for those who dont want to risk splattering chili on their car seats. The menu, posted on a large sign that hangs over the front awning, is comprised of classic American road food livened up with some New Mexico heat. Nothing is more than $8. You order from your car and, based on my experience, you wont have to wait long. A server approached me only seconds after I pulled up in one of the angled parking spaces. The food arrived in under 10 minutes. The foot-long chili dog ($4.90), the Dog Houses signature item, comes wrapped tightly in paper. The bun is stretched thinly around the length of a hot dog thats been sliced in half lengthwise and seared on the grill. Its not the most Instagrammable food item, but it tastes terrific. Splitting the hot dog means it carries more of the tasty char from the grill, and the heat from the silky chili underneath sneaks up on you a few seconds after you start chewing. Its lands somewhere between making your nose run and eliminating your ability to speak. Like many of the best hot dog stands, the Dog House also serves up a solid burger. The patty on the Cheeseburger ($5.90) is prepared smashburger style, and the soft bun and crunchy chopped lettuce provide an appealing textural contrast. It was tasty and easy to put away, but next time I would want to spice it up with some chili. The Dog Houses meat version of Frito Pie ($6.80), served in a greasy takeout box, was a no-frills presentation. A pile of chopped lettuce and tomato slices hid a layer of chili with ground beef over corn chips. The chili sauce softened the top layer of corn chips but didnt reach the bottom chips, so some mixing is advised. Alongside the burgers and dogs, popular sides include Tater Tots ($2.50) and Fries ($2.50). Both the tots, the size and shape of a small stack of poker chips, and the thick-cut fries were nicely done: crisp on the outside, fluffy and hot on the inside. I would recommend getting them with the chili cheese sauce. The menu has floats and shakes that serve as both thirst quenchers and desserts. They are available in a 16-ounce size for $3.40 and a 24-ounce serving for $3.90. The 16-ounce Cherry Shake provided a sweet, creamy balance to the spicy chili. Vegan and gluten-free options are scant, as you might expect. Dog House ownership might consider designating some options on the menu for gluten-free diners the way that Clowndog in Nob Hill does. Then again, who am I to suggest any changes? The Dog House appears to be doing just fine in its seventh decade of operation. Thanks to the remarkable team of servers and cooks, its a well-oiled machine that runs smoothly even under a steady onslaught of customers. Chad Cleveland had a long-standing dream to live in the Southwest and create art. Growing up in New York state, he longed for the openness and often found his trips to New Mexico life-changing. About six months ago, Cleveland made the leap to the Land of Enchantment, where hes finding an entirely new slate of inspiration. Though hes only been a resident for half a year, Cleveland has been visiting the state since 2010. My daughters grandma lives in Questa, he says. I wanted to live here and we all worked together to make it happen. Cleveland has also wasted no time in cultivating his artistic community often soaking in the many mediums of art. Ive been making connections and meeting a lot of great artists already, he says. Everyone has been pretty welcoming and Im finding my place here. Its definitely been a long journey. He also juried into Fragments: Juried Exhibition at Strata Gallery in Santa Fe. The exhibit opened on Jan. 3 and runs through Jan. 21. Cleveland works predominantly in acrylic painting, but includes drawing and mixed media. He says he used to work with oils, but has since moved on from the medium. He holds an MFA at the Rochester Institute of Technology as well as a Masters of Science in Teaching. He has exhibited for the past 20 years in universities and galleries/studios across western and upstate New York. He currently resides in Placitas. I am more interested in the journey of making art, rather than an end result. Most of my current work has a very raw feel to it. Visually I am drawn to contemporary portraiture. I have an affinity for the architecture of the human form, he says. I am very curious about the human spirit and the journey within, whether its a stranger or a personal acquaintance. There is an underlying energy to what we see, and I am interested in how this energy manifests itself through the brush stroke, as well as through color and space. Whether its a look, stare or a gaze, I am captivated by the world within that resides behind the eyes. It is not my hope to steer the viewer into what I want them to particularly see or feel in my art, it is my hope that they have their own personal experience with it. Frontier Airlines is no longer flying at the Albuquerque International Sunport, the airport confirmed Wednesday. Frontiers flight services were suspended Jan. 1. Before stopping service, Frontier was only flying one route out of the Sunport. The airline flew between Albuquerque and Las Vegas, Nevada, twice a week. Travelers will still be able to fly the route from the Sunport just not on Frontier. Spirit and Southwest are flying the Albuquerque to Las Vegas route instead. Spirit, a relatively new addition to the airport, partnered with the Sunport in March. The exit of Frontier Airlines from our market is unfortunate, however, two other airlines, Southwest and Spirit, are currently running nonstop flights between Albuquerque and Las Vegas, read a statement provided to the Journal by Sunport spokesperson Jonathan Small. He said both airlines will also be adding additional flights to and from Las Vegas in April and May. Frontier could not immediately be reached for comment, and spokespeople for the Sunport were unable to provide details about why Frontier is leaving. Frontier was one of ten airlines that flew out of the Sunport. This isnt the first time the Frontier has left the Sunport. After over 20 years flying out of the airport, Frontier left in 2013. Four years later, in 2017, the airline returned with a flight between Albuquerque and Denver. Frontiers Las Vegas flight was relatively new; the airline debuted the route in May 2022. The flight went out twice per week. Sunport Business Development Manager Daniel Jiron said due to the pandemic, Frontiers flight schedule was often in flux. For several years, Frontier flew two or three times a week to Denver; that service ended in May last year. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) A U.S. judge serving as special master in the legal battle over management of the Rio Grande, one of North Americas longest rivers, has cleared the way for a proposed settlement to be made public. The federal government had sought to keep details of the agreement reached by Texas, New Mexico and Colorado sealed, but the judge rejected that request. Under an order issued Friday, the proposal and associated briefs and exhibits will be made public next week as the states and federal attorneys prepare for an upcoming hearing on the merits of the proposal. The case has been pending before the U.S. Supreme Court for nearly a decade, and the stakes are escalating as much of the West grapples with persistent drought. The states in October announced they had brokered a deal following months of negotiations. New Mexicos attorney general at the time cited extreme drought and erratic climate events, saying it was imperative that the states work together to protect the river. Attorneys with the U.S. Department of Justice and irrigation districts that serve farmers downstream of Elephant Butte reservoir, however, argued that the proposal would not be a workable solution. The river, which flows from the mountains in southern Colorado to Mexico, is managed through a system of federal dams and canals under provisions of a decades-old water-sharing agreement. Texas has argued that groundwater pumping in southern New Mexico has reduced river flows, limiting how much water makes it across the border. New Mexico maintains that it has been shorted on its share of the river. Colorado also has rights to the river. The battle over the Rio Grande has become a multimillion-dollar case in a region where water supplies are dwindling due to increased demand along with drought and warmer temperatures brought on by climate change. Some of the rivers stretches in New Mexico marked record low flows in 2022, resulting in some farmers voluntarily fallowing fields to help the state meet downstream water-sharing obligations. Judge Michael Melloy noted in his order that teams of negotiators that included engineers, hydrologists and others had worked collaboratively throughout much of 2022 to develop formulas, limits and potential remedial steps as possible paths to settling the litigation. Justice Department attorneys sought to keep the information sealed, saying making it public would violate a confidentiality agreement. But the order noted all parties had conceded that the underlying data used to derive the formulas and deviation limits were publicly available and part of the water management toolbox commonly in use throughout the country. Here there is simply no colorable claim of ownership over the broad ideas, public data, and common techniques expressed in the decree, Melloy wrote. He said it wasnt possible to look at the proposed agreement and know what the federal government was or was not willing to admit, forgo or compromise in an effort to settle the claims. Melloy has scheduled a hearing in early February on the merits of the proposed decree. Copyright 2023 Albuquerque Journal HopeWorks, a nonprofit that provides services to local homeless and near homeless people, has been cleared by the Attorney Generals Office of allegations that it attempted to defraud the city of Albuquerque. The nonprofit was accused of applying for reimbursements of $155,586.25 in excess of actual costs, and that it billed or double-billed Medicaid for $15,653.58 for services that were never provided. The allegations against HopeWorks were outlined in a Dec. 23, 2021, report from the citys Office of Inspector General. The following April, state Sen. Linda Lopez, a HopeWorks board adviser, asked the Attorney Generals Office to conduct a Medicaid fraud review of that report. A similar request was made in March 2021 by the Office of the State Auditor. The AGs Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted a comprehensive forensic review of the OIG report, concluding that HopeWorks had filed accurate and proper claims data for services provided, that duplicate Medicaid billing could not be substantiated and that overlapping dates or claims for services were not found in the Medicaid claims data, according to a letter dated Dec. 29 and signed by Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Affairs M. Anne Kelly. The Medicaid fraud unit did find that HopeWorks submitted some corrected claims that may have been misconstrued as duplicate billings. The city of Albuquerque and the Office of the Inspector General did not have the appropriate data to substantiate its allegations of Medicaid fraud, and should not have referred this matter as a fraud risk, because this may have caused a disruption in services and unnecessary harm to the facilitys reputation, said the AGs letter. That harm to reputation is exactly what occurred, HopeWorks chief executive officer Annam Manthiram said Wednesday, adding that the city owes HopeWorks a public apology and acceptance of some sort of responsibility. The city Department of Family and Community Services, which oversees contracts with HopeWorks, issued a statement Wednesday lacking any sort of apology, but saying it was encouraged by the letter from the Attorney Generals Office finding no Medicaid fraud. The fallout from these accusations absolutely created harm to our organization, and ultimately those who suffered were our clients, Manthiram said in an interview. HopeWorks lost about $2 million in funding from the city, and its contracts were given to other providers, she said, causing the quality of care and the consistency that we provide to be broken. Because HopeWorks didnt want to jeopardize losing $1.7 million in fiscal year 2024 money administered by the city as part of a community development block grant from the federal department of Housing and Urban Development the nonprofit began making payments of $10,000 a month to the city. The city said it could not award us those funds if we had an outstanding debt, so it was important for us that we at least make payments towards it, whether we admitted to wrongdoing or not. Thus far we paid $60,000, to the city, which we would like returned to us, Manthiram said. The city, however, in its Wednesday response, said the repayment of funds to Family and Community Services is based on non-compliance with City of Albuquerque and federal grant policies and regulations and is unrelated to the findings of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The OIG report took the city and HopeWorks to task for failing to have adequate practices of monitoring and internal controls in place. From the beginning, HopeWorks maintained the city initiated the audit and investigation as retaliation for an opinion column Manthiram wrote for the Journal, criticizing the citys purchase of the old Lovelace Hospital building for housing the unsheltered and providing wraparound services. The op-ed called the purchase an egregious use of public funds and an acquisition that reeks of a hasty, politically motivated money pit. Both the city and HopeWorks said that an ongoing working relationship with one another is important to those who need housing and other essential services. LAS VEGAS, Nev. A Las Vegas woman had a blood-alcohol level nearly twice Nevadas legal limit when her SUV struck and killed a New Mexico couple crossing a busy street last week near downtown Las Vegas casinos, a prosecutor said Wednesday. Mykael Lanice-Lynn Terrell, 28, was arrested at her apartment shortly after the Dec. 28 crash that killed William Clayton Baxter Jr. and Kristie Eileen Baxter of Hobbs. Police said in an arrest report that Terrell denied drinking any alcohol or using any marijuana products. However, a blood sample obtained a short time later showed Terrells blood-alcohol percent was 0.15%, prosecutor Eric Bauman told The Associated Press. Bauman did not immediately say if Terrell was believed to have used marijuana. Terrell is free on $100,000 bond. She made a brief appearance Wednesday before a Las Vegas judge who assigned a deputy public defender to her case and warned Terrell not to violate strict terms of release, including a ban on driving and electronic location monitoring. The public defender, Talia Walkenshaw, did not immediately respond to a message from the AP. Terrell faces six felony charges, including two counts of driving under the influence causing death that each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of two to 20 years in state prison. The other charges are reckless driving causing death and failure to stop at the scene of a fatal crash. She was not asked Wednesday to enter a plea. Justice of the Peace Joe Bonaventure set her next court date for Jan. 18. In the police arrest report, an emergency medical technician told investigators he was parked with a police officer in a DUI response van about a block south of the crash scene at Fourth and Fremont streets when he saw a red SUV later linked to Terrell driving at a high rate of speed up Fourth Street, passing a car and nearly hitting another pedestrian moments before the Baxters were struck. Police said the couple was crossing Fourth Street against a dont walk signal. The intersection, with a marked walkway beneath traffic signals, is often crowded with people making their way among casinos, stores, kiosks, bars and restaurants beneath a four-block-long lighted video canopy. MOSCOW, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the country's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to start a 36-hour truce along the entire line of contact between the parties in Ukraine from Jan. 6 to 7, the Kremlin said Thursday. "Taking into account the appeal of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I instruct the Russian Defense Minister to introduce a ceasefire regime along the entire line of contact between the parties in Ukraine from 12:00 (0900 GMT) on January 6 to 24:00 (2100 GMT) on January 7," the Kremlin said in a statement. Putin also called on Kiev to declare a ceasefire based on the fact that a large number of Orthodox citizens live in the combat areas, according to the statement. WASHINGTON (AP) For a long and frustrating third day, divided Republicans kept the speakers chair of the U.S. House empty Thursday, as party leader Kevin McCarthy failed again and again in an excruciating string of ballots to win enough GOP votes to seize the chambers gavel. Long after darkness, glimmers of a deal with far-right holdouts were emerging. But the days tally was dismal: McCarthy lost seventh, eighth and then historic ninth, 10th and 11th rounds of voting, surpassing the number of 100 years ago in the last drawn-out fight to choose a speaker. By nightfall, despite raucous protests from Democrats, Republicans voted to adjourn and return Friday to try again. The California Republican soaked up the moment without visible concern: Apparently, I like to make history. The contours of an agreement with holdouts from the conservative Freedom Caucus began to take shape, including several of the key rules changes they have been seeking for months. Those changes would shrink the power of the speakers office and give rank-and-file lawmakers more influence in drafting legislation. At the core is the reinstatement of a House rule that would allow a single lawmaker to make a motion to vacate the chair, essentially calling a vote to oust the speaker a move McCarthy had resisted because it had been held over the head of past Republican Speaker John Boehner, chasing him to early retirement. Even if McCarthy is able to secure the votes he needs, he will emerge as a weakened speaker, having given away some powers and constantly under a threat of being voted out by his detractors. But he would also be potentially emboldened as a survivor of one of the more brutal fights for the gavel in U.S. history. Other wins for the holdouts include provisions in the proposed deal to expand the number of seats available on the House Rules Committee, to mandate 72 hours for bills to be posted before votes and to promise to try for a constitutional amendment that would impose federal limits on the number of terms a person could serve in the House and Senate. The chairman of the chambers Freedom Caucus, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, appeared receptive, tweeting the adage from Ronald Reagan, Trust but verify. Lest hopes get ahead of reality, conservative holdout Ralph Norman of South Carolina said, This is round one. Weve got some progress going on, McCarthy said, brushing back questions about the lengthy, messy process. Its not how you start, its how you finish. With McCarthys supporters and foes locked in stalemate, the House cannot fully open for the new session, essentially at a standstill, unable to swear in elected members and conduct official business. And feelings of boredom, desperation and annoyance seemed increasingly evident on Thursday. One McCarthy critic, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, cast votes for Donald Trump a symbolic but pointed sign of the broad divisions over the Republican Partys future. Then he went further, moving the day from protest toward the absurd in formally nominating the former president to be House speaker on the 11th ballot. Trump got one vote, from Gaetz, drawing laughter. As night fell before the second anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters trying to overturn Joe Bidens election, Democrats said it was time to get serious. The divisive speakers fight only underscored the fragility of American democracy exposed by that assault. This sacred House of Representatives needs a leader, said Democrat Joe Neguse of Colorado, nominating his own partys leader, Hakeem Jeffries, as speaker. McCarthy could be seen talking, one on one, in whispered and animated conversations in the House chamber. His emissaries sidled up to holdouts, and grueling negotiations proceeded in the GOP whips office down the hall. Through defeat after defeat, McCarthy remained determined to persuade Republicans to end the paralyzing debate that has blighted his new GOP majority. What started as a political novelty, the first time since 1923 a nominee had not won the gavel on the first vote, has devolved into a bitter Republican Party feud and deepening potential crisis. Democrat Jeffries of New York won the most votes on every ballot but also remained short of a majority. McCarthy ran second, gaining no ground. Pressure has grown with each passing day for McCarthy to somehow find the votes he needs or step aside. The incoming Republican chairmen of the Houses Foreign Affairs, Armed Services and Intelligence committees all said national security was at risk. The Biden administration is going unchecked and there is no oversight of the White House, Republicans Michael McCaul, Mike Rogers and Mike Turner wrote in a joint statement. We cannot let personal politics place the safety and security of the United States at risk. But McCarthys right-flank detractors, led by the Freedom Caucus and aligned with Trump, appeared emboldened even though the former president publicly backed McCarthy. Republican Party holdouts repeatedly put forward the name of Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, ensuring continuation of the stalemate that increasingly carried undercurrents of race and politics. They also put forward Republican Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, splitting the protest vote. Donalds, who is Black, is seen as an emerging party leader and a GOP counterpoint to the Democratic leader, Jeffries, who is the first Black leader of a major political party in the U.S. Congress and is on track himself to become speaker some day. Another Black Republican, newly elected John James, nominated McCarthy on the seventh ballot as nominators became a roll call of the GOPs rising stars. For the 10th it was newly elected Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, an immigrant from Mexico whose speech drew chants of USA! USA! A new generation of conservative Republicans, many aligned with Trumps Make America Great Again agenda, want to upend business as usual in Washington and are committed to stopping McCarthys rise without concessions to their priorities. But those opposing McCarthy do not all have the same complaints, and he may never be able to win over some of them. The disorganized start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House, much the way that some past Republican speakers, including Boehner, had trouble leading a rebellious right flank. The result: government shutdowns, standoffs and Boehners early retirement. The longest fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War. ___ AP writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Kevin Freking contributed to this report. BEIJING (AP) Mostly older men and women wearing masks rested on cots in hallways, while others slept upright in crowded waiting rooms with numbered chairs. Many received fluids intravenously, while others were given oxygen. The sound of people coughing and of new patients arriving on gurneys was steady. At the Chuiyangliu hospital in the east of Beijing on Thursday, signs of the COVID-19 outbreak stretching public health facilities in the worlds most populous nation were on full display. Beds ran out by midmorning at the packed hospital, even as ambulances brought more people in. Hard-pressed nurses and doctors rushed to take information and triage the most urgent cases. The crush of people seeking hospital care follows Chinas abandonment of its most severe pandemic restrictions last month after nearly three years of lockdowns, travels bans and school closures that weighed heavily on the economy and prompted unusual street protests in a country that quashes political dissent. The outbreak appears to have spread the fastest in densely populated cities first. Now, authorities are concerned as it reaches smaller towns and rural areas with weaker health care systems. Several local governments began asking people Thursday not to make the trip home for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, signaling lingering worry around opening up. Overseas, a growing number of governments are requiring virus tests for travelers from China, saying they are needed because the Chinese government is not sharing enough information on the outbreak. The European Union on Wednesday strongly encouraged its member states to impose pre-departure COVID-19 testing, though not all have done so. Italy the first place in Europe where the pandemic exacted a heavy toll in early 2020 became the first EU member to require tests for passengers from China last week, and France and Spain followed with their own measures. The U.S. is requiring a negative test result for travelers from China within 48 hours of departure. China has criticized the requirements and warned of countermeasures against countries imposing them. World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday he was concerned about the lack of outbreak data from the Chinese government. At a daily briefing Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing has consistently shared information and data with the international community in an open and transparent manner. At present, Chinas COVID-19 situation is under control, Mao said. On Sunday, many remaining restrictions some already not being enforced will be lifted. We recommend that everyone not return to their hometowns unless necessary during the peak of the outbreak, the government of Shaoyang county in Hunan province in central China said in a notice dated Thursday. Avoid visiting relatives and traveling between regions. Minimize travel. Similar appeals were issued by Shouxian county in Anhui province southeast of Beijing and the cities of Qingyang in Gansu province in the northwest and Weifang in Shandong on the east coast. The appeals, which harkened back to the last few years of strict pandemic restrictions, showed that some officials remain nervous about lifting them too quickly. The Weifang government notice said residents should celebrate the holiday with video and phone gatherings. Avoid visiting relatives and friends to protect yourself and others, it said. Despite such concerns, Hong Kong announced it will reopen some of its border crossings with mainland China on Sunday and allow tens of thousands of people to cross every day without being quarantined. The citys land and sea border checkpoints with the mainland have been largely closed for almost three years and the reopening is expected to provide a much-needed boost to Hong Kongs tourism and retail sectors. ___ Associated Press reporters Joe McDonald in Beijing and Kanis Leung in Hong Kong contributed to this report. Albuquerque police are investigating the death of a man who they say stabbed himself as officers arrived on-scene in response to a report that he was attempting suicide, a release said. Shortly before 3 a.m., police responded to a home in the 800 block of La Veta NE a few blocks west of Expo New Mexico in response to a report of an adult male attempting suicide, the report said. As officers arrived, they reported the man stabbed himself, causing life-threatening injuries, APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos wrote in a release. The man was hospitalized, and died as a result of his wounds. The Multi-Agency Task Force is investigating the incident as an in-custody death, the release said. No further information has been released. Every fall, researchers gather data throughout North America to assess the availability of winter food supplies for bird species. This data mainly focuses on finch species and can help predict bird movements throughout the winter months. For example, an abundance of spruce crops, such as pine cones, can provide an ample winter food supply for the resident finches in that area so they are not likely to wander very far in search of food. The opposite is also true. In areas of widespread poor or patchy food supplies the birds might wander into other regions when existing foods are depleted. This research can help predict what are called winter finch irruptions. If North Americas western northern forests have not produced an ample supply of winter foods, some species may wander into areas of New Mexico where they are not normally seen in search of seeds, nuts and fruits. The pine siskin is a finch species that lives in the northern forests and upper elevations in the Western states including New Mexico. When I lived in the upper Midwest it was uncommon to see pine siskins, but one winter a large flock of these unfamiliar birds swarmed my bird feeders and gorged on sunflower chips and nyjer seed. They were there for two days and left as suddenly as they appeared. This was an irruption. In New Mexico this species is seen mainly in the mountains, but if food supplies dwindle it is not uncommon to see them in lower elevations in the winter months. Evening grosbeaks are a fairly large, striking bird at 8 inches long with a yellow body, white wing patch, yellow eyebrow and an extremely thick, stubby bill. The females are less colorful with a pale greenish body. This beautiful finch species is found in the northern forests and upper elevations in the Western U.S. Evening grosbeaks are more commonly seen in northern New Mexico in winter months, but if there is unusually heavy snow pack causing a disruption of food availability they can wander as far south as Albuquerque. A number of years ago there was such an irruption and I was lucky enough to have dozens of evening grosbeaks at my Albuquerque bird feeder eating black-oil sunflower seed for about three weeks. These are just two examples of winter finch irruptive species. Be sure to keep an eye out for other exciting birds that may visit your area this winter. Mary Schmauss is the owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Albuquerque. A lifelong birder and author of For the Birds: A Month-by-Month Guide to Attracting Birds to your Backyard. MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) Idaho police pieced together DNA evidence, cellphone data and surveillance video to charge a criminology graduate student with the November slaying of four University of Idaho undergraduates, according to an affidavit unsealed Thursday. The affidavit says DNA matching that of 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger was found on a knife sheath recovered at the crime scene, just a short drive across the state border where he is a criminal justice doctoral student at Washington State University. The affidavit also says that a cellphone belonging to Kohberger was near the victims home on a dozen occasions prior to the killings, and that while it was apparently turned off around the time of the early-morning attack, cell tower data place his phone in that region of Idaho shortly afterward. Kohberger made his first appearance Thursday in an Idaho court, where he faces four charges of first-degree murder. He did not enter a plea, and was ordered held without bail. The affidavit details a chilling encounter between one of the victims surviving roommates and a masked intruder the night of the stabbings in Moscow, Idaho. But many questions remain unanswered, including whether Kohberger and any of the victims knew each other, and why police werent alerted until nearly eight hours after the killings likely occurred. Traces of DNA from a lone male later determined to be Kohberger were found on the button of a leather knife sheath found in the rental home where the victims were killed, according to the affidavit written by Brett Payne, a police corporal in Moscow. Investigators later closely matched the DNA on the sheath to DNA found in trash taken from Kohbergers parents home in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested last week. The sheath had a U.S. Marine Corps insignia on it, though theres no record of Kohberger having served in the military. The attack that occurred in the early morning hours of an off-campus home had spread fear throughout the university and surrounding area for weeks, as authorities seemed stumped by the brutal stabbings. Investigators made a breakthrough, however, after searching for a white sedan that was seen near the crime scene around the time of the killings. Surveillance footage captured near the off-campus house showed that a white sedan later identified as a Hyundai Elantra drove by the home three times in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, returning a fourth time at about 4:04 a.m. The car was next spotted on surveillance cameras leaving the victims home 16 minutes later at a high rate of speed, according to the affidavit. The same car was later spotted on a different camera headed toward Pullman, Washington, the town where Washington State University and Kohbergers apartment are located. The affidavit connects some of the dots between the surveillance footage and cellphone data. Kohbergers phone pinged communications towers in the region at the same time and in the same areas that the white Elantra was seen driving in the hours after the killings, the affidavit says. The cellphone data included another chilling detail, the affidavit said: It pinged a cell tower near the victims neighborhood hours after the attack, around 9 a.m. Latah County prosecutors have said they believe Kohberger broke into the home with the intention of killing the victims: Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20. But investigators have made no public statements about a possible motive, or whether any weapons have been found. Two other housemates were at home during the Nov. 13 killings, but were not physically harmed. One of the uninjured housemates told investigators that she was awoken by noises at about 4 a.m., and thought she heard another housemate say something like, theres someone here. She looked outside her bedroom and didnt see anything. Later she thought she heard crying coming from Kernodles room and looked outside again. Thats when she said she heard a male voice say something to the effect of, its OK, Im going to help you, according to the affidavit. She later opened her door a third time and saw a masked man in black clothing whom she did not recognize walking toward her and stood in frozen shock as he walked past her toward a sliding glass door, the affidavit said. She went back in her room and locked the door. Investigators believe the suspect then left the home. The document does not say what happened next at the home, or why police were not alerted for several more hours. Mental health experts say common physiological responses to frightening or traumatic experiences include an urge to fight, an urge to flee, or an urge to freeze. Location data from Kohbergers cellphone showed he had traveled to the area of the victims residence at least a dozen times between late June and the night of the killings, authorities said. Those apparent visits to the victims neighborhood all occurred late in the evening or in the early morning, the affidavit said. Investigators also obtained location data from the night of the killings, showing that Kohbergers phone was near his home in Pullman until about 2:42 a.m. Five minutes later, the phone started using cellular resources located southeast of the home consistent with Kohberger traveling south, the affidavit said. There was no other location data available from the phone until 4:48 a.m. from a cellphone tower south of Moscow suggesting Kohberger may have turned his phone off during the attack, the affidavit said. At that point, the phone began taking a roundabout route back to Pullman, traveling south to Genesee, Idaho, then west to Uniontown, Washington, and north to Pullman just before 5:30 a.m. around the same time the white sedan showed up on surveillance cameras in town. An FBI expert identified the vehicle as a 2011-2016 Hyundai Elantra; Kohberger was driving a 2015 white Elantra during traffic stops in August and in October, the affidavit said. At the time, Kohbergers vehicle had a Pennsylvania license plate and was registered in that state. That registration was set to expire on Nov. 30, however. On Nov. 18 five days after the killings Kohberger registered the car in the state of Washington, getting a new license plate. Kohberger had applied to become an intern with the Pullman Police Department sometime in the fall of 2022, writing in his application essay that he wanted to help rural law enforcement agencies collect and analyze technical data in public safety operations, according to the affidavit. The document does not say if Kohberger was granted the internship. The Pullman Police Department did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press asking if Kohberger ever became an intern with the department. During Thursdays court hearing, Kohberger appeared with his attorney in an orange jumpsuit and remained silent while the magistrate ordered him not to have contact with the victims families. His next hearing was set for Jan. 12. Some of Goncalves family members attended the hearing. Its obviously an emotional time for the family, seeing the defendant for the first time, the Goncalves family attorney, Shanon Gray, said outside the courthouse. This is the beginning of the criminal justice system and the family will be here for the long haul. Kohbergers defense attorney, Anne Taylor, did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday. A magistrate judge has placed the attorneys and others involved in the case under a sweeping gag order barring them from talking publicly about the case. ___ This story was corrected to delete a reference to a knife being found at the crime scene and to clarify that the U.S. Marine Corps emblem was on the sheath that was found. ___ Boone reported from Boise, Idaho, and Johnson from Seattle. Associated Press writer Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this story. Copyright 2023 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE As she enters her second term, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has hired a new chief of staff, Daniel Schlegel, to lead her office and oversee policy development and legislative initiatives. Schlegel has served in the Lujan Grisham administration since she took office in 2019. He also worked for Lujan Grisham for about a year when she served in Congress. Dan has been a trusted and integral member of my team throughout my tenure as governor, Lujan Grisham said in a written statement. She credited Schlegel for his work with the Economic Recovery Council during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. He has strong relationships, she said, with legislators, business leaders and others. Schlegel, who was previously the governors director of strategic initiatives, will make $185,000 a year in his new position. The governors chief operations officer, Teresa Casados, will remain in her position, serving as a co-equal of sorts to the chief of staff. Her duties have included working with Cabinet secretaries and overseeing constituent services. In a written statement, Schlegel said he looked forward to strengthening relationships with legislators and advancing the governors agenda in the coming four years. We forged a strong team during the governors first term, Schlegel said, and I am privileged to lead this office to build upon our work in service of New Mexicans. His appointment comes as Lujan Grisham prepares for a 60-day legislative session amid a revenue boom. Among the governors priorities are adding police officers, codifying abortion rights, reducing health care costs for teachers and creating a New Mexico health care authority to streamline and expand health care services. Schlegel succeeds Matthew Garcia, who stepped down last year after being nominated to serve as a federal judge. Garcia had succeeded John Bingaman, the governors first chief of staff. Schlegel has a masters degree from Portland State University, where he taught fiction writing as an adjunct professor, and a bachelors from the University of California, Irvine. Instagram Celebrity The former 'Scrubs' actor sends a birthday message to his former girlfriend, calling her a 'legend' in a sweet note nearly half a year following their separation. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Zach Braff hails his ex-girlfriend Florence Pugh a "legend." The 47-year-old "Scrubs" star penned a sweet post to his former partner five months after their split to celebrate her 27th birthday on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 - sharing a picture of her on Instagram and writing, "Happy birthday, legend." The former couple became a topic of conversation online due to their 20-year age gap after they started dating in 2019. In 2020, Florence hit back at the criticism when she argued that her followers shouldn't be involving themselves in her love life. Zach Braff wishes Florence Pugh a Happy Birthday After reading negative feedback on a photo of Zach, she replied, "I am 24 years old. I do not need you to tell me who I should and should not love, and I would never in my life ever tell anyone who they can and cannot love." "It not your place, and really it has nothing to do with you. If those rules are something that you do not like, then please unfollow me, because the abuse that you throw at him is abuse that you're throwing at me, and I don't want those followers." Florence later confirmed the couple's split towards the end of 2022 in an interview with Harper's Bazaar magazine, insisting they had been trying to keep their break-up private. She said, "We've been trying to do this separation without the world knowing, because it's been a relationship that everybody has an opinion on." "We just felt something like this would really do us the benefit of not having millions of people telling us how happy they are that we're not together. So we've done that. I automatically get a lumpy throat when I talk about it." You can share this post! Instagram/Cover Images/ROGER WONG Celebrity Marilee Fiebig released a statement via her divorce attorney, Stephanie Lehman, on Wednesday, January 4, one week after T.J. filed paperwork to end their nearly 13-year marriage. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - T.J. Holmes' estranged wife has broken her silence on his affair with Amy Robach. In a statement through her lawyer, Marilee Fiebig said she was left "disappointed" by the "Good Morning America" co-hosts' scandal. "During the holiday season and in light of the challenging times, Marilee's sole focus has remained on the overall best interest of her 9-year-old daughter," Stephanie Lehman, head of the New York/New Jersey family law practice Phillips Nizer, told Daily Mail. "To that end T.J.'s lawyer and I have been working together to move their divorce forward privately, expeditiously and as amicably as possible." "Notwithstanding, we continue to be disappointed by T.J.'s lack of discretion, respect and sensitivity toward Marilee and the party's daughter," the lawyer added. "Marilee has been touched by the outpouring of support and looks forward to a new beginning in this new year." T.J. himself has filed for divorce from Marilee after nearly 13 years of marriage. As for Amy, she is still legally married to former "Melrose Place" star Andrew Shue when she started having a romantic relationship with T.J. They, however, have reportedly separated since August. T.J. and Amy recently enjoyed the holiday together while they await the results of ABC's internal investigation into their relationship. The pair have been taken off the air since early December, days after news of their romantic relationship broke, and the network has not announced whether they will return to co-host "GMA3". On December 28, the pair were caught packing on PDAs while taking a stroll in sunny Miami, Florida. Aside from sharing kisses, the couple laughed together as they were engaged in a conversation. In some photos that surfaced online, the 49-year-old could be seen wrapping her arms around her boyfriend's as she leaned her head on his shoulder. For the outing, the mom of two wore a black halter top and leopard-print skirt. Her beau, in the meantime, kept it simple in a white T-shirt and khaki pants. The pair completed their looks with sunglasses. You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity Prior to this, the 'Me Porto Bonito' crooner issued a statement after a video of him throwing a female fan's phone into the water went viral on the Internet. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Bad Bunny wants his fans to respect his personal space and boundaries. A new video circulating on social media showed the "Un Verano Sin Ti" artist snatching two fans' phones shortly after he explained why he threw a female fan's cellphone into the water in footage that has since gone viral. The controversial new video saw the 28-year-old Puerto Rican chart-topping artist making his way through a mob of surprised customers inside the lounge in the Mediterranean-style village of Altos de Chavon in the eastern city of La Romana on Sunday, January 1. At one point in the seven-second footage, he quickly grabbed a mobile device and tossed it back before snatching the second one and flipping it across the crowd. Prior to this, a viral video showed Bad Bunny throwing a female fan's phone into water. The fan walked up to the "Me Porto Bonito" crooner to snap a selfie but he appeared to be bothered by the crowd that was following him on the bridge and lost his cool. The woman watched as her cell phone sailed away from her while another person said in Spanish, "Wow, seriously?" Bad Bunny then explained why he did so. "La persona que se acerque a mi a saludarme, a decirme algo, o solo conocerme, siempre recibira mi atencion y respeto. Los que vengan a ponerme un cabron telefono en la cara lo considerare como lo que es, una falta de respeto y asi mismo lo tratare yo," he tweeted in Spanish, adding the hashtag "#SINCOJONESMETIENE." The tweet translates to, "The person who comes up to me to say hello, to tell me something, or just to meet me, will always receive my attention and respect. Those who come to put a f**king phone in my face I will consider it for what it is, a lack of respect, and I will treat it likewise." Still, the footage divided his fans. Some could understand what Bad Bunny did. "People are always putting phones in his face and invading his space. He probably tolerates it for the most part but you never know when someone has had enough," one fan opined. A second chimed in, "Ppl need to understand personal space and boundaries." Others, meanwhile, suggested the female fan sue him for throwing her phone. "I would've sued him respectfully! I get it but that was unnecessary!" one person remarked, with another pointing out, "I would be sending him my bill. My thing is if you don't want no pics or vids cool then just say that but to go and snatch and then throw the phone is crazy to me. Was all of that really necessary?" Someone else chimed in, "did he tell her that she was doing too much or ask her to move? If not very uncalled for." You can share this post! Cover Images/Roger Wong Celebrity Amid their affair scandal, the 'Good Morning America' co-host and his co-star 'are sticking together and putting on a united front' as they can't trust no one but themselves. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - T.J. Holmes has a "united front" with Amy Robach amid their affair scandal. The 45-year-old TV host split with attorney Marilee, whom he married in 2010 and went on to have daughter Sabine, nine, just weeks after it was rumored he had started up a romance with his "Good Morning America" co-star Amy Robach. Now, an insider has claimed they are "unable to trust" their co-workers. A source told UsWeekly, "Amy and T.J. have lost a lot of friends who are coworkers over this. They can't talk to them or trust them. Amy and T.J. are sticking together and putting on a united front. They really only have each other right now." The comments come just a day after Marilee alleged through her divorce lawyer that her "sole focus" had been on Sabine throughout the ordeal. Attorney Stephanie Lehman said, "During the holiday season and in light of the challenging times, Marilees sole focus has remained on the overall best interest of her 9-year-old daughter. To that end T.J.'s lawyer and I have been working together to move their divorce forward privately, expeditiously and as amicably as possible. Notwithstanding, we continue to be disappointed by T.J's lack of discretion, respect and sensitivity toward Marilee and the party's daughter. Marilee has been touched by the outpouring of support and looks forward to a new beginning in this new year." The CNN host, who also has daughter Brianna and son Jaiden with ex-wife Amy Ferson, was spotted on a date at a Manhattan bar with Amy in December is yet to speak publicly about his supposed romance and although the pair were placed on hiatus from their TV roles amid the speculation, a source insisted earlier this month that the "are still very much together." In an email sent to employees at ABC News and obtained by E! News, president Kim Godwin urged staff to "focus their energy" onto their day jobs as usual. You can share this post! WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The United States and Germany will send Ukraine armored fighting vehicles built respectively by the two countries to bolster Kiev in its ongoing conflict with Russia, the White House said Thursday. The announcement was made in a statement about a telephone conversation between U.S. President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz earlier in the day. During the call, Biden expressed the intent to supply Ukraine with Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, tracked armored combat vehicles that are used to transport troops onto battlefield. Biden did not specify how many such vehicles will go to Ukraine. Scholz, for his part, said Germany was prepared to provide Ukraine with Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles, according to the statement. The United States and Germany will train Ukrainian forces on how to operate the respective vehicles being given to Ukraine. Additionally, to strengthen Ukraine's air defense capabilities, Berlin will join Washington in providing Kiev with another Patriot surface-to-air missile battery. This will bring the number of such weapon system at Ukraine's disposal to two after the United States announced one such delivery when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington in December, according to the statement. Instagram Celebrity The 'Top Chef' host claps back at an Instagram user who criticizes her for allegedly making her daughter Krishna uncomfortable because the 52-year-old celebrity chef is 'objectified.' Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Padma Lakshmi isn't here to entertain someone who can't take a joke. The "Top Chef" host fired back at a follower who criticized her fun video, which was shared on her Instagram account, of her and her daughter Krishna. Shared on Tuesday, January 3, the clip saw the celebrity chef cooking with her daughter filming her. Her daughter, meanwhile, tried to cover her mom's chest from the camera's view as she put one of her hands in front of it. When Padma asked her daughter what she was doing, the little girl said that she was "censoring." To that, Padma jokingly replied, "Censoring my boobs? You ate off those boobs for a good year and a half." Further poking fun at the situation, the 52-year-old star wrote in the caption, "Littlehands: 'cover your boobs' Also Littlehands: *zooms in on boobs*." Fans in the comments section mostly praised Padma for the witty remarks to Krishna. However, some others apparently took issue with her response. "As a mom of 4 daughters, there's a time and a place and when it starts making our daughters uncomfortable because we are being objectified, time to take notice," one person said. Catching wind of the comment, Padma immediately replied to the individual. "First if [sic] all it's a JOKE," she defended herself. "And my daughter isn't uncomfortable with me or my boobs or my posts, nor does she read these comments unless I show her because she isn't on social media." "It's really not that serious folks," the Bravo star stressed. The food writer later told the person that her daughter is not on social media because "she has her studies to attend to." Padma isn't strange to mocking Internet users' comments on her. Back in December, the "Spices & Herbs" author took to TikTok to share a video of her using a filter that made it look like she's drifting in a boat. "on my way to put on a bra because user75929 told me to," she hilariously captioned the clip. You can share this post! Cover Images/Marion Curtis/StarPix Movie In a video posted on Twitter, the 'Greatest Showman' actor says the 'Deadpool' star getting a nomination in the best song category for 'Good Afternoon' from his Christmas movie 'Spirited' would make Jackman's life 'insufferable.' Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Ryan Reynolds is close to getting himself his first Oscar nomination, but that may be thwarted by none other than his frenemy Hugh Jackman. The Australian hunk has jokingly begged the Academy to not nominate the "Deadpool" actor in the best song category at the upcoming Academy Awards, suggesting that it would further boost Reynolds' ego. "The Greatest Showman" star made his plea in a hilarious video he posted on Twitter on Wednesday, January 4. "Hey everybody it's 2023, and I really really wanted to send out a positive message at the beginning of the year, but recent events have made that impossible," he began in the clip after learning that Reynolds earned a spot on the Oscar shortlist for best song for "Good Afternoon" from his Christmas movie "Spirited", which also stars Will Ferrell. "Don't get me wrong, I loved 'Spirited'. It's a great movie ... I love Will, I love Octavia [Spencer] ... the song 'Good Afternoon', I laughed the entire way through, it is absolutely brilliant," he explained. "However, I just heard the Academy have short-listed 'Good Afternoon' in the best song category." "Ryan Reynolds getting a nomination in the best song category would make the next year of my life insufferable," Jackman claimed. Of the reason why, he said, "I have to spend a year with him shooting Wolverine and Deadpool. Trust me, it would be impossible. It would be a problem." "So just to recap - love 'Spirited,' love Will, love Octavia [Spencer], love the song, 'Good Afternoon,' love Benj [Pasek] and Justin [Paul], but please, please from the bottom of my heart - do not validate Ryan Reynolds in this way, please," the 54-year-old concluded in the clip. Responding to his friend's jab, Reynolds posted Jackman's video on his own social media accounts and captioned it on Instagram, "I know it's still early but Good Afternoon to you, Mr. Jackman." He also reacted to the "Real Steel" star's clip via Twitter, writing, "Disagree. I think the deepfakes that sung and danced for Will and I would love to perform at the Oscars." Ryan Reynolds reacted after Hugh Jackman attempted to block him from scoring an Oscar nomination. Jackman and Reynolds recently confirmed that the former would reprise his role as Logan a.k.a. Wolverine in the upcoming "Deadpool" movie, set for release in late 2024. Jackman previously said the 2017 film "Logan" would be the final time that he played the mutant. You can share this post! AP Photo Celebrity According to excerpts of the Duke of Sussex's upcoming memoir 'Spare', things got physical between him and the Duke of Cambridge after his brother took shots at his wife Meghan. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Prince Harry made bombshell allegations against British royal family members in his upcoming book "Spare". In the book, which is set to be released on January 10, the Duke of Sussex alleged that he and his brother Prince William got physical over Harry's wife Meghan Markle. According to excerpts of the book obtained by The Guardian, Harry wrote that William attacked him after slamming Meghan. Harry claimed that the Duke of Cambridge grabbed him by the collar, ripped his necklace and knocked him to the ground during a fight in London. As for the reason, things between the brothers allegedly got heated after William labeled the Duchess of Sussex "difficult, rude and abrasive." Harry also noted that William was already worked up when he came over to Nottingham Cottage, where Harry was living at the time, as he complained about the former "Suits" star. At one point, Harry told his brother that he was just regurgitating media narratives before things got heated between the brothers. Harry accused the Prince of Wales of acting like an heir and being unable to understand him. They continued to insult each other before going into the kitchen, where the alleged attack took place. Harry wrote in his book that he had visible injuries as he fell and landed on a dog bowl, which cracked. According to Harry, William also urged him to fight back during the altercation, though Harry refused to attack his brother. William, however, showed remorse following the fight. He allegedly came back "looking regretful" and apologized to Harry. As for Meghan, Harry claimed that the mom of two noticed bruises and scrapes he suffered. When he told her about the fight, the Duke said that Meghan wasn't surprised nor angry. Ahead of the release of "Spare", Harry is set to have two interviews. He will appear on CBS' "60 Minutes" with Anderson Cooper in addition to a sit-down on ITV 1. Both of them will air on Sunday, January 8. You can share this post! Cover Images/JOHN NACION Celebrity A fan account exposes the 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' for allegedly modeling a fake Chanel bikini in one of her Instagram pictures taken during her current vacay in Tulum, Mexico. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Teresa Giudice may be caught wearing a fake designer swimsuit. "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star was accused of modeling fake Chanel bikini in one of her Instagram pictures taken during her current vacay in Tulum, Mexico. The eyebrow-raising photo featured the reality TV star rocking a black two-piece with Chanel's double-C monogram on the top. "Tulum," so the Bravo personality captioned the Tuesday, January 3 post. Fan account @therealbadfashions, however, claimed that the bikini was fake. "We love alleged designer inspired swimwear here!" the account wrote on Wednesday after resharing Teresa's snap. "Also, before I hear 'it has a tag' you really think that if someone can allegedly copy a design, the same can't happen to a tag? It's 2023 babes, not 1923." Immediately, Internet users swarmed the comments section to share their opinion on the matter. "I don't even think Chanel sells bikinis like this," one person said. Another user accused Teresa, "She ironed on that 'CC' herself." "Chanel doesn't even make this bikini, they made a different one that has the entire word 'Chanel' across the bottom of the bikini top," someone else echoed the sentiment. "Does Chanel even make cheap bikinis like this? I highly doubt it," one other added. "Omg the Cs look so bad!!" one fan exclaimed. Meanwhile, another user questioned, "I don't understand, these women have money but why do they buy fakes?!" The accusations arrived just days after the same fan account exposed Teresa's husband Luis Ruelas for allegedly giving fake Cartier bracelets to her four daughters. The account pointed out that the brand logo on the box looked different. "Why is the Cartier logo off-center?" the account's creator questioned, before making fun of how Gia Giudice pronounced Cartier. In response to that, the Giudice family's lawyer suggested people to focus on something else. "I think in the spirit of what Christmas is really all about, people's focus should be elsewhere and not on something silly like this," James Leonard told Page Six. "That being said, the girls are very happy with their bracelets and grateful to have received them." You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity Veronica Tejera has reportedly been arrested and booked on two counts of endangering her children's welfare, just hours after Dax's death from heart attack on December 23, 2022. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Veronica Tejera, the wife of late ABC news producer Dax Tejera, has broken her silence after she's charged with two counts of endangering her children's welfare. In a statement, she shared what happened in the hours leading up to her husband's shocking death as report claimed that she left her young kids unattended in a hotel room alone. "When Dax collapsed on December 23rd, I accompanied him in an ambulance to the hospital," Veronica said on Tuesday, January 3. Of their 2-year-old and 5-month-old daughters, she added, "I asked both a close friend and my parents to rush to my children's hotel room to attend to them as I monitored them by camera. The hotel would not allow my friend in and instead called the NYPD." The 33-year-old went on saying, "We had two cameras trained on my children as they slept, and I monitored them closely in the time I was away from them. While the girls were unharmed, I realize that it was a poor decision." Veronica additionally called the loss of her husband a "terrible tragedy." She added, "My family and I are devastated by Dax's sudden passing. He has left behind a heartbroken family, and two daughters he loved with all his heart." According to a report, Veronica was arrested and booked on two counts of "acting in a manner injurious to a child," just hours after Dax's death from heart attack. The couple allegedly left the girls unattended at the Yale Club while they went out to dinner with friends at Bobby Van's Steakhouse before he suffered a heart attack. A spokesperson from NYPD's Deputy Commissioner Public Information office said in a statement that at around 11 P.M. that evening, New York City police responded to a 911 call regarding "unattended children inside of 50 Vanderbilt Avenue." A preliminary investigation revealed that "a 2 year-old female and a 5 month-old female were left alone inside of a hotel room for an extended period of time." The police did not name the minor children in their report. Meanwhile, Veronica is due in Manhattan Criminal Court on January 12. In the wake of Dax's passing, ABC News President Kim Godwin issued a statement which read, "It's with a heavy heart and great sadness that we share that our friend and colleague, Dax Tejera passed away suddenly of a heart attack last night. As executive producer of 'This Week With George Stephanopoulos', Dax's energy, passion and love for that show, ABC News, and you, shined every Sunday morning." "That same love was extended to his precious girls. Our thoughts are with his wife, Veronica, the couple's two young daughters, and the entire Tejera family," the statement continued. You can share this post! Cover Images/startraksphoto.com Celebrity In a new cryptic social media post, the 38-year-old daughter of Black Sabbath rocker stresses that she is 'not ready' to share her newborn boy with the world. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Kelly Osbourne seemingly has something to say to her mother Sharon Osbourne. Kelly appeared to throw shade at her mom after the latter publicly revealed the former's newborn son's name, claiming she's "not ready" to share her newborn baby with the world. The 38-year-old star, who is the daughter of Black Sabbath rocker and his wife Sharon Osbourne, welcomed her first child towards the end of last year with Slipknot star Sid Wilson but took to social media on Wednesday, January 4, to explain why she has not shared any photos or even his name herself just yet. She wrote on Instagram, "I am not ready to share him with the world. It is no one's place but mine to share any information about my baby!" Kelly Osbourne appeared to shade her mom Sharon Osbourne for talking about her son. Her comments come just a day after former "The X Factor" judge Sharon revealed the newborn's name to the world and explained that both mother and baby are "doing great." Asked about becoming a grandparent again, she said, "She has [had the baby], yeah. Sydney. They're doing so so great. She won't let a picture go out of him and I am so proud of her." During the pregnancy, Ozzy Osbourne had struggled to keep the news that he was set to welcome a grandson a secret. Kelly said, "I mean, he's told everyone the gender of my baby before I ever got the chance to." Her dad, who, with the former "X Factor" judge, is already a grandparent to son Jack Osbourne's daughters Andy, seven, Pearl, 10, Minnie, four, and newborn Maple, born in July, had been doing a "little song and dance" about his then-upcoming grandchild and had been making lots of plans for his arrival. She said, "I'm just like, 'Aww Dad, come on. Like, come on,' but I will say, every single day he does this little song and this little dance about how excited he is, and he is so excited that it's a boy. It's the first...out of me and my brother, it's the first boy, so, he's like planning all these things." Ozzy is also grandfather to Isabelle, Kitty and Harry Hobbs, his and first wife Thelma Riley's daughter Jessica's children, and Elijah and Maia Osbourne, their son Louis' two kids. You can share this post! Instagram/AP Photo Celebrity The strip club promoter, who is accused of fatally shooting the Migos star, has posted a $1 million bond after previously asking to get his bond lowered because he couldn't afford it. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - The man accused of killing Takeoff has temporarily gained his freedom back. Patrick Xavier Clark, who is accused of fatally shooting the Migos member, has been released on a $1 million bond, according to court records. The 33-year-old popular promoter, who ran a strip club and had a large social media presence, posted his bond on Wednesday, January 4 and has since walked free from jail. Details of his bond conditions are currently unknown. Patrick was arrested and charged with murder on December 1, one month after Takeoff was fatally shot at the 810 Billiards and Bowling Houston in Texas after an argument broke over a game of dice. Police confirmed that the 28-year-old rapper was an innocent bystander. "I can tell you Takeoff was not involved in playing the dice game, he was not involved in the argument that happened outside, he was not armed," Houston Police Chief Troy Finner stated in a news conference. "He was an innocent bystander." Patrick was pinned down as the man responsible for the shooting after police collected hoards of forensic evidence and dozens of cellphone videos from the night. He was alleged to be trying to flee the country after firing the shots, but his lawyers denied the claim. A judge initially set his bond at $2 million, but it was reduced to $1 million after defense attorneys argued that the original amount was excessive and goes against the Texas Constitution. The defense team also sought to have his bond reduced to $300,000 because he couldn't afford to get the money, arguing that he was not a flight risk. Patrick is due to appear in court again in March. Patrick's release on bond comes after Quavo released a tribute song to his late nephew and Migos bandmate. On the song titled "Without You", he raps, "I wish I had a time machine/ Just so you can take a ride with me/ I miss how you smile at me/ Unc & Phew until infinity/ But I know it don't work that way/ Ima see you again some day." You can share this post! ABC/Ricky Middlesworth TV Among the impressive women is Brianna, who received the first impression rose from the tech executive when they first met in the finale of Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey's 'The Bachelorette' joint season. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Less than a month before "The Bachelor" returns for a new season, the long-running ABC dating show has finally unveiled the 30 women who will be competing in upcoming season 27. These beautiful women are set to vye for leading man Zach Shallcross' heart as he kicks off his love journey soon. Among the impressive women are Bailey, Brooklyn, Cat, Christina and Brianna, the latter of whom received America's first impression rose from Zach. Zach, who used to compete for Rachel Recchia's heart in her season of "The Bachelorette" met the four during the finale of Rachel and Gabby Windey's joint season. While Zach was the most impressed with the New Jersey native, he admitted that the introductions made him even more excited to get started. "Everyone impressed me. That was incredible," he said at the time. "Everyone [is] obviously beautiful, but everyone had their own way to make an impression." Meanwhile, this season will also feature Genevie, a neonatal nurse from Baltimore City, Md.; and Charity, a child and family therapist from Columbus, Ga. Aly, a healthcare strategist from Atlanta, Georgia, Anastasia, a content marketing manager from San Diego, California, and nursing student Rebecca are also among those who will be trying to win the tech executive's executive on the show. Prior to this, host Jesse Palmer teased that love is in the air for season 27. "Zach has been amazing. He's incredibly intelligent," Jesse exclusively told E! News back in November. "He's very emotionally mature. Zach's season is a bit of a throwback. This season is a lot more about the romance and the love, and maybe a little bit less about the drama." As for the women, Jesse said, "The women are there for Zach. They're really into him. He's super intentional." He added, "This is easily the most emotional show that I've hosted in the franchise to date." In a separate interview with Us Weekly, the host noted, "It's really all about the love story and romance and a little bit less about the drama, I think." The Canadian continued, "The women are really into Zach. Zach's so emotionally mature and he's a guy that's not afraid to wear his emotion on his sleeve. He's very, very intentional. This is easily the most emotional show that I've hosted in the franchise." Season 27 of "The Bachelorette" will premiere on January 23 at 8 P.M. ET on ABC. You can share this post! Celebrity The 'Round of Applause' rapper shares that he believes that the incident, which got him shot in a robbery back in 2010, needed to happen for him to become what he is now. Jan 6, 2023 AceShowbiz - Waka Flocka Flame discussed his near-death experience during his appearance on "Club Shay Shay". In the interview, the rapper shared that he believed that the incident, which got him shot in a robbery back in 2010, needed to happen for him to become what he is now. "Yeah, I still go to the car wash. Yeah, I know what happened, definitely, 100 percent," the "Hard in da Paint" emcee told host Shannon Sharpe while reflecting on the incident, which took place in the afternoon of January 19, 2010 at the Bubble Bath Car Wash in Atlanta. "I thank God for that, too." The 36-year-old went on to say, "That was a blessing, because that weekend, I was making like a quarter million [dollars]. I was going to buy some bricks and some pounds. That's God that stopped me. I thank God, because I was arrogant as f**k. That Waka died that day, too." He admitted that the shooting turned him "dark," adding that he initially wanted to get revenge on the man, who ran off with a chain and bracelet. "He's gotta kill me for it," Waka recalled thinking during the scuffle. "Again, back then, how do you think like that? You think, 'This is my life.' You're ignorant." "The guy that shot me, I never wanted to kill him, either. I had every opportunity in the world to do it. But why kill him? He made me. I'm a f**king millionaire," he continued. While the man never apologized for attacking him, Waka shared that he couldn't care less. "I deserved that bullet, man. I'm telling you, I deserved that motherf**ker," he explained. "The s**t I know today. I can't be mad at nobody cause it helped create who I am today." During the incident, the assailant allegedly demanded the rapper hand over his jewelry but the star put up a fight. The gunman later shot the rapper before making off with multiple pieces of jewelry. Waka was immediately transported to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the arm. The doctors said that while the hip-hop star was only shot once, his arm, lung, rib, and shoulder were all punctured by the bullet You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity The rapper's cousin, Mikhail Noel, announced the great news on Wednesday, January 4 by writing on Instagram, 'We have found Theo, he is safe and well.' Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Theophilus London has been found "safe and well" after disappearing for months. Announcing the good news was his family through a statement shared on social media. Theo's cousin, Mikhail Noel, took to Instagram on Wednesday, January 4 to share a picture of the rapper. "We have found Theo. He is safe and well," so read a message on top of the snap. "At this time the family would love prayers and privacy. Thank you all!!!" In the caption, Mikhail penned, "Truly appreciate everyone's support in finding my cousin. It's refreshing and rewarding to have such a strong support system of family and friends!!!" He added, "God bless each and everyone of you all." Theo, who's a key collaborator on Kanye West's "Donda" album, was last seen in July. However, it was not until late December that his family reported him as a missing person. On December 28, the Trinidad and Tobago-born emcee's PR team put out a press release notifying the media about the situation. "Over the last few weeks, friends and family of Theophilus London have been working together to piece together his whereabouts," the statement read. "The last time someone spoke with him reportedly stretches back to July 2022 in Los Angeles. On December 27th, family members of Theophilus London traveled to Los Angeles to file a missing person report with the LAPD. London is 35 years old, black, 6'2", 175 pounds, with dark brown eyes," it continued. "If you have any information regarding his whereabouts or well-being, please reach out to his cousin Mikhail Noel at his Instagram account @iamdjkellz, or the LAPD." Theo's father, Larry, added to the statement with a plea for the recording artist to reach out to him and his family. "Theo, your Dad loves you, son," Larry said, "We miss you. And all your friends and relatives are searching for you. Wherever you are send us some signal. No matter what we will come get you son." You can share this post! AP Photo Celebrity According to a leaked excerpt from Prince Harry's much-anticipated memoir, the new British monarch urged his feuding sons to reconcile and put aside their differences. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - King Charles asked Princes William and Prince Harry not to "make (his) final years a misery." The 74-year-old monarch, who ascended the throne in September 2022 after his late mother Queen Elizabeth died, told both his feuding sons following the funeral of his father Prince Philip at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in April 2021 and called on them to put their differences aside. Harry, 38, recounted, in a leaked extract from his upcoming memoir "Spare" obtained by The Guardian newspaper's US website, an anguished meeting with his father and older brother Prince William, 40, and told how the king stood between his sons "looking up at our flushed faces." "Please, boys. Don't make my final years a misery," he quoted the king as saying. Harry's book's title refers to his nickname as "the spare heir" to William and, early in his book, he claims his father said to his then-wife Princess Diana on the day he was born, "Wonderful! Now you've given me an heir and a spare - my work is done." The book is also said to see Harry accuse William of physically attacking him at his home in Windsor in 2019 after his brother allegedly branded his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, "difficult," "rude," and "abrasive." The duke then claims the row escalated and William - whom he called Willy in the anecdote - "grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and... knocked me to the floor." Harry says he had given his brother a glass of water during the bust up and had said, "I can't speak to you when you're like this." He added, "He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out." Harry also claims William told him, "You don't need to tell Meg about this," and he is said to have replied, "You mean that you attacked me?" The duke writes that William then said, "I didn't attack you, Harold." Harry also claims Meghan, 41, with whom he shares son Archie, three, and 19-month-old daughter Lilibet, later spotted "scrapes and bruises," and was "terribly sad" about the alleged altercation. You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity The former head of the Catholic Church has been buried in his final resting place at St Peter's Basilica in a funeral attended by European royalties and top politicians. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has been buried in his final resting place. The former head of the Catholic Church - who was the first pontiff to resign in 600 years when he stepped down in February 2013 after almost eight years in his position - died on Saturday, December 31, 2022 morning at the age of 95 and his funeral took place on Thursday, January 5, 2023, with his successor, Pope Francis, presiding over the service. The funeral was attended by around 100,000 mourners gathered in St Peter's Square at the Vatican. It was a rare requiem Mass for a dead pontiff by a living one, but Francis - who was guided to his place in a wheelchair and stood with the aid of a crutch - opted not to dwell on Benedict's specific legacy in his homily. He only mentioned him once by name in his final line when he said, "Holding fast to the Lord's last words and to the witness of his entire life, we too, as an ecclesial community, want to follow in his steps and to commend our brother into the hands of the Father. Benedict, faithful friend of the Bridegroom, may your joy be complete as you hear his voice, now and forever." Among the mourners at the two-hour, multilingual, ceremony were Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Queen Sofia of Spain, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Italy President Sergio Mattarella. The service began when 12 pallbearers carried in the coffin from the basilica and rested it before the alter in the piazza, then Benedict's secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, bent down and kissed a book of the Gospels that was left open on his casket. The first reading was in Spanish and followed by an English reading before a Gospel passage was sung in Italian. Following the service, Benedict's cypress coffin was placed inside a zinc one, then another outer oak casket, before being entombed in the crypt in the grottos underneath St Peter's Basilica. You can share this post! AP Photo Celebrity According to the Duke of Sussex, his older brother and sister-in-law encouraged him to don Nazi outfit when he asked for their opinion about what to wear to a costume party. Jan 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Prince Harry has alleged the Prince and Princess of Wales told him to wear a Nazi uniform to a party. In 2005, the Duke of Sussex sparked outrage when pictures showed him in the military costume, complete with a swastika on his left arm, at the "native and colonial" themed party thrown by show jumper Richard Meade, but he's insisted his older brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law Catherine "howled" with laughter about the outfit and encouraged him to put it on for the bash. "I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said. They both howled. Worse than Willy's leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point," Harry wrote in the book of his deliberations between the controversial costume or a pilot's get-up, according to Page Six who have obtained a leaked copy of his upcoming memoir "Spare". The 38-year-old prince, who was 20 at the time of the party, recently spoke of his regret about wearing the uniform. He said on the third episode of Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan", "It was probably one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I felt so ashamed afterwards." "All I wanted to do was make it right. I sat down spoke to the Chief Rabbi in London, which had a profound impact on me. I went to Berlin and spoke to a Holocaust survivor. I could have just ignored it and gone on and made the same mistakes over and over again in my life. But I learned from that." At the time of the scandal, Harry apologised for his "poor choice." He said in a statement, "I am very sorry if I caused any offense or embarrassment to anyone. It was a poor choice of costume and I apologise." Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace both declined to comment. You can share this post! Instagram/YouTube Movie The 'Blonde' actress claims her whole body is 'sore' and 'bruised' after filming grueling action scenes with her co-star for the upcoming 'John Wick' spin-off. Jan 6, 2023 AceShowbiz - Ana de Armas and Keanu Reeves have shot gruelling fight scenes for "Ballerina". The 34-year-old actress takes on the lead role in the "John Wick" spin-off and says her body has been battered by combat scenes with Keanu - who is reprising his role as the hitman Wick. "We've been in Prague filming for four months. We still have one more month to go. And I'm in pain. You know, my body, my back, everything hurts. I'm complaining, I'm sore, I'm bruised," Ana said when speaking on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon". The star is no stranger to stunts after appearing in the James Bond film "No Time to Die" but admits that "Ballerina" is on "another level" compared to her brief appearance in the 007 flick - although she is grateful to be working with "The Matrix" actor. Ana said, "Bond was fifteen minutes. This is a whole movie, another level. But the other day, Keanu and I were rehearsing our very difficult stunt scene, and this man is just rolling and throwing me and doing crazy stunts. And I'm like - I can't complain anymore. Because he is doing it! He truly is the best." The "Blonde" actress plays the role of ballerina-assassin Rooney in the movie and is joined in the cast by Reeves, Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston, Norman Reedus, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Gabriel Byrne. Huston will be reprising her role as The Director in the project. The 71-year-old star appeared as the head of the Ruska Roma crime organisation in "John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum" during a scene where a beleaguered John Wick came to her for help. Among her skills is training young dancers to learn that art is suffering while also training young fighters to roll with the flips. You can share this post! In 2022, Amazon become part of the litany of technology companies that begun laying off their employees. It was reported by the New York Times in November that the company aimed to let go of nearly 10,000 employees, but that number has risen to a great extent. In the last two months, the company has let go off 18,000 employees, according to Andy Jassy, Amazon CEO. Many employees who worked across Amazon Devices and Books businesses and also in People, Experience and Technology (PXT) organisations were laid off. As per Jassy, the vast part of employee eliminations are in PXT organisations and Amazon stores. The CEO attributed the drastic action to unsteady and hard economies in the past. He hinted that more people will be sacked. According to the company, it is working to assist those who are being affected and are offering packages including a separation payment, external job placement support, transitional health insurance benefits, etc. In India too, the layoffs reportedly had an effect on the companys employees. According to Jassy, some number of layoffs would be occurring in Europe, and the employees who are impacted will be well informed from January 18. The organisation had nearly 1.5 million employees in total. In the previous year, it was declared by Meta that it will be deducting the number of employees by 11,000 employees. It was announced by Intel that it will be reducing jobs, but Google CEO Sundar Pichai has not indicated about any lay-off plans. Indias largest gifting brand FNP (Ferns N Petals) announces the appointment of Shashwat Goswami to the newly created role of Chief Marketing Officer. In his role will be responsible for leading the companys marketing approach, creative collaborations to implement FNPs strategic vision. He will build on the companys position in the market to accelerate growth, innovation, and value for stakeholders and customers. As part of the marketing function, Shashwat will oversee brand building, consumer acquisition via organic & paid channels, retention marketing, social media marketing and public relations. The appointment comes amid rapid growth of the gifting behemoth following its ongoing evolution in terms of improved brand ethos and recent rebranding exercise which are part of FNPs wider mission to bring operational resilience and business excellence to the forefront. Shashwat who brings almost 2 decades of high impact brand experience, served as the Marketing Head at Gaana where he was leading growth, retention and brand marketing for the music streaming app. Prior to Gaana he was the Marketing Head (Private Label) at Grofers where he was spearheading a wide portfolio of the online grocery majors own brands. Previously a Senior Executive with a decade long experience at Pepsico he was responsible for conceptualizing and executing creative storytelling and building marketing offence for the cola brands iconic Pepsi Thi Pi Gaya campaign. A seasoned strategy and marketing executive, he has been working at the intersection of FMCG and technology for decades. He has been building, leading and scaling marketing efforts across brands. Speaking on the appointment Pawan Gadia, Global CEO and Director, FNP said For the past 30 years FNP has brought a lot of joy to peoples lives through its products and services. As we ready ourselves for the next phase of growth, innovation, marketing experience and sustainability will play a crucial role. We intend to bring our consumers closer to the brand by positioning FNP through an innovative lens, by capturing unique story telling opportunities and personalised retail experiences. Shashwat with his compelling track record, his depth and breadth of marketing experience is the right fit and we are thrilled to welcome him to the team I am thrilled to be joining FNP at such an exciting time of the business where we are taking our success in India towards a global footprint. I am looking forward to contributing towards FNPs growth ambition of becoming one of the worlds most innovative and fast-growing gifting brands. said Shashwat Model Economic Township Limited (MET City), a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is developing a world class Greenfield Smart city near Gurugram, Haryana. MET City is happy to announce signing of definitive agreement with Hamdard Group for setting up a world class manufacturing facility at the city. Hamdard is envisaging to develop its Hamdard Food Park Cluster (HFPC) to manufacture some of its core Foods categories on approximately 10 acres of land at MET City. They are planning to spend about Rs.100 to 150 Crores in the first phase development of its manufacturing facilities. The project includes: - Honey processing plant and similar product manufacturing facilities Spices manufacturing plant for various pure, whole and blended spices under the brand of Hamdard Khaalis spices. Edible oil processing and filling facilities for the oils like Mustard Oil, Olive Oil, Rice Bran Oil & Soya Oil etc. Extruded products processing and manufacturing facilities for Vermicelli, Soya Chunks like products. Beverages filling and packing for the products like Dairy drinks, Still Juices, Carbonated drinks. Mr. Hamid Ahmed, CEO, Hamdard Foods, said, Growth comes by bringing around world class manufacturing technologies to give world class products to the customer. Having this thought in mind Hamdard Foods selected Reliance MET City, Jhajjar, Haryana for developing its manufacturing facilities in the next 1 to 2 years as it provided not only a very good location to be within NCR but also a place having world class industrial infrastructure. Mr. SV. Goyal, CEO & WTD, MET City, said, We are very happy to have Hamdard Group, one of the iconic brands of India, as a part of MET City. MET City project is not only one of the fastest growing Greenfield Smart City but also an address for global companies. With its Plug-n-Play infrastructure and companies from 7 countries, MET City today is a leading business city in attracting more companies from diverse sectors. Met City is a pioneer project in sustainable development with over 9000 Crore investment already committed. Today it has licenses for 1903 acres and more than 25,000 people are already working at the project. Hamdard Group as an addition in the global brand lists of Reliance MET City, is a perfect match of world class infrastructure meeting world class consumer product brand. Mr. Vaibhav Mittal, Head Business Development, MET City, said, Hamdard Group will be a force multiplier for MET City in its journey of becoming a global destination for investments in India. With 400+ customers, MET City is on its way of becoming a platform for not only established large companies but also for SME companies. In this project Hamdard Group will not only manufacture world-class products but will bring global manufacturing best practices to MET City as well as help in generating more investments through vendor development and employment generation. One of India's leading fashion retail giants Lifestyle, has recently appointed Lowe Lintas to manage its creative duties. As a part of the partnership, Lowe Lintas Bangalore will be responsible for the brand building mandate of the parent brand Lifestyle and its in-house brands (Ginger, Melange, Code, Forca, Fame Forever, IKSU, Kappa, Bossini, Smiley and Juniors). The account has been won after a competitive multi-agency pitch. Lowe Lintas was awarded the mandate on the back of its inspiring strategy to infuse the Lifestyle brand with a higher order purpose and the distinct creative expressions that will help it to stand out and apart from other retail chains. Speaking on the partnership, Rohini Haldea, AVP & Head, Marketing - Lifestyle said: We are delighted to onboard Lowe Lintas as our new brand building and creative partner. Their sound strategic thinking and path-breaking creative capabilities, combined with fashion expertise make them the perfect partner to lead Lifestyle. With this partnership, we look forward to creating inspiring, and impactful work that lead the consumer and take Lifestyle to the next level of engagement and growth. The world of fashion is evolving faster than ever, with every brand constantly aiming to stay relevant and establish a unique space in the consumer's mind. Through this collaboration, Lowe Lintas will play an integral role in positioning Lifestyle as the go-to fashion destination in the minds of these shoppers and pave the way to drive long-term growth for the brand. Commenting on the win, Sonali Khanna, President and Head of Office - South, Lowe Lintas said: "While online shopping ruled during the pandemic, people are keen to return to a more visceral in-shop experience. But the plethora of choices available today, both offline and online, has made it imperative for brands to go beyond the obvious. Merely providing on-trend products or a captivating shopping experience is just not enough; brands have to connect with customers through a deeper meaning by taking a powerful stand that is both inspirational and aspirational at the same time. Lifestyle has always enjoyed a special connect with its consumers, and we believe our new work will stir their souls and reignite their imagination. By focusing on the stand of the Lifestyle brand, we are confident of lifting the Lifestyle experience to even greater heights." The Bangalore office of Lowe Lintas will handle the all-exciting mandate for Lifestyle. Mastercard today announced the appointment of Gautam Aggarwal as Division President for South Asia & Country Corporate Officer, India, effective January 1. Gautam takes the mantle from Nikhil Sahni, who is assuming a new regional role within the company. With his new remit, Gautam will oversee all of Mastercards activities across South Asia and India, including product management, engagements with customers and regulators, marketing and more. In addition, as head of the payment technology firms South Asia division, based out of Mumbai, he will lead operations across the sub-continent, covering Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan, in addition to India. Gautam joined Mastercard in 2014, bringing with him more than a decade of experience across technology, sales and business development, product management, strategy, and M&A. Since then, he has held several leadership roles across the company, in both the United States and Asia Pacific region. Most recently, from 2019-2022, he served as Regional Chief Technology Officer for Asia Pacific, spearheading Mastercards $1 billion+ technology investments in key markets including India, Australia, China, Japan and Southeast Asia. Prior to this, he focused on leading extensive global stakeholder engagement and executions around real-time payments (RTP). Forging Mastercards partnerships with domestic schemes and regulators, Gautam facilitated the provision of RTP technologies to economies across the Asia Pacific region, supporting governments to fulfil their financial inclusion and digitization ambitions, while also shaping Mastercards early thinking on digital identity. With more than two decades of technology, innovation, and commercial market experience, Gautam brings a strong multidisciplinary background and global perspective to addressing regional priorities. Combined with his Mastercard know-how gleaned from his eight years with the company that saw him spearheading a number of strategic initiatives and countless technology investments, he is uniquely equipped to ensure that Mastercard is poised to tackle the range of opportunities and challenges ahead, said Ari Sarker, President, Asia Pacific, Mastercard. As the company enters the next phase of its growth journey in South Asia, we look forward to deepening partnerships with stakeholders in India and across the sub-continent under Gautams leadership. I am incredibly energized to steward Mastercards South Asia division which includes some of the fastest growing, most dynamic economies in the world. With the India growth story in particular being closely watched globally, Mastercard is committed to doing all that it can to enable the governments Digital India vision by investing the full breadth of its resources people, data, services, technology, philanthropy to support the countrys long-term inclusive growth, said Gautam Aggarwal, Division President for South Asia & Country Corporate Officer, India. Before joining Mastercard, Gautam worked in Silicon Valley start-ups for eight years before moving on to a four-year stint at McKinsey and Company in New York, USA. He holds a MBA (with honors) from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as masters and bachelors degrees in computer science from Cornell University (USA) and Manipal Institute of Technology (India), respectively. Nokia today announced that Rolf Werner has joined the company as the Senior Vice President of its European region, reporting directly to Chief Customer Experience Officer, Ricky Corker. Bringing more than 25 years business and industry experience, Rolf joins Nokia from Cognizant Technology Solutions, where he was the CEO of Germany, with responsibility for the DACH region. DACH is a top three region for Cognizant Technology, and under his leadership, the company delivered double-digit growth for the region, including the acquisition of ESG Mobility. During his career, Rolf has held senior positions at Fujitsu, Global Logic, and T-Systems, where he led the turnaround of T-Systems French organization, across the whole organizational framework. Heading Nokias Europe Region, Rolf will help drive Nokias already significant growth and market share. In addition, he will deepen Nokias relationships with key European customers and support the companys growth ambitions into new market segments. Nokia will continue to support Europes ambitions to be a powerhouse of innovation, globally, and Rolfs team will guide CSPs and Enterprises as they deploy 5G, fiber broadband and private wireless. Ricky Corker, Chief Customer Experience Officer of Nokia, said: I am thrilled to welcome Rolf to the company. Having a broad experience across the industry, gained in software, service providers and in many other areas, means that Rolf will be able to help guide Nokias European organization through the next stage of our corporate development. Rolf Werner, Senior Vice President Europe at Nokia, said: This is an excellent time to join Nokia. It is clear that Nokia has an excellent opportunity to seize the market as one of very few companies that can offer solutions to its customers across the full range of technologies available in the industry. Nokia is supplying 5G and many other technologies across its portfolio to major service providers and leading operators, as well as hyperscalers, enterprises and government organizations throughout Europe. Nokia provides the critical networks that European governments and service providers depend on, relying on the decades of experience and investment that Nokia has across European infrastructure. Nokia has an unrivalled track record of innovation in Europe, including hosting nine Nokia Bell Labs research centers. Bell Labs pioneered many of the fundamental technologies that are being used to develop 5G and fiber broadband standards. Hungarian analysts hail China's new COVID approach Xinhua) 10:42, January 05, 2023 A health worker administers a dose of COVID-19 vaccine to Anna Lujza Honecz from Hungary at a vaccination site in Tsinghua University, Beijing, capital of China, April 3, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao) With its 90 percent COVID-19 vaccination rate, China's decision to reopen its borders is not irresponsible, he said. In most European countries the same decision was made when the vaccination rate was around 70 percent only. BUDAPEST, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- A Hungarian expert spoke highly of China's reaction to the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic and said he was optimistic about the Chinese government's new anti-COVID measures. "China reacted well in the early stages of the pandemic, when it stopped the spread of the virus with national lockdowns and mass testing, and began developing its own vaccines," Zoltan Kiszelly, director of the Center of Political Analyses at Hungary's Szazadveg Institute, told Xinhua in a recent interview. China's health industry made a significant contribution to the global response to COVID-19 by exporting personal protective equipment (face masks, clothing) and syringes, according to Kiszelly. The delivery from China to Hungary of hundreds of thousands of doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 greatly contributed to the rapid and mass immunization of the Hungarian population, said the expert. Staff members transfer the first batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine purchased by Hungary at the Liszt Ferenc International Airport in Budapest, Hungary, Feb. 16, 2021. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) It also helped Hungary to reopen after lifting the lockdown earlier than many other countries of Western Europe, he said. The expert emphasized that in the early stages of the pandemic, China donated its own vaccine to allied third-world countries, which slowed the spread of the virus and helped the immunization of health workers and critical infrastructure workers. Kiszelly also praised China for obtaining the World Health Organization's (WHO) authorization for its Sinopharm vaccine, which enabled people to freely travel in Europe. It would be beneficial if the WHO, China, India, the United States, Russia and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) coordinated their licensing practices, he noted. A community worker (L) offers a care package with medicines and COVID-19 prevention materials to a resident in Yangfangdian Subdistrict of Haidian District in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Ren Chao) With its 90 percent COVID-19 vaccination rate, China's decision to reopen its borders is not irresponsible, he said. In most European countries the same decision was made when the vaccination rate was around 70 percent only. "I am optimistic about the Chinese government's pandemic prevention and control measures, as China can draw on the experience of other countries and regions, and the organization of the country, the discipline of the Chinese people, and the performance capacity of the Chinese economy provide the necessary tools, logistics and public cooperation for the new phase of the fight against the pandemic," he said. A volunteer helps a foreigner to check identity information at a COVID-19 test site in Chaoyang District, Beijing, capital of China, May 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong) "China understood that a complex problem requires a complex solution, and this is an excellent thing because nowadays complex thinking is a rare commodity," another expert, Andras Inotai, former general director of the Institute for World Economics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, told Xinhua. "The pandemic is truly a global challenge for mankind, and I think leaders worldwide should cooperate to address it. They should also rely on the experience of China's 5,000-year-old culture, which has proven its resilience and capacity to adapt to face hard challenges," he said. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) TV9 Network, India's largest television news network, has roped in senior marketing professional, Vikas Srivastava, to drive its marketing function across broadcast and digital media. TV9 Network has achieved a record three-fold growth in revenue in three years. What is more is that despite embarking on a massive expansion plan across its three verticals broadcast, digital and OTT, the Network has maintained a healthy bottom line, which keeps fuelling Network's growth appetite. Vikas brings with him considerable consumer marketing experience spanning a range of business categories. He has about 18 plus years experience serving in varied roles in India and abroad at leading corporations including Pernod Ricard, Colgate Palmolive, Castrol, Emami and Cricut. He last served in Salt Lake City, USA, leading creation of new categories for Cricut Inc., the world's leading organization in DIY Craft. Vikas holds a MBA degree from Stanford University. He passed out from XLRI Jamshedpur in 2004 and did his Mechanical Engineering in 2002. Speaking on Vikas's appointment, TV9 MD & CEO, Mr. Barun Das, said. "2023 is a very significant year for the news genre. TV9 Network, which disrupted the news genre in 2022 achieving a remarkable turnaround, has lined up a slew of innovative and industry leading offerings this year. I welcome Vikas to the TV9 family. His experience across varied industries both in India and around the world will support us in continuing and consolidating our news leadership charter." Speaking about his new role, Vikas said that TV9 Network is the number one television news network in the country. It is a forward-looking company that is making news future proof for consumers who are very different from the news consumers of yester years. I am extremely happy to join this industry agenda setting network." Liberal Whites wallowing in revisionist histories have made Whites the racist pariahs of the world, and Americans are ranked the worst. Americans have themselves to blame. They cant stop talking about slavery and racism, and now neither can African Americans. If woke educators have their way, all African Americans, present and future, will be obsessed with slavery and racism because it will be the center of American history. This will destroy Americas ability to hold together as a nation. America is the only nation where people politick to make its long-dead slave past the center of its history. As a historical matter, it makes little sense when compared to the slave sins of other nations. America received 3-5% of the slaves sold in the Atlantic trade. Over 90% were sold in the Caribbean and South America. The first collective protest against slavery occurred in the Thirteen Colonies in 1688. In 1860, just over 1% of Americans owned slaves, although it was legal to do so. Most states never had slavery. American ships legally participated in the Atlantic slave trade from 1783 to 1794, at which point it became illegal for American ships to transport slaves. America stands alone in fighting a civil war to end slavery. An estimated 320,000 white Union soldiers died to ensure abolition. Americas war and abolition were a clarion call for other nations to abolish slavery. There are many nations where slavery played a much more salient role, but its not a central part of their history books or even a chapter. Portugal started the Atlantic slave trade in the early 16th century. Most slaves in this trade, about 4550%, or 5.5 million, were sold in the Portuguese colony of Brazil. Slavery existed in Portuguese African colonies into the 1960s. Image: African slaves on a Brazilian coffee plantation in 1882. Today, Brazils black population is 50% versus 12.5% in the United States. Afro-Brazilians are more interested in using schools to share black culture as opposed to wallowing in their slave history. Portugals history of slavery is reduced to something in the past that will never be repeated. The U.K. transported 25% of the slaves across the Atlantic, primarily to its colonies in North America. The future United States received 10% of the slaves Britain transported, or an estimated 388,000. Britain took the lead in ending slavery in Africa and the Atlantic, Arab, and African slave trades. Many Africans, however, skirted prohibitions with new forms of slavery and a clandestine trade. After WWII, America played a central role in ending all forms of slavery. Acting to end world slavery is part of how Britain teaches its history, but America is silent about its role. For the first 100-150 years of settlement in the North American British colonies, these slaves were British property. British students learn little of this. Few acts of collective forgetting have been as thorough and as successful as the erasing of slavery from Britains Island story. Its not really forgotten; instead, in the hindsight history of the British Empire, its not central. The U.K. is more likely to cover the American Civil Rights movement than apartheid in South Africa and Namibia, whether before or after they were British colonies. At a time when the United States used its legal system to solidify equality of opportunity for all people, South Africa was illustrating what white supremacism really looks like. A little earlier, Germany did too. Between 1901-1908, in retaliation for resisting colonization, Germany executed genocides on the Herero and Nama tribes in todays Namibia. That was a well-kept secret until 2021 and is most certainly not part of its history curriculum. The Holocaust, however, is an integral part of Germanys curriculum because it played out across the world stage rather than being successfully hidden in a small corner of Africa. Its possible to argue that rising anti-Semitism in Germany isnt just because of the significant Muslim population but because Germany has never been allowed to let the past be the past. Instead, Germans born decades after the wars end are still culturally indicted as war criminals. As were seeing in America, acknowledging the past is one thing; blaming the present is incredibly destructive. Middle Eastern Arabs ran a trade in African slaves from the 7th to the 20th centuries. But the Eastern and trans-Saharan slave trade organized by the Arabs remains unknown: it even seems deliberately ignored and considered a taboo subject. Indeed, Most of the African authors have not yet published a book on the Arab-Muslim slave trade out of religious solidarity. There are 500 million Muslims in Africa, and it is better to blame western nations than talk about the past crimes of Arab Muslims. But Arabs dont see twelve centuries of enslaving Africans as past crimes. Enslaving non-Muslims was legal under Islamic law. Why portray behaviors that were legal in the past as criminal today? Abolishing slavery in the African and Arab trades was very challenging. The Arabs strongly resisted British anti-slavery demands in their African colonies and settlements because those economies and societies relied on slavery. The trade was fully banned only at the behest of U.S. President Kennedy in 1962. The intra-African trade endured even longer. While westerners were abolishing slavery, Africans were increasing it. In the 19th century, African elites and non-elites alike owned slaves. Slave labor drove the economy and households. European colonizers negotiating with tribal chieftains often conceded the continuance of slavery because the alternative was social collapse and war. When British sailors interdicted slave ships, they encountered a real challenge. Most Africans didnt want to be free, preferring the security of a known master providing food and shelter. Slavery was part of their culture. But this isnt found in African history curricula, where slavery is censored. Travel to West Africa and the only talk of slavery relates to the Atlantic trade, oddly with the United States as the lead trader. When White and Black Americans can grasp that the existence of African slaves in the United States and in 23 countries in Latin America, 31 countries and territories in the Caribbean, 54 countries in Africa, 14 countries in the Middle East, and several in South and Eastern Asia would not have existed without Africans unperturbed by capturing, transporting, and selling slaves, then Americans can place their history of slavery into the context of slavery as common, legal, and impossible without enterprising African chiefs. That doesnt mean slavery was moral; it just means it was the human norm. Instead of constantly reliving the sins of their ancestors, Americans could take pride in counting among the first nations to end slavery and the first to provide equal opportunity for all, and in playing a significant role in abolishing slavery in Africa and the Middle East. American history from the 17th to the 21st centuries should be covered for all groups: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Dwelling on the historical bad or uglies that have been roundly addressed and pretending that the most educated and wealthy black population in the world is a victim of white oppression serves no positive purpose. Americas outsized focus on slavery and Jim Crow since 2013 can take credit for plummeting race relations. In 2023, America should make a resolution to end the ruse of wokism. When the wokerati carry on about non-existent or unconscious racial prejudices, they inspire racism. On a recent trip to Ghana, amidst endless abject poverty, a Ghanaian man told me many of his colleagues wish their ancestors had been enslaved in America. Rather than in Africa? I asked. He grimaced. Joe Biden's decision to allow a Chinese company "to own 370 acres of land within 12 miles of Grand Forks Air Force Base in Grand Forks, North Dakota" portends dire consequences for America. According to Gordon Chang, China will be able to use a proposed $700 million corn milling plant on the site to spy on military communications and even disrupt them. In Beijing, they must be shaking their heads in disbelief at the inability of the U.S. to protect some of its most sensitive communications. Consequently, Fufeng USA, a subsidiary of a Shandong province-based agribusiness giant, is, at least for the moment, free to build its wet corn milling and biofermentation plant in Grand Forks. Moreover, "[t]he Chinese will now have the ability to conduct passive, persistent surveillance of both signals controlling experimental drones that are routinely tested at that USAF facility as well as signals that are routinely beamed to and from sensitive U.S. military satellites[.]" If that were not alarming enough, consider the fact that "[s]hould the U.S. and China end up in a shooting war over, say, Taiwan, Fufeng's property near the Air Force base could be used to send malicious signals to jam passing satellites or disrupt the operation of drones. We have made ourselves vulnerable on our own territory." So while the American military establishment worries about which pronouns to use, our enemies cannot believe their good fortune. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has already doubled its nuclear stockpile in just two years. Moreover, in its arsenal of weaponry, China has declared "a people's war" on the United States by using investments to undermine American strength. According to Texas Scorecard, the CCP is doggedly pursuing the American agriculture infrastructure. Agricultural land, and the oftentimes attached food processing, serves a vital function in the insulation of any nation from foreign powers. Now, with an ongoing military conflict in eastern Europe, the need to be agriculturally independent is gaining deserved attention. Yet, "as is the case with energy, foreign companies and individuals have a foot in the door and remain ready to take advantage of the beachheads they've established in the past two decades." For example, Based in Smithfield, Virginia, Smithfield Foods was acquired in 2013 by the China-based company Shuanghui. Renamed WH Group, Shuanghui not only owns meat operations stateside, but it is the top meat processor in China. WH Group's acquisition of Smithfield made it the largest hog producer in the United States. But their reach does not end there. Filings with the SEC in 2016 lists Texas among the states with facilities owned or leased by WH Group. In August of 2022, Congressman Ralph Norman noted that "China owns and controls almost 192,000 acres of farmland right here in the United States." It is critical to note that "[f]oreign investors from China are under the total and absolute control of the communist Chinese government." Whether it be military threats, cyber-attacks, or outright theft of intellectual property, the CCP is in a race to outmaneuver the United States. The CCP's malevolence knows no end. From a homeland security standpoint, we cannot find ourselves in a situation where a squabble with China could trigger a decrease in production from the U.S. farms they control. Congressman Norman co-sponsored "H.R. 7892, which would prohibit the sale of U.S. farmland to anyone associated with the communist Chinese government." Additionally, he co-sponsored H.R. 5490, which "requires the USDA to conduct a detailed analysis of the extent of foreign influences in the agricultural industry." Land grabbing is when a government, company, or other entity purchases large swathes of land in another country [which] can affect local land rights and agricultural production, sometimes putting local food security at risk. Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land doubled from 2009 to 2019, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) records, and policymakers have become increasingly concerned about foreign control of the U.S. food supply. And if you are like me and wondering why pecans are hardly on the grocery shelves anymore, the Chinese are involved with this as well. Over the past decade, China has massively disrupted the pecan market. Equally alarming is that "young and aspiring farmers say access to land is their largest barrier to starting a successful farm business. With an aging U.S. farmer population and not enough new farmers able to enter the industry, more land will inevitably be converted to other uses or sold to foreign and domestic investors unless policies are put in place to support the next generation of farmers." Then there is the concern with the electric grid and other critical infrastructure. In August of 2021, Texas governor Greg Abbott signed the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act. The purpose was to "[p]revent business entities associated with 'hostile nations' from accessing the Texas electricity grid and other pieces of 'critical infrastructure,' including computer networks and waste treatment systems." In fact, "it was a direct response to one Chinese billionaire and his plans to build a wind farm in southwest Texas." Since 2016, a company owned by Xinjiang-based real estate tycoon Sun Guangxin had spent an estimated $110 million buying up land in Texas' Val Verde County. Located on the Mexico border, Val Verde is home to about 50,000 people, the small town of Del Rio, family-owned hunting ranchesand Laughlin Air Force Base, a training ground for military pilots. In less than two years Sun bought up roughly 140,000 acres in the county through subsidiaries he controls. He set aside 15,000 acres of that land for his company GH America Energy LLC to oversee the construction of a wind farm that could feed into Texas' electricity grid, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). But "Texas ... seems to have been slow to react, considering the lack of enforcement of the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act, and the loopholes in said law." In fact, the issue of land-grabbing is front and center as the new year begins. The Chinese Communist Party continues to make incursions by "absorbing Texas soil for strategic geopolitical ends." Unfortunately, while most Americans presume that American soil is reserved for our citizens and businesses, this is clearly not the case. Texas Scorecard has investigated the CCP's infiltration of Texas' educational apparatus as well as the CCP's infiltration of Texas agricultural land and while many dismiss these concerns, a "review of adversarial countries' actions suggests that land holdings are strategic [moves] and could undermine national and resource security. Both Republicans and Democrats have warned of the national security implications of such ownership of U.S.-based assets. While American troops complain about the injection of Critical Race Theory and woke ideology, the Chinese Communist Party absolutely sees its ongoing struggle with America as a wartime engagement. The commander of U.S. Strategic Command, Adm. Charles Richard, has stated that "we are witnessing one of the largest shifts in global geostrategic power the world has ever witnessed." Our military hardware is outdated. We are surrendering our land. We are leaving our food needs and electric grid vulnerable. We are weakening our security and ability to defend ourselves. Listen to this chilling 16-minute audio here. According to Gordon Chang, "President Joe Biden can use his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers act of 1977 to block the sale of the Grand Forks land and the building of the milling facility." The question is, will this compromised president use his authority to block the sale, or will China get an even greater foothold on America? Will anyone with power stand up to this existential threat to America? Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com. Image via Max Pixel. In 2022, Democrats employed a midterm strategy that served them well in several key races. It was simple: bankroll Republican primary candidates whom they felt they could defeat in the election. It was a high-risk roll of the dice that didn't always work, as J.D. Vance will attest, but it was successful in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and other states. The end result was a net gain in the Senate and less of a drubbing than expected in the House of Representatives. Now new legislatures are choosing their leaders for the coming session. Democrats believe they can play kingmaker in some red states, despite having relatively few elected representatives there. This time, the strategy is to seize upon any split in the GOP and pick the least conservative Republican to vote for. In Ohio's legislative election for House speaker, this worked to perfection. With only 32 members on the Democrat side to 67 Republicans, Dems decided to vote en masse for their choice, GOP state rep. Jason Stephens. They deny that any "grand deal" was made. Toledo rep. Derek Merrin was the GOP choice after winning a post-election caucus vote, but those across the aisle felt he was too conservative and preferred someone they could "work with." Therefore, their 32 votes went for Stephens, who could garner only a third of Republican votes. Final tally: 54-43, Stephens over Merrin. Thanks to support from House Democrats, Stephens was elected speaker of the Ohio House on Tuesday over the Republicans' overwhelmingly preferred candidate. This isn't exactly something new for Ohio politicians. It's the second time in four years that a Republican underdog can thank Democrats for the title of speaker. In 2019, Dems gave Larry Householder the votes he needed to unseat Speaker Ryan Smith. Not that they were very picky about candidate quality: You might remember that Householder was later arrested and charged with overseeing a $60-million bribery scheme. A premeditated black eye to the GOP? Now U.S. House rep. Kevin McCarthy is considering working out a deal with Democrats to land him the position of speaker. As third in line to the presidency, it's just about as important a position as you can have in government, and he feels that he's due for the title. A group of Republicans are a hard no to McCarthy's candidacy, though, and several votes have failed to win him the election. We don't know the details yet, but Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggests that McCarthy could approach Democrats to gain the votes he needs to become speaker. In return, he gives concessions to them, such as allowing some Dems to retain chairmanships of certain powerful house committees. Impossible? Hopefully, but politics makes strange bedfellows. Democrats wouldn't even have to vote for McCarthy. They could vote "present" to decrease the number of votes needed to reach a majority. Lacking a speaker, the House can't move on to the business Republicans were elected to conduct. Of course, it will be better (much better) if a Republican candidate gets the approval of the entire GOP membership of the House. There's a lot to do, and time's a-wastin'. If nothing gives, will the 123rd session of the House of Representatives see a coalition government? Can Steve Scalise or another candidate gallop in as a dark horse? Or will the swamp be swampy and reach some other sort of compromise? Your guess is as good as mine, but too much delay doesn't reflect well on the GOP's ability to govern. Lead, follow, or get out of the way. Image: Kevin McCarthy. Credit: World Economic Forum via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Iran attracts a few tourists who love to see, and if possible, fly on vintage airliners that have vanished from the skies elsewhere. US sanctions on the sale of airliners containing US-manufactured components make it impossible to sell not just Boeings but also Airbus planes, which rely on engines, avionics and other bits and pieces which are developed and made in the USA. As a result, the airlines of Iran rely on old models that were flying in Iran before the Islamic Revolution, or which have been smuggled into the country by devious means. A cloak and dagger tale has just unfolded seeing four jumbo jets mysteriously disappear from the skies, only to be detected by satellite imagery in Tehrans Mehrabad Airport. Its quite a tale. Via Aerotime On December 24, 2022, the four Airbus A340 airliners, formerly flown by Turkish Airlines and recently registered in Burkina Faso, departed for a scheduled flight from South Africa to Uzbekistan. However, as they flew over Iran, the aircraft disappeared from flight tracking services. Days later, their presence at Mehrabad International Airport (THR) in Tehran, Iran, was confirmed by satellite imagery. An A 340-300 in the livery of Irans Mahan Air Photo credit: Marvin Mutz CC BY-SA 2.0 license JUST IN: Visual confirmation that the 4x ex-Turkish Airlines (red tail and wing tips) Airbus A340-300 from Johannesburg arrived to Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran, Iran. Confirming identification, Sentinel-2 imagery shows that they were only recently parked here. https://t.co/cMNLyHCuhg pic.twitter.com/eyWVF4JZcW Gerjon | | | (@Gerjon_) December 29, 2022 More details from Iran International: The four A340-300 units namely MSN 115, 180, 270, and 331 were formerly operated by Turkish Airlines before their retirement in March and April 2019. The planes were bought by a company from Hong Kong -- AVRO Global and were later transferred and stored at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg until December. For the past few years, the planes have simply been parked at Johannesburg Airport, and were registered in Guernsey. There was not much sign of activity until recently, when the planes were re-registered in Burkina Faso with new registration codes XT-AKA, XT-AKB, XT-AKK and XT-ALM. The planes started their journeys out of South Africa apparently headed for Uzbekistan but ended up in Iran. The A340s were all produced between 1996 and 2000, so they are 22-26 years old, as are most of the Islamic Republics dilapidated passenger fleet, because Iran is not allowed to buy any aircraft due to the US sanctions, which have prohibited companies from selling planes that include US-made parts. This obviously presents a major challenge for Iran Air and Mahan Air, the countrys two largest airlines, which operate outdated fleets, as they can only get planes secondhand. Even the planes they get secondhand are largely acquired illegitimately through clandestine transactions to circumvent the sanctions. Rumor has it that these four Airbus A340s were purchased by Mahan Air, which already flies several Airbus A340s, most of which used to fly for Lufthansa and Virgin Atlantic back in the day. In September, an official of Irans air travel services said that the reason behind a lack of plane tickets and high prices are that more than half of the countrys aircraft are grounded. "Most of the planes owned by the airlines are grounded because they need parts and it is impossible to provide them due to the sanctions," he said. He added that only about 120 to 130 airplanes out of about 340 are operational. The A 340-300 is a fine airplane, but its four engines burn more kerosene than two-engine airliners, including the A 330 that has a similar fuselage and 2 larger, more powerful and fuel-efficient engines. As a result, airlines have been grounding their 340s to save on fuel and engine maintenance costs. But Iran, which has an absolute shortage of flyable airliners, is happy to have them. It is widely believed that at least one of four new planes will be cannibalized for spare parts to keep other of Irans airliners flying, since those parts are also usually subject to sanctions. In October, Hollywood actress Elizabeth Banks appeared on one of the late-night talk programs to discuss her new movie Call Jane. The film is a fictionalized drama focused on the 1960s Jane Collective, which was a group of underground abortion militants. Watch one clip in particular from Banks interview below: Believe women deserve more than abortion? Elizabeth Banks would say you're just a coward. Not to worry though, she's got women's backs even when you don't. She's "fighting" so all the women you love can kill their babies.https://t.co/INmZLaRnJh Olivia Murray (@americaliv1) January 5, 2023 So, for anyone who is an advocate of child sacrifice, you should be thanking Elizabeth Banks, because shes fighting for you, and women you may love. But, let me highlight another group of unsung heroes in the fight for reproductive justice and freedom of choice: Arizona Republican lawmakers. From a news piece by Jacques Billeaud a few days back: An Arizona court has ruled that abortion doctors cannot be prosecuted under a pre-statehood law that criminalizes nearly all abortions yet was barred from being enforced for decades. But the Arizona Court of Appeals on Friday declined to repeal the 1864 law, which carries a sentence of two to five years in prison for anyone who assists in an abortion and provides no exceptions for rape or incest. Still, the court said doctors cant be prosecuted for performing abortions in the first 15 weeks of pregnancy because other Arizona laws passed over the years allow them to perform the procedure, though non-doctors are still subject to be charged under the old law. We all saw the writing on the wall with Roe, state legislators included. In March of 2022, shortly before the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 decision, the Republican-held legislature in Arizona passed a bill which was then signed into law by the Republican governor. SB 1164 was touted as an abortion ban, yet it was actually quite the opposite. It enshrined abortion into law, and preserved access to the procedure for nearly one hundred percent of women seeking abortions. According to the Lozier Institute which analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 94% of abortions are performed within the first 15 weeks of a childs life. Abortion advocates decried the legislation as a ban but what it really did was make abortion legal up to 15 weeks. For people who love baby slaughter so much, they should be thanking the Republican lawmakers for their grit and dedication to the death to the innocent movement. Arizona had a near-total abortion ban on the books (referenced above as the 1864 law), but in 1973, there was an injunction placed on the statute to comply with the SCOTUS decision. Without this new law and once Roe was reversed, Arizona would have simply needed to lift the injunction against the existing law, and preborn children in Arizona would be recognized as humans deserving of the right to life. Billeaud included this in his article: In a statement, Brittany Fonteno, president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood Arizona, said the decision means a state law limiting abortions to 15 weeks into a pregnancy will remain in place. Let me be crystal clear that today is a good day, Fonteno said. The Arizona Court of Appeals has given us the clarity that Planned Parenthood Arizona has been seeking for months: When provided by licensed physicians in compliance with Arizonas other laws and regulations, abortion through 15 weeks will remain legal. Republican politicians are just doing what they do best, sabotaging conservative values and spitting all over Judeo-Christian morality. Pro-aborts, especially those in Arizona, dont forget to thank your local Republican, theyre fighting for you. Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required. Most Americans probably missed Pope Benedict's funeral service, given that it was held in the wee hours of the American morning. But writer Rod Dreher, who has interest in Catholic things, was there, and as someone with affection for Pope Benedict XIV, didn't want to miss his funeral. The pomp and ceremony of it was lovely, as was the mass itself. But there was one element that Dreher thought a little substandard -- Pope Francis's presiding over the mass itself, in his reading of the eulogy for his immediate predecessor. He kind of went ... generic, like he didn't know the guy. In a piece for The American Conservative that is just out, Dreher writes: The funeral mass itself was quite beautiful. I don't know how many people were present in the square -- 60,000? -- but it wasn't like John Paul II's funeral, because Benedict had been out of the papal office for almost a decade. Still, those who were there loved him. Two old Bavarian women sat behind me. They loved him too, but in a way the rest of us can't understand. He was theirs. We all prayed the rosary, in Latin, before the funeral started. The liturgy was glorious. Eventually, Pope Francis, who was shown being carted out in a wheelchair, gave his homily. Maybe I overreacted, but I thought it was a disgrace. Here is the text: "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit (Lk 23:46). These were the final words spoken by the Lord on the cross; his last breath, as it were, which summed up what had been his entire life: a ceaseless self-entrustment into the hands of his Father. His were hands of forgiveness and compassion, healing and mercy, anointing and blessing, which led him also to entrust himself into the hands of his brothers and sisters. The Lord, open to the individuals and their stories that he encountered along the way, allowed himself to be shaped by the Fathers will. He shouldered all the consequences and hardships entailed by the Gospel, even to seeing his hands pierced for love. See my hands, he says to Thomas (Jn 20:27), and to each of us. Pierced hands that constantly reach out to us, inviting us to recognize the love that God has for us and to believe in it (cf. 1 Jn 4:16).[1] ... Benedict, faithful friend of the Bridegroom, may your joy be complete as you hear his voice, now and forever! It was not a bad homily necessarily, so why did I think it was a disgrace? Dreher wrote that the speech intended to celebrate the life of Pope Benedict was utterly generic, containing no references whatsoever to the life that Pope Benedict XIV actually led. On Twitter, Dreher wryly observed: The meanness, the stinginess, of Franciss meager words today the scandal isnt what Francis said, but what he did not say. He could have given pretty much that same funeral homily for his butler. #BenedictXVI Rod Dreher (@roddreher) January 5, 2023 Dreher continued: Because Francis barely mentioned the man we were burying -- only at the end, as if to say goodbye. Francis's predecessor was perhaps the greatest theologian ever to occupy Peter's throne, but of this, Francis said nothing. Joseph Ratzinger was an absolutely essential pillar of the world-historical great papacy of St. John Paul II, but of this, from Francis, nothing. You don't even have to have liked Ratzinger's theology to nevertheless recognize his significance. This was Francis's opportunity to do so. He refused. He could have delivered this homily for his butler. Compare it to the detailed, joyful Benedict XVI gave at the funeral of John Paul II. Again, I know I am a partisan, but this struck me as an act of disrespect explicable only as an exercise of banked contempt. Look, i don't have a lot of regard for Francis's papacy, but even I could have found words of praise for Francis in such a situation. And for Benedict, if a Swiss Guard had collared me, an ex-Catholic, and shoved me onto the stage, I could have delivered a homily in praise of that great old Bavarian Christian that would have been true to his towering legacy. Not the sitting Pope, though. No. It could be that Benedict's last act was to reveal the small, bitter, spiteful character of his successor, by the way Francis sent him to the ages. How much this pope must have hated Benedict. Well, we don't know that, but it kind of points to it, given the context. Dreher is right that Pope Benedict XIV deserved better than the generic and impersonal words he got, and his observation here: Sorry, but I cant quite get over it. Francis must truly have hated Benedict, or at least his vision of Christianity. Seems that Francis declared Year Zero, goodbye to all that, etc. Bad times coming for faithful orthodox Catholics, I fear. Rod Dreher (@roddreher) January 5, 2023 ..rather makes sense, given the other things we have seen, such as the shutdown of Latin masses for traditional Catholics who like that style, and the defrocking of pro-life priest Frank Pavone. Who the heck is running the asylum at the Vatican these days and with all the crazed lunacies on the Catholic left going on, why is just one side being sanctioned? Are hard times coming for conservative Catholics? It seems like it, given Pope Francis's physically enfeebled state, and the rat's nest of leftists surrounding him. That's a cold wintery period for more traditional and conservative Catholics, who, as always, will probably have to just wait it out for longer than they want to, if not hole up with some of the Orthodox churches (which are not completely separate from the Catholics of Rome) for a spell. Image: Rod Dreher, Twitter screen shot When a blue state falls to natural disaster based on its failure to prepare for contingencies, spending its cash on goodies for special interests instead, it tends to blame the federal government. Think Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina. Think of the failed supply stocks or hospital contingencies for COVID. They always blame the feds, particularly if the president is a Republican. Well, San Francisco's ultra-blue mayor, London Breed, decided to try the same thing on the National Weather Service, blaming the federal agency for not warning her that a huge "atmospheric river" or "Pineapple express" of storms was headed her city's way and she'd better prepare. It didn't work out the way she thought it would. According to an exclusive from the San Francisco Standard: One day after Mayor London Breed accused the National Weather Service (NWS) of misleading city officials into a false sense of security ahead of a New Year's Eve storm, the agency has shot back, claiming it gave San Francisco considerable warning well over a week in advance, in fact. "We were under the impression [by the National Weather Service] that we could anticipate not even an inch of rain [that weekend]," Breed said at an emergency press conference Tuesday afternoon. "The information we had was not sufficient in helping us prepare in the capacity we needed to respond to this issue." But according to communications shared with The Standard, the NWS had alerted local officials and broadcast media as far back as Dec. 21 of "a significant rain event that would bring high impacts and hazardous conditions." Susan Buchanan, a spokesperson for the National Weather Service, said that forecasters even emailed daily briefings to the Mayor's Office and attended the virtual citywide planning meeting for New Year's Eve on Dec. 28. By Dec. 29, NWS raised the threat level for heavy rain on New Year's Eve in San Francisco to high forecasting for 2 to 3 inches of rain, with the potential for up to 6 inches in surrounding areas. Then, a day before the massive storm arrived, it warned: "This will be a dynamic and potent system ... Expect rain rates to intensify, with periods of heavy rain to develop overnight tonight and through midday on New Year's Eve." So she lied about her own failure to do anything about the storm, despite repeated warnings that it was going to be huge, and then tried to pin the blame on the largely apolitical federal agency as a convenient punching bag. Well, well, well. Seems one-party blue cities don't quite have the same privileges as solid blue states in blaming Republicans at the federal level. This federal agency is probably as Democrat as the rest of them, and so it wasn't going to take this lying down, particularly when it did its job correctly. The blame-the-Republican privilege is not there. It's roughly parallel with the screaming we hear from blue sanctuary cities upset about migrants being transported to their environs on a voluntary basis by red border-state governors, making them suddenly concerned about the costs. Rather than blame the feds for the bad policy, or themselves for their sanctuary city laws, they blame the governors for transporting the incoming migrants to them, which makes them look like clowns. Often, they call on the federal government to give them money for the migrants, but they never admit that their own bad policies on sanctuary fueled the problem, meshing exactly with the federal policies. They just don't want to pay or change policies, so they blame Republicans instead. In any case, Breed's bid to lay blame for the storm's bad outcome, which has led to flooding, blocked highways, power outages, and massive disruption in her already unlive-able city, on the feds for not warning her, didn't work for her. The largely apolitical agency, which did its job, bit back, much to her surprise. Now she has been exposed as an idiot, a placeholder mayor, a dunce who doesn't do her job. Had she not attempted to shift the blame, she might have gotten away with escaping blame by the scope of the storm. As it stands, it's pretty obvious she's a mayor who got warning that there were problems ahead, could have done something, and didn't. Breed is a former cultural NGO official, which is fine and dandy for culture and the politics of symbolism, perhaps, but obviously, when it comes to life-and-death matters, when actual leadership is required, she has no idea how to do her job. That in turn explains a lot about why there are so many disasters in that city. Now that that's out of the way, maybe the voters in that benighted city beset by natural disasters will get a clue. Image: Pax Ahimsa Gethen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. With Democrats from the FBI, state governments, local cops, the Democratic National Committee, Homeland Security, the State Department, the Pentagon, and the Biden White House jumping in to surreptitiously have Twitter act as a proxy to censor conservatives, is it any surprise that Rep. Adam Schiff wanted his cut, too? That's the latest news from Twitter Files 12, which reveals Schiff's efforts to shut down inconvenient reporters. According to Fox News: It was revealed in the latest "Twitter Files," that the office of Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., made requests for Twitter to suspend certain accounts. In the second of two back-to-back batches of Elon Musk's "Twitter Files" shared on Tuesday by Substack writer Matt Taibbi, he reported that Twitter "received an astonishing variety of requests from officials asking for individuals they didn't like to be banned." An example he shared was one sent in November 2020 by Schiff's office, who contacted Twitter hoping the tech giant would take action regarding "alleged harassment from QAnon conspiracists" against Schiff's staff, including aide Sean Misko. "Remove any and all content about Mr. Misko and other Committee staff from its service- to include quotes, retweets, and reactions to that content," the request to Twitter read. "Suspend the many accounts, including @GregRubini and @paulsperry, which have repeatedly promoted false QAnon conspiracies." Paul Sperry, the investigative reporter who revealed the name of CIA operative Eric Ciaramella as the impeachment whistleblower? That was the guy who was feeding Schiff his information about President Trump's supposed collusion with the Russians, which was utter garbage and failed to give the Senate enough evidence to convict. Schiff thought he had struck the jackpot with that guy in his tree but instead, all came out about Ciaramella's and Schiff's own collusion, something they didn't want to get out. Yes, that was an inconvenient reporter for Schiff and the political show he was putting on. Obviously, it annoyed Schiff. And instead of simply not reading the papers or ignoring the guy's reporting, or confronting his reporting head on, or whatever, Schiff got it into his head that he could vindictively retaliate for his lost political project by ordering Twitter to shut Sperry down, not expecting everyone to know. For Twitter itself, it was a bridge too far, at least to some extent. According to Fox, Taibbi continued: Schiff's office also requested that Twitter "stop the spread of future misinformation on Twitter" regarding committee staff and "label and reduce the visibility of any content." "Even Twitter declined to honor Schiff's request at the time," Taibbi wrote, noting Twitter's responses to Schiff's office repeatedly saying "we don't do this." As Taibbi noted, though, Sperry was later suspended. And that's because in Schiff's case, there was never even a pretense, however tenuous, toward national security. Twitter recognized it to be all about politics, and it wasn't ready to engage in a "master-canine" relationship with Schiff, too. It was already taking orders from every government agency, and the cooks were spoiling the broth. Schiff too joining the act was too much for them at least for a time. Sperry's account was eventually suspended and whether that was Schiff's doing or something else at this point is unknown. What makes Schiff different from the others is that his aim was pure politics, not national security. What gave him the idea that he could ask Twitter to shut down the inconvenient accounts? As Jim Jordan noted on his own Twitter, can you imagine the reaction if a Republican had asked Twitter to shut down an inconvenient reporter's account? And what gave Schiff the temerity to ask, given his pieties about "democracy" that have run all through his Trump witch hunt? If this censorship bid isn't grounds for kicking Schiff off every congressional committee he is on now, what is? This guy hates the First Amendment and sneakily proposes illegal acts surreptitiously to shut it down without taking responsibility for it? It's time to expose him and his act, and what was really going on around this that he should ask for suspensions, as soon as possible. Update: Paul Sperry has a string of excellent responses at this Twitchy thread here. Image: Caricature by DonkeyHotey via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Thanks to its lenient shoplifting laws, California (or, as I think of it, Commiefornia) is almost certainly losing substantial revenue. Yet the same state that fanatically collects vehicle registration fees seems unperturbed by these other losses. In Arizona, the sales tax is called a "transaction privilege tax," and retail businesses are required to collect that tax when selling taxable items if they are to keep their business license. (Yes, the sales tax is really called a "transaction privilege tax.") State sales tax, when combined with city or town taxes and any other local entities that join the sales tax grift, usually total more than 10% in most communities. One of the local small cities even charges a 3-percent sales tax on otherwise tax-exempt groceries. The merchants' obligation to fund the government with every sale of taxable goods leads me to conclude that when a thief steals from the retailer, not only is the retailer taking a loss, but so are the government entities that do not receive their taxes. In Commiefornia, the law allows shoplifters to steal up to $950's worth of merchandise in a single "shopping" spree. No sales tax is collected. Isn't that some sort of tax evasion? Or theft of tax dollars? This is a rather bizarre omission on the state's part. As a political refugee and former retail business owner from the rapidly failing state of Commiefornia, I can assure the reader that my previous home state will go to the ends of the Earth to collect money it believes it is owed. Image: Credit card machine by photoroyalty. Case in point: After moving to Arizona, we happily and giddily tossed our auto registration renewal fee notices from California's DMV into the trash. We had already quickly registered and insured our vehicles in Arizona to disguise our origins from the locals, wrongly thinking we were free from the DMV's ridiculously high registration taxes. Commiefornia was not going to let us get away that easily with ignoring its demands to pay the vehicle license fees. About a year after relocating, we received at our Arizona address a nasty letter from the DMV, along with voter registration forms, demanding proof that we had registered and insured our four vehicles and three trailers in our new home state before our California registrations expired. Otherwise, we would be required to register our vehicles, complete with exorbitant late penalties. Failing that, California would place liens on the real property we still owned there. Complying with their proof of registration and insurance demands took my wife all day. Worse, the required proof had to be mailed back with seven separate change of address forms, one for each vehicle or trailer, per their instructions even though the DMV clearly already had our new address. Apparently, multitasking skills are not a requirement to work at the CA DMV. The CA DMV registration fees for my 1991 F350 truck were triple what they are in Arizona, to give just one example of the exorbitant fees California charges. Therefore, we requested that California refund the unused portions of our registration fees, which amounted to hundreds of dollars. Other states will do that for their expatriates. The silence was deafening. Money travels in only one direction in Commiefornia unless you are an illegal alien; then the "benefits" are endless. I don't miss Commiefornia at all. But I'm still wondering why Commiefornia doesn't go after retail shoplifters for evading taxes as hard as they went after us for vehicle license fees. Heck, they won't even prosecute thieves for shoplifting. Maybe they will start going after the retailers for the uncollected sales taxes lost due to theft, furthering the state's accelerating decline. I wouldn't put it past them. Now that Oregon narrowly passed some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the country this past election, should it be any surprise that Washington wants to follow suit? Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson, both Democrats, have announced three new measures they plan to pursue during next years legislative session. We know we can act. We know we should act. And we know we will act in this session of the legislature. And the reason is, Washingtonians demand assertive, effective and protective gun safety laws. We intend in this session of the legislature to give Washingtonians assertive, effective and protective laws to protect them and their children against this epidemic of gun violence, Inslee said. Inslee and Ferguson want to ban assault-style weapons, hold manufacturers and retailers accountable for gun sales, and implement a permit-to-purchase requirement for all gun buyers, according to a press conference. You need to get a license to drive a car in the state of Washington. You need to get a license to go fishing. Its time you get a license to make sure you have safety training to purchase a gun in the state of Washington, and its high time that we pass a bill to make sure you get a permit before you get a firearm, Inslee said. These measures are supposed to lower gun violence in the state. They wont. What they will do is ensure that criminals who will be armed even if these measures pass will worry less about meeting an armed citizen capable of defending his or herself. It will encourage crime, and with it, gun violence. The Left never learns the failed lessons of others. Or they dont want to learn because they couldnt care less. These measures arent about reducing gun violence. They are about controlling citizens. Inslee cited the dismal statistics of how many Washingtonians had been killed from gun violence. It is interesting that he would cite these statistics since Democrats have controlled the state government for years and have been passing increasingly restrictive gun-control laws that have brought the state to the point where 800 residents were shot and killed last year. And when these laws dont work and the state sees an increase in crime, the politicians will claim that more needs to be done. More restrictions on the freedoms of law-abiding citizens need to be made. They never acknowledge that inverse relationship that can be seen all over the country. The more politicians restrict gun ownership, the more crime in those areas increases. Republican state Rep. Jim Walsh called the measures a waste of taxpayer time and money. The biggest problem with the governor and state attorney generals proposals is that they are a waste of taxpayers time and money. The U.S. Supreme Court, in its recent Bruen decision, has clearly ruled that state gun-control schemes like these are unconstitutional -- and unlawful. They will eventually be overturned by federal courts, Walsh said in a release. While he is correct, overturning the laws would take time to work through the court system, and in the meantime, citizens would lose their rights and their lives. Michael A. Letts is the CEO and Founder of In-VestUSA, a national grassroots non-profit organization helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs. Image: Picryl A new report has surfaced, claiming that the Pixel 7 is actually a success for US carriers. It turns out that consumers are quite interested in Googles new handset, and the sales are actually really good. The Pixel 7 seems to be a success for US carriers, unlike its predecessor That is contrasting the info we got for the Pixel 6 last year. The information comes from a research firm, Wave7. That report does include responses from salespeople at all three major US carriers, by the way. 30 out of 39 reps said that the sales of the Pixel 7 were stronger than they were for the Pixel 6. An AT&T representative also said that the Pixel 7 Pro is an upsell that is often even more successful than the Pixel 7. Verizon seems to be selling the most Pixel 7 phones. It currently has Googles share at 7 percent, which is an increase of over 3-4 percent compared to the Pixel 6. Such news will definitely make Google happy, its an immense improvement. Advertisement AT&T, on the other hand, reached 6 percent, which is an increase over the 3 percent Google held in October. The last one of the three big carriers, T-Mobile, currently stands at 4 percent, while it was previously in the range between 1 and 3 percent. The Pixel 7 series launch was much less bug-infested than the Pixel 6 series launch The Pixel 7 series did not have nearly as many bugs as the Pixel 6 series, and it seems like consumers decided to give Google another chance. Many of them had poor experiences with the Pixel 6 flagships. The Pixel 7 launch went much smoother, and it shows in the sales numbers. This will surely give Google hope for its upcoming products. Many reviewers lauded the Pixel 7 as a great device, and one of the best values to get at its price point. The aggressive pricing surely helped Google as well, as the Pixel 7 pricing in specific was great, very competitive. It remains to be seen what will happen down the line, but for now, Google can be happy with the Pixel 7 series sales, at least when US carriers are concerned. Google may have started rolling out Fall Detection to the Pixel Watch. The company hasnt officially announced the rollout but at least one user has confirmed receiving the feature via what appears to be a server-side update. Their watch showed a prompt to set up Fall Detection after a restart. The watch is running firmware version RWD9.220429.070 which rolled out early last month. Fall Detection appears to be rolling out to the Pixel Watch During the Pixel Watch launch in October last year, Google said it will add Fall Detection to the watch this winter. It didnt provide a precious timeline but the wording suggested the feature will arrive in early 2023. The watchs first post-release update last month expectedly didnt bring it. Googles official support page still mentions it as an upcoming feature. However, a Pixel Watch user tipped 9to5Google that their watch recently gained Fall Detection while still on the December 2022 update. Upon restarting the wearable, they were shown a prompt to set up the feature to get help quickly after a hard fall by allowing your watch to call your primary contact. Tapping the notification took them to the Safety & Emergency section in the Settings app where Fall Detection sits alongside Emergency SOS. You can access this feature directly from the watch or through the Pixel Watch app on your connected smartphone. The wearable can reportedly detect falls up to 32 g-forces. However, a description on the app notes that Fall Detection may not detect all falls. The description also notes that the feature is dependent upon network connectivity and other factors. It may also be geo-restricted in some markets. For example, Australia and Germany do not support auto-dialing emergency numbers. International emergency calling will require a 4G LTE-enabled Pixel Watch. Advertisement A wider rollout should be right around the corner As said earlier, this Pixel Watch unit picked up Fall Detection while still running last months software build. It didnt get a new software update. So the feature seems to be rolling out via a server-side change. Hopefully, its not an accidental release, and the feature is ready for prime time. In that case, we should see a wider rollout in the coming days. We are also expecting an official announcement from Google soon. Meanwhile, if youre using the Pixel Watch, you can check if a reboot of the wearable enables the new feature for you. If not, stay tuned for more information. Not one to be left behind, Lenovo is announcing some new gaming monitors at CES this year with the Legion Y27f-30 and the Legion Y27qf-30. Both are 27-inch monitors with flat panels using IPS technology. But one offers Full HD resolution while the other is QHD. That being said, resolution is really where the differences end here. Refresh rates, backlighting, response times, and connectivity options are all the same. So when choosing either one of these monitors all you need to figure out is two things. What resolution you prefer and what youre willing to pay for it. Regardless of which monitor consumers choose, both promise pretty decent performance for the cost. That being said, there is one other small difference to make note of. Both Legion gaming monitors come with a 240Hz refresh rate Worth noting is that the refresh rate on both monitors does natively come in at 240Hz. But, one has a higher overlock speed than the other. The Legion Y27f-30 overclocks to 280Hz while the Y27qf-30 overclocks to 250Hz. This shouldnt be an issue though for most people. There isnt a big difference between 280Hz and 250Hz. And thats assuming youd notice a difference at all. Advertisement So when it comes down to it, your only deciding factors here should be cost and resolution. Both models support HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4. So theres no future proofing here. Basically, theyll work for consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but probably arent the best options. However, again cost is a factor. And the fast refresh rates for PC gaming are going to be pretty good for most players. When it comes to brightness, Lenovo isnt promising anything crazy here. Both monitors promise a peak brightness of 400 nits. Which is fine, but far below what youll get from ASUS, Alienware, and Acer this year. Following their CES debut, Lenovo plans to launch the Legion y27f-30 and Y27qf-30 gaming monitors in May at $399 and $599 respectively. It was rumored in November last year that Samsungs upcoming Galaxy S23 Ultra will boast the industrys brightest smartphone display yet. We heard that the phone will offer a peak brightness of more than 2,000 nits. Newer rumors have since quashed those hopes saying that the entire Galaxy S23 lineup will max out at 1,750 nits of peak brightness. While we cant tell which is true just yet, we have confirmation that Samsung has made a smartphone display with more than 2,000 nits of peak brightness. The company unveiled the UDR 2000 OLED panel at CES 2023. Samsung showcased its UDR 2000 display ahead of the Galaxy S23 launch UDR is a newly-trademark brand by Samsung. The Korean conglomerates display division Samsung Display filed this trademark application at KIPRIS (Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service) last year. By the looks of it, UDR appears to be the acronym for Ultra Dynamic Range. Rumors are that the new technology can go beyond Dolby Visions 12-bit capabilities. It is being touted as an evolution from HDR10+, a version of the high dynamic range (HDR) that Samsung co-developed with industry partners. If true, UDR may significantly improve the multimedia experience on smartphones. Unfortunately, we dont have much information about it yet. Samsungs CES 2023 exhibition only mentioned peak brightness of more than 2,000 nits. The so-called UDR 2000 display was exhibited alongside a conventional OLED panel and we can see some differences in picture quality (see attached image below). The new solution is rendering colors and reflections better, enabling a more vibrant and true-to-life viewing experience. Samsungs UDR certainly appears to take smartphone displays to a whole new level in terms of brightness and image quality. All this said, theres no telling whether we will see this OLED panel in the Galaxy S23 series. Perhaps we dont even know if this solution is ready for prime time. Maybe we are just looking at a prototype. Rumors have instilled some hope but ultimately, those are just rumors. We will have to wait for an official confirmation. Thankfully, the wait will not be much longer now. Samsung reportedly plans to launch the Galaxy S23 trio on February 1. Thats less than four weeks away now. Advertisement We expect to see more Galaxy S23 leaks in the coming weeks as Samsung prepares for the launch event. If history is any indication, we should get to learn all the key specs and features of the upcoming Galaxy flagships before they go official. We will keep you posted accordingly. Its been leaked and rumored for weeks, but now its official. Motorola just took the wraps off of the upcoming ThinkPhone at CES 2023, and its everything we imagined. Lets take a look and see if this phone should be under your radar. We get our first look at the ThinkPhone by Motorola at CES So, this is a pretty bold departure from the typical Motorola phones; then again, this isnt your typical Motorola phone. This phone is more of Lenovos foray into the smartphone market. While Motorola is in the name, this is technically a Lenovo-designed phone. This phone will have a lot of power under the hood. Its powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC (rumored erroneously had it as the SD 8 Gen 1). As for RAM and storage, the base model will come with 8GB of RAM while the upper-tier model will have 12GB. It will come with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB of onboard UFS 3.1 storage. The ThinkPhone by Motorola will sport a 6.6-inch pOLED display with an FHD+ resolution. It will have a punch-hole front and center for the selfie camera. Advertisement Speaking of cameras, this phone will sport a triple-camera setup on the rear. The main camera is a 50mp shooter with an aperture of f/1.8, a sensor size of 1/1.5 inches, and OIS. The second sensor is a 13MP ultrawide camera with a 120 field of view and an aperture of f/2.2. The last rear camera is a depth sensor. The selfie camera is a 32MP camera with an aperture of f/2.45. The ThinkPhone shouldnt have too much trouble making it through the day with its 5000mAh battery keeping it powered. If you need to charge it, itll come with a 68W charger to top it up. Other specs include IP68 water and dust-resistance, MIL STD 810G protection, Bluetooth 5.3, and 5G. This will be a true-to-form flagship phone. This phone will come with heavy integration with ThinkPad devices Its no secret that Lenovo is pushing this device as a Think device. It heavily associates this phone with its ThinkPad laptops. However, the company isnt only relying on the branding. The ThinkPhone will tightly integrate with your ThinkPad device- its called Think 2 Think. Advertisement Instant Connect will make it so that both the phone and computer will discover each other when close and connect to the same Wi-Fi connection. File Drop will allow you to quickly drag and drop files between your devices. With Unified Clipboard, both the ThinkPhone and ThinkPad will share the same keyboard. Anything copied on either device could be pasted using the other device. Unified Notifications will have the phones notification pop up on the Windows Action Center on the ThinkPad. Clicking the notification will open the corresponding app on the phone. App Streaming will let you use your ThinkPad to interact with applications on the ThinkPhone. If you want a better webcam, then Advanced Webcam will allow you to use the ThinkPhone as a webcam. Last, but not least, we have Instant HotSpot. This will allow you to connect your ThinkPad to your ThinkPhones hotspot with only one click. Advertisement Lenovo is looking to make this phone ample competition for phones from the likes of Samsung, Google, and Apple. By the looks of it, the ThinkPhone by Motorola might be one of the most powerful phones at CES. (ANSA) - ROME, JAN 5 - Defence Minister Guido Crosetto on Thursday flatly denied Russian claims that Rome supplied Kyiv with anti-personnel mines. Crosetto described as "completely false, unfounded and seriously denigrating to the honour of our country the statements made by the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova", according to which Italy has supplied anti-personnel devices to Ukraine. "Italy signed the (international) Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty) on 3 December 1997 and became a State party to the Treaty on 1 October 1999," Crosetto stressed. "Italy does not produces anti-personnel mines and does not supply them to any country in the world, Including Ukraine,' Crosetto said. (ANSA). Body of migrant spotted in sea off Lampedusa (ANSAmed) - LAMPEDUSA, 5 JANUARY - The body of a migrant was spotted Thursday in the sea off Lampedusa, the stepping stone island between Italy and North Africa, local sources said. The body was spotted in the waters off the reef of Cala Uccello on Lampedusa. Carabinieri police called the fire brigade. Fire teams and a Coast Guard patrol boat are heading to the spot. Migrant deaths between North Africa and Italy rose last year and NGOs said a new government decree regulating the activity of their rescue ships would make the Med even deadlier.(ANSAmed). (ANSA). TEL AVIV - A Palestinian boy, 16, was killed in clashes with the Israeli army in the refugee camp of Balata in Nablus, in the West Bank. The Palestinian Ministry of Health shared this news - cited by Wafa news - and indentified the youth as Amer Abu Zeitoun who died for the wounds "after being hit in the head". Palestinian media also mention another three men were wounded in the clashes. It isn't clear at the moment - according to various sources - if the youth was or wasn't involved in the clashes. Israeli media report a statement made by the Palestinian armed group "the lions' den" which says it opened fire against the military. GAZA - A 23 year-old man, Hamdi Du'amush, working as a taxi driver, set himself on fire after the police fined him. This happened yesterday, state the media, in Gaza city where, immediately after, the young man started running in desperation among the shocked crowds. Some people immediately offered help to set out the fire and took him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with third degree burns. According to the media, many taxi drivers in Gaza are in problematic economic conditions due to the high taxes they pay and the low fares they charge which they consider insufficient. ROME - NGOS running migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean said Thursday that the Italian government's new decree introducing a code of conduct whereby they can only carry out one rescue at a time, as quickly as possible, will put more lives at risk on what is already one of the most deadly routes in the world. "We, civil organisations engaged in search and rescue (SAR) activities in the central Mediterranean, express our deepest concern about the latest attempt by a European government to hinder assistance to people in distress at sea", said a joint document by all the NGOs engaged in the activity of rescue at sea. "The new decree-law signed by the Italian President on 2 January 2023 will reduce our sea rescue capabilities and will make the Central Mediterranean, already one of the deadliest migration routes in the world, even more dangerous." Several migrant rescue ships are operating in the Med at the moment, with the Doctors Without Borders-run Geo Barents having picked up a total of 85 migrants in two separate operations but having escaped fines because the decree had not come into force yet. Sweden, which took over the rotating six-month presidency of the EU at the start of the year, dashed Italian hopes of easing the migrant reception burden on Rome by saying it could not see any migrant redistribution deal coming this year. Rome says its new NGO decree aims to stop the rescue ships being a pull factor for migrant smugglers, saying the ships are "ferry boats" for the traffickers. The decree also lays down that asylum seekers must file their claims to the country whose flag the ship is sailing under. The EU said Thursday it was not inclined to comment on national laws but these should always respect international laws on saving lives at sea. "It is not for the EU to look specifically at the content of this decree. Regardless of what Italy is doing through a decree, member states must respect international law and the law of the sea", underlined the spokeswoman of the EU Commission, Anitta Hipper, responding during the daily briefing to a question on the protest of NGOs against the decree approved by the Italian government. "Saving lives at sea is a moral and legal obligation," she stressed. BRUSSELS - "We discussed the issue of Qatargate with the head of the Moroccan government, Aziz Akhannouch and with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita. Obviously it is an issue that worries us, the charges are very serious. The position of the EU is clear, there can be no impunity in cases of corruption. We need to wait for the on-going inquiry results and we expect full cooperation from everyone", stated the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, while on mission to Morocco, during a press conference with the head of the diplomatic service in Rabat. "The EU-Moroccan partnership is important and must be protected. It is a partnership that is now suffering repeated judicial and media attacks. These attacks also come from inside the European institutions and are the result of actions that see Morocco at the center and as object of others' calculations to hinder this relationship", stated Minister Bourita. "Morocco will protect its interests and relies on its partners to defend this partnership". Police in Jamaica have claimed the murder of a 33-year-old British tourist was a contract killing by unknown assailants. Sean Patterson, a personal trainer from West London, was found with gunshot wounds to his upper body and head at around midday on Monday near the pool of his holiday accommodation in Bogue Hill, St James. In a video statement on Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Fitz Bailey, who is in charge of the crime and security portfolio, said: Our investigation so far has theorised that the murder was a contract killing that emanated from Britain. Mr Bailey went on to say Mr Patterson had arrived in Jamaica shortly before New Years Eve on December 29 with another man who was also from London. The pair had spent several days at an apartment before checking into the villa in Bogue Hill on New Years Day. Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James, where Sean Patterson and a friend flew into Jamaica on December 29 (Alamay/PA) Later that day, the commissioner said, the two Brits had met up with a third man from Kingston who would be present when Mr Patterson was shot and killed. All three men had stayed at the guest house in separate rooms and the following day at around noon, Mr Patterson and the Jamaican man had gone to the villas pool deck. (The Kingston man) reported that his back was turned to (Mr) Patterson when he heard several loud explosions (which) sounded like gunshots, Mr Bailey said. He reported that he looked around and saw a lone man dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt with a handgun shooting (Mr) Patterson. The witness reportedly fled and hid in bushes. Doctors Cave Beach in the Jamaican city of St James where the 33-year-old was holidaying when he was shot and killed (Alamy/PA) Upon their arrival at the scene, police found the 33-year-old victim on his back in a pool of blood with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the upper-body and head. Mr Bailey added: There is no evidence (Mr) Patterson was robbed. The commissioner concluded by saying local authorities were working with their international partners including UK police and were making significant progress in the case. On Tuesday a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson confirmed to the PA news agency they were currently supporting the family of a British man who died in Jamaica and are in contact with the local authorities. Mr Pattersons mother told the Daily Mail her son had travelled to the Caribbean island to meet family and it was his first time visiting the country. Lesley Wright of Shepherds Bush, west London, reportedly told the tabloid the 33-year-old had relatives in Jamaica on his fathers side but he never got to meet them before he was shot and killed. Mrs Wright, 63, said: The local police have told me that Sean was at a big party over New Year and was sitting by a pool talking to friends. Someone pulled at his arm and he shrugged the person off but about four gunshots were fired immediately afterwards and Sean was hit in the upper body. Mr Pattersons mother said her son had travelled to Jamaica to meet family for the first time (Alamy/PA) She added: Ive lost my baby. No mother should have to bury her child. Hed gone to Jamaica with my godson and one of my best friends and had only been there for two days. His mother went on to say her son was not the argumentative type so she was at a loss over the motive behind his killing, describing him as the loveliest, sweetest boy and the kindest, most happy-go-lucky man. We hope for justice and that my sons killer is taken off the street where they cant hurt anyone else and destroy another family, Mrs Wright said. The 33-year-old had been due to marry his long-term girlfriend in 2023, the Mail said. The Duke of Sussex has reportedly claimed he was physically attacked by his brother over his marriage to Meghan Markle. In a leaked extract of his highly anticipated autobiography, Spare, to The Guardian newspaper, Harry alleged the confrontation took place at his London home in 2019 and had left him with a visible injury to his back after the Prince of Wales grabbed his brother by the collar and ripped his necklace before knocking him to the floor. Harry further claimed William had called the American actress difficult, rude and abrasive comments which the younger brother said parroted the press narrative about his wife. According to The Guardian newspaper, the extraordinary scene is one of many in Spare which is due to be published on January 10. The newspaper said it was able to obtain a copy despite stringent pre-launch security around the book. Its article goes on to say that, according to Harry, his brother had wanted to discuss the whole rolling catastrophe of their relationship and struggles with the press. The Princess of Wales, the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex walk to meet members of the public at Windsor Castle in Berkshire following the death of Queen Elizabeth II (Kirsty OConnor/PA) But when William arrived at Nottingham Cottage where Harry was then living in the grounds of Kensington Palace, the Prince of Wales was already piping hot. After William complained about Meghan, Harry writes, Harry told him he was repeating the press narrative and that he expected better, The Guardian reports. But William, Harry says, was not being rational, leading to the two men shouting over each other. Harry then accused his brother of acting like an heir, unable to understand why his younger brother was not content to be a spare. Harry (now the Duke of Sussex) and the Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) at Eton College, Berkshire, on his first day joining the school as a boarder in 1998 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Insults were then said to have been exchanged between the two men, before William claimed he was trying to help, claims which Harry found incredulous, and informed his brother of such, angering William. So much so, Harry reportedly writes, the Prince of Wales swore and stepped forwards, scaring him. He writes: (William) called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dogs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out. Harry writes that William urged him to hit back but he refused. Shortly afterwards though, the elder brother apologised. The Prince of Wales allegedly physically attacked his younger brother in 2019 (Yui Mok/PA) William had then told his brother not to tell Meghan about the confrontation, resulting in Harry saying: You mean that you attacked me?, to which William responded: I didnt attack you, Harold. Harry said he did not immediately tell his wife but she had noticed scrapes and bruises on his back. Earlier in the memoir, the duke reportedly elaborates on the story behind the books title, Spare. According to The Guardian, he recounts what his father said to Diana, Princess of Wales on the day of his birth. Earl Spencer, William, Harry and the then-Prince of Wales, wait as the hearse carrying the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales, prepares to leave Westminster Abbey in 1997 (Fiona Hanson/PA) His father, Harry claims, told Diana: Wonderful! Now youve given me an heir and a spare my work is done. The dukes extraordinary book claims come after the release of a teaser trailer from an ITV interview in which Harry said he wants his father and brother back. The interview, due to be released on Sunday, will be broadcast two days before Spare is published around the world. In a series of clips from the dukes ITV conversation, Harry tells presenter Tom Bradby: It never needed to be this way, and refers to the leaking and the planting before adding: I want a family, not an institution. He also says they feel as though it is better to keep us somehow as the villains and have shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile, although it is unclear who he is referring to. The then-Prince and Princess of Wales leaving hospital with newborn baby Prince Harry (PA) Filmed in California where the duke now lives, ITV said Harry: The Interview will go into unprecedented depth and detail about his life in and outside the royal family. Mr Bradby, a former royal correspondent and current presenter of ITV News at Ten, is a friend of the Sussexes and previously interviewed them for a documentary about their 2019 Africa tour. But in a separate interview with CBS News, set to air the same day, Harry also criticises Buckingham Palace over an alleged failure to defend him and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, before they stepped down as senior royals. The duke also reveals to the US broadcaster that he would not return to the institution as a full-time royal. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, in the Ceremonial Procession following the Queens State Funeral at Westminster Abbey last year (Tim Goode/PA) Both CBS and ITV have released snippets of the dukes conversations ahead of the full interviews being televised. Speaking with CBSs Anderson Cooper, Harry talks of the betrayal by Buckingham Palace, telling the 60 Minutes programme: Every single time Ive tried to do it privately, there have been briefings and leakings and planting of stories against me and my wife. The family motto is never complain, never explain, but its just a motto. They (Buckingham Palace) will feed or have a conversation with a correspondent, and that correspondent will literally be spoon-fed information and write the story, and at the bottom of it, they will say they have reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. The Duke of Sussex said he felt betrayed by his brother and Buckingham Palace (Paul Grover/Daily Telegraph/PA) But the whole story is Buckingham Palace commenting. So when were being told for the last six years, we cant put a statement out to protect you, but you do it for other members of the family, there becomes a point when silence is betrayal. It comes after the duke claimed in his Netflix documentary that William broke a promise to him never to leak stories or brief against one another after witnessing the fallout of such actions in their fathers office. Edward Norton is a direct descendant of Native American heroine Pocahontas, it has been revealed. The actor had grown up believing the connection to be part of family legend, but was proven wrong on a recent episode of ancestry show Finding Your Roots on US network PBS. Norton appeared in the first episode of season nine of the show, alongside fellow Hollywood star Julia Roberts, on Tuesday evening. In it, host Henry Louis Gates Jr confirmed that Pocahontas was Nortons 12th great grandmother, having married colonist John Rolfe. Through a direct paper trail leading to Pocahontas and John Rolfes 1614 marriage certificate, @EdwardNorton learns that his family lore appears to be true. His 12th great-grandmother is Pocohantas! Tune in TOMORROW night on @PBS at 8/7c for the Finding Your Roots premiere!! pic.twitter.com/54sTTt2YKY Henry Louis Gates Jr (@HenryLouisGates) January 2, 2023 You have a direct paper trail. No doubt about it, Gates told him. The pair were married in April 1614 in Jamestown, Virginia, though Pocahontas died just three years later in March 1617 in Gravesend, England. It just makes you realise what a small piece of the whole human story you are, Norton replied. Gates also revealed that Nortons ancestors had owned slaves, which the actor described as uncomfortable to hear. The short answer is these things are uncomfortable, he said. This was such a privilege & a pleasure. Ive admired Prof. Skip Gates for years as an Historian, a teacher, writer, conversationalist & I love this show. Hes an inspiration & this was full of revelations & his wonderful insight about life & how we are all connected to history. https://t.co/cO1Y93IFbI Edward Norton (@EdwardNorton) January 4, 2023 Everybody should be uncomfortable with it. Writing on Twitter following the episodes release, he added that participating in the show had been such a privilege and a pleasure. Ive admired Prof Skip Gates for years as an Historian, a teacher, writer, conversationalist and I love this show, he said. Hes an inspiration and this was full of revelations & his wonderful insight about life and how we are all connected to history. Tanks may well be part of future support for Ukraine, the Foreign Secretary has said. But James Cleverly did not commit the UK to providing armoured fighting vehicles when asked twice during a press conference, saying that if tanks were to be part of future support then allied nations would need to co-ordinate to decide which countries would provide them. The French Defence Ministry has said it plans talks soon with its Ukrainian counterpart on delivering armoured combat vehicles. Frances presidency said it would be the first time this type of western-made wheeled tank destroyer is sent to Ukraines military. James Cleverly with German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock (Kin Cheung/PA) Mr Cleverly was speaking at a press conference at Lancaster House after a meeting with German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock. The pair said they discussed a range of issues, including energy security, the Northern Ireland Protocol, the war in Ukraine, and cultural exchanges. Pushed on whether the UK would join other nations in sending armoured fighting vehicles to Ukraine, Mr Cleverly said: We have been providing the kind of military equipment that is able to put a decisive punch against Russian targets at range. We will continue to speak with the Ukrainians about what they need for the next phase of their self-defence and we will continue working with our international partners about ensuring that we provide that. Tanks might well be part of that. Where they come from, which allies provide them, is something that of course we are working on in co-ordination with each other. The way we have supported the Ukrainians has evolved as the conflict has evolved, and we will continue to evolve our support to ensure that it is effective and we will continue to work with our allies to make sure that support is co-ordinated. Mr Cleverly said he and Ms Baerbock recommitted ourselves to our unwavering support for Ukraine in their fight against Russias illegal and barbaric invasion, and we committed to holding Russia accountable for its atrocities. He also praised her huge political courage over the last year in standing by Ukraine, and said he had seen the bold and important decisions that the German public has made. He said a turning point in German foreign policy has reaffirmed Germanys incredibly important position as a friend and ally in terms of Euro-Atlantic security. The Duke of Sussex has branded the Prince of Wales his arch nemesis in his bombshell book, claiming he was physically attacked by William and knocked to the floor during a confrontation over the Duchess of Sussex. Multiple leaks and the accidental sale of Harrys memoir, Spare, in Spain resulted in a flurry of explosive revelations from the dukes autobiography, due out next week. Among them, Harry alleges it was William and the Princess of Wales who encouraged him to wear a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party 2005 and howled with laughter when they saw it. Other claims include: Harry killed 25 people as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan but saw them as chess pieces taken off the board. The duke took cocaine at 17, and lost his virginity at the same age in a field behind a very busy pub to an unnamed older woman who treated him like a young stallion. He also took magic mushrooms in California in January 2016 when he was 31. Harry asked a driver to replicate the journey though a Paris tunnel that his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, took in the lead-up to her death. Charles pleaded with William and Harry, Please, boys. Dont make my final years a misery, during a tense meeting at Windsor just after the Duke of Edinburghs funeral. Charles did not hug Harry when telling him about the death of his mother Diana. Meghan upset Kate by saying she must have baby brain in the run-up to the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs 2018 wedding, and William pointed a finger at Meghan and called her rude. Harry called a former Army colleague a racist term in 2009, but did not know it was an insult as he was was isolated from the real world and wrapped in privilege. He was circumcised as a child and his penis suffered frostbite on a trip to Antarctica before Williams marriage. William and Harry call each other Willy and Harold. Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have declined to comment, but the inflammatory claims and intimately personal book are being seen as damaging Harrys fragile relationship with his brother a future king beyond repair. Harry alleges the heated confrontation with William took place at his then-home in London, Nottingham Cottage, in 2019, The Guardian said. Harrys autobiography Spare (Penguin Random House/PA) The newspaper said it had obtained a copy of Spare despite tight pre-launch security. Harry writes: (William) called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dogs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out. Harry writes that William had wanted to discuss the whole rolling catastrophe of their relationship and struggles with the press, but was already piping hot when he arrived at the cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace. William went on to call Meghan difficult, rude and abrasive comments Harry told him parroted the press narrative about his wife. The Waleses and the Sussexes (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Harry said he accused his brother of acting like an heir, unable to understand why his younger brother was not content to be a spare. Insults were exchanged, the book says, with William saying he was trying to help and Harry replying: Are you serious? Help me? Sorry is that what you call this? Helping me? The duke said the comment angered William who swore while stepping towards him, scaring him, with Harry going into the kitchen and William following. Harry writes that he gave his brother a glass of water and said: Willy, I cant speak to you when youre like this. He then tells how William called him another name and then came at me, with it all happening very fast before the alleged physical confrontation. The duke writes that William urged him to hit back, citing fights they had as children, but that he refused and William left before returning, looking regretful and apologising. Harry writes that William told him he did not need to tell Meg about this and claimed: I didnt attack you, Harold. The brothers at Harrys wedding (Chris Jackson/PA) The duke reveals he did not tell Meghan straight away but did contact his therapist, and later admitted to his wife what happened when she saw the scrapes and bruises. Harry has also recorded an interview with Good Morning America (GMA), with a clip showing interviewer Michael Strahan asking him: There is a quote in the book where your refer to your brother as your beloved brother and arch nemesis. Strong words. What did you mean by that? Harry replies: There has always been this competition between us, weirdly. I think it really plays into or is played by the heir/spare. The book, due out on January 10 and ghost written by JR Moehringer, comes just weeks after Harry and Meghans bombshell Netflix documentary, in which he said he was terrified when William screamed and shouted at him during a tense Sandringham summit in 2020. Harry also claims he and his brother begged Charles not to marry the now-Queen Consort and that he wondered if Camilla would one day be his wicked stepmother, and that she leaked details of her conversation with William to the press. Meanwhile, US website Page Six said Harry has written about his Nazi uniform scandal in 2005. He says he phoned William and Kate to ask them whether he should chose a pilots uniform or a Nazi one for the fancy dress party and they said the latter, and howled with laughter when he went home and tried it on for them. Harry, then 20, sparked outrage and was widely condemned when a photograph of him in the uniform complete with swastika ended up on the front page of a newspaper. The duke has filmed three interviews to promote his book: one with ITVs Tom Bradby, which will air on Sunday at 9pm; one with CBS Newss Anderson Cooper, which is out on Sunday evening in the US; and the GMA interview due to be broadcast on Monday morning. He will also be interviewed by Stephen Colbert on the Late Show on CBS in the early hours of Wednesday morning, UK time. In a clip released on Thursday, Bradby challenges Harry on invading the privacy of your most nearest and dearest without permission. BREAKING: New trailer for ITN Productions' Prince Harry interview released.@tombradby: Wouldnt your brother say to you, Harry, how could you do this to me after everything we went through? Harry: The Interview on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm on Sunday Jan 8th. #ITV #ITVX @itv pic.twitter.com/cwdlhSHHqb ITN Productions (@ITNProductions) January 5, 2023 Harry replies: That would be the accusation from the people that dont understand or dont want to believe that my family have been briefing the press. ITV News At Ten presenter Bradby a friend of Harrys says: Wouldnt your brother say to you, Harry, how could you do this to me after everything? After everything we went through? Wouldnt that be what he would say? Harry replies: He would probably say all sorts of different things. The book is being released four months after the death of Harrys grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, and follows years of turmoil for the royal family amid the Megxit crisis, Philips death, accusations of racism in the Sussexes Oprah interview and the long-running feud between William and Harry. Parminder Nagra says that having to juggle her home-life and successful acting career has made her a better mother. The Bend It Like Beckham star said she and co stars of new medical drama Maternal were balancing their two lives in real time while filming the upcoming series. Maternal follows three female doctors returning to post-pandemic frontline medicine after maternity leave. Lara Pulver also stars alongside Nagra in Maternal (PA) The series will see the trio, played by Nagra, Lara Pulver and Lisa McGrillis, attempt to balance the intense demands of the NHS and motherhood. Asked if she related to her character of Maryam and her struggles with work/life balance, Nagra said: A hundred percent, and we were all doing it in real time on that show. (We were) making sure our kids were taken care of and making sure that we were still able to do our work, and then feeling guilty if we werent there. But one thing thats come out of doing this job is this: theres a moment where Maryams mum, played by Shaheen Kahn who played my mum in Bend It Like Beckham says, Have you ever considered that one feeds the other? That Maryams not just a mum, not just a doctor and that they both inform each other. And I think thats exactly what it is for me. I like being at work, and that makes me a better mother, because Im basically just in a better mood. Otherwise, wheres my identity gone? Maternal is written by Jacqui Honess-Martin and directed by James Griffiths, and will air on ITV1 later this month. The series explores working motherhood with wit, warmth and humour and offers a unique perspective on our beloved, overstretched NHS, and the people who hold it together, ITV said. Honess-Martin said she hoped that viewers would appreciate the solidarity between female NHS workers as well as the humour and the hope and the heart in that. Maternal also stars Lisa McGrillis (Matt Crossick/PA) Since we were little girls, were told that its our job to make everything right. Actually, its not okay to ask that of somebody given the current state of the NHS; its got systemic problems that are falling to individuals to try and sort, she said. And it costs something for people to do that. I hope that what people take away from the show is some of the feminism of it, some of the solidarity that those women show to each other, and the humour and the hope and the heart in that. Maternal comes to ITV1 this January. With excerpts from the Duke of Sussexs tell-all book leaked in the run up to its publication, here are the claims and revelations so far. Harry claims William physically attacked him Harry writes: (William) called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dogs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out. The cover of the Duke of Sussexs memoir Spare (Penguin Random House/PA) William called Meghan difficult and rude The Guardian revealed the alleged incident took place at Harrys then home in Nottingham Cottage and that William called Meghan difficult, rude and abrasive. Harry told him he was parroting the press narrative about his wife. The pair had physical fights when younger Harry said William urged him to hit back, citing fights they had as children, but Harry refused and William left before returning, looking regretful and apologising. The brothers call each other Willy and Harold Harry writes that he gave his brother a glass of water and said: Willy, I cant speak to you when youre like this., while William told him I didnt attack you, Harold. Harry told his therapist about the fight before he told Meghan The duke said William told him he did not need to tell Meg about the confrontation, but Harry writes that he told his therapist first and Meghan later noticed the scrapes and bruises on his back. She was terribly sad, he said of his wifes reaction. Charles pleaded with William and Harry to stop fighting at Windsor after the Duke of Edinburghs funeral In a tense meeting after Philips funeral, a grieving Charles told his sons: Please, boys. Dont make my final years a misery. The Duke of Edinburghs funeral (Leon Neal/PA) Harry claims William and Kate encouraged him to wear the Nazi uniform Harry sparked outrage in 2005 when he wore the uniform complete with swastika armband to a fancy dress party. But according to US website Page Six, he claims he phoned the couple to ask them whether he should chose a pilots uniform or a Nazi one for the fancy dress party and William and Kate said the latter, and both howled with laughter when he went home and tried it on for them. Charless delight at Diana giving birth to a spare Harry tells how, after he was born, his father supposedly told the Princess of Wales that his sons arrival was wonderful and that now she had given him an heir and a spare, his work was done. Both Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have declined to comment. Meghan upset Kate over baby brain comment Harry claims that Meghan upset Kate, who had recently given birth, by telling her that she must have baby brain during a phone call in the run up to the Sussexes wedding in 2018, according to the Sun. Harry alleges that Meghan apologised but William pointed a finger at her, saying: Well, its rude, Meghan. These things are not done here, to which she responded: If you dont mind, keep your finger out of my face. Harry reveals moment he learned of Dianas death In the book, Harry wrote that Charles sat on the end of his bed at Balmoral Castle and told him: My dear son, mum has had a car accident. According to the Sun, the duke claims his father did not hug him and that he later felt like a politician as he greeted members of the public in the wake of her death. Harry and William begged Charles not to marry Camilla Harry claims that he and William told Charles they would welcome the now-Queen Consort into the family on the condition he did not marry her and begged him not to do so. The Duke alleges that his father did not respond to their pleas. -Harry killed 25 people while serving as an Apache helicopter pilot in Afghanistan The Telegraph, which obtained a Spanish language copy of the memoir from a bookshop in Spain, reported Harry said flying six missions during his second tour of duty on the front line resulted in the taking of human lives of which he was neither proud nor ashamed. So, my number is 25. Its not a number that fills me with satisfaction, but nor does it embarrass me, he wrote. -Harry reveals his use of cocaine The Duke said he had taken cocaine during a shooting weekend by the summer of 2002 when he was 17 and did a few more lines on other occasions, according to the Times. He wrote that it was not fun and it did not make me feel as happy as it seemed to make others but it did make me feel different and that was my main goal. To feel. To be different. -Harry lost his virginity to an older woman behind a pub He claims it took place in a field behind a very busy pub and that the woman treated him like a young stallion, the Daily Mail said. The Duke wrote:I mounted her quickly, after which she spanked my ass and sent me away. -Harry claims a woman passed on message from his mother The Duke said the woman, who claimed to have powers, told him Diana is with him and that she knows he is looking for clarity and feels his confusion. He reveals the woman, who is not referred to as a psychic or medium, caused his neck to grow warm and his eyes to water, The Guardian reported. Westminsters U-turn on Channel 4 privatisation has been welcomed by Scotlands Culture Secretary after repeated calls to scrap the proposals. Angus Robertson had outlined the Scottish Governments opposition to the plans in September 2021. The UK Governments Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan confirmed on Thursday that the broadcaster will remain in public ownership. Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan who has written to the Prime Minister, recommending the Government drops its plans to privatise Channel 4. (James Manning/PA) The plans for privatisation were first raised by Ms Donelans predecessor Nadine Dorries. An alternative package of reforms was announced for the broadcaster through the Media Bill, which will allow Channel 4 to make and own some of its content. Mr Robertson is to ask his Westminster counterpart how the new measures will impact public sector broadcasting in Scotland. He said: The Scottish Government has long warned that plans to privatise Channel 4 were unnecessary and ill-conceived, and that if the UK Government ignored these warnings, privatisation of the channel would have a detrimental impact on public sector broadcasting and the jobs which rely on it. Im pleased UK ministers have finally listened to repeated warnings and confirmed plans to privatise Channel 4 are no longer being pursued. This is welcome news for the independent production sector which has flourished with Channel 4s help, including 200 million for Scottish-based productions and support for 400 jobs since 2007. I will be writing to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to learn what impact the UK Governments new plans to introduce an alternative package of reforms for Channel 4 will have on production in Scotland. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak does not understand climate breakdown and should revoke all new oil and gas exploration licences, an expert has said. Professor Bill McGuire, of University College London, said he was not surprised that Mr Sunak did not mention climate change in his new year speech on Wednesday. According to a YouGov poll, the environment ranks fourth in the publics list of the most important issues facing the country. But it was left out of Mr Sunaks five-point pledge to halve inflation, grow the economy, curb illegal Channel crossings and bring down the national debt and NHS waiting times. Prof McGuire said: A PM who issues more than 100 new oil and gas exploration licences and gives the go-ahead for a new coal mine clearly hasnt a clue or simply doesnt care, or perhaps both. The new oil and gas exploration licences need to be revoked and all subsidies to the fossil fuel sector stopped, or better still switched to renewables. There also needs to be a massive programme of insulation, to reduce energy costs and to make peoples homes less like furnaces during the baking summers that are becoming the norm. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also set out his priorities in a speech on Thursday, which include setting up a publicly-owned energy company called Great British Energy that he described as new technology, unleashed by public investment and private enterprise. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak set out the Governments priorities for 2023 on Wednesday (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The new company would work alongside the private sector and is Sir Keirs answer to many of the foreign energy companies operating in the UK. GB Energy would be encouraged to invest in clean sources of energy and Sir Keir said the scheme would bring some of the money spent on bills back into the public fund. Prof McGuire said: The Great British Energy idea isnt a bad one, but it seems to me like a way of dodging nationalisation of the energy industry, which is what is needed if a Labour government is to have full control over energy policy. This is critical if emissions are to be brought down as rapidly as possible. In all honesty, I dont see any commitment from the Tories to seriously tackling the climate crisis. They are consistently dragging their heels and doing as little as possible, if not reversing gear. Labour seems to have more ambition, and its plan to achieve net zero emissions from power by 2030 is admirable. It is, however, a big ask without full control over the energy sector. (PA Graphics) Doug Parr, chief scientist for Greenpeace UK, said: Temperature records are being broken across Europe and the climate crisis in on everyones mind, but conspicuously absent from the Prime Ministers lips. As MPs from both sides of the House slammed the Governments performance on climate and new polling shows a marked lack of public trust in the Government on the issue, you can see why Rishi might want to avoid the subject. But when the impacts of the climate crisis are all around us and getting worse, this silence is deafening. This is the most important problem for any PM to confront and yet, just two months in, Rishi is already failing to show leadership in both words and deeds. He should kick-start a war effort to end the energy wastage from our homes, take the brakes off wind and solar power and stop trying to make the crisis worse by looking for more oil and gas. A teenager drowned after helping to rescue his young nieces and nephews, an inquest has heard. Callum Baker-Osborne was on holiday in Poole, Dorset on July 26, 2021, when a number of family members were swept into deep water by a strong tidal current. Mr Baker-Osborne, 18, entered the water to help his mother, sister and young nieces and nephews, but then got into difficulty himself. The RNLI and emergency services carried out extensive searches but his body was found around a mile away at Lake Pier in Poole Harbour four days later. Lake View Pier in Poole Harbour where Callum Baker-Osbornes body was found (Alamy/PA) The inquest into the death of Mr Baker-Osborne, who worked as a builder in his home town of Coventry, Warwickshire, continued on Thursday. Coroner Richard Middleton heard evidence from pathologist Dr Robert Blahut who carried out the post-mortem examination and determined Mr Baker-Osbornes medical cause of death was drowning. His brother Daniel Osborne tearfully asked whether he would have been in any pain as he drowned. Dr Blahut replied: Its very difficult to answer, but given the circumstances he would have lost consciousness pretty quickly, and as consciousness goes, the perception of the pain goes as well. I believe the entire process happened within minutes. Mr Baker-Osbornes mother Ann-Marie Osborne, sister Samantha Osborne-Ward, and Mr Osborne, gave evidence at the inquest at Bournemouth Civic Centre. Neither his mother or sister could swim and had only entered the water up to around knee depth to keep an eye on the children and grandchildren paddling. The extended family group, made up of around 30 adults and children, found not all of their caravans at the Haven Rockley Park Holiday Park were ready so decided to spend time at the beach until they could collect their keys. Sister Miss Osborne-Ward said: Callum was so excited to get there and start having fun. Out of everyone he could swim so for him to not come out of the water that was the hardest thing for us as a family. He would go swimming at least once a week. Mrs Osborne and Miss Osborne-Ward were then swept away by a strong current along with several of Mrs Osbornes grandchildren. Josh Ayles, who worked at the Rockley Watersports club as an instructor, was on a powerboat supporting customers when he noticed people were in trouble in the water. He pulled Mrs Osborne and two or three children onto his boat and took them to shore. Two other boats helped to pull people out of the water while eyewitness Sam Cowell, who was crabbing with his young son, and Rockley Watersports training and development manager Elizabeth McMaster, jumped into the water with a life ring to aid the rescue. Mr Baker-Osborne helped to lift his younger relatives out of the water but then drifted away and was not seen again. Mr Ayles said it was well known locally the tide is very strong, and that the depth of the water drops sharply by a number of feet as the beach reaches the dredged boat channel. The inquest continues. Northern California and western Nevada were slammed over the weekend by a powerful winter storm that deluged towns and counties with several inches of rain and snowfall. An atmospheric river storm pulled in moisture from the Pacific Ocean before pushing through the western states. As of Sunday afternoon, power was out in more than 170,000 California homes, with about 35,000 homes in Nevada also in the dark, according to poweroutage.us. More than five inches of rain fell over the San Francisco Bay Area on Saturday, marking the regions second wettest day on record. Photos shared online show a flood of murky brown rainwater streaming through San Franciscos streets. The California Highway Patrol shut down a major route, US-101, on New Years Eve before re-opening it on Sunday. A large semi-truck drove through a road closure on Saturday night and had to be towed away before the highway was re-opened, according to the agency. Across the San Francisco Bay in Oakland, about 4.75 inches of rain fell on Saturday night. The rainfall set a new record in the city, breaking a previous one set in 1982. Oakland crews are working to clear streets of flooding and debris, including downed trees, while also providing sandbags to residents to divert water from their homes. The city is asking residents to stay off the roads while the work continues. A flash flood warning is still in effect north of Oakland in Sacramento, where the National Weather Service reported several roads were underwater in the central and southern parts of the state capital. Officials are discouraging travel around the areas of Wilton, Herald and Galt in Sacramento County and also shut down a major interstate, state route 99, after flooding was unleashed in the region from the Cosumnes River on Saturday night. Heavy snowfall also pounded the Sierra Nevada mountains, bringing up to three feet of snow in some areas. More snow is expected in the region this week from another, smaller storm developing along the West Coast. Several inches of snow also hit areas across western Nevada, where some regions were expecting up to 18 inches of snowfall. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Skincare brand Topicals was among many companies angling for the Afrochella audience to get better acquainted with its products. The designs of popular African fashion brands such as Hanifa and Andrea Iyamah were easily spotted during the two-day Afrochella festival held in Accra, Ghana, during the last week of December. Throughout El Wak Stadium, attendees attire gave the impression of a crowd conscious of patronizing Black-owned businesses and brands. So its natural that African designers would try to capitalize on the crowds interests by presenting their brands to a more global audience. Awurama Mankatah, a 26-year-old entrepreneur from the eastern region of Ghana, founded the sustainable fashion brand Threaded Tribes. Her focus is on using traditional fabrics to create closet staples for young Africans. Awurama Mankatah, the founder of fashion brand Threaded Tribes, sits in her booth at the 2022 Afrochella Festival at El Wak Stadium in the greater Accra region of Ghana on Dec. 28, 2022. (theGrio Photo/Chinekwu Osakwe) We realized that there was a big gap in our generation and using traditional textiles, said Mankatah. She said all the fabric used by the brand to create dresses, tunics, and more comes from West African artisans, most of whom are women. The Accra-based brand ensures that money doesnt flow through big companies, but goes directly to creators in various parts of Ghana, Cote dIvoire and Mali. More established Ghanaian ready-to-wear brands such as Royal Couture were also on site, selling high-quality traditional clothing with various types of fabrics. However, standing out among the apparel for sale were dashikis bearing historically African American fraternity and sorority or Divine Nine logos. A collage of two photos of shirts on sale at the 2022 Afrochella Festival in Ghana last month. Clothing representing the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities stood out at this booth. (theGrio Photo/Chinekwu Osakwe) Proprietor Morris S. Biggers, 53, a self-described pan-African originally from Los Angeles, said he had a sort of spiritual awakening and decided to move to Ghana in 2020. Biggers business partner, Kwab Asamoah, is purportedly the first Africa-made Omega Psi Phi member. Asamoah now runs the Divine Nine part of their apparel business, while Biggers sells custom leather slippers made and sourced from Ghana. But Biggers notes Divine Nine ties run deep in Ghana. Former Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah was a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., and Biggers says more fraternities, including Omega Psi Phi, are growing in the country. Along with fashion comes the beauty that elevates it. In addition to a few lesser-known brands, several high-profile companies set up activations during the two-day culture fest. Local beauty brands looked to forge deeper connections with Ghanaian audiences while also promoting their products on a world stage. Skin Gourmet, founded in 2014, is a beauty brand that handmakes all of its products in Accra, sourcing all of its materials from Ghana, according to a sales operations manager working at the booth. Everything here is edible because we believe that anything you put on your skin, it enters the body and anything that you cant eat, you shouldnt put it on your skin, she explained. Skin Gourmet products, sourced and made in Ghana, were on sale at the 2022 Afrochella Festival. Everything here is edible, a sales operations manager at the booth said. (theGrio Photo/Chinekwu Osakwe) Topicals, the U.S.-based skincare brand founded by 26-year-old Nigerian Olamide Olowe, has no immediate public plans to enter the African market, according to a representative on site. Nevertheless, getting to know the regions potential clientele and introducing them to the brand is a top priority for any future expansion, she said. Representatives from Topicals, a U.S.-based skincare brand founded by Nigerian Olamide Olowe, were at the 2022 Afrochella Festival to get to know potential clientele, one representative said. (theGrio Photo/Chinekwu Osakwe) Its not something you can find here right now, but at least you can order it and get the product, the representative explained, noting the products are already in high demand in the area. The Topicals activation gave out free samples of its bestselling Like Butter Hydrating Mask and Ingrown Hair Tonic while providing an Instagram-worthy space to showcase its products and branding. An activation for Rihannas Fenty Beauty at the 2022 Afrochella Festival was larger than those of other brands. Among other things, it allowed visitors to be skin-matched for the correct foundation. (theGrio Photo/Chinekwu Osakwe) As might be expected, the Afrochella activation for Fenty Beauty was larger than that of other beauty brands. Visitors were able to be skin-matched with their proper foundation shade and take a seat and snaps for social media on a large Gloss Bomb swing activation. Rihannas flagship brand has only recently tapped into the African market, stocking its products in select brick-and-mortar stores. In early spring 2022, the brand began selling makeup and skincare products in Nigeria, and is now also available in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In a statement, Rihanna said her experiences and memories made on the African continent will never leave her. Now, being able to bring Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin to eight African countries and then hopefully more in the future means so much to me. Chinekwu Osakwe is a weekend editor for theGrio. She is a graduate of NYU and Columbia University and has written for Rolling Stone and Reuters. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. TheGrios Black Podcast Network is free too. Download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Beauty and fashion brands seek out new markets at Afrochella appeared first on TheGrio. President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he intends to visit the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time since taking office, after nearly two years of Republicans criticizing his administration over the migrant crisis. Biden revealed the potential trip while speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in Kentucky. Asked if he'll be going to the border, Biden said, "Thats my intention, were working out the details now." The president is scheduled to attend the North American Leaders' Summit in Mexico City on Monday and Tuesday. Republicans have repeatedly ridiculed Biden for not visiting the southern border while also saying the issue of migrants is not a priority for his presidency. The Biden administration suffered a legal setback on implementing its immigration policies when the Supreme Court decided last month that Title 42 a Trump-era immigration policy that lets authorities quickly expel asylum-seekers at the border will remain in effect for now. The administration had sought to end that policy. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed Title 42 on Tuesday, saying the administration is advancing preparations for when the policy eventually lifts so that officials "manage the border in a secure, orderly and humane way." "To truly fix our broken immigration system though, we need Congress to act," she added. "We saw the president on his first day in office put forth a comprehensive immigration policy, and he did that to show how important this was, how much of a priority this was for him." A trip to the border would come as House Republicans are poised to ramp up oversight of the Biden administration, with a particular focus on the border. At sea, a surge of migrants is making the journey to the United States. Video showed the moment a cruise ship encountered a boat of Cuban migrants and the effort to help bring them to safety. Celebrity Cruises thanked the crews for their actions. But its just a snapshot of recent migrant landings in the Florida Keys, including a high number over the holiday weekend. The local sheriffs office described it as a spike in Cuban refugee arrivals. "You can see that they're leaving a much more desperate and dire situation," said Billy Delph, CEO of Delph Fishing Charters. Hundreds of migrants arrived at the remote dry Tortugas National Park, prompting it to close. The Homeland Security Task Force Southeast tweeted at least 90 people have been removed so far as food and shelter is provided until the stranded migrants are transferred. "Recently, when they're coming across, they're telling us things like they're starving, you know, they need to get out," Delph said U.S. Border Patrol officials say they intercepted more than 130 Haitian migrants in Key Largo Tuesday, tweeting, "the Miami sector has seen more than a 400% increase in migrant encounters since Oct. 1." More specifically, the U.S. Coast Guard says its interdicted over 4,000 Cubans since then thats nearly 70% of 2022s total. Theyve recently repatriated dozens of Cuban migrants back to their country. Jorge Duany is the director of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University. "There are several economic, social, political, and even health reasons for this surge in the Cuban exodus that we saw last year and probably will continue this year, the tremendous economic crisis that Cuba has been suffering for the past few years, the crackdowns on Cuban dissidents by the Cuban government, and of course, pandemic," Duany said. He says theres a perfect storm and expects to see a continuation of the exodus from Cuba. "This is the largest single number of Cubans ever registered in a single year trying to leave their country," Duany said. The U.S. Embassy in Cuba will resume full processing of immigrant visas as it reopens its services this week. SEE MORE: U.S. Reopening Visa And Consular Services At Embassy In Cuba We're now in the first week of 2023, and that means different things for different people, such as taking another stab at a New Year's resolution that's been on the list forever or getting started on a plan to reach a goal before the year ends. For Louisiana residents, it also means having to verify their ages if they want to access porn online. A new state law (PDF, courtesy of Motherboard) went into effect on January 1st, requiring websites containing "a substantial portion" of "material harmful to minors" to ask users to prove that they're 18 or older. "Substantial portion," according to the new law, is more than 33.3 percent of a website's content. As Gizmodo notes, Pornhub, Youporn and Redtube have already started asking visitors to verify their age. Websites that host content that can be considered porn have to implement "reasonable age verification methods," including asking users to present a government-issued ID or a digitized form of it. Pornhub, Youporn and Redtube had chosen to ask visitors to prove their age by using their LA Wallet app, which is the state's digital wallet app for drivers licenses. A video posted on Twitter shows how Pornhub uses the app to check for a user's age. Hello from the surveillance state of Louisiana. People in Louisiana have to use their drivers license to go to pornhub. This is truly wild. Under his eye. https://t.co/uji6Jo3Tde pic.twitter.com/pVKEeVcCGw Public Defendering (@fodderyfodder) January 2, 2023 In the document detailing the law, its authors said: "Due to advances in technology, the universal availability of the internet, and limited age verification requirements, minors are exposed to pornography earlier in age. Pornography contributes to the hyper sexualization of teens and prepubescent children and may lead to low self-esteem, body image disorders, an increase in problematic sexual activity at younger ages, and increased desire among adolescents to engage in risky sexual behavior. Pornography may also impact brain development and functioning, contribute to emotional and medical illnesses, shape deviant sexual arousal, and lead to difficulty in forming or maintaining positive, intimate relationships, as well as promoting problematic or harmful sexual behaviors and addiction." Speaking to TechCrunch, Olivia Snow, sex worker and research fellow at UCLA's Center for Critical Internet Inquiry, described the need for verification to access porn as "surveillance." She also said that it can harm LGBTQ populations in extreme cases: "As homophobia and transphobia especially homophobia in the context of porn is rising, I could totally see the state zeroing in on people consuming gay porn, or lesbian porn, and either surveilling them further or criminalizing that." Critics are also raising security and privacy concerns about having to present IDs to access porn online even if Pornhub promises that one's "proof of age does not allow anyone to trace [their] online activity." A gray whale gave birth to a calf next to a boat full of whale watchers earlier this week in California. (zoobru via YouTube) (zoobru via YouTube) A group of whale watchers got the thrill of their lives when a gray whale gave birth to a calf right next to their small boat on Jan. 2 at Dana Strands Beach in Dana Point, California. In a YouTube video shared by Captain Daves Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari, the mother-and-baby duo can be seen swimming alongside the boat to the delight of the thrilled spectators on board. "This is a first for all of us. We've never seen this actually happen," the boat's guide can be heard telling passengers. The whale and her calf continue to swim together as the passengers can be heard marveling over the rare sight. At first, the sighting appeared to be a typical migrating gray whale. As the boat slowly approached the animal, our crew noticed it was behaving sporadically. Passengers and crew saw something orange and red colored in the water that they thought might have been kelp. Instead, a newborn calf came up to the surface! the whale-watching tour company wrote in the caption of the video. "For a minute, many of us thought it may be a shark or predatory event. But no, instead of the end of life, it was the beginning of a new one!" the company continued. "The female even brought the calf over to the boats as if to show off her offspring and say hello," it added. A gray whale gave birth to a calf next to a boat full of whale watchers earlier this week in California. (zoobru via YouTube) Gray whales can grow to nearly 50 feet in length and weigh an average of 90,000 pounds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are found mainly in shallow coastal waters in the North Pacific Ocean; however, during migration, they can be found far from shore. They normally give birth in early January to mid-February off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. Captain Daves Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari also posted the awe-worthy footage on its Facebook page on Jan. 3, gushing, Yesterday afternoon we celebrated a new year and a new baby whale! This isnt the first time a whale has recently come into close contact with a small boat. In October, a massive humpback whale leaped up from the sea mere feet from a father and son who were fishing in an 18-foot Starcraft vessel off the New Jersey shore near Belmar. The son, Zach Piller, captured the amazing moment on video. In the footage, dozens of small fish can be seen jumping from the ocean just before the humpbacks enormous head crashes through the water next to the duos boat. Oh ! the pair are heard screaming as the whale breaches the surface, its mighty head coming within inches of their fishing poles. The whale then splashes back down into the water and moments later, it disappeared into the ocean again. Related: This article was originally published on TODAY.com Boxes of the drug mifepristone line a shelf. Allen G. Breed, File/AP The FDA authorized retail pharmacies to become certified to carry mifepristone in a ruling Tuesday. Previously, doctors and mail-order pharmacies could dispense the medication. Walgreens and CVS are the first national pharmacies to say they will offer the pill. Walgreens and CVS said they plan to offer the abortion pill mifepristone in states where it's legal, expanding access to reproductive healthcare. Representatives for the pharmacy chains told Insider they plan to pursue the certification needed to dispense the pills to people with prescriptions. The companies didn't provide a timeline for when they will start filling mifepristone prescriptions. "We are working through the registration, necessary training of our pharmacists, as well as evaluating our pharmacy network in terms of where we normally dispense products that have extra FDA requirements and wil dispense these consistent with federal and state laws," Walgreens said in a statement. The Wall Street Journal reported on Walgreens' decision earlier. The FDA implemented a regulatory change Tuesday night to allow retail pharmacies to dispense mifepristone to people with a prescription. Previously, doctors and mail-order pharmacies could provide the pill. The Biden administration is working to expand access to abortion, after the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year, and as more states ban or restrict the procedure. According to the FDA's website, any pharmacy that dispenses mifepristone must be certified. The steps to become certified include being able to receive prescriber agreement forms by email and fax, being able to ship the abortion pill with a shipping service that provides tracking information, designating a representative to carry out the certification process, and ensuring that representative oversees compliance with the federal mifepristone Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. Some other retailers with pharmacies are still weighing their options. Due to administrative hurdles and potential public backlash, some retailers may not end up offering the pill. "The only way this has any impact is if brick-and-mortar pharmacies get on board, and I'm not optimistic the big chains most Americans rely on will become certified," Greer Donley, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Law, wrote in a tweet Tuesday. Insider contacted seven major retail pharmacies to ask whether they plan to sell mifepristone. Walgreens and CVS initially provided a statement that did not include their plans to become certified. Rite Aid said it was reviewing the FDA announcement, and declined to say when it may make a decision. Walmart, Kroger, and Albertsons didn't respond to requests for comment. Costco declined to comment. Abortion-rights advocates are applauding the FDA's move. "This change will empower patients who choose medication abortion to have the option of going to a pharmacy for immediate care rather than waiting for a mail order, if that is right for them," Dr. Iffath Abbasi Hoskins, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said in a statement. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, condemned the move, saying President Joe Biden's administration "has once again proved that it values abortion industry profits over women's safety and unborn children's lives." "Abortion activists want to turn every post office and pharmacy into an abortion business, and the Biden FDA is a willing participant," Dannenfelser said in a statement. This story has been updated to show that Walgreens and CVS plan to offer mifepristone. Read the original article on Business Insider remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The United States State Department announced the retirement of Ambassador Philip Reeker from his role as the senior advisor for Caucasus negotiations and from the Foreign Service. The State Department said that Ambassador Reekers contribution reaffirms the importance the United States places in helping Armenia and Azerbaijan negotiate a bilateral sustainable peace. .today we announce the retirement of Ambassador Philip Reeker from his role as the senior advisor for Caucasus negotiations, from the Foreign Service, effective tomorrow, January 5th. For over thirty years, Ambassador Reeker has epitomized dedication and service to the department and the people of the United States of America, including as assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs and as our charge daffaires at our embassy in London. Ambassador Reekers work as the senior advisor for Caucasus negotiations accelerated engagement and helped build a structured process to bring peace to a troubled region. His contribution reaffirms the importance the United States places in helping Armenia and Azerbaijan negotiate a bilateral sustainable peace, as well as our goal of supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, as lead of our delegation to the Geneva International Discussions. Since the beginning of Ambassador Reekers appointment in August of last year, it was always understood and expected that he would serve in this position on a short-term basis until the end of last year. Ambassador Reekers departure in no way undermines the United States commitment to promoting a secure, stable, democratic, prosperous, and peaceful future for the South Caucasus region. The United States continues to engage bilaterally with likeminded partners, like the European Union, and through international organizations, like the OSCE, to facilitate direct dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia and to find solutions to all outstanding issues related to or resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Ambassador Reekers extraordinary career at the department has focused on the most challenging of our diplomatic endeavors. From his work on peace agreements to his tireless efforts to negotiate the release of detainees, to his work at this very podium, Ambassador Reekers efforts have stemmed the tides of conflict and changed lives for the better. On behalf of the department, we thank Phil for his service and wish him the best in the next chapter of his career. We will all miss him very much, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said at a press briefing. Price added that Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to have an opportunity in the coming days to re-engage by phone with his counterparts in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Price did not mention candidates to replace Reeker. Emphasizing that Reekers retirement in no way diminishes [the US] commitment to promoting a secure, stable, democratic, and prosperous South Caucasus region, Price added: Well, what youve seen from us to date, both under Ambassador Reekers tenure and under the tenure of his predecessor as well, we have engaged bilaterally. We have engaged with likeminded partners like the EU. Weve engaged with international organizations like the OSCE to facilitate direct dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia to find solutions to all of those issues related to or resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Our approach is not going to change. Our approach is one of facilitation, helping the parties themselves to sit down together in a constructive way, and to ideally achieve progress to what is ultimately a comprehensive, long-term solution. YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the Minister and Deputy Ministers of the new Ministry of Internal Affairs will be appointed next week. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will be in charge of administering the Police force, the Rescue Service and the Migration and Citizenship Service. The bill on creating the ministry passed parliament in 2022 and took effect December 30, 2022. Prime Minister Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting that the Chief of Police and the Head of the Rescue Service will both be ex officio Deputy Ministers of Internal Affairs. YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Glendale City Councilmember and California Democratic Party member Elen Asatryan says the United States governments military aid to Turkey and Azerbaijan is unacceptable. Asatryan notes with regret that the international community is swiftly reacting to Ukraines appeal for aid, whereas Armenia and Artsakh who are almost in the same situation are virtually ignored. Thanks to Asatryans efforts the California Democratic Party resolution calling on the United States Congress and the Biden Administration to take action to repatriate the Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan and to sanction Azerbaijan and Turkey is one of the 13 priorities of the party. The resolution condemns Turkey and Azerbaijan for their war crimes committed during the 44-Day War in 2020. Elen Asatryan was visiting Armenia on New Year and met with the city authorities of Kapan and Gyumri the sister cities of Glendale, California to restore and enhance cooperation. Councilmember Asatryan was also planning to visit Glendales sister city Martuni in Artsakh as well, but she was unable to do so because of the Azerbaijani blockade of the Lachin Corridor. She was hoping that the road would be opened before her departure so that the planned visit would take place. ARMENPRESS spoke with Elen Asatryan on her visit to Armenia and plans. ARMENPRESS: Councilmember Asatryan, lets start with your visit to Armenia. You visit Armenia quite often. Whats the goal of this particular visit? Elen Asatryan: A month ago, I met with representatives of the Los Angeles Opera to create partnership with Glendale. I used that occasion to speak about the Armenian National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet after Alexander Spendiaryan to create cooperation between them too. The representatives of the Los Angeles Opera gladly accepted my suggestion. At that time, I was in contact with the Yerevan opera theater and as a result I managed to organize the first meeting of representatives of the two operas. As a result of the meeting, the Los Angeles opera will stage its plays in Armenia, while the Yerevan opera theater in Los Angeles. In this regard I attach importance to exchange of experience because the Los Angeles Opera is considered to be one of the best operas in the world. I came here to participate in the New Year event of the Yerevan opera theater, but during every visit I pay attention to community work. I am visiting Armenia for the first time as a Glendale City Councilmember, thats why it was very important for me to visit the sister cities of Glendale Gyumri and Kapan and Artsakhs Martuni. I have already traveled to Gyumri and Kapan, I hope the Lachin Corridor will be opened and I will be able to visit Martuni as well. The purpose of the visit is to intensify cooperation shift it from paper to practical arena. I can say that both visits were wonderful and it will truly deepen our cooperation. ARMENPRESS: What discussions did you have with the city authorities of Kapan and Gyumri? Elen Asatryan: The situation is different in Kapan now, you cant just talk about the improvement of the city there when there are security issues. The first discussion was about that, we will try to connect different bodies of Glendale city with the Kapan City Hall for exchange of experience. The Kapan City Hall will present a list of needs to Glendale so that we will be able to utilize our connections and solve the issues they have. The Kapan and Glendale City Halls have officially invited their colleagues to pay a mutual visit. We will start working in this direction upon return. The issues were different at the meeting with the Gyumri authorities. We spoke more about green energy and cultural programs. We asked them to present a list of needs too. ARMENPRESS: What can you say about cooperation with Artsakhs Martuni? Elen Asatryan: About two months ago a delegation from Artsakh visited Glendale, where a memorandum of cooperation was signed. Now, a committee has already been set up for Martuni in order to develop a program and work in that direction. ARMENPRESS: You were elected as Glendale City Councilmember in July of 2022, becoming the citys first immigrant, first Armenian-American and youngest woman to be elected to the council. What kind of a responsibility is this for you? Elen Asatryan: I have always assumed that responsibility. Ive always considered everything related to womens rights to be a priority. I hope my success will inspire women because I consider womens involvement in politics important. I hope that my success and struggle will inspire young people who are interested in politics. ARMENPRESS: You are a member of the California Democratic Party and you have numerously condemned Azerbaijan for its actions against Armenia and Artsakh and called on the United States government to sanction Azerbaijan and its sponsor Turkey. Do you find the United States governments reaction to be sufficient in this matter? Elen Asatryan: Of course not. The United States reaction and attitude for the events taking place around Armenia and Artsakh is unacceptable for me. Being a democratic country and announcing that we stand by the Armenians, but at the same time providing large funds to the Azerbaijani military, thats blood on their own hands because you give money and at the same time dont take measures to stop the war. The resolution which I presented to the California Democratic Party was historic because the party had never before adopted a resolution with such content. Ive struggled much for the wording not to be changed. This resolution is important because it becomes the platform of the party. ARMENPRESS: As we enter 2023, what would you wish to the Armenian people? Elen Asatryan: First of all I wish security. You cant speak about anything else when Armenia and Artsakh are in this situation now. I visited Syunik, Ive been in Artsakh in the past and I can confidently say that there is no fear in the eyes of the Armenian people, thus I wish them never to lose their will and strength. Interview by Karen Khachatryan This interview was conducted on 30 December, 2022. YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Zelnik, komachki, plateki and uchkur are some of the traditional delicacies typical of the coastal Varna Region in Northeastern Bulgaria, Svetlozara Koleva, a curator at the Varna Ethnographic Museum, said in an interview for BTA. Koleva noted that rural cuisine is different from urban cuisine, and there are differences between everyday food and ritual food. The Varna area is home to many immigrants who have brought along the food traditions from their homelands, she added. The Sartovo area (the Provadia Plateau) is known for a kind of pie called zelnik. It is made from dough sheets, milk thickened with a few drops of cheese yeast, and eggs. The dough sheets are frilled like cabbage leaves, hence, the name zelnik (derived from the Bulgarian word for cabbage). Bulgur wheat can be added. The Valchi Dol area has its plateki and komachki. Both are pasta dishes. To make plateki, you knead dough and roll it out into sheets. The sheets are folded up like envelopes and are baked. If dried, they can be kept for a long time. Just before being served, they are dipped into hot water with salt, lard and paprika. White brined cheese can be put between them. The komachki are dough balls placed close together in a baking-dish and soaked in a mixture of eggs and crumbled white brined cheese, Koleva said. They are baked in an oven. Uchkur is a sweet pie which is a specialty of the Turkish community in and around Valchi Dol. It requires great skill because the dough should be rolled out into very thin sheets. It is baked and then soaked in syrup. The Madzhurs, who migrated to Varna from Lozengrad (Kirklareli) and Edirne in today's Northwestern Turkey, had a remarkable culinary culture, Koleva said. Compared to the native population, they put more ingredients and spices into their food. Recipes inherited from the Madzhurs include dyado, or grandpa (made from chopped pork); baba, or grandma (pig lungs and bulgur wheat) and etarnik (liver, meat, bacon and leek). Bulgur wheat and chickpeas used to be very common in Varna Region, according to Koleva. Fresh fish was often consumed there, particularly by wealthier people. Those of lower income would go for salted fish. Desserts were made with molasses rather than sugar. One typical recipe is from the Sartovo area. It is called slivenitsa: dried plums and other fruits are put in boiling water; bulgur wheat, chopped leek and geranium are added as well. Armenians, Jews and Greeks contributed to Varna's cuisine, Koleva said. Armenians are famous for their vine-leave sarmi (stuffed vine leaves), and sweets. The sarmi are meatless and contain scallion, eggs, white brined cheese, dill and spearmint. Roast turkey used to be rather common among the urban population on Christmas, and wealthier families would have a whole roast suckling pig on their table. The turkey would be stuffed with bulgur wheat and raisins and garnished with chestnuts boiled in milk. For St Basil's Day (January 1), the Greek community in Varna made what was known as St Basil's bread, which can be compared with kozunak (sweet Easter bread) but takes less time to make. Chewing-gum paste was among the ingredients. Bulgaria's granary Dobrich Region is home to many ethnic groups, but what their food traditions share in common is the bread cult, Daniela Gerasimova of the Dobrich Regional Museum of History told BTA. Today's administrative region of Dobrich is at the heart of the historical region of Southern Dobrudzha, which is popularly known as "the granary of Bulgaria". Compared to the other cultures of the world, the Bulgarians attach particularly great importance to bread, Gerasimova said. Ritual bread is believed to have a magical function. For Christmas Eve, the people in Dobrich Region make a kind of ritual bread called bogovitsa (derived from the Bulgarian word for God). It is a donut-shaped unleavened bread which is punched with a fork and baked in a baking-dish. Sometimes it is decorated with small pieces of dough symbolizing lambs, or with ritual seals, and a cross sign. Other parts of the Northeast A dessert named ashure is very common in Targovishte Region. It is prepared on a specific day before the Muslim feast of Ramadan and has to do with Muslim fasting. Sometimes it is made for the commemoration of a deceased relative. Diana Zhekova, a curator at the Targovishte Regional Museum of History, told BTA that this is a special ritual food. It is made from specific cereals and fruits: wheat, maize, chickpeas, peanuts, common beans, broad beans, raisins, quinces and apples. Each ingredient is boiled separately and then they are all mixed together. Sugar, vanilla and clove are added. Also in the northeast of Bulgaria, the village of Vasil Drumev in Shumen Region hosts a biennial culinary festival called "Forgotten Traditions -Ritual Foods". The pork ribs with bulgur wheat made in this village cannot be tasted in any other part of the country, BTA learned from the secretary of the local community centre, Maria Velikova, who is among the organizers of the festival. The recipe uses pork ribs which were salted and kept in a barrel. After the ribs are taken out of the barrel, they should be soaked in water. Then, they are fried with onion. Bulgur wheat, water, paprika and black pepper are added, and the food is put in an oven, Velikova said. She noted that, generally speaking, the local people prefer bulgur wheat over rice, unlike the residents of other parts of Bulgaria. YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Members of Parliament of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), led by the Speaker of Parliament Arthur Tovmasyan, appealed to the leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries - Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron to take concrete actions in the direction of either opening the Lachin Corridor or launching the Stepanakert airport. The only road connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the outside world continues to be closed for already 25 days. The Artsakh issue was the only conflict where all OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries had almost the same position. By and large, the people of Artsakh, who are facing an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, are in need of not only targeted statements, but I believe that there is the need to take practical and visible steps in this direction. Seriously-ill patients dont have access to necessary medication and health services, Artsakh is deprived of essential supplies such as baby food and other goods. We are calling upon the civilized world, particularly the Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries, to take concrete actions in the direction of either opening the corridor or launching an air bridge launching the Stepanakert airport, which would allow to somewhat avoid the alarming humanitarian crisis in Artsakh during the winter, the Artsakh Speaker of Parliament said in a letter. YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. CNN published an article about the situation in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) as a result of the blockade of Lachin Corridor. Below is the full article published by CNN, written by Lara Setrakian, a journalist and the president of the Applied Policy Research Institute. After Russias invasion of Ukraine and its devastating humanitarian fallout, it would be a leap to cast Moscow in the role of a peacemaker. But in one corner of the world thats exactly what has happened. In the wake of a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020, Russia was left to broker a ceasefire and keep the two sides in check. The United States and the European Union, which had once played a balancing role in the South Caucasus, effectively pulled back from active diplomacy and let Russia act as the sole mediator. Moscow deployed peacekeepers on the ground to calm and monitor the situation. But outsourcing peacebuilding to Russia was a bad idea. Now, in the shadow of the Ukraine war, that policy is enabling another humanitarian catastrophe and compromising Western interests in the region. With Russia weakened in Ukraine, there is no effective arbiter between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan, using its significant oil and gas wealth, has been pushing for maximum advantage on the ground. At the moment, protesters with the support of the Azeri government, experts say, are blocking the Lachin Corridor, the main road linking about 120,000 ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to the outside world. Azeri political analysts say that protests are illegal in Azerbaijan unless they have government approval. Incoming supplies have been severely limited since December 12, 2022, when the blockade began. Grocery stores are rationing food, with little by way of fresh fruits or vegetables, and there is a dire shortage of medical supplies, residents said in late December. Azerbaijan has said the blockade is in response to mining activities in Armenian-held areas. But rather than taking the issue to international mediation it has decided to block incoming transit until its conditions are met a violation of international and humanitarian law. The Armenians Ive met from Nagorno-Karabakh are hearty people with a profound cultural identity and deep Christian faith. Even in their grim days of crisis, some tried to give their families a semblance of a Christmas holiday. But the most vulnerable are manifesting the strain of the blockade: Dr. Biayna Sukhudyan, who is stuck in Nagorno-Karabakh, told us in late December that children are showing signs of chronic stress, including nervous breakdowns. UNICEF has warned that children are lacking basic food items and essential services, some of them separated from their parents or legal guardians on the other side of the blocked road. Peoples big concern is keeping their children warm and fed, Sukhudyan said in a phone interview. She described how people are surviving by helping each other out. If there are two mothers and only one has baby formula, she will share the formula with the other woman and breastfeed a little more. The US, the EU, the UN Secretary-General and more than a dozen countries including Canada and Mexico have called for Azerbaijan to unblock the road to Nagorno-Karabakh, but those calls have gone unheeded. Armenians see it as a strategy by Azerbaijan of starving or squeezing them out of the disputed enclave. Russia has been unable to make any significant move to defuse the problem. But it has also been reluctant to let Western countries step in to solve the standoff. It prefers to be the main power on the ground, using the resulting leverage to advance its regional interests. A web of economic and strategic factors have tied Moscow to Turkey and its ally, Azerbaijan. With Russia sanctioned by the West and strained in its relations with many economic partners, Moscow has grown increasingly dependent on Turkey for trade and sanctions evasion. Turkey has become a major facilitator for the export of Russian oil and gas and the import of strategic technologies, many of which are banned from the West. As Russian-Turkish ties have grown closer, Russia has been more reluctant to push back on Azerbaijans behavior. That has left the situation in freefall, moving toward more serious and potentially deadly outcomes. Like in the early days of the Srebrenica massacre, international peacekeepers are failing to act before thousands of people could lose their lives. It also sets a dangerous precedent for future conflicts, with one side choking off a rival community by cutting off its supplies, either forcing an evacuation or the acceptance of its negotiating terms. Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute, who watches the region closely, told me he worries about the risk of ethnic cleansing if the situation is left unchecked and unattended to by world powers. Question number one is how do we get diplomatic or military observers into Nagorno-Karabakh, Rubin said. Genocide happens in the dark. If we are able to shine a light in the region then oftentimes we can proactively prevent the worst outcomes. The US is not powerless in this situation. It can push for a humanitarian airlift to deliver supplies to the communities of Nagorno-Karabakh or seek further action from the UN Security Council, which met on December 20 to discuss the situation. America also has direct leverage over Turkey and Azerbaijan that can stabilize the situation, using a trove of diplomatic and economic tools. When the Trump administration imposed just a few steel sanctions on Turkey for the release of Pastor Andrew Brunson, it created tremendous pressure on [Turkish President] Erdogan, said Rubin. Why should we oppose doing that over Nagorno-Karabakh? Russia and Turkey have aimed to dominate the South Caucasus at the expense of their smaller neighbors. But that model has proven unsuitable to protect human life and a peaceful rules-based order. At a time when the West is competing with Russia over Ukraine cast as a fight for democracy against autocracy this is a vital arena to make the same point and prove that the West has real influence in the post-Soviet region. The longer Russia and Turkey dominate the situation the harder it will be for Western powers to bring things back into balance. In other words, stabilizing the South Caucasus will become more costly with time. The US and EU unwisely left it to Russia to keep the peace in the South Caucasus. Western powers now must step in with full diplomatic weight to correct the error. Feature: Iranian youngsters learn more about China through drawing 10:50, January 05, 2023 By Gao Wencheng ( Xinhua TEHRAN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- "My painting is both about modern China and traditional China," 13-year-old Mahshid Ghasemi said on Wednesday when introducing her work, which won the first prize in the first China-themed painting competition for Iranian children and teenagers. The contest, jointly organized by the Chinese Embassy in Iran and Iran's Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (Kanoon), was divided into two age groups, and received 427 paintings from young people across Iran. Each group was awarded one first prize, two second prizes, and three third prizes. An award ceremony and the opening ceremony of the drawing exhibition were held on Wednesday. The works showcased at the exhibition feature iconic elements of Chinese culture, such as red lanterns, the Great Wall, and dragons, demonstrating Iranian children's imagination and thinking about China. Ghasemi, from Isfahan province, said she used a dragon, fans, and ancient buildings to depict the traditional part of China with red as the main color and illustrated scenes of Chinese people celebrating the Lunar New Year. Meanwhile, in the modern China part, she focuses on China's skyscrapers and urban development, and there are also celebratory farmers, representing the country's progress in poverty alleviation. Ghasemi said that she is very interested in China, through movies, documentaries, and other ways to learn about China, which explains the complicated image in her painting. Mehrnaz Tolouei, the first prize winner in the 7-11 age group, painted a scene of ancient Persians trading with the Chinese on the ancient Silk Road routes, an idea inspired by his father, Mahmoud Tolouei. "The ancient Silk Road connected China and Iran," he said, "the two countries today enjoy a friendly relationship and their cultures should be reunited again to reconnect" through these routes. Chinese Ambassador to Iran Chang Hua said that people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Iran have become increasingly close and active, further deepening mutual understanding and traditional friendship between the two peoples. This year's competition demonstrates Iranian youth's longing for China and their expectation for the continuance of China-Iran traditional friendship, Chang said, expressing his hope that the contest will serve as a starting point to further sow the seeds of friendship between the young people of the two countries so that China-Iran friendship will be passed on from generation to generation. Noting that Iranian literary and artistic works contain a lot of Chinese stories and elements, Hamed Alamati, Kanoon's general manager, said that his institute stands ready to work with the Chinese embassy to further bolster the exchanges between the young people of the two countries with painting, a common artistic language of mankind, and constantly enhance their mutual understanding. Such efforts will "add new strength to the long-standing friendly exchanges between the two countries," Alamati added. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) If a question is seen as having attained immediacy or maturity, in the India-Nepal case the time is now. And the reason is China Why dont they like us? This is the agonising question that Prime Minister Narendra Modi once asked an ambassador of India to Nepal. Coming from the PM, the question is obviously salient. Answering it with a long-term vision cannot be postponed indefinitely, though the answer may be a layered and complex one and not admit of being put together in one shot as a single compact whole but over a finite time horizon after careful deliberation. Nevertheless, if a question is seen as having attained immediacy or maturity, in the India-Nepal case the time is now. And the reason is China. Our northern neighbour is not any more just another regional power. It is a powerful and aggressive superpower whose rise has caused uncertainties on the international stage. Under its present leadership, it also seems to revel in conducting itself as a teenager who is raring to go. Ambassador Ranjit Rae, to whom Prime Minister Modi posed the difficult and disconcerting question, has put together his nuanced thoughts in his relatively recent book on Nepal, Kathmandu Dilemma (Vintage, 2021), with the sub-title Resetting India-Nepal Ties. A question such as this needs reflection by an orchestra of specialists and practitioners of statecraft in a range of fields in order to fetch meaningful responses which, when put into play, will impact Indias external relations in a comprehensive manner. It cannot have escaped anyones notice that Beijing sees its primary competition on the world stage as being with the United States, and is seeking to expand in all directions physically. It is also making concerted efforts to leave its impress in the world economically, and coerce or cajole big or small countries politically in order to be better padded with resources to compete more effectively with America and its Western allies on every turf, not just its immediate periphery. As for Nepal, the changing constellation of forces in the world has come as a godsend. Kathmandu has elevated its ties to Beijing to strategic levels and the same is true in the other direction Beijings perception and long-term vision of its relationship with Kathmandu is wholly strategic. Unlike in the past, China no longer counsels Nepal to keep on good terms with India. Instead, it arms Nepal, conducts military drills with it, trains its military and paramilitary police, builds a trans-Himalayan railway and road network to reach the Indian border areas in the Nepali Terai or lowlands, possibly ferrying Chinas soldiers and also appears to have created sufficient conditions for Nepal to manufacture a boundary dispute with India at three points, going to the extent of amending its Constitution in order to change its map. While talks are being sought to be conducted with New Delhi to sort out the issue, these are likely to get nowhere until Nepals parliamentary sanction to the cartographic aggression is undone. The sea change in Nepals relationship with China will, by the logic of things, disturb ties with India. It does not appear that the civilisational and cultural connection between the people of the two nations, nurtured mutually over centuries, is going to be enough of a bulwark. Chinas objective is to create complications for India in every conceivable way. Beijings military expansion into eastern Ladakh, its military moves in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, and its overbearing military moves in the Doklam plateau of Bhutan are intended to corner India and impress its neighbours that misfortune can strike nations that have no mind to accept Chinese hegemony. In recent decades, Pakistan has found that its regional goals have coalesced fully with Chinas in the context of India. Is Nepal launched on a similar trajectory? And, are Pakistan and Nepal likely to pool energies with China to discomfit India? These cannot any more be considered distant questions. How India deals with China will therefore be watched all around, especially in the neighbourhood. Also, how New Delhi conducts its affairs with Kathmandu in the light of recent developments using an array of instruments will also impact how far Nepal will go in its tantalising waltz with China. The recent Parliament election has brought about an unwholesome government which is a product of skullduggery. Pushpa Kumar Dahal Prachanda, the ultra-pragmatic former Maoist guerrilla leader, has once again mounted the podium as Prime Minister by tricking the Nepali Congress, his pre-election partner, and teaming up with the other side led by Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), whose leader is K.P. Sharma Oli, who as Prime Minister in 2016 had inaugurated the new era of tight embrace in Nepal-China relations. Along with the monarchy since the days of King Mahendra, the Communists of different shades have been Nepals core anti-India constituency, whipping up nationalistic hysteria as needed. With the monarchy now history, that mantle now falls squarely on the Communists who, regrettably, have shown little stomach for policies that benefit the poorer sections. Mr Oli, in particular, has even shown disdain for the aspirations of two-thirds of his countrys ethnic population, such as the Madhesis of the Terai and the Janjatis. He will, in effect, be driving policy even if Mr Prachanda has manoeuvred his way to becoming Prime Minister. Nepals new masters have let money talk louder than guns, and this seems to suit China just fine. Allegations of far-reaching corruption have naturally swirled as contracts have been signed with Chinese entities for sums that are larger than what was initially bid truly an extraordinary state of affairs. As Beijing goes about getting infrastructure contracts, including airfields, and massive trans-Himalayan projects, the big boys appear to be on a self-aggrandisement spree. The newly-cobbled Prachanda government is a hotch-potch of so-called Communists, erstwhile monarchists in the post-monarchy age, some vague socialist elements as well as smaller parties that claim to speak up against corruption, besides a clutch of motley independents. When no principles are involved, this is a recipe for disaster. As for ideology and principles, the leaders in Beijing have sent their commissars down to Kathmandu to re-fashion the Nepal Communists thought and organisational structure on the lines of Chinas own as a wholesale re-education exercise has been mounted with the acquiescence of Nepals political masters. In so many ways, the present government may be the most negative for the people of Nepal, leave alone the relationship with India. Following the appearance of cracks in the houses, a total of 66 families are reported to have migrated from Joshimath as of now Cracks have reportedly developed in as many as 561 houses in Joshimath as a result of continued land subsidence in the town (ANI) Joshimath (Uttarakhand): Cracks have reportedly developed in as many as 561 houses in Joshimath as a result of continued land subsidence in the town, stated the District Disaster Management Department. Following the appearance of cracks in the houses, a total of 66 families are reported to have migrated from Joshimath as of now. "Now the process of increasing cracks in Singhdhar and Marwadi has started. Badrinath NH near Singhdhar Jain locality and JP Company Gate in Marwadi, near the forest department check post, is continuously cracking. This crack is increasing every hour which is worrying," said Joshimath Municipal Chairman Shailendra Pawar As many as nine houses in Marwadi have reported cracks and at the same time cracks have started appearing in most public roads of the ward, stated the City Board Chairman, Joshimath. District Disaster Management Department has also reported cases of water seepage from underground in JP Colony, Marwadi ward of Joshimath. "Cracks are also increasing on all the main roads of Sunil Ward due to which people are facing a lot of difficulty in walking," said Shalendar Panwar. After continued land sinking in Joshimath, District Magistrate Chamoli has posted Joint Magistrate Deepak Saini in Joshimath. Earlier in the day, in the wake of the news of land subsidence in Joshimath and cracks developing in many houses in the town, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that necessary actions would be taken to save the people of the district. CM Dhami would be visiting Joshimath soon to take stock of the situation and initiate necessary actions. The statement comes in the backdrop of reports of huge cracks that have appeared in the houses of the area due to land subsidence which is known as the vertical sinking of land in an area. "I will be visiting Joshimath in the coming days and initiate steps to handle the situation. All the reports will be monitored and all the required steps will be taken. I have had a word with the Municipal Corporation chairman Shailendra Pawar to monitor the condition in the district," said CM Pushkar Singh Dhami while talking to ANI. Joshimath Municipal Chairman Shailendra Pawar said that huge cracks have appeared in the houses due to leakage of water from inside the ground in the Marwadi ward. "I went to Dehradun to meet CM Dhami to discuss the entire situation. There have been reports that cracks have appeared in the houses due to leakage of water from inside the ground in the Marwadi ward," said Shailendra Pawar. Meanwhile, people in the Joshimath Town of Chamoli district of Uttarakhand have been fleeing from their houses to safer places following incidents of land subsidence in the area. The winter season and the danger of house collapse due to landslides have now become a major issue in Joshimath Town. Nine wards of Joshimath town have been massively affected by landslides. The cracks in the walls and floors of the houses in the city area are getting deeper with each passing day, sounding an alarm for people. Shailendra Pawar said that more than 3000 people from 576 houses in the city area have been affected due to this subsidence. "All the houses are being surveyed by the municipality. Many people have also left their homes," he said. Land subsidence has completely taken under its grasp the house of Madhavi Sati, the ex-Municipal President of Joshimath town area just like the other 574 houses in the town area, which have also developed huge cracks. "I have no other option but to live in a ruined house," she said. She said that the DM of Chamoli also visited the area but no conclusion has been reached so far. "The people of Joshimath are worried about the future of the city," she added. Soon a delegation from Joshimath will be travelling to Dehradun to meet Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami with the demand for rehabilitation for the people affected by the subsidence. The Chinese government and European health experts have said there is no pressing need for any blanket restrictions on travel An employee of the the Dutch Municipal Health Service hands out free Covid-19 self-test kits to travelers arriving from China, at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on January 4, 2023. (Robin van Lonkhuijsen /AFP) Brussels: The European Union on Wednesday strongly encouraged its member states to impose pre-departure COVID-19 testing of passengers from China, in a move that is likely to upset Beijing and has already been criticised by the global airline industry. Following a week of talks between EU health experts, the bloc stopped short of fully imposing on all 27 member states such a travel restriction that members like Italy, France and Spain had already implemented. China has already vehemently rejected such actions and has warned of countermeasures if such policies were to be imposed across the bloc. The Chinese government and European health experts have said there is no pressing need for any blanket restrictions on travel since the coronavirus variants emerging from China are already prevalent in Europe. On Wednesday the International Air Transport Association, which represents some 300 airlines worldwide, lent its powerful voice to the protests. It is extremely disappointing to see this knee-jerk reinstatement of measures that have proven ineffective over the last three years, said IATA Director General Willie Walsh. Research undertaken around the arrival of the omicron variant concluded that putting barriers in the way of travel made no difference to the peak spread of infections. At most, restrictions delayed that peak by a few days, Walsh said. A day after threatening countermeasures, Chinese government spokesperson Mao Ning said Wednesday that we sincerely hope that all parties will focus on fighting the epidemic itself, avoid the politicization of COVID. Still, the EU seems bent on taking some sort of joint action to ensure incoming passengers from China do not transmit any potential new variants to the continent. Sweden, which holds the EU presidency, said in a statement that travelers from China need to be prepared for decisions being taken at short notice. Fearful of being caught unawares like at the outset of the global pandemic in early 2020, the EU Integrated Political Crisis Response group is now slated to make a decision later Wednesday. As well as pre-departure testing, EU nations are likely to agree on special testing of wastewater in planes coming from China to see if it contains dangerous variants that are not common on the continent yet. Over the past week, EU nations have reacted with a chaotic cascade of national measures to the crisis in China, disregarding an earlier commitment to act in unity before anything else. Italy was the first EU member to require coronavirus tests for airline passengers coming from China, but France and Spain quickly followed with their own measures. by Alessandra De Poli On the 75th anniversary of Myanmar's independence, Prof David Moe of Yale University speaks to AsiaNews how the 2021 coup d'etat is changing the country. Buddhist extremism risks imploding, while the younger generation rejects religion as an element of identity, even though they continue to be inspired by religious ideals. Milan (AsiaNews) On 4 January 1948, Myanmar (then known as Burma) declared its independence ending British colonial rule. After exactly 75 years, the country finds itself marking the anniversary amid a brutal civil war sparked by a military coup in February 2021, just the latest in the countrys troubled history. One of the most interesting processes of transformation concerns Buddhist nationalism, which has gone through at least three periods, this according to Professor David Moe, of Yale University, who hails from Chin State, a mostly Christian state. Before independence, Buddhist nationalism was predominantly anti-colonial and anti-Western, so it brought together different groups, from Buddhist monks to peasants and students," said the scholar, speaking to AsiaNews. From 1948 onwards, however, that kind of nationalism was directed against ethnic and religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, while Buddhist identity began to overlap with the ethnic identity of the Bamar majority." Myanmar is home to about 135 distinct ethnic groups, with eight main ones. The Bamar, who are concentrated mainly in the countrys central region, represent 68 per cent of the population. Even in the pre-independence period, ethnic minority groups, living mostly in the mountainous areas along Myanmar's borders, have organised themselves independently, setting up their own militias to fight against the central government. Over the years, ethnicity has played an increasingly important role, so much so that even today the identity card of every Burmese indicates the ethnicity and religion of its bearer", said Prof Moe, whose research interests includes how religion can be a source of conflict and reconciliation. But with the coup d'etat, Buddhist nationalism is imploding; nothing like the PDF has ever been seen before," Moe said. The reference here is to the People's Defence Forces (PDF), the armed wing of the exiled National Unity Government (NUG), composed mostly of former MPs from Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy. The "Lady", as she is also known internationally, led the previous government but was arrested during the coup. She was recently convicted at the end of another show trial, sentenced to a total of 33 years in prison. Now For the first time, the Bamar majority and ethnic minorities have a common enemy: the army, which was founded, the irony of history, by Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyis father, Prof Moe explained. Some PDF leaders even apologised to minority representatives, saying they had finally understood their suffering after years of discrimination and violence. On the one hand, this is positive because it opens up the possibility for the creation of a federal Myanmar in the event that the resistance succeeds in defeating Buddhist nationalism. This would be possible only with the total defeat of the army, which is supported by Russia and protects the most extremist Buddhist groups. In Sri Lanka too, for example, we find radical groups linked to the Sinhala ethnic group, but these, unlike Myanmar, do not enjoy the direct support of the armed forces". It is no coincidence, therefore, that today, Independence Day, the military junta paid tribute to the monk Wirathu, dubbed the "Buddhist bin Laden, who was described as "the face of Buddhist terror" by Time magazine in 2013. For the occasion, the military junta announced an amnesty of more than 7,000 prisoners, but in the past, it had the habit of re-arresting and jailing freshly pardoned prisoners. A new element that emerged in the wake of the coup d'etat is the presence of very young people within the resistance. In both 1947 and 1988, student movements played a leading role against the army, but here we also see young people born in the 2000s, who reject religion as an identity marker." However, according to David Moe, religious ideals continue to permeate the lives of young people. The new generation is not interested in going to the temple; they do not perform the rites, but have returned to what I call 'moral Buddhism; i.e. they are looking for a way to respond to evil and change things that are wrong in society. They have not abandoned the teachings of Buddhism, but religion, especially when it enters politics, is frowned upon. One wonders if we can draw a parallel with Aung San Suu Kyi, who, after studying abroad, went home in the 1980s to oppose the military dictatorship of the time with non-violence, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Buddhist principles. Aung San Suu Kyi is revered like a deity and everyone expresses great support for her; however, her mistake was to try to please the generals between 2015 and 2020, putting aside the ethnic issue", Prof Moe said. Still, over the years, she has made efforts to end clashes between ethnic militias and the military. Sean Turnell, the Australian economic adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi, who was recently released from prison, once said that the former leader approves of the actions of the resistance, including fighting. Young people not only want to do away with the past and create a new Myanmar, but have also been forced to fight. At first, they too had opposed the coup in a nonviolent way by creating the Civil Disobedience Movement, but the army attacked them, forcing them to take up arms. The EU accuses China of "coercive" trade policies against Lithuania and violating the rights of European companies operating in its territory. In January, the EU will challenge China's veto in two special legal cases before the WTO. Relations between the two sides are increasingly difficult. Beijing (AsiaNews) China and the European Union are at loggerheads at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Chinas coercive policies towards Lithuania and the theft of intellectual property owned by European companies operating in the Asian giant's market are in the EUs crosshairs. According to the South China Morning Post, China has blocked two EU-initiated proceedings before the WTO Court of Arbitration. For China, the EU's move is puzzling and "premature", while the two disputes could be resolved amicably through bilateral negotiations. Chinas veto will, however, be short-lived since, under WTO rules, it can only be used once, and the EU is ready to request a ruling in the two cases in January. In one case, the issue of Taiwan has led to the breakdown of relations between China and Lithuania. In November 2021, the Taiwanese government opened a mission in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius under the name Taiwanese. The move sparked an immediate response from China, according to which the failure to use the name Taipei is a violation of its One-China policy. For the Communist Party of China, the island is a "rebel" province to be forcibly seized if necessary. Since then, the Chinese have cut trade relations with Lithuania, a coercive action denounced by the EU at the WTO. With respect to the protection of intellectual property, the EU is challenging certain decisions by Chinese courts that prevent European companies present in China from protecting their hi-tech patents in foreign courts, including EU ones. In case of violation of Chinas rules, European hi-tech groups such as Nokia, Sharp and Ericsson risk daily fines of 130,000 or criminal charges. The EU and China are each others main trading partner; however, bilateral relations have become increasingly strained in recent years. The EU accuses China of unfair trade practices, repeated human rights violations, questionable handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, attempts to divide the European bloc, and support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. For its part, China wants the EU to gain greater strategic autonomy from the United States, especially in economic matters. by Dario Salvi In May 2009, the pontiff made a historic visit to the region. Vaticanist Franco Pisano followed for AsiaNews readers the events and meetings between Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Ratzinger a pope who "should not be looked at or listened to, but read." The "ease" with which he handled texts from St. Paul to St. Augustine. Rome (AsiaNews) - A "pilgrim of peace" in the region of the three great monotheistic religions, because "pilgrimage is an essential element" of faith: this is how on his return flight back to Italy, the then Pope Joseph Ratzinger described the apostolic journey he had just concluded to the Holy Land and which the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem summarized in a video. The theme of pilgrimage was peace, seen as "an essential element of many religions," and, the pontiff continued, "the image of our existence, which is a walking forward, toward God and thus toward the communion of humanity". In short "encouraging the unity of the peoples of this Holy Land helos us to become in turn messengers of peace." Benedict XVI's apostolic journey, May 8-15, 2009, was also able to confront and overcome the distrust, if not hostility, of parts of the Jewish world that reproached the pope for rapprochement with the Lefevrians (holocaust deniers), and of an Islam still stuck at Regensburg in 2006 and the (alleged) offense to Mohammed. In fact, this very visit represented a milestone in interreligious dialogue. Benedict XVI was the third pope in the modern era to make a trip to the cradle of Christianity after Paul VI (1964) and John Paul II (2000), touching on Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Among the highlights of a visit not without controversy were the site of Jesus' baptism, Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, meeting with the grand mufti at the Dome of the Rock on the Esplanade of Mosques, the "Wailing Wall" and the grand rabbis. Also, passing through Bethlehem at the Grotto of the Nativity and the Caritas Baby Hospital, Nazareth and the Eucharistic celebration on the Mount of Precipice. The last stop was the Holy Sepulcher, which was followed by the ecumenical meeting at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate under the banner of a journey of spiritual, political and interfaith value retraced in the following the general audience on his return to Rome. AsiaNews readers experienced the days of the pope emeritus - whose solemn funeral is celebrated today - through the eyes of Vatican reporter Franco Pisano, for more than 30 years in the retinue of first John Paul II (after the brief interregnum of Pope Albino Luciani) and then Benedict XVI. The trip to the Holy Land was also the last in the retinue of a pontiff for the dean of Vatican reporters, who remembers as a "key" moment the stop "in front of the empty tomb, at the Holy Sepulcher," which is also the most meaningful stop "for anyone who goes to the Holy Land." "It was a comprehensive visit," he stressed, "that also touched Jordan." Delving into the speeches given, precisely "the farewell one, when he spoke to the [Israeli] President [Shimon Peres], was the most important" going over crucial themes such as the Shoah, with controversy at the time exploited by a wing that "accused him of being cold." "In reality, his was a much deeper reflection," Pisano explains, "on the victims of evil in the different phases of history. This is an example, he adds, "of the problem around Benedict XVI: he was not to be watched or listened to, but read. He was not a passionate orator, but when you studied him, his thought emerged powerfully. This limitation prevented you from understanding how extraordinary he actually was." Another significant passage of the visit to the Holy Land was the call for interreligious dialogue and "the co-responsibility of the three great monotheistic religions in matters of peace," as well as the call for "the culture of the world." On several occasions he spoke about the three faiths, meeting with religious leaders and Christian, Jewish and Muslim personalities "strongly emphasizing this element. He is the pope of Dominus Iesus [promulgated in 2000 when he was still prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith], there is none other than Jesus who can give salvation," but this does not prevent, on the contrary it strengthens encounter and dialogue. "All the popes," Pisano notes, "have spoken positively about the different faiths, but he has entrusted them with an extra task" starting from a "common duty and a unique bond" between Judaism, Christianity and Islam: "The New Testament is not conceivable without the Old Testament, Islam is not" without the two previous texts. At stake here is "the relationship with the one God," which is "also historical and cultural" and assigns "common responsibilities towards peace. Benedict XVI is the pope who has most strongly emphasized this element." Pisano concludes with a reflection on the years (from 2005 until the historic resignation in February 2013) spent by the German pope on the Chair of St. Peter: "Joseph Ratzinger's was a difficult pontificate, after the 27 years of John Paul II who had changed the world. It was a reign of balance, which now at his death could also falter" with rumors already beginning to circulate of "a conservative front ready to go on the attack" of Pope Francis' current pontificate. "Certainly, as a Vaticanist following Benedict XVI was a challenge that required study, knowledge of theologians and the great personalities of the Church, from St. Paul to St. Augustine," Pisano concludes. "He handled texts with incredible ease, because it was all material he had possession of and familiarity with. To be able to narrate Pope Ratzinger, you had to study... perhaps that is precisely why he was under-appreciated or attacked," as in the case of the speech in Regensburg, where in the face of a 20-page reflection, headlines (and controversy) were built "on a two-line passage." Today's headlines: al-Sistan appeals for suffering Afghans, women in particular; In Vietnam, Dong Thap authorities pronounce child who fell into 35-meter shaft dead, recovery attempts futile; Taliban claim double killing of senior Pakistani officials; in Ukraine, Russian Wagner war cemetery fills up quickly with new burials; Armenian airline opens new connections with Moscow. HONG KONG - CHINA After a three-year closure for Covid-19, Beijing today formalized the opening of its border with Hong Kong as of Jan. 8. A further step toward China's normalization, following the sudden cancellation on Dec. 7 of strict zero-tolerance regulations enforced by the Communist Party. Entry restrictions from Macau also removed. KOREA A North Korean drone violated the no-fly zone around the presidential office in Seoul last month. The admission came only today from a South Korean military official, after weeks of denials and silences. Pyongyang's vehicle briefly entered the 3.7-kilometer area around Yoon Suk Yeol's office, although it did not threaten major security facilities. IRAQ - AFGHANISTAN Iraq's top Shiite authority, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, appealed to Muslims and the international community, "not to abandon" Afghanistan. At the end of a meeting with a delegation of Afghan Shiites, he expressed "deep sorrow" for the suffering of the people, "particularly the women," and urged the preservation of unity, solidarity and peaceful coexistence. VIETNAM An affair that held the country in suspense ended dramatically. Authorities in the southern province of Dong Thap announced the death of the 10-year-old boy who fell on New Year's Eve into a concrete pillar 25 cm wide and 35 meters deep while searching for scrap metal. Efforts will now be made to recover the body for burial. PAKISTAN The Pakistani Tehreek-e-Taliban Taliban claimed the killing of a senior intelligence officer linked to the premier's office and another security official. A sign of the group's growing activism, which has increased jihadist attacks in the country. The two were shot dead outside a hotel in Punjab on Jan. 3. RUSSIA - UKRAINE Wagner Company's Ukrainian war dead cemetery in the village of Bakinsk near Kuban in southern Russia is filling up fast with new burials, which have already exceeded 100, doubling in the past two weeks. The bodies buried there are those of mercenaries recruited from prisons, and unclaimed by any family members. ARMENIA Armenia's Fly Arna airline has announced that direct flights from Yerevan's Zvartnots airport to Moscow's Seremetevo airport four times a week will be opened from January 21, adding to those to Domodedovo and Soci, to "enable our passengers to visit Moscow and Russia in comfort and at good value." There were no traditional lights or firework displays at Vank cathedral this year, officially for repairs in order to get the UNESCO heritage site designation, but many Christians, already targeted by police, believe it was a tacit show of support for protests. Supreme Leader Khamenei uses conciliatory words about women who do not cover their hair correctly. Teheran (AsiaNews) One of Irans most important Armenian churches, Vank Cathedral in Isfahan, has cancelled this years Christmas celebrations, which Armenians celebrate on 6 January. New Year celebrations were also scrapped. For many, this as a show of solidarity with pro-democracy protests, which began in September after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who was arrested by the morality police for not correctly wearing a headscarf. Since then the authorities have cracked down violently against protesters with major loss of life. In an attempt to stem the wave of protests now sweeping the country, Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is using conciliatory terms. Christmas decorations and fireworks on New Year's Eve are a tradition at Vank Church in Isfahan, and attract crowds of worshippers and onlookers not this year; instead, a banner was hung a few days before the New Year announcing the cancellation of celebrations. The official version is that the church is being restored in order to get a UNESCO heritage designation, but many see it as tacit support for protesters. Whatever the case, the decision by Church leaders, backed by a majority of the congregation, did not go unnoticed by local government and police. On the first day of the year, police moved in and ordered worshippers trying to congregate at the place of worship to move on, placing guards at the site (pictured). In the weeks before the holidays, the Assyrian-Chaldean and Armenian Churches were pressured to criticise the protests or not express support for them. Scores of Christians did the opposite, posting and circulating messages of support and solidarity on social media; at least 50 young Assyrians received threats and were the object of intimidation for some of their social media posts. In late November, 38-year-old Christian Bianka Zaia was arrested in connection with the protests and charged with "propaganda against the State". Meanwhile, Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti, was released on bail (US$ 240,000). Her first picture after leaving the prison shows her without a headscarf. She was arrested last month and held for weeks in Evin prisons wing for political prisoners after she participated in anti-regime protests. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waded into the issue, stressing that even women who do not cover their hair correctly are our daughters" and should not be marginalised. In a meeting yesterday with pro-government women activists, he reiterated that "the hijab is a religious and inviolable necessity, but this inviolable necessity should not mean that someone without a full hijab (like Mahsa Amini) should be accused of being anti-religion or anti-revolutionary. Khamenei referred to headscarves that do not fully cover the hair as weak hijab, a term likely to be used by Iranian media. While A weak hijab is not a good thing, he said, it should not cause that individual to be seen as outside of religion and the revolution; all of us have faults that we should resolve. In late December, Deputy Prime Minister and former Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh was expelled from the top body of the Communist Party of Vietnam, ostensibly in connection with a series of COVID-19-related corruption scandals. In the past year, 900 government officials have been investigated. It is hard at present to distinguish scandals from political infighting. Hanoi (AsiaNews) Vietnam's National Assembly is holding an extraordinary four-day session to discuss "urgent matters", including the removal of high-ranking government officials in connection to corruption scandals related to the COVID-19 pandemic On 30 December, the central committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), the countrys ruling party, removed two deputy prime ministers, Pham Binh Minh and Vu Duc Dam. Minh, who served as foreign minister between 2011 and 2021, was also dropped from the partys politburo. The press release issued at the end of the meeting did not mention the reason for their dismissal, citing only wrongdoings, sparking speculation about infighting. In fact, the two will stay on as deputy prime ministers, amid the widening corruption scandals at the top. According to the investigation, several government officials charged Vietnamese nationals stranded abroad during the pandemic with surcharges on some 400 repatriation flights, earning more than US$ 200 million. In another case, Viet A Technology Corporation, one of the country's leading biotechnology companies, sold testing kits, labelled as locally made but in fact imported, with a 45 per cent mark-up, thanks to collusion with officials in the Health and Science and Technology ministries. Over the past year, more and more officials have been caught up in the case, dubbed Viet A at least 102 people have been arrested so far, including former Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long and other leading figures, who were also expelled from the Party. For Vietnam, this is deja vu. Until a decade ago, the South-East Asian country was considered one of the most corrupt in the world. In 2016, the CPV launched a series of anti-corruption campaigns. For the head of the Party, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the latest one is like a fiery furnace". According to the Ministry of Public Security, at least 900 state officials and employees were investigated in 2022 alone in connection with graft and abuses of power. With Pham Binh Minh and Vu Duc Dam kicked out, two key positions must be filled, raising questions about who will replace them. According to some observers, Minhs and Dams departure had been decided for some time since the extraordinary meeting that opened today was scheduled in the second half of December. It is not clear whether Vietnam's four deputy prime ministers will be reshuffled, although a cloud will continue to hang over them in the new year. For other analysts, Vietnam has much to gain if it improves its image as a country safe for business, especially after several companies left China due to its zero-COVID policy. It is also extremely hard to understand whether the recent purges are politically motivated, because in Vietnam the press and dissent are under the strict control of the central government. According to Freedom House, Vietnam is classified as non-free with only 19 points out of 100. by Melani Manel Perera Nominations are to be filed in the coming weeks while voting will be held in the first of mid-March. Uncertainty remains as to whether they can actually be held. Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian calls for citizen participation. Colombo (AsiaNews) - The long-awaited call for nominations for Sri Lanka's local elections was published yesterday: nominations will be accepted from districts Jan. 18-21 and voting will be held in March, despite the country facing one of the worst economic and currency crises in its history. The announcement was made yesterday morning by the chairman of the Election Commission, Nimal G. Punchihewa, adding that voting will be held before March 15 so that 340 local bodies can be formed within the next four days. Activists from Aragalaya, the protest movement that led to the resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, also said they were ready to contest. Local governments in Sri Lanka are divided into three subcategories: 24 municipal councils, 41 urban councils, and 276 district councils in rural areas, while the total number of registered voters eligible to vote is about 16.7 million. Dismissing speculation that local elections will cost 10 billion rupees (nearly 26 million euros) or more, Punchihewa said the Election Commission will do everything possible to limit costs to 8 billion rupees (20.6 million euros), specifying that the number of election officials will be less than 200,000. Candidates from political parties and independent groups are vying for 8,711 seats. The voting system is mixed: 60 percent dry uninominal and 40 percent proportional. Political parties and independent groups are expected to include 25 percent women in the list of candidates and give young people the opportunity to be represented for 30 percent. However, this is not mandatory because the relevant law has not yet been passed. It is still unclear whether the elections will be held for real, mainly because of a petition filed with the Supreme Court by a retired military officer seeking a stay order, citing Sri Lanka's current currency crisis. For their part, opposition parties accuse the government of delaying the vote because the ruling formation, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (Slpp), fears an embarrassing defeat. Shanakkian Rasamanikkam, Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian from the eastern district of Batticaloa, explained that in Sri Lankan history elections have been postponed three times after nominations have been filed, but added that this time there is no reason to postpone them. Therefore, he said, "I ask you to prepare to vote enthusiastically. This vote is the first opportunity for the people who have fought in Sri Lanka and are demanding system change," the MP asked the citizens, referring to the protesters in Aragalaya. Indias highest court accepts petition to stop a seven-day eviction order ostensibly over housing built illegally on railway land in Haldwani district. Some residents have lived for 50 years in the area, which has five public schools and a hospital. For the court, a rehabilitation scheme is needed. New Delhi (AsiaNews/AsiaNews) The Supreme Court of India today stayed a disputed order by the Uttarakhand High Court to evict residents ostensibly living in illegally built housing on railway land, some for more than 50 years. Currently as many as 50,000 people live in the area, which is located in Haldwani district, many of them Muslims. On 20 December 2020, the states High Court directed the railway to remove unauthorised structures, giving residents a one week's notice to leave. Several petitions were filed against the order. In todays ruling, the Supreme Court noted that 50,000 people cannot be uprooted in seven days. If people have lived there for 50-60 years, some rehabilitation scheme is required, that is assuming it is railway land. The court asked the government of Uttarakhand, which is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Indian Railways to respond to the petitions and postpone the matter to a hearing scheduled for 7 February. In their applications to the Supreme Court, residents claim to have paid residential taxes for years and have an AADHAAR[*] card with their address indicated in the area. The latter has five public schools, a hospital and two overhead water tanks. The case began in 2013 with a petition against illegal sand mining in the Gaula River, which runs next to Haldwani Railway Station, eventually expanded to include all alleged trespassing of railway land. [*] A 12-digit unique identity number for Indian nationals and resident foreign nationals who have spent over 182 days in twelve months in the country. Automotive Supplier to Build $205M Plant in GA, Incentives Remain Unknown Written by T.A. DeFeo, The Center Square Published Jan. 5, 2023 An automotive parts manufacturer plans to spend $205 million on a new manufacturing facility. Ecoplastic Corp., a South Korean company, said it would create 456 new jobs as part of the new facility near Statesboro, GA, in Bulloch County. Ecoplastic manufactures plastic interior and exterior components and supplies Hyundai Motor Group and Kia. "The project is still active," a Georgia Department of Economic Development communications representative told The Center Square. The designation allows state officials to decline to release details about tax incentives the state offered to entice a company to locate or expand in Georgia. Georgia officials have targeted electric vehicle manufacturers and associated companies. According to state officials, companies have announced more than 30 EV-related projects in Georgia since 2020. Last May, Hyundai Motor Group announced it had selected Georgia for Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, its "first dedicated EV plant in the U.S." The company said it plans to invest more than $5.5 billion to build the facility. "By increasing new jobs within the area and providing a stable supply of high quality products to our client, HMGMA, we look forward to contributing to the economic development of the State of Georgia and Bulloch County," Han Shang, president and CEO of Ecoplastic, said in an announcement. However, not all projects have been lauded. In December, the Michigan-based Center for Economic Accountability named Georgias decision to give $1.5 billion in incentives for a Rivian Automotive electric vehicle assembly plant 2022s "Worst Economic Development Deal of the Year." State economic development officials have not responded to requests for comment on the recognition. We thank The Center Square for reprint permission. Nonprofit Names $1.5B Georgia Rivian EV Plant Incentive as Worst Deal of the Year Written by T.A. DeFeo, The Center Square Published Jan. 5, 2023 A nonprofit has named Georgias decision to give $1.5 billion in incentives for a Rivian Automotive electric vehicle assembly plant 2022s "Worst Economic Development Deal of the Year." The Michigan-based Center for Economic Accountability bestows the honor to a government subsidy of a private company that best illustrates the "massive wastefulness and ineffectiveness of government economic development subsidy programs." In December 2021, state officials announced Rivian planned to build a manufacturing facility---its second U.S. plant---in Georgia. Earlier this year, the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Joint Development Authority of Jasper, Morgan, Newton and Walton counties announced $1.5 billion in incentives to Rivian. In July, Georgia officials filed a petition to validate $15 billion in taxable revenue bonds, which economic development officials planned to use to finance the Rivian project. Seven Morgan County residents filed a motion to intervene, and a judge subsequently ruled against validating the bonds; the state is appealing the ruling. "In the worst year ever for giant state and local corporate welfare deals across the country, Georgias $1.5 billion Rivian subsidy still managed to stand out for the way that bureaucrats and elected officials completely failed in their responsibilities to the states residents and taxpayers," CEA President John C. Mozena said in an announcement. "They made a massive, speculative investment of taxpayer money in an early-stage company in a highly competitive and government policy-dependent industry without doing basic due diligence. "They went to great lengths to get around the fact that Georgia has no law that gives them the authority to hand out property tax breaks," Mozena added. "They didnt do their homework on the downsides of this project for the communities where the plant would be built, they kept the people who would be impacted the most in the dark until the deal was almost done and then they went to great lengths to keep local leaders from having a say in what happens to their communities." In announcing the deal, state and company officials said the Rivian plant would begin production in 2024 and the project would create 7,500 jobs with an average wage of $56,000. Despite the bond validation ruling, site grading for the $5 billion plant at Stanton Springs North along Interstate 20 near Social Circle began in the early fall. According to court records, economic development officials did not consider Rivians billions in losses when plowing ahead with the deal. While state officials expressed reservations about how the company would pay for its part, their tune changed following Rivians IPO in the fall of 2021. The ruling revealed the JDA did not tap a third party to assess Rivians financial viability, and the state did not analyze the plants impact on local governments and their expenses. "One of the big things that stands out about this deal is that a judge got agency bureaucrats on the record effectively admitting that they did about the same amount of due diligence into a speculative investment with a billion and a half of taxpayer dollars as wed expect from some diamond-hands meme stock trader on Reddit," Mozena said. "Its worth noting that virtually everything we know about this deal is thanks to a judge doing her job and making sure that government agencies had to answer hard questions under oath," Mozena added. "In a year where there were four times as many multi-billion dollar subsidy deals than ever before, we have to ask just what wed discover elsewhere around the country if we had the same kind of transparency into every deal." A spokesman for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, passed on the opportunity to comment on the award, and representatives for GDEcD did not respond to a request for comment. We thank The Center Square for reprint permission. Washington Think Tank Questions Claim that Greenhouse Gas Policies Working as Intended Written by Brett Davis, The Center Square Published Jan. 4, 2023 Todd Myers, environmental director at the free market Washington Policy Center, takes issue with officials touting the effectiveness of state climate change policies on greenhouse gas emissions. Going all the way back to 2006, our state has launched a range of initiatives designed to bring down carbon pollution and transition from polluting sources of energy, a Dec. 28 Department of Ecology blog stated. Long story short, a review of these policies shows that they are working as intended---but their biggest effects will be seen in statewide greenhouse gas emissions data for 2020 and beyond, which has yet to be released. Myers said that characterization is at odds with Ecologys recently released emissions figures for 2019. The Washington State Department of Ecology released statewide CO2 emissions for 2019, showing an increase of about 7% from 2018, Myers wrote in a Jan. 1 blog. Since 2012, Washingtons CO2 emissions have increased almost every year and total emissions increased about 10% to 102.1 million metric tons (MMT). Washingtons emissions are now 9% higher than 1990 levels. According to state law, emissions must fall to just 51.4 MMT by 2030, 50% below the 2019 emissions levels. In 2020, the state Legislature set new greenhouse gas emissions limits to combat climate change. Under the law, the state is required to reduce emissions levels as follows: 45% below 1990 levels by 2030, 70% below 1990 levels by 2040, and 95% below 1990 levels by 2050 and achieving net zero emissions. Myers blog goes on to document a series of claims from Ecology over the last several years that emissions would be declining. Instead, they have consistently increased. He even threw some cold water on what he labeled the states boasting about the fact per capita emissions have decreased over the last two decades. While he acknowledged the U.S. Energy Information Administrations confirmation that per capita carbon dioxide emissions are down 17% in the last 20 years, Myers pointed out the Evergreen State follows behind the nation in general. The U.S. as a whole, however, reduced per capita CO2 emissions by 22%, Myers explained. Washington is actually decarbonizing more slowly than the rest of the country. The Center Square reached out to the governors office for comment on Myers blog, which was also critical of Gov. Jay Inslee for claiming the state is on the right track in reducing emissions. The team at Ecology has done an excellent job sharing the results of the analyses done on the CCA and LCFS policies, Jaime Smith, Inslees director of communications, replied via email. She included a link to a Nov. 28 Ecology news release trumpeting the start of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard to cut greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, as well as a link to a July 1 Ecology blog that said independent studies show new initiatives under the Climate Commitment Act will deliver significant benefits at minimal costs. Passed by the state Legislature in 2021, the Climate Commitment Act directs Ecology to develop and implement a statewide cap-and-trade program to cut carbon pollution by requiring emitters to obtain emissions allowances equal to their covered greenhouse gas emissions. Similar to stocks and bonds, these allowances can be obtained through quarterly auctions hosted by Ecology. The cap-and-trade law went into effect Jan. 1. Myers remains skeptical of the states efforts. Rather than continuing to follow the path of failed policy, legislators and agency staff should stop pretending they can effectively reduce state CO2 emissions and empower citizens and innovators to reduce emissions more sustainably and effectively, he concluded in his blog. We thank The Center Square for reprint permission. Photo: Neil Fraser for RM Sotheby's Photo: Neil Fraser for RM Sotheby's Bodied in Milan by Carrozzeria Touring, the 350 GT was revealed with great pomp and circumstance in 1964 at the Geneva Motor Show. A V12-engined artwork on wheels, the 350 GT would be discontinued in 1966 with the introduction of the slightly more powerful 400 GT. Both the 3.5- and 3.9-liter siblings use V12s developed by Giotto Bizzarrini, the man who served as chief engineer of the 250 GTO during his Ferrari tenure.But as youre well aware, the Raging Bull of SantAgata Bolognese is better known for its mad supercar designs rather than comfy grand tourers. The bite-the-back-of-your-hand beautiful Miura launched in 1966 as one of the first mid-engine production cars. As opposed to the longitudinally-mounted I4 of the 1962 Rene Bonnet Djet, the superb-looking Miura uses a transverse layout inspired by Sir Alec Issigonis front-engined Mini.A little over 760 units were produced through 1973, all featuring the 3,929-cc engine introduced by the 400 GT. Three years prior to its demise, chief engineer Paolo Stanzani and his crew started working on a midship. The LP112 project also included Marcello Gandini, who came up with a very different exterior design from the Miura. Taking inspiration from the Gandini-penned 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo, the Italian designer went for a wedge-shaped exterior that made the 1974 Countach an instant classic.One year after Stanzani convinced Lamborghini to approve the LP112 project, his crack team of engineers and designers finished the LP500 just in time for the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. No fewer than three years were subsequently spent on refinements, which came to fruition as the LP400.First things first, what does LP and 400 mean? LP stands for longitudinale posteriore, as in longitudinally-mounted engine behind the drivers back. 400 divided by 100 is 4.0 liters, although Lamborghini was in the wrong. 3,929 cubic centimeters is 3.9 liters whichever way you put it, but then again, Lamborghini used this designation as a middle-finger salute to all things Ferrari. The direct rival for the Countach LP400 was the 4.4-liter 365 GT4 BB (Berlinetta Boxer), which doesnt feature a boxer engine.Chassis number 1120148 was a Countach LP400 that Lamborghini sent to Dallara in the spring of 1975 for some modifications. The list kicks off with Campagnolo Bravo teledial wheels, similar in design to the Bravo concept. Shod with low-profile rubber from Pirelli, the sand-cast magnesium wheels were joined by tacked-on wheel arch extensions, a matching front spoiler, and many other goodies. Canadian businessman Walter Wolf took delivery of the so-called Speciale in August 1975, a one-off commission that paved the way for the LP400 S specification.Unveiled in 1978 at the Geneva Motor Show, the series-production version of the Speciale had been reworked by no surprises here Marcello Gandini . The LP400 S couldnt have arrived at a more troubled time, though. Lamborghini filed for bankruptcy in 1978, which is why the Italian automaker spent the next two years fighting to keep the assembly line running. Brothers Jean-Claude and Patrick Mimran ultimately saved the Raging Bull. The Mimrans sold Lamborghini to Chrysler in 1987.Due to the financial turmoil of that era, the LP400 S Series I ended production after only 50 examples of the breed were completed. Chassis number 1121028 is one of those rarefied machines, the 14th produced. Its also believed to be the only Countach LP400 S Series I finished in Blu Notte Metallizato, which makes it all the more collectible nowadays.1121028 still features the original engine, which is running six Weber 45 DCOE carburetors and a 10.5:1 compression ratio. It produces 375 ps (make that 370 horsepower) at 8,000 revolutions per minute, whereas peak torque is estimated to be 361 Nm (266 pound-feet) at 5,000 revolutions per minute. The only transmission available was a Lamborghini-designed fiver with a Fichtel & Sachs clutch and a limited-slip rear differential.To be auctioned in Paris on February 1st at no reserve, this blue-painted time capsule was completed on October 26th, 1978. Specified with a Bianco white leather interior, 1121028 is also believed to be one of a handful of cars to feature SW gauges from the ultra-rare Periscopio Currently showing a little over 34,000 kilometers (21,127 miles) on the clock, the car was painted in a look-at-me shade of red at some point during the 20th century. It resurfaced in Munich in 2001, after which it was exported to Finland. Placed into storage until being sold at auction in 2016, chassis number 1121028 was treated to a no-expense-spared restoration in Modena, a restoration overseen by Valentino Balboni. Yes, that Balboni who served as Lamborghinis chief test driver until 2008.Restored to its former glory, this old-school thriller isnt going to sell for peanuts. There is no pre-auction estimate to speak of, but we do know that 1121028 hammered for $569,520 back in 2016 when it was still red. EV Testing our own Ola maps! Will be live in the Ola app and our vehicles in a couple of months! Will also be making a dev API for all those who want to use world class maps for India in their apps. pic.twitter.com/L4pchILLfq Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) January 5, 2023 It offers incredibly accurate coverage of the entire world, it has all the essential features that drivers would ever need, and above all, its completely free.Companies investing in similar software, therefore, have a hard time beating Google Maps, especially given the search giants focus on innovation and new-generation capabilities.And yet, Indian company Ola is about to step into this business and launch its very own digital map and navigation solution.Google Maps is by far the most popular navigation app in India, but Ola believes that by building its own digital map platform, it will at least provide its customers with a worthy alternative. CEO Bhavish Aggarwal shared a teaser on Twitter (also embedded below) to provide us with an early look at Ola Maps, the solution that should one day provide users with a worthy alternative to Google Maps.In fact, Ola wants to compete against Google Maps on multiple fronts, so the company is also building an API that would allow other services to use its maps and therefore power their own web applications. Google Maps already does that, but at this point, Ola decided to stick with MapMyIndia for navigation capabilities on its platform.While at first glance, Ola building its navigation platform isnt necessarily big news for Google, the search giant has every reason in the world to be worried.First and foremost, the competition in this space is getting much fiercer, and the living proof is the focus that navigation experts like TomTom and Sygic are committed to these days. In fact, new research crowned HERE as the leading company in the digital mapping sector , with Google Maps only the runner-up because of its small penetration in the automotive industry.Then, with Google investing in other capabilities for Google Maps, the navigation component is no longer getting much love these days. The only big improvement that Google Maps received recently on this front is the support for eco-friendly routes. Otherwise, the navigation focus right now seems to be on Waze, as Google still keeps the app as a separate offering that is independent of Google Maps.Ola Maps, however, will represent a major milestone for the parent company, especially as itsvehicles would no longer have to rely on third-party navigation software. This is once again a hit that Google Maps would eventually receive, as its Indian market share is likely to be impacted once the new mapping solution is ready.For now, theres no specific ETA as to when Ola Maps is projected to launch, but the CEO says the debut should theoretically happen at some point in the next couple of months. The Galaxy S22 Ultra struggling with Android Auto isnt necessarily something new, but on the other hand, after countless updates and fixes, users have started complaining about a bad experience with the app once again.A few days ago, for example, Android Auto suddenly stopped working on the Galaxy S22, and by the looks of things, its all happening without any change on the user side.Heres everything you need to know about this problem and how you can potentially fix it.First and foremost, while the issue appears to be hitting mostly Skoda cars, this isnt necessarily true. The bug previously impacted not only models from brands in the Volkswagen Group, but also various other vehicles.In other words, this is a clear indication that the head units in these cars arent the ones to blame for the glitch. More often than not, users claim that other Samsung phones are working properly in the same vehicles, so in theory, the brand-new Galaxy S22 is the culprit.The confusing experience doesnt stop here. Users struggling with Android Auto on a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra claim they encounter connection problems, either when trying to launch the app or when running it. In some cases, Android Auto does show a message on the screen to indicate that the connection has failed, but for some users, no error is displayed, with the app just refusing to load.This could be a sign that the problem is actually the cable used to power the connection. While users are recommended to stick with the original cords, this doesnt seem to help this time, so just make sure you try multiple cables weve previously put together a detailed guide on the best Android Auto cables , and the Anker sometimes seems to get the app up and running with a Galaxy S22 Ultra as well; however, you should know this isnt a generic fix that does the trick for everybody, but you could give it a try anyway.Then, some say that downgrading to an earlier version of Android Auto does bring things back to normal. This obviously suggests that Googles app is the one responsible for the bug and going back to an older release proves that recent updates are causing the connection issues.To downgrade to an earlier release, just head over to this page , download an older version of Android Auto, and install it manually on your Samsung Galaxy S22.If nothing works, one last potential fix is resetting the Bluetooth profiles that are configured on the media receiver in the car. Re-pairing the phone and the head unit should allow Android Auto to start from scratch, sometimes addressing these connectivity issues that break down the experience even with the most expensive Android phones on the market. In the summer of 2021, an F-35 Lightning was landing HMS Prince of Wales, the newest carrier in the UK Royal Navys fleet, for the first time. It was a great milestone, confirming that Britain now has two operational aircraft carriers (the other one being HMS Queen Elizabeth) that can be deployed at the same time.But in order for this moment to be possible, a Royal Navy pilot once had to move to the U.S. and eventually take control of an F-35 cockpit for the first time ever. This was Cdr Tidball, the man who has recently ended his 32-year career as a military pilot.Its hard to even wrap our heads around that one man took to the sky in no less than 35 different types of aircraft, and was deployed onboard no less than three British aircraft carriers.If that wasnt enough, Crd Tidball also served as the UK Deputy Lead National Representative within the F-35 Operational Test Team, led by the U.S., a decade ago. And then he officially became the first Royal Navy pilot on the F-35, working as an Instructor Pilot with the U.S. Marines, at the Eglin base in Florida.Long before flying the F-35, the young Tidball was first acquainted with helicopters. More specifically, the Junglie Sea Kings (the British adaptation of the Sikorsky S-61). That was back in 1991.Then came the time for Tidballs first fast jets. These were the Sea Harriers, the subsonic aircraft powered by a Rolls-Royce Pegasus turbofan engine, which were retired in 2006 and replaced with the F-35B (the F-35 variant designed to be operated by the U.S. Marine Corps).From the Sea Harrier, Tidball then switched to the Super Hornet (FA-18), after moving to America. While serving with the U.S. Navys VX-9 Squadron, he got to live out those Topgun-inspired fantasies to the fullest, testing the FA-18 in every way possible.After becoming Commander of The 17th Test and Evaluation Squadron (17 Tes) at the Edwards base, Crd Tidball eventually got to lead the initial Operational Testing (OT) of the F-35B for the UK, for the birth of the first-ever UK F-35B squadron. His personal history was coming full circle.This year, after more than 4,000 flight hours, the pioneering pilot said goodbye to his fellow pilots in both the UK and the U.S. He made one final flight on the F-35 Lightning, from the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego, to the Edwards Air Force Base the perfect goodbye for the man who was once told that hed never be able to become a pilot. Speaking of the images, they are actually CGIs, because you did not really think that it exists, did you? 412donklife on Instagram shared them online while most of us had a hangover after New Years Eve, and it truly is something you dont see every day.Dressed in Pittsburg Police attire, this Ford Explorer has the usual decals on the outside, with a touch of gold (no, we dont mean the wheels yet), emergency lights, spotlight, and a bulbar to ram through different obstacles. Privacy windows were a must, next to the smoked lighting units to blend in at the local cars and coffee meet.Giving it additional street credit, although that would be virtual credit in this instance, are those massive alloys. The wheels have a very shiny gold finish, a multi-spoke design, and measure around 30 inches in diameter or so. They were shod in ultra-thin tires in order to fit under the arches, and as everyone who is into cars and their grandmother knows, it would ruin the comfort in any vehicle, no matter how soft the OEM ride is. On top of that, a ridiculous turning radius would be another problem, and a serious one, as we have seen over the years.Mind you, as goofy as this digital mod may be, it is equally cool. We definitely would not mind seeing a police cruiser that has dared say yes to its bling side, and we reckon that it could happen, if it hasnt already, and we are not aware of it. Sure, it would be for a campaign of some sorts, but even so, it would turn many heads wherever it would go, and they would not be just for petrolheads. Guess the Dubai Police , with their numerous super and hypercars, would gladly welcome such an addition.If you happen to crave a Ford Explorer of your own, then that would be at least $36,760, before destination, handling, and dealer fees, for the base model. The XLT, ST-Line, Timberline, Limited, and ST follow the entry-level grade, with MSRPs of $38,570, $46,005, $48,980, $47,070, and $50,005, respectively. The Explorer Platinum could be the one to go for, if you can fork out a minimum of $53,820 for it, and topping them all in terms of pricing and equipment is the King Ranch, which could be yours for at least $54,075. The sixth-gen Explorer has been around since 2019, and it comes to life in Chicago, in the U.S. of A., and in China for the local market. The number 1 automaker in terms of recalls in 2022 became aware of the concern well be detailing in a jiffy on November 22nd, 2022. More specifically, an issue pertaining to the number of audible seatbelt reminder warning chimes was brought to the second-largest U.S. automakers attention. The suspect vehicle? A plug-in hybrid 2022 Lincoln Aviator Said concern was identified on October 27th, 2022 by a quality team in South Korea during the validation of a correction action for an incorrect seatbelt warning system configuration. The product development and automotive safety divisions immediately sprung into action, evaluating the performance of the seatbelt reminder system on various combinations of powertrain and audio system for the luxury-oriented utility vehicle.FoMoCo discovered that plug-in Aviators equipped with the Revel audio system exhibited an initial chime duration of less than 4 seconds. Section 4.5.3.3 of the aforementioned federal motor vehicle safety standard requires no less than 4 seconds and no more than 8 seconds. Come December 2022, both Ford and the audio supplier conducted various tests to better understand the root cause and scope of this trifling issue.The main contributor for the sub-4-second initial chime duration was determined to be the audio systems software, and the potential scope was limited to vehicles equipped with the Revel-branded audio system. Owned by Harman International Industries, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, the Connecticut-based supplier partnered up with Lincoln in 2015.The suspect Revel audio system was introduced on the 2020 model year Lincoln Aviator and Corsair. Further seatbelt reminder system evaluations were conducted at the Chicago Assembly Plant and Louisville Assembly Plant. Ford identified the same issue on the 2021 to 2023 model year Aviator and the 2021 to 2022 model year Corsair sport utility vehicles. No warranty claims or vehicle owner questionnaires have been reported thus far.Supplied by Michigan-based Visteon, the head units bear part numbers PJ7T-18D890-SC, LC5T-18K810-JC, and MC5T-18D890-SC as per the report below. The remedy head unit software remedies the initialization logic, a.k.a. it wont mute the seatbelt warning chime. Dealers will be informed of this recall on January 6th, 2023. Owners, on the other hand, will be notified in the period between February 6th and February 10th.As it happens, the iffy software instructs the audio control module to mute a portion of the audible warning chime during an attempt to initialize an internal amplifier that isnt included in Revel-equipped vehicles. No fewer than 72,248 Aviator and 28,753 Corsair vehicles are called back. Photo: autoevolution Photo: autoevolution HERE is the company that rules the mapping world at this point, with Google obviously following in its footsteps and trying to expand Google Maps on absolutely all possible fronts.While the search giant is working around the clock on bringing Google Maps to more cars out there, mostly as part of the Android Automotive push, only sky seems to be the limit for the service. Despite some questionable decisions taken by Google, that is, as recent research forecasts a mix of massive growth and market challenges for Google Maps in the coming years.It all starts with the demise of Google Assistant Driving Mode. Launched as an alternative to Android Auto for phones, the application that everybody truly loved, Google Assistant Driving Mode was eventually dropped last year for a reason that more or less made sense.The driving mode is now part of the Google Maps experience, and this, research firm Omdia says, makes perfect sense from a long-term growth perspective for the platform. Because everything is now built around Google Maps, users are more likely to stick with the app, especially because no other navigation app is supported in the new driving mode.But on the other hand, Omdia warns that the demise of Google Assistant Driving Mode and betting all-in on Google Maps could actually backfire for the search giant.This is because the competition in this market is getting fiercer, so at some level, we should all expect Googles rival to try to capitalize on this decision and lure users into their own ecosystems. There are plenty of mobile navigation apps out there, and the most popular names include HERE Maps, Sygic GPS Navigation, and Apple Maps.Needless to say, not everybody is a big fan of Google Maps, so eventually, Google shouldnt be too surprised if some users end up switching sides. At some level, the company is lucky that Apple Maps, the native iPhone offering, is limited to the Apple ecosystem, as a potential Android version would have provided users with one more incentive to give up on Google Maps.And while Omdias conclusions are solid and well-founded, theres another thing that could produce a drop in the number of Google Maps users: the general direction of the app.Its not a secret that Google Maps has evolved well beyond the standard navigation concept, so right now, its a fully featured platform that provides many more capabilities, including business information, street-level imagery, busyness data, and so on.As a result, users who are particularly interested in the experience behind the wheel could therefore start looking for alternatives, especially because Googles rivals are investing massively on this front. HERE, for example, is currently the most widely adopted mapping platform in the automotive market, as the company is working with the biggest names in the industry to provide users with pre-loaded maps and related solutions.Google, on the other hand, is sticking with baby steps for now. Android Automotive is indeed making some progress, but the arrival of Google Maps alternatives on the platform could eventually be bad news in the long term if the company doesnt provide drivers with a solid reason to stay on board.The demise of Android Auto for phones, for example, has been a major turning point for users out there. As a mobile app that allowed users to get a taste of Android Auto in a vehicle where the infotainment system did not support such capabilities, Android Auto for phones rapidly became a top choice for millions of drivers.Despite being launched from the very beginning as a temporary solution until the driving mode was ready, Android Auto for phones ended up becoming exactly what so many users out there expected from their mobile devices when jumping behind the wheel. And at some level, it helped Google gain share in the battle against rival Apple, as the Cupertino-based tech giant did not offer a solution to allow CarPlay to run at the phone level. Ditching Android Auto for phones only caused more frustration for users, many of which obviously relied on Google Maps for their daily commute. Its not a secret that the driving mode wasnt necessarily received very well, so eventually, all these decisions backfired, pushing some users to alternative solutions.Google Maps has a bright future, as Omdia says , theres no doubt about it, but Google should clearly focus more on the navigation component of the app. At this point, Waze seems to be getting much more love in this regard, and given the company promises to let the app run independently from Google Maps, it could end up becoming the number one rival cannibalizing its superstar. 10. Gymkhana Practice 9. Gymkhana Two 8. Gymkhana Six 7. Gymkhana Three 6. Gymkhana Nine 5. Gymkhana Four 4. Gymkhana Five 3. Gymkhana Eight 2. Gymkhana Ten 1. Gymkhana Seven Over the next few days, we will be reminiscing about some of the highlights of his life and career. And we couldn't think of a better starting point than his series of Gymkhana movies. When the first one was uploaded to YouTube almost 15 years ago, the concept of "viral video" was virtually unknown to most people. The video-sharing platform itself had only been around for a few years at that time, and no one had ever seen such a spectacular independent production before.Ken Block starred in a total of 10 Gymkhana videos so far, which we will be ranking today. But we also need to mention that just a few months ago we saw him going bonkers in Las Vegas, behind the wheel of the Audi S1 Hoonitron . There's also a Gymkhana Practice bonus video, two Climbkhana videos, and the TopGear feature film, all of which racked up over 160 million views.As for the Gymkhana ones, these add up to almost 500 million views without adding the ones from Gymkhana Eight. We'll tell you why in a minute. Ranking all 10 movies was not an easy task, as each one of them has got something special going on. Watching them back to back will require just over 93 minutes of your time, but we can't think of any better way to pay homage to one of the most legendary automotive icons of all time. If your Top 10 looks different, we'd love to hear all about it! Ken Block was 40 years old when he unveiled the Gymkhana Practice video. It's the shortest and least complex one in the whole series, but at the time it had a huge impact on everyone watching. Back then, when you'd mention drifting, most people would instantly think about Ken Block. It was great advertising for all the brands featured on the Subaru Impreza WRX STI because it was so unconventional and cool.You'll hear plenty of WRX STI owners that they got into the boxer game thanks to Ken Block, just as there were plenty of people wearing DC Shoes and drinking Monster Energy for the same reason. The action took place at the El Toro Marine Corps Station, in Irvine, California. We counted a total of two butt-clenching moments throughout the four-and-a-half minutes of action. Given the age of this video, you'll have to settle for watching it in 480p. But we do recommend you turn up the volume and tune in on a big screen regardless of that minor inconvenience. Ken Block chose the Port of Los Angeles as the shooting location for Gymkhana Two. This would be the last video in the series to have him behind the wheel of a Subaru vehicle, but you're welcome to see the two Pastrana movies if you're a fan of the brand. Gymkhana Two was launched less than a year after the first video and has so far amassed more than three times as many views. Rob Dyrdek made an appearance in this one, but the most exciting moment has got to be one when Block slides under an exploding truck in a very Hollywood-esque turn of events.We had a tough time deciding on the eighth spot on our list, but it goes out to Gymkhana Six. It was filmed at the San Bernardino Airport in California, and it was meant to promote the Gymkhana Grid events and the Need For Speed Rivals game as well. While there are a few cool moments inside, it just doesn't feel as exciting as some of the other episodes. The most breathtaking moment happens as soon as two guys roll in on Segways, and Ken Block proceeds to powerslide around them while they're moving. We'd also like to point out that there are two Lamborghini supercars inside too! Gymkhana Three takes P7 on our list, and it once again proves that Ken Block was more than just a good driver. He was also a marketing genius! Gymkhana Three had two parts. The second one was all about "Killing All Tires", while part one was a music video. Combined, they add up to about 76 million views since their release in 2010. The cool thing about Gymkhana Three is that the team took the action to the other side of the Atlantic, choosing Autodrome de Linas-Montlhry in France for the shoot. While some people weren't happy about Block switching to Ford, the Fiesta proved to be infinitely more capable and spectacular than the Impreza. Gymkhana Nine was shot in New York and it revealed the Hoonigan Master going all out in the Ford Focus RS RX on an industrial playground. At this level, you'll already notice how much the production quality has improved over the years. The intro to this video is one of the best ones in the series, but the final scene is pretty insane too. One thing is certain, Ken Block and his team have tried to outdo themselves with every single Gymkhana episode. Just think of it this way: When's the last time you saw a Ford Raptor hanging down from a helicopter?We feel that Gymkhana Four is the fifth-best movie in the series, and it's also probably the funniest one. It was shot at Universal Studios Hollywood, and at the time of its appearance in 2011, it was the longest episode thus far. The Epic Meal Time guys are in this one too, alongside a few more interesting characters. Those of you with a keen eye for cinematography might remember that the production team used a very cool technique involving an array of GoPro cameras back then, but there's also a suit of somewhat-cheesy effects put to good use as well. You'll probably be shocked by how it all ends, but it will still put a smile on your face regardless.Gymkhana Five takes P4 on our list today, even though it's the most-viewed episode so far. At almost 115 million views, it accounts for almost 23% of all the traffic generated by the 10 episodes. The action takes place in San Francisco, and there is only one other Gymkhana video with more butt-clenching moments than this one. We must warn you about the final few moments though, where Ken Block is standing next to his car while "Come Sail Away" by Styx is playing in the background. Hearing those lyrics almost had us burst out in tears given the circumstances: "I'm sailing away, Set an open course for the virgin sea"Deciding on the best three Gymkhana movies felt almost impossible. It was a close battle between them, but Gymkhana Eight finally takes P3 overall. This was initially uploaded on a third-party channel and has been unfortunately set to private. Luckily, there are a few re-uploads out there for us to see. This episode came out in 2016, just like the ninth one. It was shot in Dubai, so you can expect to see a fleet of several different supercars inside! There's even a drag race at one point, and you'll notice a Bugatti at the start line going up against KB's Fiesta RX43. They brought in Terry Grant to work his driving-on-two-wheels magic, and Ken has also chosen to go sideways around the largest moving object that you could think of.Gymkhana Ten is the longest and most complex Gymkhana movie of all time. Seeing the whole thing takes 19 minutes, and there's a good reason for that! Dubbed the Ultimate Tire Slaying tour, it was shot in five different locations: Sweden, Mexico, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Shamrock, Texas. Given the length of it all, it has the most breathtaking moments of any Gymkhana video featuring Ken Block, and it was also his last one before handing over the reins to Travis Pastrana . KB is driving a different vehicle for each of the locations in the film, and you'll realize how big of a project this was when you'll see the end credits.So from our point of view, Gymkhana Seven is still the best one ever made! Filmed in Los Angeles, this thing will have you sitting on the edge of your seat for 12 minutes straight. The Hoonicorn was epic and it made for an epic intro. You'll get some "Gone in 60 Seconds" vibes now and then, but the real treat is when KB comes across a man and his lowrider! Gymkhana Seven might not be perfect at all times, but it feels like it's the best put-together episode of them all. So it's no surprise that it reportedly required a budget of over $1 million! That's a wrap, for now, we'll be back with more highlights from Ken Block's life soon. The waitlist page changed that a bit. There is no word about when the Lightyear 2 will arrive, but the Dutch startup first said it would be in 2024 and then postponed it to 2025. The target price has increased substantially: around 40,000 ($42,438), a 33.3% increase compared to the first price estimate Lightyear disclosed. On the other hand, the startup now talks about an 800-kilometer (497-mile) range for its second solar car. It did not talk about dimensions.As you can see in the gallery above, the Lightyear 2 will look like a smaller Lightyear 0. It has compact external rear-view mirrors, which is probably more affordable than the cameras the Lightyear 0 adopted. The solar car for the masses also has a power outlet under the right rear-view mirror, making us wonder if it has a charging port on the left side. Is this power outlet Lightyears suggestion for a V2L (vehicle-to-load) solution?The door handles also caught our attention: they are on the edge of the doors not inside them and look like holes. That does not seem exactly aerodynamic. Considering how much Lightyear worries about efficiency, there is probably a reasonable explanation for that format. The wheels look very different from those on the companys flagship.That is a very different story from what the Sono Sion is experiencing, possibly because Sono Motors decided to jump into the affordable solar car boat before it proved its manufacturing and planning skills with another vehicle. It could have worked if Sono had enough financial reserves or an investor willing to put as much money into the idea as needed. However, what we have seen is that the German startup is now doing a campaign to have at least 3,500 units of the Sono Sion fully paid for to keep developing the solar hatchback.On December 28, Sono sold 1,224 units of the Sion, but the way it was counting the money gave us the impression that it was adding up all deposits to reach its financial goal. The current number is 1,315.8 mind the fraction. At first, it seemed it was asking reservation holders to fully pay for their cars. Sono said it would use that information to prove the car had devoted fans, which could make it easier for investors to fund the rest of the development. Lightyear does not seem concerned with funding. At the same time, we have no idea how many Lightyear 0 units have already been sold.The Dutch startup will certainly warn us when all 946 units of its flagship have found buyers. With each of them starting at 250,000 ($265,237.50), that will represent a cash injection of 236.5 million ($250.9 million), but production costs have to be discounted for us to have any fair idea of how profitable these solar sedans were. Selling a car for 30,000 with profits will demand a massive manufacturing infrastructure, and it will take time for all investments to pay off. This is probably what is holding back Sono Sion in the first place.Regardless of Lightyears plans to get there, the Lightyear 2 is here, even if in just a tiny glimpse of the whole thing. Expect the Dutch company to reveal more bits of its affordable solar car soon. AMG Well, truth be told, the year has not started all too well. Much of North America is still reeling from that disastrous holiday winter storm, actors are getting severely injured trying to clear snow, and the man, the legend, the phenom himself (Ken Block) has fallen due to a snowmobile-related accident.Plus, I am not all too impressed with what major automakers have mustered for this years CES in Las Vegas . It is as if I am seeing the spectrum of 2020 all over the automotive events calendar, all over again. Hopefully, we can all be a bit more cheerful going forward, and with renewed dreams and hopes even if only virtually.As such, I take solace in the imaginative realm of digital automotive artists, yet again. This is where all automotive dreams can become an alternate universe reality, no matter how quirky they feel. And believe me, theyre odder than a three-eyed turtle, if you ask me. So, without further ado, let us check out the initial CGI work done by musartwork and 412donklife for the early days of 2023.Let us start with the virtual artist behind the 412donklife Customs label, who has been extremely prolific since I last checked up on his CGI progress on social media. So, after that candy-wrapped 87 Pontiac Firebird that rode virtually donk on gold cheeseball Daytons, the author also churned out a Ford Police Interceptor Utility on gold wire-spoke big-lipped wheels, a bloody orange-outrageous Ram 1500 TRX carrying a 2023 KTM 125 SX equally slapped with not-so-matching Forgiatos, or a wrapped Mercedes-GT R Brabus edition. Oh, and this, a minty-fresh Chevy C10 Stepside!Naturally, it is equally outrageous, as it sits tucked on 28-inch Billet Specialties aftermarket wheels and rides slammed on Flo Airride MFG (its an Air Lift Performance brand) and it quickly made me think of the Green Power Ranger. No worries, I quickly found him a Pink Power Ranger-worthy pair with help from Musa Rio Tjahjono, the Head Designer at the outrageously cool West Coast Customs and a dedicated, JDM-passionate virtual automotive designer in his spare time.He graced us with the vision of a pink C8 Chevy Corvette outfitted with a stanced attitude and a pink-and-white widebody atmosphere that would probably make any Barbie-car collector brimming with joy and desire. Alas, luckily for some sadly for others, depending on your POV, all these are merely wishful thinking. Over and out, now I am off looking for more CGI cars to associate with the Red, Blue, Black, or Yellow Power Rangers. EV From 2014 until 2016, Tesla had many legal battles to fight. Some continued to this day, while others were pushed to higher courts. Its direct sales model upset many dealership owners, and they wanted themaker to go through middlemen as every other legacy automaker out there. Some lawsuits were won, and others were left to be fought on another occasion or are ongoing.But, in the end, Tesla managed to go on with selling the cars it made to its customers, even if it had to find some clever workarounds in a couple of states. The brand had to make use of tribal land (most recently, in New Mexico) to avoid harsh regulations or invite customers to purchase from other states and have the cars delivered to them at home. In 2019, the company believed so much in its strategy that it moved most of its sales online.But some of the legal challenges were also transformed into social causes. For example, Tesla requested help from Oklahomans last year. A bill that was going to turn direct sales into a very complicated matter gathered enough support to have the company worried about its operations in the Sooner State.So, the direct-to-consumer sale model has worked very well for EV makers. Now, other companies that decided to follow the battery-electric route wanted to do the same. Lucid and Rivian, for example, aspired to avoid any problems with dealerships that could cause trouble for their businesses. So they adopted Teslas way of doing things, even though Elon Musk warned both companies would be facing bankruptcy at some point. Moreover, even though Ford decided to split its business into two parts, its efforts to adopt the same selling strategy were met with a lot of pushback from its wide network of dealers.But Lucid and Rivian didnt have a vast dealership network to worry about. So they followed Teslas path and set up great online platforms and remote service operations for their soon-to-be clients. After the first great reviews from early customers, the word got around. Now, the middlemen from Illinois (where Rivian builds trucks and SUVs) had two new EV-making companies to worry about. So they decided to stop them by suing.The dealership association decided to pursue this costly and complicated path, even though another judge ruled in a different case from 2019 that Tesla was well within the limits of the law when selling directly to buyers.As Rivian and Lucid expected, the judge said the state of Illinois did the right thing when it awarded the EV makers their dealer licenses. Hence, both companies can continue selling without worrying about what third parties think about their practices.The Illinois Automobile Dealers Association (IADA) said through an online statement seen by Autonews that its disappointed and will think about an appeal. The organization argues that the judge did not want to hear verbal arguments. However, IADA is not yet ready to say if it will go through with this idea.Finally, a recent survey revealed that new EV buyers like getting their new cars from dealerships. The results said 74% of those looking for a new all-electric car want to buy from a traditional establishment. But the data was collected from only 1,289 Americans which may or may not reflect what the majority would like to do in a similar scenario. Photo: Chinese State Media Photo: Wikimedia: User (Own Work) Photo: Chinese State Media Photo: U.S. Air Force Obviously, a Chinese fighter getting so close to an American jumbo jet that the Boeing's pilots can sniff the jet wash is a national security threat up the wazoo. One that undoubtedly angered NATO personnel at a time when their prime focus was not on the Chinese but instead on the Russians.In truth, the Shenyang J-11 twin-engine Chinese air superiority fighter is a geopolitical marvel in itself. One steeped in a tradition of hot and cold relationships between two communist countries that an outsider with little knowledge of world history would assume were BFFs.This may have been the case after the end of the Second World War when a breadth of Soviet aerospace technology was cordially shared with Chairman Mao Zedong's regime. This tech itself was recently ransacked from what remained of the defeated German military. Be it jet engines or the high-speed airframes that housed them, the Soviet and Chinese Air Forces went hand in hand in the days immediately following the bloodiest war in history.Without getting into the nitty-gritty of Sino-Soviet relations that would bore most people to sleep, what it meant in the case of the Chinese Air Force was they'd at least have plenty of firepower to reverse engineer. The People's Liberation Army Air Force was founded in 1949 under the Communist Mao regime. Its first front-line fighter was, ironically enough, the not-Soviet-in-the-slightest P-51 Mustang.A few British De Haviland Mosquitos were also purported to be in the early Chinese Air Force's ranks at that time. But with the coming dawn of the jet age already underway after the war, it makes sense that a good chunk of this newfound jet tech made its way to China by way of the USSR.As far as western historians can tell, the Chinese jet age began with the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15. In service with China, North Korea, and a handful of Soviet pilots on the sneak as the J-2, the anti-U.N. coalition came to love nimble, powerful Soviet design. The North Koreans still fly a handful of MiG-15s in 2022, much to the amusement of the rest of the world.But what Mao wanted most was a domestic fighter. One which didn't rely on Soviet oversight to procure. Well, the lineage that the Shenyang J-11 hails from is made up almost entirely of reverse-engineered Soviet fighters like the MiGs 17, 19, and 21 and the Sukhoi Su-27. Even many Chinese domestic fighters, like the Shenyang J-8, bear striking resemblances to Soviet hardware. So much for wishful thinking.Developed to support already flying fleets of Shenyang J-6s, essentially Chinese copies of the Soviet MiG-19, the J-11 is unmistakably built in the vein of the Su-27. China already operated a handful of Su-27s natively, being the first non-Soviet Communist nation to procure the fighters starting in 1991.This deal, dubbed the 906 Project, marked the first time the PLAAF had access to jet fighter technology anywhere near the same level as NATO F-15 Eagles, F-14 Tomcats , Tornados, or Eurofighters. The delivery was completed on schedule. It was one of the very last major military deals between the Soviet Union and a foreign power's military before it all came crashing down in December of that year.In 1996, the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, a Chinese Communist Party-run facility, was selected to assemble pre-fabricated bits and pieces of Su-27 airframes partially assembled in Russia. The results of this first production run became the first of the Shenyang J-11s. The first J-11s were co-manufactured alongside Su-27s in Russia until at least 2004. From there, the Chinese took on the responsibility for the J-11s upkeep and maintenance more or less on their own.Early J-11s, with their slightly outdated hardware, could not take advantage of more advanced Russian air-to-air missiles like the R-77. All because the early J-11s used Russian weapons and avionics. Because Soviet fire-control hardware had advanced by some degree by the late 90s, the J-11 made do with domestically made missiles like the PL-9 Infrared-homing AAM and the PL-8, based on the Israeli Python-3.Early J-11s sported the same twin powerplants that made the Su-27 a force to be reckoned with in the dog days of the 20th century. Two all-mighty Saturn AL-31 afterburning turbofan engines cranking out 19,400 lbs (86.30 kN) of thrust each. Good for a top speed of 1,553 mph (2,500 kph, Mach 2).This put the J-11s top speed on par with the F-15C Eagle or a Eurofighter Typhoon . The two NATO fighters most likely to have faced J-11s in combat during the late 90s and early 2000s had an alternate-history invasion of Taiwan that occurred roughly 20 years ago. Interesting alternate history theories aside, it's tough to ascertain how early J-11 would have fared in dogfights against Tomcats, Tornados, and Typhoons had they clashed.But in regards to the upgraded J-11Bs, complete with all-Chinese Shenyang WS-10A engines, we suspect such a dogfight would be one heck of a display. That brings us to December 21st, 2022, when what appears to be a modern-spec J-11B decided to do some hot dogging around a U.S. Air Force RC-135 in what can only be described as a peacocking display at what looks like 30,000 feet or higher.Hot dogging over international waters is nothing new in the 21st century. To a degree, it can even be called a routine occurrence. But each time one of these acts of aerial geopolitical tomfoolery in the sky takes place, it brings the world ever so much closer to a conflict no one truly desires.It's entirely possible the J-11 could still be a formidable adversary in a hypothetical Sino-American war. But with fleets of F-22s and F-35S at NATO disposals alongside Eurofighters, Rafales F-15s, F-16s, and F/A-18s, expect the J-11 to take a back seat to the gen-v stealth fighters like the Chengdu J-20, or possibly even a production run of the prototype Shenyang FC-31 Gyrfalcon.That said, the notion that China could attempt to take the Taiwanese island for themselves by force is not one to be taken lightly. If anything, these peacocking displays are only bound to increase as we approach ever closer to 2027 time from some experts peg as China's most opportune moment to strike. With Ukraine and Russia being in the picture, we're not so sure about that.In any case, it would be bonkers to watch it all unfold. Let's hope for the sake of mankind that it doesn't. kW The electric off-roader will try to beat the Mercedes-Benz G-Class with more than similar looks. It will also cost half of what the German competitor costs in China, even if that will still make it the most expensive passenger vehicle BYD ever made. Another plus is its innovative features, most of them based on a technology called e4.The Chinese manufacturer stated that it is the first one developed in the country to present four independent motors, one per wheel. In images disclosed by BYD, we can see a frame with electric components, which does not make much sense for the U9, a supercar Yangwang presented with the U8. That shows the e4 is essentially about the four electric motors, not the underpinnings.That is more than enough. BYD managed to give the U8 tank turns even in very challenging conditions: on asphalt and any other surface that allows a strong grip. All other tank turns were performed on typical off-road terrains. Choosing tarmac was probably the best way for BYD (Yangwang, my bad) to demonstrate its electric motors can cope with that. The company only needs to go from promises to production lines, but it was very emphatic about the maneuver not to use it. The U8 made a tank turn on stage!Millimetrically controlling all four motors is the secret sauce of the e4, but many EVs would be happy enough with a single one. Each of these components produces 220(295 hp), with a 240 kW (322 hp) peak. They can spin up to 20,500 rpm and deliver 320 Nm (236 pound-feet), with a peak torque of 420 Nm (309.8 lb-ft). Now multiply that by four. BYD is modest: it says the U8 delivers 1,100 ps.That was not the only surprising trick the e4 was able to perform. On Weibo, Yangwang also shared the U8 climbing a dune at 32, floating and navigating to demonstrate IP68-rated protection to its core systems, and accelerating on ice without spinning out of control. CarNewsChina compiled most of them but left out one of the most interesting.BYD states that the ability to adjust the torque 1,000 times per second ensures the vehicle will still be controllable even if one tire blows out at high speed. An engineer reached 120 kph (75 mph) before the right front tire was artificially deflated, and the U8 kept driving as if nothing had happened. The video is pretty impressive BYD said Yangwang would have its own sales network but did not disclose when the U8 and the U9 will be put for sale. Although the U9 can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in less than 3 seconds (the U8 does that in less than 4 s), the only element that shows both vehicles belong to the same brand is the Yangwang badge. The U8 should cost RMB1 million ($145,307 at the current exchange rate). The Mercedes-Benz G-Class costs RMB1.89 million ($274,630) in China. EV GJK was left with very few options, all of them pretty lousy ones. The first one was to simply cancel her order even after she had fully paid for the car. That would make her lose $250 (a cancelation fee) and $628 (the deposit and a wall charger she would not use if she didnt get the Model Y she ordered). The alternative was to keep her purchase, receive the car in 2023, and have nothing that Tesla promised she would get. That was not an option: she only bought theat that moment because of the advantages she would have.She decided to work with a third option: if Tesla was unable to honor what it had offered her, it was also not her fault. In fact, Tesla was the one responsible for delivering her the car in the conditions it said it would. That said, it was also up to Tesla to give her a full refund without the cancelation fee and giving back everything else GJK paid for. The delivery took place at the Colorado Tesla Service Center where it was supposed to happen when it was scheduled to occur: December 31.This argument seems to have worked. GJK said she had to endure lots of phone calls and text messages when politely answering someone who said she was screwed. That was just an example of a lot of abuse she endured from more than enough Tesla advocates. One of these guys said she was in a white-hot rage, but that she was to blame after ordering the car so late (on December 23). According to him, that was more than expected for everyone that had to wait months for their Teslas. This person missed the memo on demand drop and lower used Tesla prices, but she was elegant enough to say Tesla did what it promised on short notice, which he deemed almost impossible. If it were, Tesla should have refused to take her money for the EV in the first place.This was just an example of several others in the thread she opened. It was wise of her to just let some of these guys talk to themselves and get embarrassed in the end. She also defended the company from people apparently attacking Tesla. As GJK said, she just wanted the EV maker to honor the deal it had with her.Unfortunately, that was not the case for several other people facing the same delivery delays she experienced. Most kept their faith that a miracle could happen at the last minute, but they did not write about that anymore, which suggests they missed the discount and the $7,500. Wed like to think that our article helped, but that would not be a true win with so many people missing what they were told they would get. At least GJK got what she wanted. Lets hope her story does not get bitter due to the several flaws Tesla vehicles present: her Model Y may be an exception. Last year has brought an unprecedented focus on some of the worlds most luxurious superyachts, as oligarch-owned assets became international targets as a result of sanctions against Russia. Famous yachts got seized , and a couple of them were faced with unexpected auctions. This is just one way in which multimillion-dollar pleasure craft can encounter a dramatic change of status.Not-so-famous superyachts, on the other hand, can suffer the consequences of financial troubles while theyre still under construction. When the Sensation Yachts builder in New Zealand got liquidated back in 2009, three unfinished luxury vessels were left on site. They remained abandoned for several years, as the legal battles continued. Finally, in 2017, the largest demolition company in the country, Ward Demolition, was contracted to clear everything.Two of the yachts, basically just hulls, were already in very bad shape. Both them and the buildings surrounding them were demolished. But the third yacht caught everyones attention although the resin-infused hull and the superstructure had not been joined yet, the 49.5-meter (162 feet) watercraft seemed to have a fighting chance.It was almost 50% complete, and estimated to be worth $18 million NZ (around $11 million) at the time. Although unfinished and abandoned for many years, the SY32 got national attention, as Ward tried to find a buyer for it. If someone didnt step up, the half-finished boat was about to have the same fate as its sister ships.Fast forward to 2023, and a sleek, elegant superyacht is spotted at the western edge of the Auckland waterfront, at Wynyard Quarter. It seems that the SY32 got finished after all, at Alloy Yachts, and is ready to meet its new owner. Speculations on social media suggest that the new owner is from Australia, which is why the SY32 could be headed off over there. Its still shrouded in mystery, but at least its in one piece (literally) and seaworthy.After being just inches away from demolition, before it even had the chance to leave the shores, this luxury vessel got the chance to survive, after all. It would have been a shame to throw all that potential away. Powered by twin 2,250 hp Caterpillar engines, and fitted with 72,000-liter fuel tanks, the $11 million tri-deck yacht was designed to accommodate up to 12 guests. Hopefully, after so many years, it will finally get to live the life of a superyacht. EV kWh kW With 615,121 vehicles sold in 2022, the Swedish company was down 12.0% compared to 2021, when they shipped 698,639 units. Europe remained their biggest market, with 247,413 units sold, down 15.7% from the 293,471 sales recorded the year before. Out of these, 90,024 were plug-in hybrids, and 45,690 electric vehicles, down 21% and up 175.7% respectively.In China, Volvo sold 162,322 cars, down 5.4% from 2021s 171,676. Plug-in hybrids accounted for 9,216 units, andsales went up from 905 to 2,999 units. In the United States, they shipped 102,038 vehicles, down 16.5%, and sales of PHEVs and EVs were up by 25.4% and 14.3% respectively, to 20,601 and 7,308 respectively. In other regions, they delivered 103,348 cars, a 7.2% drop.Volvo Cars full year sales performance was affected by challenges across the supply chain, as well as production restraints caused by component shortages and Covid-related lockdowns in China, Volvo explains in the official press release. Despite this, demand for Volvo cars remained robust. In the month of December, Volvo Cars sold 72,663, up 12.8 percent compared with the same month last year.What was the automakers best-selling model last year, you ask? Well, that would be the XC60 . The premium compact crossover thus retains the crown of the most popular Volvo worldwide, with 195,338 units sold in 2022, down from 215,635 in 2021. The smaller XC40 followed it, with 169,206 sales, down from 2021s 201,037, while the XC90 flagship completed the podium, with 97,130, down from 108,231.The brands sales should increase in the coming years, considering that they have new products about to hit the market. One of them is the EX90, which will start arriving in the United States in early 2024. The electric model recently made its local debut during CES, in Las Vegas, and will hit the assembly line at South Carolina as of later this year. Volvo is already accepting pre-orders for the two versions that will make their way to dealers.Both of them feature a 107battery pack, with 250DC charging, which can be juiced up from 10 to 80% in 30 minutes. The lesser model uses a pair of electric motors that generate a combined 408 hp and 568 lb-ft (770 Nm) of torque, and the upper grade gets 510 hp and 671 lb-ft (910 Nm) in total, for a 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in 4.9 seconds. Things such as the Google Assistant, smartphone integration, semi-autonomous driving system, and others will be on deck in the Volvo EX90 Photo: NASA Photo: NASA Photo: NASA The stories of astronauts who, without their support, the Apollo program would have never made it to the Moon. Yesterday, January 3rd, 2023, the world lost one such pivotal astronaut, the last of the living Apollo 7 crewmember. This is the story of Walter Cunningham, a fighter pilot, physicist, entrepreneur, and the Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 7.Born in the scrappy working-class town of Creston, Iowa, on March 16th, 1932, Ronnie Walter Cunningham was a man destined to look in jealousy as birds took to the skies, seemingly with little effort whatsoever. Small wonder why Cunningham applied to join the United States Navy , ditching his studies at Santa Monica College in 1951 to do so.Cunningham would ultimately transfer to the Marine Corps while serving in Korea alongside United Nations forces. The man earned a reputation as a bonafide night-fighter specialist. Completing 54 missions in the pitch black of the night without being shot down. Cunningham would remain in the Marine Reserves unit from the end of the Korean conflict until 1975, even surpassing his tenure with NASA After the war, Walter Cunningham completed his collegiate studies, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Physics in 1960, followed by a Master's degree in the same field, both from UCLA in 1961. With these credentials, Cunningham became a prime candidate for NASA's newly found dedication to beating the Soviets in space exploration.It wouldn't take long for NASA's astronaut selection committee to find virtues within Cunningham that made him nothing short of perfect for astronaut service. On October 17th, 1963, Walter Cunningham was announced as among 14 other candidates selected by NASA for support of the Apollo Moon landing initiative. Other famous astronauts selected from this list were Alan Bean, Eugene "Gene" Cernan, Rocher Chaffe, Michael Collins, and, of course, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. All would go on to serve as NASA astronauts in various capacities, apart from Roger Chaffe, a man who, alongside his two crew mates, died in a fire during test exercises before the launch of Apollo 1. But the tragedy of Apollo 1 was not to be in vain. Only 21 months passed between the loss of Apollo 1 and the launch of the first human-crewed Apollo mission, Apollo 7.We've become used to seeing footage and photographs from the later Apollo missions 10 through 17. But Apollo 7 ostensibly looks far different than what most of us are used to. Launching aboard the smaller Saturn IB rocket instead of the gargantuan Saturn V, Walter Cunningham's official title of Lunar Module Pilot is notable because the Grumman LEM was still not ready by early 1967.Apollo 7 was the second to last in the series to launch without a Lunar Excursion Module, but the mission would be no less important for testing the hundreds of switches, dials, sub-systems, and miscellaneous gadgets scattered throughout the North American Command and Service modules. Flanking Walter Cunningham on this trip were Command Module Pilot Donn F. Eisele and Mission Commander Walter M. Schirra.The crew launched on October 22nd, 1968. Throughout the mission's 163 orbits over ten days and 20 hours, Apollo 7's crew put every vital life-support, communications, and navigational system on the twin Command and Service modules that were needed in the field testing to be deemed flight worthy when the time came to land on the Moon.Though there were some issues involving back-and-forth bickering between Apollo and mission control, for various reasons, their spacecraft's vital systems performed beautifully from start to finish. Following a butter-smooth splashdown in the North Atlantic Ocean and retrieval by the USS Essex (CV-9) aircraft carrier, Apollo 7 returned back to the Continental U.S.Apollo 7 may have been Walter Cunningham's first and only foray into space. But with over 4,500 hours of flight time and 263 hours spent in space, Cunningham's flight log is a fair bit more expensive than even some NASA astronaut recruits who came after him. In his retirement, Cunningham became a leading figure in the Skylab initiative, America's first semi-permanent Low Earth Orbit laboratory. After his retirement from NASA , Cunningham set off on a career as a venture capitalist. His acceptance into the prestigious and highly exclusive six-week Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School set him off on the path toward business project investment. One such project was the Back to Space organization. A startup organization tasked with drumming up public support for further human-crewed exploration in space.In addition, Cunningham was also a prolific author. His 1977 memoir detailing his time in the astronaut service, titled The All-American Boys, is a must-read for anyone desiring personal insights into the mind of a real Apollo astronaut. His contributions also extended to Francis French's and Colin Burgess' 2007 space history book In the Shadow of the Moon: A Challenging Journey to Tranquility.Cunningham certainly expressed some polarizing opinions regarding global warming and climate change in the 2010s. But these claims haven't stopped the Apollo 7 LEM pilot from being a well-respected and well-celebrated member of the NASA community from the days of Apollo until his tragic passing in January of this year following complications from a fall in his home.Walter Cunningham was elected to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2007 and even received a Primetime Emmy Award for his groundbreaking camera footage recorded in space during the Apollo 7 mission. Walter Cunningham is survived by his two children, Kimberly and Brian, and his second wife, Dot.On behalf of autoevolution and the entire space junkie community, we offer the family and friends of Walter Cunningham our deepest condolences. To Mr. Cunningham himself, we offer him our deepest and everlasting gratitude. They [Azerbaijan] want to control the road, which is unacceptable to us, Ruben Vardanyan, the Karabakh state minister, told News.am on Thursday. The November 9 [2020] document makes it very clear that we shall have a free road through which we can move freely without asking for anyones permission, he said, referring to the Russian-brokered agreement that stopped a six-week Armenian-Azerbaijani war. The truce agreement placed the Lachin corridor under the control of Russian peacekeeping forces and committed Baku to guaranteeing free and safe traffic through it. A section of the vital road used for supplying Karabakh with food and other essential items was blocked on December 12 by government-backed Azerbaijani protesters. They demanded that the Azerbaijani government be allowed to inspect illegal ore mines in Karabakh and assess their environmental impact. While rejecting these demands, Karabakhs leadership decided last week to suspend production operations at Karabakhs sole functioning copper and molybdenum mine pending an international ecological examination requested by it. Vardanyan said that Baku has still not publicly reacted to the move. He stressed that the Karabakh Armenians will not bow to the Azerbaijani pressure despite increasingly struggling with shortages of food, medicine and other essential items. We will endure, he said. We are somehow solving the issue of medicines. Its not that we are going die of hunger, but the conditions are very difficult. This situation can continue for a long time. We are preparing for that. Faced with the deepening food shortages, the Karabakh authorities decided earlier this week to supply local stores with cooking oil, sugar, rice and salt from their strategic reserves. Vardanyan stressed the importance of evenly distributing these foodstuffs when he met with officials in Stepanakert. He praised Karabakh retailers on Thursday for making sure that a single person cannot buy more than one kilogram of each of these products. Some Stepanakert residents complained on Thursday that not all shops have received such emergency supplies so far. They also said the authorities should issue coupons for a mandatory rationing of the basic foodstuffs. Meanwhile, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian again condemned the illegal Azerbaijani blockade, saying that it is aimed at depopulating Karabakh. Pashinian said the Lachin corridor was closed primarily because the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh continue to live in their homeland. He also renewed his calls for Russia to do more to unblock the road in accordance with the 2020 truce accord. Pashinian charged last week that the Russian peacekeeping forces have become a silent witness to Bakus efforts to cleanse Karabakh of its ethnic Armenian population. Moscow strongly denied that. Vardanyan likewise rejected criticism of the peacekeepers, saying that they are doing as much as they can. The people who criticize the presence of Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh do not understand that they are consciously or unconsciously helping Azerbaijan because they say the same thing: that Russian peacekeepers should leave, he told News.am. By not offering any solution, they are simply helping to destroy the very important unity that exists in Artsakh. If there was one thing Kevin McCarthy looked to remind constituents Thursday, it's that before he became speaker of the House, he was a Drille Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Generally cloudy. High 69F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 45F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Thousands of children worldwide say Thank you Pramukh Swami! in a mesmerising cultural programme at Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar Hundreds of children from BAPS childrens centres around the world presented an exhilarating programme titled, Thank you Pramukh Swami! Before an audience of tens of thousands gathered to commemorate Childrens Day: Celebrating the Future at Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar on 2 January 2023, this programme of creative and inspirational dramas, dances, devotional songs, videos, testimonials and speeches expressed childrens gratitude for the tremendous positive impact Pramukh Swami Maharaj had on their lives. BAPS Childrens Activities were formally established in 1954 by Yogiji Maharaj. Thereafter, Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Mahant Swami Maharaj expanded and nurtured the childrens activities around the world. Today, BAPS has established 9,000 childrens activities centres that guide and support 150,000 children annually to lead moral lives and serve society in more than 40 countries across 5 continents. More than 20,000 volunteers support the management of these childrens activities. Evening Assembly The evening programme began at 4.30pm with 65 children engrossing the audience in devotional hymns. Thereafter, the various activities of the BAPS Childrens Forum were presented through engaging skits and dances. A video portraying further glimpses of BAPSs childrens activities then followed. A number of successful men and women who had gained inspiration and life skills through their participation in BAPS Childrens Activities were honoured in the assembly. They included Gujarat Assistant Commissioner of Labour Nehaba Parmar, founder of Paper N Parcels and Indias youngest entrepreneur Tilak Mehta, Deputy Director of Gujarat Information Ministry Nitya Trivedi, FlyDubai airline Pilot Vinay Gajra, US Army Blackhawk Helicopter Crew Chief Sapna Patel, Harley Street (UK) Periodontist Dr. Reena Wadia, Senior Vice President of Engineering at LinkedIn Mohak Shroff, and American COVID vaccine campaigner Dr. Mayank Amin. The evenings programme concluded with children expressing their heartfelt gratitude through a special presentation Thank you Pramukh Swami! before joining Mahant Swami Maharaj on stage to play some games with him. Following the programme by children, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj and dignitaries paid tribute to Pramukh Swami Maharajs visionary leadership in the holistic development of hundreds of thousands of children worldwide through the BAPS Childrens Activities William Selvamurthy, President of Amity Science, Technology & Innovation Foundation and former Chief Controller of Research & Development (Life Sciences & International Cooperation) at the Defence Research and Development Organisation, said, I am blessed to begin this new year in this heavenly, blissful and divine place. I met Pramukh Swami Maharaj over 20 years ago, and I used to often go with Dr. Abdul Kalam to visit him at Akshardham in New Delhi. President Abdul Kalam would visit Pramukh Swami Maharaj whenever he felt troubled, and he would return with peace and a resolution to his problems. Pramukh Swami Maharaj has been able to construct a thousand temples over four decades. This is not humanly possible. Pramukh Swami Maharaj was an avatar who had come to this world to uplift and transform humanity. He was an embodiment of unconditional love and compassion for everyone. He used to say, In the joy of others lies our own. He expressed compassion not only in words but in deeds. This philosophy motivated his disaster relief, educational and healthcare activities. I am convinced that by Pramukh Swami Maharajs inspiration his disciples around the world will create a new world order of global peace, harmony, good health and happiness for everyone. He wanted to transform this whole world, and now it is upon us to take that further. Pramukh Swami Maharaj used to say, Our life is only worthwhile if we do good deeds and walk the path towards God. I am sure all of us will emulate, practise, radiate and create a new world order of good health, peace, and prosperity for everyone. The young children performing this programme are gaining invaluable lessons in character to enable them to eventually create this new global order of peace. India is emerging as a world leader not due to economic, military, or knowledge power, but by its spiritual power. Dr. Vishwanath Karad, Founder of MIT World Peace University in Pune, said, Swami Vivekanand at the World Religious Conference held in Chicago in 1893 had rightly prophesized that the union of science and spirituality alone will bring harmony and peace to humanity. I feel that Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar is not man-made but a creation of the Divine. I can witness a new face of Indian culture in this place. Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a pure soul who created more than 1,000 mandirs and built several educational institutions, which is not humanly possible. Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a God-realized soul. His eyes radiated divine light. After returning to my hometown in Maharashtra, I will promote the message of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and apprise people of his monumental works. Ratnakar Ji, State General Secretary of BJP Gujarat, said, Seeing children performing on stage felt incredible. The feelings that it gave are absolutely divine and everyone has experienced this. I did have an idea of Pramukh Swami Maharajs love for children, but the way it has been depicted here today is divine and exemplary. This love is the means to uplift all with spirituality and is Indias true culture. Pramukh Swami Maharaj and BAPS have thought about how to benefit children and individuals at every stage of life. Padma Vibhushan Prathap C. Reddy, Founder & Chairman of the Apollo Hospitals Group, said, I applaud Mahant Swami Maharaj and all the volunteers for this absolutely marvellous, wonderful creation for the Pramukh Swami Maharaj centenary celebrations. It is marvellous because Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a marvellous person and a divine blessing to the nation and the world. I am very grateful to all the swamis and thrilled with the volunteers for what you have created in just a few months. I feel it is a very fitting tribute to a great soul like Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Pramukh Swami Maharaj not only created over a thousand mandirs, but he personally uplifted and transformed the lives of people of all ages. We are all here because of the great services and blessings of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, which has done phenomenal work not just in propagating spirituality, but also teaching how to live as a good human being. One day, Pramukh Swami Maharaj called to bless me, my family, the entire Apollo family, and all the patients. He told me, You are here to serve people. You must serve them as your children. The experience I felt at hearing his words was indescribable and miraculous. Though words cannot express how I felt, I think all of you know whenever you walk into a Swaminarayan mandir, you have that feeling that you are here for a purpose that you must fulfil. Whatever services I have been able to offer to society, I attribute to the blessings of Pramukh Swami Maharaj who touched my heart and significantly impacted my life. Madhav Singh Diwan, Diwan of Bilada, shared, As my mother was a staunch BAPS follower, she insisted that my father, the Diwan of Bilada State, invite Shastriji Maharaj to our home in Rajasthan. My father was not a believer, so when Shastriji Maharaj came, he refused to meet him. On the last night of Shastriji Maharajs visit, my father experienced a trance in which he saw the image of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami, which transformed into Shastriji Maharaj. He woke my mother and told her what had happened. In the morning, he went to see Shastriji Maharaj and performed the arti. They had gone to Gondal one day. Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a young sadhu then. My father passed away soon after, but Shastriji Maharaj would look after me. Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj showered their compassion upon me, always looking after my comfort. My relationship with Pramukh Swami Maharaj was both a father-son and a guru-disciple relationship, and I pray the same relationship continues with Mahant Swami Maharaj. Mahant Balaknath Yogi, Member of Parliament from Alwar Lok Sabha in Rajasthan, Chancellor of the Baba Mast Nath University and 8th spiritual head of the Nath Sampraday, shared, Through the blessings of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Mahant Swami Maharaj, I am fortunate to see this fifth Kumbh Mela at Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar. We have all heard about the four Kumbhs, but this is the fifth. I have experienced a miracle here. Todays programme was conducted by children. My name is also Balaknath. I always tell my gurus that I am a child; I am always open to learning. What Pramukh Swami Maharaj has achieved in independent India and abroad, no one in Indias history has been able to do. He is the pillar of Indian and Hindu society. It is no easy task to build a temple. There is no discrimination at temples. Temples preach love and service to society. Today, the whole world needs the messages of Hindu culture. It was Pramukh Swami Maharaj who tirelessly spread these messages. This is why I believe the world looks at India as a leader. Bandhu Triputi Pujya Shri Jinchandraji Maharaj, Founder of Shantidham Aradhana Kendra, said, When the history of 20th and 21st-century India is written, Pramukh Swami Maharaj will stand as the greatest sant of modern India. His greatness is not because of the number of temples he built, how many homes he visited, or how many letters he wrote. His greatness was due to his spirituality, saintliness and the light of his divinity. This awakened spiritual energy in anyone who came into contact with him. It is rare to find such a divine person like Pramukh Swami Maharaj. I have always been attracted to his divinity. I have seen him up close. Whenever I met Pramukh Swami Maharaj, I used to be reminded of Bhagwan Mahavirs words, Only one who is soft-hearted, accommodating, humble and generous is pure enough to uphold Dharma. Pramukh Swami Maharaj was such a pure sant. Pramukh Swami Maharaj never discriminated. He believed everyone to be his. He ignited the light of morality and spirituality in everyone. Whenever we see Mahant Swami Maharaj, we also find true saintliness. Thousands of volunteers and swamis have worked tirelessly day and night to create this magnificent Nagar. It is difficult to build even one home, and so to build an entire Nagar is extraordinary. I have been going around the Nagar since 3 PM and can truly say that there is nothing lacking. I must tell others that to understand cleanliness, devotion to the guru and service, you must go to Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar. Todays Childrens Day is being celebrated because Pramukh Swami Maharaj inspired value-based learning in children. He also empowered women and inspired de-addiction campaigns. His blessings have showered upon everyone, and because of his blessings, BAPS has intellectual swamis who can spread the sampradayas message across the world. I fondly recall the image consecration ceremony of the new temple in Tithal, the town where I live. Can you imagine that Pramukh Swami Maharaj asked me, a Jain muni, into the inner sanctum to bless the images?! I was touched! He even visited one of our Bandhu Triputi gurus when he was ill. Even we did not even know how he found out that the Jain muni was ill. This shows that his unparalleled love and compassion was without distinction of religion. He is a true sant who wished the good of everyone. Pujya Vishwa Prasanna Tirth Swamiji, President of Pejawar Math, shared, People have come from around the world to this Nagar because Pramukh Swami Maharaj worked to instil values in people everywhere. A societys future is reflected in the future of its children. Pramukh Swami Maharaj gave children the values that will make tomorrows society prosperous and peaceful. This work is continuing today, showing us that Pramukh Swami Maharaj is still with us in the form of Mahant Swami Maharaj. Ashwini Vaishnav, Minister of Railways, Communications & Electronics & Information Technology, Govt. of India, shared, It is my honour to have received the blessings of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Mahant Swami Maharaj. Mahant Swami Maharaj told me, In whatever work you do, you should keep the spirit of service at the forefront. I can see the thousands of volunteers at Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar have created such a breath-taking campus by imbibing this teaching. Inspired by the selfless service of all the BAPS Swaminarayan Sansthas followers around the world, I offer a small token of service to the community by renaming the Gujarat Sampark Kranti Express train as Akshardham Express in honour of Pramukh Swami Maharaj as it will connect his two divine creations Akshardham Gandhinagar and Akshardham New Delhi. In his blessings to the assembly, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj said, I offer my congratulations to the children for their exceptional performance today on the occasion of Childrens Day. Small children are often ignored, but they are doing good work now and will do great things in the future. Pramukh Swami Maharaj always showered his spiritual love on children. Children felt that Pramukh Swami Maharaj is ours and elders also felt that Pramukh Swami Maharaj is ours. In this way, Pramukh Swami Maharaj had won everyones hearts. Pramukh Swami Maharaj told children You should regularly attend the mandir, bow down to your parents daily, study hard, and pray daily. This is your service to us. Pramukh Swami Maharaj also used to tell parents, If you do not instil values in your children, you will lose both your children and your wealth. In this way, Pramukh Swami Maharaj cared for the cultivation of character in the young generation. A China Coast Guard vessel is seen near a ship of the Vietnam Marine Guard in the South China Sea, May 14, 2014. The China Coast Guards leading ship has been patrolling the waters around Indonesias Natuna islands in the South China Sea just as Jakarta approves a plan to develop an offshore gas field there, ship tracking data shows. CCG 5901, the worlds largest coast guard vessel, has been in the area since Dec. 30, according to the ship tracker Marine Traffic. Earlier this week, the Indonesian government passed the first development plan for the Tuna Block, which is located within Indonesias exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but also inside the so-called nine-dash line that China uses to claim historical rights over most of the South China Sea. Last month, Vietnam and Indonesia concluded talks on the boundaries of their EEZs, a move likely to irk China as the two countries claims also lie within the nine-dash line. Chinese coast guard vessels have been patrolling the area to back Beijings ridiculous claims in the South China Sea, said Satya Pratama, a senior Indonesian government official and a former Bakamla (Indonesias Maritime Security Agency) captain. But the presence of the CCG 5901, dubbed the monster for its size and tonnage, may signal a step up in Chinas assertiveness. Past track of Chinese CCG 5901, the worlds largest coast guard vessel, on Dec. 29, 2022-Jan. 4, 2023. [MarineTraffic] Multi-billion-dollar investment Indonesias Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Task Force (SKK Migas) has approved the plan to develop the Tuna oil and gas field, also known as the Tuna Block, an official confirmed to BenarNews. SKK Migas spokesman Muhammad Kemal said the plan involves an investment of nearly U.S.$3 billion up to the start of production. Indonesia began drilling exploration wells in the field some 10 years ago, Kemal said, adding that it is expected to achieve a peak production of 115 million standard cubic feet [3.3 million cubic meters] per day in 2027. The field is operated by a local unit of Harbor Energy, the largest London-listed independent oil and gas company. Natural gas from the Tuna field is planned to be exported to Vietnam starting 2026 and may bring an income of US$ 1.24 billion a year, the spokesman told BenarNews. China has so far not protested through official channels against the Tuna Block development plan but SKK Migas chairman Dwi Soetjipto said in a statement that there will be activities in the border area which is one of the worlds geopolitical hot spots. Reuters quoted Soetjipto as saying that the Indonesian Navy would participate in securing the upstream oil and gas project which can be seen as an affirmation of Indonesias sovereignty. The Tuna Block lies entirely inside Indonesias EEZ and just 13 kilometers (8 miles) from the border of the Vietnamese EEZ but the area is frequented by Chinese law enforcement and fishing vessels. Monster vessel A U.N. tribunal in 2016 invalidated the nine-dash line but Beijing has so far rejected the ruling, insisting that China has jurisdiction over all areas within the line. Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia have all accused China of disrupting their oil and gas exploration activities with frequent incursions by Chinese coast guard and maritime militia ships, leading to confrontations and incidents. In 2021, Chinese survey ships and coast guard vessels loitered uninvited for almost a month in the North Natuna area, where Indonesias oil and gas exploration was underway. Since the latest developments, Chinese coast guard vessels' presence here will either be at the same frequency, or even increase, said Jakarta-based Satya Pratama. The 12,000-ton CCG 5901 left Sanya port in Hainan island on Dec. 16 and arrived in Indonesias EEZ on Dec. 30 after showing up at Vanguard Bank, a known South China Sea flashpoint between Vietnam and China. The coast guard ship, armed with heavy machine guns, also has a helicopter platform and a hangar large enough to accommodate larger rotary wing aircraft. By tonnage, the CCG 5901 is double the size of a U.S. Navy Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser and is also bigger than an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer. Pizaro Gozali Idrus in Jakarta contributed to this report. RFA is a news service affiliated with BenarNews. A plan to expand police powers of arrest to frontline government officers in American Samoa to combat an increase in drug use has met opposition from some senators. Government leaders say airport security officers, homeland security agents and customs officers should have the power to arrest suspected drug users and traffickers as police struggle with an increase in the smuggling of methamphetamine into the U.S. territory. A bill to expand powers of arrest was introduced by Gov. Lemanu Mauga in November but is now stranded in the Senate pending more research. I have been in the Department of Public Safety for over 30 years and in my career as a law enforcement officer for the territory, there is a drastic number of arrests made in relation to drug cases, said Police Commander Falanaipupu Taase Sagapolotuele. It's evident the territory has a drug problem and over the last six years, the government established a Drug Task Force, but no solutions are coming out from that task force, he said. Pacific island countries are a key link in the drug trafficking networks run by Asian, Mexican and South American crime syndicates that deliver methamphetamine and cocaine to lucrative Australian and New Zealand markets, according to a Lowy Institute analysis published last year. The Pacific drug highway has spilled over into local illicit drug consumption and sometimes production, it said. Sen. Malaepule Fuena Moliga said he was wary of expanding powers of arrest. Each government department has specific responsibilities and duties and should not intrude into police work, he said. If anyone breaks the law, they need to report it to the police officers and let them do their job, said Moliga, a former prison warden. Police in American Samoa say they have been making drug arrests almost every week in a territory that has a population of only 50,000 people. We don't have any evidence there is a lab to make meth on the island, therefore its being smuggled into the territory through our borders, said Sagapolotuele. Simultaneous raids by armed officers on homes in the villages of Petesa and Fagaima in late December had a typical haul of marijuana and meth valued at about U.S. $10,000 and glass pipes used to smoke meth. Police data from the April-June quarter of 2022 showed 56 drug arrests. American Samoa is facing increasing problems involving the importation and sale of drugs, Mauga, the territorys governor, has said. The government needs the flexibility to address evolving law enforcement needs, he said. American Samoa has one police officer for about every 415 residents, a low ratio compared with wealthier countries, according to Director of Homeland Security Semo Veavea Samana. Low police numbers underscore the reality of why the department merits the power of arrest, to alleviate the strain on other law enforcement agencies, he said. The unimpeded flow of narcotics, he said, is eroding the cultural fabric of our communities. Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) walks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after reviewing an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Jan. 4, 2023. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to set up a hotline to avert miscommunication in the contested South China Sea, over which Manila has filed 65 diplomatic protests since Marcos took office in June. As the Philippine leader wrapped up a three-day state visit to China his first presidential trip there the two governments signed 14 bilateral agreements expected to boost trade. Marcos also returned to Manila with investment pledges from Chinese firms totaling U.S. $22.8 billion (1.2 trillion pesos). This communication line would be opened between the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office of the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, said a statement from the Philippine presidential communications office . Marcos and Xi agreed that confidence-building measures would contribute to improving mutual trust, the statement said, underscoring the importance of consultations between governments regarding issues in the West Philippine Sea Manilas name for territories it claims in the South China Sea. Regarding the communication line, a spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry said the leaders agreed to deepen strategic mutual trust. The two presidents reiterated readiness to continue to properly handle maritime issues through friendly consultation and announced the resumption of negotiations on oil and gas exploration, spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters during a daily press conference on Thursday. Upon arriving home, Marcos said that he and Xi had an in-depth and frank discussion on the West Philippine Sea issue. We took note of our growing maturity of this bilateral relationship this bilateral relationship which now allows both sides to manage differences on the West Philippine Sea, so as to not allow it to hinder the rest of our fruitful engagements and multi-faceted cooperation, Marcos said. Both Beijing and Manila agree that maritime issues do not comprise the entirety of two-way relations, but remain a significant concern. Marcos and Xi also affirmed the importance of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea ( DOC ), even though a binding code of conduct to govern actions in the sea region remains elusive. China and the 10 member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed the DOC in 2002. It states that all parties will exercise self-restraint in activities that complicate or heighten tension and affect peace in the maritime region. That includes refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays and other features in the South China Sea. China claims nearly all of the waterway on historical grounds, including areas within the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan. It also claims historic rights to areas of the waterway that overlap Indonesias exclusive economic zone as well. While China has said it would abide by the DOC, it has carried on with construction activities and sent Chinese fishing boats backed by its coast guard to waters considered to be within the jurisdiction of other claimants. Marcos has said he would assert a 2016 international arbitration court ruling, which Manila won and which invalidated Chinas vast claims to the sea region. Beijing has ignored the ruling. Still, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to establishing a code of conduct in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Investment pledges On the economic front, Marcos said that Chinese firms had pledged billions of dollars in investments in the Philippines. The Philippines received pledges for renewable energy projects totaling $13.76 billion (769 billion pesos). Those pledges are aimed at solar and wind projects including manufacturing of necessary equipment, the state-run Philippine News Agency reported. Other pledges deal with electric vehicles, mineral processing and agribusiness, according to PNA. [T]he two countries need to form greater synergy between Chinas Belt and Road Initiative and the Philippines Build Better More program, and strengthen cooperation in the four priority areas of agriculture, infrastructure, energy and people-to-people exchanges to boost each others modernization drive and bring more benefits to our two peoples, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. Tourists pose for a selfie along the popular Yaowarat street in the Chinatown area of Bangkok, Sept. 5, 2022. Thailand joined most of Southeast Asias tourism-reliant economies Thursday in keeping entry restrictions lax for Chinese tourists who resume foreign travel next week, despite WHO warning that Beijing is underrepresenting the severity of its COVID-19 outbreak. Like Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Thailand announced that inbound travelers from China wouldnt need pre-departure COVID tests, despite a steep rise in infections in their country. These Southeast Asian countries, longtime magnets for Chinese tourist dollars, are bidding to revive their pandemic-battered economies. After a meeting of health, tourism and other officials, Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters that everyone must wear face masks in crowded places. Thailand will not require COVID test results from tourists from any country. This is an opportunity to restore our economy and recover from losses we suffered for nearly three years, he said. [T]here will not be any discrimination against a particular country because COVID-19 is spreading in all countries and the strains are similar. So, it should not be an issue of discriminating against any country. Thailand will, however, reinstate a requirement that travelers have at least two COVID-19 vaccination jabs and health insurance to meet treatment costs if they get infected. On Dec. 27, China announced that it would lift most of its stringent travel restrictions beginning on Jan. 8. After the pandemic was first detected in China in late 2019, Beijing had severely restricted international travel, allowing it only unless it was absolutely necessary. Lifeblood of regions tourism industry Right after the announcement, travel service provider trip.com recorded a 254% increase in outbound flight bookings from mainland China compared to a day earlier. Southeast Asian nations and the United States were among the top 10 destinations. No surprise there. Before the pandemic broke out in the worlds most populous nation, 32 million Chinese citizens traveled to Southeast Asia in 2019, according to Rane Worldview, a geopolitical risk research firm. A year later, that number dropped to 4 million. Chinese visitors are the lifeblood of Southeast Asias tourism sector, and their continued absence will further hamper the region's economic recovery, it said in a note in September last year. The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has hit Southeast Asian countries hard particularly Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia, where tourism previously generated a significant amount of both revenue and jobs. Back then, Rane Worldview said that a prolonged absence of Chinese visitors would continue to stymie the post-pandemic recoveries of these nations crucial tourism sectors. Tourists in traditional Thai costumes take pictures at Wat Arun Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Dec. 9, 2022. [Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP] Wish all tourists are tested for COVID Tour operators, hoteliers and allied tourism businesses in Southeast Asian nations no doubt are salivating at the prospect of the return of Chinese tourists. Still, after seeing the coronavirus pandemic ravage their countries with knock-on effects hammering local economies, some are tempering their eagerness with caution. Zack, a boat operator in Pulau Kapas, Terengganu, an island destination in Malaysia, lives in fear of having to endure another COVID-19 lockdown. The government should temporarily close its doors to Chinese tourists until things return to normal, Zack, who preferred to only disclose his first name because he did not want any publicity, told BenarNews. I am afraid of being locked down again, he said, adding that no tourists would visit at all if there were a lockdown because of a rise in infections. Last week, Malaysia said it would screen all incoming travelers for fever and test wastewater on flights arriving from China. Those with high fevers, or who are experiencing respiratory illnesses or have COVID-19 symptoms will be sent to quarantine centers or to health officials for additional testing. Sabah which, along with Sarawak, has more autonomy than other Malaysian states, however broke from the federal governments COVID traveler policy. Located on Borneo island and a popular destination for Chinese tourists, Sabah decided that starting on Jan. 8, travelers from China need to be fully vaccinated. They also would need to show proof of a negative COVID test within 48 hours before their departure abroad. A Chinese tourist (center) wearing a facemask as a preventative measure after a coronavirus outbreak, which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan, arrives with others from Nusa Penida at the fast boat pier in Serangan island in Denpasar, the capital of Bali, Indonesia, Jan. 27, 2020. [Sonny Tumbelaka/AFP] In Thailand, Pornpimol Rungrasmisup, the owner of the Thierry Resort in Chiang Mai, told BenarNews that she was in two minds about her countrys policy on Chinese tourists. Chinese going outbound is a huge deal for us, it means a good sale, she said, referring to the fact that of the nearly 40 million foreign tourists who visited Thailand in 2019, more than a quarter were Chinese. But when I learned there would be no COVID test, I felt uncomfortable. We want to welcome Chinese tourists. Chiang Mai is readying for them but I wish all tourists are tested for COVID, Pornpimol said. Thai tourism authorities predict between 18 to 25 million tourist arrivals this year, with the Thai Chamber of Commerce forecasting that 5 million of them will be Chinese nationals. Tourists surf the waves in General Luna town, on the southern Philippine island of Siargao, Oct. 7, 2022. [Ferdinandh Cabrera/AFP] In the Philippines, which recently ruled out travel restrictions for foreign tourists despite the spike in cases in China, one doctor advocated strict restrictions for travelers from China. We need to ask the Chinese tourists to submit an RT-PCR test 48 hours prior to the flight and, of course, test them upon arrival, Dr. Tony Leachon, who was on a team that formerly advised the government on COVID-19, told BenarNews. A new sub-variant could reverse gains that the Philippines has made in controlling the spread of the virus, he said. We cant stop the spread of COVID-19, but pre-departure testing and the requirement to show a negative test result when flying from China to the Philippines can help slow the spread as we work to identify and understand any potential new variants. The Indonesian government, meanwhile, said that it wasnt planning any special entry restrictions on Chinese travelers because its population had a high degree of immunity. However, epidemiologist Dicky Budiman said it was necessary to be continually vigilant. Indonesia must keep tightening restrictions on foreign tourists to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19. There must be a mechanism or procedure that can at least guarantee that anyone who enters Indonesia does not carry any harmful pathogens, he told BenarNews. If tourists who come do not have booster vaccinations, then they must undergo a PCR test to confirm negative for COVID-19. Mostly, people in Southeast Asia hope that the Chinese tourists have been effectively vaccinated. Philippine taxi driver Marionito Marcos, 58, who services the route from the countrys main airport in Metro Manila, likened the situation to Russian roulette. You never know if your passenger has it or not. They might be carriers, we just dont know, he told BenarNews. Still, people have to work and survive too. And I believe that as long as you have received vaccines, youll be ok. This is our new normal, Marcos said. Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. LENOX Another leadership change at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School, this one planned. Substitute Principal Timothy Lee ends his nearly five-month tenure in several weeks, as scheduled. He is credited for restoring stability after surprise departures by previous school chiefs and the release last August of an outside law firms critical report on bullying issues at the school. Coming aboard is Jeremiah Ames, a Lenox resident and former North County principal, who will be on loan from his current position as a Spanish teacher at Lee Middle and High School. His own ninth and 11th graders attend Lenox Memorial Middle and High School. Interim Superintendent Jake Eberwein announced his choice of Ames in memos to the School Committee and school administrators, and to the public school district community. Jeremiah communicated a strong desire to help his home community during this time of need/transition, Eberwein stated. I appreciate his willingness to step into this interim role. His experiences as a high school/middle school principal and classroom teacher position him to effectively lead. I really wanted to help, Ames, 48, saod in a phone interview during a break in the school day on Wednesday. After conversations with my principal in Lee, Gregg Brighenti, and Superintendent Michael Richard, they were very supportive for me to take a leave of absence during the second semester to pursue this principal job. The current plan is for Ames to return to his teaching post at the Lee school in September. Im really focused on getting started with the interim gig, he added, though he acknowledged some conversations in Lenox about his possible interest in applying for the longer-term principal opening at the school. Specific tasks facing him when he starts in the principals office later this month include budget preparation for the 2023-24 school year and classroom scheduling for next year, ramping up on a new online system. Jeremiah Ames profile 1996: Cornell University, B.A. in government. 2000-02: Cushing Academy, Spanish instructor, Ashburnham. 2002-06: LMMHS, Spanish instructor. 2006-12: Founder, Ames Building & Remodeling, Pittsfield. 2012: Advanced graduate study certificate, Westfield State University. 2012-13: Lenox Memorial Middle and High School, administrative intern. 2014: Vice Principal, Hoosac Valley Middle and High School, vice principal. 2014-18: Principal, Hoosac Valley Middle and High School. 2018-present: Lee Middle and High School, Spanish instructor. 2022: Doctorate of education in curriculum, teaching, learning and leadership, Northeastern Univerdity, Boston. I know enough about some of the dynamics involved so I can go in with my eyes wide open, Ames said about his responsibilities at the school. Im also comforted by the faculty and staff there, Ive known these people for decades now, he said. Theyre friends of mine, the teachers have been working very, very hard, doing a great job of continuing to provide the education that so many of these kids deserve. I just think its gotten a lot harder and they endure much more. I hope we can take some steps to lighten that load and allow them to continue their work with a little less stress and effort. Ames, a native of Rochester, N.Y., began his public education career in 2002 teaching Spanish at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School after working at the Cushing Academy, a private college-prep school in Ashburnham. In a major change of pace, he left education in 2007 to work as a remodeling contractor. Then, after completing the administrator program at Westfield State University, Ames returned to the Lenox district, teaching again at Lenox Memorial Middle and High Schoo and serving for a year on the School Committee. He landed positions in 2014 as an assistant principal and then principal of Hoosac Valley Middle and High School in Cheshire, serving students in that town, Adams and Savoy. In spring 2019, he resumed teaching Spanish, this time at Lee Middle and High School. Ames will begin meeting with school leaders next week, said Eberwein. He begins full-time work at the middle and high school in the third week of this month, continuing through June 30. I am thankful to the search committee who volunteered their time, talents and perspectives throughout the interim search process, Eberwein wrote in his memo. He also expressed appreciation to the Lee Public Schools for loaning us Jeremiah for the balance of this school year. Eberwein also credited Timothy Lee and assistant Principal David Pugh, as well as the school's faculty and staff, for navigating these transitions and for the collaborative, roll-up-your-sleeves mindset past, present and future. He also praised the two leaders for maintaining high-quality level experiences inside and outside the classroom, to ensure the success of our exceptional student body. Eberwein plans to update the School Committee at its upcoming Monday night meeting on the search for a permanent principal. As interim superintendent, Eberwein is responsible for filling that position. And the School Committees superintendent search group is actively assessing a pool of candidates for a long-term appointment, as Eberwein is on board until June 30. Nearly two decades ago when Elizabeth Kolbert began writing about climate change, the subject quickly became her focus. When you start writing about climate change it kind of takes over your life, Kolbert recently told The Eagle. The Williamstown resident and New Yorker staff writer started at the magazine in 1999 after working for The New York Times. Kolbert has written extensively about climate change and the environment. Her 2014 book, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, won a Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction. Her most recent book, Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future, was published in 2021. One of her most recent New Yorker articles, Climate Change from A to Z: The stories we tell ourselves about the future, lays out the complicated narratives of climate change. Climate change resists narrative, she writes, and yet some account of whats happening is needed. Quote "I'm sure a lot of people would say my work is filled with gloom and doom. But I think that as a journalist, the story has to be narratable. It's a little bit of a meta problem. It's not the problem of climate change, it's the problem of writing about climate change." In a multi-section piece published in November, Kolbert tells a climate change story for each letter in the alphabet. Take F, for example. Flight. She details how a company is developing electric planes, taking readers along as she flies one in a simulator. At the same time, she writes in another section O, for Objections that 30 years ago, fossil fuels were about 80 percent of the primary energy used globally. Today, that figure is still about 80 percent, all while energy consumption has increased. To say that amazing work is being done to combat climate change and to say that almost no progress has been made is not a contradiction; its a simple statement of fact, Kolbert writes in a line central to the piece. Kolbert recently spoke with The Eagle about her recent New Yorker story and reflected on her time covering climate change an issue she says has been extremely sobering to watch for the past 20 years. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Q: Lets start with your recent article in The New Yorker. Why did you decide to write the climate change from A to Z story? And why did you choose the alternative format it used? A: The New Yorker was going to do a climate issue. I think the difficulty with writing about climate change maybe even talking about climate change to a certain extent is that its so huge and unfolding on a lot of different dimensions. You tend to get these stories that are kind of only taking on one of those dimensions like this tech is going to save us, or this is going to doom us, or this scientific discovery shows that we're doomed. I wanted to try to break out of those stories, which I think have become both fairly predictable at this point and also don't really capture the full problem and all of its many dimensions. That's what I was really trying to get at. The problem with that is that no one story what we journalists consider a story where were following someone or some project encompasses all those aspects. That's how I got to this idea of a somewhat fractured narrative that was going to not be a single overarching narrative. Q: I found it interesting that in the narratives section (N), you were talking about research that shows the importance of empowering people on climate change narratives. But at the same time, you wrote there's a lot of amazing work being done to combat climate change, but also, almost no progress has been made. How do you balance telling the truth about climate change, which can be grim, but also not being gloom and doom? A: I'm sure a lot of people would say my work is filled with gloom and doom. But I think that as a journalist, the story has to be narratable. It's a little bit of a meta problem. It's not the problem of climate change, it's the problem of writing about climate change. So something has to be happening. I go looking for stories in which something interesting is happening, whether it's research, people trying to tackle the problem through some innovative development, innovative tech, or gene editing, or whatever the hell it is. And, you know, those stories hopefully are just interesting enough on their own. What enters into it [then] are the massive difficulties of actually deploying this on a grand enough scale to make a difference. They do get touched on, but you can't let them overwhelm the story, because then the story sort of dies. That is really what brought me to this format. All those stories can be true. They're all true, right? Amazing work is being done, and nothing has changed. Those are both true and it is hard to communicate that in the context of one story. Q: What climate change-related issues keep you up at night? What gives you hope? A: The climate-related issue that I worry about is just instability. Our distant ancestors were used to dealing with instability. They got up and moved. But we are very, very incapable of acting quickly on anything and also of acting proactively. We know some parts of the country are going to be really threatened and underwater at a certain point. But our politics don't accommodate acting proactively. This is true on a global scale as well. If you imagine serious climate-related disasters, you see an increasingly unstable world with nuclear weapons and a lot of people who are desperate to leave where they are and get somewhere new, and a tremendous refugee crisis all around. That's very, very scary to me. What gives me hope? I think there is a lot of technological progress being made. Things that did seem not possible 10 years ago now do seem, you know, feasible. They just held the first auction for offshore wind off California. There's going to be floating wind turbines. There is a lot of progress being made. I think that if we put our minds to it, globally, a lot of progress could be made. But I'm not entirely convinced that it will be made. Q: What got you interested in writing about climate change and the environment as one of your main beats? A: It started quite a while ago at this point, like 20 years ago, when I had just gone to The New Yorker. I was actually writing about (New York) politics. The web was sort of taking over the news. It was kind of punishing for a weekly, because everything would be up on the web in like five seconds. So I went looking for something that wasn't going to be overtaken by events, as it were. I've always been interested and concerned about environmental issues. It led me to write a three-part series on climate change which appeared in 2005 ["The Climate of Man"]. When you start writing about climate change it kind of takes over your life. Q: Has the way you report on climate change or the way you think about the issue changed? A: Its certainly changed in that when I first started to report about climate change, you really couldn't expect that even pretty well-informed people knew much about it, or were concerned about it. Your job, in a way, was to convince them this was a really serious problem. I don't think that is true any longer, at least not for my readers and probably your readers. You know, there definitely are huge portions of the American population for whom that's still true. But mostly, its not like they haven't heard anything about climate change. It is like, I don't want to believe that. How I think about it has definitely changed in the sense of, I've learned a tremendous amount and time has passed. Watching the world's response to climate change, or lack of response, has not been a happy [experience]. That's been extremely sobering. Here's a problem that everybody at very high levels of government and the corporate world should understand and to a certain extent do understand (is) truly a world-threatening problem. Yet for all sorts of reasons, everyone just continues to act as if this isn't going to be a problem. I didn't go into it with a naive view of American politics. But it certainly hasn't been an encouraging 20 years. Q: If someone says to you they don't believe in climate change, or deny that it's happening, how do you respond? A: That's a really difficult one. People have spent a long time trying to figure out how to talk to a climate denier. I don't try to engage people and say, Well, you know, have you read the latest IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] report? Once people have dug in and said, I don't believe in climate change, they're probably not open to the basic scientific information that's out there. I guess my point would be it sounds a little bit aggressive, so it's complicated: It doesn't really matter if you believe in it or not. It's happening. (She laughs) So, you know, you might want to prepare for it anyway, because your beliefs are not going to change the basic geophysics of the situation. Q: From your reporting, what are some of the reasons people havent acted? A: People have to appreciate how the problem, at its most fundamental level, is that we consume an incredible amount of energy. This is especially true of Americans. Americans are just real energy hogs, basically, in everything we like to do and the way that we live. Berkshire County's a very good example. I myself am a very good example of people living spread out in places where you have to have a car or you can't get to the grocery store, you can't get to work. These are energy-intensive ways of living. To really tackle this problem requires switching out your entire economy on some level, just in your entire way of living. I think one of the really big questions with climate change is this: Can we continue to live the way we are and dramatically reduce emissions? Or do we have to fundamentally rethink the way that we live? I think that is at the heart of the matter. People and I include myself in this don't really want to fundamentally rethink the way they live. I think that is, in the U.S. in particular, a big part of the problem. Obviously, there are all sorts of vested corporate interests working very, very hard and in very nefarious ways to maintain the status quo in a short-sighted way. That's also a huge, huge problem. A lot of those interests are politically very, very powerful. Q: What signs of climate change do you see in the Berkshires? A: I'm not a native of Berkshire County, but I have been here, pretty consistently, for the last 20 years or so. We used to get a heavy frost by the end of September. Now, we don't. We used to have reliable snow that's why we have ski resorts. We don't anymore. There are really dramatic changes that anyone who's lived in the Berkshires for a while will point to. We often get our precipitation now in these torrential downpours. That's well established by the data. A lot more of our rain falls in very heavy downpours. These are ways in which we are seeing climate change in the Berkshires. Things we didn't use to be able to grow, we can grow now. It goes on. The list is very, very long. Now you'll get people maple sugaring in February that was kind of unheard of. Q: What role do you feel people's individual actions play in fighting the climate crisis or slowing climate change and its effects? A: I think that's a very important and vexed topic. Obviously, if everybody stopped eating beef, that would have a big impact. Just you doing it obviously doesn't it only has a trivial impact. So I struggle with that in my own life. We need more people who show the way. I'm a huge admirer of Greta Thunberg, for example. She doesn't just talk the talk, she walks the walk. She doesn't fly and she doesn't buy. The more people who set that example, the better off we'll be. Q: Do you feel hopeful when thinking about Thunberg and that generation? Does that give you hope? A: Certainly Greta is an amazing person. Fridays for Future and the climate strikes they have all been impressive and important. I think they have been important, but I am distressed. I live in Williamstown and I have a pretty good sense, I think, of what's going on on campus. I don't see climate change as the galvanizing issue for college students today. And I think it should be. This is not just Williams, its all campuses. That is absolutely the future that everyone who's 18 to 22 is going to be dealing with. So I'm somewhat surprised, honestly, that it isn't the galvanizing issue. I think part of it is that it gets back to what we were talking about: It doesn't really have a happy ending. It's hard to rally people around this [and say] What we're trying to do is limit the damage now. Its not a great rallying cry. Q: What keeps you motivated to report on climate change when, as you said, it can be sobering? A: There's all sorts of answers I could give to that. Its my job. If you think something's the most important issue on planet Earth, it's motivation. One thing we are fighting against is this sense that no one can offer the American people, or the world, this narrative in which everything just works out and has a neat happy ending. So people would like to turn away from that. Unfortunately, thats not the way life works. We've never had the option of turning away from really difficult problems, of which there have been many in the world. GREAT BARRINGTON A Texas companys software will soon be the eyes and ears of Town Hall for enforcing limits on homeowners who rent their houses in the short term. Town officials chose Austin, Texas-based GovOS for its registration, monitoring and tax collection software for homeowners who rent out their properties on Airbnb-style platforms. The system also includes a complaint hotline that will be available 24/7 with a local phone number. GovOS is an Austin, Texas-based firm used mostly by governments to digitize records and various municipal tasks. The companys compliance software is being used in communities nationwide, including in Arizona, Colorado and Vermont. While the towns new short-term rental bylaw took effect Jan. 1, officials say the new system will more likely be up and running in February or soon after, said Town Manager Mark Pruhenski. But much has already been accomplished, Pruhenski added. Officials are meeting weekly with GovOS to build out the registration portal and tailor the system to Great Barrington. Sign-up for The Berkshire Eagle's free newsletters Sign up All map and parcel data has been provided to GOV-OS, and theyre hard at work matching each [short-term rental] advertisement across multiple listing platforms with a map/lot/parcel, Pruhenski said. On Monday, the Select Board will discuss a registration fee schedule for the rental portal. The town will soon alert homeowners with rental properties about the new registration system. The new system comes after a bitter debate last year about whether the town should crack down on the vacation rentals for fear they might overtake neighborhoods and further drain the housing market. One concern was privacy issues with regard to a compliance company the town had initially chosen and fears the complaint hotline could be misused. Voters approved the regulation at annual town meeting in June. The bylaw includes a rental limit of 150 days per year, registration with the town and various safety measures. It would also use tax revenue from the rentals for affordable housing initiatives. There were 216 short-term rental properties in Great Barrington as of May, according to town officials. BioSpectrum interacted with a few leaders from major market segments of the industry who provided their insights into what the coming year is likely to hold for their particular sphere. Below are the 23 predictions from across the sub-sectors of life sciences - pharma, biotech, medtech, healthcare, digital health and manufacturing that are expected to make a splash in the sector. Some of these are extensions of trends observed in 2022 that will continue into 2023; such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) assisted drug discovery, rise of mRNA therapies, and Chinas dominance in CAR-T therapy. Besides these, the industry will focus on climate change, digital therapeutics, ageing, mental health, and much more. Lets take a deep dive. Pharma Robotics As companies continue to innovate the pipeline of drug discovery, design, and delivery, incorporating robotics is the logical next step. Robots are more precise than humans, they can perform validation experiments, and they can be run by an artificial intelligence (AI) platform. And in APAC, companies can tap into a wealth of robotics expertise. Insilico Medicine is opening a fully autonomous AI-run robotics lab in Suzhou in early 2023. This state-of-the-art lab will feature autonomous guided vehicles running experiments in place of human scientists. These robots will do cell culture, high throughput screening, next-generation sequencing, cell imaging, and genomics analysis and prediction. As the robots generate data, that data will feed directly into Insilicos Pharma.AI platform, improving the systems target hypotheses and ability to validate those hypotheses, said Dr Alex Zhavoronkov, Founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, China. Insilico Medicine is an AI-driven drug discovery company. Asia-Pacific is seeing a hiring boom for robotics roles in pharma in recent years, according to GlobalData. In May 2022, Australias Monash University invested $6.5 million in a new world-class robotics research facility to train the next generation of engineers and global innovators, and drive the emerging AI economy. Licensing to pharma companies outside APAC There has been an exciting amount of growth and development in the biotech industry in APAC, but I predict that we will increasingly see assets developed in China, licensed to global pharmaceutical companies in 2023. We will likely see this in particular with cancer therapies, which APAC has invested in heavily, and APAC-based biotechs partnering with global pharmaceutical companies to bring their early-stage assets to more advanced stages and clinical trials, said Dr Zhavoronkov. Sanofi, which recently signed a $1.2 billion strategic research agreement with Insilico, is expanding the Sanofi Institute for Biomedical Research (SIBR), Sanofi's R&D centre in China, leading the way. On December 23, American drug major Merck, and Chinese firm Kelun-Biotech inked a $9.3 billion licensing pact for seven cancer candidates. Under the agreement, Kelun-Biotech has granted Merck exclusive global licences to research, develop, manufacture and commercialise multiple investigational preclinical antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) therapies and exclusive options to obtain additional licences for ADC candidates. On the same day, South Korea-based LegoChem Biosciences, Inc. (LCB) entered into a research collaboration and licence agreement with US-based Amgen, whereby it has granted Amgen rights to research, develop, and commercialise ADCs directed against up to five targets selected by Amgen based on LCBs proprietary ConjuAll ADC technology. The deal is worth $1.25 billion. 3. Chinas expansion quest 2023 will be the year when developments in the Chinese market will start having a significant impact on regional and global markets. One of the major trends is the rising impact of Chinese biotech companies in global markets. The combination of relatively low clinical development costs, coupled with a highly competitive domestic industry has resulted in a growing number of locally developed, innovative drugs especially in attractive categories such as Programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1) inhibitors. Many of these companies, such as Beigene and Legend, are actively seeking commercial opportunities in global markets, particularly in the US and other rich markets as lower-price alternatives to products from multinational companies. The Chinese players are also looking at emerging markets where their price points may help make newer therapies available to local patients for the first time, said Jeff Weisel, Managing Director for PRMA Consulting APAC. PRMA Consulting is a market access consultancy and part of Fishawack Health, UK. In 2022, innovative Chinese drugs made great progress, especially in CAR-T therapies. China appears to have surpassed its western counterparts in building a robust research pipeline of specialised CAR-T therapies with a maximum number of clinical trials and drugs in the pipelines. China is set to take a bigger role in the world pharma stage in 2023. Climate Change connection The pharmaceutical industry is one of the largest contributors to global climate change. The industry has risen to the challenges, with a majority of big pharma firms aiming for carbon dioxide neutrality by 2030 and Asian firms are no different. On December 22, 2022, Japanese firms Astellas, Eisai, Daiichi Sankyo and Takeda came together to promote the use of more environmentally friendly packaging for pharmaceutical products. In November 2022, CEOs from AstraZeneca, GSK, Merck KGaA, Novo Nordisk, Roche, Samsung Biologics and Sanofi announced joint action to achieve near-term emissions reduction targets and to accelerate the delivery of net zero health systems. For the first time, the global health sector has come together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) Health Systems Task Force, a public-private partnership launched at COP26. In 2023, we will see more firms joining the bandwagon, putting in more sustainable efforts. Versatile and efficient AI AI and big data are the top technologies currently deployed in drug discovery and development across the globe, which is expected to increase over the years in the APAC region. AI is versatile and efficient with wide ranging utility be it - genetic risk assessment, early and accurate screening and diagnosis of diseases, drug discovery and development, clinical trial design and analysis, precision medicine, and monitoring of treatment response. Pharma firms will, hence, continue to invest in this technology. Many pharmaceutical companies in APAC are leaning into AI, utilising it at various stages of pharmaceutical R&D. From hypothesis generation from literature and biological data, identification of new targets in a variety of diseases, generation of novel molecules with the desired properties, clinical pharmacology, clinical trials enrollment and analysis, personalised medicine, and even marketing. However, there are still very few companies linking these steps in early discovery into one seamless pipeline leading all the way to clinical trials, said Dr Zhavoronkov. Digital technologies Digital technologies have been quickly adopted in vast industries in APAC recently. This trend is also spread in the pharmaceutical industry to speed up and save costs during the R&D process of novel drugs. Using these technologies will gain advantages for APAC's small-mid-size companies, said Tsz-Yin Chang, Deputy General Director, ITRI's Industry, Science and Technology International Strategy Center (ISTI), Taiwan. The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is a leading technology research and development institution in Taiwan. Biotech The growing ageing population By 2050, one in four people in APAC will be over 60 years old, according to UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund). This will pose a high demand for ageing-related healthcare measures, such as degenerative therapy, regenerative medicine, etc, said Tsz-Yin Chang. Asian biotech firms are investing in research to develop novel therapies that could prevent and reverse the ageing process in humans. In October 2022, Australia pledged $25 million for dementia, ageing and aged care research. Earlier in March 2022, Australia opened a new national academic centre for healthy ageing research. In September 2022, Singapore set up the world's first integrated pre-clinical and clinical ageing research institute. This will open up new vistas in longevity research and boost developments in the region. Increased clinical testing In the past five years, the APAC region emerged as the largest contributor to global clinical trial activities and this trend is expected to continue in the future as well because of its population, cost-effectiveness and advancement in the healthcare infrastructure. The region registered higher growth than the US and the EU across the majority of therapeutic areas. The Asia Pacific region is home to 60 per cent of the worlds population and consists of many countries that lead in technologic and manufacturing capabilities and include multiple advanced centres of science, education and research. I see increased research and development in the life sciences in many of these countriesin terms of basic science, pharmaceutical drug discovery, and the capacity to rapidly test for effectiveness and safety within large populations, said Dr Wui-Jin Koh, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), USA. The NCCN is a not-for-profit alliance of 32 leading cancer centres devoted to patient care, research, and education. At the same time, patients' needs are driving innovations. Theres a growing focus on health equity and personalised medicines. This goes hand in hand with diversified recruitment efforts for clinical studies. Targeting wider racial and gender demographics is paramount to developing drugs and products that can effectively treat the global population, said Raman Singh, CEO and Founder of Juniper Biologics, Singapore. Juniper Biologics is a science-led healthcare company delivering novel therapies to improve the quality of life of patients everywhere. Specialised treatments APAC headquartered companies have increased their footprints in the research and development (R&D) of specialised treatment modalities such as Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Immunotherapy (CAR-T), Natural Killer (NK) Cell Immunotherapy, and Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy (DC Vaccine). We expect investments in these areas that will continue to increase in the coming years, said Yogesh Rai, Practice Head (Pharma Drugs Database), GlobalData, UK. GlobalData Plc is a data analytics and consulting company. Some of the firms leading the development of next-gen CAR-NK cell therapy include Korea-based GI Cell, HK inno.N's and Chinas Antengene. Improved prevention of HPV-related malignancies While it is important to focus on technical advances and promises, it is also critical to optimise utilisation of the effective tools that we already have in hand. An example of this is through improvements in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening, which are highlighted in 2020 WHO global strategy for cervical cancer elimination, and is highly relevant to many countries in the Asia Pacific region, said Dr Wui-Jin Koh. On December 20, 2022, Bio Farma and Merck signed a framework agreement related to technology transfer cooperation to produce the HPV vaccine locally in Indonesia. In September 2022, India launched its first locally produced version of the HPV vaccine made by the country's largest vaccine maker, Serum Institute of India (SII). Gene Therapy This is another trend that will be deployed even more in 2023. The incorporation of gene technology and genetic information in treatments is projected to soar. This is particularly important in the field of oncology as 1 in 6 global deaths are caused by cancer. The advancements in gene technology allow health professionals to predict and trace disorders, enabling them to create more effective and efficient treatment plans for patients, said Singh. The APAC region has taken the lead in cell and gene clinical trials, accounting for the largest share of new trials during the first half of 2022, according to the Alliance of Regenerative Medicines report mapping the sectors progress. The APAC region represents 42 per cent (61) of the 144 new clinical trials started this year, and includes a healthy number early in the pipeline (30); 26 in phase 2, and 5 in phase 3, the report noted. It has already been a record year for the approval of new gene therapies to treat rare diseases, as the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approved the first haemophilia B gene therapy, from Australian behemoth CSLs HEMGENIX (etranacogene dezaparvovec-drlb). It is the fifth gene therapy for a rare genetic disease to secure FDA approval. At present 16 therapies are on track for regulatory decisions in 2023 indicating an active late-stage pipeline. Microbiome medicines There has been a flurry of activities in microbiome drug space in 2022. In September 2022, Singapore opened the Centre for Microbiome Medicine to improve human health. In June 2022, Cordlife Group, a Singapore Exchange mainboard-listed consumer healthcare company, and AMILI, launched the first-ever gut microbiome banking service in Southeast Asia. On November 9, 2022, Australia announced the world's first regulatory approval for a donor-derived microbiome drug developed by the Australian startup BiomeBank, setting the stage for others. Earlier in January 2022, the firm partnered with the Hudson Institute of Medical Research for the development of life-saving microbial therapies. In the same month, on November 30, the US FDA also approved the first faecal microbiota drug, Rebyota by Ferring Pharmaceuticals, USA. MedTech 3D Printing 3D printing allows the targeted creation of more complex geometries that mimic the shape and function of natural bone, and also the efficient production of customised implants. It is more important for us to understand that 3D printing is existentially reshaping what implants can do, how patients can be treated, patient comfort and experience during recovery, as well as the efficiency during operations that involve implants. As an add-on to creating implants, 3D printed products are a game-changer for surgical procedures and have enabled surgeons to minimise the time during operations this makes the procedure shorter, safer, and also provides better management of hospital resources, especially during the pandemic when manpower is scarce, said Goh Khoon Seng, Chief Executive Officer, Osteopore International, Singapore. Osteopore is a global leader in regenerative solutions. Its bioresorbable implant is the first of its kind to be successfully developed and commercialised for surgical use. Healthcare The booming of emerging companies The life sciences industry is experiencing several major shifts. For example, a growing number of innovative startups are entering the market right now. Many of these focus on personalised and value-based medicines, putting patients needs first, said Singh. M&A is also set to remain a major theme. Weve had a few good examples of this in APAC through 2022 where distressed assets were available at attractive valuations, and market capitalisations overall have been affected by volatility. In 2023, I would expect to see life science companies that have been holding off on public market secondary raises come out of the woodwork to shore up their balance sheets. It feels like the market is starting to become more receptive to these raises, while the IPO market remains soft, said Jane Lowe, Managing Director, IR Department, Australia. Closing the access gaps The challenge facing pharma companies across both developed and emerging markets is the access gap where products are launched in the region often much later than in the US and Europe. Closing this gap will require addressing barriers relating to healthcare financing, availability of healthcare services, supply, and distribution of products, and developing enablers such as strategic partnerships and trust among the stakeholders in the healthcare system. We see awareness and actions in this direction taking hold in the region in 2023, ranging from new manufacturing capabilities such as the BioNTech and GSK facilities in Singapore to the many initiatives around alternative funding models seen across the region, said Weisel. Information sharing and collaboration Collaborations of different bioscience companies, both with each other, and also with health science organisations and governments, will have a big impact in 2023. These collaborations are advancing developments and causing a shift in the pricing of products. More regulations are being passed that are reducing the cost of medications and products from pharma companies. Making medicine more accessible will consequently result in more equity in the health industry, said Raman Singh. Echoing similar sentiments, Dr Wui-Jin Koh said Collaborative, transparent, timely, and easily-accessible sharing of information to assist all clinicians in providing optimal healthcare to everyone. An example is NCCNs new collaboration with Medlive in China to make gold-standard clinical practice guidelines for cancer care more accessible across Asia. This is intended to enable more people with cancer to live better lives through access to the very latest in evidence-based expert consensus treatment recommendations. There has been a notable increase in the number of collaborations between different stakeholders in the sector. Digital Health The rise of DTx A new class of drugs called digital therapeutics (DTx) is on the rise. There are currently 5533 studies registered in digital therapeutics on clinicaltrials.gov as of December 28, 2022. The majority of these are for psychiatric indications followed by diabetes and respiratory health. Changing medical protocols, alongside the need to bring down the cost of care is driving an upsurge in investments in digital therapeutics, which is projected to grow at the rate of 26.7 per cent to reach $6.9 billion for the period 2020-2025, according to MarketsandMarkets. In May 2022, Japan clears CureApp's DTx app for hypertension. This is the world's first regulatory approval of a DTx app for hypertension treatment. On December 1, 2022, Moderna partnered with Japanese startup Allm for building a digital therapeutics (DX) against infectious diseases that aims to revitalise activities. In March 2022, Happify Health and Zuellig Pharma partnered to commercialise prescription DTx in Asia. The activities in this space are expected to leap forward in 2023. Tech solutions for mental health Mental health tech scene is rapidly picking up in APAC and we're on the cusp of seeing a major boom in the region this year. In July 2022, Singapore-based Intellect raised $20 million in its Series A funding, the largest amount raised by a mental health startup in Asia. Singapores Ami, and ThoughtFull are some other digital health firms making end-to-end mental healthcare seamless and affordable in Asia. Leading pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Sanofi are also developing new tech solutions and novel drugs to improve mental health conditions. Smart hospitals Growing government initiatives in healthcare digitalisation activities in several countries will accelerate the rise of smart hospitals. Rapid technological advancements in AI, automation, smart sensors, cloud IT and etc. not only facilitate physicians to analyse critical clinical data and their decision making, but also improve the hospital operational efficiency. Health IT and medical devices with intelligent technologies embedded such as computer-assisted diagnosis or predictive analysis will see market growth opportunities, said Tsz-Yin Chang. In 2022, Thailand launched ASEANs first 5G smart hospital. South Koreas KT Corporation and the Samsung Medical Center (SMC) are working to build a smart hospital. They have jointly developed an innovative, 5G-powered medical service as an initial step to establishing a 5G smart hospital. "The digital architecture of hospitals will in fact change significantly, adopting wireless technologies, interoperability, and a seamless shift of monitoring from hospital to home. This will in turn enable more meaningful innovations, such as continuous monitoring using wearable or implanted medical devices, incorporating smart cameras for vital sign measurements, or linking to contextual information from non-medical consumer devices such as voice interfaces, fitness trackers, smart phones etc. The capabilities in India around healthcare informatics will be crucial as it will underpin the fusion of healthcare, IT, and business administration, seamlessly guiding all aspects of the care continuum. This will further help the healthcare industry realise the quadruple aim of improving patient experience, achieving better health outcomes, reducing the cost of care, and improving staff experience, said Arvind Vaishnav, Vice President, Head of Philips Innovation Campus (PIC). Digital home care Developed countries such as Japan, Korea, and Taiwan are facing the challenges of ageing population and labour force shortage. As the geriatric population are prone to several old age disorders, digital home care solutions and remote patient monitoring are expected to ease these issues. Internet of medical things, smart medical devices, medical AI, cloud ERH, AI chatbots, homecare robots and digital platforms for coordinating all stakeholders would be keys to shape the future ecosystem of the care continuum, said Tsz-Yin Chang. Patient empowerment Digitalisation of healthcare solutions is a powerful tool to advance patient empowerment. With many healthcare providers investing in technology to ensure patient engagement and healthcare provision during the COVID-19 crisis, technology-enabled patient empowerment will continue as an influential trend in the APAC region, said Rai. Manufacturing Singapore powering Asia's biopharma boom Singapore has emerged as a hotbed for biopharma manufacturing. In 2022, almost all the major pharma firms announced plans to advance biologics manufacturing in the region. On December 12, 2022, Moderna announced its plans to expand its Asia-Pacific presence with a new Singapore subsidiary. A week before that, on December 2, 2022, GSK, Sanofi and Takeda partnered with research communities from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR); National University of Singapore (NUS); Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and its innovation and enterprise company, NTUitive; and Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) to boost Singapore's biologics manufacturing capabilities. On November 21, 2022, RVAC Medicines and A*STAR came together to build capabilities for mRNA production in Singapore. On November 16, 2022, ResMed unveiled a digital health solutions manufacturing centre in Singapore. On November 17, 2022, GSK opened a S$44 million manufacturing facility in Singapore for cancer treatment. In July 2022, Chinas WuXi announced plans to invest $1.4 billion for a production and R&D centre in Singapore. Digital transformation of CDMOs Pharma and Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisations (CDMOs) could weather the storm caused by COVID-19 pandemic because of the technology and digitisation of the development and manufacturing process, and moving forward technology will play an even more important role in the functioning of the CDMOs. Digital transformation is another trend. AI, ML, automation and robotics will all aid in CDMO operations.CDMOs are expected to answer the strong demand for technically high, sophisticated manufacturing support for complex molecules. As a reliable partner, we have to find answers and prepare for further upcoming trends like cell and gene therapies and DNA-based molecules. They have made the leap from scientific innovation throughout to groundbreaking medications. This will be part of our future business, said Carsten Press, Senior Vice President Key Account Management, Supply Chain Management and Marketing at Vetter, Germany. Vetter offers comprehensive fill-and-finish services from clinical development to the product's market launch and beyond. Technological advancements and innovations have been at an all time high across industries and geographies, bringing with it new and efficacious solutions and resilience. Whatever might be the next, new man-made or natural crisis, the industry and the minds involved, are ready to fight it tooth and nail. With that firm resolution and hope, we welcome 2023. Ayesha Siddiqui Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province and elsewhere in Saudi Arabia The African continent is widely considered retail's next big gold rush, based on its population of 1.4 billion people, which includes more than 500 million internet users and over 330 million e-commerce consumers. Additionally, with 19 of the top 20 fastest-growing countries in the world, the continent's trade landscape is set to become even more attractive for new market entrants and Pan-African operations in the retail space. Additionally, with 19 of the top 20 fastest-growing countries in the world, the continents trade landscape is set to become even more attractive for new market entrants and pan-African operations in the retail space. Africas five largest economies Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Morocco and Egypt also have the most competitive retail sectors and fast-growing e-commerce industries, largely due to several leading global e-tailers operating across the continent. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, e-commerce will be worth $75bn by 2025 in Africas leading economies, yet this sector also faces numerous challenges, such as a lack of national street address systems in many countries and the expense of last-mile delivery. Additionally, a large portion of the African population remains unbanked. Infrastructure investment Other challenges faced by both the formal and informal retail sectors include a shortfall in infrastructure investment, which hampers development in the logistics space. Beyond infrastructural challenges, there is also a need to educate consumers about online retail and gain their trust. Currently, a significant number of African smartphone users either do not know how to make purchases online or do not trust e-commerce platforms. As such, Africa remains below the global e-commerce average growth rate, even across its biggest markets. Encouragingly though, the continent is seeing an increase in technology-related productivity in sectors like financial services, education, health, retail, agriculture and government. The number of digital shoppers in Africa doubled between 2015 and 2021, but while digitalisation is a significant game-changer in Africas retail sector, informal trade remains dominant in consumers buying habits. For example, Nigeria has established itself as a vibrant hub for new technology businesses, with several large e-tailers operating in the market. Yet, digitalisation is still to drive significant transformation in the countrys traditional brick-and-mortar retail sector. Social media channels The rising availability of 4G networks and smartphones is steadily driving the uptake of digital transacting, with smaller retailers selling products via social media channels like Facebook and WhatsApp, especially when consumers opt for cash-on-delivery. In contrast, Moroccos high internet penetration rate of 75% is boosting the e-commerce sectors growth and the industry demonstrated significant year-on-year growth during the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic accelerated online food retail, and many Moroccan grocery retail chains launched their own apps and delivery services. Currently, many e-commerce transactions in Morocco happen outside the banking system, due to many businesses offering cash as a payment option. However, digital payments are increasing. Like other retail leaders on the continent, digital B2B startups are starting to play a significant role in modernising Moroccos traditional retail sector. Similarly, the pandemic also prompted South African retailers to leverage technology to drive sales and better engage with customers, seeing a significant rise in online grocery and clothing purchases in 2020. More growth expected Industry experts forecast that this growth is expected to gain momentum, reaching growth figures as high as 100% year-on-year over the next few years. Omnichannel retailers in South Africa are experiencing exceptionally high growth, although their online gains have been partly offset by declines in foot traffic in their brick-and-mortar stores. Shopping habits also seem to be changing in Kenya, with a growing number of consumers moving from informal to formal retail. Covid-19 also contributed significantly to the countrys e-commerce growth, but logistical costs remain a challenge, especially for the transporting and delivering of goods. Despite this, numerous e-tailers are seeing a steady uptake of online shopping in the country. At the same time, Kenya is paving the way on the continent with digital payments, with fewer people using cash as a means of payment compared to markets like South Africa and Nigeria. In light of these trends, African retail has reached a critical moment and presents an opportunity to meet customers shifting behaviours and preferences to gain longer-term customer loyalty. Retailers that dont prioritise the customer experience risk losing out in this new market. Victoria's Secret & Co. (VS&Co) has completed its acquisition of Adore Me , a US-based digitally-native intimates brand and retailer. Source: Adore Me Victorias Secret said in a statement that the acquisition creates meaningful sales and profit upside opportunities for VS&Co, including the opportunity to leverage Adore Mes expertise and technology to continue to improve the Victorias Secret and Pink customer shopping experience and accelerate the modernisation of VS&Cos digital platform. Adore Me is expected to serve as a long-term growth vehicle for VS&Co, generating an estimated $250m of profitable sales in the startup's most recently completed fiscal year 2022. "Better together, VS&Co and Adore Me will continue leading the global intimates category forward in a more inclusive, tech-forward, and sustainable way," VS&Co said. Founded in 2011 as an online lingerie startup, Adore Me has evolved into a direct-to-consumer lingerie and apparel brand and omnichannel retailer serving women of all sizes. Adore Me serves more than 1.2 million active customers and is powered by a proprietary technology platform with differentiated customer experiences including 'Home Try-On' and monthly subscription options. The startup is also working to push the intimates category forward in a more environmentally-conscious way, becoming the first Certified B Corporation intimate apparel brand in the US. Pivot towards growth and modernisation Martin Waters, CEO at VS&Co, stated, From the beginning, we evaluated Adore Me as a two-for-one opportunity a technology-led, digital-first innovator in the intimates category and a highly efficient, growing and profitable standalone business model. I am thrilled with the swift completion of the acquisition and excited to welcome the entire Adore Me team into the VS&Co family. Waters continued, In Adore Me, we have acquired a business and a team that will help us deliver improved, elevated and differentiated experiences for Victorias Secret and Pink customers. This acquisition will be a significant accelerant as we pivot toward growth and modernise the foundation of our company with technology at the forefront of everything we do. From a financial point of view, we firmly believe the standalone Adore Me business can continue their industry-leading sales growth at operating margin rates that are similar or accretive to the VS&Co operating model. We view this acquisition as a win-win opportunity to drive long-term, sustainable shareholder value. The Covid-19 pandemic forced organisations to shift their focus to digital and e-commerce environments. Those that already had a digital presence and e-commerce capabilities have had an advantage over those laggards struggling to play catch up. Supporting the growth of e-commerce are new market entrants and solutions which are actively shaping the digital payments space. South Africas payment ecosystem has adopted the current real-time gross settlement (RTGS) system, which both reforms and modernises domestic and regional payment settlement services. According to the South African Reserve Bank, the new global messaging system facilitates wider access to the payment system, improves payment efficiencies by leveraging new technology and provides better security against cyber threats. Reserve Bank Governor, Lesetja Kganyago says the migration to the new system paves the way for faster payments through the introduction of the Rapid Payments Programme which is due to be launched in 2023. There is no question that the ongoing modernisation and developments in digital payment technologies are disrupting the sector. Customer have become increasingly comfortable with making digital payments which is helping to fuel the growth of e-commerce, says Arunabh Madhur, regional vice president and head of business for EMEA at ShareIt, a file and app sharing, gaming and content streaming platform which aims to democratise digital content. The ShareIt app the airdrop of the Android system currently has 40 million active users in sub-Saharan and South Africa. It allows users to share games, content and files with family and friends via peer-to-peer sharing without the need for internet or mobile data. In emerging markets, content discovery begins with referrals from friends and family. ShareIt country director for South Africa, Chanel Hardman, explains that ShareIt helps to facilitate this by making sharing easy, seamless, unlimited and without constraints. In South Africa, the rise of app-sharing was initially driven by limited internet availability and high data costs. Even when internet availability is not a constraint, the rapid speed at which users on the ShareIt platform can share content, files and games ensures the platform is a compelling proposition. South Africas tech-savvy youth population are installing more apps than ever before. In the past year, it is estimated that app installations, primarily from financial services providers, online retailers, food delivery services and gaming, increased by more than 40%. Most content and app sharing occurs via smartphones. It is estimated that South Africa has more than 53 million smartphones. The challenge however, is that the majority of these smartphones are entry level devices with limited storing capacity. In these instances, content sharing between friends and family becomes ever more prevalent. The big appeal of ShareIt for users is that they dont incur any data costs when utilising the platform. E-commerce brands in the region are using ShareIts advertising solutions which allows them to create interactions with users, product views, cart views and check-outs on purchases made. One of the fastest growing ad-supported digital media channels is retail media. Retail-owned digital platforms that sells ad space to marketers. A mix of first party data from purchases enhance a marketers targeting capabilities on programmatic platforms. South Africa is starting to see the rise of retail media opportunities and the power of their targeting capabilities. 1st party data is key to this success but the piece of the puzzle the is missing is the creative. Now partners like Cavai are leading the way with conversational shoppable ads that enhance the users decision making process. says James Edwards, CEO of PerformDM. Brands wishing to reach mobile users need to stay visible and top of mind by offering additional value or rewards to consumers. Those brands that make offers which are aligned with consumer expectations will successfully capture the attention of consumers. In an increasingly distracted world, thats a significant achievement. says Hardman. ShareIt has helped a number of brands in a diverse range of sectors including banking, finance, retail, e-commerce and delivery services to better reach their customers. Learn the basics of HTML and CSS The first step to launching a successful web design career is learning the fundamentals of HTML and CSS. HTML is the foundation of any website, and it is used to structure content and add images, links, and other features. CSS, on the other hand, is used to style the page, by adding background colours, fonts, font sizes, and more. To get started with HTML and CSS, begin by learning the syntax and core elements. You can find plenty of tutorials online to help you get up and running quickly. Additionally, there are some great tools like CodePen and JSFiddle that allow you to play around with code and instantly see the results in a browser window. If you plan on launching a web design company, it may be beneficial to get an even deeper understanding of coding. Get familiar with graphic design principles Graphic design is an essential component of web design. Before you start designing websites, its important to understand the fundamentals of graphic design. Graphic design principles are the building blocks of all visual communication. These principles can be used to create compositions that are pleasing to the eye and communicate ideas effectively. Some of the most important graphic design principles include contrast, balance, unity, hierarchy, repetition, and proximity. Understanding and applying these principles in your designs will ensure they have visual impact and engage viewers. By understanding and applying these basic graphic design principles, youll be able to create effective designs for your web projects. Understand User Experience and Interaction Design User experience and interaction design are essential components of a successful web design career. User experience (UX) is the process of making a website enjoyable, useful, and easy to navigate for users. It involves understanding user needs, goals, and behaviours, and applying them to the design. Interaction design focuses on how users interact with the website, from page navigation to menus and forms. To become an effective web designer, its important to understand both UX and interaction design. You can learn about UX by studying user research methods, usability testing, and information architecture. Similarly, you can learn more about interaction design by studying principles like user flows and interface elements. Its also important to be familiar with user interface (UI) trends and best practices. UI design covers how users interact with the visual elements of the website, such as buttons, colours, fonts, images, and layouts. Understanding these concepts will help you create a more intuitive and engaging web experience. Finally, stay up-to-date with the latest UX and UI trends. This includes reading industry blogs, attending web design conferences, and joining online communities where you can discuss web design with other professionals. With practice and dedication, you can become an expert in UX and interaction design. 2022 brought us a myriad of excellent films to watch, but there were 10 that stood out. Image supplied The Fabelmans Nostalgia and the tender reminiscences of childhood dreams have never been as brittle as in Steven Spielbergs The Fabelmans, a masterful cinematic memory of the forces, and family, that shaped the filmmakers life and career. An exploration of love, artistic ambition, sacrifice, and the moments of discovery that allow us to see the truth about ourselves, and our parents, with clarity and compassion. Spielberg gives us another kind of fable about kids in mid-century America struggling to find their place in the world, a coming-of-age saga drawn from his childhood that tells the origin story of his filmmaking life. The Fabelmans is unquestionably a portrait of Spielberg, the artist, as a young man, and an attempt to thoughtfully memorialize his parents, with gratitude for their virtues and forgiveness for their frailties and the same humanistic grace that marks all his films. Yet while every scene is grounded in some event from his childhood, the story is steeped in Spielberg and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushners respective backgrounds and shared intellectual interests and moral concerns All Quiet on the Western Front With All Quiet on the Western Front, German director Edward Berger has adapted the famous 1929 novel of the same name by German solider and journalist Erich Maria Remarque, bringing to the screen the harrowing experiences of the German army fighting on the frontlines in World War I. It tells the story of a time period when mankind was getting to know the kind of destruction it was capable of doing. It tells the story of the infamous Armistice of Compiegne, where the Germans surrendered (unofficially) to the French in the year 1918. But All Quiet on the Western Front is not about war. It is not about patriotism. It is about the realization that a soldier goes through while he stands on the frontline and faces the bullets of the enemy forces. Blonde Blonde boldly reimagines the life of one of Hollywoods most enduring icons, Marilyn Monroe, exploring the split between her public and private selves. Written and directed by Andrew Dominik, Ana de Armas delivers a chilling, powerhouse performance Dominik invades Monroes Psyche through de Armas performance. I saw a story to tell about how a traumatic childhood origin becomes the lens through which the adult sees their life, says Dominik. It tells the story of how childhood trauma shapes an adult whos split between a public and a private self. Its basically the story of every human being. My Policeman Adapted from Bethan Roberts 2012 novel, which was inspired by the real-life 40-year affair between author E.M. Forster and policeman Bob Buckingham, My Policeman is directed by Michael Grandage from a screenplay crafted by Ron Nyswaner. A visually transporting, heart-stopping portrait of three people caught up in the shifting tides of history, liberty, and forgiveness, this masterfully crafted story of forbidden love and changing social conventions follows three young peoplepoliceman Tom (Harry Styles), teacher Marion (Emma Corrin), and museum curator Patrick (David Dawson)as they embark on an emotional journey, finding themselves entangled in a love triangle, as Patrick and Toms secret love affair clashes with the closeted policemans commitment to Marion. Good Luck To You, Leo Grande In Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, Nancy Stokes, a retired school teacher and widow (Emma Thompson), is yearning for some adventure, some human connection, and some sex. Good sex. Whilst her husband Robert provided a home, a family, and something resembling a life, good sex was never on offer. But hes gone now, and Nancy has a plan: she will find adventure with a sex worker named Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack). In an anonymous hotel room, Nancy greets Leo. He looks every bit as good as his picture, but what Nancy wasnt expecting was conversation as well as fornication. Director Sophie Hyde spent a lot of time working with writer Katy Brand on the script of Good Luck To You, Leo Grande before it approached a final draft, giving the thoughtfulness and care needed to balance a story with powerful themes relating to human intimacy. Triangle of Sadness Swedish writer-director Ruben Ostlunds Triangle of Sadness is an uninhibited satire where roles and class are inverted and the tawdry economic value of beauty is unveiled. In the film, models Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean) are navigating the world of fashion while exploring the boundaries of their relationship. The couple is invited for a luxury cruise with a rogues gallery of super-rich passengers, a Russian oligarch, British arms dealers and an idiosyncratic, alcoholic, Marx-quoting captain. At first, all appears Instagrammable. But a storm is brewing, and heavy seasickness hits the passengers during the seven-course captains dinner. The cruise ends catastrophically. Belfast Belfast is a movie straight from writer-director Kenneth Branaghs own experience. A humorous, tender and intensely personal story of one boys childhood during the tumult of the late 1960s in the city of Branaghs birth. There is a certain spirit and a vitality in Belfast that I hope is reflected in the film, along with a very life-affirming humour. I hope people feel the joy and sometimes the sorrows of the city and what happens to the family and that they both recognise it and sympathise with it and understand, by looking at the reflections of other lives, to feel that we are not alone. If thats what people get from the film, I would be thrilled, Branagh said. Cmon Cmon When writer-director Mike Mills had a child in 2014 it was, for him, an instantly disorienting, then slowly revealing, transition. Mills knew he wanted to explore what was happening. But, in his typical way, his screenplay for Cmon Cmon became a kind of cinematic auto-fiction: a candid, highly subjective self-accounting, one that takes place inside an imagined family and pulls from myriad influences around himthe movies, music, books, and people that inspire him, as well as the rhythms and textures of the culture we all live in right now. The film is an ode to the relationship between adults and children. Its the story of a middle-aged man learning how to take care of a kid for the first time, set against a panorama of twenty-first-century American cities and issues. Its a story of an adult learning how to treat a childs needs, worries, and joys with full respect; learning that they are different but not less than adults. The Menu In satirical thriller The Menu, a couple, Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult), travel to a coastal island in the Pacific Northwest to eat at an exclusive restaurant, Hawthorn, where the reclusive, globally celebrated Chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish tasting menu for select special guests. The evening unfolds with increasing tension at each of the guest tables as secrets are revealed and unexpected courses are served. With wild and violent events occurring, Slowiks motivation begins to rattle the diners as it becomes increasingly apparent that his elaborate menu is designed to catalyze a shocking finale. We wanted to be really careful in skewering the industry and walked this tightrope, poking at it while remaining deeply respectful of the artform and the humans who are involved, says director Mark Mylod, who is also well-known as a television director for Emmy Award-winning series like Game of Thrones. Redeeming Love Retelling the biblical story of Hosea, Redeeming Love centres on the unlikely relationship of Sarah, who becomes known as Angel (Abigail Cowen), and Michael Hosea (Tom Lewis). Sold into prostitution as a child, the now 18-year-old is a beautiful and in-demand woman in a rough-and-tumble prospecting town in California. Michael, on the other hand, is a farmer and man of faith. Through their relationship, Angel discovers there is no brokenness that love cant heal. D.J. Caruso revised it and stays true to Francine Rivers portrait of pain, unconditional love, failure, forgiveness and, ultimately, the power of God to heal. Read more about the Top Films of 2022 here. Airmen conduct parachuting training China Military Online) 11:12, January 05, 2023 Airmen assigned to an airborne brigade of the PLA Air Force queue up for boarding during a parachuting training exercise in late December, 2022. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Ma Pengfei) Airmen assigned to an airborne brigade of the PLA Air Force queue up for boarding during a parachuting training exercise in late December, 2022. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Ma Pengfei) Airmen assigned to an airborne brigade of the PLA Air Force jump out of the aircraft during a parachuting training exercise in late December, 2022. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Ma Pengfei) Airmen assigned to an airborne brigade of the PLA Air Force descend to the drop zone with their parachutes during a parachuting training exercise in late December, 2022. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Ma Pengfei) Airmen assigned to an airborne brigade of the PLA Air Force descend to the drop zone with their parachutes during a parachuting training exercise in late December, 2022. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Ma Pengfei) (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) Flashback 2018: Facebook Is Designed to Exploit the Brain Via: Study Finds: Heres one more reason to limit the amount of time your child is spending in front of a screen. Social media could be reprogramming childrens brains and making them hooked on likes, a new study out of the University of North Carolina reveals. Apps such as Instagram or Snapchat could be making teenagers almost constantly checking their phones to see if they have positive or negative reactions to their online posts, experts say. The more young people check social media, the more sensitive they become to social feedback in the form of likes and comments, psychologists said. Social feedback includes social rewards and punishments such as thumbs up and down, tagging, reporting content or star ratings. This increasing anticipation and sensitivity to receiving these kind of responses makes it hard for adolescents to fight the urge to check their accounts, according to researchers. Related Articles: Thursday, December 29, 2022 - Courts Wont Stop The Feds From Deputizing Big Tech The First Amendment, as currently interpreted, lacks the strength to stop the censorship and other Stasi-esque goals of the deep state. Monday, December 26, 2022 - Latest Twitter Files Shows CIA, FBI Have Spent Years Meddling in Content Moderation The CIA has been meddling in Twitters internal content moderation for years, according to the latest dispatches from Elon Musks Twitter Files which also revealed mountains of insistent moderation demands from the Democratic National Committee, but not from the GOP. Friday, December 23, 2022 - TikTok spied on US journalists and other US users, monitored their location ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of popular social media app TikTok, has admitted that some of its employees used the app to improperly obtain the Internet Protocol (IP) address of two United States (US) journalists and used this data to monitor their physical location. The FBI has issued a statement in response to the Elon Musk's release of THE TWITTER FILES, which boils down to 'Of course we've embedded ourselves in social media companies, and anyone who has a problem with it is a conspiracy theorist trying to tarnish our stellar reputation.' 70 Years of German Compensation Law - Germanys Responsibility for Victims of WWII and the Holocaust Thursday, January 26, 2023 12 - 1:30 pm Eastern Time (US) Zoom Webinar VIEW RECORDING About the Event On September 15th, 2022, the German government commemorated 70 years of compensation law for victims of WWII and the Holocaust. It began in December 1951, when then German Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer made a now-famous speech about the moral obligation of the young republic towards crime committed in the name of the German People. This declaration in parliament paved the way for complicated negotiations between the Federal Republic of Germany, the State of Israel, and the Jewish Claims Conference. These negotiations led to the Luxembourg Agreement of December 10th 1952, and the German Federal Compensation Law (BEG). The legislation would be the first of many initiatives taken over the course of the following years. The reunification of Germany in 1990, and the fall of the Soviet Empire brought with it the need to address unresolved compensation issues both with Jewish Holocaust Victims and other groups. The creation of the Remembrance, Past and Future Fund for victims of forced labor, and the enactment of the amendment to the Federal Social Security law (ZRBG) - the so-called Ghetto pension law, are among more recent steps in the history of German Compensation. Join legal expert Avi Weber for an overview of these developments, a reflection on what has been done, but also a critical look towards the German governments continuing and future obligations. In the news: The Fight for Rights of Holocaust SurvivorsTransforming a Breach of Basic International Humanitarian Law Rights into Individual Compensations Programs About the Speaker Dr. iur. Avraham Weber, LL..M, is a lawyer at Weber & Co. specializing in German and European law. Since 2008 he is the consultant to the Ministry for Social Equality chartered by the Israeli government to negotiate with foreign governments for restitution of property and Jewish rights. He holds a double Masters degree in Law, and obtained his PhD at Justus Liebig University Giessen in 2015. He is an adjunct Lecturer at Reichamm University, Israel, Philipps Marburg University, Germany, and a visiting scholar of CUNY Brooklyn college. As of 2005 Dr.Weber is a board member of the Israeli German chamber of commerce (IHK) and as of 2010 a member founder of the Czech Israeli chamber of commerce. In 2012 he was appointed by the Tel Aviv Bar association to chair the Czech-Tel Aviv lawyers friendship association. As of August 2020 he is a member of the board of the EVZ fund (Erinnerung, Verantwortung, Zukunft - Remembrance, Responsibility, and Future). Travellers arriving in Melbourne from Hong Kong under the Australian governments new requirement of proof of a negative COVID-19 test have reported a smooth process, but some questioned whether the new rules were needed. Cathay Pacific flight CX105 landed at Tullamarine at 1.34pm on Thursday after departing Hong Kong the night before, and was among the first flights to arrive after the new rules came into force at 12.01am local time. Louis Wong and wife Winnie So-Wong at Melbourne Airport on Thursday. Credit: Eamon Gallagher Louis Wong, who returned from Hong Kong after holidaying in his home city for the first time in three years, said pre-flight testing requirement was a stupid idea. Wong, a 73-year-old retiree who lives with wife Winnie So-Wong in Melbournes north-east, said Australia already had high numbers of COVID-19 cases and less stringent public health measures than Hong Kong. Peshawar/Lahore: Markets in major Pakistani cities have spurned a new government directive to shut early under an energy conservation drive, in a blow to the cash-strapped countrys plans to curtail energy imports amidst an economic crisis. The government a day earlier ordered all malls markets and restaurants to close by 8.30pm to save fuel, whose imports have drained the countrys foreign reserves leaving them at a level that barely covers a months worth of imported goods. People visit a market in Lahore, Pakistan, where shopping for basic daily needs is largely done at night. Credit: AP In the nations largest cities of Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar, almost all major markets and shopping centres remained open beyond the cut-off time on Wednesday. We outright reject this plan, Mohammad Ishaq, president of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a traders association in the north-western city of Peshawar, said adding that businesses that already faced security issues and energy shortages, would resist attempts to enforce it. Bankwest has announced that it will provide emergency assistance for customers affected by flooding in the Kimberley region. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted, and we appreciate the emergency services personnel and volunteers who are working tirelessly to support the community, the bank said. Bankwest understands that each customer will have unique needs and support requirements, and our financial assistance team is ready to help, with special arrangement options available. Bankwests emergency assistance options include: personalised solutions for those with a loan, like changing the repayment arrangements restructuring a business loan without having to worry about the usual bank establishment fees reviewing credit card payments for those with good standing, including requests for emergency limit increases (subject to credit approval) waiving pre-payment penalties over the next month for those who would like to access term deposits waiving other selected fees and charges Were ready to help customers with any special arrangements and encourage them to contact us as soon as possible so we can provide the right support for their individual needs, Bankwest said. Bankwest customers who have queries or need assistance are encouraged to visit their nearest branch when its safe to do so. They can also call 1300 769 173 to discuss personalised solutions for their credit card or loan products, or 13 17 19 if they need help with term deposits or other products or services. Small business customers can call 13 70 00 and relationship managed business customers can get in touch with their relationship manager for support. For merchant banking queries, call 1800 230 177. Got something to say about this story? Let us know in the comments below. The report said only a handful of carmakers such as Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and MG motor are likely to escape the penalties prescribed under Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) II norms. Major carmakers in India face the risk of paying cumulative penalties between Rs 3,600 crore and Rs 5,800 crore for failing to meet the government-prescribed fuel economy standards by April this year, according to a report in The Economic Times. The Energy Conservation Bill, passed by Parliament last month, suggests imposing a fine of Rs 25,000 per unit if a carmakers fleet CO2 emission surpasses the targeted CAFE score by 0-4.7 gram per km. If this score exceeds by more than 4.7 gram per km, the fine imposed rises to Rs 50,000. Under CAFE, penalties will be imposed on a manufacturers entire fleet. Experts say most carmakers are likely to exceed the targeted score. The weight of a car is directly proportional to its CO2 emission. CAFE scores are designed to encourage carmakers to focus on technologies that reduce CO2 emissions. This can be done by either increasing the sale of electric and hybrid vehicles or by using regenerative braking, start-stop system, tyre pressure monitoring system, and six or more speed transmissions. Also Read Maruti Suzuki Q1 preview: PAT may soar up to 300% YoY on low base Maruti Suzuki Q2 profit may surge up to 355% YoY on higher sales volume TMS Ep274: India's exports, Maruti, hospital stocks, real driving emissions What are real driving emissions? Suzuki Motor Corp's India arms gear up for long electrified journey Indian startups take 5 yrs to scale from zero to $100 mn revenue: Report Godrej Properties sells over 1 mn sq ft for Rs 435 cr at Ahmedabad project Covid wave in China has Indian electronics cos worried about parts shortage Mukesh Ambani to focus on green energy as scions helm other Reliance units CBI chargesheets CG Power, ex-promoter Thapar in Rs 2,435-cr fraud case A convicted felon from Bristol was sentenced Wednesday to more than six years in federal prison for illegally possessing firearms, the U.S. Attorneys office said. Alexander Patterson, 34, appeared in court in Hartford on Wednesday and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams to 77 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, according to federal authorities. Court records show that on Aug. 9, 2021, law enforcement officers searched the home of Tyrone Brown on Stevens Street in New Haven and seized a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Brown was a convicted felon and was not allowed to have a weapon so he was placed under arrest. The firearm Brown had was registered to a family member of Leah Boucher of Bristol. Investigators found that Boucher had purchased 10 other firearms at four different gun stores across the state between March and July 2021, according to court records. Boucher was interviewed by investigators on Aug. 26, 2021, and admitted to buying guns for other people that were registered with her. She said she was no longer in possession of any of the 10 firearms, according to federal authorities. A search of Bouchers iPhone revealed photos of Patterson and Brown that were taken in July 2021. In some photos, Patterson is holding handguns, including the one found at Browns house and another that investigators determined was registered to Bouchers family member, federal authorities said. In September 2021, law enforcement recovered one of the 10 firearms Boucher purchased from another felon, but the other nine have not been found. Patterson has a criminal history that includes felony convictions in Connecticut and Georgia for firearm, narcotic, home invasion and assault offenses, the U.S. Attorneys office said Wednesday. He was on probation in Georgia and on parole in Connecticut at the time of the offenses. According to federal law, it is illegal for convicted felons to possess firearms. Patterson pleaded guilty on May 24, 2022, to unlawful possession of firearms of a felon and has been detained since his arrest on Jan. 12, 2022, federal authorities said. Brown and Boucher pleaded guilty to related charges. Brown was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment on Aug. 3, 2022, and Boucher was sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment on Aug. 10, 2022. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Haven Police Department. This will be the second fund, according to InCred group founder Bhupinder Singh. Some prominent Asian SWFs include Singapore based Temasek and GIC, and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). The first fund looking at special opportunities will have a corpus of Rs 500-750 crore. The second fund would be large, he said, spelling out business plans in interaction after a media briefing for the public debt offering of group lending arm InCred Financial Services Ltd (IFSL). InCred Financial Services is looking to scale up its alternate investment fund business by raising about Rs 10,000 crore for corporate and special situation investments. In the first phase, it is focussing on high net-worth and ultra-high net-worth families in India. Subsequently, it will look to raise money from institutional investors, including Sovereign Wealth Funds.This will be the second fund, according to InCred group founder Bhupinder Singh. Some prominent Asian SWFs include Singapore based Temasek and GIC, and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). Non-banking finance IFSL, erstwhile KKR India Financial Services, is raising upto Rs 350 crore through the public issue of Secured, Redeemable Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs). The base issue size is Rs 175 crore with an option to retain oversubscription up to Rs 175 crore. The NCDs offer Coupon Rate ranging from 9.45 per cent to 10.0 per annum with quarterly and annual interest option. The NCDs have two tenors of 27 months and 39 months. The group would not carry out wholesale finance through a non-banking finance company (NBFC), only retail lending would be done through NBFC, he added. NBFC with 0.3 million customers has Rs 5,052 crore of assets under management at the end of September 2022. It provides educational loans, personal loans and secured and unsecured credit to small businesses. At least 75 per cent of the funds raised through this Issue will be used for the purpose of onward lending, financing, and for repayment of interest and principal of existing borrowings. The balance is proposed to be utilized for general corporate purposes. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Microsoft on Thursday announced a collaboration to fuel the growth of space technology startups in the country. Through this tie-up, the space tech startups identified by ISRO will be on-boarded onto the aMicrosoft for Startups Founders Hub' platform, that supports startups at every stage of their journey-from idea to unicorn. "ISRO's collaboration with Microsoft will greatly benefit space tech startups in their analysis and processing of vast amounts of satellite data for various applications, using cutting-edge methods like AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning," said S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO. Through 'Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub', space-tech startup founders in India will have free access to the tech tools, and resources they need to build and run their business. This includes technical support to build and scale on Azure, best-in-class developer and productivity tools including GitHub Enterprise, Visual Studio Enterprise and Microsoft 365 and access to smart analytics with Power BI and Dynamics 365. "Through our technology tools, platforms and mentorship opportunities, we are deeply committed to empowering space tech startups in the country to drive cutting edge innovation and accelerate scientific discovery," said Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India. Also Read R Madhavan's Rocketry: The Nambi Effect streams on Amazon Prime Video now Landmark day for India's space programme: Amit Shah on launch of OneWeb 'It is teamwork', says VSSC director after Mark 3 satellite launch World seeing India as inspirational place in space sector: ISRO chief Exemplifies Atmanirbharta: PM Modi congratulates Isro on launch of OneWeb Indian employees likely to be impacted as Amazon says will cut 18,000 jobs Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel launch 5G services in Bhubaneswar Godrej Consumer Products sees Q3 sales rise on personal, home care demand Carmakers may end up paying penalties for missing emissions targets: Report Indian startups take 5 yrs to scale from zero to $100 mn revenue: Report Microsoft will also provide mentoring support to space tech entrepreneurs in areas ranging from space engineering to cloud technologies, product and design, fundraising and sales and marketing. In addition, founders will have access to Microsoft Learn for tailored startup centric training content and programmes to help them build connections with the industry and potential customers, said the tech giant. Microsoft and ISRO will also jointly organise knowledge sharing and thought leadership sessions for the startups with space industry experts. The government has opened up the space sector for private players. The country has more than 100 active startups in the spacetech sector. --IANS na/ksk/ Digital services company Jio Platforms on Thursday said it has signed an agreement with SOA University to set up a 5G lab in Bhubaneswar. The proposed lab will help in meeting the growing requirements of research and training in the latest 5G standards, including 5G standalone (SA), Jio Platforms said in a statement. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) also includes facilitation for the development of use-cases on the 5G platform as well as other associated technology domains such as Beyond 5G (B5G) and optical fiber, it added. Jio Platforms is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). Pharma company Pfizer has announced a 12-week paternity leave policy for its employees, the company said in a statement on Thursday. The move has been taken as part of the company's diversity and inclusion initiatives. According to the statement, the new leave policy is applicable from January 1, 2023. It can be availed by biological as well as adoptive fathers. Sharing her views on the new paternity policy, Shilpi Singh, Director People Experience, Pfizer India said, We believe the future of a progressive workspace will be defined by practices that harness a people-first approach. The 12-week paternity leave policy will most certainly enable our male colleagues and their partners to cherish the experience and joyful moments of parenthood. A progressive policy of this nature is our endeavour to harness the power of equity at the workplace and enable both men and women to invest equal time in essaying their roles and responsibilities as a parent." The policy gives both biological and adoptive fathers the option to take leaves over a period of two-year in a maximum of four tranches. A single tranche of leaves may be taken for a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of six weeks. The employee will also be permitted to take additional leaves as permitted by the company's leave policy, which includes casual leave, elective holidays, and wellness days, in the event of any complication, the company has over 5,500 employees said. The UK India Business Council has asked the Indian High Commissioner to help speed up the conversion of Vodafone Ideas accumulated interest on the deferred adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues into equity, the 'Economic Times' reported. The council said that there has been a delay in conversion by Indias Department of Telecommunications (DoT) despite a written clearance from the finance ministry and support from the Prime Ministers Office. Vikram K Doraiswami, the high commissioner, has sought guidance from Indias finance ministry about the councils letter that said that the issue may gather momentum in the upcoming months. It claimed that DoT decision-makers are verbally communicating to Vodafone and its promoters that they require pre-conditions for equity conversionsa condition not included in the Indian cabinet's decision, according to the newspaper. The trade group wrote that the delay has hindered the cash-strapped telco from raising funds. It warned of "negative implications" on India's investment climate if the issue is not resolved as directed by the Cabinet. Also Read SC asks Centre to check practice of forceful religious conversion Vodafone Idea's fundraising put on hold as govt delays equity call Banks unwilling to extend new credit to Voda Idea without promoter funding Vodafone Idea zooms 9% on heavy volumes, hits highest level since May MP local body polls: Contemplation call for BJP as Cong gains vital thrust India-built public goods infra globally applicable: Satya Nadella Paid most of $1 bn tax for PhonePe shifting base to India, confirms Walmart India's tech spend becoming normalised with developing world: Satya Nadella We want to push India's $1 trillion digital economy dream: Satya Nadella Satya Nadella checks right boxes talking about G20, Make in India and AI There has been a 74 per cent reduction in insurgency-related violence, 60 per cent reduction in attacks on security forces and 89 per cent decrease in civilian deaths in the Northeast, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Thursday. Addressing a press conference here, the Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) said about 8,000 youths, who were involved with insurgent groups, have surrendered and have joined the mainstream, welcoming a better future for themselves and their families. "There has been a 74 per cent reduction in insurgency incidents, 60 per cent reduction in incidents of attacks on security forces and 89 per cent reduction in civilian deaths in the Northeast," he said. Reddy said the development of the Northeast has been made a major priority by the central government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the region more than 50 times in last eight years and 74 ministers have also visited the region over 400 times. "The Northeast was previously known for unrest, bombings, bandhs etc but in the last eight years, peace has been established under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi," he said. Further, the minister said, peace agreements were signed with insurgent outfits like the National Liberation Front of Tripura in 2019, the groups belonging to the Bru community and Bodos in 2020 and with groups of the Karbi community in 2021. Also Read Insurgency reduced drastically in northeast in last few yrs: Tripura CM 2022 saw end of tribal insurgency in Assam: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Nagaland announces cash incentives for medal winners in Northeast Olympics Rhino poaching bid in Kaziranga foiled, 4 arrested in Assam's Biswanath Insurgency down in NE, law and order improved significantly: Rajnath Singh Over 11,000 offenders, bail jumpers arrested in 2022: Haryana Police G20 Presidency: India to focus on health emergency prevention, preparedness Despite Ayodhya endorsement, Rahul's yatra still has a ways to go 'Unprofessional': Aviation regulator slams Air India for urination incident Data privacy rising exponentially as a job creator, says Tsaaro report He said the Assam-Meghalaya and Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border disputes have almost been resolved and with the restoration of peace, the Northeastern region has moved on the path of development. On development issues, Reddy said since 2014, massive increase in the budgetary allocations has been witnessed to the region. Since 2014, more than Rs 4 lakh crore has been allocated for the region. The actual expenditure in last four years under Ministry of DONER schemes was Rs 7,534.46 crore whereas, the fund available for expenditure in next four years till 2025-26 is Rs 19,482.20 crore, he added. Climate change has adversely affected rain patterns, leaving scanty and erratic showers that negatively impact its harvesting, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Thursday. Speaking at the 1st All India Annual States' Ministers Conference on 'Water Vision24/7' here, Shekhawat also said rapid urbanisation, increased demand and water pollution had reduced per capita availability of water from 5000 cm to 1500 cm, which would further reduce to 1200cm by 2047. "Climate change has changed rainfall patterns with scanty and erratic showers, which has and continues to negatively impact this harvestable component. By 2047, our requirement is likely to surpass availability of water and this is the reason why Prime Minister Narendra Modi insisted this conference should be held with all states to chalk out a roadmap to ensure preparedness and contingency planning," the minister said. "India's water availability of 4,000 BCM (billion cubic meters) through rain, glaciers or international basins. Out of this, the total harvestable component, that is usable part, is less than half. Our country is fast moving towards becoming a developed country and, therefore, it becomes important to start planning and working towards ensuring water availability for the future," he added. Asserting that India's economy had grown despite the COVID-19 pandemic and was poised to be the third largest by 2027, the minister said there was need for all states to individually and collectively work to ensure water availability. "There is a direct correlation between economic growth and the consumption of electricity and water. The PM has given a clear roadmap for becoming a USD 3 to 5 trillion economy and further to USD 10 trillion. Therefore, there is need to discuss water requirements and its availability at a macro level through such conferences," Shekhawat said. Also Read 70 million piped water connection in three years, milestone achieved: PM PM Modi to address 'Har Ghar Jal Utsav' in Goa virtually today at 10.30 AM PM Modi virtually chairs National Ganga Council meeting in Kolkata Jal Jeevan Mission makes significant strides in 3 years since inception Goa becomes first state to be 'Har Ghar Jal' certified, says PM Modi At 3 degrees Celsius, Delhi logs January's lowest temperature in two years India to send aquanauts 500 mtrs under sea this year in Samudrayaan Number of researchers low, states should bolster R&D: Science adviser Four eclipse events this year, two would be visible in India: Astro expert Isro planning second development SSLV flight next month: Officials He said the prime minister had given him the opportunity in 2019 to work in a unified Jal Shakti ministry that has been able to measure water resources in a better manner along with states and also increase awareness. "Just like food is being calculated now based on its nutritious value and not just weight, similarly water requirements need to be measured in a more holistic manner. We also need to deal with challenges, including increasing storage capacity through small facilities on the lines of 'amrit sarovars' as envisioned by the PM," he said. The 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan' launched by the Prime Minister, which brought together various organizations, panchayats, NGOs, celebrities etc, has started showing good results as can be seen from the ground water report, he said. The programme has led to a reduction in the over-exploited, critical and semi critical number of blocks, while safe blocks have increased, though more work needs to be done in this field with a focused approach, Shekhawat added. The Union minister said work is required to alleviate reduction in storage capacity of dams and reservoirs due to silting, adding it was everyone's responsibility to save rivers, conserve wetlands, protect catchment areas and reduce degradation. Contamination of water resources need to be stopped and, in the coming two days, these issues will be discussed to learn from best practices of each states, the minister said. "We need to continuously keep meeting to holistically discuss these important issues and reach solutions together and ensure water does not become a hindrance to the nation's progress and development," Shekhawat asserted. A release said the objective of the conference is to deliberate on 'Water Vision for India' for the next 25 years as part of the larger plan of India@2047 as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The conference aims to bring together key policymakers for debating and deliberating on ways to optimally utilise water resources for holistic economic and human development in a sustainable manner, the release added. The Union Jal Shakti Ministry is organising the national level conference on water in Bhopal on Thursday and Friday. Earlier, in his virtual address, PM Modi underlined the importance of people's participation in water conservation and said attempts by governments' alone cannot be successful. When the public is associated with a campaign, they also get to know the seriousness of the work. Due to this, a sense of ownership also comes in the public towards any scheme or campaign, Modi said. State Rep. Quentin Q Williams was killed in a wrong-way car crash early Thursday after leaving the governors inaugural ball. The initial investigation showed that an Infiniti Q60 driven by Williams was traveling southbound on Route 9 near the Exit 18 on-ramp in Cromwell after 12:30 a.m. Thursday when a wrong-way driver in a Toyota Corolla struck the vehicle head-on. Williams vehicle was fully engulfed in flames, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Connecticut State Police. The driver of the Toyota, who was also pronounced deceased at the scene, was identified by state police as Kimede Mustafaj, a 27-year-old woman from Manchester. Williams, a 39-year-old Democrat starting his third term serving Middletown, was sworn into office Wednesday and had been recently named House chairman of the Labor and Public Employees Committee. Legislators and staff members were stunned to hear the news Thursday morning as word spread quickly. The state Capitol and the adjacent Legislative Office Building have been closed to the general publicm and all committee meetings have been canceled as lawmakers and others throughout the state mourn the young legislator. Williams attended the ball on Wednesday night and was seen chatting with colleagues in the lobby area of The Bushnell theatre in Hartford before Gov. Ned Lamont entered the ball with his wife, Annie. Williams was standing in the lobby at about 8 p.m. with Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin and the states constitutional officers with his trademark huge smile on his face. Bronin tweeted a photo of himself with Williams, saying, Last night, Q Williams was so full of energy, joy, and passion for his new role and the work ahead. Heartbroken by the news this morning. A rising star in the House Democratic caucus, Williams had recently been given increased responsibilities by House Speaker Matt Ritter as the new co-chairman of the labor committee. Ritter had previously appointed him as co-chairman of the housing committee. State Rep. Quentin Williams, a Middletown Democrat, applauds Wednesday on the House floor during Gov. Ned Lamonts State of the State Address. Williams was killed early Thursday morning in a wrong-way highway crash after having attended the governors inaugural ball and hours after having been sworn in to a third term. (Brian OConnor/Connecticut House Democrats via AP) Q was going to be appointed to a lot of other things and probably elected to a lot of other things, Ritter told the Courant in an interview. He had a great combination of both personal skills and political skills and policy drive. He was driven by policies, but he knew that, to get those policies achieved, he had to work with people. He was just beginning to come into his own as a really prominent leader in our caucus, and the new assignment [on the labor committee] reflected that. As a relatively young legislator, Williams was paired recently with Sen. Julie Kushner, a longtime respected union leader who co-chairs the labor committee and had been expected to share her decades-long knowledge with Williams as they worked together on key legislation. You could see the career evolving, Ritter said. He was one of the better-connected legislators between his fraternity and his work down in Stamford advocating for schools and all the things hes done. Its a monumental loss for Middletown and the state. The chamber and the Capitol will always remember Q Williams. That I am confident of. Lamont ordered all state flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor the three-term lawmaker. This is devastating news, and I am incredibly saddened by this tragedy, Lamont said. Quentin had an infectiously optimistic personality, and he absolutely loved having the opportunity to represent his lifelong home of Middletown at the State Capitol. Public service was his passion, and he was always advocating on behalf of the people of his hometown. He was a genuine person with a genuine soul, and he will be missed. Previously known as Quentin Phipps when he was first elected to the legislature, he changed his last name to Williams last year in honor of his mother. Known as Queen, his mother was a single mother who also uses the surname Williams. Connecticut Democrats offered condolences to the family on Twitter. Rep Quentin Williams was the model of a public servant and his tragic death has us all in mourning, the tweet said. Q was a dear friend to so many in government and his community. His smile lit up a room, and he was admired and respected by all. In February 2020, state Representative Quentin Phipps, of Middletown, spoke with a group of students from Mercy High School in Middletown at the state Capitol. The students visited the Capitol on Youth Climate Advocacy Action Day regarding climate change. Before he changed his name, Williams was known as Quentin Phipps. State Comptroller Sean Scanlon, a former Democratic legislator who served with Williams, wrote on Twitter that he was devastated to hear the news. He was a passionate fighter that cared so deeply about policy and helping people, Scanlon wrote. He had the best laugh of anyone Ive ever met and will be so missed. RIP brother. State Attorney General William Tong, another former state legislator in the House Democratic caucus, said Williams was known for his optimism. I met Q before he became a state legislator when he was an advocate for a local school in Stamford, and I can only think of one word to describe him hopeful, Tong said. Q was always brimming with optimism and possibility. He had a spirit that was relentlessly positive and aspirational. We need his light more than ever, and thats why it is so hard to lose him. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife and his family and the community that he loved and served. Longtime law professor Sara Bronin, the wife of the mayor, said, I saw him yesterday after he was sworn in for his third term, & he was so excited about the upcoming session. His genuine desire to improve peoples lives motivated his all-too-short 39 years. State Rep. Quentin WIlliams was honored in 2015 at the Hartford Business Journals 40 Under 40 party when he was known as Quentin Phipps. He attended the party and proposed marriage in front of 600 people to girlfriend-turned-fiancee Carrissa Phillippe. Williams leaves his wife, Carrissa, whom he proposed to in an unusual fashion during a party at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. He was serving as the Middletown city treasurer and Charter Schools for Excellence manager at the time when he was honored in the annual 40 Under 40 party by the Hartford Business Journal. His then-girlfriend was a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology at the University of Kansas and traveled to Hartford to see him win the award at a large party that was attended by 600 people. We had looked at rings on Valentines Day, and I knew which one she wanted, Williams said at the time. At the awards program, you get to say three words for free when you get your award and then pay $5 per word to a charity for any extra words, so I knew I had to plan carefully. When he stepped forward to accept the award, Williams thanked his mother and cited a scripture passage. He then called Phillippe on stage and asked, Will You Marry Me? The stunned crowd of 600 started clapping as Williams placed the ring on Carissas finger. It was awesome, he said about sharing the moment with hundreds of watchers. Carissa is the chief executive officer and founder of Small Victories Wellness Services with locations in Middletown, Windham and Fairfield and online services in Missouri. Quentin Williams, top right, proposed marriage in 2015 to his future wife, Carrissa, in front of 600 people at the Hartford Business Journals 40 Under 40 party in Hartford. Williams developed close friendships with staff members and legislators, including Ritters chief of staff, Franklin Perry, state Sen. Matt Lesser of Middletown, and state Rep. Geoff Luxenberg of Manchester. In a gut-wrenching, heart-breaking instant, I learned that my friend of nearly 20 years, Quentin Q Williams has tragically passed away, Luxenberg said. No statement from any friend, colleague, politician or person will ever be able to capture in words his humility, his passion for justice, or his zeal for life. When Q laughed his one-of-a-kind booming laugh you felt his joy deep in your soul. When he smiled, the room lit up. When he spoke, everyone listened. And when he worked as chair of the Housing Committee, or in any legislative capacity, you knew with a certainty that was both comforting and rare, the bedrock of his work was a passion and love for the people of Connecticut that was deeper and more authentic and more real than anyone. State legislators come and go, but there will never be another Q. Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com. Mike Mavredakis can be reached at mmavredakis@courant.com COVID cases have surged in China after the government abandoned its Zero-COVID policy, according to CNN. Chinese authorities are finding it difficult to track the number of COVID infections in the country due to a stop on mass testing. The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday accused China of under-representing the severity of its COVID outbreak, reported CNN. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a media briefing in Geneva on Wednesday said: "We continue to ask China for more rapid, regular, reliable data on hospitalizations and deaths, as well as more comprehensive, real-time viral sequencing." "WHO is concerned about the risk to life in China and has reiterated the importance of vaccination, including booster doses, to protect against hospitalization, severe disease, and death," Ghebreyesus said, as quoted by CNN. Chinese hospitals and crematoriums are struggling with an influx of patients and dead bodies with rural areas facing most of the brunt. Also Read China's Covid toll could near 1 mn as govt rapidly abandons curbs: Study Indian to develop two hydropower plants in Nepal as China abandons projects Apple abandons plans to increase iPhone production after demand falters RBI MPC: Here is what experts have to say about the policy announcement China to drop travel tracing as it relaxes 'strict zero-Covid' policy Covid's XBB.1.5 variant cases rise to seven in India: INSACOG figures Covid-19 testing rises, but still lower than November levels, shows data XBB prevalent Covid variant in international travellers, show India's tests Himachal Pradesh govt seeks 1 million doses of Covishield vaccine Health workers facing Covid 'burnout', must address health concerns: Expert Chinese authorities have, however, been circulating a narrative that the peak of the current COVID wave had already passed in most of the cities including Beijing, in order to address the concerns of both the domestic and international communities and to justify the CCP's announcement regarding further relaxation of epidemic prevention and control measures from January. A recent The Asia Times report said that as many as 40 per cent of the Chinese population was infected by COVID-19 over the past month amid the rising number of cases in the country. Chinese epidemiologist Zeng Guang said as most Chinese cities reported that 50 per cent of their people had tested positive, it was reasonable to estimate that about 40 per cent of the country's population on average could have been infected, the Hong Kong-based English news outlet reported. In the draft regulations for 'Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India', UGC said that foreign varsities with campuses in the country will only be allowed to offer full-time programmes in physical mode and not online or distance learning. University Grants Commission's (UGC) Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar on Thursday said that foreign universities can set up their campuses in India but they will need the commissions's nod to set up before doing so. The initial approval will be for 10 years. The foreign varsities will also have to ensure that the quality of education imparted at their Indian campuses is on par with their main campus. These universities will have the freedom to devise their own admission process and fee structure, he added. The final norms be notified by the month's end after taking into account feedback from stakeholders, Kumar said, adding that the approval granted to foreign varsities will be renewed in the ninth year subject to meeting of certain conditions. On matters related to funds and funding, he said that cross-border movement of funds will be according to the Foreign Exchange Management Act. Also Read Professor of practice: What impact can UGC's draft scheme have? UGC 4-year undergraduate honours degree to help students go abroad: Experts UGC to launch 'e-Samadhan' portal to address student grievances next week ICC notifies slew of changes to cricket rules, bans saliva use permanently UGC committee to grant 'degree' status to several new courses: Report Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut labels Adityanath's roadshow as 'political biz' Water vision towards 2047 big contribution to Amrit Kaal, says PM Modi Residents or migrants, UP ensured everyone's safety in pandemic: CM Yogi UP CM orders officials to provide power subsidy to boost economic growth First flight lands at Manohar International Airport in Goa from Hyderabad "The underlying theme and philosophy behind all these regulations are as reflected in the NEP. They are all aimed at allowing considerable autonomy to the higher education stakeholders but with due accountability and quality ensured. Therefore, they will be 'light but tight' regulations and I am confident it will bring positive and big changes in the higher education system," Kumar had told ET on Wednesday. (With agency inputs) The health ministry also said that India would aim to play a proactive role in representing the Global South in the negotiations across multilateral health platforms. Prevention and preparedness against health emergencies is the number one priority of the health working group under Indias G20 presidency, which will take place after two years of a global pandemic. The health ministry on Thursday said that India would play a major role in converging discussions on global health architecture and act as an enabler for reducing fragmentation and duplication under the G20 presidency. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to undertake a high-profile visit to India next month with an aim to significantly expand overall cooperation in areas of trade, defence, clean energy and climate change, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. It will be Scholz's first visit to India after he became German Chancellor in December 2021 following Angela Merkel's historic 16-year tenure at the top post. The people cited above told PTI that both sides are looking at the fourth week of February for the visit but the dates are yet to be locked. In December, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock paid a two-day visit to India ostensibly to prepare for Scholz's long-awaited trip. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor Scholz held bilateral talks in the Indonesian resort city of Bali on November 16 on the sidelines of the G-20 summit. The first meeting between the two leaders took place during Modi's visit to Berlin on May 2 for the 6th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC). It was followed by Modi's visit to the Alpine castle of Schloss Elmau in southern Germany on June 26 and 27 to attend the annual summit of G7 grouping. Scholz invited Modi for the G7 summit under the German presidency. Also Read Mask-free travel on German Chancellor's plane prompts fresh debate German Chancellor Olaf Scholz betting billions of euros on securing energy Serviced turbine for Nord Stream 1 can be delivered at any time: Scholz Germany: Pressure grows as opposition calls Olaf Scholz over tax scam ties German Chancellor to be questioned today in tax fraud inquiry: Reports French President Emmanuel Macron may visit India in first half of 2023 Jammu and Kashmir is 'integral and inalienable' part of India: MEA Rs 635-cr money laundering: ED files charge sheet against Maharashtra MLA Training for first batch of Agniveers begins in outskirts of Jammu G20 foreign ministers set to meet in New Delhi in March, confirms MEA The ties between India and Germany have been on an upswing in a range of key areas in the last few years. During her visit to New Delhi, German Foreign Minister Baerbock said India will have a decisive influence in shaping the international order in the 21st century, especially in the Indo-Pacific. "Visiting India is like visiting a sixth of the world. As early as next year, India will overtake China as the most populous country in the world," she said. "There is no doubt that India will have a decisive influence on shaping the international order in the 21st century -- in the Indo-Pacific and beyond," she said. People familiar with the proposed visit by Scholz said the focus will be to significantly expand cooperation in areas of trade, defence, clean energy and climate change. There has been convergence of views between India and Germany on ways to deal with many pressing global challenges. Both sides have been underlining the importance of an effective rules-based international order and respect for the fundamental principles of international law as enshrined in the UN Charter. In October, German Ambassador Phillip Ackermann said India should play the role of a "guide" in the overall global efforts to ensure a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific. The Goa government on Wednesday announced the introduction of the Blue Cab service at the Manohar International Airport in the state from January 5. An IndiGo flight from Hyderabad will be the first flight to land at the newly-built airport on Thursday. Ahead of the first arrival, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant held a meeting with Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho in Panaji to oversee the preparations. Talking to reporters later, Godinho said the state government has decided to introduce Blue Cabs outside the airport. These cabs would be exclusively owned by locals of Pernem taluka where the airport is located, he said. In addition to Blue Cabs, the airport will also have taxis affiliated to Goa Miles App and also those registered under the state-run Goa Taxi App, he said. Godinho said that local taxi operators had demanded Yellow and Black Taxi permits at the airport, which was not possible, so the state government decided to introduce Blue Cabs for them. Khaunte said more than 1,100 drivers have registered themselves under the Goa Taxi App while more are coming on board. Goa Taxi App is currently allowing taxi operators to join the queue at the airport. Booking through the app is not happening at this point, he said. Several doctors and nurses who served as frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced tremendous stress, other mental health problems and felt "burnt out", an expert has said while stressing on the need to address their health concerns. There were many incidents wherein doctors and nurses attempted or committed suicide in the world due to depression during the pandemic, Dr Vithyalakshmi Selvaraj, psychiatrist and chief medical officer of the Omaha Insomnia and Psychiatric Services, Nebraska, USA, told PTI. She gave a presentation on 'Long term consequences of COVID-19 infection' at the Indian Science Congress currently underway in Nagpur. Speaking on the sidelines of the presentation, Dr Selvaraj said depression, anxiety and sleeplessness magnified not just in India, but across the world, and there was need to "destigmatise" mental illness and increase awareness to prevent negative outcomes of such disorders. She said a study of 662 adults in India found that more than 80 per cent (of the respondents) were preoccupied with COVID-19- related thoughts, 37.8 per cent reported paranoia about having COVID-19 infection, 36.4 per cent reported stress and 12.5 per cent reported sleep disturbances. More than 80 percent of (study) participants reported the need for mental health services (care). Also, many case studies from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh reported that individuals committed suicide out of the fear of COVID-19, she said. Also Read Symptomatic Covid-19 infection linked with poor mental health: Lancet study Govt to soon launch national tele-mental health prog, toll-free helpline no New wearable device may enhance PTSD treatment experience: Study Covid survivors at higher risk of psychiatric, neurological conditions Possible neural link between early life trauma and eating disorder: Study India records 188 new Covid-19 cases, 3 deaths; active tally drops to 2,554 Biden raises concern over China's Covid management after WHO questions data Maharashtra reports 16 new Covid cases, zero death; active tally at 140 WHO worried about surge of Covid cases in China amid lack of information Genome sequencing detects four cases of Omicron sub-variant BF.7 in Bengal Females under 40 years of age, students and people with chronic illnesses or history of a psychiatric illness comprised the high risk population for mental health conditions during the pandemic, Dr Selvaraj said. She said the pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in mental health conditions such as major depressive disorder and anxiety. Factors like social isolation, high utilisation of social media and loneliness have exacerbated the physical and mental health issues, she added. During the pandemic, mental health disorders were experienced not just by the general population, but also frontline workers such as doctors and nurses who were fearful that they may expose their family members to COVID-19 due to their work with the viral infection patients, she said. "The health care workers were burnt out as they did not have the training of what to do, how to treat (patients) and how to take care of themselves," Dr Selvaraj said. She said that after COVID-19, students whom she has mentored do not want to become a doctor or a nurse. "This job has become very hard and is not as it was before," she added. Providing mental health care to frontline workers is necessary as doctors and nurses face tremendous stress which can lead to several issues like depression, anxiety and suicidal tendencies, she said. Pitching for national awareness of mental health, Dr Selvaraj said, "it should start from home and you need to take care of each other at home." She said youngsters are ashamed (to talk about such issues) and the stigma is a real challenge. They can't even tell their parents about the stress they are going through. It should start from home identifying why they are isolating themselves, why they seem to be depressed, she said. Dr Selvaraj said mental health awareness can be started from schools with counsellors talking to students about it. She said simple yet powerful conversations such as "Are you fearful of COVID-19? It is ok to talk about it, will help immensely." She said it can be done in hospitals, every sector and social media as well. The mental health awareness can be done through billboards on buses, trains, radio and television commercials. "Increased mental health awareness and improving our resilience will prevent negative mental health outcomes. Let's start working on destigmatising mental illness," she said. Dr Selvaraj also said patients with pre-existing mental health conditions are at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation, COVID-19-related death as well as reduced response to vaccine against the viral infection. Long COVID-19/post-COVID-19 syndrome is particularly a concern with detrimental health, she added. The report cited officials of the ministry of mines as saying that the ownership or leasing rights of the mines will be with Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (Kabil). It is a joint venture of the National Aluminium Company (Nalco), Hindustan Copper (HCL) and Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd (MECL). It was formed in 2019 to ensure the supply of strategic minerals in India's market. India has identified two lithium mines and one copper mine in Argentina, and it may acquire or lease them soon, a report by BusinessLine (BL) said. In November 2022, the Indian government sent a team of geologists to South America to "assess potential lithium deposits". Argentina is the fourth largest producer of lithium. It also has the third-largest reserve of the mineral in the world. Lithium is widely used in manufacturing batteries and other electronic products. Australia, US and China are the other major producers of the mineral. "Subsequent to preliminary assessment, Kabil expressed interest to partner with a state-owned organisation there in December for prospecting the identified areas and exploring the possibility of establishing projects for extraction of lithium in due course of time. Commercial evaluation of the same has begun at our end here," the official told BL. The ministry, in October, said that Camyen shared information regarding two prospective lithium projects in la Aguada and El Indio in Catamarca through the Indian Embassy in Buenos Aires. In December, PTI reported that Kabil expressed interest in partnering with Argentina-based Camyen to prospect two areas for extracting lithium. Also Read Exploration, imports, private firms: India's search for lithium spreads out India's trace mineral SPV plans equity top-up, ministries hold talks NMDC in talks to invest in lithium exploration companies in Australia Have made India's first indigenously made lithium ion-cell, says Ola Hindalco, Nalco jump over 2% as aluminium, copper prices rise on LME CBI moves SC challenging anticipatory bail granted to IT-official Karnani LIVE: PM to chair 2nd National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi Karnataka CM Bommai lays foundation of 400-bed hospital in Ballari 12 with respiratory issues die in 2 days as air quality worsens in Dhanbad TMS Ep340: RCap, ride-hailing, India Inc's fundraising, Belagavi dispute Kabil is also reportedly in the process of hunting joint lithium mining projects in Chile. Kabil also signed three agreements with Argentina government-run companies JEMSE, Camyen and YPF between July and September 2020 to explore sourcing of lithium and other mineral assets in the South American country. In March, the JV under the mines ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Australia, for joint investment in lithium and cobalt assets in that country. India asserted on Thursday that Jammu and Kashmir is its "integral and inalienable" part in the face of certain comments on the region by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. "We have reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an inalienable and integral part of India. Article 370 is entirely a matter of India as well as our Constitution. It is our sovereign matter," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told a media briefing. "We do not see what is their locus on this," he said when asked about Sharif's tweet on Thursday urging the global community to play its part in "giving" the people of Kashmir their "right to decide their destiny". Sharif also referred to India's decision to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. On August 5, 2019, India announced the withdrawal of the special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and its decision to bifurcate the erstwhile state into Union territories. Till then, Jammu and Kashmir had enjoyed the special status that was granted to it under Article 370 of the Constitution. A correction officer from South Windsor who was out of work with a work-related injury is charged with illegally collecting more than $16,000 in workers compensation benefits while failing to report that he was working for JetBlue Airways, the Division of Criminal Justice announced Wednesday. Michael McLeod, 35, turned himself in to police in Rocky Hill on Wednesday and was charged with one count of fraudulent claim or receipt of benefits and one count of first-degree larceny and defrauding a public community, according to the Division of Criminal Justice. The arrest warrant affidavit for McLeod stated that he was injured while he was employed as a correction officer with the State of Connecticut Department of Correction. He was placed on temporary total disability and was receiving wage replacement benefits by the state during a period that he was considered unable to perform any type of work due to his work-related injury, officials said. While receiving workers compensation benefits, McLeod was allegedly employed by JetBlue Airway Corporation and failed to disclose his employment and his capacity to work to the Department of Correction. While receiving workers compensation benefits, employees are required to report any other employment income, the division said. McLeod was arrested by inspectors from the Workers Compensation Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief States Attorney. He was released on a promise to appear in Hartford Superior Court on Jan. 11, records show. The land subsidence in Uttarakhand's Joshimath was caused by human activities and nature, said Dr Satyendra Mittal, professor of Civil Engineering Department, Roorkee IIT on Thursday. Speaking on the continuous landslides in Joshimath of Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, Dr Mittal said, "There can be mainly two reasons for the landslide happening in Uttarakhand. One is man-made reason and the other is the nature-born reason. When construction works start happening in an unplanned way, then it is called man-made reason." "There is under-construction activity in the affected area, the tunnel work is going on and its lining is not completed yet. So in this situation, water, inside the tunnel, seeping out from any point of the tunnel is not surprising," he said. "The water which is seeping out from some unknown place of the tunnel must be getting accumulated somewhere and when that water gets accumulated beyond the land's capacity, it increases Hydrostatic pressure, whose aftermath is land subsidence," Dr Mittal added. Taking note of natural reasons, the IIT Roorkee professor said, "an extremely high stream of water stops somewhere due to some unknown reasons, causing a landslide. This is kept in the category of natural causes." He said that speaking on Joshimath especially, there's a Vishnuprayag, a Hindu Temple which has a confluence of the rivers Alaknanda and Dhauligangs to its south, below it. So because of the confluence of those rivers, the stream of the rivers becomes very high and adds up to the land subsidence. Also Read Uttarakhand: CM Dhami to visit sinking Joshimath, promises necessary action IIT JAM 2023: How to apply, eligibility criteria, registration and more Canada supports flood, landslide recovery efforts in British Columbia 1 killed, 5 feared trapped as landslide hits project site in J-K's Kishtwar Irked BJP summons ex-UttaraKhand CMs to Delhi over remarks against own govt UK saw hottest-ever year in 2022 as Europe's climate warms: Met Office Climate change adversely affected rain patterns: Union Jal Shakti Minister At 3 degrees Celsius, Delhi logs January's lowest temperature in two years India to send aquanauts 500 mtrs under sea this year in Samudrayaan Number of researchers low, states should bolster R&D: Science adviser Rightly stressing measures to stop such disasters, Dr Mittal said, "a team should be constituted for surveying the land, and identify the places from where water seepage is taking place." "And apart from this, the locals of Joshimath should be trained so that they be prepared for such situations. They should also be taught 'Architectural Art'. They should be given the knowledge of avoiding any work which can be fatal in future," he added. Earlier on Thursday, a team of experts, including officials from the administration and State Disaster Management, surveyed the areas which were affected in the land subsidence. Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar and Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Kumar Sinha visited the affected areas in the Chamoli district. Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government formed a team of scientists to find out the reason behind the occurrence of land subsidence in Joshimath and the resultant damage to the houses. According to an official statement, engineers from the Geological Survey of India, Wadia Institute and IIT Roorkee have been included in the team formed on the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The BJP state unit has also formed a 14-member committee, under the coordination of the party's state general secretary Aditya Kothari to assess the land subsidence incident and the damages being reported. The party's state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said the committee constituted on the instructions of state president Mahendra Prasad Bhatt will visit the site on January 6 and hold talks with local residents, businessmen and public representatives, adding that it will submit its report to the state leadership. Cracks have reportedly developed in as many as 561 houses in Joshimath as a result of continued land subsidence in the town, stated the District Disaster Management Department. Following the appearance of cracks in the houses, a total of 66 families are reported to have migrated from Joshimath as of now. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will hold a high-level meeting in Dehradun on Friday evening in the wake of the land subsidence at Joshimath in Chamoli district, sources said. Apart from the officials of the Disaster, Irrigation, Home Department, Commissioner Garhwal Mandal and District Magistrate Chamoli will also participate in the meeting. The banks have been advised to provide facility of such self-declaration to the individual customers through various non-face-to-face channels such as registered email-id, registered mobile number, ATMs, digital channels (such as online banking / internet banking, mobile application), letter, etc., without need for a visit to bank branch, a press release from the RBI said. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has clarified that self-declaration by customers through non-face to face channels will be sufficient for completing the re-know your customer process, if there is no change in the information. Furthermore, addresses can also be updated through such channels, without the need to visit a bank branch. If there is only a change in address, customers can furnish updated address through any of these channels after which, the bank would undertake verification of the declared address within two months. This comes as a major relief to customers as they will not have to visit bank branches for re-KYC process. In such cases, the banks are required to provide an acknowledgement of the receipt of the KYC documents / self-declaration submitted by the customer. The banking regulator has further said that since banks are mandated to keep their records up-to-date and relevant by undertaking periodic reviews and updations, a fresh KYC process may have to be undertaken in certain cases including where the KYC documents available in bank records do not conform to present list of the Officially Valid Documents or where the validity of the KYC document submitted earlier may have expired. Also Read HDFC Bank to open 207 branches in Maharashtra, hire more than 3,000 RBI lifts ban on new branches by Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Banks plan to ramp up penetration via ATMs, branches: CMS Info Systems CEO RBI fines Ola Financial Services Rs 1.67 cr for not following directions 'No Double Lives': Infosys email warns employees against moonlighting 74% dip in insurgency in Northeast, civilian deaths down by 89%: Minister Over 11,000 offenders, bail jumpers arrested in 2022: Haryana Police G20 Presidency: India to focus on health emergency prevention, preparedness Despite Ayodhya endorsement, Rahul's yatra still has a ways to go 'Unprofessional': Aviation regulator slams Air India for urination incident Fresh KYC process can be done by visiting a bank branch, or remotely through a Video based Customer Identification Process (V-CIP), RBI said. The Officially valid documents are - passport, driving license, proof of possession of Aadhaar number, the Voter's Identity Card, job card issued by NREGA and letter issued by the National Population Register). The banking regulator has encouraged bank customers to get more information on the different options available to them from their bank for completing re-KYC or completing fresh KYC by visiting a bank branch or remotely through V-CIP. India has only 255 researchers per million people and state governments will have to ensure funding for research and development for the country to remain competitive in the sector, Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay Kumar Sood said. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the scientific community to link research to economic growth, Sood said the share of state governments in the national research and development expenditure was just 6.4 per cent. The central government's share was 45.4 per cent, while the industry contributed 36.8 per cent of the Rs 45,000 crore spent by India on research and development, he said on the sidelines of the Indian Science Congress here. Sood said that India ranked 75th on the Global Knowledge Index 2020 (GKI) of 138 countries and had a GKI score of 44.4, which was on the lower side of the global average of 46.7. India has 255 researchers per million which was much less than that of the US, which had 4,245 researchers per million, he said, adding that the ratio for South Korea was 7,498 per million, 4,341 per million for the UK and 5,304 per million for Japan. Sood said India has emerged as the third largest ecosystem for start-ups with over 77,000 start-ups. Also Read Sukesh Chandrasekhar: A jailed conman who never stopped duping people 5G technology will transform every Indian's life, says MoS Chandrasekhar Talk about law, guardrails: MoS Chandrasekhar on Elon Musk's poll Govt focused on enhancing Internet penetration: IT Minister Chandrasekhar About 52 mn trained under digital literacy scheme: MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar Four eclipse events this year, two would be visible in India: Astro expert Isro planning second development SSLV flight next month: Officials Primary schools in Jharkhand to remain closed till Jan 8 amid cold wave Biting cold in Rajasthan; 'Orange Alert' issued for several districts Science should be aimed at making India self-reliant: PM Modi at ISC However, there are only 3,000 deep tech startups of which only 400 of them deal with innovative technologies, he said. Department of Science and Technology Secretary S Chandrasekhar urged state universities to initiate reform to encourage students to be ready to contribute to the national science programme. For sustainable research in our labs, we need the best quality students. A student who can sustain all the pressure and all the stress and survive in the lab as long as he can deliver the goods. Those have to come from the state universities, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded Captain Shiva Chauhan of Fire and Fury Sappers as she became the first woman officer to be operationally deployed in Kumar Post, post completion of arduous training, at the highest battlefield of the world Siachen. The Prime Minister tweeted in reply to a post by Fire and Fury Sappers corps: "This will make every Indian proud, illustrating the spirit of India's Nari Shakti." In a Twitter post, Fire and Fury Corps, Indian Army said, "'Breaking the Glass Ceiling'. Capt Shiva Chauhan of Fire and Fury Sappers became the first woman officer to be operationally deployed in Kumar Post, post completion of arduous training, at the highest battlefield of the world." Fire and Fury Corps officer Captain Shiva Chauhan underwent rigorous training including endurance training, ice wall climbing, avalanche and crevasse rescue and survival drills, as she became the first woman officer to be operationally deployed at the world's highest battleground on the Siachen Glacier. Captain Shiva Chouhan was put through rigorous training along with other personnel which included endurance training, ice wall climbing, avalanche and crevasse rescue and survival drills, at the Siachen Battle School, the Indian Army informed on Tuesday. She got inducted to the Siachen Glacier on January 2, this year after an arduous climb.The team of Sappers led by Capt Chouhan will be responsible for numerous combat engineering tasks and will be deployed at the post for a duration of three months. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will arrive here on Thursday to review the operational preparedness of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), officials said. On his two day visit, Singh will hold a high-level meeting with Lt Gen Ajai Singh, the 16th Commander-in-Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN), to get a first-hand report of the overall operational situation, they said. The Union minister is scheduled to arrive in Port Blair around 1.30 pm. Singh's itinerary includes a military surveillance at Campbell Bay on Great Nicobar Island, where the naval air station INS Baaz is located. The defence minister expressed his desire to personally visit INS Baaz on Friday to oversee the station's capabilities to thwart challenges, the officials said. Singh will also be interacting with the troops deployed in and around the Islands. Also Read Andaman's Swaraj Dweep decked up for G20 Presidency meeting today Ambassadors blow conch shells at Andaman; India G20 presidency begins Dec 1 Outdated Covid travel advisories, norms causing inconvenience to people Investments worth Rs 10K cr in pipeline for Andaman and Nicobar: Minister Projects worth Rs 75,000 crore on Great Nicobar island shown green flag Man who urinated on woman on Air India flight to be arrested: Delhi Police Foreign universities will need UGC's nod to set up campuses in India Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut labels Adityanath's roadshow as 'political biz' Water vision towards 2047 big contribution to Amrit Kaal, says PM Modi Residents or migrants, UP ensured everyone's safety in pandemic: CM Yogi He may announce some key development projects including extension of the runway at Car Nicobar, Campbell Bay and in Shibpur (North Andaman), which will further strengthen capabilities of the ANC, an official said. The ANC is the first tri-service theatre command of the armed forces, which was established on October 8, 2001. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that 'New Uttar Pradesh of New India' does not run away from challenges, it faces them. During the biggest pandemic of the century, the novel coronavirus, when the migrants faced the crisis of migration, Uttar Pradesh supported everyone. Be it, migrants or residents, everyone's safety was ensured, the CM said while interacting with people of Uttar Pradesh in Mumbai, read a press statement. The Chief Minister said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today's Uttar Pradesh is full of self-confidence and is moving towards becoming self-reliant. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who reached the country's financial capital Mumbai on Wednesday, started his two-day tour with a dialogue with the people of Uttar Pradesh. Greeting the enthusiastic migrants, the Chief Minister said: "All of you have been witness to the changes that have taken place in Uttar Pradesh in the last 5-6 years. Uttar Pradesh, which was facing an identity crisis five years ago, is telling a new story of development today." The people of Azamgarh did not even get Dharamshala in Mumbai, but today an airport and a university are being built in the same Azamgarh. The Chief Minister said that now the youth of Uttar Pradesh does not hide his identity, says with pride, 'I am from Uttar Pradesh'. Also Read New India is proud of its culture, tradition and heritage: UP CM Adityanath Australian investors meet UP CM Yogi to discuss opportunities in state Varanasi-Haldia inland waterway to boost exports in Uttar Pradesh Lumpy virus: Yogi bans cattle fairs in UP as 15 districts report cases UP CM Yogi orders flood alert in 10 districts over rising river water level UP CM orders officials to provide power subsidy to boost economic growth First flight lands at Manohar International Airport in Goa from Hyderabad Govt alone cannot be successful, people's participation needed: PM Modi Retail auto sales down 5% in December, two-wheelers major drag: FADA Twitter account suspended due to hacking: Kantara actor Kishore Kumar G Sharing the efforts of Uttar Pradesh for change, Chief Minister Yogi said that before 2017, daughters were not safe in the state and poor and businessmen felt insecure. "With the formation of the government, we focused on two subjects - ensuring the safety of daughters and putting an end to all illegal activities in the state. Then we shut down illegal slaughterhouses and took steps to stop encroachments on the land of the poor. We formed an anti-land mafia task force to set free illegally occupied lands and started many development projects there." The CM said that when the government was working for the safety of daughters, some people raised questions, but when the elections came, these safe mothers, sisters and daughters reposed their faith in the policies of Prime Minister Modi. More than 5 lakh govt jobs provided in a transparent manner, asserted the Chief Minister. Referring to the success of the government in connecting more than five lakh youth with government jobs in five and a half years, the Chief Minister said that all unnecessary interference in the operation selection commissions has been stopped. "We gave them autonomy but also fixed accountability and the result was that more than five lakh youths got government jobs were provided and no questions were raised regarding the fairness of appointments. The recruitment took place with absolute transparency and accuracy. This increased the faith of the youth on the government. This is the reason that after 37 years a government was elected for the second time in a row with a two-thirds majority. Referring to better law and order and policy reforms for investment, the Chief Minister said that there was a time when there used to be riots every second-third day in Uttar Pradesh. Today more than five years have passed without a single riot anywhere. There has been a massive change in the image of the state due to better law and order situations. Similarly, under policy reforms, the government has implemented 25 new industrial sectoral policies. The Chief Minister said that the government has developed infrastructure to ensure better connectivity through air, water, road and rail networks. The state has the country's largest railway network and the junction of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor is also in Greater Noida. With the development of existing international airports at Lucknow, Varanasi and Kushinagar and new airports at Jewar and Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh is going to become the only state in the country with 05 international airports, the CM pointed out, adding that the international airport at Jewar will be the largest international airport in India. Also, 09 airports have also been made operational for domestic connectivity of airways and work is going on at 10 other airports. Sharing his experience, the Chief Minister said that before 2017 there was only one flight from Gorakhpur to Delhi while today there are 14 flights. Today airports are also being built in Shravasti, Saharanpur, Aligarh, Azamgarh. The country's first waterway connecting Varanasi to Haldia port has become operational. Now there is also a plan to connect it with Saryu in Ayodhya and Prayagraj. The Chief Minister said that understanding the limitations of the landlocked state, the government has adopted a different policy and to facilitate movement of goods, the government is promoting the development of dry ports. In terms of road connectivity, the state has emerged as a role model for other states. He said that the single window system of UP has been appreciated at the national level, where more than 350 NOCs are being easily obtained for industrial projects. "Not only this, recently we have also developed the Nivesh Sarathi portal for monitoring the MoUs of industrial investment and giving timely incentives to the investors", CM Yogi remarked. The CM also invited suggestions from everyone for the betterment of the state, as well as informed about the success of the team UP which went to 16 countries of the world for the Global Investors Summit. Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi', who was part of the Chief Minister's team during the Mumbai tour, informed the NRIs about the efforts to build a 'New Uttar Pradesh' under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi and urged the NRI community to be helpful in the development of the state. Giving information about the success of the recent foreign tours of the groups of ministers in connection with the Global Investors Summit-2023, he said that wherever the people of Uttar Pradesh are living all over the world, today they are influenced by the policies of the Chief Minister Yogi. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh has become 'Uttam Pradesh' in the last five and a half years and is now moving fast on the path of becoming 'Sarvottam Pradesh'. The training for the first batch of Agniveers begins amid the visit of Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Manoj Dwivedi to review preparedness at the Agniveer training facility (ATF) at the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) regimental centre in the outskirts of Jammu city. The youth of Jammu and Kashmir has shown a considerable amount of interest in Agniveer recruitments and the recent recruitment rallies have shown tremendous enthusiasm in the form of huge numbers turning up, a defence spokesman said. Lt Gen Dwivedi visited the state-of-the-art Agniveer training facility located at JAKLI regimental centre at Dansal to review the preparedness and arrangements for the first batch of Agniveers being trained, he said. Recently the Ministry of Defence signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with various stakeholders like the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the director general of training for facilitating continued education of serving Agniveers and providing appropriate skill certificates. "In keeping with the vision of Nation Building and National prosperity the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regimental Centre has been transforming the youth to become brave soldiers for the Nation", he said. The selected Agniveers will undergo 10 weeks of basic military training (BMT) followed up by 21 weeks of advanced military training (AMT) at this regimental centre, the spokesman said. Also Read Over 80,000 women candidates register for Indian Navy's Agniveer scheme Agnipath scheme: Female recruitment for military police to begin on Nov 1 Agniveer recruitment rally begins in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla Agniveers recruitment under Agnipath scheme to start in Sep in Tamil Nadu First batch of Agniveers report at Artillery Centre in Hyderabad G20 foreign ministers set to meet in New Delhi in March, confirms MEA France reiterates support for India as a permanent member of UNSC Tremors felt in Delhi-NCR; second time in a week; epicentre in Afghanistan Odisha CM Patnaik inaugurates India's biggest hockey stadium in Rourkela Zero corruption in Road Transport and Highways Ministry: Nitin Gadkari After successful completion of the prescribed training, Agniveers will be dispatched to the different Jammu and Kashmir light infantry battalions located in various parts of the country, he added. A West Hartford man who owns and operates several area restaurants was sentenced to more than a year in federal prison on Wednesday for an extensive tax fraud scheme totaling more than $2 million. William Chen, 49, appeared before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport and was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for defrauding $2,092,926 in owed taxes. He pleaded guilty to two counts of filing a false tax return in July, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. Chen was a part owner and operator of several restaurants, including Feng Asian Bistro in Hartford, Canton and Millbury, Massachusetts; Kaliubon Ramen in West Hartford and Wethersfield; Ginza Japanese Restaurant in Bloomfield; and Ginza Japanese Cuisine in Wethersfield. Chen was responsible for the accounting and financial records at the restaurants, including the collection and withholding of employment taxes and signing the restaurants tax returns. Between 2013 and 2020, he failed to withhold, account for and pay federal income taxes, Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes and federal unemployment taxes for multiple employees that were paid in cash, the U.S. Attorneys office said. Chens role at the restaurants also involved purchasing and using the Point-of-Sale (POS) system for restaurant orders and training staff on the use of the system. Court records show Chen paid to activate zapper software, which is designed to erase transactions from the system to make fraudulent sales records, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. During the same seven-year time frame, Chen and other employees deleted transactions to reduce the amount of sales tax collected and reported by the POS system, in turn lowering the restaurants taxable income that he disclosed to his accountant, who prepared income tax returns for him and his restaurants, according to court records. Chen was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine. He has already paid about $600,000 in restitution, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. He is required to report to prison on April 5, records show. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said power subsidy should be provided to looms for boosting the economic growth of over 2.5 lakh weavers in the state. The power corporation should make arrangements to provide subsidy to weavers for improving productivity. This will also prevent electricity theft, the chief minister was quoted as saying in an official statement. While reviewing a presentation regarding the MSME Weaver Scheme, Adityanath had a detailed discussion with officials on the consumption of electricity and the subsidy provided to the sector. The chief minister said at prominent weaving business centres such as Ambedkar Nagar, Varanasi, Mau, Gorakhpur and Meerut, feedback and opinions of traders should be taken. He also stressed on the use of solar power in the sector. "Currently, we are giving subsidies of up to Rs 30,000 for installing solar panels. Weavers must be encouraged similarly and work should progress on mission mode, "he said. Also Read Lumpy virus: Yogi bans cattle fairs in UP as 15 districts report cases 'Western, central UP to be developed as hub for EVs, ancillary industries' Yogi calls for '5E' formula to curb road accidents Gyanvapi case: Notice to VVSS chief over 'power of attorney' to CM Yogi UP govt won't allow security of investors to be breached: CM Adityanath First flight lands at Manohar International Airport in Goa from Hyderabad Govt alone cannot be successful, people's participation needed: PM Modi Retail auto sales down 5% in December, two-wheelers major drag: FADA Twitter account suspended due to hacking: Kantara actor Kishore Kumar G World's first palm-leaf manuscript museum comes up in Thiruvananthapuram The chief minister also emphasised that weavers be encouraged to upgrade their products and designs, and adopt new technologies, the statement said. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway would be ready by next year. A 52-km of greenfield alignment is also part of the project. The cost of the project is Rs 9,000 crore, the Minister told reporters here. He said a new greenfield project- Bengaluru to Chennai Expressway at a cost of Rs 17,000 crore - would be ready by March 2024. "By February 2023, the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway Project will be completed. I saw some work pending on the stretch. We will invite either Prime Minister Narendra Modi or President Droupadi Murmu," Gadkari said. The Minister was on a whirlwind tour of Bengaluru and inspected some of the National Highway projects before interacting with journalists. According to him, the Bengaluru-Mysuru corridor is a 10-lane project wherein four lanes two lanes on either sides - have been proposd for the villages and towns attached to the highway while six lanes would lead directly to Mysuru from Bengaluru. Also Read Adani Enterprises secures funds to build Ganga Expressway at Rs 23,000 cr UP: PM Modi to inaugurate 296-km-long Bundelkhand expressway on July 16 Wearing rear seat belt set to become mandatory, says Nitin Gadkari India can become 'super economic power', says Union Minister Nitin Gadkari UP acquires 95% of land for 595-km Ganga Expressway mega project Assam CM launches Rs 1,776-crore infrastructure projects in Guwahati Coal production rises by 9% in December 2022 to 82.87 MT: Govt data UP CM assures investors of strong law and order situation for safe business This is India's moment to shine, says Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Govt to bring norms for making India global hub for hydrogen manufacturing The project is divided into two one from Bengaluru to Nidaghatta and another from Nidaghatta to Mysuru, said the Minister. Once the project is over, travel time from Bengaluru to Mysuru would be only 70 minutes, he said. "Now it is up to the State government to develop cities and regions pass through this route as industrial cluster to decongest Bengaluru," Gadkari said. According to him, this highway would give access to Kodagu in Karnataka, Ooty in Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Regarding the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway, Gadkari said the 285.3-km four-lane project would help save travel time. This would also help avoid delay in passing through major towns and congested areas, he added. "This Bharatmala project in Karnataka covering 71.7 km will cost Rs 5,069 crore," Gadkari said. "By making this road we will reduce the logistic costs. Already, 231 km of construction is underway. By March 2024, we want to complete this project," he added. Gadkari said there is a forest land involved in this project and that he has spoken to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for clearance. He said an Amrit Mahotsav Bird Sanctuary and an Amrit Sarovar would also come up on this stretch. The Union Minister, who conducted an aerial survey of the highways, said the Ministry is also working on the Bengaluru Satellite Ring Road at an estimated cost of Rs 17,000 crore under the Bharatmala project to decongest Bengaluru. Gadkari said the project covers 288 km of which 243 km is in Karnataka and 45 km in Tamil Nadu. "We are linking this satellite ring road with Pune-Bengaluru and eventually we will connect the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Once completed, the journey from Bengaluru to Mumbai will be just six-and-a-half hours to 7 hours," he added. A logistic park has also been planned in Bengaluru at a cost of Rs 18,000 crore, said the Minister. "I noticed during the aerial inspection that the container depots are in the city. I will discuss with the Chief Minister if he can bring container and logistic parks together," Gadkari said. All the urban areas of Bengaluru such as Hoskote, Devanahalli, Doddaballapura, Ramanagar, Kanakapura and Anekal in Karnataka and Hosur in Tamil Nadu would be connected with the ring road. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) would also take up the deepening of lakes as part of water conservation, Gadkari said. Land acquisition is a major challenge before the NHAI due to high land value, he pointed out. Gadkari said a new road connecting North with the South was being laid. The new project at a cost of Rs 48,000 crore would link Surat with Nasik, Ahmednagar, Sholapur and Kurnool. From Kurnool, there would be road connectivity to Chennai, Hyderabad, and Thiruvananthapuram. "This is Surat-Chennai access control expressway and Sholapur-Kurnool Economic Corridor, which will pass through six States Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. The total length is 1,270 km and the project cost is Rs 48,000 crore," Gadkari explained. The Sholapur-Kurnool highway is an access control corridor with a length of 340 km and would be built at a cost of Rs 11,000 crore. Already, work on 294 km at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore has been sanctioned, the Minister said. He added that it would help developing districts like Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Raichur in north Karnataka. Also, it would minimise travel distance from 400 km to 340 km. Gadkari said a new greenfield access control corridor connecting Bengaluru with Vijayawada via Kadapa is also coming up at a cost of Rs 14,000 crore. It would be 342-km-long stretch. "Bids for 275 km have been invited and the contracts will be awarded by the end of 2023 and the corridor will be open to public by 2025-26," Gadkari said. To decongest traffic and reduce pollution in Bengaluru, Gadkari recommended satellite townships along these highways. Israel's newly-appointed Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on Thursday in a telephonic call spoke about ways to strengthen bilateral ties, including ways to promote Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and projects in the field of innovation, food and water security. Jaishankar congratulated Cohen on his assumption of office, a press release from the Israeli foreign ministry said. "The ministers discussed the importance of relations between Israel and India, relations that are strategic partnership, and the ways to strengthen them through the promotion of a Free Trade Agreement between the (two) countries and projects in the field of innovation, food and water security," it said. The ministers also discussed the events that were held in 2022 to mark the 30th anniversary of establishment of full diplomatic ties between the two countries and the cooperation between Israel, India, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. The four countries are collaborating on major infrastructural projects to strengthen economic ties under the I2U2 forum, and even held a summit meeting last year. Jaishankar also invited Cohen on an official visit to India soon. Also Read Jaishankar consults Ethiopian FM to reinforce ties in education, trade China enters uncharted territory as Xi Jinping tightens his grip: Report Jaishankar to pay 2-day visit to Uzbekistan for SCO FMs meet from Thursday Mediterranean region will see more of India in future: Jaishankar Relations with Indian diaspora bolstered due to Sushma Swaraj: Jaishankar Govt rolls out high-speed 5G telecom services in Odisha; Rs 5,600-cr outlay Post-pandemic recovery: 22 CPSEs back in black in FY22, shows govt data Centre stays all tourism activities at Sammed Shikharji in Jharkhand Green hydrogen manufacturing to come under PLI scheme: R K Singh India to focus on health emergency, digital health during G20 Presidency "Great to talk to the new foreign minister of Israel @elicoh1", Jaishankar tweeted immediately after the call. "Look forward to partnering (with) him in taking our cooperation forward. Value his many insights, including on economy and security," he further wrote. Cohen, who belongs to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, has served in the past governments as Minister of Economy and Minister of Intelligence. He was appointed Foreign Minister by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 29, 2022. The agreements were inked recently with the companies incorporated in the US and Canada, a senior government official said. The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth nearly $2 billion (about Rs 16,400 crore) with North American companies in the logistics, defence, and aerospace sectors. The government is looking to showcase the states military hardware manufacturing potential as well as the UP Defence Corridor at the UP Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2023 in Lucknow during February 10-12. The event is likely to attract defence manufacturers from the US, Europe, Russia, the UK, Sweden, France, Israel, and Germany. These include: US missile company Northrop Grumman; UK missile launch systems and ammunition maker BAE Systems; German rifle company Umarex; Swedish firm SAAB, the maker of Carl Gustaf M4 rifles; Russias Almaz-Antey, a leading military hardware exporter; Frances Dassault Aviation, which manufacturers Rafale jets; and Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), which deals in unmanned aerial systems. During the recent visit of the UP ministers and officials to North America in run-up to the GIS next month, MoUs of almost Rs 20,000 crore were signed across sectors with logistics, defence, and aerospace leading the chart, he said. US-based Mobility Infrastructure Group will invest Rs 8,200 crore in logistics projects, expected to generate 100 fresh employment opportunities. Canada-based QSTC will also pump in Rs 8,200 crore in defence and aerospace projects, creating 200 jobs. The UP Defence Corridor spans six nodes: Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Aligarh, Chitrakoot, and Agra. So far, the state has acquired 1,600 hectares of land for allotment to companies. India eyes $5 billion exports in defence manufacturing in near future. The two defence corridors in UP and another in Tamil Nadu are seen as the steps taken by the Centre to achieve this goal. Also Read Five-day DefExpo 2022 all set for launch in Gandhinagar on Tuesday How atmanirbhar is India when it comes to defence? Has the rally in defence-related stocks run its course? Info war can be a threat to stability: Defence minister Rajnath Singh Has India finally buried the Bofors ghost with export of big guns? Focus on job-creating textile sector: MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan Budget 2023-24: Govt may go easy on capital expenditure growth in FY24 FDI inflows likely to improve in coming months, says DPIIT official FSSAI likely to consider 'warning' stickers on front-of-pack labels Foreign Ministers of India, Israel discuss ways to strengthen ties Meanwhile, the UP delegation to North America led by state legislative assembly speaker Satish Mahana and cabinet minister Dharampal Singh, held 51 Government-to-Government (G2G) and Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings in the US and Canada. They received 27 letters of intent (LoI) worth Rs 41,000 crore, of which, 8 proposals were converted into MoUs and signed. At the mega summit, the UP government is targeting private investment to the tune of Rs 17 trillion. Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday stressed on the need to adopt new technologies in farming to help raise the income of farmers. He said this while speaking at the 'North East Krishi Kumbha - 2023' at the ICAR-NER. "With new age, there is a need to adapt to new technologies. Ensuring these technologies reach every farmer in India, in Meghalaya and help raise their income is the need of the hour," he said. The Union Agriculture minister said farmers and farming should always be treated with honour as a farmer not only supports his family but also contributes to the agricultural economy of the country and our government's priority has always been to ensure prosperity of farmers and development of agriculture. Tomar said northeast is home to different cultures. It is rich in natural resources and is blessed with a good climate. Northeast is the heaven of our country and Meghalaya's geographical scenario is such that "we can develop it if we try with all our efforts." "I am happy that northeast is home to organic farming. In the past days, the maximum share of agricultural exports of organic products has been from the northeast region," he said. The minister said that northeast, despite its challenges, can utilize its resources and contribute in livelihood generation, natural farming and much more. Also Read Punjab ranks 2nd in average monthly income per agricultural household: Govt PM Modi bats for natural farming, calls it basis for economic success Unseasonal rains are impacting small farmers, says Narendra Singh Tomar Need to boost crop productivity, make farming profitable for growth: Tomar Development incomplete unless poor are free from inequality: Narendra Tomar Important to put curbs on cross-border data flow: CAIT writes to minister Centre to spend Rs 8,400 cr for foodgrain distribution among poor in Odisha Trade dispute: India likely to propose out-of-court settlement to US Logistics, defence see MoUs worth Rs 16,400 crore in Uttar Prades Focus on job-creating textile sector: MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan Earlier in the day while visiting while visiting the College of Agriculture in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya, Tomar faced protests with Khasi Student Union activists shouting slogans and carrying placards criticising the government's decision to do away with a proposal to set up the Central Agriculture University in Meghalaya. The protestors also defaced the signboard of the College which is affiliated to the Imphal-based Central Agriculture University. KSU president Lambokstar Marngar said the protest was held against the decision of the Central government in 2019 to cancel the setting up of the University at Kyrdemkulai in Meghalaya. Tomar visited the college to inaugurate the administrative cum academic block office and also inaugurated the girls hostel of the college. The United States is one of more than a dozen nations that have imposed restrictions on travellers from China since it scrapped stringent COVID controls last month that had shielded its 1.4 billion population from the virus for three years. US President Joe Biden raised concern about China's handling of its COVID-19 outbreak hours after the World Health Organisation (WHO) said China was under-reporting deaths from the disease. Mike Ryan, the WHO's emergencies director, told a media briefing on Wednesday that current numbers being published from China under-represent hospital admissions, intensive care unit patients and deaths. Global health officials are now trying to get to grips with an outbreak that is filling hospitals and overwhelming some funeral homes, at odds with China's low official virus death toll. "They're very sensitive when we suggest they haven't been that forthcoming," he told reporters while on a visit to Kentucky. Speaking hours later, Biden said that he was concerned about how China was handling the outbreak. Also Read US first lady Jill Biden shares memories of 9/11 as wife, sister, more Most major nations lag in acting on climate-fighting goals: Scientists Elon Musk's 'Twitter Files' details censorship, suppression of information China to drop travel tracing as it relaxes 'strict zero-Covid' policy Biden, Truss commit to continue coordination on global challenges at UNGA China under-representing true impact of Covid-19, especially deaths: WHO Making every effort to reduce visa interview appointment time in India: US India tried to defuse Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant situation: Jaishankar US issues nearly 125,000 student visas to Indians in 2022: Ned Price Omicron subvariants BA.5.2, BF.7 responsible for China Covid outbreak: WHO There was no immediate coverage of the WHO's remarks in Chinese state media on Thursday. In previous statements, China's government has played down the severity of the situation. The comments from the WHO on the lack of data were some of the most critical to date and could yield a response from Beijing when it holds its regular foreign ministry press briefing later on Thursday. China reported one new Covid-19 death in the mainland for Wednesday, compared with five a day earlier, bringing its official death toll to 5,259. The state-run Global Times said in an article on Wednesday that Covid infections had peaked in several major cities including the capital, Beijing, citing interviews with doctors in major hospitals. ASIAN MARKET HOPES With one of the lowest COVID death tolls in the world, China has been routinely accused of under-reporting infections and deaths for political reasons. The methods for counting COVID deaths have varied across countries since the pandemic first erupted in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. Chinese health officials have said only deaths caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure in patients who had the virus are classified as COVID deaths. International health experts predict at least 1 million COVID-related deaths in China this year without urgent action. Yet disease experts outside China have said its approach would miss several other widely recognised types of potentially fatal COVID complications, from blood clots to heart attacks as well as sepsis and kidney failure. Despite such worries, Asian shares rose on Thursday on investor hopes for China's emergence from the pandemic. British-based health data firm Airfinity has estimated about 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from COVID. "There will be hiccups on the way," Goh said, during an outlook presentation to reporters. "We give it six months adjusting to the process. But we don't think it's reversible." TESTING WASTE "China reopening has a big impact ... worldwide," said Joanne Goh, an investment strategist at DBS Bank in Singapore, since it not only spurs tourism and consumption but can ease some of the supply-chain crunches seen during 2022. European Union officials recommended on Wednesday that passengers flying from China to the 27-member bloc should have a negative COVID-19 test before they begin their journeys. While countries try to get more information on the extent and severity of China's outbreak, several have imposed requirements on travellers from China to be tested for COVID. China has criticised border controls imposed by other countries on its residents as unreasonable and unscientific. The officials also called for testing and sequencing of wastewater on planes arriving from China and at airports that handle international flights, among other measures. Hong Kong residents have swamped clinics to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the expected reopening of the city's border with mainland China, which some people fear will bring a surge of infections to the financial hub. While China will stop requiring inbound travellers to quarantine from Jan. 8, it will still require them to take a COVID test before arrival. (Reporting by Liz Lee and Bernard Orr in Beijing, Tom Westbrook in Singapore, Steve Holland in Hebron, Kentucky; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by Robert Birsel) US Secretary of State Tony Blinken will have several opportunities to travel to India, which currently holds the G-20 presidency, this year, a State Department spokesperson said. Blinken, along with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, is expected to travel to India early this year for the 2+2 dialogue with their respective Indian counterparts -- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. "I don't have a date to announce just yet, but it is an important opportunity for the Secretary, for the Secretary of Defense, to engage with their Indian counterparts every single year," State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference. "It's an opportunity to discuss the breadth of our global strategic partnership that we have with India, he said. "The Secretary will of course have probably several opportunities to travel to India over the course of the year, given India's hosting of the G-20, something we look forward to taking part and certainly look forward to a successful G-20 under India's auspices," Price said. After several years of hiatus, a big, birthday celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is returning to Glastonbury, on Jan. 15. The Glastonbury Martin Luther King Community Initiative previously held celebrations of Kings life and legacy each year, near or on his birthday. That type of event hasnt happened since 2016, as the group put more focus on its well-received and well-attended community conversations that each focused on a topic such as immigration, systemic racism, healthcare, and most-recently, organized labor. As in the past, the celebration will be held at Smith Middle School, beginning at 3 p.m. GMLKCI member and event chair Darwin Kovacs said it was felt that its time to expand, draw more attention to King, and bring more people together. The program includes the Glastonbury High School Madrigals, who will be performing Daniel, Daniel, Servant of the Lord, Walking on that Heavenly Road, Let There Be Peace on Earth, and Lift Every Voice and Sing. A film, produced by students in Simsbury, about the time King spent working in tobacco fields in Connecticut (during the summers of 1944 and 1947) will also be shown. GMLKCI member Dick Allen, former pastor of the South Congregational Church, will read an essay he wrote. Speakers will include Dr. David Williams and Dr. Tekisha Dwan Everette, who will address the topic of Health Disparities: the Racial, Economic, Cultural and Social Causes. King addressed this inequity in 1966, saying, Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane. Dr. David Williams is one of the speakers who will address the topic of healthcare inequities. Williams is a professor at Harvard and an internationally recognized social scientist focused on social influences on health. Everette is the executive vice president of Trust for Americans Health, a health policy advocacy organization. The reason we chose this topic is because we saw many articles, including in the Hartford Courant, there were articles about health disparities black women dying more after childbirth than white women, infant mortality is higher those kinds of stories are pretty frightening, Kovacs said. Several local organizations will have tables set up in the cafeteria at Smith Middle School, hoping to find new members and/or make other connections. We hope that the speakers will give us a call to action, Kovacs said. We know there are people in town who want to do something, but dont necessarily know what to do. This is a free event open to all. For additional information, visit www.glastonburymlkci.org. The UN health agency received no data from China in the weeks after Beijing lifted its zero-covid policy in early December, prompting some health experts to question whether it might be hiding information on the extent of its outbreak. The World Health Organization received data from China on new Covid-19 hospitalisations after a reporting gap, with figures on Thursday showing a nearly 50 per cent increase in the week to January 1. Over the same week, the report showed China had 218,019 new cases and 648 new deaths, although these figures typically include Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau as well as mainland China. The WHOs latest report showed 22,416 new hospitalisations for mainland China in the week to January 1 versus 15,161 the previous week. This was still below the all-time peak of nearly 29,000 admissions in early December. On Wednesday, WHO officials gave their clearest criticism yet of Chinas recent handling of the pandemic, saying Covid-19 data is not giving an accurate picture of the situation and under-represents the number of hospitalisations and deaths. During the same period, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported nine deaths. Also Read The end of Covid Zero Best of BS Opinion: Trade imbalance, deficient distribution, and more Beyond civil society Fair game Rules of conduct Killed 800 Russian soldiers in a day, claims Kyiv; France promises tanks Ukraine to get French armored combat vehicles in 'first' such move Beds run out at Beijing hospital as Covid-19 brings in more patients Blinken will have several opportunities to travel to India in 2023: US Biden raises concern over China's Covid management after WHO questions data China defends its covid handling The body is preparing to meet Chinese scientists on Thursday as part of a wider briefing among member states on the global Covid-19 situation as concerns grow about the rapid spread of the virus in the worlds Number 2 economy. Facts have proved that China has always, in accordance with the principles of legality, timeliness, openness and transparency, maintained close communication and shared relevant information and data with the WHO in a timely manner, Mao said. Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told in a briefing that China had transparently and quickly shared Covid data with the WHO. Mao said that Chinas epidemic situation is controllable and that it hoped the WHO would uphold a scientific, objective, and impartial position. Giving its regular morning roundup of the fighting, Ukraines military said Russian forces were focused on an offensive in the Bakhmut sector and its attacks in the Avdiivka and Kupiansk sectors were unsuccessful. Ukraines military estimated on Thursday that 800 Russian soldiers were killed in the past day, mostly in fighting in the eastern Donetsk region, while Western allies pledged supplies of armoured battle vehicles. Even though Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered Moscows armed forces to hold a 36-hour cease-fire in Ukraine this weekend for the Russian Orthodox Christmas holiday, the Kremlin said. It also reported an unspecified number of civilian casualties as a result of Russian air, missile and rocket attacks on the largely ruined, Ukrainian-held city of Bakhmut and two other cities in the Donetsk region - Kostiantynivka and Kurakhove. It said more than 800 Russian soldiers, one aircraft, a helicopter and three tanks were destroyed over the past day. Reuters could not independently verify battlefield accounts. Russia denies targeting civilians in what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine. Also Read Microsoft rolls out Windows 11 2022 update: What is new and how to get it Live: Zelenskyy urges world to react on Russian-controlled nuclear plant A day after US warning, Russian President Putin set to visit Iran next week Ukraine Prez Zelenskyy, First Lady Olena pose for Vogue cover amid war Live news: Putin's war hurls Russian economy back four years in one quarter Ukraine to get French armored combat vehicles in 'first' such move Beds run out at Beijing hospital as Covid-19 brings in more patients Blinken will have several opportunities to travel to India in 2023: US Biden raises concern over China's Covid management after WHO questions data China under-representing true impact of Covid-19, especially deaths: WHO The fighting is still quite hot ... what we're seeing in Bakhmut we should expect to see elsewhere along the front that there will be continued fighting in the coming months, the official said. A senior US administration official on Wednesday gave a sobering assessment of fighting in the Donetsk region, especially around Bakhmut. Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar, citing his ministrys main intelligence directorate, wrote on the Telegram application that significant losses for Russia meant it would likely have to announce a another partial mobilisation in the first quarter of the year. According to Yegeny Balitsky, the governor of the Russian held Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian artillery killed five people and wounded 15 including four emergency workers, Russias TASS news agency reported. In his evening video address, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukrainian troops outside Bakhmut were inflicting numerous losses on their adversaries and Russia was building up its forces in the region. French President Emmanuel Macron told Zelenskiy France would send light AMX-10 RC armoured combat vehicles to help the war effort, a French official said on Wednesday after the two leaders spoke by telephone. ARMOUR ON THE WAY President Joe Biden said later on Wednesday that the United States was considering sending Bradley Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine, which is fighting Europes biggest land conflict since 1945. Cities have been destroyed, millions of people displaced and tens of thousands killed since Russias invasion in February. While the official said these would be the first Western armoured vehicles delivered to Ukraine, Australia has given Kyiv 90 of its Bushmaster vehicles, an armoured unit hardened against landmines and other threats. The Bradley armoured vehicle, which has a powerful gun, has been a US Army staple to carry troops since the mid-1980s. The US Army has thousands of them, and they would give Ukraine more firepower on the battlefield and strengthen its ability in trench warfare. Bidens decision, however, would fall short of sending the Abrams tanks that Ukraine has sought. It has repeatedly asked Western allies for heavier fighting vehicles such as the Abrams and German-made Leopard tanks. Preliminary economy ministry data on Thursday showed a 30.4 per cent drop in gross domestic product last year and economic analysts said risks and uncertainty remain high, especially if Russia continues to attack critical infrastructure in Ukraine. Ukraine suffered its sharpest economic decline in over 30 years in 2022 because of the war with Russia, but said foreign aid and the unbreakable spirit of its people helped prevent an even worse scenario. In 2022, the Ukrainian economy suffered its largest losses and damages in the entire history of independence, inflicted on it by the Russian Federation, Svyrydenko, who is also first deputy prime minister, said in a statement. Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko described the decline in GDP as the biggest in any year since Ukraine won independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, but said the fall was smaller than expected. The war has caused widespread death and destruction, uprooted millions of Ukrainians, disrupted agriculture, limited access to the Black Sea ports that are vital for grain and metals exports, and driven up defence spending. The successes of Ukraines defence forces on the front lines, the coordinated work of the government and businesses, the unbreakable spirit of the population and the speed of rebuilding damaged critical infrastructure units, and also systemic financial support from international donors have allowed us to keep up the economic front and continue our movement towards victory. Also Read Killed 800 Russian soldiers in a day, claims Kyiv; France promises tanks Microsoft rolls out Windows 11 2022 update: What is new and how to get it Live: Zelenskyy urges world to react on Russian-controlled nuclear plant A day after US warning, Russian President Putin set to visit Iran next week Ukraine Prez Zelenskyy, First Lady Olena pose for Vogue cover amid war Trade dispute: India likely to propose out-of-court settlement to US US provided nearly $60 mn to Pakistan for humanitarian assistance in 2022 Pakistan to seek over $16 bn for flood rehabilitation at UN conference Singapore's retail sales grew 6.2% year-on-year in November 2022 Europe stumbles as firm Fed not cutting interest rates amid China rally The Biden administration on Thursday said it would immediately begin turning away Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, a major expansion of an existing effort to stop Venezuelans attempting to enter the U.S. Instead, the administration will accept 30,000 people per month from the four nations for two years and offer the ability to legally work, as long as they come legally, have eligible sponsors and pass vetting and background checks. These four affected nations are among those for whom migrant border crossings have risen most sharply, with no easy way to quickly return migrants to their home countries. It was Bidens boldest move yet to confront spiraling arrivals at the U.S. border with Mexico, a major change to immigration rules that will stand even if the U.S. Supreme Court ends a Trump-era public health law that allows American authorities to turn away asylum seekers. The president has seen the numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border rise dramatically during his two years in office; there were more than 2.38 million stops during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the first time the number cracked 2 million. The administration has struggled to clamp down on crossings, reluctant to take hard-line measures that would resemble those of the Trump administration. Thats resulted in relentless criticism from Republicans who say the Democratic president is ineffective on border security, and the newly minted Republican House majority has promised congressional investigations. The new policy could result in 360,000 people from these four nations lawfully entering the U.S. in a year. But currently, far more people from those countries are attempting to cross into the U.S. on foot, by boat or swimming. Migrants from those four countries were stopped 82,286 times in November alone. Biden was to address the border changes in a speech later Thursday. He will travel to El Paso, Texas, this weekend, his first trip to the southern border as president, before a planned trip to Mexico City to meet with North American leaders on Monday. Mexico has agreed to accept each month from the four countries up to 30,000 migrants who attempt to walk or swim across the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the White House. Anyone coming to the U.S. is allowed to claim asylum, regardless of how they crossed the border, and migrants seeking a better life in the U.S. often pay smugglers the equivalent of thousands of dollars to deliver them across the dangerous Darien Gap. But the requirements for granting asylum are narrow, and only about 30% of applications are granted. That has created a system in which migrants come between ports of entry and are allowed into the U.S. to wait out their cases. But there is a 2 million-case immigration court backlog, so cases often are not heard for years. The move, while not unexpected, drew swift criticism from asylum and immigration advocates, who have had a rocky relationship with the president. Sen. Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, called it an affront to restoring rule of law at the border and a circumvention of immigration law that will exacerbate chaos and confusion. He welcomed allowing in more migrants, but said it will only benefit those who can afford it, not migrants fleeing violence and persecution. The only lasting way to change the system is through Congress, but a bipartisan effort in Congress on new immigration laws failed shortly before Republicans took the House majority. Under then-President Donald Trump, the U.S. required asylum seekers to wait across the border in Mexico. But massive delays in the immigration system created long delays, leading to fetid, dangerous camps over the border where migrants were forced to wait. That system was ended under the Biden era, and the migrants who are returned now to Mexico under the new rules will not be eligible for asylum. Biden has agreed to triple the number of refugees accepted to the U.S. from the Western Hemisphere, to 20,000 from Latin America and Caribbean, over the next two years. Both refugees and asylum seekers have to meet the same criteria to be allowed into the country, but they arrive through different means. At the U.S.-Mexico border, migrants have been denied a chance to seek asylum under U.S. and international law 2.5 million times since March 2020 under the Title 42 restrictions, introduced as an emergency health measure by Trump to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but there always has been criticism that the restrictions were used as a pretext by the Republican to seal off the border. Even with the restrictions, there are still large increases in the number of migrants arriving. Homeland Security officials stopped migrants 2.38 million times during fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the first time the number exceeded 2 million. Biden moved to end the Title 42 restrictions, and Republicans sued to keep them. The U.S. Supreme Court has kept the rules in place for now. White House officials say they still believe the restrictions should end, but they believe they can continue to turn away migrants under immigration law. Cubans, who are leaving the island nation in their largest numbers in six decades, were stopped 34,675 times at the U.S. border with Mexico in November, up 21% from 28,848 times in October. Nicaraguans, a large reason why El Paso has become the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, were stopped 34,209 times, up 65% from 20,920 in October. But Venezuelans were seen far less after Mexico agreed on Oct. 12 to begin accepting those expelled from the United States. They were stopped 7,931 times, down 64% from 22,045 in October. Venezuelans have said the changes have been difficult, particularly with finding a sponsor who has the financial resources to demonstrate the ability to support them. And even if they find a sponsor, sometimes they delay their arrival because they dont have the economic resources to pay for the flight to travel to the U.S. Other times, the Venezuelan passport that they need to come is expired, and they cannot afford to pay for the renewal. Many Venezuelans who want to come to the U.S. face economic difficulties, do not have a job or do not earn enough money to support their families in their country. Sometimes they delay their trip to leave money for them to survive, or just one of them can come to the U.S. hoping to find a job and send money to the rest of the family, while they get some stability before bringing the rest. Meanwhile, border officials are also creating an online appointment portal to help reduce wait times at U.S. ports of entry for those coming legally. It will allow people to set up an appointment to come and ask to be allowed into the country. Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in Washington, Gisela Salomon in Miami and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report. Madhya Pradesh offers a 5 to 7 per cent interest subsidy on loans for machinery, rebates on discounted tariff, infrastructure development help, etc. The Madhya Pradesh government is providing customised incentives for the employment-oriented textile and garment sector, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has told Business Standard. The state will showcase the sector at the upcoming Global Investors Summit to be held in Indore. Shreyaskar Chaudhary, managing director of Pratibha Syntex, said the companys new factory in Ujjain based completely on green technology employs 4,000, of which 80 per cent are women. The policies are conducive, infrastructure support is unparalleled, and skilled manpower is available, Chaudhary said. According to the government data, the state accounts for 43 per cent of Indias and 24 per cent of worlds organic cotton production. The state has witnessed a 60 per cent compound annual growth rate in organic cotton production during the past three years. The state has more than 60 large textile mills, over 4,000 looms, and 2.5 million spindles. Indore houses over 1,200 units with apparel designing centers. According to them, 30 of their team got trained at the handicraft department but they are still waiting for work. The states iconic Chanderi cotton and Bagh Print have been accorded Geographical Indication (GI) tag. Chhindwara-based Aid and Survival of Handicrafts Artisans (ASHA) works with tribal artisans only. Its founders Aarti and Rohit Rusia said the government not only should train the artisan but it should also take advantage of their skills. Also Read Bangladesh, Vietnam seen as competitors in textile and garment trade Should you hold textile stocks amid rising cotton prices At Rs 3,513 crore, Madhya Pradesh bags most textile PLI investments Will post highest ever domestic sales in 2022: Hyundai's Tarun Garg After slow start to 2022, Surat textile industry looks for festive cheer For tech industry, 2022 was a year of mass layoffs; 2023 likely to be worse Blue-collar hiring start-up Apna reports 60% jump in job postings in 2022 Mixed bag of job opportunities await aspirants in 2023; skills in spotlight Over 1,000,000 e-Shram registrations on NCS portal for jobs: Govt Fresh formal job creation fell for third straight month, show EPFO numbers Non-compete agreements block workers from freely switching jobs, depriving them of higher wages and better working conditions, and depriving businesses of a talent pool that they need to build and expand, said FTC member in a statement. The proposed rule is the latest sign from the Biden administration of its support for labor, including backing a measure to make it harder for an employer to classify a person as an independent contractor, which generally means fewer benefits and legal protections. The estimate is that if the rule goes into effect, wages to US workers would rise by $300 billion per year and an estimated 30 million Americans would have better career opportunities. The rule would also require companies with existing non-compete agreements with workers to scrap them and to inform current and past employees that they have been canceled. It would also stop companies from requiring workers to reimburse companies for certain kinds of training if they leave before a certain period of time. The US Federal Trade Commission, which enforces antitrust law, proposed a rule that would ban companies from requiring workers to sign non-compete provisions as well as some training repayment agreements, which companies use to keep workers from leaving for better jobs, the agency said on Thursday. The proposal seeks comment on a potential rule, which is months away, if not longer, from taking effect. Also Read BF Investment zooms 20% as board to consider delisting plan on January 4 DFM Foods freezes at 20% upper circuit on promoter's delisting proposal Promoter of DFM Foods expresses interest to delist shares of the company BGMI delisting from Google, Apple app stores adds to gaming sector's woes Delisting of lending apps will be an ongoing process on Google Play Store Mahindra Finance gains 3% as RBI lifts ban on outsourcing loan recovery Bosch, Uno Minda: Analysts bet on airbag makers on govt push for car safety Bajaj Finance tumbles 8% as AUM logs lesser-than-expected growth in Q3 MARKET LIVE: Sensex, Nifty volatile; Bajaj Finance tumbles 7%, ITC rises 2% The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has issued a debt broker license to Bengaluru-based fintech firm GoldenPi Technologies. With the development, GoldenPi became the first online bond platform provider to receive a debt brokerage license from Sebi. Last year, the regulator introduced regulations for online debt trading platforms which stated that no company or individual shall act as an online bond platform provider without the certificate of registration as a stock broker under the SEBI Regulations, 2021. The awarding of the license by Sebi to GoldenPi is expected to work as a catalyst for greater investor trust in the online bonds and debentures investment space, the company said in a release. "We are extremely delighted to have received the license and are confident that this would incentivise more investors to invest in the debt market with utmost trust," said Abhijit Roy, CEO and co-founder, GoldenPi. Incorporated in 2017, the Zerodha-backed company currently offers more than 100+ bonds and debentures on its online platform in the form of daily listings. Also Read Discount broker Zerodha faces snag in early trade, issue resolved 5 things to know before you choose your online broker 20-minute glitch on Zerodha app; users unable to view, modify orders TMS Ep209: Environmental protection, IT returns, markets, online broker MCD implements uniform rate for licence fee for new factory, renewal Sundararaman Ramamurthy takes charge as managing director, CEO of BSE Here's why Sensex crashed over 1,200 points in two days Stock price of this SME company has zoomed 311% against its issue price Apar Industries hits new high; zooms 98% in 6 months on positive outlook IRB Infra dips 4% on profit-booking; board approves 1:10 stock split It has more than 3.7 lakh active users on its platform, investing in corporate bonds, NCD, IPOs and other fixed-income assets. Hong Kong share market finished session near a six-month high on Thursday, 05 January 2023, extending winning streak for fourth consecutive day. The rally on city bourses chiefly due to China pledges of more supportive economic measures and announcement of reopening its border with Hong Kong on January 8, nearly three years after it was largely shut in an effort to contain the spread of COVID. At closing bell, the benchmark Hang Seng Index advanced 259.06 points, or 1.25%, to 21,052.17, he highest level since July 11, 2022. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index was up 106.90 points, or 1.51%, to 7,172.43. The People's Bank of China will implement a targeted and prudent policy this year to bolster the economy, it said in a statement on Wednesday after its annual work conference. Finance Minister Liu Kun this week also pledged more fiscal support for the economy. Among blue chips, Alibaba Group rallied 3.7% to HK$100, Meituan surged 5.7% to HK$191.70 and JD.com rose 3% to HK$248.20. HSBC gained 2.5% to HK$51.25 while electric-vehicle maker BYD climbed 1.5% to HK$206. Powered by Capital Market - Live News The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), UK, has published the vehicle registrations data for the month of December 2022. New car registrations in the United Kingdom (UK) recorded its fifth consecutive month of growth in December, rising by 18.3% year-on-year (YoY) to 128,462 units from 108,596 units in December 2021. Total Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) registrations in UK declined by 12.5% to 3,501 units in December 2022 from 4,002 units in December 2021. While Jaguar registrations dropped by 32% to 909 units, Land Rover registrations fell by 3% to 2,592 units in December 2022 over December 2021. The SMMT said that this second half year performance was not enough to offset the declines recorded during the first half of 2022. Despite underlying demand, pandemic-related global parts shortages saw overall registrations for the year fell by 2% YoY to 1,614,063 units, around 700,000 units below pre-Covid levels. Looking ahead, SMMT stated that the supply chains are beginning to stabilise and although the shortage of semiconductors is expected to ease, erratic supply will likely impact manufacturing throughout 2023. The most recent market outlook, published in October 2022, anticipates around 1.8 million new car registrations in 2023, worth around 8.4 billion in additional turnover. Also Read Tata Motors skid after JLR CEO Thierry Bollore resigns Gamified math competition Matific Math League 2022 crosses registrations from 500+ schools Tata Motors global wholesales jumps 33% YoY in Q2 JLR records 4% sequential growth in Q2 wholesale volumes Indraprastha Gas gains after Q1 PAT rises 72% YoY; gas volumes up 48% YoY AGI Greenpac ends higher after Telangana-based speciality glass facility starts production Equitas SFB gross advances jumps 27% YoY in Q3 FY23 Bajaj Finance Ltd leads losers in 'A' group CRISIL reaffirms ratings of Shankara Building Products BF Investment Ltd leads losers in 'B' group JLR is owned by Tata Motors, a global automobile manufacturer of cars, utility vehicles, pick-ups, trucks and buses, offering extensive range of integrated, smart and e-mobility solutions. It is India's market leader in commercial vehicles and amongst the top three in the passenger vehicles market. The company reported consolidated net loss of Rs 944.61 crore in Q2 FY23 as against Rs 4,441.57 crore in Q2 FY22. Net sales jumped 30.5% to Rs 78,846.92 crore in Q2 FY23 as compared to Rs 60,435.92 crore in Q2 FY22. The scrip rose 0.32% to end at Rs 387 on the BSE today. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to flag off two BJP rath yatras from North Tripura and South Tripura districts on Thursday, a party leader said. BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee said Shah will arrive in Agartala around 11 am and head to Dharmanagar in North Tripura district to launch the yatra and address a public rally. He will then visit Sabroom in South Tripura district to flag off another rath yatra and address a public meeting, Bhattacharjee said. Shah will depart from Tripura on Thursday evening. Bhattacharjee said the Jana Viswas Yatra', aimed at highlighting the state government's achievements ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, will travel 1,000 km covering all the 60 constituencies. A total of 100 rallies and roadshows will be held, and the yatra will conclude on January 12, he said, adding, BJP president J P Nadda will join the programme on the last day. Also Read President Murmu flags off first Kolkata-Agartala express train from Tripura 5 companies of Central paramilitary forces arrive in Tripura ahead of polls Amit Shah to meets senior leaders to discuss poll preparedness in Tripura BJP ST Morcha National President Samir Oraon attacked in Tripura Rajya Sabha bypoll to fill seat vacated by Tripura CM Manik Saha on Sept 22 TMC's Binoy Tamang quits party, hours after change of guard in Darjeeling Joint initiative to defeat BJP at final stage, claims Tripura CPI(M) BJP to take out rath yatra in Tripura ahead of assembly polls from Jan 1 Polls in 3 NE states crucial for BJP's dreams, Cong survival, Oppn unity Mission Meghalaya: Mamata, Abhishek Banerjee on 3-day tour from today Meanwhile, Shah's flight could not land at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala on Wednesday night due to poor visibility caused by thick fog, officials said. The flight had to be diverted to Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, they said. Connecticut legislators were shocked to wake up to the news that their friend and colleague, Rep. Quentin Williams, D-Middletown, was killed in a wrong-way car crash early Thursday morning. Williams, 39, served the 100th district in the House of Representatives and was recently named House Chair of the Labor Committee, according to a release from House leadership. He is survived by his wife Carrissa and his mother Queen. He was sworn into his third term in office at Connecticuts Inauguration event on Wednesday evening. Several of his colleagues sent out messages remembering him, some of them posted pictures taken with him at the event just hours before the crash. This is devastating news, and I am incredibly saddened by this tragedy, Gov. Ned Lamont said. Quentin had an infectiously optimistic personality, and he absolutely loved having the opportunity to represent his lifelong home of Middletown at the State Capitol. Public service was his passion, and he was always advocating on behalf of the people of his hometown. He was a genuine person with a genuine soul, and he will be missed. My prayers are with his family, including his wife Carrissa and his mother Queen, as well as his friends and colleagues in the General Assembly. Lamont lowered flags to half-staff in Williams honor on Thursday, according to a release sent from his office. I have had the incredible privilege of knowing and working closely with Q Williams, a lifelong resident of Middletown, for nearly two decades, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said. Q was the product of Middletown Public Schools and was a passionate advocate for education. Prior to serving in the legislature, Q was the director of Middletowns Downtown District. I had the pleasure of working with Q as he worked to help entrepreneurs and Main St. businesses grow and thrive. Q loved Middletowns Main Street, and our thriving downtown lead him to create the Main Street Caucus in our states legislature. Attorney General William Tong said he met Williams before he became a state legislator when he was an advocate for a local school in Stamford. I can only think of one word to describe him hopeful. Q was always brimming with optimism and possibility. He had a spirit that was relentlessly positive and aspirational. We need his light more than ever, and thats why it is so hard to lose him. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife and his family and the community that he loved and served. Treasurer Erick Russell said in a statement that he was heartbroken over the news. Q was not only a talented and compassionate leader but a uniquely sincere and uplifting person. His charisma, and day-brightening smile, belied his relentless commitment to improving the lives of his constituents in Middletown, whom he loved like family. Q gave all of himself. As his friend and brother in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., I saw the impact of his energy and kindness envelope everyone around him. He was a mentor, a bolt of energy, and a guiding light. As a legislator, he was diligent, tenacious and righteous. As a friend, he was unmatched. My thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Qs wife Carrissa, his family and loved ones, and the people of Middletown today, Treasurer Erick Russell said. U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy offered their condolences on social media. U.S. Congress members also released statements honoring the up-and-coming politician. A truly tragic loss for the Williams family & for our state. A young, bright life gone too early. My deepest condolences to Qs friends, family, & loved ones, Blumenthal said in a statement on Twitter. Terrible news today of Q Williams sudden death. He was a great friend, a present and future leader, and a kind, graceful presence that made everyone around him better. What a loss. Im sending every good thought I have to his family and friends today, said Murphy on Twitter. Other statements came from U.S. Representatives Joe Courtney, John Larson and Rosa DeLauro. This is a heartbreaking loss for our state. Quentin Q Williams was a lifelong resident of Middletown, and as the people of this state will learn in the coming days, he was a builder of policy, of bipartisan relationships, and of lasting friendships, Courtney said. Our state and our country need more people like Quentin, and to lose such a dedicated public servant at such a young age is an absolute tragedy. My heart goes out to Quentin, his wife Carrissa, and to their family and loved ones, and Audrey and I are keeping them in our hearts and prayers. Larson said Williams served his lifelong home of Middletown in the General Assembly with dignity and vision. He will be remembered by us all for his optimism and true passion for public service. Rep. Williams wife Carrissa and his entire family are in my prayers. DeLauro added that she was heartbroken at the tragic loss. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, colleagues, and the Middletown community. I had the honor of watching Q grow in local politics, from an energetic member of the Middletown Young Democrats to City Treasurer and on to State Legislator. His unwavering commitment to Middletown and those he served was inspiring. He had the most positive outlook, only seeing opportunity and always striving to find creative solutions to whatever issues he took on. I will always remember Q for his dedication to public service, his great sense of humor, warm smile, and unforgettable laugh. Q will be deeply missed and I send my deepest condolences to his wife, Carrissa, his mother, Queen, and the many friends he called family. And hundreds of his fellow representatives, state organizations and advocacy group expressed their sadness over the loss of the young politician. Here are some of the highlights. Fellow legislators Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, and Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford: I am in shock, Ritter said. Q was my dear friend and I am scarred by his sudden loss. We will have time to reflect on Q as a legislator in the weeks to come, but right now I deeply mourn my friend and send all of my love to Carrissa, Queen and Qs family. We will all miss Q. Rep. Williams was an amazing human being, Rojas said. His infectious smile could instantly make a difficult day better. He was an amazing husband, friend and colleague. He loved community and serving others. Truly a friend to all who knew him. This is a terrible tragedy and a great loss to our state. My heart goes out to his wife, family, and all who loved Q. We will miss him. Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Martin Looney, D-New Haven, and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk: The loss of our colleague Representative Quentin Q Williams is utterly shocking and unspeakably heartbreaking. He was a wonderful person who was smart, talented, and had a laugh that would make everyone laugh with him. He was always energetic, exuberant, and felt blessed to be a public servant. We have lost a valued and dedicated member of the legislative community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carrissa and his family and loved ones during this devastating time. Truly tragic news for all who knew him. Ritter and Looney canceled all legislative meetings Thursday and closed the Capitol Complex, according to a release from House leadership. Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, is serving as the spokesperson for the family: Q was a beloved friend and his passing even as I write this is still shocking and unfathomable, Lesser said. He and his family have meant so much to the Middletown community and personally to myself and my family. As a legislator, he was a passionate and committed public servant whose intellect and warmth made our state a better place and the General Assembly a better place. He was a trailblazer, the first Black state representative ever elected in Middletown. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carrissa and his mother Queen and his entire family as they manage the unimaginable. Chair of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus Rep. Geraldo Reyes, D-Waterbury, and Co-Chair Bobby Gibson, D-Bloomfield, West Hartford: Rep. Williams was a trailblazer who fought for equality and was committed to creating learning opportunities in all communities, Reyes and Gibson said. Today, we have lost a brother who truly dedicated his life to public service. We are in mourning and send our deepest condolences to the Williams family. His infectious smile lit up every room that he ever entered. He will be deeply missed. They said he was an advocate for the caucus and fought tirelessly to help families struggling with the housing crisis. They noted he was the first African American person to represent Middletown in the General Assembly. This is such a huge loss for our community and family here in the legislature, Sen. Jan Hochadel, D-Meriden said. Representative Williams was an inspiration and always had a positive outlook. He was a tireless advocate for improving the lives of so many families in his district and throughout Connecticut. He took his leadership role seriously and served the residents of Middletown proudly. I hope to honor his memory by representing the people in Middletown with the passion he demonstrated. I will never forget the work Representative Williams has done and the example he set. My deepest thoughts, prayers, and sincerest condolences are with his family at this time. State Representative Geoff Luxenberg, D-Manchester, House Chair of Housing Committee: In a gut-wrenching, heart-breaking instant, I learned that my friend of nearly 20 years, Quentin Q Williams has tragically passed away. No statement from any friend, colleague, politician or person will ever be able to capture in words his humility, his passion for justice, or his zeal for life. When Q laughed his one-of-a-kind booming laugh you felt his joy deep in your soul. When he smiled, the room lit up. When he spoke, everyone listened. And when he worked as Chair of this Housing Committee, or in any legislative capacity, you knew with a certainty that was both comforting and rare, the bedrock of his work was a passion and love for the people of Connecticut that was deeper and more authentic and more real than anyone. State legislators come and go but there will never be another Q. Many news reports will soon honor his legacy with all his accomplishments but his legacy to the institution, State of Connecticut, and to the Housing Committee, which he chaired until Wednesday with such skill and honor, will always be about his incredible humility. I think he would want us to remember him modestly as Q a friend and humble public servant, a man of the people, a person who fought the toughest injustices of this world, and because of his Texas-sized heart and brilliant mind, won more than most. State Senator Jan Hochadel, D-Meriden: This is such a huge loss for our community and family here in the legislature. Representative Williams was an inspiration and always had a positive outlook. He was a tireless advocate for improving the lives of so many families in his district and throughout Connecticut. He took his leadership role seriously and served the residents of Middletown proudly. I hope to honor his memory by representing the people in Middletown with the passion he demonstrated. I will never forget the work Representative Williams has done and the example he set. My deepest thoughts, prayers, and sincerest condolences are with his family at this time. Local officials Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim said Williams, a Middletown resident, embodied the phrase larger than life. His laugh, smile and presence were felt in every space shared with him, Florsheim said in a statement. His passing is a true loss for our community. A light has been dimmed today. His dedication to fighting for equality, education, workers rights, and justice in all its forms is irreplaceable, and while we are heartbroken, the community he loved so much and where Q was loved so much in return will continue the fight. Other local politicians reflected on his legacy. Meriden Mayor Kevin M. Scarpati and Meridens State Delegation: Through our work together with Middletown we have known Q to be a passionate lawmaker with a mission to provide children and families a brighter future, carried out by his hard work, tremendous personality and sense of humor. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and colleagues at this difficult time. His legacy will live on through the many lives he has touched, both personally and professionally. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin and Sara Bronin: Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin and Chair of the Federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Sara Bronin each sent condolences on his passing. Last night, Q Williams was so full of energy, joy, and passion for his new role and the work ahead. Heartbroken by the news this morning, Luke Bronin wrote. Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons: I am devastated over the tragic loss of my friend & colleague Representative Quentin Williams and I want to express my deepest sympathies and condolences to his wife and family. He was a compassionate, talented, & devoted Representative & a fierce advocate for educational equity. Political parties State organizations Ed Hawthorne and Shellye Davis, president and executive vice president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO: We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Rep. Williams earlier this morning. Just last night, we talked with Q at the inaugural ball and he was true to form brimming with positive energy and a big smile that lit up the room. Q was not only an incredible advocate for his constituents in Middletown, but for all working people across Connecticut. We were very much looking forward to working with him as the new House Chair of the Labor & Public Employees Committee. His loss will be felt deeply for a long time to come. Our thoughts and our prayers are with his wife, Carissa, and the rest of his family. Advocacy groups Connecticut Justice Alliance Executive Director Christina Quaranta and Policy Director Illiana Pujos: We are devastated by the death of our friend Quentin Williams. Q was a remarkable representative the people of Middletown had pride in and could count on to always fight for them. Q stood up for all those in Connecticut whose voice was not allowed to be heard as loud as others. His brilliance, his compassion, and his larger-than-life smile could change the mood in any room and most importantly bring change to both opinion and policy when it was needed most. He cared deeply about many of the issues CTJA holds dear and we considered him not just an ally, but a friend. This is a very sad day for Connecticut. We offer our support and condolences to Qs family. He can not be replaced. Pete Harrison, director, DesegregateCT: We are devastated by the news of losing State Representative Quentin Williams last night. He was generous, smart, and hard-working, and made you believe a better future was coming for our state. We are heartbroken for his family, his friends, his colleagues, and his constituents. We have all lost a true champion for Connecticut and a great friend today. Secretary of Ram Mandir Trust Champat Rai on Tuesday appreciated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for the Bharat Jodo Yatra and said there was nothing wrong in undertaking such an initiative. His comments come a day after chief priest of Ram Janmabhoomi temple Acharya Satyendra Das blessed Gandhi for the Yatra. I thank the young man who is walking on foot in the country, I appreciate his move. There is nothing wrong in it. I am the worker of RSS, and the RSS never condemned Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rai said reacting to a question from mediapersons regarding the Yatra which entered Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. "He is walking in this harsh weather and this must be appreciated. I must say every one should do Yatra of the country," he said. Another senior trustee of Ram Mandir Trust Govind Dev Giri also hailed Bharat Jodo Yatra. "I pray to Lord Rama to bless him so that the nation must remain united, strong and harmonious," he said "Bharat Jodo is a good slogan and India must unite," he added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced that the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will be ready by January 1 next year. Addressing a public rally here in poll-bound Tripura, Shah said that the Congress and CPI(M) had put the Ram Mandir issue in the jurisdiction of the court for long, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for it after the Supreme Court's order. "Rahul baba, listen from Sabroom, that a mammoth Ram Mandir will be ready on January 1, 2024," he said attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. At Sabroom in South Tripura district, Shah flagged off a BJP rath yatra, the second one during the day after Dharmanagar in North Tripura district, aimed at highlighting the state government's achievements ahead of the assembly elections due early this year. The country is safe at the hands of Modi, the union minister said. "Ten days after the Pulwama incident in Kashmir, Indian soldiers went inside Pakistan and carried out a successful operation under Modi's leadership, he said. Also Read 50% of construction work of Ram temple complete; shrine to open in Jan 2024 More than 40% of Ram temple construction work complete in Ayodhya Amit Shah to arrive in Tripura to flag off two rath yatras of BJP today President Murmu flags off first Kolkata-Agartala express train from Tripura Har Ghar Tiranga: Tricolour to fly atop temples in Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura Two-day national executive meeting of BJP to be held from Jan 16-17 Appreciate Rahul Gandhi for Bharat Jodo Yatra: Secretary Ram Mandir Trust RS dy chair showcases Parliament's work during Covid at Commonwealth meet Bharat Jodo Yatra shows Congress on strong footing in UP: Salman Khurshid BJP chief Nadda to take part in events in Karnataka's Chitradurga, Tumakur A CRPF convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber in Pulwama district killing 40 personnel on February 14, 2019. The Indian Air Force raided a terrorist camp at Balakot in Pakistan on February 26. Twitter is finally bringing a much sought-after feature that will help users find specific tweets and profiles by filtering based on date, user, retweet count, hashtags and more. According to social media analyst Matt Navarra, Twitter's advanced search filters for smartphone users are "coming soon". "Twitter Advanced Search feature on iOS is coming soon," he tweeted on Thursday. "You can also use Twitter Advanced Search on iOS to search another user's profile," he posted. As he mentioned, the new search feature will arrive first on iPhones. CEO Elon Musk had complained about Twitter's search feature within a week of taking control of the micro-blogging platform. Also Read Virat Kohli among top reel hashtag draws of 2022, even as new stars shine Twitter suspends Indian microblogging site Koo's account, bans Mastodon Why is there a growing unease between the govt and Big Tech in India? Twitter rolls out new ways to enhance video experience for users Twitter Blue users in Canada, Australia, New Zealand can now 'Edit Tweet' CES 2023: Samsung announces SmartThings Station, in-cabin experience & more Intel launches sixteen new locked 13th Gen Core desktop processors CES 2023: boAt to showcase next-gen hearable products from boAt Labs Windows 7, 8.1 to stop getting critical security updates from Jan 10 Satya Nadella puts ChatGPT to test, asks it to rank Mumbai's street food "Fixing search is a high priority," he had tweeted on November 6 last year. "Search within Twitter reminds me of Infoseek in a98! That will also get a lot better pronto," Musk added. According to TechCrunch, on the web, you have to type in your search term, then click the three dot menu to the right of the search bar to open up advanced search. "On mobile, this wasn't even an option until now, when this feature release seems to be imminent," said the report. It's still not clear when this advanced search feature will roll out. --IANS na/ksk/ Unsubscribe to continue This is a subscriber only feature Subscribe Now to get daily updates on WhatsApp Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Electricity supply affected by 72-hour strike in India's western state Xinhua) 11:14, January 05, 2023 NEW DELHI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Electricity supply in parts of India's western state of Maharashtra was affected on Wednesday as thousands of the employees of three government-owned companies went on a 72-hour strike. The employees are protesting against the local government's move to privatize the power firms, and demanding it should not issue a parallel distribution licence to a private power subsidiary. Reports said the strike has hit electricity supply in nine districts of Maharashtra. Authorities have deployed police forces at sensitive places like power plants. Representative of Maharashtra State Electricity Workers' Federation Krushna Bhoir told the media that the protest was going on peacefully as the protesting employees were sitting in make-shift tents outside their establishments. Meanwhile, the local government has invoked the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) and asked the officials concerned to take all necessary steps to ensure normal supply of electricity in the state, according to media reports. The strike is set to continue until Friday and the employee unions have urged consumers to make backup arrangements. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) You are looking at the best variant of the current-generation Honda HR-V. Having driven the base HR-V S (and even pitting it against the Hy... Puerto Rican cement sales continue decline in Oct-Nov period ICR Newsroom By 05 January 2023 Cement sales in Puerto Rico declined 3.6 per cent YoY in October 2022 to 1.17m bags of 42.6kg, or 49,842t, according to the countrys Statistics Institute. In November 2022 sales dropped 11.5 per cent YoY to 1.1m bags, or 46,860t. In 2021 Puerto Rican cement sales totalled 15.6m bags (664,560t), up 12.5 per cent YoY and the highest annual sales since 2013. Cement production Domestic cement production decreased by 10.1 per cent to 653,900 bags (27,856t) in October 2022 when compared with October 2021. However, in November output from Puerto Rican cement plants was up by 29.8 per cent to 658,700 bags (28,060t) the first increase in three months. In 2021 output declined by 29.5 per cent to 7.4m bags, or 315,240t, continuing the declining trend of three years. Published under For the hundreds of local residents that recently traveled by air, it was no surprise to them that they had to be subjected to screenings and some even were searched. Its been this way since 2001. Also since 2001 hundreds of thousands of illegals have come across the southern border fanning out into this nation with no searches, no requirements of identification or immunizations. What do Democrats talk about? Trumps tax returns. Ralph Miller * * * I understand Mr. Ralph Miller's comparison between airline security and illegals entering the U.S. It is not a valid comparison, but I agree that the problem of illegal entries should be addressed. However, two things I would like to point out regarding Mr. Miller's blame of Democrats for the problem. 1. Illegal entries are not a new problem. The implication by Mr. Miller is that the problem originated sometime after President Biden was sworn into office. Mr. Miller fails to point out that from January 2017 until January 2019 that the Republicans controlled the Presidency and Congress. They, too, could have enacted meaningful immigration reform with or without the help of the Democrats. From January 2019 until January 2021 the Democrats were receptive to immigration reform, but Senator McConnell refused to let any Democratic bill reach the floor of the Senate for discussion. The reality is that no meaningful immigration reform bill was offered by the Republicans for debate during the Trump Presidency. From January, 2020 until January 2021, the Republicans were focused only on re-electing Donald Trump and even keeping him in office illegally. 2. Mr. Miller also says that the only thing the Democrats talk about is Donald Trump's tax returns. More and more evidence is coming to light that the Trump family are nothing but con artists and tax cheats. The whole country should be talking about the Trumps' fleecing the American taxpayers with their alleged illegal tax evasion, not legal tax avoidance. Today, the Democrats are not talking about Trump. The reality today is the embarrassment by the Republican House, who are not governing, but fighting among themselves. They are embarrassing the U.S. throughout the world by not governing for the people, but showing their egos. Joe Warren * * * Mr. Warren, in response to Mr. Miller's article, seems to want to argue against apparent valid points Miller made, as in some earlier articles, which of course is his option. Miller's first paragraph is an illustration of contrast and comparison and it points to negligence at the least by the seated administration. In that opening paragraph Miller clearly states that both of these two circumstances have occurred since 2001. Warren said Miller implied the illegal entries "problem originated sometime after President Biden was sworn into office." No, not so! In 2001 George W Bush began his term and soon after Sept. 11, 2001 hit and he focused on terror activity. What factually has happened is that under Biden the problem has drastically and severely worsened week by week; day by day. American citizens that travel by air are indeed subjected to strenuous screening and searches, as it should be for our safety. By contrast illegal aliens crossing the border have their names taken, given a mobile phone and waived on through crossing private property, leaving debris and worse, also breaking in homes on this side of the border. Large numbers of illegals have run, some of these criminals. And, under Biden's presidency, illegal entries are the highest numbers ever with their litany of problems accompanying them and affecting us. Illegals breeze through, and in contrast, citizens have to show identification for everything, everywhere, with long delays such as airports. All this in Joe Biden's America!\. Care to guess why? Could it be that the current administration wants them for future party voting? From January 2017 until January 2019 Trump did strongly attempt to stop or slow illegal aliens by the wall but was hindered by the opposite party opposing these efforts. Trump also encouraged the U. S. Customs, Border Patrol and ICE to perform their duties. Warren is correct in venturing that "no meaningful immigration reform bill was offered by the Republicans for debate during the Trump Presidency. And don't forget certainly none before was offered by Clinton. And we will wait and see if there are merits to Warren's claim "that the Trump family are nothing but con artists and tax cheats." We'll forget about Hunter Biden and '10 percent for the Big Guy' whoever he is for the time being. Also a reminder, why has Nancy Pelosi not released her tax returns all the while whining for Trump to release his? And yes, it must be fun watching the blood-letting among the recently elected Republican house before they focus on Biden's overall disastraous dismantling of what was once a better government. All this said, two Joes might make a pair. Perhaps Mr. Warren could help President Biden in this administration as they both seem to hold similar views and the President does need help. Gerald Presley Scenic City Womens Network announces its 2023 Marketplace Luncheon lineup, leading with guest speaker Lounelle Draper, on Jan. 26 at noon, at Mountain City Club, 729 Chestnut St. in Chattanooga. A plated menu and dessert will be served. Registration is $25 and open to the public. Space is limited and registration ends Jan. 24. Register online at SCWN.org, or call 423-698-6262. About Lounelle Draper Born in Dallas, Texas, Ms. Draper graduated from Southern Methodist University, where she sang my heart out, cheered at sporting events and loved my Tri-Delta sisters. She was married to the love of her life, Glenn, for 63 wonderful non-stop years until he was called to his heavenly home in 2019. She is a member of the Chattanooga Music Club and serves as the corresponding secretary.A public speaker, Ms. Draper is delightful and uplifting with her charm, her smile, her wit and her lilting laugh and she has a beautiful voice and loves singing His praises.Ms. Draper is a member of the First Presbyterian Church and the FPCC Choir. She attends several community musical events. Friends keep her on the go with prayer groups, Bible study, concerts and meals at favorite places. Most of all, she delights in encouraging anyone the Lord lays on my heart.A mother to two wonderful sons, two terrific daughter-in-laws, eight grandchildren and two great-grands, Ms. Draper is a delight to all she meets. 2022 began with ambition for Nokian Tyres in North America. It ended as a success despite unexpected challenges, thanks to strong partnerships, growth at the companys North American factory, and popular products tailored to the needs of drivers in the region, said officials. When we started 2022, the sky was the limit, said Nokian Tyres Vice President of Sales Tommi Heinonen. We were launching new products and the market was moving. Then war broke out in Ukraine, clouding Nokian Tyres sales outlook and disrupting its supply chain. Despite uncertainty and adversity, the company succeeded by growing existing dealer and distributor relationships, expanding domestic production volume at its factory in Dayton and launching new products. First and foremost, Mr. Heinonen credits Nokian Tyres partners for fueling the companys North American success amidst challenges. From day one, we have been open with our partners, said Mr. Heinonen. When we have shared information, the answers have been 99.9 percent positive. Nokian Tyres Dayton Factory set production records on a frequent basis en route to its best year on record. Thriving domestic production offers a buffer against global uncertainty, especially when it comes to some of the companys most popular products in North America, said officials. The Dayton Factory is making all-season and all-weather tires for this market, said Mr. Heinonen. The war in Ukraine is not impacting those at all; availability has been as planned. In 2023 we will get even more products from Dayton. That includes expanded volume of tires like the Nokian Tyres One and Nokian Tyres WR G4, which are currently made in Dayton. For the first time in 2023, the company will also make select light truck tire lines there. Winter tires will continue to be made in Nokia, Finland. 2022 also saw the launch of popular new products that helped Nokian Tyres advance toward its growth goals in North America. The new non-studded Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta R5 hit shops last fall to a big reception, said officials. Feedback from dealers is that its a tire you dont even need to sell its flying out of the shelves, Mr. Heinonen said. The performance is there: It has been a test winner in magazines. Everybody likes it. Its a real home run. The new all-terrain Nokian Tyres Outpost Family also thrived, said officials. Those products have been a great success story, Mr. Heinonen said. Its another product our dealers and end users were loving. The year has had a lot of ups and downs, but successful partnerships, production growth and popular products drove success, even in a difficult year. That bodes well for the year ahead, Heinonen said. In 2023 well have good news from Dayton, and our supply situation is improving. Judge Tom Greenholtz, from Hamilton County, is among three finalists for a vacancy on the Tennessee Supreme Court. The Governors Council for Judicial Appointments met Wednesday to consider five applicants for an upcoming vacancy on the high court. The vacancy was created by the announcement of the retirement of Justice Sharon G. Lee, effective Aug. 31, 2023. After holding a public hearing and conducting public interviews, the Council selected the following applicants: Kristi M. Davis Tom Greenholtz Dwight E. Tarwater The Council has forwarded these three names to Governor Bill Lee for his consideration. The Governors selection will then move through the confirmation process before the General Assembly. A SWAT Team was called out on Wednesday afternoon to help apprehend a robbery suspect at a house on Tunnel Boulevard. Police said they were in the area of the 1000 block of Tunnel Boulevard when they heard multiple shots fired. Police were immediately in the area and were able to detain three suspects. While speaking with the individuals, they were able to confirm that a juvenile with active aggravated robbery warrants for his arrest, was inside the home, in the area where the shots were fired. Patrol units set up a perimeter and requested SWAT and on-duty K9 units. SWAT was able to apprehend the suspect inside the home. A warrant is being sought for a search of the rest of the home. The suspect, who is a minor, was taken into custody. Police said they had reason to believe that he was armed. There was a large police presence at the scene of the SWAT call. Hyderabad will host a workshop on 'workshop to expand access to drugs, diagnostics, & vaccines.' (File Photo: PTI) Hyderabad: Hyderabad will host the third health working group meeting of India's G20 presidency from June 4-6. It will focus on emergency preparedness, strengthening cooperation in the pharma sector and digital health innovation. Three other meets will be held at Thiruvananthapuram, Goa and Gandhinagar. During the event, Hyderabad will also host a workshop on 'workshop to expand access to drugs, diagnostics, & vaccines.' During the four working group meetings held in the country, India will aim to play a major role in converging discussions in multiple forums for global health architecture and act as an enabler for reducing fragmentation and duplication. India is keen on a proactive role in representing the global south in the negotiations across multilateral global health platforms. Regarding the pharmaceutical sector, India intends to utilise the agenda to promote manufacture of vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics globally so as to manage future health emergencies. Regarding digital health, India will highlight the fact that use of digital health solutions like Co-WIN, Telemedicine and COVID-19 India platform highlighted the advantages of data-driven insights and use of technology for accessibility, ease of availability and affordability in health service delivery. A woman on Wilcox Boulevard told police over the phone that she had received a text message from Norton about 9 a.m. notifying her that they received $299 for a two-year subscription and she had not done that. She called the telephone number the text gave and spoke to a man that told her that she had been hacked. He then told her not to hang up and he kept her on the phone until almost 11:30 a.m. or noon. During this time, she noticed he was making things happen on her phone and he told her that it wasnt real. She noticed he used Zelle and Paypal and was transferring money from her debit/checking account to various people/accounts for a total of around $900 by the time he was done. She realized what was happening during the last 30 minutes of the conversation and she hung up. She then spoke to her bank (First Horizon) and they have frozen her account. She does not still have the phone number that she called. * * * A woman on Arrowhead Trail told police her boyfriend was outside waiting on the front porch, but officers didnt see anyone in the area upon arrival. The woman said he was coming outside to talk to him, but changed her mind. She said her boyfriend got mad and allegedly kicked the front door in. Police saw the front door frame was damaged, but couldnt confirm if this was new or old damage. The woman didnt want to press charges at this time, nor was she very cooperative towards the investigation. * * * Sometime after dropping two checks off at the post officer drop box on North Market Street, All Things Groovy received notification that two checks were cashed and appeared to be fraudulent. The checks were made out to other businesses for bill paying but were intercepted by someone who then changed the amount and the name who the check was for. The person then cashed both checks totaling $8,484.50. * * * The manager of Forbidden City Restaurant at 2273 Gunbarrel Road told police four men attempted to dine and dash. The manager said after he caught one of the men, a different friend came to the restaurant and paid for the meal for the man and the people who left the area. * * * Police were dispatched to 660 Highway 153 northbound for a man walking on the bridge. Police spoke with the man and gave him a ride home. * * * A woman at 1201 Riverfront Pkwy. told police she saw damage to her Hyundai after leaving from work. The woman said she walked outside and saw damage to the front bumper, grille and front passenger side near her tire. She needed to report the damages for insurance purposes. * * * A man on E. 11th Street told police a black male had taken his wallet from him. The man said a man approached him asking for change, but the man then knocked his wallet from his hands, took $300 in cash from the wallet and then ran towards the 12th/Peeples homeless camp. The man said the suspect was a black male with a red hat, wearing a black jacket and blue jeans. * * * A man on 6th Avenue told police he wanted police to assist him in retrieving his personal items from his ex-girlfriends residence. Police arrived at the ex-girlfriends home but were unable to speak with her. The man was able to get some items that were sitting outside, but he said he had other items that he had not retrieved. He said he was going to call police the next day to try and make contact with the ex-girlfriend. * * * Police attempted to stop a dark blue Audi on Wilhoit Avenue for dark window tint, but the car didnt stop. Instead, the driver proceeded to speed up. The officer had the vehicle BOLOed to all units. * * * An officer saw a dark-colored SUV failing to maintain its lane traveling southbound on N. Market Street. After initiating a traffic stop on the vehicle, the officer suspected the driver of being intoxicated. After conducting SFSTs, the officer determined the driver was not impaired, however, the man decided to park his vehicle and get a ride with someone else. * * * An officer responded to a suspicious person call about a black male seen in the parking lot at 611 Battery Place. The man told police he was homeless and usually stays at the Community Kitchen at 727 E. 11th St. The officer offered the man a ride back to the Community Kitchen and he accepted. * * * A woman told police a vehicle had followed her and her daughter home the day before around 6 p.m. She first noticed the vehicle on Jenkins Road. The vehicle, a blue sedan or crossover, pulled to the continuous turn lane and waited for the woman to pass. The vehicle then pulled out behind her and followed her. The woman was aware of the vehicle and, instead of going home, drove to her brother's apartment complex. The vehicle stopped following her once she pulled into the complex. The woman didnt see the car again on that day. She said a vehicle like this has followed her previously about a month ago. She gave police a partial Tennessee tag. She wanted to document the incident due to ongoing issues with her ex-husband. Cleveland State Community College invites the public to join the fourth annual I Have a Dream weekend in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The weekend of activities was created to honor Dr. King and his efforts of equality within the nation. The college is encouraging the community to come together and give back to others in the spirit of Dr. King. "We are proud to engage the community in this annual event and honor an American hero, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The remembrance weekend reminds us to champion the rights and dignity of all people as his dream inspires us to serve others and seek peace," stated Dr. Ty Stone, CSCC president. On Saturday, January 14, 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m, Cleveland State will host a financial empowerment workshop sponsored by 100 Black Men of Bradley County. The free workshop will provide education on how to better reinforce healthy financial practices and build generational wealth. For more information, visit https://www.100bmbc.org/. On Monday, Jan. 16 at 9 a.m, participants will meet at the Bradley County Courthouse to march downtown for the annual MLK Unity March. Gloves, hats and canned good donations for the Caring Place will be collected at Broad Street United Methodist Church. Dr. King Day is a day that we reflect and serve. It is a time when we look inside to see if we exemplify the best version of humanity toward each other, stated Dr. Willie Thomas, chief of staff at Cleveland State. We must always be reminded of Dr. King's message that only love can conquer hate and fear. Officials said, "Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister and civil-rights activist who had a seismic impact on race relations in the United States beginning in the mid-1950s. Through his activism and inspirational speeches, he played a pivotal role in ending the legal segregation of African American citizens in the United States, as well as the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, among several other honors. After his assassination, he was memorialized by Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. For any questions regarding this event, contact Dr. Willie Thomas at wthomas01@clevelandstatecc.edu or 423-473-2397. Senior Judge David K. Smith sentenced Shaquae Divine Robinson to serve 45 years in prison without the possibility of parole on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony. The sentence is the maximum possible on each offense and they will run back-to-back. Assistant District Attorney Ian Whittle argued for the state and introduced Robinsons 16 previous convictions, which included four violent misdemeanors and three felonies. Because of his previous commission of three felonies, Robinson was not eligible for parole. Attorney Josh Smith represented Robinson at the sentencing hearing and at trial. Robinson had been found guilty by a Whitfield County jury of three felonies, including aggravated assault with intent to murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and use of a knife during commission of a felony. At the trial, the states case was presented by Assistant District Attorney Whittle with the assistance of detectives John Edwards and Christopher Tucker of the Dalton Police Department. Robinson was represented by Dalton attorney Smith. Prosecutor Whittle called nine witnesses and presented 31 exhibits including DNA evidence that the blood found on the knife in Robinsons pocket matched the DNA of the victim. The evidence established that Robinson was present on the morning of July 13, 2021, on 522 Straight St. where the victim, Tracy Almaraz-Martinez, had let him sleep for the previous couple of days. After an argument, the evidence showed that Robinson stabbed Ms. Almaraz-Martinez in the neck. Officer Steven Herrera of the Dalton Police Department arrived first on scene and rendered first aid until Ms. Almaraz-Martinez could be transported to Erlanger Hospital in critical condition. After emergency surgery in Erlanger Hospital, Ms. Almaraz-Martinez made a full recovery. Video evidence showed a man in an orange shirt running from the crime scene towards Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. Robinson was apprehended a short time later on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard wearing an orange shirt with a knife in his pocket. Georgia Bureau of Investigation forensic biologists determined that the blood on Robinsons knife and shirt matched the victims DNA. The odds of the DNA occurring in someone else in the population is 1 in 200 octillion (200 followed by 27 zeros). Robinson has previously been convicted of three felonies, two misdemeanors of simple battery - family violence, two misdemeanors of battery family violence, and nine other misdemeanors. At the time of this offense, Robinson was on probation for terroristic threats for threatening to kill a Dalton Police officer. Robinson has been in custody since his arrest on July 13, 2021. Sir Winston Churchill called General Robert E. Lee, one of the noblest Americans who ever lived. Children will get a school holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday but do young people know that January is also the birthday month for General Robert E. Lee? Please let me call to your attention that Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023, is the 216th birthday of Robert E. Lee, whose memory is still dear in the hearts of many Americans. During Robert E. Lee's 100th birthday in 1907, Charles Francis Adams, Jr., a former Union Commander and grandson of U.S. President John Quincy Adams, spoke in tribute to Robert E. Lee at Washington and Lee College's Lee Chapel in Lexington, Va. His speech was printed in both Northern and Southern newspapers and is said to had lifted Lee to a renewed respect among the American people. Booker T. Washington, America's great black educator, wrote in 1910, "The first white people in America, certainly the first in the South to exhibit their interest in the reaching of the Negro and saving his soul through the medium of the Sunday-school were Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson." During a tour through the South in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt told the aged Confederate veterans in Richmond, Va, "Here I greet you in the shadow of the statue of your Commander, General Robert E. Lee. You and he left us memories which are part of the memories bequeathed to the entire nation by all the Americans who fought in the War Between the States." Georgia's famous Stone Mountain carving of Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee was dedicated on May 9, 1970. William Holmes Borders, a noted African-American theologian and pastor of the Wheat Avenue Baptist Church, was asked to give the invocation. The many dignitaries attending this historic event included United States Vice President Spiro Agnew. Thousands of people bring their families each year to see this memorial to these three great Americans. Robert E. Lee, a man whose military tactics have been studied worldwide, was an American soldier, educator, Christian gentlemen, husband and father. Robert E. Lee was born on Jan. 19, 1807, at Stratford Hall in Westmoreland County, Va. The winter was cold and the fireplaces were little help for Robert's mother, Ann Hill (Carter) Lee, who suffered from a severe cold. Robert E. Lees Father, 'Light Horse' Harry was a hero of the revolution and served three terms as governor of Virginia and as a member of the United States House of Representatives. Two members of his family also signed the Declaration of Independence. Lee was educated at the schools of Alexandria, Va., and he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1825. He graduated in 1829, second in his class and without a single demerit. Robert E. Lee's first assignment was to Cockspur Island, Ga., to supervise the construction of Fort Pulaski. While serving as 2nd Lieutenant of Engineers at Fort Monroe, Va., Lee wed Mary Ann Randolph Custis. Robert and Mary had grown up together, Mary was the daughter of George Washington Parke Custis, the grandson of Martha Washington and adopted son of George Washington. Mary was an only child; therefore, she inherited Arlington House, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., where she and Robert E. Lee raised seven children, three boys and four girls. Army promotions were slow. In 1836, Lee was appointed to first lieutenant. In 1838, with the rank of captain, Robert E. Lee fought in the War with Mexico and was wounded at the Battle of Chapultepec. Lee was appointed superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1852 and is considered one of the best superintendents in that institution's history. General Winfield Scott offered Robert E. Lee command of the Union Army in 1861, but he refused. He said, I cannot raise my hand against my birthplace, my home, my children. Lee served as adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and then on June 1, 1862, commanded the legendary Army of Northern Virginia. After four terrible years of war, Gen. Robert E. Lee met Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia in 1865. Lee was a man of honor, proud of his name and heritage. After the War Between the States, he was offered $50,000 for the use of his name. His reply was, "Sirs, my name is the heritage of my parents. It is all I have and it is not for sale." His refusal came at a time when he had nothing. In the fall of 1865, Lee was offered and accepted the presidency of troubled Washington College in Lexington, Va. The school was later renamed Washington and Lee College in his honor. Robert E. Lee died of a heart attack at 9:30 a.m. on the morning of Oct. 12, 1870, at Washington College. Robert E. Lee was a great American who should not be forgotten. Calvin E. Johnson, Jr. Chairman of the Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans Confederate History and Heritage Month committee * * * I want to add some facts to Mr. Johnson's summary of General Robert E. Lee's life. I do this for two reasons. First, to make sure all of the historical facts are known. And secondly, to possibly get us to reflect on the events of Jan. 6, 2021. If my memory of history is correct, after the Civil War Lee was considered a traitor as were all those who fought on the Confederate side against other Americans. Treason is defined in the Constitution and they were considered traitors for their rebellion against the Constitution of the United States. But to pull the country back together, Lincoln did not hold them accountable in court for their rebellion (big mistake). Lincoln gave pardons to the Confederate soldiers, but not to the senior officers--Lee being one of them. The senior Confederate officers lost their citizenship rights. At one point Lee applied for amnesty to get his citizenship rights restored, but died before his application was processed. Some say his paperwork disappeared. Nevertheless, he died a traitor to this country. For millions of Americans, Robert E. Lee committed treason in part to support and maintain the institution of slavery. Historians recorded it all--the what, when where and how. The speculation is the why question. We can debate that I'm sure. Here's what I'd like people to reflect on this day--Jan. 6, 2023. If Lincoln had used the Constitution and the court system, our Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection may never have happened. Remember, if we don't know our history we will tend to repeat it. I found it interesting that Lee's citizenship was restored in the mid-1970's by some piece of legislation. I wonder why. I think I'll go back and research Lee again. (Note: Also, it is wrong to use Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday holiday to justify a holiday for General Lee. The celebration of Dr. King's life is far more than a "school holiday" for children. But that is another editorial.) Peace. Renee Smith * * * Dear Mr. Johnson, Your post to the Chattanoogan is a great exercise in public memory, full of paternalistic anecdotes that attempt to gloss over the Civil War as just a minor footnote in the story and legacy of Robert E. Lee. Even if you were to try and remove the centrality of slavery to the Confederate States of America, there are a few facts that I believe would automatically disqualify Robert E. Lee from even being considered in a list of the "greatest Americans. 1. Robert E. Lee joined another republic and took up arms against the United States of America 2. He did so after a fair election, and disrupted a peaceful transfer of power. 3. The event he subsequently fought in would take the lives of nearly 2 percent of Americans 4. Had the Confederate States of America gained legal recognition and sovereignty, the future of slavery would have been not only prolonged, but nothing less than permanent as the Confederate States of America's Constitution solidified this protection--This is the only remarkably different feature of their Constitution vs. the US Constitution. Please don't treat the American Civil War as a minor anecdote in the legacy of Robert E. Lee. Clay Huffaker * * * Ms. Smith is correct in her assertion that if we don't know our history we will tend to repeat it. For that reason, Id like to offer some corrections. It was President Johnson, not Lincoln, who issued the pardon. Lincoln had been assassinated April 15, 1965, less than a week after Lees surrender. The post-war clean up fell to Johnson. Further, at the time of the Civil War, the United States was a plural entity, with States as a plural noun modified by the adjective United. Each state was sovereign, but those sovereign states had chosen to unionize for mutual benefit. Think of the European Union for something akin to a modern example. Since the Civil War, the United States has become a mostly singular entity, with United States being treated as a singular noun, instead of a plural noun with a modifier. Context is important to understanding history, as is nuance. Lee chose his home state, Virginia, over the collective, when Virginia chose to attempt to leave that collective and war resulted. Calling Lee a traitor for choosing Virginia over the United States would be like calling Mark Carleton-Smith a traitor for choosing England over the EU had Brexit turned violent. Lee may be considered a traitor in retrospect, but to Virginians in the late 19th century, Lee was a patriot. Along with context and nuance, perspective is important to understanding history. From one perspective, the angry protest in DC on Jan. 6, 2021 was no worse than the angry protest(s) in DC (and elsewhere) on Jan. 20, 2017. From a different perspective, the former was treason, and the latter was merely dissent. Ms. Smith and Mr. Huffaker would do well to avoid the pitfalls of Presentism, especially since at least one of them is a history teacher. Kevin Hargis When citizens are upset about a tax hike by the Walker County Board of Education last year or a steep school millage rate in general, what do they do? Getting to know the district financial statements is a good place to start. In other words, find out how the many millions collected by the school system each year are spent. Sadly, annual audits of school districts have long been complex documents better suited to financial professionals rather than the average citizen. These documents can be hundreds of pages long and contain jargon few people are familiar with, except for CPAs. Fortunately, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board recognized this and introduced an element from corporate finance to address the complexity problem. A rule change required governments to include a plain language section in the audit that provides an objective and easily readable analysis of the government's financial activities. It's called Management's Discussion and Analysis. In school districts, the superintendent usually prepares it with the financial staff. If it's done well, it can explain and answer many citizens' concerns without any need to delve deeply into the numbers. It's an opportunity for management to explain how and why financial decisions are made. Some governments meet this requirement better than others. The best MD&As speak in a narrative voice and explain complex topics in simple clear language that everyone can understand. Unfortunately, Walker County Schools are not one of those governments. The following paragraph is included in every audit available (2014-2021) on the district's website: Required Supplementary Information Management has omitted the Management's Discussion and Analysis that accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America require to be presented to supplement the basic financial statements. Such missing information, although not a part of the basic financial statements, is required by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board who considers it to be an essential part of financial reporting for placing the basic financial statements in an appropriate operational, economic, or historical context. In fact, Walker County Schools is one of only seven public school districts in the state that have failed to include this required section of the audit every year since 2016. Less than 20 failed to include it in 2021. There are 180 school districts in Georgia. This is not only an ongoing and blatant failure by Walker County Schools district management but has also likely had adverse financial consequences for the district. Researchers at Rutgers University surveyed municipal credit analysts and found that "not only do they read the MD&A, but they consider a boilerplate MD&A a potential sign of careless management. In their view, if a government doesn't take the time to explain itself, it must not care what the market thinks of it. In addition, jurisdictions with MD&As that explained financial trends tended to receive higher bond ratings. One analyst characterized this as, "If we think we know your full story, we tend to see you as less risky."1 Continuous and intentional omission of the MD&A is undoubtedly worse and surely cost the school district in recent bond deals. In addition to this management failure, Walker County Schools continues to disregard state law and board ethics policies. One might even say that the leaders don't care about accounting rules, state laws, or public accountability. Look at the test scores. Look at the student achievement data. Look at the finances. You be the judge. 1 Marlow, Justin, Whats In Your CAFR? Governing, February 2014, page 63 Elliot Pierce UTC on Thursday announced that Dr. Daniel Pack, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, has been named dean of the Baylor University School of Engineering and Computer Science, effective June 1. The announcement was made by Dr. Jerold L. Hale, UTC provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. Dr. Pack has been a valuable contributor to UTCs success since joining the University in 2016 as dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, Dr. Hale said. He has initiated new degree programs like the Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechatronics and the Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology in Cybersecurity; both programs directly address workforce needs in the state of Tennessee and throughout the region. He has expanded CECS student-success initiatives through the Center for Student Success and the Living Learning Community. He has significantly raised the colleges research profile. The increased research prominence has resulted in more high-impact learning opportunities for students, cutting-edge research by faculty members, and a growing reputation for the college and UTC, traits that made Baylor Universityan R1 research institutiontake notice. A renowned researcher in robots, computer vision and unmanned systems, Dr. Pack came to UTC after serving as Mary Lou Clarke Professor and Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Before joining UTSA, he spent 17 years as a faculty member at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, where he was the founding director of the Academy Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research. I am both sad to know that this will be my last semester at UTC and grateful for the opportunity I have had working with leaders throughout the university and at the college under the leadership of Chancellor (Steven) Angle and Provost Hale, Dr. Pack said. The experience of working with top-class faculty, staff, students, advisory board members, friends and alums of the college, along with leaders of the Greater Chattanooga community, to advance the colleges mission will be remembered and cherished by me for the rest of my life. The college is on a great path to fulfill its vision to become a preeminent college of engineering and computer science in the nation and I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to contribute toward moving the college toward that vision. I will remain grateful to UTC and the people the institution represents. Dr. Pack holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Purdue University, where his dissertation examined sensor-based control for a quadruped walking robot. He earned a masters degree from Harvard University and a bachelors degree from Arizona State University. "Dr. Pack has beenand continues to bea hardworking, influential, visionary leader, Dr. Hale said. We are deeply grateful for his service here at UTC, and we know he will have an equally significant impact in his new role at Baylor University. A national search for his successor will begin immediately. Actor Allison Williams is one of the leading actors in Blumhouses horror flick, M3GAN. The film took over the Internet thanks to an initial trailer featuring a killer doll and an amusing dance sequence. However, the comedy and horror of M3GAN largely rest on the shoulders of Williams and her co-stars. She learned one particularly nifty trick from filmmaker Jordan Peele while shooting the Oscar-winning horror movie Get Out. M3GAN actor Allison Williams is becoming a horror movie regular Allison Williams as Gemma | Universal Pictures M3GAN tells the story of talented robotics engineer Gemma (Williams), who works at a famous toy company. She decides to build a life-like doll that can act as the perfect companion to children, but it begins to take on a life of its own. The film never takes itself too seriously, blending horror and dark comedy into one of early 2023s most anticipated releases. This killer-doll movie isnt the first time Williams dipped her toes into the horror genre. She left a big impression in her role as Rose Armitage in Peeles Get Out. She also starred in Netflixs The Perfection and the Swedish thriller called Horizon Line. Williams has non-horror projects, such as her role in Girls and Peter Pan Live!, but its clear that theres somewhat of a pattern in her workings within genre filmmaking. Jordan Peele told Allison Williams to forget what genre shes working in In an interview with SyFy, Williams talked about her experience working on M3GAN. She explained how Get Out gave her an additional appreciation for the horror genre, which she continued to play in through other projects. However, there was one major piece of advice that Williams brought with her to M3GAN that she learned from Peele himself. When youre in a genre like this and I learned this in Get Out, from Jordan the key is you kind of keep it real as much as possible and try to forget the genre youre in, Williams said. Just try to play with whats true at any given moment. Even if something is going to be funny once its finally all done, if you play it that way, its kind of cheaper because youre sort of winking at the joke and its not as funny to watch. Williams continued: Ditto with something scary, if youre overdoing the Im scared element. Most people, when theyre scared, are trying to not be as scared. Its sort of like when someones crying. Most of the time theyre trying to stop themselves from crying. Playing the truth of it all usually ends up being the winning tone. Peele marvelously collaborated with star Keke Palmer in Nope, further showcasing his eye for character-building. M3GAN is living up to expectations of critics Williams chose a smart project in M3GAN that went beyond its ability to become the Internets viral obsession. The film quickly earned high praise from critics, as positive reviews continue to pour in. It currently sits at a staggering 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics consensus reads: Unapologetically silly and all the more entertaining for it, M3GAN is the rare horror-comedy that delivers chuckles as effortlessly as chills. Ireland Baldwin and Hailey Baldwin Bieber have quite a bit in common. Not only do the cousins hail from the same family tree, but theyve also followed similar career paths. Like her father, Alec Baldwin, Ireland has shown an interest in acting and made an appearance in the film Grudge Match. However, she is still best known as a model. Hailey has also found success as a model and has been featured in ads such as Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Guess. But which model is older in age, and who has the higher net worth? Ireland Baldwin and Hailey Baldwin | Grant Lamos IV/Getty Images Whats the age difference between Hailey Baldwin Bieber and Ireland Baldwin, and are they close? Ireland and Hailey are almost exactly 13 months apart. Ireland was born on October 23, 1995. Meanwhile, Hailey was born on November 22, 1996, making Ireland the older cousin by one year. Because theyre so close in age, it makes sense that the models have a close relationship. Theyve openly shown love and support for each other over the years. Ireland has been one of the most vocally supportive people of Haileys marriage to her husband, Justin Bieber, and was a bridesmaid at their wedding. The pair even have matching tattoos on their middle fingers that say Baldwin. Which cousin has the higher net worth? Hailey and Ireland may be close in age, but theres a massive difference in their respective net worths. Though Ireland is older, shes worth a lot less than her younger cousin. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Ireland is worth a cool $1 million. By contrast, Hailey is worth $20 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Related Hailey Bieber Slams Rumors About Justin Bieber Screaming at Her Again But what accounts for the drastic difference in net worth between the cousins? Haileys modeling career has been more high-profile in comparison to Ireland. Furthermore, Hailey has built a brand for herself as a media personality through projects like Whos In My Bathroom? Partnerships with brands like Erewhon for her Strawberry Glaze Smoothie and, of course, her skincare line, Rhode, have also been a boon to her net worth. Ireland recently announced that she is pregnant with her first baby It seems like the Baldwin family continues to grow. On January 1, Ireland announced that she was expecting her first child with her boyfriend, RAC (born Andre Allen Anjos). Taking to her Instagram page, the model shared a sonogram of her baby and captioned the photo, Happy New Year . The photo quickly racked up thousands of likes and comments. One of the comments was from Hailey herself. Cryin, Hailey penned, clearly expressing her happiness for her cousin. It certainly seems like this duo is supportive of each other in all stages of life. RM Is Not Sure Whats Going to Happen in 2025 When BTS Returns Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook of BTS are currently focusing on solo promotions while each member fulfills their military service. Jin was the first member to enlist at the end of 2022. As of right now, BTS plans to reunite as a group in 2025. During the first episode of Sugas talk show Suchwita (), RM discussed BTS plans to reunite in 2025. BTS | Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images BTS will reunite as a group again around 2025 In South Korea, most able-bodied men are required to enlist in the military between the ages of 18 and 28 years old. The members of BTS were granted a deferment which allowed them to delay enlisting until they are 30 years old On Oct. 17, 2022, BTS label Big Hit Music released a statement announcing the bands plans to complete their military enlistment. BIGHIT MUSIC is proud to announce today that the members of BTS are currently moving forward with plans to fulfill their military service. After the phenomenal concert to support Busans bid for the World Expo 2030, and as each individual embarks on solo endeavors, its the perfect time and the members of BTS are honored to serve, Big Hit Music wrote in the statement. In the statement, Big Hit Music shared that fans can expect Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook to reunite as BTS sometime in 2025. Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans. Both the company and the members of BTS are looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment, reads Big Hit Musics statement. RM brought up BTS returning in 2025 On Dec. 5, 2022, RM appeared on Sugas talk show Suchwita to discuss his new solo album Indigo. During the talk show episode, Suga brought up BTS proposed reunion date in 2025. Lets talk about 2025 now, then, Suga said. Wow, thats in a long time, RM said. In 2025, I will have completed my military service and will have started to grow my hair again. He continued, I dont know whats going to happen in 2025, but if I come back to work early I was thinking that maybe I could prepare some songs before the other members came, for BTS or for me. With a laugh, RM added, But Im not sure, because Im not there yet. Suga thinks it is hard to predict BTS future After RM shared his thoughts, Suga admitted it is difficult for him to accurately predict what will happen in the future. I think this is why its hard for us to talk about what were going to do in 2025, Suga said. Were always like that. The minute we say Theres no way thats going to happen we start worrying. RM seemed to agree, and admitted that BTS promoting together again would be ideal. No matter what happens, in 2025 if we all come back together and promote as a full group thatd be great really. I think thats ideal. He then shared how BTS came up with the proposed reunion date of 2025. We talked about how 2025 would be the year most of our members complete their service, and its also a very monumental year. The Most Beautiful Moment in Life would turn 10 years old, so then were probably going to be able to do something, said RM. He added, I think were going to try and keep that promise. Of course, no one can predict the future, so RM and Sugas hesitation to talk in absolutes is understandable. However, it is clear that at this point in time, the members of BTS are hoping their plan works out. Wind, sewage sludge, and waste water carry tyre wear particles from roads onto farmland. A new lab study shows: The pollutants contained in the particles could get into the vegetables grown there. Researchers at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CMESS) at the University of Vienna have investigated whether chemicals released from tyres find their way into lettuce plants and could ultimately end up on our plates. Their analyses showed: The lettuce took up all the compounds studied - some of them highly toxic. Further investigations are to show how this process actually takes place in arable soils. The study has now been published in the international journal Environmental Science & Technology. Driving a car produces tyre wear particles, which are blown into the environment by the wind and washed into rivers and sewage by the rain in total around 1 kg per citizen per year. Through the atmosphere and with the waste water or the sewage sludge used as fertilizer in agriculture, the tyre particles can reach agricultural soils. There, potentially harmful chemicals might be released from the tyre into the environment: Tyre wear particles and other types of microplastics contain additives, which ensure specific properties, consistencies and the durability of these plastics. In soils, the small plastic or tyre particles usually release their pollutants in the upper soil layers this was determined in earlier studies by the research team led by environmental geoscientist Thilo Hofmann from the University of Vienna. In their current study, the researchers shed light on whether the pollutants could migrate from there into the crops. Lettuce plants continuously take up toxic compounds from tyre wear particles "Tyre wear particles contain a number of organic chemicals, some of which are highly toxic," says Anya Sherman, PhD student at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CMESS) and co-first author of the newly published study. Thilo Hofmann, head of the research group, adds: "If these chemicals are released in the root zone of edible plants, they can be a health concern for consumers provided the chemicals are taken up by the plants." This is exactly the question the research team addressed in several experiments. The environmental geoscientists added five chemicals to the hydroponic solutions of lettuce plants. Four of these chemicals are used in tyre production. Not all of them have already been confirmed to be harmful. Yet, the fifth chemical is a transformation product of one of these four, created once the tyres are in use, and it is proven to be toxic: The chemical 6PPD-quinone (originating from 6PPD) has been linked to mass deaths of salmon in the U.S. "Our measurements showed that the lettuce plants took up all the compounds we investigated through their roots, translocated them into the lettuce leaves and accumulated them there," Sherman reports. This was also evident when the lettuce plants were not exposed to the chemicals directly, but indirectly via tyre crumb. "The lettuce plants continuously take up the potentially harmful chemicals that are released from the tyre abrasion particles over the long term," reports Thilo Hofmann. Lettuce produces metabolites with as of yet unassessed toxicity Using high resolution mass spectrometry methods, the Viennese environmental geoscientists not only measured the extent to which the previously defined chemicals ended up in the lettuce plants. They also identified the substances to which the lettuce plants metabolised the chemicals. "The plants processed the substances and in doing so they produced compounds that have not been described before. Since we don't know the toxicity of these metabolites, they pose a health risk that cannot be assessed so far," Thorsten Huffer, senior scientist at CMESS, emphasises. The metabolites identified by the research team are quite stable in the plant. Most likely, they would therefore be preserved until reaching our plates. "In the human body, however, such compounds are very easily broken down. Thus, if someone eats such a contaminated lettuce, the original chemicals could be released again in the body," Sherman explains. Next step: Analysis of the described processes in soil systems and detection in environmental water In further studies, the Viennese research team plans to better trace the possible path of tyre-wear pollutants from the road to the plate. "The processes we have investigated probably take place differently in soil systems. In a next step, we are therefore looking at the possible uptake of tyre additives by plant roots in natural soils," reports co-author Ruoting Peng, who, in her dissertation project, traces the presence of an even wider range of additives in the environment, focusing on the pollution of water bodies. To better understand how such chemicals are entering the environment, in an ongoing project the research team is looking to obtain data on the concentration of these chemicals along the Danube in cooperation with the CleanDanube Project. Microplastics in the environment: a long-term source of pollution There, the researchers' interest revolves equally around the release mechanisms, the quantities and the long-term behaviour of the pollutants. For a recent study also published in Environmental Science & Technology, the Environmental Geosciences team analysed for how long microplastics release pollutants into the aquatic environment. In particular, they focused on phthalates additives used primarily in the production of PVC to provide flexibility and stability. "These plasticisers have already been detected everywhere in the environment. Yet, little is known about their release process from the microplastics and how environmental conditions can influence the release," explains the first author of this study, Charlotte Henkel. "Our analyses have shown that the PVC microplastics studied can release phthalates into aquatic systems for example rivers, lakes or groundwater over more than 500 years." The extent to which this happens always depends on the environmental conditions. Nevertheless, according to Thilo Hofmann, the study clearly shows: "Once microplastics have reached the aquatic environment, they remain a source of potentially polluting substances, and in the case of phthalates, for a very long time." TPCC Chief A. Revanth Reddy, CLP Leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka along with senior party leaders attend TPCC training workshop at Gandhian Ideology Centre Bowenpally. (S. Surender Reddy/DC) Hyderabad: TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy reiterated that he was ready to sacrifice his position in the party and would not hesitate to offer his life if it helps the party to come to power in the state. In his keynote address at the one-day training camp for the party cadre here on Wednesday, while emphasising that there were no differences within the Telangana Congress, he said that he was ready to offer his post to anyone if it would benefit the party. I am ready to sacrifice the position. This will be nothing compared to Rahul Gandhis nationwide walkathon. People are asking us to get united. They dont want money or liquor but wish us to win, he said. Revanth said that despite people giving mandate twice to K. Chandrashekar Rao, he has failed to fulfill the six-decade old aspirations of Telangana people. There is no one in the state who feels that he has not been cheated by Rao. Who has given you the right to snatch away land from people? he said. Earlier during the day, he alleged that lakhs were affected after the implementation of dharani portal. Former minister K. Jana Reddy challenged the notion of BRS leaders that in contrast to earlier governments, Raos eight-year tenure has resulted in GDP growth. He said that it was the earlier Congress governments that helped achieve 19.88 % growth, whereas Raos government achieved 12.55%. CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka explained about how dharani has impacted the lives of people and how unclaimed properties changed hands and were updated in the land revenue records. The meeting was attended by Konda Surekha, Mohammed Ali Shabbir and T. Jeevan Reddy while A Maheshwar Reddy, T. Jayaprakash Jagga Reddy and some other seniors kept themselves away. Nalgonda MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy was away in Delhi. Having grown up in a non-Christian home, Jenny-Lyn de Klerk didnt discover theology until college. At first, she struggled to understand theological concepts, but everything started making sense after she encountered the Puritan writer John Owen. Her subsequent research on Puritan spirituality helped pave the way for a new book5 Puritan Women: Portraits of Faith and Love. Author Catherine Parks, an editor with Moody Publishers, spoke with de Klerk about what believers today can learn from these women. When people learned you were writing a book about Puritan women, what were some of their reactions? Most fell into two categories: Either people had no idea who I was talking about, or they expressed negative stereotypes about the Puritans. At least on a popular level, people still view the Puritans as fun-killersand Puritan women as extremely patriarchal. Im hoping my book can move readers past such stereotypes by helping them get to know a range of real individuals. Some suggest that the poet Anne Bradstreet departed from Puritan ideals because she wrote about things like intimate love with her husband. How would you respond? There are all sorts of crazy interpretations of Bradstreet out there. To understand her place within the Puritan movement, we need to start with an accurate definition of Puritanism and then see who fits. Puritans, for starters, wanted to bring further reform to the Church of England. Though some ministers sought change from within while others felt compelled to leave, they all wanted to go further in replacing certain vestiges of Roman Catholicism with biblical worship practices. And secondly, they emphasized a personal communion with Goda genuine, vibrant relationship with himthat led to a life of holiness. If we use these two points as a litmus test, we can generally figure out who was a Puritan and who wasnt. And by this accounting, Bradstreet easily fits. You write about the Earl of Berkeley, who asked a Puritan woman named Mary Rich to send him her rules for holy living. What do you make of the fact that a Puritan woman was being asked for spiritual guidance by a male friend? This question highlights one main way we misinterpret Puritan women. On one hand, there is a superprogressive, often non-Christian perspective that these women were trapped in the confines of their religion, and if they had just pushed a little harder, they might have broken free and become their fully actualized selves. But on the flip side, theres also a highly conservative, often Christian perspective that just takes every preconceived notion about good Christian women and projects them onto Puritan women, thinking, They must be exactly like I imagine them, or even more so. Article continues below With Mary Rich and the Earl of Berkeley, seeing one thing happen in one persons life doesnt justify drawing big conclusions about all Puritan men or women. But it is fair to say that because Rich was a highly religious person who valued modesty, decorum, and respect, it was not out of line for her to receive this request and then respond in a full and honest manner. And stories like these do remind us to constantly ask whether some attitude or value in our church is truly biblical or just cultural. While debates about gender are important and needed, they can also become a bit overwhelming and negative. This is why I wrote in my introduction that one benefit we get from reading about women in church history is celebrating Christian women while taking a breather from all the contentiousness. I wanted to signal that this book is a fun, safe spacewhatever your beliefs on gender roles or your own experiences in the church, lets look at these amazing women and the amazing things God used them to do. You write, I have seen again and again how God providentially uses whatever Im currently reading to teach me a specific lesson or give me a specific comfort I desperately need at that exact moment. How did you experience that as you wrote this book? One specific story I deeply resonated with was Anne Bradstreets experience of doubt. As I studied her life, I happened to be in a bad place with my faith, on account of some painful experiences in the church. I hadnt lost faith, but I was really questioning whether I still believed in Gods existence. Then I ended up reading a letter from Bradstreet to her children where she talks about experiencing a crisis of faith. She writes, Satan has troubled me many times concerning the existence of God and the veracity of the Scriptures, and she describes how she would address one doubt only to find another standing in her path. That part was extremely powerful for me. I literally started crying in the library stacks. My assumption, at this point, had been that my doubts meant I was either a weak Christian or not Christian at all. And that was a disturbing thought, because I had already started a PhD in church history and I was married to a pastor, so I couldnt just deconvert quietly. Reading Bradstreet really helped me, because even though she was sorting through similar doubts, she was clearly a godly person. Her doubts spoke to the strength of her faith rather than any weakness in it. Article continues below The Puritan women you profile were zealous in their spiritual practices, you say, but were neither extreme nor legalistic. How do you see that distinction play out in their lives? Something that immediately struck me was that these women were very into Christianity. They talked about God all the time, they read the Bible all the time, and they were very invested in church. Thats what I mean by zealousthey were just unashamedly religious. But I was surprised, given their zeal, that I did not see many aspects of their lives that felt too intense or immoderate. They werent the mean rule makers people often expect them to be. So they were very into religion, but not in this bombastic way that feels totally unrelatable to someone in the 21st century. Are there any other lessons you hope people learn from these women? As someone who comes from an atheist family, I hope some readers will see how its possible to be wholeheartedly devoted to God while still maintaining genuine friendships with people who believe differently. We often think of the Puritans as wanting to escape and condemn society, but that wasnt what I came across in their stories. To take one example from the book: Lucy Hutchinson wrote a theological treatise for her daughter encouraging her to stick close to the church, mostly by holding to its beliefs, but also by loving it. In one of my favorite sections, she goes on this little excursus about how Christians are not grateful enough to God because they dont love other people enough, and if they loved people moreincluding other Christians who they maybe think are weird or have some wrong beliefs and including those outside the churchthey would be more grateful to God. Of course, love interacts with other theological ideas like justice, so loving others doesnt mean ignoring sin in your life or someone elses life. But for the Puritans, there is this baseline belief that if you want to call yourself a Christian, you really need to have a loving attitude and do loving things for the people in your life, regardless of whether theyre just like you. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. Since the fall of Afghanistan in August 2021, it has been nearly impossible for Afghan Christians to find fellowship. Not that it was easy before. There was no local church where I could explore my questions about God, said Parwin Hosseini, now living in Turkey. But once I found answers abroad, I accepted Jesus. Her last name has been changed for security reasons, to protect her visa status. A university graduate from Mazar-i-Sharif, Hosseini left her home country in 2019 and, unlike most local Afghans, is not a refugee. She fled her uncles arrangement of her marriage to a man nearly twice her age and obtained residency pursuing a masters degree in economics. In Istanbul, a Turkish pastor gave her a Bible in Dari, her native language, and introduced her to an Afghan church when she moved to Ankara. She had heard of the Good Book before. Today, she facilitates its study. I want to help evangelize women, said Hosseini, coordinator for the nascent Afghan Bible College (ABC), and then equip them for ministry. Begun in 2020 by a Korean missionary in Turkey, ABC is an online college with some in-person training. With ten affiliated lecturers, including three with PhDs, it aims to prepare leaders for the next generation of Afghan Christiansestimated to number up to 12,000 before last years takeover of their homeland by the Taliban. No one knows how many remain in Afghanistanbut 12 are ABC students. Many other Christians joined the national exodus sparked by the US militarys sudden withdrawal. Of the nations welcoming displaced Afghans, southern neighbor Pakistan tops the list, hosting more than 1.5 million Afghan refugees and asylum seekers (and 8 of ABCs students). Neighboring Iran to the west and Germany follow (with 3 students each), while Turkey hosts 140,000 displaced Afghans (and 20 students). Out of ABCs 50 students spanning five nations, Hosseini gets to be a mentor to its 15 women. And with the Talibans late-December suspension of college education for female students, her cadre is privileged above others back home. Over 60,000 women had been enrolled in 140 private universities. The Bible college is currently seeking accreditation through the Asia Theological Association, a World Evangelical Allianceaffiliated body with 361 members in 33 countries. Few face the extent of its challenges. Believers in Afghanistan are in danger and under oppression, said John Kim, founder of ABC. Students are eager to study the Biblebut are afraid. Open Doors ranks Afghanistan No. 1 on its World Watch List of the top 50 countries where its most difficult to follow Jesus. It had long ranked No. 2, until the Taliban reasserted control. The Christian advocacy organization states that discovered believers may be killed by family members as a violation of tribal honor or forcibly sectioned off in a psychiatric hospital. Hosseini has faced only the anger of her family. For some in Turkey, it is far worse. They have threatened they will cut us up into pieces and send our bodies back to Afghanistan, stated Shaah Bibi. But Christianity brings no war and no misery to people, for them to use these words against us. Living in Ankara, Kim began church planting in 2017. Five years later, his Afghan Hope Church has 10 congregations in cities throughout Turkey, serving a total of 150 believers in fellowships averaging 1030 people. Almost all have Afghan pastors. It is a baby church, said Kim. But it is growing. The fruit is greater in their homeland. Through online ministry, ABC reports its staff have helped lead 300 new believers to Christ in Afghanistan. Students are helping disciple them with videos of testimonies, worship, and 10-minute sermons. But where will these Afghan followers of Jesus find fellowship? Though not a substitute, Church4Afghanistan is doing its best to reach them. Launched in November, the new service of SAT-7 PARS, the evangelical satellite TV broadcaster traditionally serving Iran, offers a pastor-led talk show for secret home gatherings and scattered Christians alike. Dari content has been a part of the channel since 2010, and SAT-7 airs two weekly hourlong programs, with two more launching soon. Church4Afghanistan is currently in 30-minute development mode, soon to increase to 60 minutes, and like other SAT-7 channels blends both evangelistic and discipleship material. With one distinctive: It is entirely on Facebook. Because of the Taliban, satellite TV is dangerous in Afghanistan, as the dish is visible on the roof, said Reza Jafari, creative manager for SAT-7 PARS. The reality of church is now online. Alongside safety concerns, an online focus is also more strategic. While only 20 percent of households have satellite TV, smartphones proliferated during the American occupation to a current market penetration level of 70 percent. Meanwhile, the Taliban has shut down dozens of TV and radio outlets, banning foreign news services such as Voice of America, the BBC, Germanys Deutsche Welle, and Chinas Global Television Network. And though only one-third of Afghanistans population is on social media, the Taliban are not restricting itunlike authorities in Iran. On the contrary, they appear keen to make use of the medium in their second bid for governance, posting family-friendly videos of soldiers riding colorful bumper cars. Widely shared video depicting the destruction of seized smartphones is fake. After one month, Church4Afghanistan tallied 8,000 unique views, 88 percent from within the country. And oddly, the Farsi-language SAT-7 PARS Facebook pagetargeted to Iranreceives its largest share of views from Afghanistan. Out of 500,000 unique views in 2022, 49 percent come from the neighboring nation to the east. Ministry leaders have noted how Islamic repression in Iran has helped grow its church and see similar indications in Afghanistan. But there are differences, Jafari said. Despite the internet restrictions, Iranians experience more personal freedomsif citizens avoid the public square. Iran has a more-developed educational sector, he said, while Afghans are more conservative. Consequently, there is space in Iran to explore ones faith in private, while in Afghanistan the society is poised to combat any deviation. Yet the evidence from Iran suggests that the more radical the imposition of religion, the more people are open to alternatives. When people hear that Christianity is not about force but love, they are shocked, said Jafari, who was born in Tehran. The pace will be slower in Afghanistan, but interest is growing. Other options await them. Parmir Ministries partners with TWR, also known as Trans World Radio, to air Dari and Farsi programs over AM and shortwave frequencies. Heart4Iran offers trauma counseling and humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, World Vision and other major nonprofits are suspending operations in Afghanistan, following the Talibans decision to bar women from work with international organizations. So whether from radio, satellite TV, or the internet, Christian help can be found only by scattered individuals. The reality of Afghanistan allows for little personal ministry. But in the diaspora it continuesand often along family lines. Only one of Hosseinis five siblings remains in Mazar-i-Sharif, and they are beginning to accept her new faith. A sister is even beginning to search herselfso the ABC coordinator sent her a Bible. It takes time, said Hosseini. But I know God is working. [ This article is also available in and . ] In a country where only 2 percent of the population regularly attend church, one doesnt expect to find a national debate about the correct translation of John 3:16. And yet, across Norway, news that a forthcoming Bible translation will replace ga fortapt (get lost) with ga til grunne (perish) has roused strong feelings. Why change something that is completely understandable? said one woman in Alta, a town on a fjord on the northern coast. Such judgment day and sulphur speeches do not belong in a modern, inclusive churchat least not during funerals, said an Oslo woman on Facebook. It adds stones to the burden for relatives. But the editors of the forthcoming Biblecommissioned by the Norwegian Bible Society and scheduled for publication in 2024say they are not surprised. Receiving criticism is part of the process. Its always a controversial thing to translate the Bible, said Jorunn kland, a biblical and gender studies scholar on the editorial team. Whatever you do, its going to be controversial. The Bible was first translated into Norwegian in the 13th century, when it was published in parallel editions with the then-more-dominant Danish. The first full translation was not released until 1858. And yet, just as with English and German Bibles, the words of Scripture became part of the poetry of the language, a storehouse of images, widely seen as a cultural inheritance. Even those who identify as secular can feel protective of the words of the Bible. It still provides many of the symbols and metaphors that create meaning, said Jenna Coughlin, a professor of Norwegian at St. Olaf College in Minnesota. When new translations are published, the changes can feel disorienting even if the theological dimensions arent so important. According to Coughlin, the Bible is, in some ways, a public book in Norway. Christianity, after all, is enshrined in the constitution. An amendment separated church and state in 2012, but the governing document stipulates that Christianity, along with humanism, is the foundation upon which the country is built. And membership in the Church of Norway remains high. Roughly three out of four people are on the membership rolls, even though the majority are atheist or agnostic. The Bible remains an important cultural touchstone, Coughlin said. Many Norwegians also really like the translation the Bible Society published in 2011. For that edition, biblical scholars and language experts teamed up with renowned authors, who are considered the finest stylists of modern Norwegian, including Karl Ove Knausgard, Hanne rstavik, and Jon Fosse. The translation became a bestseller the year after publication. Its stroke of genius was how it underscored that in a time of increasing secularization, the Bible isnt out of touch with society, kland said. People may not go to church, but they still consider the Bible their own. Despite its popularity, the translation also received criticism, especially from church leaders and scholars. In the past 10 years, editors have collected more than 800 critical comments to consider in a revision. In 2021, the Norwegian Bible Society tasked a committee to start working on an updated edition. As they started to lay the groundwork for revisions, the editors calculated they would need six or seven years. The Bible Society said they had one. One way to deal with the compressed timeline, according to kland, was to forgo a formal consultation process. Instead, the editors published drafts of their work in the fall of 2022 and waited for people to react. We invite the reactions as part of the democratic process. Its a wonderful thing about how we work in Norway, kland said. They got the feedback they were looking for. Responses were swift and vociferous. While some of the readers of Norways two Christian newspapersDagen and Vart Landpraised the revisions, many objected to specific choices in very strong terms. Lutheran Church of Norway bishop Halvor Nordhaug, for example, said he did not like the new editions use of the word slave, as in Romans 1:1, which reads, Paul, a slave of Christ. That would be hard, he said, to read aloud in a church setting. The majority of Norwegians would recoil from the casual analogy between faith and the horrors of slavery. Theologian Glenn ystein Wehus, professor of New Testament at the MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society in Oslo, wrote about the translation of John 3:13 in Vart Land. The get lost wording, he wrote, is clearer and more theologically appropriate. Perish on the other hand, can lead the mind for many in a completely different direction, namely annihilation (that is, an extinction after death). Others objected to the gender-neutral address in some of the epistles, with brothers and sisters replacing brothers. There was also controversy over the word kjtt (flesh) replacing menneske (human) in John 1:14. Perhaps more seriously, some raised questions about the translation process, its transparency, and whether the editors and the Bible Society should have the authority that they claimed for themselves. Torkild Masvie, bishop of the Lutheran Church in Norway, said the revisions would not be suitable for his small, confessional denomination. The traditionalist Lutherans currently use the 2011 Bible and a conservative 1988 translation known as the Norsk Bibel. The Bible Society does important work, he said, but if the end result is something that is not helpful for the congregations, then we have a problem. Masvie said church leaders should have been involved in the revision. He accused the Bible Society of keeping Norwegians in the dark. We should not give our allegiance to the Bible Society when it comes to our liturgy, Masvie said. We let them by default decide the language of our liturgy through the translations. Masvies relatively marginal voice is joined in this critique by some prominent religious leaders. Under the leadership of bishop Erik Varden, the Roman Catholic Church in Norway has grown from 95,000 people to more than 160,000 in just a few years. Vanden has also expressed frustration that neither he nor other Catholic leaders were consulted by the Bible Society. You have to listen to those who will use the Bible, he said. You cant just go to the professional circles. yvind Haraldseid, general secretary of the Bible Society, said in a statement that the editors are listening and all the criticism is being taken into consideration. They will keep flesh in John 1:14, but are still discussing whether or not to use slave instead of servant and have decided to go back to the 2011 translation of John 3:16. The revision will retain the familiar language, that those who believe in Gods only Son will not get lost. Haraldseid also conceded the Bible Society was not as transparent as it could have been in the process, and should have sought out input from more interested parties. We will continue to provide information about the audit through various channels in the future, he said. Bible translation is often a struggle with the text to find the right words that communicate the content of the text in our time. The US affiliate of Open Doors has departed one of the largest global networks dedicated to supporting persecuted Christians. Open Doors USA began 2023 by announcing its transformation into Global Christian Relief (GCR), retaining its board, staff, CEO, and sizable social media accounts under a new brand. To do so, GCR cut its longstanding ties with Open Doors International (ODI), the global umbrella organization which produces detailed annual reports on the persecuted church, coordinates two dozen national affiliates, and maintains a 65-year-old network of Christian leaders on the frontlines in 70 countries. At the same time, ODI started a new US arm called Open Doors US, with a longtime Open Doors UK leader, Lisa Pearce, as its new CEO. Anne van der Bijl, a Dutch evangelical known to Christians worldwide as Brother Andrew, founded Open Doors in 1955 to draw attention to the persecuted church and to provide it tangible support, most famously by distributing Bibles. He died last year at age 94. Open Doors USA was always a separate organization affiliated with the international group. The two ministries are roughly the same size financially in their US tax filings, each reporting about $30 million in contributions in 2019 and 2020. Open Doors International is affiliated with two dozen other country-based Open Doors organizations around the world that have their own revenue. The recent change and communication was confusing to some supporters. And the two organizations dont appear to agree on the narratives of what has happened. A pop-up on GCRs website says, Open Doors USA is now Global Christian Relief. Meanwhile, the new Open Doors US has an FAQ on its new website that says, Has Open Doors changed its name in the US? NoOpen Doors continues in the US under CEO Lisa Pearce, following the departure of former CEO David Curry. Curry, who served as CEO of Open Doors USA since 2013 and now leads GCR, said in a statement that starting in June 2022, the leadership of OD USA and ODI entered a period of discussion and prayerful discernment about their future relationship. The boards of both organizations agreed to disaffiliate, he said. Curry did not get into specific reasons for the break, but told CT, It was a joint discussion. There is enormous respectBrother Andrew was my mentor and friend. He added about Open Doors Internationals work on the persecuted church: Nobody does it better. The international organization also did not offer a reason for the parting of ways. Pearce, the new Open Doors US CEO, said in a statement to CT, The US is one of 24 countries where we have established national bases to mobilize prayer and raise awareness and support for Open Doors global work strengthening persecuted Christians. Open Doors will continue this work in the US for our many critical field projects, including through the launch of the 2023 World Watch List on January 18th. Pearce noted that Open Doors work relies on field teams in 70 countries in the underground church, many of whom are persecuted themselves. Connection with persecuted Christians is a blessing to the wider church, she said. There are 360 million persecuted Christians in the world today, and for their sake we hope and pray that every ministry finds effective ways to serve them. Religious freedom advocates working with Open Doors hadnt heard that a change was imminent. OD USA has long done advocacy in Washington, DC, engaging with the US State Department and other entities. Curry was appointed as a commissioner on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in May 2022, shortly before the two boards began discussing a break in their relationship. Curry told CT that there are a small number of international religious freedom advocates in the US, so he doesnt see GCR competing with Open Doors. He hoped that the creation of additional organizations would create an extra network of on-the-ground resources for persecuted Christians and multiple ways to support the church so they are never isolated. In response to a question about how GCRs mission might be different from the work of Open Doors, he mentioned adapting the organization to new challenges, like governments tracking Christians and church services with new technology. When you look at Chinas ability to monitor Zoom church, social connection, facial recognition weve got to crowdsource with the smartest minds out there, he said. This is becoming a technological challenge as much as a censorship issue. And he said he wants his organization to expand the Western churchs involvement in the persecuted church globally, given the need. We have a handful of ministrieswe need a thousand, Curry said. Biden shifts blame for immigration crisis ahead of first border visit President Joe Biden attempted to shift blame for the immigration crisis that has increased under his administration days before he's set to make his first visit to a border community as states grapple with hundreds of thousands of illegal border crossings each month. Biden gave a speech on immigration at the White House Thursday as he faces growing pressure to visit the U.S.-Mexico border amid a surge in illegal immigration. In the first two months of fiscal year 2023, which began in October, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol reported 465,034 encounters between migrants and border officials at the Southwest border. During the first part of fiscal year 2022, there were 339,682 such encounters. With 233,740 encounters between migrants and law enforcement officials, November 2022 marked the fourth consecutive month of increases in border crossings, which reached a high of 241,136 in May 2022. The overwhelming of border cities, accompanied by the astronomical number of border crossings, prompted the Democratic Mayor of El Paso, Texas, to declare a state of emergency. During his speech Thursday, Biden told reporters that he would be traveling to Mexico to meet with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador next week, where securing the border between the two countries is on the agenda. I will visit the border myself this Sunday in El Paso, Texas, to assess border enforcement operations, meet with the local officials and community leaders and the folks at the border, he said. The president added that he was looking forward to learning what border officials need that they dont have. The press conference comes as the Biden administration is seeking to end Title 42, which enabled border officials to quickly turn away migrants seeking entry into the U.S. due to public health concerns arising from the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered Title 42 to remain in place as the justices are set to hear a case seeking the reversal of a lower court order vacating the policy. Bidens impending trip to the border marks his first visit there since taking office nearly two years ago. Throughout each full month of his administration, border crossings have remained above 100,000. Critics point to the abolishing of the Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols, which required those seeking asylum in the U.S. to stay in Mexico while their cases were adjudicated, as well as the weakening of Title 42 as the sources of the surge. With those policies in place, Southwest border crossings never crossed 100,000 in any one month. After his speech concluded, a reporter asked the president why he thought right now constituted the right time to visit the southern border, recalling how Republicans have been begging you to do this since the beginning. Biden responded by insisting that Republicans havent been serious about this at all, adding, I wanted to make sure that I knew what the outcome was on Title 42 before I went down. He expressed his disapproval of Title 42, citing the fact that the court is not expected to issue a final ruling on the policy for a considerable period of time as the reason why he is going now. Additionally, Biden used the press conference to announce actions his administration was going to take to reduce the flow of illegal immigrants through the Southwest border and outlined new paths for those seeking to come into the U.S. to do so legally. The president also touted an app called CBP ONE, which he explained enables migrants to schedule an appointment at a port of entry and make their asylum claim there without crossing the border unlawfully. The White House has also expanded a parole program enabling Venezuelan migrants with sponsors in the U.S. who pass background checks to come to the country and receive work authorization for two years to Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans. Those whose parole applications are denied or who illegally enter the U.S. during the process will not be eligible for the program. Biden contended that the parole program for Venezuelans has resulted in a reduction of the surge at the border. Since we created the program, the number of Venezuelans trying to enter America without going through a legal process has dropped dramatically from about 1,100 per day to less than 250 per day on average, he declared. He predicted that the expansion of the parole program to the three additional countries will substantially reduce the number of people attempting to cross our southwest border without going through the legal process. Noting that most of the people seeking entry into the U.S. come from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti, the president said that Mexico has agreed to allow the return of up to 30,000 persons per month who try and get caught and get sent back from those four countries who are apprehended while attempting to unlawfully cross the ... southwest border. Biden directed a message to those seeking to come to the U.S. from those countries: Do not just show up at the border. Stay where you are and apply legally from there. Ahead of his remarks, the White House released a fact sheet outlining new actions the administration was taking to address the surge in illegal immigration. Effective immediately, individuals who attempt to enter the United States without permission, do not have a legal basis to remain, and cannot be expelled pursuant to Title 42 will be increasingly subject to expedited removal from their country of origin and subject to a five-year ban on reentry, the fact sheet states. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice announced their intent to propose a new regulation that would encourage individuals to seek orderly and lawful pathways to migration and reduce overcrowding on the southwest border and the strain on the immigration system. Ahead of the anticipated surge in migrants seeking asylum that will accompany the lifting of Title 42, the Biden administration indicated that DHS and DOJ are surging asylum officers and immigration judges to review asylum cases at the border more quickly with the aim of reducing initial processing times from months to days. DHS will also hire additional agents and officers to join the over 23,000 already working to secure the border. To address concerns about the strain on border cities, the administration vows to send more financial resources to such jurisdictions in addition to mobilizing faith-based and nonprofit organizations supporting migrants, including those providing temporary shelter, food, and humanitarian assistance. Throughout both the press conference and the fact sheet, the administration contended that the actions unveiled Thursday would not wholly solve the problem of illegal immigration and pointed to congressional Republicans as the reason behind the failure to achieve that goal. According to the fact sheet, While these steps will help address some of the most acute challenges at the Southwest border, they will not solve all of the problems in an immigration system that has been broken for far too long. That can only happen if Republicans in Congress who have spent the past two years talking about border security quit blocking the comprehensive immigration reform and border security measures President Biden proposed on his first day in office, and opposing the billions of dollars in additional funds the President has requested for border security and management. International Churches of Christ abused, pressured members financially to the point of suicide: lawsuit The International Churches of Christ, a racially diverse, and theologically conservative nondenominational body of co-operating Christian congregations, along with their affiliated organizations, have been accused in a lawsuit filed by five women in California of covering up child sexual abuse and pressuring members so much for money that some left the church and later killed themselves. The five women include two sisters, Darleen Diaz, 33, and Bernice Perez, 31, as well as Ashley Ruiz, 31, Salud Gonzelez, 30, and Elena Peltola, 23. All are listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit first reported by Rolling Stone. The women alleged that the ICOC along with affiliates Hope Worldwide, Mercy Worldwide, the International Christian Church and the City of Angels International Christian Church, indoctrinated them and kept them isolated from the outside world while they were exploited sexually and manipulated through a rigid system of belief. Also named as defendants in the lawsuit are two leaders of the church including founder Kip McKean and the estate of the late Charles Chuck Lucas. The women further allege that the churches and their leaders created a system of exploitation that extracts any and all value it can from members. Church members the lawsuit alleges are forced to tithe 10% of their income to the church and also fund special mission trips twice yearly to the point of suicide and depression. If the tithing budget was not satisfied, leaders or disciplers were forced to contribute the financial shortfall themselves, or members were required to locate the offending member who failed to tithe and sit on their porch until they arrived home in an attempt to obtain their tithe funds before Sunday evening was over, the lawsuit says. The pressure to comply with the churchs rigid demands was a source of anxiety and depression for many members. So much so that several ex-members committed suicide. Church leaders also allegedly placed heavy recruitment demands on followers who were given quotas to convert in a bid to generate more tithing followers for the church. In discussing their sexual abuse, the sisters Diaz and Perez, along with Ruiz, identified a man who is now a convicted pedophile, David Saracino, as abusing them at the same time. They claim that the church did nothing to protect them from the abuse. They allege that Saracino would invite children to his house to swim but as soon as they undressed he told the girls that they needed a bath and he used that opportunity to heavily fondle their naked bodies while they were bathing, explains the lawsuit. Ruiz alleged that Saracino performed oral sex on her. When the mother of the sisters eventually reported Saracinos abuse, leaders allegedly alerted him so he could flee town before police could arrest him. The law finally caught up with him in 2012 when he was sentenced to 40 years in prison for raping a 4-year-old child. Even though the sexual abuse happened to me in the ICOC at around age five and robbed me of my childhood, the trauma also followed me into my adulthood, where I feel like I am always in survival mode, Ruiz told Rolling Stone. Having some sort of legal closure and acknowledgment about what happened to me as a child will be tremendously helpful! Gonzelez said she was sexually assaulted by a Sunday School teacher for five years starting when she was 4. She was abused again in a rehab program connected to the church at the age of 15 and again when she was 17. The abuses, she said, caused her to try to end her life because the church failed to give her any help. Peltola alleges that she was raped in 2012 by an ICOC member when she was just 13, while she was on a mission trip to Honduras. She said when she reported the rape, ICOC and Hope Worldwide leaders victim-blamed her and called her a slut for several months before kicking her out of the church for being a liability Rolling Stone said. For decades, members of the ICOC/ICC and its affiliates groomed and sexually abused children as young as three years old, Bobby Samini, an attorney for the plaintiffs told Rolling Stone in a statement. Instead of reporting the sexual abuse to law enforcement, church leaders shamelessly targeted and blamed the survivors, admonishing them that they risked losing their salvation unless they forgave their abusers. The lawsuit will expose the perpetrators at the ICOC/ICC and its affiliates who claim piety, all the while enabling the sexual abuse of children. When the church was contacted for comment by The Christian Post on Tuesday, a member of the New York City branch of the church for more than three decades, who said she was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, said there is no umbrella authority for the churches in the ICOC, they are only connected by their beliefs. Family of 8, including 5 children, found shot dead at Utah home in murder-suicide Updated: Jan. 5, 2023, at 2:40 p.m. ET Eight family members, including five children and an adult described as a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were found shot dead inside a home in Enoch City, Utah, on Wednesday. Authorities revealed in a statement Thursday that they suspect that 42-year-old Michael Haight shot dead his mother-in-law, Gail Earl, 78; his wife, Tausha Haight, 40; and their five children, including three girls aged 17, 12, and 7, as well as two boys, aged 7 and 4, before taking his own life. Officers with the Enoch City Police Department were contacted by concerned family and friends on Jan. 4, to do a welfare check when they did not hear from the victims. Police entered the family home around 4 p.m. and discovered the bodies. We join with all who are deeply saddened by this tragic incident and want to express our condolences to the family and friends of the victims, the statement said. Enoch City Manager Rob Dotson told KSL-TV that investigators were working hard to find out what led to the deaths of the family members who were well-known in their small town of 8,000. We dont know why this happened and were not going to guess, were going to continue the police investigation in the home, going through all the details they can, making all the information available they can divulge from whats happened inside. And we will have more information as it comes forward, Dotson said. Many of us have served with them in church, gone to school with these individuals, he noted in another report. Neighbors described the family as loving members of the Mormon church, but court records cited by KSL-TV said the wife recently filed for divorce. A representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints told The Christian Post on Thursday morning that they were aware of the incident involving the family but said no one authorized to speak to the public was immediately available to say more. Richard Jensen, a city councilman, told The New York Times that murders had sent shock waves through the community. He described how he wept over the tragedy and struggled to pull himself together to tell his 11-year-old son about the incident so he wouldnt have to hear about it at school. This was a respected community member and church leader, and it is sending shock waves, Jensen said. Tina Brown, another friend of the family, told Fox 13 that the murders were very difficult to process. "It's almost like we grew up so sheltered in these small southern Utah communities that we don't see a lot of this," she said. "Sure our kids hear about it on the news and on YouTube and podcasts and you know Dateline. That's what my oldest said, he was like mom, stuff like this happens on Dateline, but it doesn't happen here." A letter from the Iron County School District said the five children who were found dead inside the home were students in the district and counselors would be provided to students to help them process the tragedy. This loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school district, especially our students, it said. At our schools, we will have counselors available for any student who may need or want help or assistance surrounding this loss. Students should report to the counseling center or their school administrative offices to access that support. Adam Schiff demanded Twitter ban of journalist he didn't like Latest docs show 'astonishing variety of requests from officials asking for individuals they didnt like to be banned' A request from former House Intelligence Committee chair Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., asking Twitter to suspend a journalist was among the latest revelations on how U.S. government officials worked directly with the social media giant to target specific accounts. Known as the Twitter Files, the latest batch of internal Twitter documents released Tuesday by journalist Matt Taibbi revealed the extent of the cooperation between government agencies and the online publishing platform, including the Nov. 12, 2020, request from "the office for Democrat and House Intel Committee chief Adam Schiff" requesting Twitter ban reporter and New York Post columnist Paul Sperry. 27.They also received an astonishing variety of requests from officials asking for individuals they didnt like to be banned. Here, the office for Democrat and House Intel Committee chief Adam Schiff asks Twitter to ban journalist Paul Sperry: pic.twitter.com/SXI1ekqi13 Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) January 3, 2023 The email requested Twitter suspend the many accounts, including @GregRubini and @paulsperry, which repeatedly promoted false QAnon conspiracies and harassed [REDACTED]." According to Taibbi, Twitter declined the initial request, as seen in the memos, noting, We dont do this on the request from Schiffs office. Sperry, however, was later suspended from Twitter. In December, Twitter owner Elon Musk hinted at Schiffs actions in a tweet asking the Southern California lawmaker whether he approve[d] hidden state censorship in direct violation of the Constitution of the United States as the former House Intel chair. In response to Musks tweet, Schiff did not address whether his office was involved in any censorship, writing: I dont support censorship. Or hate speech. As the (outgoing) CEO of Twitter, how about you? Why not do more to stop slurs against black people, LGBTQ+ people, Jewish people, and others? Do you commit to providing the public with actual answers and data, not just tweets? I dont support censorship. Or hate speech. As the (outgoing) CEO of Twitter, how about you? Why not do more to stop slurs against Black people, LGBTQ+ people, Jewish people, and others? Do you commit to providing the public with actual answers and data, not just tweets? https://t.co/aejdHNLud5 Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 20, 2022 After Taibbi published his report on Jan. 3, Musk tweeted: Hey @RepAdamSchiff, whats this? Following his Twitter reinstatement, Sperry alleged Schiffs Chief of Staff Patrick Boland was threatening Sperrys employer Real Clear Investigations over his work exposing Schiff's impeachment whistleblower and his ties to Schiff's staffer around the same period of time when Schiffs office was lobbying Twitter to suspend Sperry. Other documents released in the latest batch of Twitter Files included correspondence showing requests to Twitter from the Treasury Department, NSA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Health and Human Services (HHS), along with virtually every state in the nation. Twitter was taking requests from every conceivable government body, including the Senate Intel Committee (SSCI), according to Taibbi. The U.S. State Department also reportedly flagged accounts that shared stories from the banned ZeroHedge account, which had as many as a quarter-million followers prior to its suspension. The State Department claimed retweets from ZeroHedge led to another flurry of disinformation narratives surrounding the alleged lab origins of the COVID-19 virus. In late December, another Twitter document dump seemed to indicate the White House pressured Twitter to censor tweets advocating a disfavored narrative on the coronavirus pandemic. The 10th set of Twitter Files released by journalist David Zweig showed the social media giant even attached warning labels to tweets featuring data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a 40-tweet thread, Zweig alleged that "Twitter rigged the COVID debate" by "censoring info that was true but inconvenient to [U.S. government] policy, by discrediting doctors and other experts who disagreed, [and] by suppressing ordinary users, including some sharing the CDC's *own data.*" An employee of the the Dutch Municipal Health Service hands out free Covid-19 self-test kits to travelers arriving from China, at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on January 4, 2023. (Robin van Lonkhuijsen /AFP) Brussels: The European Union on Wednesday strongly encouraged its member states to impose pre-departure COVID-19 testing of passengers from China, in a move that is likely to upset Beijing and has already been criticised by the global airline industry. Following a week of talks between EU health experts, the bloc stopped short of fully imposing on all 27 member states such a travel restriction that members like Italy, France and Spain had already implemented. China has already vehemently rejected such actions and has warned of countermeasures if such policies were to be imposed across the bloc. The Chinese government and European health experts have said there is no pressing need for any blanket restrictions on travel since the coronavirus variants emerging from China are already prevalent in Europe. On Wednesday the International Air Transport Association, which represents some 300 airlines worldwide, lent its powerful voice to the protests. It is extremely disappointing to see this knee-jerk reinstatement of measures that have proven ineffective over the last three years, said IATA Director General Willie Walsh. Research undertaken around the arrival of the omicron variant concluded that putting barriers in the way of travel made no difference to the peak spread of infections. At most, restrictions delayed that peak by a few days, Walsh said. A day after threatening countermeasures, Chinese government spokesperson Mao Ning said Wednesday that we sincerely hope that all parties will focus on fighting the epidemic itself, avoid the politicization of COVID. Still, the EU seems bent on taking some sort of joint action to ensure incoming passengers from China do not transmit any potential new variants to the continent. Sweden, which holds the EU presidency, said in a statement that travelers from China need to be prepared for decisions being taken at short notice. Fearful of being caught unawares like at the outset of the global pandemic in early 2020, the EU Integrated Political Crisis Response group is now slated to make a decision later Wednesday. As well as pre-departure testing, EU nations are likely to agree on special testing of wastewater in planes coming from China to see if it contains dangerous variants that are not common on the continent yet. Over the past week, EU nations have reacted with a chaotic cascade of national measures to the crisis in China, disregarding an earlier commitment to act in unity before anything else. Italy was the first EU member to require coronavirus tests for airline passengers coming from China, but France and Spain quickly followed with their own measures. World Council of Churches must suspend Russian Orthodox Church over Ukraine: foreign policy expert A foreign policy expert has called on the World Council of Churches to remove the Russian Orthodox Church from membership over its support of the invasion of Ukraine. Elisabeth Braw, an author and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute focused on national security issues, penned a column for the Center for European Policy Analysis on Tuesday titled "In the Name of God, Go." Braw argued that the WCC, which she described as "the United Nations of global Christianity," should move to suspend the Russian Orthodox Church from its membership, citing Patriarch Kirill's support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "As all Christians know and regularly profess, no Christian is perfect," wrote Braw. "But the Russian Orthodox Church is not only failing to live by the WCC's standard of living visible unity in one faith, working for mission and evangelism, serving human need, breaking down barriers between people, and seeking justice and peace: its leaders are actively showing their utter contempt for such Christian values." Braw argued that "while Kirill may have to make compromises with the Kremlin in order to protect his church, his public support of the war has gone far, far beyond such basic cooperation." "It is time that the WCC acknowledged this and suspended the Russian Orthodox Church's membership: it cannot harbor a war-mongering organization that mocks the WCC and global Christianity, even as the broader membership strives to live by the WCC's worthy goals," she continued. "Being booted out by the United Nations of global Christianity is unlikely to sway the Russian Orthodox Church, any more than various diplomatic conventions have swayed the Kremlin. But it needs to be done, if only for the sake of simple, Christian decency." Founded in 1948 as an ecumenical Christian body, the WCC has approximately 350 denominations as members, representing the interests of more than 500 million Christians worldwide. WCC leadership has denounced the Russian war in Ukraine on multiple occasions, including a statement released in September calling the invasion "illegal and unjustifiable." "As Christians from different parts of the world we renew the call for an immediate ceasefire to halt the death and destruction, and for dialogue and negotiations to secure a sustainable peace," continued the statement. "In the meantime, we reiterate the central committee's appeal to our Christian brothers and sisters and to the leadership of the churches in Russia as well as in Ukraine, to raise their voices to oppose the continuing deaths, destruction, displacement and dispossession of the people of Ukraine." In October, WCC Acting General Secretary Fr. Ioan Sauca led a delegation that met with Patriarch Kirill. The meeting lasted several hours and included a discussion on the invasion of Ukraine. "We will continue to monitor and pray about the situation and continue the dialogue. We are operating through four foci: church relations, peacebuilding, statements, and communication," Sauca explained in October. "I hope and pray that the fellowship of churches continues to and work towards just peace and towards the end of the war in Ukraine and the end of wars elsewhere in the world. I also pray that the WCC continues to be that open table which gathers Christians together and gives courage and patience to listen to one another even if we disagree." Kirill's position on the war has also drawn the ire of other Orthodox churches and organizations. In March, an Orthodox Public Affairs Committee and a Ukrainian archbishop called for sanctions to be placed on the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church. Last June, the United Kingdom announced sanctions against Kirill. "Today we are targeting the enablers and perpetrators of Putin's war who have brought untold suffering to Ukraine, including the forced transfer and adoption of children," former Prime Minister Liz Truss said at the time. Alaska megachurch changes its name, drops 'Temple' to avoid being 'associated with false religions' A Baptist church in Alaska older than the state itself is changing its name. Anchorage Baptist Temple, a well-known and politically influential church for decades, will now be known as Mountain City Church. Pastor Ron Hoffman announced the change Sunday, saying the name would better reflect the identity of the roughly 2,500-member congregation. Our vision is to transform every Alaskan with the salt, light, and love of Christ, like a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden, Hoffman said in a video. We also believe the name Mountain City reflects what we have become, not only an influencer of Anchorage but the entire state of Alaska. In addition to the churchs name change, its Anchorage Christian School will become Mountain City Christian Academy. Anchorage Baptist was founded in 1956 by Pastor Don White under Baptist Bible Church. As the ministry grew under former Pastor Jerry Prevo, it became known as Anchorage Baptist Temple and expanded into radio and TV ministry throughout the state. Prevo stepped down in 2019 after nearly 50 years in the pulpit. He now serves as president of Liberty University in Virginia. Several high-profile political and religious figures, including former governors Mike Dunleavy and Sarah Palin and evangelist Franklin Graham, attended his farewell sermon. Upon announcing the name change, Hoffman who grew up in Anchorage and served on staff for Anchorage Baptist Temple staff said the church has no intention of leaving its heritage behind. This is a history we never want to forget, so no, renaming the church will not erase the legacy, he said. One of the issues with the former name, according to Hoffman, was the usage of the word temple, which Hoffman said is more associated with false religions than Christian churches. Our current name has unnecessary barriers in it, he said. The word temple is more associated with false religions today than it is about true places of worship. The word that once enhanced our churchs vision now hinders it. Its not clear whether the church is also changing its Baptist identity. A request for comment Monday from The Christian Post was not immediately returned. As part of the churchs new identity and vision, Hoffman also announced a trio of seven-year initiatives Mountain City will undertake, including a Gospel outreach effort, social programs and cultural engagement. Known as one of Alaskas biggest churches, the former Anchorage Baptist Temple made headlines in 2020 after Hoffman defied an emergency order limiting the size of gatherings at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. After a video surfaced showing the church holding a socially-distanced service with most participants appearing to be at least 6 feet apart, as was the guidance at the time Hoffman said the church should strive to obey civil authorities but stressed that its different story when that authority conflicts with the Word of God. When our civil authority says something, we find ourselves in a quandary, Hoffman said, according to Alaska Public Media. But we must always obey God. We cannot stop sharing the Gospel. We will not stop worshiping God. We will not stop being the church. John MacArthur has health scare; church says he's 'doing well' Pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church of Sun Valley, California, fell ill on Sunday, preventing him from preaching the second service Sunday. However, his congregation reports that he is "doing better." Grace Community Church posted a brief update on Monday about the health of the controversial 83-year-old pastor. "We are pleased to report that he is doing well. He saw a doctor on Sunday afternoon, and he is in good health and just needs rest from a busy holiday week," stated the church. On Sunday, a church elder told the congregation that although MacArthur had preached during their first service, he could not preach the second due to an unspecified illness. "Just so you know, Pastor John had a bug this week and preached our first hour but asked if he might be able to take a break for the second hour," stated the elder, as quoted by Protestia. "So, Mike Riccardi is going to be answering the call. It's pretty, pretty amazing we have guys with sermons in their Bibles wherever you go, and so Mike's going to be here." MacArthur became the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in 1969, a few years after graduating from Biola University's Talbot Theological Seminary. During that time, MacArthur has reportedly preached over 3,000 sermons. The Grace Community pastor has garnered his share of criticism over the years over his views on women preachers, the Charismatic movement and religious freedom. In 2020, when California issued strict lockdown orders during the COVID-19 pandemic, MacArthur's church refused to follow them, engaging in a lengthy legal battle over the issue. While his congregation met during the pandemic, a COVID-19 outbreak ensued at his church, with MacArthur being one of the many who contracted the disease. Eventually, California and Los Angeles County agreed to a settlement with Grace Community in which the government officials paid $800,000 in legal fees to end the litigation. "We are very pleased to see Pastor MacArthur and Grace Community Church's First Amendment protections fully vindicated in this case," read a 2021 statement from Jenna Ellis of the Thomas More Society, who helped represent the church. "It has been a hard-fought battle to preserve religious liberty and we hope that this result will encourage Californians, and all Americans, to continue to stand firm that church is essential." Last September, MacArthur sent an open letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom denouncing the elected official's usage of the Bible to champion abortion access. "You revealed to the entire nation how thoroughly rebellious against God you are when you sponsored billboards across America promoting the slaughter of children, whom He creates in the womb," wrote MacArthur. "You further compounded the wickedness of that murderous campaign with a reprehensible act of gross blasphemy, quoting the very words of Jesus from Mark 12:31 as if you could somehow twist His meaning and arrogate His name in favor of butchering unborn infants." Passion 2023: Disabilities advocate Katherine Wolf poses challenge to Gen Z Disabilities advocate and Christian author Katherine Wolf challenged thousands of young people gathered at Passion 2023 to see pain as a path toward growth and to find the hidden treasure in the darkest times of life. Speaking Wednesday afternoon from the Passion Conference stage in Atlanta, Georgia, the 40-year-old speaker and author commended conference founders Louie and Shelly Giglio for putting a wheelchair and the lady with disabilities on your stage." I have to say that it doesn't happen nearly enough in our world," she said. They say currently that 20 percent of our world is people living with disabilities, she added. And yet, only 2 percent are put on display in media context at conferences and churches. It's not as if there's appropriate representation for the community living with disabilities. And I say that the voices of folks with disabilities are voices that should be heard because we've got things to say and in the Christian community context; we've got so much to say about the hope of Jesus Christ. On April 21, 2008, Wolf, who was just 26 years old and a mother of 6-month-old James, unexpectedly experienced a brain bleed from a massive brain stem stroke that nearly killed her. After hours of micro-brain surgery, the former beauty queen and model miraculously lived but was left unable to walk, talk or swallow. She was left with severe double vision, right ear deafness, and right-side facial paralysis. And though she remains in a physical wheelchair, she pointed out that every human has multiple invisible wheelchairs. She challenged the audience to embrace their own invisible wheelchairs. I heard early on after the storm, Katherine is wheelchair bound, she said. You may have heard this expression, wheelchair-bound. And it just never really settled right with me. And I realized that's because I'm not wheelchair-bound; I'm actually living in wheelchair freedom. And the reason for that is because this wheelchair enables me to go where I need to go this is my vehicle, the means, to where I live out my story for God's glory. And the same is true for you and your inner wheelchair. You dont have to overcome your wheelchair, she said. No, embrace it, seeing the need for Jesus to meet you and carry you where you need to go. Today, Katherine and her husband, Jay, are behind Hope Heals, a nonprofit that serves to offer rest, resources and relationships to broken bodies, brains and hearts. They're also internationally-recognized communicators and advocates for those with disabilities. In 2015, the Wolfs miraculously welcomed their second child, John Nestor Wolf, named after Katherines three-time-life-saving neurosurgeon, Dr. Nestor Gonzalez. The couple shared their powerful story in the bestselling book, Hope Heals: A True Story of Overwhelming Loss and an Overcoming Love, and in a second book, titledSuffer Strong: How to Survive Anything by Redefining Everything. Life is hard, she said. Life is going to be hard if it's not already really, really hard. But I believe we can live so well in the hard. You have a stunning capacity to endure incredibly hard because of Jesus in your story. You are actually anti-fragile. You are not nearly as fragile as everything in this world is telling you you are. With Jesus in your corner, you are so much stronger than you think; you can endure very, very hard things. You can stay in the hard, you dont have to leave. You can do it. You can do this, because of Jesus, she added, citing 1 John 4:4, which states, in part: the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. She urged listeners to find emotional agility and pivot in life when needed. She said there is a profound beauty in growing in the knowledge of Christ and considering Him when suffering well, rejoicing no matter the situation. Some people spend their whole lives looking for the miracle in their story, but they miss the miracle right in front of them, she said. Wolf reminded attendees that they get to decide how they feel about their story: Your life is a story and not a moment, she said. There are chapters and there are seasons in stories we cant control what happens to us but we have control over how we respond to what happens to us. We get to decide how we move forward. Christians can find beauty in suffering, she said, because they know of the hope that is to come. She urged listeners to be unafraid of challenges in their lives, adding: God made you to do hard things in the good story He is writing in your life. Wolf previously shared what her struggles have taught her in an interview with The Christian Post. I had to learn how to find God in the midst of it, she said. I learned that Gods goodness was not attached to my earthly circumstances, and God being good was not based on anything going on in the physical world. The cross put everything in perspective. Jay Wolf offered the reminder that Gods goodness never fails and there is hidden treasure in the darkness. Weve discovered this is true in our life, he said. If we have eyes to see it, well find that God is making Himself known to us even in the places that look like the dark. Theres a sacred darkness that we dont necessarily lean into as a Church. We often believe that darkness equals bad but, throughout Scripture, you see how new life often begins in the dark. Since the first Passion Conference in 1997, the ministry has encountered millions of students. Other speakers at this years three-day event included Louie Giglio, David Platt, Christine Caine and others. Ahead of Wolfs message, Passion Music led attendees in worship. The annual event, held Jan. 3-5 this year, is geared toward young adults between the ages of 18 to 25 and aims to glorify God by uniting students in worship, prayer and justice for spiritual awakening in this generation. 4 longest House speaker elections in US history Although he expected to become the next speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy of California has faced ongoing resistance to his efforts. Even though McCarthy expected to be voted into the leadership position, he has failed to get enough votes after six ballots, marking the first time since 1923 that the House did not elect a speaker on the first ballot. This has been because of a sizable minority of Republican members of Congress who, among other things, believe that McCarthy will not effectively implement conservative policies. However, as of Thursday morning, McCarthy has yet to come close to the longest periods of voting for House speaker, which in the past sometimes went on for several weeks of voting. Here are the four House speaker elections that took the greatest number of ballots, all of which occurred during the Antebellum era and often had the slavery debate undergirding their contentiousness. 1 2 3 4 5 Next Biden says his philosophical views are more in line with Pope Francis than Benedict XVI President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he "admired" the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI despite their philosophical differences, acknowledging that his views as a Catholic are more in line with Pope Francis. He also shared why he did not attend the Catholic leader's funeral. Shortly before he left the White House to give a speech in Kentucky, EWTN Washington Correspondent Owen Jensen asked Biden, "what did Pope Benedict mean to you as a Catholic?" The president responded by recalling how he "had the opportunity to spend some time with Pope Benedict, a couple hours" in 2011 when he served as vice president. On the South Lawn, EWTN News Nightly asked President Biden what Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI meant to the President as a Catholic, and why hes not attending the Popes funeral thats set for Thursday. White House Correspondent @owentjensen reports. pic.twitter.com/gvbphI6XbP EWTN News Nightly (@EWTNNewsNightly) January 5, 2023 "It reminded me of being in theology class," Biden added. "We spoke about [St. Thomas] Aquinas and about 'Summa Theologica' and the whole litany. I found him to be relaxing and very rational." Biden acknowledged that "he was a more conservative view within the Catholic realm than I have." The president identified himself as "closer to the Pope, the present Pope, in terms of his philosophy, his view" without elaborating. He said he "admired" Benedict XVI and described him as a "fine man." Jensen asked Biden, the second Catholic to serve as president of the United States, why he wouldn't attend the late pontiff's funeral on Thursday. "The reason I'm not attending the funeral tomorrow is because it takes an entourage of 1,000 people to show up," he replied. "We would move everything in the wrong direction. I inquired about that. And people are sending mostly their apostolic delegates, their ... folks in Rome. That's what we're going to do." The president insisted he "would just get in the way," reiterating that "I had made my views known" that Benedict was "a fine man." Biden's remarks come a day after Jensen asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during a press briefing if the president would attend Benedict's funeral. The White House spokeswoman indicated that U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Joe Donnelly would attend Benedict's funeral. She also remarked that the president "remembers the Pope's generosity and his meaningful conversation they had when the President visited the Vatican back in 2011" as Vice President, echoing Biden's comments to Jensen Wednesday. Benedict died Saturday at the age of 95. Born as Joseph Ratzinger in Germany, Benedict assumed the papacy in April 2005, following the death of longtime pontiff Pope St. John Paul II. Benedict served as Bishop of Rome through February 2013, when he resigned due to health concerns. After becoming the first pope to resign in six centuries, Benedict assumed the title of Pope Emeritus as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina succeeded him as Pope. As Biden suggested in his comments to Jensen Wednesday, Biden and Benedict differed on their views regarding critical elements of Catholic Church teaching, particularly on abortion. Benedict addressed the conflict between Catholic teaching and Biden's views on the issue of abortion in a 2021 interview with the Italian publication Corriere Della Sera. "It's true. He is a practicing Catholic and observant. And he is personally against abortion," Benedict stated in the interview. "But as a president, he tends to present himself in continuity with the platform of the Democratic Party. And on gender politics, we have not yet fully understood what his position is." Biden is one of several Catholic politicians who embrace the Democratic Party's steadfast support for legal abortion despite their denomination's opposition to the procedure. As Cardinal Ratzinger, Benedict sent a letter to high-ranking church officials in the U.S. advising ministers of holy communion to withhold the eucharist from Catholic politicians who advocate for legal abortion. He argued that "abortion or euthanasia is a grave sin" and "it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to take part in a propoganda campaign in favour of such a law" supporting the grave sins "or vote for it." Kevin McCarthy loses sixth speaker vote amid resistance from minority of Republicans Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California has again failed to be elected speaker of the United States House of Representatives, having failed to dislodge the resistance from a sizable minority of Republican members. Representatives cast three more ballots on Wednesday to determine the next speaker of the House, but no one received a large enough majority to gain the position. The House adjourned after the third vote of the day. Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin nominated McCarthy for the fourth ballot vote, arguing that nobody has done more to lay out a plan for how we restore the basic functioning of this institution than Kevin McCarthy. You may not have gotten everything you wanted, Gallagher added. But Mr. McCarthy has gone above and beyond in terms of listening to people with concerns and laying out a plan for how we restore the basic functioning of the House of Representatives. Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, who on Tuesday had previously endorsed Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio for House Speaker, rose on Wednesday to endorse Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida for speaker. Roy argued that he supported Donalds because this country needs a change and that this country needs leadership that does not reflect Washington, D.C. insider politics. With Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York being nominated by the Democrats, it reportedly marked the first time in history that two African Americans were nominated for House speaker. On the fourth ballot, McCarthy received 201 votes while Donalds received 20 votes, and Jeffries garnered 212 votes. Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, who had voted for McCarthy on the first three ballots, voted present instead. Former President Donald Trump had weighed in on the issue on Wednesday morning, expressing support for McCarthy, imploring Republican members to not turn a great triumph into a giant and embarrassing defeat. For the fifth ballot, Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio, a member of the Freedom Caucus, nominated McCarthy for speaker, pleading with all of my Republican colleagues to let cooler, more rational heads prevail. Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado nominated Donalds for speaker, arguing that the Florida congressman is better qualified and that McCarthy should withdraw his nomination. The fifth ballot and sixth ballot had the exact same tally as the fourth ballot. Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida nominated McCarthy on the sixth ballot, calling on her colleagues to vote for a speaker, saying that voters sent them to Washington to get things done. Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania nominated Donalds for the sixth ballot, declaring that Washington is broken and that Congress needed to stop doing the same things. The election of the speaker of the House is the first official order of business, with the lower house being unable to move on any business until a speaker is chosen. On Tuesday, the House held three votes to determine the speaker and the minority leader, in a vote that is normally decided on the first ballot. All 212 Democrat lawmakers voted for Jeffries, as Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California had announced last year that she was stepping aside from leadership roles in the House. McCarthy failed to get the necessary 218 votes to become speaker, getting 203 Republicans to support him in the first and second ballots, and then 202 when Donalds changed his vote. In a tweet posted shortly after the third ballot was cast on Tuesday, Donalds explained that he believed Kevin McCarthy doesnt have the votes to become speaker. I committed my support to him publicly and for two votes on the House Floor. 218 is the number, and currently, no one is there. Our conference needs to recess and huddle and find someone or work out the next steps," tweeted Donalds. Those opposed to McCarthy had coalesced around Jordan on Tuesday, even though Jordan himself nominated McCarthy on the second ballot and subsequently voted for McCarthy. Mob attacks Catholic church in India amid tribal clashes, causes thousands in damages A mob of hundreds of villagers vandalized a Catholic church in the Chhattisgarh state of India on Monday as tensions continue to rise between the areas indigenous people who follow an animist religion and Christians. Villagers armed with wooden sticks and iron rods barged into Sacred Heart Church at Edka village on Jan. 2, in the southern region of Narayanpur district, according to the Catholic nonprofit news agency Union of Catholic Asia News. The mob broke the churchs windows and damaged the altar, crucifix, multiple pieces of furniture and statues. The villagers also vandalized a Marian grotto and a presbytery. UCA News quotes parish priest Father Jomon Devasia to report that the total damages from the church attack are likely to cost roughly 250,000 Indian rupees ($3,016), which includes about 50,000 Indian rupees allegedly stolen by the mob. The mob destroyed everything, the church and the presbytery, Devasia stated. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel promised action would be taken against the perpetrators of the vandalism. The chief held a meeting with the Archbishop Victor Henry Thakur of Raipur to discuss the incident. We discussed the serious threat Christians face in the state and the failure of the police and district officials to prevent targeted attacks against them, Archbishop Thakur told UCA News on Jan. 3. The church, which had been standing for over five decades, was renovated five years ago. Devasia told UCA News that he and four other Catholic priests reported the incident to a local police station. The police reportedly monitored the church leaders overnight to ensure their safety. The attack is believed to have started after a few members of a group of indigenous animist people were injured while they were protesting earlier clashes in the region. What started out as a protest, turned into a mob storming the church. According to Fides News Agency, on Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, two groups clashed after indigenous groups accused other tribes of converting to Christianity "by force or inducement." The mob reportedly threw rocks at the church and forcefully opened the church doors. Police who were with the protestors tried to stop the riot, but they could not calm the crowd. One officer suffered head injuries. Sources from other villages in the Narayanpur district reported that the mob did more than destroy and vandalize the church. We are getting messages of more attacks that happened last night, and many of our faithful have been forced to seek refuge in nearby forests, Pastor Mosses Logan, president of the Chhattisgarh State Christian Welfare Society, told UCA News. Advocates report that the attack comes amid a long-running clash between non-Christian indigenous people who have tried to force Christians away from their faith and towards adopting traditional animist practices. Chhattisgarh, ruled by the Congress Party, is made up of less than 2% of Christians out of the roughly 30 million people of the state. In the past few months, over 1,000 indigenous Christians were reportedly forced out of their homes in the villages near Narayanpur, church sources told UCA News. Many were injured, and other villagers occupied their homes. Archbishop Thakur has denied that the attack on the church had anything to do with Hindus opposing religious conversion to Christianity. The state police did not initiate action against groups that unleashed violence against Christians earlier," Thakur told UCA News. "Now, they are fearlessly attacking us." UN accused of 'Palestinian hypocrisy' as resolution calls for ICJ opinion on Israel Proponents of Israel condemned the United Nations General Assembly for approving a resolution accusing the country of illegally occupying Palestinian territories, a move the Israeli prime minister called a "despicable decision." In a Saturday statement, the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry welcomed a U.N. General Assembly vote asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to provide a legal opinion regarding the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. The resolution, titled "Israeli practices and settlement activities affecting the rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories," accuses Israel of "discriminatory legislation and measures." In addition, the document calls for the ICJ to offer an advisory opinion on Israel's "prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation of the Palestinian territory." The ICJ is the top court in the U.N. handling disputes between countries. The resolution passed Friday in an 87-26 vote, with 53 abstentions. The United States, the United Kingdom and Germany were among the countries that voted against the resolution. France was among those that abstained. Disputed territories are located in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and Gaza Strip, which were captured by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967. Israel has controlled those territories for over five decades although the international community has long debated sovereignty over those territories. The United Nations has opposed Israel's plans to annex the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, "The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land nor occupiers in our eternal capital Jerusalem." "[N]o U.N. resolution can distort that historical truth," Netanyahu stated, adding that Israel was not bound by the "despicable decision." Netanyahu was reelected as Israel's prime minister this year after Yair Lapid conceded defeat. Netanyahu's right-wing Likud Party had formed a political alliance with two other political parties known as Jewish Power and Religious Zionism. Israel's new Foreign Minister Eli Cohen criticized the U.N. resolution in a speech Monday, saying, "Palestinian hypocrisy was also manifested during the vote at the UN last Saturday." "The Palestinians have rejected every single peace agreement offered to them. Palestinian attempts to harm Israel will cost them and will distance resolution of the conflict," Cohen said, according to Al-Monitor. "The one who should really stand trial is the Palestinian leadership, which is the only place in the world that rewards those who murder Jews simply because they are Jews." B'nai B'rith International, an organization dedicated to defending Israel and combating anti-Semitism, condemned the UNGA's request in a Monday statement. The organization accused the UNGA of passing more resolutions against Israel than any other of the 192 U.N. member states. "This singling out of the Middle East's sole democracy, one continually forced to battle regional fanaticism and brutal terrorism, is deplorable," B'nai B'rith continued. "Representing more than politicization of legal instruments, and the diverting of resources and focus from truly critical global priorities, it seeks to delegitimize, indeed criminalize, only the presence of Jews in their one ancestral homeland." The organization questioned why the U.N. hasn't subjected the Palestinian Authority or other terrorist groups in the region, such as Hamas, to greater scrutiny. As CP reported, the Palestinian Authority provides stipends to terrorists, and their families, who have attacked Israelis. The Palestinian Authority claims the payments prevent terrorists' families from becoming destitute if their relative, who may have been the "breadwinner," is imprisoned. However, the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), a defense and strategic advisory organization, reports that the Palestinian Authority provides payment for acts of terrorism, regardless if a terrorist is the breadwinner or employed. According to U.N. Watch, a pro-Israel watchdog group, the General Assembly approved 15 resolutions against Israel last year, compared to 13 resolutions criticizing other countries. Russia was at the center of six resolutions for invading Ukraine, while North Korea, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, Iran and the U.S. were hit with one resolution each. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, praised the U.N. vote. In a statement published by Reuters, Abbas said that the "time has come for Israel to be a state subject to law and to be held accountable for its ongoing crimes against our people." Basem Naim, an official with the military terror group Hamas, which controls Gaza, made a similar statement, claiming that it was "an important step toward confining and isolating the state of occupation (Israel)." In 2005, Hamas seized control of Gaza after Israel withdrew from the area. Biden won't attend Pope Benedict XVI's funeral, White House says The White House has announced that President Joe Biden, a Catholic, will not attend the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. EWTN reporter Owen Jensen asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at a White House press briefing Tuesday if the U.S. was "sending a delegation to Rome" for the funeral, scheduled to take place Thursday. Jean-Pierre indicated that U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Joe Donnelly will represent the U.S. at the memorial service. She suggested that Donnelly's presence and the absence of Biden from the funeral were "in line with the wishes and the Vatican," adding, "this is what their requests were." Who will represent the US at Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's funeral? And what did the late Pope mean to Catholic President Joe Biden? Correspondent @owentjensen asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about both of these topics relating to Pope Benedict. pic.twitter.com/Iaahas5XMa EWTN News Nightly (@EWTNNewsNightly) January 3, 2023 Jean-Pierre noted that President Biden "joins Catholics and so many others around the world in mourning the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI" and "will always remember the Pope's generosity and meaningful conversation they had when he visited the Vatican in 2011" as vice president. Jensen inquired, "what did Pope Benedict mean to President Biden as a Catholic." Jean-Pierre responded by stressing that "the President, as you know, he takes his faith very seriously." "This is someone who is passionate about his faith. That's not something I even need to tell you. You know this for yourself," she added. Jean-Pierre reiterated that Biden "remembers the Pope's generosity and his meaningful conversation they had when the President visited the Vatican back in 2011." Benedict XVI served as Pope from April 2005 until February 2013, when he resigned due to health concerns. Following the conclusion of his papacy, he received the title of pope emeritus and was succeeded by Pope Francis. Benedict XVI died Saturday at the age of 95. According to the Vatican Press Office, there will only be two official state delegations attending the funeral from Italy and Germany. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will attend the funeral. According to Catholic News Agency, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid their respects at St. Peter's Basilica on Monday. Before becoming Pope Benedict XVI, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger sent a letter to high-ranking Catholic Church leaders in the U.S. urging them to withhold communion from pro-abortion Catholic politicians because "abortion or euthanasia is a grave sin" and "it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law" supporting the grave sins "or vote for it." Biden is a practicing Catholic who presents himself for communion despite advocating for laws and policies that ensure legalized access to abortion. Amid much debate among U.S. bishops since Biden took office on whether pro-choice politicians should be able to receive communion, Benedict weighed in on Biden's Catholic faith in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera last year. He told the publication that Biden "is a practicing Catholic and observant." At the same time, the late Pope Emeritus expressed concern that while "he is personally against abortion," the president "tends to present himself in continuity with the platform of the Democratic Party." As Benedict suggested, support for legal abortion is a central tenet of the Democratic Party platform. In addition to his comments about the president's views on abortion, Benedict remarked that "on gender politics, we have not yet fully understood what his position is." Biden issued a statement reacting to Benedict's death Saturday, describing the pontiff as a "renowned theologian, with a lifetime of devotion to the Church, guided by his principles and faith." Biden echoed comments made by Benedict during a 2008 visit to the U.S., where he proclaimed that "the need for global solidarity is as urgent as ever, if all people are to live in a way worthy of their dignity." Biden expressed hope that "his focus on the ministry of charity" will "continue to be an inspiration to us all." Nearly 40% of voters say Democrats, Republicans are America's biggest enemy, not China or Russia Nearly four in 10 likely voters in the United States say that Democrats or Republicans are the countrys biggest enemy, even when compared to foreign powers such as North Korea and Iran. In a survey of 900 U.S. likely voters conducted by Rasmussen Reports from Dec. 19 to Dec. 21, 39% of participants named one of the countrys political parties as the nations greatest threat compared to 25% who named China. The survey had a sampling error margin of +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Twenty-two percent of those surveyed said that Democrats are the nations biggest enemy, and 17% said Republicans, with 5% naming North Korea and another 2% naming Iran. Another 20% think Russia is the greatest threat to America. When surveying participants that belong to a specific political party, 33% of Republicans said that Democrats are Americas biggest enemy, compared to 26% of Democrats who think that Republicans are the greater enemy. Another 39% of voters not affiliated with any of the two political parties think Democrats (21%) or Republicans (18%) are the countrys biggest enemy. The share of voters who see certain political parties as the countrys biggest threat appears to have increased since Rasmussen conducted a similar survey two years ago. In that survey, 24% of participants viewed people who voted for Joe Biden as Americas biggest enemy, compared to 22% who regarded those who supported Donald Trump as the countrys biggest enemy. In the most recent survey, Democrats (31%) were more likely to see Russia as the biggest enemy, while 16% said China. On the contrary, Republicans (35%) were more likely to view China as Americas biggest enemy, while only 12% named Russia. Opinions varied by gender, as 26% of women named China Americas biggest enemy compared to 24% of men. Twenty percent of women regarded Russia and Republicans as the greatest enemy to the country, while 19% of men said Russia and 15% named Republicans. Another 18% of women view Democrats as the countrys biggest enemy, compared to 27% of men. Age also appears to have had an impact on voters perception of who is the countrys worst enemy. For those under 40, 28% said Russia is Americas biggest enemy, while older voters think China is the greater enemy. Participants in the under-40 category are equally likely to see Republicans or Democrats as Americas biggest enemy. Older voters believe Democrats are the biggest enemy by a 7-point margin. The responses to the survey differed among racial categories as well, as 28% of white respondents said China was Americas biggest enemy compared to 15% of black voters. Twenty-three percent of other minorities who participated in the survey also named China the countrys biggest enemy. In addition, black voters were significantly more likely to see Republicans as the countrys biggest enemy. Income levels appear to have been relevant to participants responses, with voters making over $200,000 a year more likely to view Republicans as Americas biggest enemy. Participants earning between $50,000 and $100,000 annually were more likely to view China as the bigger enemy of the country. Strong supporters of President Biden were the least likely to view China as the countrys biggest enemy. Among those who strongly approve of Bidens job performance, only 11% named China the biggest enemy, while 38% think Republicans are the biggest enemy. In the category of voters who strongly disapprove of Bidens job performance, 40% said that China is Americas biggest enemy, and 44% think the same about Democrats. As The Christian Post reported, a survey of 1,000 Americans released in November by Lifeway Research found that 50% of Protestants prefer to attend a politically homogenous church, while 41% disagreed and 10% were uncertain. FDA rule change 'turns neighborhood pharmacies into abortion providers,' pro-lifers say The first drug in the chemical abortion pill regimen can now legally be dispensed via prescription at major retail pharmacy chains after a regulatory change by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a move that pro-life groups warn threatens women's safety. The FDA modified restrictions on the abortion pill Tuesday after reviewing the Mifepristone REMS Program, which the agency started in 2021. Mifepristone, the generic version of Mifeprex, falls under the risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS), which sets standards for abortions up until 10 weeks gestation. In response to a Wednesday inquiry from The Christian Post, the FDA pointed to its web pages on mifepristone and some frequently asked questions regarding the drug. The information page about mifepristone was updated Tuesday. Under the new regulation, retail pharmacies that complete a certification process may dispense the abortion pill. Women can also obtain a prescription through a telehealth appointment and receive the pills by mail. On its frequently asked questions page, which the FDA updated Wednesday, the agency denied that the new regulations had anything to do with the overturn of Roe v. Wade and several states outlawing or restricting abortion. The agency has been reviewing published literature and data from advocacy groups and "applicants related to the modifications" since 2021. Danco Laboratories, an abortion pill manufacturer, released a statement proclaiming it is "pleased" with the change. The manufacturer claimed that chemical abortion access is "critically important" nowadays and that the updated regulations will "provide healthcare providers with an additional method for providing their patients with a safe and effective option for ending early pregnancy." In a Wednesday statement provided to CP, Chelsey Youman, national legislative advisor for the pro-life group Human Coalition Action, condemned the move, calling it "indefensible." "This is an unconscionable act by an agency tasked with upholding public health and safety, and is pure sop to the abortion industry," Youman stated. "It eliminates safety requirements that these pills be given by a physician and turns neighborhood pharmacies into abortion providers, putting many pharmacists in an impossible position of having to dispense abortion pills against their conscience beliefs." Youman expressed concern that women taking the abortion pill at home without a doctor present could lead to serious side effects, such as hemorrhaging. According to the FDA, heavy bleeding is one side effect of taking mifepristone. Youman worries that the FDA under the Biden administration is prioritizing the expansion of abortion pill access over women's safety. March for Life President Jeanne Mancini seconded this concern in a statement to CP. "The Biden administration's doing away with even the most basic of medical oversight for the very serious chemical abortion regimen is simply heartbreaking, and women will suffer the most from this reckless decision," Mancini wrote. "Access to chemical abortion without proper medical oversight runs contrary to science and is not in the best interest of women's health." Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider, contends that the pill has a track record of being a "safe and effective way to end an early pregnancy." The group says it's most effective when pregnancies are nine weeks old or less. "Being able to access your prescribed medication abortion through the mail or to pick it up in person from a pharmacy like any other prescription is a game changer for people trying to access basic health care," Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson said in a statement. Sue Liebel, director of state affairs and midwest regional director of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, cited a 2009 study that found chemical abortions have four times the complication rate of surgical abortions. "The immediate message that we are sending is that this is very reckless, and this is the FDA, yet again, peeling back health and safety regulations surrounding these dangerous drugs," Liebel told CP. In December 2021, the FDA permanently lifted the requirement for women to obtain mifepristone in person from a health provider after temporarily suspending the requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Tuesday, the FDA officially removed the in-person requirement for mifepristone but still mandates that dispensers show they're certified to treat abortion pill complications and that women complete a consent form. The FDA claims on its updated webpage that "available data and information" support the REMS modification "to reduce [the] burden on the health care delivery system and to ensure the benefits of the product outweigh the risks." However, Liebel said the data collection on abortion in the U.S. is "abysmal," noting that the country does not have a federal mandate requiring states to report abortion complications. The pro-life advocate cited a 2021 peer-reviewed longitudinal study conducted by the Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm for SBA Pro-Life America. Researchers claim that the rate of emergency room visits after a chemical abortion increased by over 500% from 2002 through 2015. The researchers also noted that by 2015, 60.9% of emergency room visits due to chemical abortion pill complications were miscoded as miscarriages. The study suggests that Mifepristone abortions grew from 4.4% of total abortions in 2002 to 34.1% in 2015 Liebel believes that state legislatures should require better reporting of emergency room complications and still require an in-person exam before dispensing the abortion pill. As the pro-life advocate noted, the FDA did not prohibit states from requiring an in-person examination at the local level. She also emphasized the importance of screening women for health complications, such as an ectopic pregnancy or RH compatibility, which would require medical treatment. "There's a lot of opportunity here for misuse, including a woman not correctly anticipating the gestational age of her baby," Liebel said, noting that women are not supposed to take the abortion pill beyond 10 weeks gestation. As CP reported, multiple medical professionals, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, filed a lawsuit in November, challenging the FDA for approving chemical abortion pills and repeatedly loosening restrictions. "The only way the FDA could have approved chemical abortion drugs was to use its accelerated drug approval authority, necessitating the FDA to call pregnancy an 'illness' and argue that these dangerous drugs provide a 'meaningful therapeutic benefit' over existing treatments," the lawsuit reads. "But pregnancy is not an illness, nor do chemical abortion drugs provide a therapeutic benefit over surgical abortion," the legal filing continues. "In asserting these transparently false conclusions, the FDA exceeded its regulatory authority to approve the drugs." 'We need help': Homeless encampment outside Seattle church impacting worship over safety fears Updated Jan. 8 at 8 a.m. ET The head of a Greek Orthodox church in Seattle where a homeless encampment has grown outside the building says the city is ignoring the churchs complaints. Penny Peppes, president of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, told local ABC affiliate KOMO-TV that members of the church are fearful of attending services due to the encampment, which reportedly includes several tents and a mattress. We want them to get help, we want them to get off the streets. We dont have the infrastructure as a small church to do that ourselves. We need help," Peppes reportedly told KOMO. The Church of the Assumption is located in Seattles Capitol Hill neighborhood, about a block away from another large homeless encampment at the intersection of 13th and Howell Streets, according to KOMO. Peppes said the lack of response is directly impacting the churchs worship services. Our parishioners who come from all over are very worried about their safety, she said. They are afraid to come. Its beyond frustrating because its impacting our ability to come to church to worship. Perhaps the most brazen part of the encampment is that people living in the encampment are using the churchs address to receive Amazon packages, according to Peppes. One of the homeless folks knocked on our door and asked, did you get my package, so they are using our church as their mailing address," she told the TV station. The Church of the Assumption has volunteered to provide food to a pair of homeless shelters in the community twice a month, according to Peppes. Anne Martens, spokeswoman for the Regional Homelessness Authority, said the agency which she clarified is separate and independent from the King County government is aware of this encampment and recognizes the challenges it creates for both housed and unhoused neighbors and we share the urgency felt by the community. As we continue to adjust and improve our homeless response system, we hold weekly coordinating calls with contracted outreach providers to assess encampments across the City and County and organize responses, Martens said in an emailed statement to The Christian Post. The need for housing and outreach is greater than current capacity, and outreach teams are working outside all day, every day to assess needs, build trust, and connect people with services. The Regional Homelessness Authority is working on a five-year plan for dramatically reducing unsheltered homelessness across King County, added Martens. Homelessness continues to plague Seattle after an annual assessment from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) found Seattle had the third-largest homeless population behind only New York City and metro Los Angeles last year. The number of homeless people in Seattle and King County jumped about 14% during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 through 2022. The HUD assessment also found Washington state was second only to California in homeless populations. Last July, Matthew Meinecke, known as The Seattle Preacher on Twitter, was surrounded by Seattle police officers as he was reading his Bible. Meinecke, who was subsequently arrested and fingerprinted at a police station before being released, later contrasted his arrest with the citys response to rampant crime and homelessness. Weve got a city full of crime. Weve got needles all over the place. Lawless homeless camps everywhere. Weve got assaults. Weve got broken glass. Weve got Antifa running the place, said Meinecke in a video shared on social media. But theyve got time to send in 10 police officers to arrest a street preacher reading his Bible in a park. Former youth pastor accused of sexually abusing 14 girls to be released from prison after 33 months Robert Shiflet, a former youth pastor at Denton Bible Church in Texas who was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison in June 2021 for child sex trafficking charges, is set to be released next month but will spend the rest of his life under federal supervision. Shiflet, 51, whose pending release was highlighted by Fox 4, was sentenced in June 2021, on charges of sexually abusing 14 young girls placed under his pastoral care 20 years earlier. The sentence was made after Shiflet made a plea deal which U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky lamented. "You are a terrible person," Rudofsky told the former youth pastor at the time, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. "I don't believe that you are sorry in the slightest. I don't believe you have rehabilitated yourself. I believe you haven't been caught again but I don't believe you have rehabilitated yourself. Rudofsky explained that if he had his way Shiflet would be in prison for decades after a trial. "I don't think you are a good person and I don't think you stand a chance of becoming a good person," he told Shiflet during his sentencing. "If it was up to me and you had been found guilty after a trial, I would have sent you away for 25 years." Last year, Denton Bible Churchs 15-member, all-male elder board told the congregation after an investigation that they failed to prevent Shiflets abuse of the young girls in the church because they didn't involve women leaders when evaluating abuse allegations. They also admitted to failing to provide adequate care for the victims. "Our church culture lacked involvement of women in decision-making processes related to the abuse of these girls. Further, in almost all meetings with the victims, no women were present, which was inappropriate," board chair Curtis Elder and Senior Pastor Tommy Nelson said in a letter to the congregation last May. The May letter included the findings of an independent investigation conducted by Scott Fredericks, a third-party investigator and lawyer with the law firm Cantey Hanger LLP. Fredericks was hired by the church in 2019 after it became aware of a federal investigation into Shiflet. Shiflet was arrested and indicted in June 2020. "In total, the investigators found credible accounts that at least 14 girls were victims of Shiflet's abuse: 11 at Denton Bible and three at Fellowship Bible. The misconduct described in these accounts was characterized by everything from grooming behavior and sexual harassment to criminal sexual abuse, abuse of power, and spiritual abuse," the elders said. "Equally troubling, was the consistent accounts that Denton Bible did not shepherd and care for the victims after they showed great courage coming forward." Cultivate the mind of Christ as James Clerk Maxwell To be Christian, especially in this confusing cultural moment, requires the intentional cultivation of our minds. An exemplary model of someone who took this calling seriously is James Clerk Maxwell. The only two physicists most people could name, if at all, are Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton. However, they should know James Clerk Maxwell, whose work was foundational for many of the most important discoveries of 20th-century physics. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1831, Maxwell entered the University of Edinburgh at age 16. When he didnt find his studies all that demanding, he dedicated his spare time to self-constructed chemical, electric, and magnetic devices, especially with polarized prisms and gelatins. This work led to two scientific papers which he completed at age 18. In 1850, Maxwell went to the University of Cambridge. While there, he underwent an evangelical conversion. He remained an evangelical Presbyterian for the rest of his life, eventually becoming an elder in the Church of Scotland. He graduated from Trinity College in 1854 as one of the top two mathematicians. Although he was made a Fellow of Trinity in 1855, he instead accepted a professorship at Marischal College in Aberdeen. While there, he won the Adams Prize from Kings College Cambridge for demonstrating that Saturns rings could be neither solids nor liquids, but rather made of smaller particles that orbited Saturn independently. In the 1980s the spacecraft Voyager confirmed the theory in a flyby of Saturn. At the time he wrote the paper, it was considered the finest example of an application of mathematics to physics in history. In 1860, Maxwell took a position at Kings College London, before moving on to Cambridge in 1871. Soon, Maxwells work changed the field of physics. For example, he showed that light was a form of electromagnetic radiation and worked out key concepts describing electromagnetic behavior. That work was later simplified into four partial differential equations that paved the way for Einsteins theory of special relativity. He also produced the first light-fast color photograph (in 1861), and he proposed a system for defining physical quantities, which today is known as dimensional analysis. Maxwells faith was very important to his understanding of science and put him at odds with most of his contemporaries. The dominant philosophy of the day among scientists was positivism, which taught that the only foundation for knowledge was empirical observation and logical and mathematical analyses of those observations. This means that intuition, introspection, revelation, and tradition are not valid ways of finding truth. Therefore, the authority of the Bible must be rejected, along with claims to miracles and divine interventions of any sort. Maxwell, however, rejected positivism as both reductionistic and presumptuous. He believed firmly in the Scriptures and had a decidedly mystical streak to his Christian life that he rarely discussed. To Maxwell, science was a profoundly religious endeavor. Among the daily prayers he repeated was this one: "Teach us to study the work of Thy hands that we may subdue the earth to our uses, and strengthen our reason for Thy service; and so rescue Thy blessed Word, that we may believe on Him whom Thou hast sent to give us the knowledge of salvation and the remission of our sins." Maxwell understood science as an expression of the cultural mandate from Genesis 1 and its connection to the Gospel. In 1875, he said, "I think that men of science as well as other men need to learn from Christ, and I think that Christians whose minds are scientific are bound to study science that this view of the glory of God may be as extensive as their being is capable of." Maxwell died at age 48 of stomach cancer. Despite a short life, physicists classify his work along with Einstein and Newton. In advancing our knowledge about Gods world, Maxwell understood that he was performing the work of the kingdom of Heaven, with an expectation that it would lead people to glorify God and fulfill His purposes for the world. We should all be as intentional as Christians to commit and cultivate our minds in obedience to Christ. Originally published on Breakpoint. How is the Church good for society, even for atheists? Is religion good for society? One man who would answer in the affirmative is Gouverneur Morris, the founding father who spoke at the Constitutional convention more than anyone else. He originated the phrase we the people of the United States. He once said something that virtually all of the founding fathers would have agreed with: Religion is the only solid basis of good morals; therefore education should teach the precepts of religion, and the duties of man toward God. How is the Church good for society? Through the years I have asked Dr. Byron Johnson of Baylor about the impact of faith on society. He has taught at Vanderbilt, the University of Pennsylvania, and Princeton. For the last several years, he has headed up Baylors Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR). The website describes its mission: Baylor ISR exists to initiate, support, and conduct research on religion, involving scholars and projects spanning the intellectual spectrum. In a radio segment, Dr. Johnson told me, Churches are phenomenally important to society and important in so many different ways. That includes volunteering and charitable giving. He told me that Americans give more than a billion dollars a day to charities much of that coming from church-goers. Johnson added, If you just look at dollars and contributions, its staggering. One study shows that religion brings about 1.2 trillion dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Johnson keeps abreast of the psychological and sociological studies on the impact of church on society. For example, Oxford University Press published a study two years ago showing the positive impact of church-going on the health of individuals. They found that compared with those who never attended religious services, individuals who attended services at least once per week had a lower risk of all-cause mortality by 26% .. .heavy drinking by 34% ... and current smoking by 29%. The study also found that depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and loneliness as well as physical maladies like hypertension, heart disease, and strokes were lower in those who regularly attended church, while satisfaction with life, social connection, and a feeling of purpose were higher. In short, living for Christ is good for you. Not that we live for Christ in order to live longer or lives with a higher quality. But that apparently is a happy by-product. We live for Christ because He who is divine became human, lived a perfect life, and died in our place, so that we might be forgiven for our sins through faith in Him. He sealed the deal by rising from the dead and will one day return. Dr. Johnson has written a scholarly book highlighting the kind of research featured in the study cited above. Its called Objective Religion. The ignorant may rail against church and surely there are many who have bad experiences at church because of abusive leadership. But the studies show that, all things being equal, the Gospel really is good for you. Another man who studied the impact of religion on society came to Baylor because of Johnson. Dr. Rodney Stark, who died in July, wrote many books documenting religions impact. One of my favorites was his 2012 tome, America's Blessings: How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists. On a vacation once, I read the book carefully and took many notes. Stark writes, Americans benefit immensely from being an unusually religious people blessings that not only fall upon believers but also on those Americans who most oppose religion. In America, militant atheists are far less likely to have their homes broken into or to be robbed on their way to work than they would be in an irreligious society, because of the powerful deterrent effects of religion on crime. He also adds, Religious Americans also enjoy superior physical health, having an average life expectancy more than seven years longer than that of the irreligious Another scholar who has also been studying the impact of faith on society for years is author Dr. Joseph Loconte. He has written for the Heritage Foundation, taught at The Kings College in New York City, and is now a distinguished visiting professor at Grove City College. He told me, Skeptics and secular critics of Christianity have to circumvent an awful lot of history to argue that political societies are better off without it. The rights and freedoms that our secular friends take for granted freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, government by consent grew from philosophical soil that was watered by biblical religion ... Take away the Christian ethic of love of neighbor even love of enemy and you sweep away nearly everything that makes modern life tolerable and humane. Atheists like Richard Dawkins or Sam Harris see the increasing secularization of our culture as a good thing. But in reality, ostracizing faith and marginalizing churches will ultimately only harm all of us. Literally. Its too easy to twist the Bible Someone once said that the Bible is like a fiddle. You can play any tune you want on it. Politicians often play their own Bible tune by taking a well-known verse out of context and applying it to their own political agenda. This was recently done by the governor of California when he quoted Jesus to justify the killing of children in the womb. The Catholic governor made a post of a billboard image that read: Need an abortion? California is ready to help. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these. Mark 12:31. But theres a more subtle out-of-context Bible verse that is deceiving literally hundreds of millions. It is the belief that we can earn our way to Heaven. James 2:26 says: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. It seems clear from that verse that faith doesnt save us that we need works. However, in the context of the many other verses in Scripture about salvation, it is saying that our good works will be the evidence that we have faith in Jesus. Jesus said, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Your light shining brightly is evidence that you have charged batteries in your flashlight. Those who trust in Gods grace have the evidence of good works works that flow from gratitude to God for His mercy. Trusting in works is an attempt to bribe the Judge of the Universe, but He will not be bribed on Judgment Day with money or with our so-called good works. Imagine, after Nathan rebuked David for his adultery and murder, that the king had tried to appease Gods anger by doing some good works. What an offensive thought. The only thing that could save him was the mercy of God, and that is what he called upon: Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions (Psalm 51:1). So, we must tell sinners that the only thing that can save them from death and Hell is Gods grace: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). Eternal life is a free gift of God. It cant be earned or deserved, and the way to help sinners see that is to move the thought of earning their salvation out of their reach. Jesus did that by using the 10 Commandments to show the true nature of sin (see Mark 10:17-19). When a sinner realizes that God is holy and that He considers lust to be adultery, hatred to be murder (that He sees our inner motives), then he will see that only mercy can save him. But there is also another subtle way that works try to weed their way up into the equation. This is when someone acknowledges that they have sinned against God, but they trust that their repentance will save them. If they say that they are sorry for their sin and say that they will never commit that particular sin again, then God will allow them into Heaven. That may sound right, but imagine a criminal saying to the judge, Judge, I know Im guilty, but Im really sorry, and I wont commit the crime again, thinking that the judge will therefore dismiss his case. The judge would likely say, Of course you should be sorry, and of course you shouldnt do it again. You are going to jail! So, if repentance cant help us in mans court, it certainly wont help us in Gods court. And that brings us to the rest we find in Christ. When we trust alone in Jesus for our salvation, we cease trying to save ourselves just as a man who jumps out of a plane wearing a parachute totally trusts the parachute to save him. He doesnt flap his arms. He stops any effort and simply trusts the parachute to save him. George Whitfield, in speaking about trying to earn our salvation through our works, said, What! Get to Heaven on your own strength? Why, you might as well try to climb to the moon on a rope of sand! Context is everything especially when it comes to our eternal salvation. Hong Kong: HK, Pakistan sign education MOU The Education Bureau today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Pakistani Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training to enhance education collaboration between the two places. The MOU was penned by Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin and Consul-General of Pakistan in Hong Kong Bilal Ahmad Butt. Visiting Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque witnessed the signing. Ms Choi said the agreement marks the beginning of a new phase of close co-operation between Hong Kong and Pakistan in the area of education. We have signed nine MOUs with countries along the Belt & Road (B&R) to date. It demonstrates the Governments commitment to and effort in enhancing the internationalisation of education as well as strengthening educational ties and exchanges with the B&R countries. I am confident that the MOU will facilitate more comprehensive exchanges and collaboration in education between the two places. The MOU provides for a framework to facilitate strategic education collaboration between Hong Kong and Pakistan, covering exchanges of expertise and experience as well as educational literature, teaching aids and demonstration materials. The mutually beneficial initiatives also involve exchanges of scholars, teachers, experts, students and other education personnel. This story has been published on: 2023-01-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. China aims to launch 60 space missions in 2023 13:37, January 05, 2023 By ZHAO LEI ( Chinadaily.com.cn A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the Shiyan-10 02 satellite blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 29, 2022. (Photo by Hu Xujie/Xinhua) China plans to carry out around 60 space launch missions this year, according to the country's major space contractors. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the nation's leading space contractor, has arranged more than 50 launches for 2023, said its annual work report. The report, which was read by Zhang Zhongyang, general manager of the State-owned conglomerate, at the company's annual research and production work conference in Beijing on Tuesday, said that the planned spaceflights include manned and robotic missions to the newly assembled Tiangong space station and the maiden flight of the Long March 6C carrier rocket. Most of the launches will be made by the company's Long March carrier rocket family while the rest will be conducted by the Smart Dragon series. In addition to the rocket launches, the company will also continue with the research and development of the Tianwen 2 asteroid probe and the Chang'e 7 lunar probe, according to the report. The Tianwen 2 mission is scheduled to be launched around 2025 and will deploy a probe on a selected asteroid to collect samples and bring them back. The Chang'e 7 mission is set to land a sophisticated spacecraft stack on the moon's south pole around 2026 to find traces of water, investigate the environment and weather there, and survey its landform. Another State-owned space enterprise, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, plans to launch about 10 flights using its Kuaizhou 1A and Kuaizhou 11 solid-propellant rockets. If the plan becomes reality, 2023 will become the busiest year for the Kuaizhou family, said sources with the company. China conducted 64 rocket liftoffs in 2022, creating a new national record in terms of annual launch numbers. During the launches last year, 53 were made by Long March-series rockets, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology carried out 30, while 23 were performed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Both are subsidiaries of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. The Kuaizhou fleet carried out five flights including the first successful mission of the Kuaizhou 11 model. Meanwhile, CAS Space, a Beijing-based rocket company owned by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, performed the successful debut flight of its ZK 1A rocket in July. The model is now the country's largest and most powerful solid-propellant rocket. In addition, three private Chinese rocket companies made four launches with their own rocket models last year and two of them failed due to technical malfunctions. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) Seismic risk mitigation is the greatest urban policy challenge that the world confronts today. If you consider that too strong a claim, try to imagine another way in which bad urban policy could kill a million people in 30 seconds. Yet the politics of earthquakes are rarely discussed, and when discussed, widely misunderstood. Take the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, which released 600 million times the energy of the Hiroshima bomb. The ensuing partial meltdown of the Fukushima reactor prompted international hysteria about nuclear power, but few seemed to realize that a far deadlier threat had been averted. As seismologist Roger Bilham has aptly put it, houses in seismically active zones are the worlds unrecognized weapons of mass destructionand Japans WMDs didnt go off. Its buildingsat least those that werent swept away by the accompanying tsunami, a force of nature against which we are still largely helplessremained standing, and the people inside survived. That so few buildings collapsed in the earthquake was a human triumph of the first order. It showed that countries can make great progress in seismic risk mitigation; in the Kobe earthquake of 1995, 200,000 buildings collapsed. But cities around the world seem happy to ignore the earthquake threatone that is only growing as the cities themselves get bigger and bigger. In January 2010, an earthquake struck Haiti and destroyed nearly 100,000 buildings. Hospitals, schools, government buildings, jails, hotels, churches, whole neighborhoodsall crumbled, entombing everyone inside. After the quake, I received an e-mail from a scholar of international relations. Its odd that earthquakes tend to occur frequently in countries that can least afford them, she wrote. You could only write such a sentence if you had never given the matter much thought. It isnt odd; in fact, it isnt true. Mother Nature doesnt have it in for the poor. Rather, earthquakes come to our attention only when they are disasters, and they are disasters only when they strike dense urban areas full of badly made buildings. Last year, there were a number of earthquakes larger than the one that leveled Port-au-Prince, but they didnt make the news because they happened in the middle of nowhere. Californias Loma Prieta quake, the World Series earthquake of 1989, was as big as the one in Port-au-Prince. It killed so few people by comparisononly 63because San Franciscos buildings and infrastructure were well designed and strong. In the wake of the Kobe quake, Japanese engineers took extensive measures to reinforce buildings and infrastructure. They installed rubber blocks under bridges. They spaced buildings farther apart to prevent domino-style tumbling. They introduced extra bracing, base isolation pads, hydraulic shock absorbers. A minute before the March earthquake, automatic seismic monitoring systems sent warnings to Japanese cell phones. Elevators glided obediently to the nearest floor and opened. Surgeries were halted. Videos from Tokyo show skyscrapers swaying gracefully, like cornstalks in the wind. Not one collapsed. Likewise, the aftershock that struck Christchurch, New Zealand, this past February was deadly, but the astonishing part of that story isnt that several of the citys buildings collapsed; its that most of them did not. The peak ground accelerationa measurement of how much the ground shakeswas immense, one of the highest ever recorded. Something like that would have flattened most cities. New Zealands strict and well-enforced building codes saved Christchurch from annihilation. But many of the worlds biggest cities are built more like Port-au-Prince than like Christchurch, and many are at massive seismic risk. Eight of the worlds ten biggest cities are built on fault lines. There is a reason for this: people like to live near water and fertile ground. Over the millennia, seismic activity creates coasts, valleys that channel water, temperate microclimates. The human mind doesnt work on geologic time, so people rarely ask themselves how exactly these attractions came into being. The odds of more Haiti-scale destruction are growing by the day because the world is urbanizing. Two hundred years ago, Peking was the only city in the world with a population of a million people. Today, almost 500 cities are that big, and many are much bigger. That explains why the number of earthquake-caused deaths during the first decade of this century (471,015) was more than four times greater than the number during the previous decade, according to statistics compiled by the U.S. National Earthquake Information Center. If the fatality trend continues upwardand it will, because the urbanization trend is continuing upward, as is the trend of housing migrant populations in death trapsit wont be long before we see a headline announcing 1 million dead in massive earthquake. Indeed, well be lucky not to see it in our lifetimes. Just as we know how to build airplanes that dont crash, we know how to construct buildings that dont collapse. If you want to learn how to do it, grab some marbles and a Teflon baking sheet and follow the sixth-grade lesson plan on Discovery Online. We also know which cities are most at risk: Bogota, Cairo, Caracas, Dhaka, Islamabad, Istanbul, Jakarta, Karachi, Katmandu, Lima, Manila, Mexico City, New Delhi, Quito, and Tehran. Los Angeles and Tokyo are prime candidates for a major quake, but they will probably survive, since they are well builtthough L.A. could do better. New York is at greater risk than people realize. In 2008, researchers at Columbia Universitys Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory published a paper in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America noting, among other things, that the Indian Point nuclear power plant was sitting on top of two active seismic zones. The odds of a quake big enough to cause a Fukushima-like disaster there are small. The odds of a quake big enough to take down houses constructed under pre-1995 building codes are not. If you live in an old buildingand particularly if you live near 125th Street, where the fault line runsyou might note that. So we understand enough about seismology to be sure that certain cities face a high risk of earthquakes with enormous death tolls, and we understand enough about engineering and disaster management to say exactly what should be done to protect the residents of those cities. What we dont understandor rather, what were seldom willing to say plainlyis why some governments take the risk seriously and take aggressive steps to mitigate it, while others shrug and say, Que sera, sera. Its tempting to think that people in certain countries are cavalier about the risk because theyre poor. The argument goes like this: safe houses cost more to build than cheap ones do. Cement watered down with sand stretches further. People in poor cities dont have the money to build safe houses; or if they do, they have decided to use it to mitigate more immediate risks. Before the earthquake in Haiti, it certainly wasnt possible to say that the odds of a catastrophic quake were 100 percent; the odds, however, that a substantial percentage of the population would die prematurely of malnutrition and preventable childhood disease were 100 percent. No one there could have been persuaded, before the earthquake, to prioritize sound building construction over food. If wealth were all there were to it, the solution to the problem would be, if not simple, at least obvious. To prepare for an earthquake, promote economic development and cross your fingers. When your country becomes wealthy enough, the problem will solve itself. If we followed this argument to its natural end, we would conclude that the best seismic risk reduction strategy is market liberalization, the reduction of the state sector, and a growth-oriented economic policy that aims to expand the middle class as quickly as possible. In a diversified, developed economy, so this logic goes, private actors will promote earthquake safety and will do so more efficiently than the government. Insurers will not insure improperly retrofitted buildings. Businesses will safeguard their investments by demanding that they be housed in structurally sound buildings. And middle-class people will have the good sense to demand, build, and live in properly retrofitted buildings, since nobody wants to die in an earthquake. Other policy recommendations would follow: for example, dont press for heavy-handed zoning laws or further regulation of the construction industry because regulation, as every economist knows, imposes economic costs, and any drag on growth is the last thing you need in an economic race against time. This theory has been voiced in Istanbul, where I live. Mustafa Erdik, chairman of the Department of Earthquake Engineering at Bogazici University, has suggested that Turkeys best hope is rapid economic growth. If it happens fast enough, he prays, property owners will be able to replace the worst housing stock before the ground starts shaking. If we look at it this way, we see seismic risk reduction as a paradox: the best way to reduce the risk is to ignore it. The idea is tempting and elegant. But its wrong. Wealth, in and of itself, is not enough to get people to take earthquakes seriously. Here is the evidence. On February 27, 2010, an earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale struck near the city of Concepcion, in Chile. While the epicenter was not at the heart of the city, this quake was 100 times bigger than the one that leveled Port-au-Prince. It was so massive that it shortened the length of the day by 1.26 microseconds and moved the earth on its axis by eight centimeters. When it was over, the entire city of Concepcion had been moved three yards to the west. The death toll from this monster was 521. Each death was its own disaster, of course, but the number was nevertheless astoundingly small for an earthquake that, by all rights, should have destroyed Chile as a whole. So minimal was the damage that the Chileans rejected all offers of foreign aid; they didnt need it. Chile did so well because its building codes are some of the strictest and most advanced in the world and because the codes do not merely exist on paperthey are enforced. Now consider Turkey. Like Chile, Turkey is no stranger to earthquakes. In 1509, an earthquake killed between 5 and 10 percent of Constantinoples population. The Ottomans called it Kyamet-i Sugra, the Minor Judgment Day. Since then, the city has suffered serious quake damage 11 times, most recently at the end of the nineteenth century. In 1939, moreover, came the first of what have now been seven earthquakes on the Anatolian fault line, each exceeding 7 on the Richter scale. Every time a major rupture occurs on the fault, it transfers stress further along the line, making a subsequent earthquake more likely. The quakes are marching westward from eastern Turkey toward Istanbul. The most recent took place in 1999, near Izmit, a city about 60 miles from Istanbul; as many as 45,000 were killed, and 600,000 were left homeless. There is not a geologist alive who doubts that a major earthquake is likely to hit Istanbul soon. In 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey put the odds of its happening within 30 years at 62 percent; other survey teams give it 70 percent. Erdik has estimated that it will kill between 200,000 and 300,000 people. The cost of the cleanup$50 billion would be an optimistic estimatewill surely set Turkeys economy back decades. It will be a political cataclysm, with massive ramifications for the entire region. Every day, I walk past buildings in Istanbul that are clearly unsound. I see ground floors, for example, with walls or columns removed to make way for store displays, violating one of the most important principles of earthquake-resistant construction. There are vast neighborhoods filled with illegal, flimsy structures called gecekondu, which means landed overnight. The gecekondu, which range from crude shanties to concrete multistory apartment blocks, house hundreds of thousands of rural migrants who have come to Istanbul seeking work over the past decade. Gecekondu arent built by engineers. They tend to be built on bad soil. They are packed with children. Even buildings approved by engineers, warned a recent study by the Turkish Chamber of Civil Engineers, are largely not built to code; only half are earthquake-proof. The chamber also warned that 86 percent of the citys hospitals were at high risk of collapse. Turkeys biggest builders have freely admitted to using shoddy materials, such as sea sand and scrap iron, in buildings made of reinforced concrete. In fact, construction standards here are so lousy that buildings regularly collapse without the aid of an earthquake. Is it because Turkey is poor? Per-capita GDP in Chile this year is $15,867. In Turkey, it is $14,077. Thats not a huge difference. The point becomes even clearer if we consider nonstructural seismic risk mitigationthe little things, besides building better houses, that people can do to protect themselves. These steps arent expensive. For example, according to studies done by the Istanbul Seismic Risk Mitigation and Preparedness Project, a quake of the size widely predicted would rupture 30,000 natural gas lines. In the aftermath of a stressful event, people do a predictable thing: they smoke. Smoking near a ruptured gas line is a good way to start a fire. But I dont think Ive ever seen a sign or TV commercial anywhere in Istanbul saying, If it happens, dont light up. Nor have I seen more than a handful of commercials or public service announcements reminding people what else they should do in an earthquakeduck, cover, and hold on. Last year, I stayed in a hotel in Palo Alto. The first thing I noticed in my room was a card on the desk, labeled earthquake safety tips for visitors, with instructions in Spanish and English as well as diagrams. It also provided the phone number of the Office of Emergency Services in Palo Alto in case I had any questions. Ive never once seen anything like this in a Turkish hotel room. While it is very expensive to tear down and replace, or reinforce, inadequate housing, it isnt expensive at all to bolt heavy goods to the walls or to move heavy furniture away from beds. Rarely is this done in Istanbul. The odd thing is that everyone does fear the coming quake. Last year, a minor jolt panicked the city and sent the Turkish word for earthquake, deprem, to the top of Twitters trending topics, but almost no one knows what to do if it happens, or cares to know. I know many people in Istanbul who are wealthy enough to live in safer buildings but dont. They are fully aware of the risk. When asked why they dont do anything about it, they shrug. Theyre fatalistic. Most Turks think day to day, not long-term. Contrast Turkey with Japan, where theres no such thing as an honest mistake, as one American who has lived there for years puts it. Every mistake is a moral failure. In other words, you should have worked harder, you should have prepared better, you should have been more careful. So even their [emergency] practice drills have to be rehearsed. Everybody has practiced. After the March quake, journalist Kirk Spitzer, who lives in Japan, wrote about the culture of earthquake preparedness there: Our shelves are lined with rubberized material to keep glasses and plate-ware from sliding; nothing fell over and broke, not even delicate champagne glasses we brought from Paris. Elsewhere, floor-mounted latches kept bedroom and hallway doors from slamming or breaking loose. Picture rails built into the ceiling kept even heavy frames from crashing to the floor. Ordinary, middle-class Japanese people take these steps to protect their drinking glasses. Many museums in Istanbul fail to take similar steps to protect priceless sculptures, ceramics, and cuneiform. They sit unsecured on pedestals or underneath light fixtures that would fall on them in heavy shaking. The storage rooms, according to people who work in them, are a hazard zone. This isnt a matter of comparative wealth; its a matter of culture. You see a similar failure to turn worry into action at the governmental level. Local officials in the municipality of Besiktas have elaborate earthquake plansthey showed them to me in a PowerPoint presentation. But they exist only on PowerPoint, where they have existed since 2008 without any progress made toward implementation. This is characteristic of the great majority of earthquake plans drawn up in Turkey since the 1999 quake. No one knows about themcertainly not the public; they look quite thorough, but they do not translate into action. No one seems to have the authority to act on the plans. No one seems to have the authority to release whatever funds would be needed to implement them. No one seems even to know who would have that authority. The funds and grants awarded by various international development agencies for retrofitting and earthquake preparation simply disappear. Fatalism kills. Short-term thinking kills. But above all, corruption kills. On the anniversary of the Haiti earthquake, Nicholas Ambraseys and Roger Bilham published an extraordinary study in Nature. Using data from Transparency Internationals Corruptions Perception Index, they calculated that 83 percent of all deaths from building collapses in earthquakes in the past 30 years took place in countries that were anomalously corruptthat is, in countries that were perceived to be more corrupt than you would predict from their per-capita income. Economist Charles Kennys definitive 2007 study argues persuasively that the construction industry is the most corrupt sector of the world economy. And the more corruption there is in constructionwhether it consists of companies using substandard materials or of governments granting permission to build in zones unsuitable for habitationthe likelier you are to die. In China, the buildings that crumble during earthquakes are schools and hospitals, while the Partys headquarters and the houses of its functionaries remain standing. In Turkey, building inspectors work on the contractors payroll, creating a massive conflict of interest. Changing that system could save countless lives. But the construction companies, for obvious reasons, dont want that to happenand all of Turkeys major political parties run on construction money. The absence of outright corruption isnt enough to keep countries safe; it is also essential to have in place a particular kind of legal regime. Strong tort law is the key, and Chile is a model here as well. During the recent earthquake, a new building in Concepcion collapsed. Its surviving inhabitants took the builders to court, charging fraud and, in some cases, murder. Chilean law holds the original owner of a building liable for any earthquake damage that it suffers during its first decade, even if ownership has changed during that time. Because of this law, owners often exceed the provisions of Chiles already strict building codes in their eagerness to avoid liability. And accountability in the Chilean legal system goes to the top. In February, a Chilean court declined to dismiss a lawsuit against the former president, Michelle Bachelet, and other senior officials for malfunctions in the countrys tsunami-warning system. In China, as youd expect, tort law is a joke. After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which left nearly 90,000 dead or missing, Chinese courts dismissed a lawsuit filed by parents of children crushed to death in collapsed schools. Those who protested were locked up. And in Turkey, the average citizen wants nothing to do with the court system, believing it intimidating, incomprehensible, rigged, and too expensive and time-consuming to usewhich it is. I speak from experience, having taken to court a construction company that knocked down a wall of the building I lived in, rendering it unsafe for habitation. Ive been suing them for years without issue. Last October, charges against the officials who approved the construction of a school that collapsed in a 2003 earthquake, killing 64 students and a teacher, were dropped, owing to the expiration of the statute of limitations. The amount that it costs to open a lawsuit represents a substantial portion of an average Turks annual income. When the Haiti earthquake struck last year, I had a personal reason to be alarmed: my brother and his family lived in Port-au-Prince. They survived, but many of my sister-in-laws coworkers were crushed to death. From Washington, D.C., I translated text messages sent to an emergency number set up to help search-and-rescue teams locate victims. The messages were awful: To anyone in the MontJoli-Turgeau area. . . . Jean-Olivier Neptune is caught under rubbles of his fallen house. . . . He is alive but in very bad shape. Please anyone let me know if my uncle Dr. James Plantin who resides in Jacmel is OK. . . . He is not answering the phone. Hotel Montana at Rue Franck Cardozo in Petionville collapsed. 200 feared trapped. My mother is part of a medical team that had just arrived in Port-au-Prince. We received a text that she and two others are trapped beneath the rubble. A quarter of a million people were killed in Haiti, and God knows how many more were maimed, physically and emotionally, by collapsing buildings. This will happen again and again, in larger and larger numbers, with ever-weepier celebrity telethons to accompany the carnage. But youll see no calls to save the world from corrupt building practices on your grocery bags at Whole Foods. Nobody will suggest that the American government enter into seismic risk reduction treaties with other nations. Spin the wheel: Bogota, Cairo, Caracas, Dhaka, Islamabad, Istanbul, Jakarta, Karachi, Katmandu, Lima, Manila, Mexico City, New Delhi, Quito, Tehran. It will be one of them. It isnt too late to save them. But we need to say the truth about why theyre at risk in the first place. Photo: The January 2010 earthquake leveled nearly 100,000 buildings in Haiti. (PAOLO PELLEGRIN/MAGNUM PHOTOS) NCVO has called on Jeremy Hunt to hold an urgent meeting with charity sector representatives after the chancellor met business leaders to discuss future energy bills support yesterday. Hunt met private sector representatives including the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and UK Hospitality yesterday lunchtime. Despite suggestions beforehand that Hunt would share details at the meeting of what energy support businesses could expect after the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) expires in March, attendees suggested they were not given any firm information. NCVO and Pro Bono Economics (PBE) criticised the chancellor for failing to meet voluntary sector leaders as well, warning that charities must not be overlooked. Businesses still very much in the dark BBC News reported before yesterdays meeting that government support for businesses energy bills could to be halved after March, but FSB said afterwards that the details remained unclear. Small firms are still very much in the dark on whether theyll continue to be supported on energy bills when the current EBRS expires in March, said Tina McKenzie, FSB policy chair. We made it clear in our meeting with the chancellor today that we cant afford a cliff-edge scenario that would see a raft of business failures. The government must announce energy support plans as soon as soon as parliament returns next Monday. With the current scheme ending in three months, its been impossible for small firms to plan their 2023. Other attendees said they awaited further details from the government. The government originally said it would announce the significantly lower post-March support by the end of 2022. But Hunt confirmed at the meeting yesterday that the Treasury would announce the conclusion of the EBRS review in the House of Commons next week. NCVO: Charities must not be overlooked NCVO, alongside other charity sector umbrella bodies including CFG and ACEVO, has met government officials in recent months to discuss post-March energy support. However, NCVO was not invited to the meeting with Hunt yesterday and the umbrella body called for urgent discussions on energy support as well as more regular contact in future. We are requesting that government urgently holds a meeting with charity sector representatives before anything is announced, and would also welcome the opportunity for regular meetings with the chancellor, said Alex Farrow, director of influencing and engagement at NCVO. While businesses and charities have some shared support needs, charities face unique challenges and must not be overlooked. Donations are falling and running costs have risen dramatically. Charities cannot simply pass these costs on to their service users and over half of charities are already using reserves to cover operating costs. This is not sustainable. Societal need is deepening, inequalities are widening and there is a growing reliance on charities to underpin weakened community infrastructures and fill gaps due to public sector cuts. We therefore truly hope that government has listened to the alarm raised by charities and acts fast. Treasurys relationship with sector must improve PBE said charities were just as affected by the governments energy support and referred to its recent research that found voluntary sector representatives made up fewer than 3% of the members of the Treasurys advisory groups, compared with 70% for those in the private sector. Charities are major public service providers, often at the heart of their communities, that provide evidence and insight which policymakers would otherwise struggle to find, said Nicole Sykes, director of policy and communications. Deep and lasting collaborations between the two benefit both sides; helping charities to perform their roles more effectively and enabling government to improve policy and delivery. This in turn means better outcomes for taxpayers and charity beneficiaries alike. Charities on the frontline of the cost-of-living crisis are just as impacted by changes to the governments EBRS as businesses. This gap between the Treasury and the social sector simply cannot continue. Community Integrated Care (CIC), one of the UKs largest social care charities, has appointed Jim Kane as its new chief executive officer. He succeeds Mark Adams, who stepped down from the role last September after five years in post. Kane has been promoted from chief financial officer at CIC, a role he has occupied since late 2019. CIC said Kane has navigated it through some of its most difficult periods, including the Covid-19 pandemic and the current cost-of-living crisis. The charity, which has an annual income of over 140m and employs more than 5,000 staff, called the year ending March 2022 the most challenging year in our history in its recently filed accounts. Incredible qualities than an organisation of our size needs in its CEO Libby Raper, chair of CIC, said: Throughout Jims time with our charity, he has demonstrated the incredible qualities that an organisation of our size, scale and ambition needs in its CEO judgement, composure and vision. Most importantly, his values have always been aligned with those of our charity and his decision-making has always reflected the best interests of our people. Since late 2019, Kane has also been a trustee of a local Home Start. He holds financial experience as a business development director at Interserve Healthcare and held leadership roles at Virgin Care, Assura Group and Phoenix Medical Supplies. Kane said it was a very proud moment to be appointed chief executive. He said: The last three years have been a great honour, and Im really looking forward to working alongside our exceptional people to deliver the next chapter of our organisations proud history. The challenges in our sector are well documented, and my focus from day one will be to face these head on to deliver the best lives possible for the people we support and our colleagues. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has cut its free reserves by almost a quarter, as the sale of its former headquarters is set to be completed at the end of January. According to its recently filed accounts for the year ending March 2022, RNIBs free reserves fell by almost 10m to 30.6m after investing in a long-leasehold for its new head office. RNIB accepted an offer for its current central London head office, valued at 21.6m, in 2021. AshbyCapital and Montrose Land agreed to buy the Judd Street property, where RNIB has been based for more than 20 years, for an undisclosed sum in 2021. The charity is downsizing by moving into the Grimaldi Building on Pentonville Road at Kings Cross, which is now its registered address with the Charity Commission. Staff is due to move into the Grimaldi Building in February or March. Free reserves of 30.6m (2021: 40.2m), is below target minimum, mainly due to investment in a new London premise ahead of a major capital receipt from the sale of the current head office, the charity's accounts read. Income down for the fourth year running RNIB saw its total income fall for the fourth year running, according to its accounts. A decrease of 2.7m on the year prior, RNIB put the reduction down to discontinued operations that included the transfer of regulatory services. The charitys total income has steadily declined in the last four years. In 2018 its total sat at 118.7m. Donations decreased by 200,000 to 19.2m this financial year due to a decline in individual giving and the cessation of Covid-19 furlough grants. Spent 240,000 on redundancies for 37 staff The charitys accounts state that 240,000 (0.24m) was spent on the termination of employment to 37 members of staff. This included compensation payments of 0.08m made to six employees. These payments were based on service, the financial review explains. However, costs of emoluments were down on the previous year by over 31%. RNIBs 2022 accounts read: These costs have been incurred as part of a programme of work to implement our strategy and ensure we have the right people with the right skills to effectively meet the needs of our customers. There were also 198 fewer average monthly employees than in 2021. Salary costs fell accordingly by 2.4% to 36.5m. Diversity and inclusion In the financial year ending 2022, RNIB grew its accessibility, diversity and inclusion team and launched new diversity and inclusion sight loss awareness courses for its staff. The latter was created by its blind and partially sighted colleagues. The percentage of staff that disclosed they have a disability has slightly declined in the last year, by 0.2%, it reports. However, the amount of employees with a disability in leadership positions has increased by 0.2% to 14.1%. By March 2022, RNIB reported that 55.8% of its staff have no disability an increase of 0.9% since September 2021. Meanwhile, 3.9% preferred not to say, 13.2% did not provide an answer and 27.2% said they have a disability. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) AXA Philippines strengthened its position in the local insurance sector after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved its merger with Charter Ping An Insurance Corporation. In a statement on Thursday, AXA Philippines said the commission gave its nod on Dec. 28, 2022. The company is a joint venture between Metrobank Group, GT Capital, and the Paris-based AXA Group, while Charter Ping An was its former general insurance unit. "The approved merger is the final step in the years-long process that began when AXA acquired Charter Ping An in 2016," it said. The group assured its customers that existing clients of Charter Ping An, including current policies, would remain "valid and are considered active and in force." Following the merger, AXA Philippines has expanded its insurance portfolio, covering life, health, savings and investments, and car and home insurance products, to name a few. "Recent times have highlighted the importance of protecting what matters to us," said AXA Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Bernardo Serrano Lopez. "Since we offer different types of insurance that cater to the varied protection needs of our customers, it will be much more convenient for our customers to find solutions for their insurance needs under the single AXA brand." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray will be one of the backstage commentators in the upcoming 71st Miss Universe, organizers announced on Thursday. The Filipina-Australian beauty queen will be joined by Emmy-winning TV host Zuri Hall of the American Ninja Warrior and Access Hollywood. Meanwhile, American TV host Jeannie Mai-Jenkins and Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo were confirmed to be the main hosts of the pageant. Culpo earlier co-hosted Miss Universe 2021 along with Mario Lopez, while Jenkins was a former Miss USA commentator. The pageant's organizers announced in December that they will replace Steve Harvey who hosted Miss Universe since 2015 as they try to make sure they lead "with a female lens. The Philippines bet for this years pageant is Celeste Cortesi, a 25-year-old Filipino-Italian model from Pasay City. READ: Pasay's Celeste Cortesi crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2022 A total of 86 candidates will vie for the crown in this years edition of Miss Universe which will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana USA on Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. (Jan. 15 at 9 a.m. in Philippine time). The new queen will succeed reigning Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu of India. This will be the first Miss Universe pageant under the new ownership of Thailand-based JKN Global Group. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) Suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag has filed murder and grave misconduct complaints against Justice Secretary Jesus Boying Remulla and other individuals before the Office of the Ombudsman. Bantags complaint dated Jan. 4 alleged that Remulla was the mastermind behind a conspiracy which saw the killing of veteran broadcaster Percival Percy Lapid Mabasa last Oct. 3. According to Bantag, Remulla had a motive to order the death of Mabasa after the broadcaster harshly criticized the secretary in an episode of the show Lapid Fire which aired days before he was shot to death. The complaint also alleged that Remulla was responsible for the death of Crisanto Jun Villamor, who was tagged by the police as the middleman in the Lapid killing. Forensics showed that Villamor died by suffocation. Also named in Bantag's complaint were five persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who he alleged were involved in the plots to kill Lapid and Villamor. Bantag also accused Bucor officer-in-charge Gregorio Catapang of involvement in the murder conspiracy because he allowed the accused PDLs to be transferred from the New Bilibid Prison to the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Remulla brushed off Bantag's complaints. Hes trying to exhaust all his possible remedies which is to go against me personally, but it will not change anything, the cases will continue, Remulla said. Murder cases were earlier filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the NBI against Bantag and former BuCor Officer Ricardo Zulueta for the alleged killing of Lapid and Villamor. In December, Bantag also filed a separate libel and grave misconduct complaint against Remulla. The suspended BuCor chief cited the Justice Secretarys inaction after his son was arrested for drug charges as the basis for his misconduct complaint. Bantag also said Remullas false claims that he had been excavating for the so-called Yamashitas treasure during his tenure at the NBP caused him undue damage. WATCH: Remulla: Bantag said excavation in Bilibid for treasure hunting CNN Philippines senior correspondent Anjo Alimario contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) The Makabayan bloc of the House of Representatives has filed a resolution to investigate the potential price manipulation and overpricing of onions, which recently sold for up to 800 per kilogram. There are reasons to believe that there is an ongoing control and manipulation of onion prices from farmgate to market retail by big traders who store onions in cold storage warehouses, read House Resolution No. 673, which was released to the media on Thursday. It was filed a day prior by Gabriela Women's Party Rep. Arlene Brosas, ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro, and Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel. The lawmakers pointed out that the prices of local onions have surpassed the highest daily minimum wage in the country which is 570. In its last price monitoring for 2022, the Department of Agriculture on Dec. 30 said that local red onions cost 550 to 700 per kilo in Metro Manila markets, while local white onions cost 600 to 800. As of Jan. 5, local red onions were priced at 280 to 650 per kilo, while local white onions were pegged at 400 to 600. According to the Makabayan bloc, the numbers are far from the farmgate per-kilo price of the commodity in mid-November 2022, which was just 25 to 27. Such huge discrepancy indicates potential price manipulation which makes onions more expensive," the lawmakers said. "Aside from that, smuggling and over-importation of onions remain major problems, which also severely affect local supply and prices." Over the past weeks, authorities have confiscated smuggled onions valued at tens of millions of pesos. Citing a claim by farmers' group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, the Makabayan bloc said only 10% of contraband onions are caught by the DA and the Bureau of Customs, while 90% are sold at high prices in markets. It added that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is also Agriculture secretary, is directly accountable for failing to address the problem of onion price spike and must be compelled to stop traders and smugglers from profiteering from the situation. Last month, presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos filed a resolution seeking a Senate investigation into the soaring prices of onions in the market. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Thursday that his meetings with Chinese businessmen during his trip to Beijing yielded a total of $22.8 billion (over 1.2 trillion) in investment pledges. "There has been an overwhelming response from the Chinese business community on the investment and trade opportunities in our economy," Marcos said during his arrival speech in Manila after his Jan. 3 to 5 state visit to China. "When realized, these investments will support our country's economic recovery efforts and create more jobs for Filipinos," he added. According to the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), the commitments include $13.76 billion for renewable energy, $7.32 billion for electric vehicle and mineral processing, and $1.72 billion for agribusiness. On renewable energy, the OPS noted that interest is mainly in solar and wind, but also includes manufacturing of equipment, such as wind turbine generation towers, foundations, and other wind turbine parts. It added that Chinese companies expressed intent to invest in coconut, durian production, and the Philippine livestock sector, among others. Earlier, Malacanang reported that the Philippine and Chinese governments also signed 14 bilateral agreements during the state visit, covering a wide range of areas like agriculture, infrastructure, maritime security, and tourism. During Marcos' five state visits in 2022 - namely, to Indonesia, Singapore, United States, Cambodia, and Thailand - the Department of Trade and Industry said a total of $23.6 billion in investment pledges were generated. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) President Bongbong Marcos Jr. has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the Philippines again at "a mutually convenient time." The invitation to the Chinese leader was made during Marcos state visit to Beijing, where both sides affirmed their commitment in pursuing stronger political and economic ties. President Marcos expressed his deep appreciation for the warm hospitality by President Xi Jinping, the Chinese Government and people, and extended an invitation to President Xi Jinping to visit the Philippines again at a mutually convenient time, the joint statement between the Philippines and China read. It was the first state visit of Marcos in a non-ASEAN country. He was also the first head of state hosted by China for this year. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the three-day visit is an expression of sincerity and friendship of President Marcos toward China and the Chinese people. The two leaders agreed to render stronger support to each others national development goals, and advance modernization through joint efforts so as to create more benefits for the two peoples, the joint statement also said. During the visit, Manila and Beijing signed 14 bilateral agreements on infrastructure, information technology, economy, and agriculture. Xi first visited the Philippines in November 2018 during the time of former President Rodrigo Duterte. The Chinese leader recently secured his unprecedented third term during the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October 2022. The reelection made Xi one of the most powerful leaders of the East Asian giant in decades. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) A big majority of Filipinos said the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. must seek closer security ties with the US government to beef up its defense in the West Philippine Sea, a Pulse Asia survey showed. In a statement, Pulse Asia said 84% of Filipinos believed the Philippine government should work with the US to "defend" its national sovereignty in the disputed waters. More than half of Filipinos, or 52%, also want the Marcos administration to cooperate with Japan, 25% with Australia, 24% with the United Kingdom, and 23% with South Korea. The survey, which was conducted from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, also showed that 20% of the respondents hope the government can build security cooperation with China. It was presented during a forum organized by Stratbase ADR Institute and the United States Embassy. Securing partnerships with the "like-minded" states could help the Philippines reaffirm its arbitral win, according to Stratbase President Prof. Dindo Manhit. "This indicates that the Philippines must continue to work with its existing allies and forge relationships with new ones in order to competitively and efficiently address issues and incidents in the West Philippine Sea," he said. "Working with friends, allies, and partners as a strategy allows the Philippines to practice an independent foreign policy based on the publics interests," he added. The survey also found that 80% of Filipinos want Marcos to focus on boosting the military capability, especially the Navy and the Coast Guard. Fifty-three percent of the respondents also considered the marine resources and environment should be the top driver to intensify the country's defense capacity. Marcos arrived in China on Tuesday for a state visit where he sought to attract more investments for the Philippines and forge closer ties. READ: Marcos promises more investments, seeks resolution of issues with China in state visit Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5 ) President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a candid and in-depth discussion in Beijing on the West Philippine Sea dispute, with both leaders agreeing that differences should be solved through peaceful means. In a joint statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Department of Foreign Affairs, Xi and Marcos said the maritime dispute is not the sum-total of the two countries' bilateral relations. The two leaders met on Wednesday, the second day of Marcos' state visit to China. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace and stability in the region and the freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea, the statement read. READ: Marcos to Chinese President: PH wants to continue talks on joint exploration in WPS The two state leaders also stressed the importance of reaching consensus on the peaceful resolution of disputes based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the full and effective implementation of the DOC in its entirety, the statement read. They also encouraged further progress towards the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea including the 1982 UNCLOS, within a mutually agreed timeline, the statement added. According to the statement, a direct communication mechanism was established between the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines. Marcos and Xi said the communication mechanism aims to build confidence and improve mutual trust. During the three-day visit, the Philippines and China also signed 14 bilateral agreements including deals on agriculture, maritime security, and infrastructure. READ: LIST: PH, China sign 14 bilateral deals during Marcos state visit The two countries also vowed to support multilateralism and cooperate with the United Nations on varying issues. READ: Marcos pushes for expanded cooperation with China in meetings with top officials Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. brought up the plight of Filipino fishermen to Chinese President Xi Jinping who promised to find a solution to avoid misunderstanding in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). "I was very clear in trying to talk about the plight of our fishermen. And the President promised that we would find a compromise and find a solution that will be beneficial so our fishermen might be able to fish again in their natural fishing ground," Marcos said in a video shared to the media on Wednesday. Marcos also said avoiding misunderstanding was among the topics they discussed, but he did not provide details. RELATED: Over 10 bilateral agreements eyed between PH, China during Marcos' state visit -- DFA The Philippine government has filed dozens of diplomatic protests against China over "illegal presence of foreign maritime militia vessels, illegal fishing, harassment of fishermen and unauthorized marine scientific research" in the WPS, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Meanwhile, PAMALAKAYA, an alliance of fisherfolk, said the only solution to the issues concerning Filipino fishers is for China to leave Philippine waters. "We don't need Xi Jinping to come up with a 'compromise' to address the plight of Filipino fishers because we already have the legal and political claim over our territorial waters," Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA national chairperson said on Thursday. In the statement, the group said their estimate indicates a fisherman from Zambales loses 70% of income per fishing trip due to the presence of Chinese forces in the resource-rich Scarboroug (or Panatag) Shoal. "There can only be one solution: China must abide by the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea that recognizes our exclusive economic zone," PAMALAKAYA added. On Jan. 4, Manila and Beijing reached an agreement on the establishment of a communication mechanism on maritime issues between the DFA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. This was done alongside 13 other bilateral agreements. LIST: PH, China sign 14 bilateral deals during Marcos' state visit During his meeting with Xi, Marcos also said the country wants to continue the negotiation on the joint oil exploration in the WPS, adding it "is very important to the Philippines." China has been the Philippines' major trading partner, posting a total trade of $29.1 billion from January to September 2022. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) The Philippines and China signed 14 bilateral agreements during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.s state visit to Beijing, Malacanang said Wednesday. The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said the signed deals were on agriculture, infrastructure, development cooperation, maritime security, and tourism, among others. Heres the list of the 14 deals as shared by the OPS: On agriculture: - A joint action plan for 2023-2025 on agricultural and fisheries cooperation between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Chinas Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs - The handover certificate of the Philippine-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology-Technological Cooperation Phase III - A protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of fresh durian from the Philippines to China between the DA and Chinas General Administration of Customs On infrastructure: - A memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinas global infrastructure development strategy to invest in about 150 countries and international organizations - The handover certificate of two China-aided bridge projects in Manila, the Binondo-Intramuros bridge and the Estrella-Pantaleon bridge - A framework agreement for the Renminbi-portion of the loan financing for three priority projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) - Four loan agreements for the mixed-credit financing (US Dollar and Renminbi) of three priority bridge projects under the DPWH On development cooperation: - An MOU between the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China and the Philippines Department of Information and Communications Technology on digital and information and communications technology cooperation - An MOU between the National Economic and Development Authority and Chinas International Development Cooperation Agency on the Development Cooperation Plan 2023-2025 On maritime security: - An arrangement for the establishment of a communication mechanism on maritime issues between the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China On tourism: - The implementation of the MOU on tourism between the Philippines Department of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China. Other deals: - An MOU between the Department of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Commerce of China on electronic commerce cooperation - An agreement on economic and technical cooperation between China and the Philippines - A mutual recognition agreement between the General Administration of Customs of China and the Bureau of Customs of the Philippines on authorized economic operator program Malacanang also said Chinese President Xi Jinping affirmed his commitment to strengthen Philippines-China relations. The East Asian giant has been the countrys major trading partner, posting a total trade of $29.1 billion from January to September 2022, the OPS noted. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told Chinese President Xi Jinping that the Philippines wants to continue the negotiation on the joint oil exploration in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Malacanang said on Wednesday. According to the Office of the Press Secretary, Marcos said continuing the negotiation on the joint exploration in the WPS is very important to the Philippines. I really hopeI would very much like, as you have suggested, Mr. President, to be able to announce that we are continuing negotiations and that we hope that these negotiations will bear fruit because of the pressure upon not only China, not only the Philippines but the rest of the world to move away from the traditional fronts of power, Marcos said during his bilateral meeting with Xi. Marcos also said he believes there are vast opportunities that the Philippines and China can seize as the economies of the world change, which would benefit the two countries. He earlier said Beijings refusal to acknowledge Manilas rights over the WPS impedes talks on a possible joint oil and gas exploration in the area. In 2018, the Philippines and China signed a memorandum of understanding on the joint exploration. After four years, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced the termination of talks. The DFA, then under the Duterte administration, said the goal of developing the oil and gas resources was not achieved. During Xis meeting with Marcos, the Chinese President also promised to assist the Philippines in developing the administrations priority areas, such as agriculture, fisheries, energy, and infrastructure, inking several other agreements with the country. China has been the Philippines major trading partner, posting a total trade of $29.1 billion from January to September 2022. RELATED: Marcos state visit to China 'very important' to PH economy, says business group Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Thursday submitted his courtesy resignation following the appeal for top officers to do so as part of an internal cleansing campaign. In a media briefing, Azurin said he and members of his command group have already heeded the call of Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, who earlier cited cases of police officials supposedly involved in the illegal drug trade. Actually, lahat kami rito, yung command group ko, we have already submitted. Nauna pa yung command group ko na nag-submit sa akin, Azurin told reporters. [Translation: Actually, all of us here, my command group, we have already submitted. My command group even submitted before me.] On Wednesday, Abalos urged full colonels and generals of the PNP to resign as the government aims to rid the ranks of drug ties. A five-man committee will be established to review the records of police officials to determine possible involvement. Azurin expressed support for the move, describing it as a chance for the PNP to cleanse the organization and clear the names of the innocent. We, in the uniform service, are trained and prepared and are expected to prioritize public service over personal interest, he said. Asked for numbers on those with alleged links, the PNP chief estimated less than 10 among the third-level officers. Other top officials asked to follow suit Azurin, meanwhile, called on the over 900 concerned generals and colonels to follow suit and file their respective resignations. The police chief added he expects majority, if not all to also answer Abalos call. Azurin said they also aim for officials to submit their resignations not later than Jan. 31. Other mechanisms will be in place for those who wont file, but no further details were provided as of publishing. He also announced that the PNP will initiate the restructuring of its units in the frontlines of the anti-drug campaign, including its Internal Affairs Service. Courtesy resignations: Unfair or good move? Past and present officials had different takes on Abalos call. For former PNP chief and Senator Ping Lacson, the courtesy resignation of top cops will give the organization a fresh start. Sa aking opinyon, makakatulong iyan sa paglilinis sa hanay ng kapulisan dahil umabot na sa punto na naging malawakan na ang involvement ng ilang mga matataas na opisyal ng PNP sa illegal drugs. Hindi na nga lang ilang opisyal ng PNP kundi pati PDEA ang sangkot, Lacson said in a statement. [Translation: In my opinion, that will be helpful in cleansing the police ranks because it has come to a point that the involvement of top PNP officials with illegal drugs has become extensive. Even PDEA officials are suspected.] Detained former Senator Leila de Lima labeled the move as unprecedented yet bold, but noted that it should not be politicized. Senator JV Ejercito, for his part, stressed that such drastic measure should be expedited, so innocent officials can get back to work with the same vigor. Ang hirap nang may kaso o kaya hindi mo alam kung anong mangayayari (Its difficult if you have a case and you dont know what will happen) uncertainty really affects also your performance, Ejercito said in a media interview. CNN Philippines' Alyssa Rola and Eimor Santos contributed to this report. (CNN) The Chinese government announced on Thursday that it will reopen its border with Hong Kong on January 8, nearly three years after it was largely shut in an effort to contain the spread of Covid. Up to 60,000 Hong Kong residents will be able to cross the border into the mainland as a gradual reopening of border control points begins, Hong Kong leader John Lee told media on Thursday following an announcement from Beijing. The shift would will eliminate what had been a mandatory quarantine for travelers from Hong Kong to the mainland. All travelers will be required to test negative for Covid via a PCR test within 48 hours of crossing, and passenger quotas apply to travel in both directions. The announced reopening falls on the same day China will drop quarantine requirements for international arrivals and scrap a number of Covid restrictions on airlines in place since the start of the pandemic. The changes come amid Beijing's sudden dismantling of its stifling Covid controls, following nationwide protests. The apparent reopening of the mainland comes after three years of self-imposed global isolation, during which efforts to resume regular transit with Hong Kong were repeatedly delayed. Most of previously bustling border crossings between Hong Kong and mainland China had been shut since early 2020, placing a heavy burden on families and businesses with ties on both sides. The quota includes 50,000 people to travel via three land checkpoints, while the remaining 10,000 are for people traveling via the Hong Kong International Airport, two ferry piers and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. The cap does not apply to Hong Kong residents traveling back to Hong Kong from the mainland, nor mainland Chinese traveling back to the mainland from Hong Kong, Lee said. In addition to testing, advance bookings will also be required for some travel. According to a statement from China's State Council, flights from Hong Kong and neighboring Macau to mainland China will resume and caps on passenger capacities will be lifted; the number of flights will increase in a "phased and orderly" fashion, the statement said. Land and maritime border control points between mainland China and Hong Kong and Macao will also resume in a "phased and orderly" manner. China will also resume issuing tourist and business visas for mainland Chinese residents traveling to Hong Kong, the statement added. This story was first published on CNN.com, "China to open border with Hong Kong after three years of tight control" (CNN) -- The funeral of former Pope Benedict XVI, who died Saturday at the age of 95, began Thursday in a traditional ceremony led by Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. In line with Benedict's wishes, his funeral will be "simple," according to the director of the press office of the Holy See, Matteo Bruni. It will be the first occasion in modern times a pope has presided over his predecessor's funeral. Members of the faithful have lined the square, which can seat approximately 60,000 people, in anticipation of the ceremony. The ceremony will be similar to that of a reigning pope but there will be some modifications, Bruni said. Benedict will be named pope emeritus during the funeral, and the language of some prayers will be different because he was not the reigning pope when he died. The faithful prayed to the rosary as Benedict's coffin left St. Peter's Basilica at around 8:45 a.m. local time (2.45 a.m. ET) Thursday. Francis started leading the mass Thursday morning, when he is expected to give a homily at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). Benedict's coffin will then be transported through the Basilica and to the Vatican crypt for the burial, in the first tomb of John Paul II. The tomb was vacated after John Paul II's body and remains were moved to a chapel inside the Basilica after he became a saint. At the time of the burial during the rite, a webbing will be placed around the coffin with the seals of the apostolic chamber, the pontifical house and liturgical celebrations. The cypress coffin will be placed inside a zinc coffin that is soldered and sealed, and subsequently placed inside a wooden coffin, which will be buried. The ceremony is expected to end at around 11:15 a.m. local time (5.15 a.m. ET). High-profile dignitaries including Queen Sofia of Spain and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are set to attend the funeral, alongside US Ambassador to the Holy See Joe Donelly. Benedict, who was the first pontiff in almost 600 years to resign his position, rather than hold office for life, passed away on December 31 at a monastery in Vatican City, according to a statement from the Vatican. He was elected pope in April 2005, following John Paul II's death. Benedict was known to be more conservative than his successor, Pope Francis, who has made moves to soften the Vatican's position on abortion and homosexuality, as well as doing more to deal with the sexual abuse crisis that has engulfed the church in recent years and clouded Benedict's legacy. The scroll that was put inside Pope Benedict XVI's coffin, which is a biography of his life and mentions some of the most important moments of his tenure, recalls that he "firmly" fought against pedophilia. "He firmly fought against crimes committed by members of the clergy against minors or vulnerable persons, continually calling the Church to conversion, prayer, penance and purification," the scroll said. His death prompted tributes from political and religious leaders including US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Dalai Lama. About 200,000 mourners, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella, paid their respects to the former pontiff earlier this week during his lying-in-state in St. Peter's Basilica. The public viewing of Benedict finished Wednesday, before an intimate religious rite during which items including coins and medals minted over his tenure and a scroll about the pontificate were placed into his sealed cypress coffin ahead of the funeral. Francis paid tribute to his predecessor during an audience at the Vatican Wednesday. "I would like us to join with those here beside us who are paying their respects to Benedict XVI, and to turn my thoughts to him, a great master of catechesis," he said. "May he help us rediscover in Christ the joy of believing and the hope of living." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Pope Francis leads funeral of his predecessor Benedict XVI in prestigious ceremony at Vatican" (CNN) Kevin McCarthy suffered yet another stinging defeat on Wednesday as he lost in the sixth round of voting to elect a US House Speaker a major blow that increasingly imperils his bid and heightens uncertainty over whether he can still secure the gavel or if a viable candidate will emerge as an alternative. The United States House of Representatives has adjourned until 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday after failing to elect a new speaker. Now, Republicans are scrambling to find a resolution and talks are expected to continue. Republicans are considering appointing four members each from the pro-McCarthy and anti-McCarthy camps to negotiate a path forward on choosing a House speaker, one GOP source tells CNN. The House GOP majority has been stuck at a contentious stalemate amid opposition to McCarthy from a group of conservatives. The fight, which began on the first day of the 118th Congress, has thrown the new House GOP majority into chaos and undercut the party's agenda. The House will continue to be paralyzed until this standoff is resolved. The situation has grown dire for McCarthy's political future as Republican allies are beginning to fear that the House GOP leader may not be able to pull off his gamble for speaker if the fight goes much longer. While McCarthy has firm support among most of the conference, some are not committed to sticking with him. It's not at all clear whether McCarthy and his allies will be able to lock down the votes -- and the longer the fight drags on the more imperiled his speaker bid has become. But there are some signs that negotiations may be progressing. Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina, one of the 20 members who has opposed McCarthy in the votes, told CNN things have changed and there is a "dynamic kind of atmosphere" now. "I'm encouraged by it," he said. Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, another member who has voted against McCarthy, told CNN he has had "more productive" talks over the last two hours with McCarthy allies than he has had over the last few weeks. He said he expects to be part of talks that will take place tonight. But in a sign of McCarthy's remaining challenges: Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, a prominent member of the opposition group, told CNN he is still a hard no. Uncertainty over path forward House Republicans hold 222 seats in the new Congress, so for McCarthy to reach 218, he can only afford to lose four GOP votes. His obstacle is that he faces a small but determined contingent of hardline conservatives who have so far been successful in denying him the votes to secure the gavel. The group has used the leverage they have in the razor-thin Republican majority to extract concessions. McCarthy has already given in to a number of their demands, including making it easier to topple the sitting speaker, but so far his efforts have not been enough, and The House convened on Wednesday to continue voting after three rounds of votes on Tuesday. McCarthy has come up short each time, failing to hit the majority threshold needed to secure the speakership. As the votes stretched on Tuesday, the situation appeared to become even more dire for McCarthy, as the vote count in opposition to his speaker bid grew. The tally for the first ballot in the speaker vote was 203 for McCarthy, with 19 Republicans voting for other candidates. The tally for the second ballot was 203 votes for McCarthy with 19 votes for GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. In the third round of voting, there were 202 votes for McCarthy and 20 votes for Jordan, with Rep. Byron Donalds joining the 19 GOP lawmakers who had voted against McCarthy in the first two rounds. It was the first time an election for speaker went to multiple ballots since 1923. "My vote yesterday was basically to break a deadlock, because we were deadlocked, and we were not getting anywhere," Donalds, a Florida Republican, said Wednesday on "CNN This Morning." "Right now, (McCarthy) doesn't have a pathway to get there. If that reemerges, yeah, I can be there, that's fine, but what's necessary now is that Republicans come together and find a way to elect a speaker." In the fourth round of voting, 20 Republicans voting together for Donalds as the group switched their collective support from Jordan to Donalds. Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana voted present, lowering McCarthy's threshold to 217. Spartz told CNN she did so because she wanted to allow for more negotiations within the conference to address the concerns of the 20 members. The final tally for the fifth vote was again 201 votes for McCarthy, 20 for Donalds and one present vote. The final tally for the sixth vote was the same: 201 for McCarthy, 20 for Donalds and one present vote. Trump watching closely Trump is watching closely as the dynamic plays out on Capitol Hill and his public support has been a key focus of McCarthy's efforts. Two GOP sources familiar with the matter said McCarthy's allies were panicking on Tuesday after the former president gave a tepid response to NBC News when asked about his support for McCarthy. The former president also declined to issue a statement Monday reiterating his endorsement of McCarthy despite a behind-the-scenes effort from several McCarthy allies to get Trump to do so, two sources said. One close McCarthy ally then began working behind the scenes to do clean-up duty and started pressing for Trump to put out a statement clarifying his support. McCarthy and Trump then connected by phone, where McCarthy said Trump expressed he was still committed to backing him. Trump put out a strong endorsement on Truth Social Wednesday morning, imploring Republicans not to "TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT" and urging them to vote for McCarthy. Although Trump's statement might not move the needle among the fiercest McCarthy foes, one of the sources said McCarthy world was worried about looking "weak" and like he was bleeding support, so they felt it was important to reverse the narrative. Gaetz, one of the House Republicans opposing McCarthy's bid for speaker, dismissed Trump's latest effort to help the California Republican as "sad." "This changes neither my view of McCarthy nor Trump nor my vote," Gaetz said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Wednesday, shortly after Trump came to McCarthy's defense in the Truth Social post. Long a staunch Trump ally, Gaetz's refusal to bow to Trump's desire for a McCarthy speakership raises new questions about the former president's dwindling influence over Republicans in the midst of his third presidential campaign. "If Matt Gaetz is ignoring you, that's not a good sign," said one Trump ally who is involved with his 2024 campaign. Trump has been making calls on McCarthy's behalf over the last 24 hours in an attempt to break the conservative blockade against him, this person said, but his efforts have so far been fruitless. One lawmaker who spoke with Trump late Tuesday suggested the former president should run for speaker himself, according to a person briefed on the call. Trump demurred and continued to push this person to support McCarthy, claiming that he would be a solid "America First" supporter. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close From the performances New York City premiere, Janani Balasubramanian, Natalie Gosnell, and Andrew Kircher speaking with an attendee who had just left the experience. Photo by Lawrence Sumulong. So, are you a math person, or are you more of a creative type? Its a ridiculous question you certainly can be both creative and skilled at math but its one youve probably heard before. Weve grown up in a society that largely dichotomizes these two characteristics. Natalie Gosnell, a professor of physics at Colorado College, wants to change the way we see and practice physics. For her, physics comes most naturally as a creative process and for the duration of her career learning and practicing physics, shes struggled with external pressures to separate her creative and scientific selves. Both artists and scientists are just observing things about the world, making interpretations about those observations, and then sharing their interpretation, says Gosnell. Despite the strong ties she feels between art and science, shes had to work for years in a society divided. Gosnell sees this division rooted in the systemic racism and sexism that the physics institution has been born into, which limits what physics could be and limits the people who feel welcome practicing it. As an astrophysicist, I'm a product of institutions that are steeped in systemic racism and white supremacy, Gosnell says. The tenets of white supremacy that show up [in physics] of individualism and exceptionalism and perfectionism its either-or thinking, and there's no subtlety, there's no gray area. All of this manifests in the way that we think about our research, and what counts as good research, what counts as important research? Most of Gosnells career has been dictated by the hyper-masculine world of astrophysics. Now, she is deciding that she doesnt have to fit into that mold she is changing the ways she teaches physics, and the way she professionally shares it. Gosnells new immersive art piece entitled The Gift walks the line in between creativity and science, and exemplifies that which was missing for Gosnell in the sharing of science: creativity. The piece is experienced in a room with audial and visual stimuli, and through a book about an astrophysical phenomenon of a dying star as seen through the eyes of Gosnell and her co-creators, Janani Balasubramanian and Andrew Kircher. The story goes as follows: Two stars are orbiting one another, and just before one is about to die it swells up to hundreds of times its previous size in doing this, it transfers its mass to its orbiting star. Then the swollen star dies, while the other one shines brighter and bluer than it did before thanks to its companion. Contemporary journalism views this mass-transfer process through a violent, hyper-masculine lens, seeing as the mass-receiving star has been dubbed Vampire star or Cannibal star. Gosnell adds they are viewed as the bad boys of the universe. I think because science and art have been so separated, and there's [...] systemic issues within science, the metaphors that are often chosen [to discuss science] are very violent and hyper-masculine, she says. Gosnell was featured in 2010 on How the Universe Works, a show on the Discovery channel, to talk about her research on the mass-transfer phenomenon. And I totally played into [the hyper-masculine stereotypes], because, ooh, snazzy. I get to be on the Discovery Channel, Gosnell says of the experience. Of course, like, the price was too high. It felt like I was masquerading, essentially, as what an astrophysicist was supposed to be like, Gosnell says. To be clear, having been published many times and received the Cottrell Scholar Award (highly sought after in her area), Gosnell was and is well established as an astrophysicist. The exclusive environment of physics is well-documented: research published at the American Institute of Physics, the American Physical Society, and other reputable physics publications has spotted a trend that most of us could already guess white men, across the board, tend to have the strongest sense of belonging in physics. Persons of color and womens involvement and success in physics is markedly low. The Gift is one piece of Gosnells greater plan to change the physics environment into a more accessible one. She also has created a new curriculum in which creativity is directly embedded into classes, which is not the norm in the physics classroom. In true astrophysicist fashion, she is conducting research on her teaching method by following students progress in physics identity and belongingness after theyve taken her class. Shes conducted it three times thus far and has already seen that people (everyone not just white males) have a stronger sense of physics identity following her classes. Gosnell is now teaching classes in a way that she would have benefitted from when she was learning physics instead of molding her students into the stereotypes that felt so rigid and limiting in Gosnells career, she is incorporating creativity directly into the learning. We can make different choices about the metaphors that we use, in the stories that we tell, which is where [...] the inspiration and goal behind The Gift comes from. Gosnell, Kircher, and Balasubramanians accessible performance installation The Gift opened at the New York Public Library on Dec. 6 and will come to the CC Fine Arts Center Block 7 of 2023. See the piece installed and experience The Gift a story of one dying star and a companion who shines brighter for the loss this spring. The Gift was created with the generous support of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Public Theater, New York Community Trust, the Sundance Institute, the Guild of Future Architects, MAP Fund, Stanford University, Brooklyn College, Creativity & Innovation at Colorado College, The University of Colorado, and The Tow Foundation. It was developed in part in the Collider, a research and development lab for the performing arts at Lincoln Center. The Collider is generously supported by founding partner Diana Chen. Major support for the Collider is provided by The Ford Foundation and The Mellon Foundation. In cases arising out of Denver, El Paso County and southwest Colorado, a three-judge panel of the appellate court ruled that the information to date suggested McDonald's and Wendy's employees were not taking 10-minute compensated breaks as provided in state law and there was a common explanation for why that was. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form It wasnt so long ago that critics derided Apple CEO Tim Cook for his ambition to build business in India, but now it all makes complete sense. India has a lot to offer Apple and tech India has and always did have a lot to offer Apple: a young population, education, a growing middle class and consumer market, and relatively low employment costs. Apple has also worked extremely hard with Indias governments to navigate that nations desire to protect its own economy while opening to manufacturing. Theres a lot to unpack in that sentence, but in essence this seems to be why local manufacturers such as Tata are working with Apples important Taiwan-based production partners on new factories to support the Apple supply chain. Doing so creates a balance that lets local enterprises benefit as the multinationals move in. It also seems to help encourage consumers to purchase the products. After all, it must surely reflect the huge amount of work Apple has done to reach consumers in India that it led Indias premium smartphone market last year, according to Counterpoint. It means one in every 20 smartphones purchased in India last year was an iPhone. It also explains why Tata in December announced plans to open 100 Apple stores in India. High demand, low saturation To put a little context around this business, India is currently the worlds second-biggest smartphone market, bigger than the US, but characterized by significantly lower smartphone penetration (roughly 45%). In other words, there is space to grow business there. In the US, 73% of us have smartphones while in the worlds biggest market, China, 63% do. As weve previously reported, Apple is engaged in redesigning its manufacturing and supply chains to become more resilient to future shocks. Such shocks include the impact of war and disease, of course, but also extend to political uncertainty such as that around US/China relations. India will assemble 50% of iPhones by 2027 Apple must protect its manufacturing base and is deeply involved in doing so, partly in response to the pandemic. Most recently, Digitimes revealed that India is expected to assemble up to half of all Apples iPhones by 2027, up from just under 5% now. The speed of supply chain migration to India will be accelerated in the future because of the need to diversify risks in light of uncertainties in Chinas pandemic control, said Digitimes analyst Luke Lin. He also expects Vietnam to benefit as Apple production moves outside of China. The forecast follows a JP Morgan prediction claiming India will manufacture 25% of iPhones sold worldwide by 2025. These data points, from 5% today to 25% in two years time and 50% in four, gives some sense of the momentum behind this production shift. The pace of change is driving critical investment. Apples key partner, Foxconn, is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to promote business in India. iPhone manufacturing has already created 150,000 jobs in India, according to reports, 50,000 of these in manufacturing. Pegatron, Wistron and component makers Avary, Foxlink, Salcomp and others are already in situ. Of course, all this manufacturing will require massive investment in energy supply. Tata has its own solar energy production plants in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and it once again seems inevitable Apple will seek to invest in climate-friendly energy for use across its India-based supply chain. Apple reflects a trend But this isnt just about Apple. The company is simply the most discussed brand. Samsung Electronics is also shifting Android production out of China, once again into India and Vietnam. Others, possibly including your own companys partners, will do the same. Digitimes tells us smartphone brands other than Apple and Samsung will reduce their Chinese manufacturing capacity by up to 50% in the coming years. Buoyed by the high-profile presence of premium brand manufacturing in the nation, Indias government will inevitably become more aggressive in how it competes. It will double down on efforts to attract more manufacturers, extending incentives such as its current Production-linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) to tempt them to set up for business there, helping facilitate local partnerships and making investments in infrastructure to support new manufacturing. The big names in tech and not just Cook have seen this coming for a while. Look around the top table of almost any tech firm and youll find Indian tech execs well represented. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella met with India PM Narendra Modi this week, after which he wrote: Its inspiring to see the governments deep focus on sustainable and inclusive economic growth led by digital transformation and were looking forward to helping India realize the Digital India vision and be a light for the world. The inevitability of gradualness In a sense, it was always going to be this way. A lot of software is already written on the sub-continent Apple even has its own campus there so its a natural progression that hardware manufacturing would follow. Of course, India is not China. There will be unique challenges to any business seeking to expand its presence in the nation. Regions can differ in their business priorities, and many key components cant yet be manufactured there. The country also has challenges around infrastructure, which poses additional sets of problems, has its own internal tensions, and shares borders with nations with which it has its own political tensions. All the same, the inference of this piece must surely be that India is now set to play an even more important part in the future evolution of the tech industry. Apple simply shone its light on the emerging path. Please follow me on Mastodon, or join me in the AppleHolics bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe. Patents2Products Informational Webinar January 18, 9:00am - 10:00amOnline via Zoom The UH Office of Innovation and Commercialization (OIC) is seeking UH faculty/startup partners interested in receiving research support through its newest program, Patents2Products: faculty sponsors with research labs with UH intellectual property; or UH-affiliated technology companies. The Patents2Products program is a unique fellowship opportunity for PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers to develop entrepreneurship skills and increase innovation capacity while advancing the development and commercialization of impact-driven technologies at the University of Hawai'i. This session will cover an overview of the program, application process (including key dates), and a Q&A session. Ticket Information http://bit.ly/3WCwjWm Event Sponsor Office of Innovation & Commercialization, UH System, University of Hawaii More Information Rebecca H. Chung, PhD, 808-956-7880, rhchung@hawaii.edu Autonomous intelligence, artificial intelligence (AI) that can act without human intervention, can help identify critical infrastructure cyberattack patterns and network activity, and detect malware to enable enhanced decision-making about defensive responses. Thats according to the preliminary findings of an international experiment of AIs ability to secure and defend systems, power grids and other critical assets by cyber experts at the North Atlantic Treaty Organizations (NATO) Cyber Coalition 2022 event late last year. The simulated experiment saw six teams of cyber defenders from NATO allies tasked with setting up computer-based systems and power grids at an imaginary military base and keeping them running during a cyberattack. If hackers interfered with system operations or the power went down for more than 10 minutes, critical systems could go offline. The differentiator was that three of the teams had access to a novel Autonomous Intelligence Cyberdefense Agent (AICA) prototype developed by the US Department of Energys (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, while the other three teams did not. The aim of the experiment was to test and measure AIs efficiency in collecting data and assisting teams in responding to cyberattacks against critical systems and services, along with highlighting the need for tools that improve collaboration between humans and machines to reduce cyber risk. The experimental findings were published in late December 2022 shortly after a new US Government Accounting Office (GAO) report warned that numerous key government entities are flying blind on critical infrastructure security, having failed to implement most recommendations related to protecting critical infrastructure since 2010. AI reveals critical infrastructure cyberattack patterns, network traffic, target systems Teams set up a defined list of services, monitored the simulated power microgrid supporting their systems, responded to injected requests, and attempted to disrupt other teams attempts to do the same through cyberattack strategies, Argonne National Laboratory wrote. None of the teams knew the scenario or networks prior to the experiment. The teams that used Argonnes AICA prototype made key observations surrounding network activity, logged events, and intrusion detection alerts, or they detected malware that enabled enhanced operator queries and automated decision-making about defensive responses, the company claimed. All the teams were able to keep their grids online, but that wasnt the only valuable outcome, stated Benjamin Blakely, cybersecurity research analyst at Argonne, who led the experiment alongside cyberspace experts from NATOs Allied Command Transformation (ACT). We were able to see the network as AICA sees it, including relationships between attack patterns, network traffic and target systems. Agents use this information to build a knowledge graph of the network and that helps them better protect it. Blakely and NATOs ACT will publish the full results of the experiment in the coming months. Bob Kolasky, Exiger SVP of critical infrastructure and former assistant director at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), tells CSO that the exercise shows the potential for emerging technology to be a game changer in managing risk to complex, interdependent systems. National Laboratories, such as Argonne, are bringing exquisite modeling, synthetic data, and high computing power to support critical infrastructure. This will enable enhanced AI and it will be important to test how AI is applied through operational concepts. It is exciting to see NATO testing how to apply AI for critical infrastructure protection. Critical infrastructure facing increasing, complex cyberthreats Critical infrastructure, systems, and services continue to face increasing and complex cyberthreats, including heightened risks linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Last December, Microsoft released its third edition of the Cyber Signals report, revealing that risks to critical infrastructure are on the rise due to the pervasiveness, vulnerability, and cloud connectivity of internet-of-things (IoT) and operational technology (OT) devices, which represent a rapidly expanding, often unchecked risk surface affecting a wider array of industries and organizations. While the prevalence of IoT and OT vulnerabilities presents a challenge for all organizations, critical infrastructure is at increased risk. Disabling critical services, not even necessarily destroying them, is a powerful lever, the report stated. Martin Riley, director of managed security services at cybersecurity firm Bridewell, tells CSO that geopolitical tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war left a significant impact on critical infrastructure, and shifted threat levels to greater heights. Our research, which interviewed 521 cybersecurity decision makers in critical national infrastructure, found that over seven in 10 reported a rise in attacks since Russias invasion of Ukraine. Riley recently commented on threats posed to Europes subsea critical infrastructure with Russia accused of launching a deep-sea sabotage campaign to destroy vital energy and data links, urging network operators to increase the cyber resilience of services. Weve seen the cyber-physical or hybrid war played out publicly this year, bringing it to the attention of the world via mainstream media and its something that organizations that operate critical infrastructure have understood, he wrote. However, sub-sea data cables still remain without consistent regulation nor standards. With 580 active or planned sub-sea cables, our economies and society rely on the inter-connectedness that we all love and expect in todays world. In April, The Five Eyes (United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and United Kingdom) issued an alert giving a comprehensive overview of Russian state-sponsored and cybercriminal threats to critical infrastructure, whilst the notorious cybercrime group behind the Conti ransomware threatened to hit critical infrastructure in support of the Russian government. Autonomous/artificial intelligences role in tackling critical infrastructure cyberthreats Autonomous/artificial intelligence has the potential to play a significant role in securing critical infrastructure and addressing the complex cyberthreats such systems face. AI is imperative in the detection of threats to critical infrastructure then, it is down to the agreed response actions, which may be automated to contain, eradicate, or prevent the wider threat, Riley tells CSO. The necessity comes from the constant change of the infrastructure used by threat actors and the slight or wholescale changes of their behaviors. Bridewell has its own intelligence and research team that actively tracks adversaries, their infrastructure, and behaviors alongside the use of AI. The cost of that research and intelligence is large, so shifting to an AI generated model, reduces that cost whilst increasing the maturing and as such, reducing the risk. The simple reality is that critical functions are usually based on a complex web of dependencies and interdependencies which are managed largely through digital means, says Kolasky. It is impossible for humans alone to understand those complexities and attack points. AI will allow for increases in effectiveness and efficiency of risk monitoring and ultimately risk mitigation and system resilience. Russian student thanks TCM, people in COVID-19 fight Xinhua) 14:00, January 05, 2023 BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- A couple of weeks ago, Russian student Yulia Temelidi caught Omicron in China, but she recovered soon with the help of a small health kit with different types of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). "Unlike Western medicines, TCM tends to have less side effects, and my body will accept TCM a little bit more calmly," said Temelidi, who studies at China's Tsinghua University. Having lived in China for years, she holds the view that TCM has played an important role in fighting the virus over the past three years. She even recommends TCM to her best friend, who now takes it as a wonder for the successful treatment of many kinds of diseases. Temelidi has found TCM very useful even before her Omicron infection. "The TCM health kit could help me a lot when I have a headache or a stomachache or just a small fever. In winter, the medicine called Qingyandiwan helped me a lot with sore throat." Temelidi said that during the past three years of fight against virus variants, China had provided good protection to its people as well as foreigners in China. During the first pop-out of COVID-19, Temelidi was in China staying at home. Very few things about the coronavirus were well understood by scientists at that time, and China made strict prevention and control policies to protect people, she said. "At that time, the only thing that I could do is to stay at home," she said, noting COVID-19 was absolutely really horrible then. In 2021, Temelidi learned that some of her friends in Russia caught COVID-19, and it seemed like a horrible experience. "They were having a type of Alpha virus or Delta virus. One of my friends experienced a fever of about 40 degrees Celsius for more than a week. He couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, didn't have any taste in his mouth, and it was absolutely horrible." In her eyes, China raced against time during the three years to inoculate its people and conduct research on possible new medicines. In her three years of study, the international student was impressed with warmth and goodwill from surrounding people. As she had to study online sometimes, the Russian student felt worried at the beginning. "Actually, I've been kind of anxious and kind of worried that I couldn't get everything that I needed, such as the proper amount of knowledge, and I don't have a clear idea of how to live in China. But people around me, including all the professors, helped me a lot. My professors told me to message them every time I had a question, and they would answer me very soon," Temelidi said. She also spoke highly of the medical staff doing regular nucleic acid tests. "I want to say a huge thank you to them, because, first of all, it's really hard for them to wake up in morning to the same job every time. This is very hard and very challenging for their body, for their health," she said, adding that the medics were braving the biggest risk of actually getting COVID-19 for the sake of others' health. With China's optimized prevention and control policies, she now plans to spend the coming Spring Festival in south China's resort city of Guilin. "With evolving COVID-19 response strategy, our life is returning to normal," said Temelidi. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) The Japanese Self-Defense Forces are keen on defending against electromagnetic pulse weapons that China will deploy. Japan's Self-Defense Forces Prepare for Countermeasures The Ministry wants to develop defenses against EMP attacks in place at five Japan Air Self-Defense Force bases by the fiscal year 2029. These are needed for the defense capabilities of Self-Defense Force facilities, as noted by Yahoo. Meanwhile, new subterranean command centers would be constructed at the Naha base of the Ground Self-Defense Force in Okinawa Prefecture, the Yonaguni base in Okinawa Prefecture, the Kengun base in Kumamoto Prefecture, and the Maizuru Regional Defense Bureau of the Maritime Self-Defense Force in Kyoto Prefecture. Deployment and ordering of troops and vessels used in an enemy attack can be launched from these bases. They were given special consideration because Naha and Yonaguni are near Taipei, where China has already stepped up political pressure. Tokyo is worried that both Pyongyang and China are developing a means to deliver a crippling magnetic attack on all electronics, The EurAsian Times reports. Exploding nuclear devices in the air at an altitude that will disperse a strong EMP pulse can knock out vital electronic systems such as radars and radio equipment. Jet fighters are grounded and cannot fight in the air without radar guidance from ground control. One way to stop this is to place EMP filters to buffer the electrical components. One of the first bases to use these anti-pulse defenses was the Nyutabaru Air Base in Miyazaki Prefecture. These systems are distributed on major air bases that need to survive. National Security Strategy, authorized by the Cabinet on December 16, declared that major defense facilities would be upgraded to substantially improve the nation's defense capabilities. Read Also: Volodymyr Zelensky Children: Does the Ukraine President Have Kids? For initiatives, including building underground command centers, the administration has allocated a budget of roughly 36.4 billion yen in the preparatory spending plan for the coming financial year. Site surveys and other tasks will be conducted as soon as possible. Mostly in Yonaguni and Ishigaki, the government is looking to acquire land to build structures that will be used for Self-Defense Forces training, evacuation procedures, refuges for locals, and other operations. Japan Threatened with Electromagnetic Pulse Attacks This energy-based EMP weapon emits a strong magnetic wave that is detrimental to non-hardened electronic systems. There have been rumors that China has EMP weapon systems and has evolved guidelines for launching a first-strike attack. Energy-based offensive weapons such as this will tactically hamper the use of all electronics, such as communications and radar apparatus, in combat zones. Tokyo is dealing with this type of energy weapon via several measures that it thinks are applicable. An Expert on EMP warfare, Dr. Peter Pry, remarked on how China developed these weapons, which is a crucial element of its Total Information Warfare, including computer hacking raids. He is sure that Beijing wants to let loose a "high-altitude electromagnetic pulse," or HEMP, weapons from satellites, ships, and land, as mentioned in Scribd. Despite having genuine complaints about EMP impacts, the system is still seen as an unproven tool with restricted missile expertise, which lessens the danger. The Japanese Self-Defense Forces want to defend against electromagnetic pulse weapons that China is developing for offensive use. Related Article: Iran's Drone Threatens Unknown Recon Plane as It Spies on Iranian War Games @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. WHO advisers are concerned over the COVID-19 breakout in the People's Republic of China, especially the data from there. WHO Advisers Call for Precise Info on COVID-19 Data At an important meeting held on Tuesday, top scientists who counsel the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that they desired a "more accurate picture" of the COVID-19 scenario from China's leading experts due to fears about the disease's quick spread, reported Straits Times. To exchange information on the viral variations that are comparatively recent in China, WHO decided to invite Chinese researchers to a virtual closed session with its technical advisory group on viral evolution last Tuesday. Full access and the media are still not authorized. Beijing suspended the zero-Covid measures in December 2022. Cases that are starting to increase with official data have been imprecise. Based on the statement by Dr. Marion Koopmans, a Dutch virologist who is part of the WHO committee, the body wants to see something more accurate that depends on the actual score. Koopmans told Reuters before the meeting had said the Chinese data, like how many hospitalized and not convincing. He mentioned that it would be better for Beijing, but the information needs to be more straightforward. COVID-19 Breakout Is of Concern Professor Tulio de Oliveira, a South African scientist who serves as a panel member and whose group has discovered a few new types, mentioned that while it is beneficial to obtain more information from China, this one is true worldwide, noted The Economic Times. Read Also: Donald Trump Net Worth 2022: Did Trump Get Richer Since Leaving the US Presidency? Sequencing information from China has already been supplied to the online Gisaid hub, an international data science initiative. This has disclosed that the versions widely circulated there are branches of Omicron in connection with the dominant varieties in the rest of the world. At the WHO conference on Tuesday, Dr. Koopmans and his peers predict conversing with investigators from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention regarding details of a similar nature. The meeting today is a worldwide council of specialists that have come together during the pandemic and obtained constant updates from countries trying to deal with substantial epidemics of the illness or the development of new ones. Dr. Koopmans indicated that only a "tiny number" of China's case scenarios had been analyzed so far, out of 700, and advised the formation of a global monitoring system to track Sars-CoV-2. She added that the information needs to be better, not only in China. Last December, the WHO commented it had not gotten information from the mainland government about how many were hospitalized after lifting the zero-Covid policy. A few health experts think there is an attempt to keep crucial information on how extensive the outbreak is in the country. Dr. de Oliveira panned how to travel limitations to China placed by several countries, which South Africa was subjected to when the Beta and Omicron variants had been raging. He added that after three years of the pandemic, there should be mistakes that should be learned from, like sharing more data, a better way to support and avoid limiting travel to the affected country. WHO advisers are worried the COVID-19 breakout in the People's Republic of China is worse. Related Article: Russia Asserts Washington Should Pay Damages to Countries Affected by the Pandemic; Did COVID-19 Really Originate From the US Biolab? @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Summary Table Advertisement AUD/JPY AUD/JPY: Retail trader data shows 53.59% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 1.15 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 8.74% higher than yesterday and 12.00% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 7.18% lower than yesterday and 8.99% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests AUD/JPY prices may continue to fall. Traders are further net-long than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger AUD/JPY-bearish contrarian trading bias. AUD/USD AUD/USD: Retail trader data shows 71.56% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 2.52 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 11.99% lower than yesterday and 1.06% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 5.03% lower than yesterday and 0.49% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests AUD/USD prices may continue to fall. Positioning is less net-long than yesterday but more net-long from last week. The combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a further mixed AUD/USD trading bias. Oil - US Crude Oil - US Crude: Retail trader data shows 44.56% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 1.24 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 3.37% lower than yesterday and 12.62% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 8.36% higher than yesterday and 18.34% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests Oil - US Crude prices may continue to rise. Traders are further net-short than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger Oil - US Crude-bullish contrarian trading bias. Germany 40 Germany 40: Retail trader data shows 19.73% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 4.07 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 11.10% lower than yesterday and 17.35% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 2.27% lower than yesterday and 0.31% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests Germany 40 prices may continue to rise. Traders are further net-short than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger Germany 40-bullish contrarian trading bias. EUR/CHF EUR/CHF: Retail trader data shows 71.77% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 2.54 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 1.96% lower than yesterday and 12.36% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 9.92% lower than yesterday and 3.28% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests EUR/CHF prices may continue to fall. Traders are further net-long than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger EUR/CHF-bearish contrarian trading bias. EUR/GBP EUR/GBP: Retail trader data shows 49.77% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 1.01 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 7.21% higher than yesterday and 7.89% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 10.37% higher than yesterday and 24.06% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests EUR/GBP prices may continue to rise. Traders are further net-short than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger EUR/GBP-bullish contrarian trading bias. EUR/JPY EUR/JPY: Retail trader data shows 20.56% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 3.86 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 2.33% lower than yesterday and 10.16% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 0.15% higher than yesterday and 39.87% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests EUR/JPY prices may continue to rise. Traders are further net-short than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger EUR/JPY-bullish contrarian trading bias. EUR/USD EUR/USD: Retail trader data shows 31.63% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 2.16 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 17.89% lower than yesterday and 12.33% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 12.51% higher than yesterday and 14.87% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests EUR/USD prices may continue to rise. Traders are further net-short than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger EUR/USD-bullish contrarian trading bias. France 40 France 40: Retail trader data shows 12.46% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 7.03 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 2.16% lower than yesterday and 23.31% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 2.53% lower than yesterday and 10.70% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests France 40 prices may continue to rise. Positioning is less net-short than yesterday but more net-short from last week. The combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a further mixed France 40 trading bias. FTSE 100 FTSE 100: Retail trader data shows 28.17% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 2.55 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 13.68% lower than yesterday and 36.04% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 6.39% higher than yesterday and 33.22% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests FTSE 100 prices may continue to rise. Traders are further net-short than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger FTSE 100-bullish contrarian trading bias. GBP/JPY GBP/JPY: Retail trader data shows 25.86% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 2.87 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 12.78% lower than yesterday and 3.97% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 6.64% lower than yesterday and 21.95% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests GBP/JPY prices may continue to rise. Traders are further net-short than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger GBP/JPY-bullish contrarian trading bias. GBP/USD GBP/USD: Retail trader data shows 41.53% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 1.41 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 7.03% lower than yesterday and 10.83% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 1.66% higher than yesterday and 9.70% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests GBP/USD prices may continue to rise. Positioning is more net-short than yesterday but less net-short from last week. The combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a further mixed GBP/USD trading bias. Gold Gold: Retail trader data shows 56.98% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 1.32 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 7.17% lower than yesterday and 12.45% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 3.74% lower than yesterday and 14.33% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests Gold prices may continue to fall. Positioning is less net-long than yesterday but more net-long from last week. The combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a further mixed Gold trading bias. NZD/USD NZD/USD: Retail trader data shows 64.61% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 1.83 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 2.26% lower than yesterday and 3.06% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 5.68% lower than yesterday and 12.63% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests NZD/USD prices may continue to fall. Traders are further net-long than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger NZD/USD-bearish contrarian trading bias. Silver Silver: Retail trader data shows 77.42% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 3.43 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 1.88% higher than yesterday and 4.23% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 8.35% lower than yesterday and 3.19% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests Silver prices may continue to fall. Traders are further net-long than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger Silver-bearish contrarian trading bias. US 500 US 500: Retail trader data shows 41.23% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 1.43 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 0.93% lower than yesterday and 4.15% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 1.36% lower than yesterday and 7.87% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests US 500 prices may continue to rise. Yet traders are less net-short than yesterday and compared with last week. Recent changes in sentiment warn that the current US 500 price trend may soon reverse lower despite the fact traders remain net-short. USD/CAD USD/CAD: Retail trader data shows 59.89% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 1.49 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 6.56% higher than yesterday and 15.32% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 11.14% lower than yesterday and 4.06% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests USD/CAD prices may continue to fall. Positioning is more net-long than yesterday but less net-long from last week. The combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a further mixed USD/CAD trading bias. USD/CHF USD/CHF: Retail trader data shows 87.26% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 6.85 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 8.19% higher than yesterday and 12.98% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 22.30% lower than yesterday and 4.42% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests USD/CHF prices may continue to fall. Traders are further net-long than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger USD/CHF-bearish contrarian trading bias. USD/JPY USD/JPY: Retail trader data shows 38.42% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 1.60 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 7.32% lower than yesterday and 19.49% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 1.04% higher than yesterday and 16.59% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests USD/JPY prices may continue to rise. Traders are further net-short than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger USD/JPY-bullish contrarian trading bias. Wall Street Wall Street: Retail trader data shows 35.46% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 1.82 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 5.16% higher than yesterday and 4.44% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 6.84% lower than yesterday and 3.83% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests Wall Street prices may continue to rise. Positioning is less net-short than yesterday but more net-short from last week. The combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a further mixed Wall Street trading bias. During the Zolfaghar-1401 military, Iran presented one of its newest suicide drones, hitting a simulated target. Iran Presents Its Newest Suicide Drones The Iranian military launched a loitering munition (a suicide drone) from the Hengam-class landing ship IRIS Lavan as part of its high-power military exercises known as "Zolfaghar-1401." Loitering munitions hit a mock naval base target that the Iranian military still hadn't identified. The social media clip of the drill went viral on the web, reported The EurAsian Times. Military watchers and experts deduced that the UAV was the Ababil-2 loitering munition. The rocket launch process allows the Ababil class of unmanned aerial vehicles to be launched from the ship's deck. This system comprises a fuze, a trolly, thrusters, and an attachment mechanism. That is highly portable and simple to set up and detach. After releasing and promoting the simulated attack video, Israeli media reported that the strike was performed on an Israeli military outpost. Times of Israel disclosed that the mock base was constructed with a similar design layout to the Eilat Naval Base in the Red Sea coast city with the same name, citing unnamed open-source intelligence analysts. A report also mentions the appearance of a mock-up of an Israeli Navy Sa'ar 6-class corvette adjacent to the evoked target. According to Army Technology, it is fascinating, as the Israeli Navy tested a ship-mounted variant of its advanced Iron Dome air defense system on the vessel earlier this year. At the time, dangers likely to affect the Navy had been recreated. Read Also: Xi Jinping: 5 Things To Know About China's President Even though it is unexpected for Iran to stimulate a strike on mock Israeli targets, an attack on a military outpost in the Red Sea may be dismaying for the Jewish country. Zolfaghar-1401 Military Drills Is a Shadow War Observers claim that Israel and Iran have indeed been involved in a naval "shadow war" in recent times, in which vessels affiliated to each nation were attacked in a series of tit-for-tat confrontations in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The capacity of Iran to rapidly launch a loitering munition or a swarm of these expendable UAVs out of a ship deck. Nevertheless, it might represent a significant threat to Iran's opponents in the Middle East, such as Israel, the Gulf Arab nations, and US military sites. Although each of these nations is equipped to the teeth with contemporary air defenses that could take down incoming drones, the price gap will indeed prove to be a hassle, as evidenced in the Ukraine war. One problem is the cost of shooting down the cheap Iranian Shahed-136 kamikaze drones deployed by Russia is draining the coffers and arms stockpiles. The west relies on expensive systems that Russia is exhausting to failure, straining the west. As Iran Demos its newest suicide drone, the Zolfaghar-1401 Military Drills are held, the US and its allies are especially uneasy. Related Article: Russian-Made Ka-52 Helicopter Captured in Ukraine Sent to US for Reverse Engineering @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Labour may be miles ahead in the polls but Keir Starmer is taking no chances. His New Year strategy is to chase 'Middle-Aged Mortgage Man' - identified as 50-something males with good jobs who may previously have voted Tory. The plan is modelled on Tony Blair's successful pursuit of 'Mondeo Man' and 'Worcester Woman', who were persuaded to vote Labour in 1997 and 2001. These two groups - young mums and middle-income home owners - were critical in delivering successive landslides. Starmer now thinks he can repeat the trick by going after his latest target demographic. I'm not so sure. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves hold drills during a walkabout at UCL on Thursday Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves returns to her seat at Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer gives a speech in the background at UCL on Thursday At least Mondeo Man and Worcester Woman had a certain panache. Middle-Aged Mortgage Man somehow doesn't have the same ring to it. You can just imagine the committee meeting which came up with the idea . . . 'OK, comrades, we're looking for a catchy slogan to describe our target voters. It needs to alliterate, like Mondeo Man and Worcester Wossname.' 'How about Northern Non-Binary?' 'Er . . .' 'Or Tranmere Trans Woman?' 'I can see where you're going with that, comrade. And I like it, very much. Pushes all the right diversity buttons. Just not sure how it would play in the Red Wall. Anyway, I think we can rely on the support of the LGBTQWERTY+ community. We need to convince men in particular who voted Tory last time.' 'Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James?' 'Been done already. What are these voters most worried about?' 'Illegal immigration.' 'Best steer clear of that one.' 'Paying the bills. Heating, food, mortgage especially.' 'Now we're cooking with energy from sustainable sources, comrades. We should be going after men with families struggling to make ends meet.' 'Got it! Middle-Aged Mortgage Man.' 'Brilliant!' To be honest, I preferred Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James. That old Manfred Mann classic came immediately to mind when I read the story, along with The Kinks' Well Respected Man. But since they were both smash hits in the 1960s, the world - especially the post-Covid world of work - has changed beyond all recognition. Only yesterday a new report said that few people work Monday to Friday any more. Most spend half the week WFH. Back then, the Kinks' Well Respected Man got the same train into town every day, and prided himself on punctuality and 'doing the best things so conservatively'. Today, his modern equivalent, not so much. If the great Ray Davies was sitting down now to write a sequel, called Middle-Aged Mortgage Man, it would probably go something like this . . . Coz he lies in every morning, And he stays in bed till nine, Coz he 'Works From Home' five days a week And avoids the Northern Line. His world is built round Bargain Hunt And Lorraine on ITV. And he's oh, so smug, And he's oh, so fine, And he's slobbing round the house again, In his jim-jams all the time. He's a Middle-Aged Mortgage Man from Middle England, Doing his day job so complacently. And he never goes to meetings, Except when they're on Zoom, He can do that from his sofa, In his comfy sitting room. Twice a day he walks his labradoodle puppy Down the pub. And he's oh, so smug, And he's oh, so fine, And he's dipping in the biscuit tin, Munching Hobnobs two at a time. He's a middle-management job-for-lifer, Doing his day job so complacently. And he likes his own backyard, He adores a glass of Merlot, He developed quite a taste for it, When he was home on furlough. Loved every day of lockdown coz he'd never Had it so good. And he's oh, so smug, And he's oh, so fine, But he won't go back to work again, Though he's bored out of his mind. He's a middle-ranking civil servant, Doing his day job so complacently. But he likes to stay in shape, So he's hired a personal trainer, And he's dying to get at her Coz she looks like Angela Rayner. He fancied her on Question Time and thinks He might vote Labour. And he's oh, so smug, And he's oh, so fine, And he's surfing the world wide web again, Watching porno flix online, He's a Middle-Aged Mortgage Man from Middle England, Doing his day job so complacently. China warns the United States not to stab it in the back with Taiwan talks as American officials continue to use what Beijing authorities call "salami tactics" that challenge the country's "red line" on Taiwan. The remarks came from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and were made after a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. The Chinese official's version of the call had Wang saying that US President Joe Biden's successful meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the November G20 Summit in Bali was a positive sign for the rest of the world. China-US Relations Over Taiwan However, Wang warned the US not to pursue dialogue and cooperation while "stabbing China in the back." In a statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the American government must take Beijing's legitimate concerns seriously and stop containing and suppressing China's development, particularly constantly challenging the red line, as per Fox News. In their meeting during the November summit, Xi reportedly told Biden that the Taiwan issue was the "very core of China's core interests" and the first red line in bilateral ties that must not be crossed. A few days after Wang issued his warning, China's military deployed 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force. The move came after Beijing expressed frustration at the self-governed island nation's receiving of provisions in a US annual defense spending bill. Blinken said, as per China's Foreign Ministry statement, that the US will continue to follow the one-China policy and does not support Taiwan's "independence." However, The American official's version of the discussion was that the two sides talked about the importance of continued dialogue. According to the Financial Times, the situation comes as the United States is sending a delegation of trade and economic officials to Taiwan on a trip set for next week. It will be held as the Biden administration seeks to continue to support the US' commercial relationship with the self-governed island nation. Read Also: North Korea Supports Russia's Aim To Invade Ukraine, Russian Diplomat Reveals Claims of Sovereignty On Wednesday, the office of the US trade representative announced that its top official responsible for trade with China, Terry McCartin, would lead the delegation. The trip to Taiwan was scheduled for January 14 to January 17. The agency said that officials from other government agencies would also be present during the trip. Since Biden won the presidency, US government officials have traveled to Taiwan on a few occasions. Washington's ambassador to Palau, John Hennessey-Niland, traveled to the self-governed island nation in early 2021 where he met with top officials, receiving Beijing's condemnation. Furthermore, last month, a deputy assistant secretary of state, Tony Fernandes, visited Taiwan to discuss economic issues with the region's officials. And when former White House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island last summer, tensions were sharply raised with China, placing Biden in a difficult position. The general reason why China has been keen on keeping the US from having formal trade relations with Taiwan is that it views the island nation as part of its territory. However, the region's officials and residents continue to reject Beijing's claims, Newsweek reported. Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: Moscow Reveals Shocking Way Ukrainians Located Makiivka Base for Massive Missile Attack @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Last year, many cinema-goers in China would have seen a hit movie called Moon Man. Starring Shen Teng, a famous actor best described as the Chinese equivalent of Hollywoods Will Ferrell, it revolves around Dugu Yue, a lonely maintenance worker stranded in a lunar research facility after an asteroid hits planet Earth. His slapstick exploits lifted the spirits of a locked-down nation, helping Moon Man become the second-highest grossing movie of the year. Taking 3.1 billion Yuan (380 million) so far, its already one of the most successful Chinese-language comedy films of all time. Thats no mean feat given the impact of Beijings draconian covid restrictions on box-office takings. Yet Chinas burgeoning fascination with lunar exploration goes beyond mere fiction. For the prospects of the communist superpower creating a real-life version of Dugu Yue has just sparked a major diplomatic row. The Artemis I unmanned lunar rocket lifts off from launch pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in November Astronaut Wang Yaping waves after disembarking from the return capsule at the Dongfeng landing site in April At its centre is Bill Nelson, the top official of U.S. space agency NASA, who this week used an interview to make the explosive suggestion that Beijing intends to colonise the Moon and lay claim to its mineral wealth. Its a fact: were in a space race, he told Politico, a U.S. website journal that reports on global political and policy news. We better watch out that they dont get to a place on the Moon under the guise of scientific research. And it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they then say, Keep out, were here, this is our territory. Nelson suggested that the Peoples Republic, or rather its vast military, is now planning to effectively take over the Moon via similar tactics to the ones it has recently used in the South China Sea, where troops have established bases on a number of contested islands. His fears were echoed by retired astronaut Terry Virts, a former commander of the International Space Station. They want to be the dominant power on Earth, so going to the Moon is a way to show their system is working, he warned. There is potentially mischief China can do on the Moon. If they set up infrastructure there, they could potentially deny communications, for example. Having them there doesnt make things easier. There is real concern about Chinese meddling. Behind these pronouncements lies a major concern. Namely: the lunar surface contains large reserves of valuable metals, from iron and gold to platinum, tungsten, and a gas called helium-3, which some scientists believe could one day be used to fuel nuclear fusion plants. Three crew members of China's Shenzhou XIII mission returned to Earth safely in April after completing six-month space mission If a way could be found to transport significant quantities across the 240,000 miles of space between Earth and the Moon, some reckon the Moons supplies of helium-3 may solve mankinds future energy crisis. A single 40-ton consignment could, by the reckoning of some experts, power the U.S. for an entire year, and the Moon is thought to have 1.1 million tons of it. A country able to plant its flag on the Moon could, in other words, place itself on course to future world domination. That helps explain why, after decades of indifference, serious efforts are once more being made to send a human being back to the Moon, with the U.S. desperate to get there before its communist rival. Its more than 50 years since Apollo 17s swashbuckling pilot Gene Cernan uttered the last words that a human being would speak on the Moon in the 20th century, when he turned to colleague Harrison Jack Schmitt and declared: Okay, Jack, lets get this mother outta here. NASA is hoping to make a return visit by the end of 2025. Shortly before Christmas, its Artemis I mission saw an un-crewed Orion space capsule fly around the Moon. A follow-up, Artemis II, is scheduled to take a crew on a similar journey next year. If all goes according to plan, Artemis III aims to place an American on the Moon by 2025, using a lander developed by Elon Musks spacecraft manufacturer, SpaceX. The Shenzhou-13 spacecraft is launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center China has for its part opened a new space station called Tiangong, and officials says they want to land taikonauts (their version of astronauts) on the Moon by 2030. Recent years have seen Beijing launch a series of robotic landers and rovers to collect lunar samples. In 2020, its Change 5 spacecraft returned home with a collection of exotic rock fragments, the first time since the Soviet Unions Luna mission in 1976. A Change 6 robotic mission aims to soon collect further samples, while Change 7 and 8 will make preparations for a scientific base at the Moons south pole. In a lecture this week, Wu Yansheng, chairman of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation hinted at the communist administrations long-term plan by showing animated film of an astronaut with a Peoples Republic flag descending from a lander onto the lunar surface. A second clip depicted a pair of astronauts, a planted flag and a rover. While exploration of the Moon is entirely legal, international law (on paper) currently prohibits any person or country from attempting to turn it into their property. The rules governing its future are set out in the UNs Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which bars nations from making territorial claims on any celestial body. Both China and the US are among the 102 countries who signed it. What nobody knows, however, is how such a law might fare in court, since the treaty has never been properly tested. International law in outer space is not as well developed as it should be, is how Ian Crawford, a planetary scientist at Birkbeck College, London, puts it. Similar grey areas in international law have led to some friction on planet Earth between competing powers seeking to develop and secure ownership of both the Arctic and Antarctic. With this in mind, Victoria Samson, Washington office director of the Secure World Foundation, which is dedicated to the peaceful use of outer space, admits that competition between Washington and Beijing for limited landing sites and resources on the lunar surface could create friction. Thats where we have made the argument that there is a need to engage with China, she told Politico this week, because of the possibility of landing near each other or having to provide emergency services to astronauts or taikonauts. Other experts are less convinced that any intergalactic conflict is imminent. There is obviously some kind of rivalry between the U.S. and China, and it would be naive to think this doesnt intrude into space, says Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society. Space has already been militarised, with spy satellites being a good example. But the Moon is a huge place and its very difficult to see how astronauts would need or be able to mount a land grab. Dr Massey adds that, although there are valuable metals on the lunar surface, we are nowhere near being able to mine them. And the potential uses of helium-3 have yet to be properly proven. Yes, China may want to assert itself as a global space power and push boundaries, but that is quite different to some sort of colonial dispute. Its perhaps more similar to the sort of space race we saw between the U.S. and USSR during the Cold War. Be that as it may, China has been incensed by Bill Nelsons comments, responding via a barrage of critical articles in its State-sponsored media outlets, several of which (perhaps fairly) accuse the NASA chief of fear-mongering in order to persuade the U.S. Congress to sign off his organisations $24 billion annual budget. The Peoples Daily for example declared: In terms of Moon landing, it is our business to decide when we will send our astronauts there, and it is none of any others countrys business. Meanwhile, the countrys Global Times newspaper told readers that Nelsons smearing remarks against Chinas space development are yet another ridiculous and pathetic attempt to hype the China threat theory to get more funding, which only exposes the U.S.s own hegemonic and colonial ambitions. Song Zhongping, a space analyst and TV commentator loyal to Beijing, has meanwhile launched a furious attack on NASAs boss in the Global Times, saying: Being a former astronaut himself, it is pathetic that he would play the trick of a thief crying Stop thief. With fighting talk like that, Moon Man wont be the only lunar drama that captures Chinas imagination in the months and years to come. Prince Harry has every right to feel angry and upset that he suffered an alleged physical assault at the hands of his brother William. Any physical altercation in the home is unacceptable. For one brother to strike another and Harry accuses William of grabbing him so hard he was knocked to the floor cannot be condoned, whatever the provocation. But there is another aspect of this particular incident that left me far more puzzled: Harry's claim that he spoke to his therapist straight after the episode. As a psychiatrist who has trained in several types of psychotherapy and undergone it myself, I find this bizarre. Britain's Prince William and Britain's Prince Harry walk beside each other after viewing the floral tributes for the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Windsor Castle, in Windsor, England, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022 In a leaked excerpt from his memoirs, Harry said that he called his therapist after getting into a physical altercation with his brother William before telling his wife Meghan Why didn't Harry immediately tell his wife, Meghan? I would imagine most close couples would seek comfort with their other half after such an emotional event. It seems odd, too, that Harry was apparently on speed-dial to a therapist when the Duchess of Sussex had claimed in their tell-all Oprah interview (and again in the Netflix documentary) that the Royal Family's palace officials denied her mental health treatment when she was feeling suicidal, because 'it wouldn't be good for the institution'. But most puzzling of all, I can't understand why any reputable therapist would be acting as a comfort blanket in this way: someone to offer consolation and reassurance whenever something bad happens. A therapist is not usually the first person you turn to when life gets bumpy. It's possible that Harry happened to have one of his regular therapy sessions booked on the day the alleged assault occurred. In that case, it's natural the Prince and the therapist discussed what had just happened. But if Harry was treating his therapist as a first line of defence, that's a red flag. Therapy is not a form of crisis management. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018 in London, England Misused in this way, it has the potential to make mental health problems worse, not better, because a therapist can never be there all the time for all their patients, and it prevents people from drawing on their own resources and developing more appropriate, sustainable coping mechanisms. At the start of every course with a new patient, I have always set firm boundaries. The importance of this is impressed on us in our training. Our sessions follow a fixed routine, on regular dates. I don't share my personal mobile number. This protects the patient as well as me. Everyone needs someone to call in an emergency but at the end of the day, a therapist is not your phone-a-friend. Regardless of preconceptions people might have from movies, all good therapy has a goal and a fixed finish line: to heal emotional injuries and achieve recovery. If it goes on indefinitely, never reaching a resolution, it could actually be doing psychological damage, because it prevents people from moving towards independence and responsibility. In the privacy of the consulting room, patients are able to be as self-centred, immature and selfish as they need to be. But that's a tool of psychotherapy, a method of reaching back into childhood trauma to treat the wounds that have been festering for a lifetime. Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (L) and Prince Harry's brother and best man Prince William, Duke of Cambridge wait in the chapel ahead of his wedding to US actress Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018 In their everyday life, patients have to develop different coping strategies. They need a support network of friends, and they need to learn to reflect on daily events before running to their therapist. Conversations with therapists can be hard and painful. They aren't necessarily meant to be comforting. Good psychiatrists don't sit there, nodding like yes-men and cooing with sympathy like sycophants. They pose challenging questions and guide the patient to search within themselves for answers. Of course, private therapists (not those funded by the NHS) face a dilemma. Their patients provide their living. Wealthy celebrity patients often pay handsomely. But good therapy works towards an end-point which means an end to the fees. I worry this incident shows that Prince Harry, who has set himself up as a champion for mental health, is a poor example of therapy at work. That's tragic, because it is the ideal tool for men like him: former servicemen, with young families, approaching middle age with a backlog of traumas, from a generation and culture where males, in particular, were expected to repress their problems and deal with stress in silence. Those men might look at Harry and think, with justification, that therapy hasn't done him much good. The Prince appears to be trapped in his past, unable to escape the heartache of his parents' divorce and his mother's death, and the perceived slights of his family going round in circles instead of moving forward. Anyone with empathy for William and Harry, young men the country has known since they were babies, will feel that making the fights in their relationship public can only damage their fractured relationship further. Where is the healing, the resolution? Harry is truly a terrible advertisement for the benefits of therapy. Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. So says Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III as he is dragged back into the family organised-crime business after trying to go straight. Well, thats exactly how I feel about Prince Harry. Just when I thought I was out, he pulls me back in. Just when I felt free to write about other topical matters, perhaps Rishis oh-so exciting plan for more maths classes, or one of the former Marquess of Baths wifelets suing the estate for a share of his will heres a maths equation for that, darling: 0 + 0 = 0 Harry barges into the narrative once more, tootling on his trumpet of ongoing anguish, simply impossible to ignore. Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. So says Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III as he is dragged back into the family organised-crime business after trying to go straight. Well, thats exactly how I feel about Prince Harry This time the grudge-toting manbaby really has thrown all his toys out of the royal pram. My favourite new revelation is that Prince William physically attacked him following a row over Meghans alleged rudeness to staff, making Harry scared, breaking his necklace and causing him to fall onto a dog bowl. What? Rather than a robust disagreement between two expensively educated military veterans, Willy v Harold sounds like a catfight between two big girlies scrapping outside the St Trinians dorms over a lipstick. This showdown was less of a rumble in the jungle and more of a little light bitchin in the Nott Cott kitchen. The dog bowl cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me, wails Harry in his autobiography, Spare. He ended up, he notes, with scrapes and bruises. All this from a former British Army captain who served two tours in Afghanistan, who now boasts of killing 25 members of the Taliban and who was once the Captain General of the Royal Marines, whose new motto should be By Sea, By Land, By Dog Bowl. My favourite new revelation is that Prince William physically attacked him following a row over Meghans alleged rudeness to staff, making Harry scared, breaking his necklace and causing him to fall onto a dog bowl How glad they must be that Harry no longer carries their honorific title, for surely this elite fighting force would burn with shame at his lack of grit. Not to mention his lack of discretion in publicly mentioning his Taliban kill count; this is the kind of morbid vanity that every decent, professional soldier abhors and which belongs only in a video game. The adventures of Prince Harry are particularly difficult to overlook at the moment because, with all the subtlety of a runaway tank, he is moving into the crucial phase of Megxit. Three years after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex fled these shores to escape the tyranny of royal privilege and free homes, their campaign to wreak havoc on the House of Windsor is cresting. Following on from the damaging revelations first aired on Oprah, then in assorted podcasts, interviews and throughout the six-part Netflix docu-series, we now have the piece de resistance, the sour cherry on the rancid cake; Harrys tell-all book along with at least three accompanying tell-all television interviews. But what is left to tell us all? Plenty, it seems. Never mind the teenage cocaine use and losing his virginity in a field outside a country pub isnt that what all dukes do? the printed page has produced the purest distillation yet of Harrys deep dissatisfaction and unhappiness with himself, his family and most of all his wretched secondary position in the royal hierarchy. This showdown was less of a rumble in the jungle and more of a little light bitchin in the Nott Cott kitchen. The dog bowl cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me, wails Harry in his autobiography, Spare In no special order, Spare reveals that he once communed with some kind of spiritualist to get in touch with his dead mother; he believes his brother to be his arch nemesis; he begged his father not to marry evil stepmother Camilla; and he was once furious because Meghan was furious because Kate was furious after Meghan accused her of having hormonal baby brain when she was pregnant with Prince Louis. Is there anything else? Yes. One can only admire his rigour when it comes to settling scores. Seventeen years after the event, Harry uses Spare to accuse William and Kate of encouraging him to wear that infamous Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party and what he seems most annoyed about is that they escaped blame in the subsequent scandal. Then, as now, what obsesses Harry is not what actually happens in his life, but the Press coverage and the public perception of what happened. This allows him to avoid accountability and convince himself that nothing is ever his fault, not even wearing a swastika armband in public for a laugh. I vos only obeying orders, is what he didnt say while not clicking his heels. Yet he was 20 years old at the time, a weapons-carrying officer cadet at Sandhurst. If not responsible for making his own decisions in those days, then when would he ever be? Then, as now, what obsesses Harry is not what actually happens in his life, but the Press coverage and the public perception of what happened. This allows him to avoid accountability and convince himself that nothing is ever his fault, not even wearing a swastika armband in public for a laugh, writes Jan Moir (pictured) The book is not even out yet, but the torrent of leaks and detail emerging is delicious. The bruises, the dog bowl, the swastikas, the fairy-tale cruelties he felt were his everyday fate these are the petty tent pegs holding down Harrys enormous marquee of misery, this is the ballast in his big balloon of sulky hot air. And in writing all this down, he may have invented a whole new literary genre the self-harming memoir, the autobiography that shreds a reputation instead of enhancing one. Prince Harry wants to be seen as a hero on a long walk to freedom, but each fresh revelation from Spare suggests that he is far more Adrian Mole than Nelson Mandela. Already, the public are begging for less while a #ShutUpHarry hashtag trended on Twitter for most of yesterday. Spare Us would perhaps be a more fitting title for his book. It certainly seems to be the case that the more and more the Duke and Duchess harvest their story while submitting their crop to deeper scrutiny and analysis, the less and less admirable they will seem. Already, the worthy causes they so noisily embrace sometimes look like mere camouflage for the real Sussexian businesses of vengeance, making millions and establishing a legacy for themselves at the expense of others most pointedly the Prince and Princess of Wales. Can Harry and Meghans joint account of events withstand the fresh self-exposure? Already, credulity is being stretched and eyebrows raised. For example, Prince Harry revealed that he called his therapist immediately after his physical fight with William in 2019. It says everything about the kind of man he has become, but even more about the Duchess of Sussexs claims around this time that Palace officials stopped her from seeking help for her suicidal state because it was not a good look. Yet her husband had a therapist on 24-hour speed-dial. What was stopping her from doing the same? So far, the narrative that emerges most strongly is Harrys obsession with Palace officials briefing the Press against him and his wife, which he believes lies at the heart of all his troubles. Yet it doesnt make sense. He seems to believe that British newspapers and magazines form a giant sponge whose sole purpose is to suck up a custard of lies about the Sussexes every day and then spoonfeed those same lies to the gullible milksops of the British public. That is to deny the vibrant, independent nature of British newspapers and the bristling and varied opinions of British people, who can make up their own minds, thank you very much. Harry thinks everyone is stupid and credulous, except him. When William tells Harry that Meghan is difficult and abrasive towards staff, he accuses his brother of accepting the Press narrative. In his interview with Tom Bradby, to be broadcast on Sunday, the ITV anchor suggests that Harry is being a hypocrite by railing against invasions of his own privacy but now invading the privacy of your nearest and dearest without permission. Prince Harry replies: That would be the accusation from people that dont understand or dont want to believe that my family have been briefing the Press. Yet he does not shirk from detailing intimate family conversations following Prince Philips funeral. Please boys, dont make my final years a misery, was Charless plea to warring William and Harry, made hours after burying his own father. Revealing this intensely private moment to the world was, I thought, a particularly low blow. I want a family not an institution, he also told Bradby, a classic moment of peak Harry hypocrisy. For on the pages of his book, in the canyons of his mind and in all his interviews to date, Prince Harry has done nothing but scorn his family and abuse their trust, while cleaving like crazy to the institutional titles and ciphers, to the heritage and lineage which are the only things that mark him out from the herd. Like a drowning sailor clinging to the mast of a sinking ship, he cannot let go. Without the institution, he would be nothing. Meanwhile, this great gathering of his grumbles isnt over and it must be exhausting for all those being ground down in his crucible of woe. Yet who could have imagined at this point that the hero of Spare would be William and not Harry. And that if big brother pushed little brother over in exasperation, one can understand why. And even sneakily admire him for doing so. History is full of royal stories in which princes quarrel. We know, for example, that King Edward VIIIs brother, Bertie the shy, stammering Duke of York who never wanted to be King George VI begged his brother not to abdicate. George IIIs dissolute sons all fought like dogs. But none of them wrote a memoir to tell the public all about it. We have been treated to a story in Prince Harrys memoir about his blistering quarrel with William, in which the present Prince of Wales supposedly felled his younger sibling. There are many who, after reading Spare, will have a measure of sympathy with anyone wanting to hit Harry. Pictured: King Charles III talking with the Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of Sussex and the then Duke of Cambridge as they attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey, London Whatever, we can surely all agree that it would have been more seemly not to tell the story of the fight, along with so many others about royal goings-on. Having made the idiotic decision to go public about his rift with the Royal Family, Harry was no doubt under enormous pressure from Netflix, from publishers, from his publicists and agents to spew out as much poison as possible. But it has cast him in an appalling light. And whatever he intended, it makes us sympathise not with him, but the Royal Family. In trailers for his ITV interview with Tom Bradby on Sunday evening, Prince Harry says of his family: They feel as though it is better to keep us somehow as the villains. As it happens, his father, his brother and his late grandmother made almost no comment about the torrent of indiscretions and insults flowing from Meghan and Harry, either before or after the notorious TV interview with Oprah Winfrey. A.N. WILSON: 'There are many who, after reading Spare, will have a measure of sympathy with anyone wanting to hit Harry' The Queen quite rightly said about the couples allegations that recollections may vary. As for the Royal Family painting Harry and his wife as villains, the real villainy is surely the publication of this memoir an act of hostility against a family who cannot answer back without making the situation worse. Up to this point, many of us would still have given Harry the benefit of the doubt. I, for one, would always have said that he is a wounded individual. My line of thinking would have been as follows: The little boy who publicly walked behind Dianas coffin before millions of TV viewers has been carrying a terrible trauma ever since. He was a brave soldier (though none of us knew he had killed 25 enemy fighters in Afghanistan, as he rather disturbingly reveals in this memoir). He did his best to serve as second fiddle to his beloved brother, but something had to snap. The marriage to Meghan served as a catalyst to that. A.N. WILSON: 'As for the Royal Family painting Harry and his wife as villains, the real villainy is surely the publication of this memoir an act of hostility against a family who cannot answer back without making the situation worse' This thought process would have absolved Harry of deliberate ill will. It would have seen him as an amiable chump who had gone off the rails and been sent a bit weird by mixing with Californian gurus, quack therapists and B-list celebrities. But Spare is not the work of a mere buffoon. Of course, he did not write it himself, but he has authorised it, and it is based on words which have come from his mouth. It is not the work of an innocent idiot. It is malice, pure and simple. The stories from the book are designed to make us think less of Prince William, his wife, Catherine, the King and the Queen Consort. It is all very well for Harry to invade his own private life by spilling the beans about what went on behind palace walls even if it does mean we learn unsavoury details such as how he lost his virginity to an older woman in a field behind a pub. But to invade the privacy of other members of his family, in an all-too-apparent attempt to degrade them and burnish his own credentials, is calculated and despicable. A.N. WILSON: 'The stories from the book are designed to make us think less of Prince William, his wife, Catherine, the King and the Queen Consort' His reflections on the King, his father, are a case in point. True, it would seem that Harrys words about Charles are less directly malicious than what he has to say about some of his other relatives. But the story about Charles begging his two sons not to make his old age a misery in a conversation that took place immediately after Prince Philips funeral should never have been made public. He speaks of Charles as a wreck, a has-been, who watches powerless as his sons declare war on one another. How could any son betray a fathers confidences in this way? The account of this meeting actually borders on the paranoid. As Charles and William approach Harry in the run up to it, he says: Finally, I saw them. Shoulder to shoulder, advanced towards me briskly, they looked very serious, almost threatening. He adds that my father and Willy had come looking for a fight. Even in his own distorted picture of this conversation, he does not seem to realise how absurdly he contradicts himself. In the same way as he writes a tell-all memoir to complain about Press intrusion, or his wife goes on television to say how much they deserve a basic right to privacy, so he seems not to realise it was they who took the fight to the Palace. They who, when they did not get what they wanted, ran away to America. A.N. WILSON: 'The fact is that the great majority of people in Britain want the institution of monarchy to survive' He whinges to Prince William that he and Meghan had hoped to live in Frogmore Cottage for the rest of his life. You went, Harold, William apparently replies. Harry tells us that he and his brother agreed never to accept Camilla as their stepmother, that he and William begged Charles not to marry her, and said they would always regard her as that cliche of cliches, the wicked stepmother. As a matter of fact, anyone with eyes in their head can see that our rather vulnerable King derives support and happiness from Camilla, that she has been the most wonderful bulwark to him for decades, and that the marriage can only warm the cockles of any observers heart. Camilla an obviously decent human being who, unlike Harry and Meghan, does not blow her own trumpet, and is unpompous and humble and genuinely humorous has not been a wicked stepmother. And any highly understandable anxiety about the marriage on Prince Williams part has obviously been set to one side witness the way in which Camilla and Kate appear in public, happily chatting together and clearly good friends. The fact is that the great majority of people in Britain want the institution of monarchy to survive. A.N. WILSON: 'He has demeaned the idea of brotherly love itself, and told us things which, however greedily we lap them up, it would have been better not to know' And we are optimists. We believe King Charles and his Queen Consort will be good for the monarchy, and that William and Kate, who carry out their public duties with self-effacing cheerfulness, will hand on the baton to Prince George with every hope that this institution, which has lasted more than 1,000 years, will continue. Certainly, the monarchy, stretching back to Alfred the Great and beyond, has survived worse damage to its reputation than anything Harry can throw at his family. Weve seen the disgusting Henry VIIIs behaviour to his six wives; weve seen the revolting greed and lechery of George IV; weve endured the abdication of Edward VIII. Beside any of these calamities, the narcissistic bleating of two spoilt people living in California will vanish without trace. But having said that, there is no doubt that Spare leaves a nasty taste in the mouth one of the envious spite of a younger brother. We should have anticipated it, for the very title snarls out this message. Playing second fiddle to one who will one day wear the crown is a very difficult thing to do: witness the troubled life of Princess Margaret. Yet it was to the credit of both Margaret and the Queen that, despite any sisterly resentment, their bond was deep and warm. Harry and Meghan are said to resent the fact their children are not allowed to dub themselves HRH. But again this is absurdly contradictory wanting to have their cake and eat it after they gave up their royal duties. A.N. WILSON: 'He speaks of Charles as a wreck, a has-been, who watches powerless as his sons declare war on one another. How could any son betray a fathers confidences in this way?' It would be humbug on my part, as a journalist, to say I was not fascinated by this awful story; hypocrisy to pretend that I am not interested in the details. But this does not stop me wishing that Harry had not authorised this book. Washing any family dirty linen in public is demeaning. In the case of the royals, it is excruciating. I cannot help but be interested in the fact that the two princes had a fight, but that does not mean I should know such stories. It was Prince Albert and Queen Victoria who invented the modern constitutional monarchy. They took the huge risk of making the royals into a kind of ideal family, a model to look up to. It was asking for trouble, of course, as anyone could quickly see when they watched their eldest son, the Prince of Wales, getting into endless marital scandals. There did not seem to be much about Edward VIIIs sordid life which the public would want to emulate either, even before we learnt he was a Nazi sympathiser. But with the coming of George VI and Elizabeth II, there seemed to be some mileage in Prince Alberts idea that the Royal Family could be a model family. The monarch held no power, but they could influence us to see any family as a sacred institution, and family loyalties as sacrosanct. That is surely why Spare seems such a betrayal. It is not simply that Harry has done the dirty on his brother, but also on his companion in grief over their late mother. He has demeaned the idea of brotherly love itself, and told us things which, however greedily we lap them up, it would have been better not to know. Some instructors worry that the spiritual practice of yoga has been sexualised Since it's reached the West in the late 19th century, yoga has been popularised as both a sport, and a mindful relaxation tool. However, instructors have now warned that the practice has become too sexualised online. US TikTok user Queen of the Ratchet, pointed out that a quick search for the word 'yoga' on the popular app came up with countless clips of women recreating graphic poses while wearing little to no clothes. While many of us will be searching popular channels like Yoga With Adrienne in January, instructors have warned that less reputable teachers are taking the practice away from its spiritual and mindful roots. Former Strictly professional Kristina Rihanoff, who co-owns the UK's biggest yoga and wellbeing centre Soo Yoga, told Femail she fears the sexualisation of the practice might turn people away from yoga. British and US yoga instructors have warned that the practice has become too sexualised online, after countless women shared videos of themselves doing suggestive poses in bikinis Many users were shocked to find the explicit videos lurking around the tag 'yoga'; on TikTok. User nimay.ndolo went viral with a video where she asks her followers to 'type in the word "yoga" on this app,' before revealing 'they are showing p****, they are showing p*****. P***** and buttocks, 4K buttocks.' Yoga instructor Nikita Desai said in a video reacting to Nimay's clip: 'It still amazes me how the algorithm allows this to be the spectacle of yoga. 'I guess that's what happens when an ancient, deep, meaningful spiritual practice that was intended for the purpose of our mental and emotional wellbeing becomes overly sexualised and heavily whitewashed.' Former Strictly professional Kristina Rihanoff, who co-owns the UK's biggest yoga and wellbeing centre Soo Yoga, told Femail she fears the sexualisation of the practice might turned people off from yoga Highly suggestive videos have begun to populate the social media under the search term 'yoga' Giving her opinion on the spread of the videos, Miss Rihanoff said she has seen how social media has changed the practice over the years. 'As someone who has been a yoga devotee for 20 years, I can see how the social media trends shifted the focus of yoga from holistic to being something of a showcase of slim physiques, sexy outfits and ridiculously complicated poses,' she said. 'The purpose of yoga is to build strength, awareness and harmony in both the mind and body. Its a philosophy and step-by-step guide toward spiritual enlightenment. Sexualising yoga takes us away from what this ancient philosophy is really about. It takes us away from authentic roots of yoga.' TikTok user Queen of the Ratchet, left, was one of the first to notice the trend. Yoga instructor Nikita Desai, right, said she believes the videos have surfaced because yoga has been overly sexualised and heavily whitewashed Miss Rihanoff said she fell in love with yoga because it gave her a space to relax, as well as made her body more flexible. She noted that while she knew the practice had been heavily Westernised by the time she took it up, yoga was still about the 'mental & physical wellness of the practitioners.' The dancer added that she believes the sexualisation of the practice is also encouraged by yoga brands and social media channels promoting it online. 'Instagram and TikTok took over our world and we now see quite the opposite in yoga. I dont believe its purely because yoga started to be seen just as a fitness trend,' she said. Miss Rihanoff believes the sexualisation of the practice is also encouraged by yoga brands and social media channels promoting it online She added that clothing companies have also been producing 'tiny little bikini-type yoga outfits' She added that clothing companies also have an impact, saying: 'I think there is a lot of influence from yoga clothing companies which produce tiny little bikini-type yoga outfits, which lets face it I will never, ever wear myself and I never see any of my students wearing either. 'When I do look at skinny teenagers performing splits in pretty much underwear, and backbends where you can see the full body anatomy, it makes me sad that a lot of people who perhaps want to start taking yoga will be turned off by that, or perhaps feel that they will never be able to practice yoga. 'I think we need to be more realistic about body types and what we would consider to be healthy. It is not about being skinny, its about being strong - physically mentally and emotionally - and that should be reflected in yoga clothes brands.' She added that, as a mother of two, she believes that the sexualised version of yoga will put some people off wanting to try it. How to practise authentic yoga Kristina Rihanoff, who co-owns the yoga studio Soo Yoga, said: 'My advice would be to do a little research, ask around and talk to people who go to various classes in your area and see what they say. Dont fall for shiny photos on social media. 'Some authentic yoga teachers with a lot of years of experience are not really on social media. 'If you want more advice from me please feel free to join my community and Im very happy to help you.' Advertisement 'They already have a preconceived vision of those sexy poses of young girls doing pretzel poses and they think thats what yoga is,' she said. 'Yoga is many things and there's nothing wrong with doing complex poses. But why do we have to make it all about nearly naked people twisting their limps around their neck. 'Yoga should be about appealing to a wide range of ages and abilities and even disabilities.' Miss Rihanoff, who is qualified in many styles from pregnancy/postnatal yoga to chair yoga for people with mobility issues, added that physical variants of the practice still hold a wellbeing component. 'Ashtanga vinyasa classes are extremely full on practices which will give you a stronger workout than some fitness classes, but they still should be taught from the place of mindfulness and spirituality,' she said. 'You are honouring your body by training it to be stronger, to be more flexible, to be better. 'Many studios have a very holistic approach to practice, always starting from breathing and mindfulness in the movement, which truly draw me to that type of exercise. To be fair. I never thought that its exercise.' Meanwhile, Trish Whelan, who created Soul Adventures yoga retreat, said she believes the sexualisation of yoga comes from a bigger trend. 'The sexualisation of spirituality was bound to happen, as the spiritual ego can become problematic when it is not balanced,' she said. 'Yoga poses on the edge on cliff edges in bikinis is probably about as far away from the original practice of yoga as we can get. 'Let's all remember why we got to this practice in the first place, let's keep it holy.' Read more: Do YOU know how to spot a narcissist? Psychologist reveals 10 telltale signs that indicate someone has the personality style - and shares simple tips to help you deal with them We challenged three brave writers to follow the philosophies of the worlds top wellness clinics, only without the luxury. So... Can you cook up a super rich health spa at home? Struggling for motivation? Heres fitness fashion to get out of bed for... Fabulously feel-good gym gear Baker claims influencer and her friend have given her multiple one-star reviews Last month, she was approached by influencer Anna Kurtoglyan over email A small business owner who refused an influencer a free birthday cake was left outraged when Instagram removed her post which branded them 'fake and petty'. Reshmi Bennett, 39, is a children's author and baker from London who runs the luxury cake business Anges de Sucre. Last month, the mother received an email from London-based influencer Anna Kurtoglyan - who boasts 243,000 Instagram followers - asking if she could make her a cake for her friend's birthday in exchange for social media coverage. In response, Resmi told her 'Just buy a cake from somewhere and don't be so cringe', but had her post taken down from Instagram for violating community guidelines on being 'respectful' to other users. Reshmi Bennett (pictured in 2021) from London, runs the luxury cake business Anges de Sucre A screenshot of Anna's email - which Reshi posted on her Instagram - read: 'I've been a huge fan of your brand for quite a while. I adore your product's quality and amazing designs, and I am always happy to support you guys on my social channels xx 'I wanted to reach out and see if you like to collaborate? It's my best friend's birthday soon and it would be amazing to order a cake from Anges de Sucre as my friend is also a big fan and this would be a perfect surprise!' She then ends the email by offering to 'create some content in exchange for the cake'. Later that day, Reshmi responded to Anna and declined her offer before accusing the influencer of 'begging for a freebie'. She wrote: 'Thanks for writing! It's always lovely to hear from genuine fans. You say you've been a huge fan for quite a while. Influencer Anna Kurtoglyan asked Reshmi if she would make her a free cake for a friend's birthday in exchange for social media coverage. Pictured: the influencer in London Left: Anna's email asking Reshmi for a free cake in exchange for social media coverage. Right: Reshmi's response later that day, asking the influencer to stop 'begging for a freebie' 'But I noticed you don't even follow my page. And I don't know or care about your best friend so it's a no hun from me. 'Just buy a cake from somewhere and don't be so cringe. Or if you were actually such a huge fan as you claimed, you'd know to fake bake is super cool. 'Your friend will adore you for your fake bake effort versus begging for a freebie. Merry Christmas!' Alongside her bespoke cakes, Reshmi has built a 56,000 Instagram following thanks to her 'fake bake' series - where she challenges herself to create a professional-looking creation using all premade supermarket ingredients. Anna responded to Reshmi's post by telling her that they had made a 'cooler cake' for Alina Lefft: Alina - whose birthday it was - detailed her perspective on her Instagram Stories. Right: Anna asked her followers to weigh in on a poll, with 78 per cent taking Reshmi's side After Reshmi shared the email exchange on Instagram, Anna's influencer friend Alina Rafikova - whose 25th birthday it was - jumped to her pal's defence in the comments of the now-deleted post. She wrote: 'I receive many emails from different brands asking me to collaborate with them for free, and as the owner of a small business, I totally understand sometimes there is no chance to afford it but I just politely decline any opportunities I receive. 'There is no need to be rude. So many people after being featured in major magazines start thinking they are the best in this sphere but your cakes are not even better than cakes from Peggy Porschen. 'I just want to say that it's not very professional from your side to answer this way. Luxury company will never allow this behaviour towards their potential customers. Thanks.' Reshmi (pictured) accused the influencers of leaving her multiple one-star reviews on Google Left: Alinal labelled Reshmi 'rude' in the comments of her original Instagram post. Right: Reshmi was upset to find several new one-star reviews left on her business' Google page What's more, Anna said that the pair made an 'even cooler cake' to celebrate Alina's birthday, which featured in a Reel on her page. Describing it as a 'not very nice way to decline', she then argued in a follow-up comment: 'By the way, we are Chanel fans but we don't follow the page, so we are not real fans?!' In the wake of the dispute, Anna then created a poll asking her followers if they thought Reshmi's behaviour was 'rude and offensive'. While 22 per cent of people took the influencers' side, the majority believed Reshmi was in the right. As her post was repeatedly removed from her page, Reshmi wrote on her Stories: 'Instagram, the irony of you removing my post outing two trolls is not lost on me.' Left: One of Reshmi's recent birthday cake orders. Right: Reshmi's 10 Crunchy Nut 'Fake Bake' In a follow-up post, Reshmi then claimed the Anna and Alina had started making fake Google accounts to leave her multiple one-star reviews online and labelled the pair 'entitled, fake, petty and pathetic'. Anna has since denied leaving a one-star review. She alleged: 'These two influencers are leaving us fake 1* reviews on Google after I refused to give them a free cake and told them to go where the sun don't shine. 'They then tried to drag my name through the mud on Insta and now TikTok and didn't like me biting back. Then they got so butt hurt from scoring some epic own goals on their own story polls trashing me that they stayed up till the wee hours making fake profiles for Google and leaving us reviews. 'Grifters - your 250K+ followers doesn't impress me, your content sucks, your grammar sucks, and your cooler cake is s**. Get a real job and stop trying to get businesses to fund your fake lifestyles. Absolute bottom feeding cretins of society.' Since it was uploaded this morning, Instagram has removed the post several times after it was repeatedly reported for 'violating community guidelines'. In her Stories, Reshmi likened it to a 'yo-yo' and said: 'Instagram, the irony of you removing my post outing two trolls is not lost on me.' Anna Kurtoglyan's response: It all started when I reached out to Reshmi for a collaboration, sending her a polite proposal to see if she was interested in creating something interesting together as it was my friend's birthday (not necessarily a gifted cake but perhaps to create a personalised cake and maybe any discount) and of course, I was not 'begging for a cake' as it was mentioned many times by Reshmi and her followers. Her response was quite rude but it was acceptable for me and I didn't reply, although it did say 'I don't care about your best friend' and 'don't be cringe'. After almost one month she started posting about me and my friend in her stories behind our backs after hiding the stories. We both didn't want to post anything but it felt like we had to repost her stories as they there was a lot of hate and bullying about us and our personal life. She started creating polls about how 'influencers are cringe', and discussing my friend's 'cake-less guests at blagger birthday'. It was also shocking to me that she posted my private email that I sent to her in stories and later post without closing any personal information. Both me and my friend received many abusive messages from her followers. Her posts are continuing despite being take down by Instagram Violation rules and I am afraid for our safety as the messages seem disturbing to us. Sadly, the truth has been twisted upside down as the reason of this scandal is not about free cake (I didn't ask for a free cake, I just wanted to help promote business and perhaps choose a personalised design of cake). But it's about disrespectful attitude towards us or people who sent a simple polite business enquiry. We didn't start posting about Reshmi, just reposting and answering her stories, and then she blocked us and some of our followers. Thankfully, we also received some positive replies from our and her followers and I believe perhaps some of them left negative Google reviews or some customers. I was surprised to hear the accusations that say I left these reviews. Personally, I feel very sad that people personally attack without knowing real truth about this situation or Reshmi's business in general. It's heart-breaking that this could have happened to a person with mental health problems or disabilities as I believe any harassment or bullying should not be tolerated and people need to be polite and kind to each other, no matter of the reason for being angry. Advertisement Reshmi's followers were quick to rally around the baker in the comments. One replied: 'My New Year's resolution is to not buy from companies that gift to influencers.' 'The age of the influencer (freeloader/ponce) will come to an end,' another added. 'But fabulous cakes will live on!' A third wrote: 'Why do people think they are entitled to free stuff? We as small businesses work hard and nothing is given us for free.' Read More: Mother slammed for not buying her daughter colourful toys for Christmas - as trolls accuse her of forcing 'sad beige aesthetic' on her baby I thought I'd found the perfect Christmas party outfit - until I saw what it looked like from the back When is the right time to spend Christmas with a new partner? Relationship expert reveals why you should wait YEARS before taking the plunge The necklace the Duke of Sussex has claimed was ripped by Prince William during a physical alteration in 2019 is believed to have been a gift from his ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy. In an extraordinary excerpt from his upcoming autobiography Spare, Prince Harry 38, claims he was left with visible 'scrapes and bruises' after allegedly being attacked by his brother. In the explosive excerpt, leaked to the Guardian, he claims: '[William] grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor.' Harry has been pictured wearing the same necklace over the past decade, a silver pendant on a leather string, with previous reports stating it was a gift from Chelsy. The Duke of Sussex, pictured in 2021, wearing the pendant that may have been 'ripped' during a fight with Prince William Harry and Chelsy - who met while attending schools in London - dated on-and-off for six years from 2004 after Harry travelled to Zimbabwe during his gap year. The duke is believed to have started wearing the necklace at the end of that year, and was pictured at a rugby match that November with the leather pendant round his neck. He was seen wearing the necklace throughout their relationship, and continued to wear the pendant after the split in 2011. Chelsy said she did not want to become a princess because she wanted a career and a private life. Chelsy Davy, pictured with Harry in 2007, is believed to have given him the leather pendant when they started dating In March 2012, the necklace fell out of his shirt while he was playing rugby during his tour of Brazil. At the time, The Daily Star alleged that Chelsy gave Harry the necklace as a gift in the early days of their romance. He has continued to wear the pendant, and the leather cord is often visible when he wears an open collar for engagements. In 2021, the duke added a new pendant to the leather cord which was printed with the letter A. Prince Harry, pictured with the Duchess of Sussex in 2021, has continued to wear the leather pendant over the last decade The leather string features a silver pendant tied onto the end It is believed it was a tribute to his son Archie. In an extract from the book, which was reported today, Prince Harry claimed his brother William branded Meghan 'difficult' and 'rude' in a stand-up row that ended with the Prince of Wales grabbing him by the collar and throwing him to the floor on to a dog bowl. The furious row allegedly broke out at his London home, Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace in 2019. William is said to have branded Meghan 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive' and insisted he was trying to 'help' his younger brother during a meeting about 'the whole rolling catastrophe'. Harry accused his brother of 'parroting the Press narrative' about his US wife before a screaming match ensued, the book claims. Prince Harry was pictured wearing the necklace at the end of 2004, months after he started dating Chelsy The royal is pictured wearing the leather pendant in 2016 while chatting with TV presenter JJ Chalmers at the Invictus Games Harry claims he gave William a glass of water and said: 'Willy, I cant speak to you when youre like this'. Harry claims that William then urged him to fight back, saying that is what would happen when they scrapped as children. But the Duke of Sussex says he refused, claiming that William left and then returned 'looking regretful, and apologised'. William then 'turned and called back: "You dont need to tell Meg about this".' Harry claims he said: 'You mean that you attacked me?', to which William replied: 'I didnt attack you, Harold.' The Duke of Sussex says that the first person he spoke to about it was his therapist on the phone. But he claims Meghan later saw the 'scrapes and bruises' on his back from the dog bowl. He claims his wife 'wasnt that surprised, and wasnt all that angry. She was terribly sad'. The extract has been published by the Guardian, which says it was leaked a copy. It is not known how the newspaper obtained an early copy of the book, given that the publisher Penguin Random House has gone to great lengths to prevent leaks. Read more: Prince Harry claims brother William physically attacked him after calling Meghan 'difficult' and 'rude' in 2019 bust-up: Duke of Sussex was 'knocked to the floor' and left bruised, he says as he brands relationship a 'rolling catastrophe' in new book Spare Please boys, don't make my final years a misery': Charles' plea to warring William and Harry after Prince Philip's funeral is revealed in Duke of Sussex's bombshell book How did left-wing Guardian get a leaked copy of Prince Harry's book Spare? Red faces at Duke's publisher as New York-based reporter gets copy of bombshell autobiography six days early European royals have turned out for the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The frail 95-year-old died on Saturday in the Vatican monastery - where he had lived since his shock retirement in 2013. At his funeral, held at St Peter's Square, Vatican City, was King Philippe, 62, and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, 49, who looked somber throughout, as well as Queen Sofia of Spain, 84. At his funeral, held at St Peter's Square, Vatican City, was King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, who looked somber throughout The three royals all wore black and appeared deeply moved by the service. Queen Mathilde of Belgium, who personally knew the Pope, wore a long black dress and coat, accessorised with a black headscarf and black gloves. She also wore a pearl necklace and minimal make-up. Beside her, her husband King Philippe was also wrapped up for the outdoor service, as was Queen Sofia, who wore a black coat. Queen Sofia reportedly arrived at the Italian capital on Wednesday, and immediately visited St Peters Basilica, where she attended the wake for the former Pontif. Also in attendance was Queen Sofia of Spain (pictured on the left, front row), who seemed reflective The coffin of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is pictured at the start of his funeral mass at St. Peter's square in the Vatican It is understood her husband did not travel with her because he is celebrating his 85th birthday in Abu Dhabi. The former Spanish King moved to UAE in 2020, and only visits Spain a handful of times a year. The royals appeared to have a front-row seat for the occasion, which was held under misty grey skies. Cardinals and mourners arrive for the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at St. Peter's square in Vatican City, Vatican Pallbearers carry the coffin of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at the start of his funeral mass at St. Peter's square on January 5, 2023 in Vatican City, Vatican Pallbearers carry the coffin of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI: The Pope served as head of the Catholic Church from 2005 to 2013 Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (L) and Italian President Sergio Mattarella also attended the funeral mass At one point, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, dressed in black with her head covered, was seen to blow her nose The three Euro-royals were the only royals to make the trip for the funeral, which attracted thousands King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla did not attend - although the British monarch led tributes to the Pope after his death. The monarch expressed his 'deep sadness' at the death of the ex-pontiff while he praised his 'efforts to promote peace and goodwill to all people'. As revealed by MailOnline, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan was sent as the UK's representative. The Pope - known as 'God's Rottweiler' - was the first to retire from the papacy in 600 years. And after laying in state, his funeral was held in St Peter's Square, presided over by Pope Francis. It was a simple yet popular affair - with thousands of mourners pouring into St Peter's Square. Pope Francis delivered a solemn homily to his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, after arriving on a wheelchair to perform the historic funeral service in front of thousands of mourners gathered in St Peter's Square. An estimated 100,000 grieving devotees gathered for the sombre two-hour multilingual ceremony, the first requiem Mass for a dead pope presided over by a living one in 200 years. Francis, who stood with the aid of a crutch, did not mention Benedict by name in his homily until the final line, in which he referred to Jesus as the 'bridegroom' of the church, saying: 'Benedict, faithful friend of the Bridegroom, may your joy be complete as you hear his voice, now and forever.' Those who wished to pay their respects started to pour in at 3am GMT, five and a half hours before the service. As 12 pallbearers carried in the coffin to the sound of applause and tolling bolls, the faithful read the rosary in Latin and hymns were sung. The body of the Pope Emeritus was taken from the basilica and rested before the altar in the piazza as red-robed cardinals looked on, while Benedict's longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, bent down and kissed a book of the Gospels that was left open on the coffin. The first reading from the Prophet Isaiah was in Spanish while the second from the Letter of St Paul to the Ephesians was in English. The Gospel reading from the Bible was sung in Italian and from St Luke which told the story of Christ's crucifixion and two criminals were executed with him. As the Pope's coffin was carried out of the Basilica there was a round of applause which continued until the bearer party gently placed the casket on a raised platform in front of the altar. The Rosary prayer was then recited by the huge crowd as mourners continued to gather in St Peter's Square and the main Via della Conciliazione which stretches half a mile back to the River Tiber. The event also attracted heads of state, who mingled with cardinals and archbishops wearing bright red robes. But the funeral was designed to be simple - in keeping with the late Pope's wishes. The Vatican has said that only official delegations from Italy and from Benedict's native Germany were formally invited to attend the ceremony. A few VIPs had a moment at the basilica before the general public to pay their respects, including Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, the far-Right leader who in the past has professed admiration for the conservative leanings of Benedict. Italian president Sergio Mattarella and his daughter Laura Mattarella also paid their respects to the former pope and theologian. Pope Francis (C) arrives to preside over the funeral ceremony of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) in Saint Peter's Square, in Vatican City Within minutes of the announcement of the death on Saturday morning, a wealth of tributes poured in from around the world, while the Vatican revealed that the late pontiff would be given a 'simple' funeral, celebrated by Pope Francis, in keeping with his wishes. King Charles paid his respects to Pope Francis on the death of former Pope Benedict, praising his efforts to 'promote peace' between Catholic and Protestant communities. The king acknowledged the former pontiff's 'constant efforts to promote peace' and to 'strengthen the relationship between the global Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church', adding he received the news with 'deep sadness'. King Charles expressed his 'deep sadness' at Benedict's death in a message to his successor Pope Francis. Benedict, born Joseph Ratzinger in Marktl, Germany , will lie in state until Wednesday and his funeral will be held on Thursday in St Peter's Square, presided over by Pope Francis In a statement, Charles paid tribute to Benedict and recalled visiting him at the Vatican in 2009. He said: 'Your Holiness, I received the news of the death of your predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, with deep sadness. 'I remember with fondness my meeting with His Holiness during my visit to the Vatican in 2009. His visit to the United Kingdom in 2010 was important in strengthening the relations between the Holy See and the United Kingdom. 'I also recall his constant efforts to promote peace and goodwill to all people, and to strengthen the relationship between the global Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.' Within minutes of the announcement of the death on Saturday morning, a wealth of tributes poured in from around the world The then Prince of Wales being welcomed by Pope Benedict XVI in the library at the Vatican in April 2009 The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, said: 'I think the news this morning came still with an element of surprise, even though we were warned a few days ago that his health had deteriorated very significantly. 'I was consoled by a comment I heard that somebody had made in Rome a couple of days ago, where they put it rather beautifully - they said, "The angels are gathering, they're coming to take him home".' The Cardinal also praised Benedict's 'landmark' trip in 2010 when he became the second pope in history to visit the UK, reminiscing about the German theologian meeting the Queen in Edinburgh and an address he made at Westminster Hall, for which 'every living prime minister was present'. He added: 'I remember when the visit was being arranged, the whole expectation was the Pope would come to London but he said, "No, first of all I want to see the Queen". King Charles paid his respects to Benedict in a statement recalling the times the pair met shared after the pope's death 'And the Queen was in Balmoral, but she came to Edinburgh and he arrived in the United Kingdom in Edinburgh in order to make sure that his first visit and his first steps in the United Kingdom were with the Queen. 'Now, it's worth remembering they're the same age, the Queen died at 95, Pope Benedict has died at 95. And there was a great esteem between them, a deep respect. 'I was not far away from that first visit and there was not only respect but there was also a little bit of humour as well that the car that had been provided for the Pope to travel from Edinburgh Airport to Holyrood House Palace she thought was a bit small and it had darkened windows, and she said, 'That won't do, it's got to be something which people can see you (in). 'The Queen and the Pope understood what it was to be in service more or less for a lifetime.' Read more: King Charles leads tributes from across the world to 'God's Rottweiler' Pope Benedict XVI: Monarch expresses 'deep sadness' at the death of ex-pontiff aged 95 as he praises his 'efforts to promote peace and goodwill to all people' Pope Benedict XVI's personal secretary to publish tell-all book which will lift the lid on mysteries and scandals that sullied the reputation of the pontiff he stood by for nearly three decades Vatican APOLOGISES to Russia for Pope's comment that their troops were the 'cruellest' fighters in Ukraine Princess Charlene looks sombre in a mantilla as she joins Prince Albert for the funeral of the former Archbishop of Monaco A newly-neutered dog let his owner know exactly how he felt about her choice to undergo with the routine procedure with dramatic glares and constant howling. Two-year-old Australian heeler Chance appeared more than miffed when he lost his delicate parts, shooting Katherine Kennedy from Minnesota major stink eye in the aftermath. He wouldn't walk or pee when picked up post-op in October, instead choosing to lay still on a snowy path to ice his injuries. A viral TikTok of the pup's reaction has racked up more than 15.8 million views, with commenters rushing to offer Chance their sympathy - and remarking that he appeared to be experiencing 'war flashbacks'. 'He kept howling in the kennel,' Katherine, 27, revealed. 'The car ride home! He looked shocked the whole time.' The owner, from Ramsey, Minnesota, said the worn and wounded Chance also 'absolutely hated the onesie she had on him instead of his cone'. 'He wouldn't move when that was on,' she remarked. Footage of the car ride home shows Chance sitting in the passenger seat in a state of shock, giving Katherine a withering death stare. A newly-neutered dog let his owner know exactly how he felt about her choice to undergo with the routine procedure with dramatic glares Two-year-old Australian heeler Chance (pictured) appeared more than miffed when he lost his delicate parts, shooting Katherine Kennedy major stink eye in the aftermath Katherine admitted that the pup kept up the icy act for around three days, shooting her dirty looks tinged with betrayal. The viral video left social media in hysterics, as well-wishers found Chance's theatrics hilarious. 'Looks like he was having war flash backs,' one poster joked. ''I think I'm missing something but what could it be?',' another quipped. A viral TikTok of the pup's reaction has racked up more than 15.8 million views, with commenters rushing to offer Chance their sympathy Chance (pictured left and right) wouldn't walk or pee when picked up post-op in October, instead choosing to lay still on a snowy path to ice his injuries Katherine admitted that the pup kept up the icy act for around three days, shooting her dirty looks tinged with betrayal A third added: 'He was hearing colors and seeing sounds!' Others also shared similar stories with their own pets. 'My husband's female chocolate Lab did that after her spay, too,' one dog lover explained. 'Vet tech said, "Oh, thank God you're here." When I picked her up.' Another owner recalled that their dog was 'traumatized' after the operation. Elsewhere, one commenter said: 'Dropped our dog off to get neutered. "Pick him up at 6p." [sic] 3 hours later, "maam, hes singing the song of his people non-stop come get him."' READ MORE: Therapist reveals her number one parenting tip inspired by dogs - but you have to start young and quit once they become teens Pawsitively rolling in it! Taylor Swifts cat Olivia Benson is the worlds third richest pet worth a staggering $97million - but shes beaten by Instagram cat star Nala and a German Shepherd called Gunther VI from Italy Twist in dog poo parking dispute as owner of targeted car claims the angry homeowner is now sending her vile messages He recalls being sat down on the bed and told about the car crash in Paris King Charles didn't hug 12-year-old Prince Harry when he broke the news to his youngest son that his mother Princess Diana had been in a car accident, the Duke of Sussex's memoir claims. Prince Harry, 38, revealed the moment he found out about the car crash in Paris in August 1997 for the first time in his long-anticipated memoir Spare. He also revealed how he and William each have a lock of their mother's hair, which was cut from her head by her sister Sarah shortly after she died, and recalls being introduced to Dodi Fayed, who was his mother's 'friend', and whom he and William thought was a 'pretty nice guy'. The Duke writes about how the King sat him down on the bed to break the news of the car accident, calling him 'my dear son' as he told how Diana had sustained head injuries that didn't look likely to improve. He writes: 'What I do remember with stunning clarity is that I did not cry. Not a tear. My father did not hug me.' Prince Harry (pictured with William and King Charles at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997) has recalled the moment he was told about his mother's death by his father, whom he claims did not hug him while breaking the news. The revelation comes from his explosive new memoir 'Spare' which has been released in Spain today Harry recalls how the King 'examined the folds of the old quilts, blankets, and sheets' on the bed while breaking the terrible news - as Harry struggled to understand how bad the crash had been As it dawned on Harry how grave his mother's condition was, he recalls 'silently begging my father, or God, or both' that it wasn't true. He recalls the King telling him that there had been 'complications' with Diana's condition after she had been 'seriously wounded' in the crash. Harry (pictured with Princess Diana and Prince William in 1995) revealed how he met Diana's 'friend' Dodi Fayed and thought he was a 'pretty nice guy' However at first, Harry recalls his 12-year-old self asking to go and visit his mother in the hospital, before the King explained her condition 'hasn't recovered anymore' Although Harry says some aspects of his memory may not be entirely accurate, there are things he remembers 'clear as day' all these years on. The heartbreaking recollection of finding out his mother had died is in Spare, Harry's explosive memoir which is set for release in the UK on Monday While he claims his father did not cry while breaking the news, he said the king put his hand on Harry's knee and claimed everything would be ok. After his father left, he recalls sitting by himself while his brother William, whom he affectionately calls 'Willy', sat in a separate room. Harry claims his memory has undergone 'decades of effort to reconstruct that morning', but after all this time he has come to an 'inescapable conclusion' - that he stayed alone in the room until 9am the following morning when the piper began to play outside. Harry's heartbreaking recollection of his mother's death comes as one of many explosive claims from Spare, his long-anticipated memoir which is set for release in the UK on Monday 10 January. The emotive passage comes after Harry speaks about Diana's relationship with Dodi Fayed after he and William had met him while on holiday with Diana in St Tropez. He recalled the three of them laughing a lot as they holidayed together before being introduced to Dodi. Harry recalls seeing his mother light up in Dodi's presence as he described the filmmaker as 'cheeky' - nonetheless, he seemed 'nice'. He reflects on a conversation he had with William about their mother's new partner - and how they both agreed that, as long as she was happy, then they were happy for her. Elsewhere in the book, Harry relives his memory of the days following his mother's death and how he battled with himself to accept the truth of the situation. Despite being told what had happened, he recalled telling himself his mother was just 'hiding' and not really dead - a theory he revealed later in the book that he often returned to for comfort. He recalled how he and William were forbidden from watching the TV so they could be shielded from news reports about Diana's death. After the King and Diana's sisters had gone to France to identify Diana's body, Harry recalls being reunited with his father and aunties in London. When they arrived and met with their Aunt Sarah (Lady Sarah McCorquodale), Harry recalled her handing each brother a little blue box which contained a lock of Diana's blonde hair. Even so, Harry recalled not believing the hair belonged to his mother, and convincing himself it was someone else's so he did not have to come to terms with the reality of her death. In the book he also reveals that he killed 25 Taliban fighters during his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. The Duke of Sussex, who was known as 'Captain Wales' in the military, wrote that he did not think of those killed 'as people' but instead 'chess pieces' he had taken off the board. Harry, who during his second tour flew an Apache attack helicopter, said it was 'not a fact that filled me with satisfaction, but I was not ashamed either'. He also sensationally claimed that his brother William called Meghan 'rude' and 'pointed a finger at her' during a furious bust-up after the Duchess of Sussex told Kate that she must have 'baby brain because of her hormones'. Details of the alleged row have appeared in Harry's bombshell memoir Spare, which has been published in Spain. Harry writes that Meghan made the comment during the run-up to the Sussexes' wedding in May 2018. After apparently upsetting Kate, Harry says Meghan apologised and insisted that is how she speaks to her friends. In another extraordinary excerpt, leaked to the left-wing Guardian newspaper, Harry recalls what he describes as a physical attack by his sibling, which he claims left him with visible injuries, including 'scrapes and bruises'. The furious row allegedly broke out in the kitchen of his London home, Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace in 2019. William is said to have branded Meghan 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive' and insisted he was trying to 'help' his younger brother during a meeting about 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their failing relationship and Harry's rows with the press. Harry accused his brother of 'parroting the press narrative' about his American wife before a screaming match ensued, ending in a physical altercation, the book claims. READ MORE: Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida has emerged as an alternative to Rep. Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker as the latter has failed to secure enough votes for a sixth time amid chaos among Republicans. The Florida lawmaker has become the go-to choice of conservative holdouts who are opposing McCarthy's bid for speaker. On Wednesday, during the first three rounds of voting, Donalds received 20 votes against McCarthy's 201 votes. It was enough to keep the latter from reaching the needed 218 votes to become House Speaker. Byron Donalds as Alternative to Kevin McCarthy Republicans who opposed McCarthy's bid on Tuesday nominated several candidates, including Rep. Andy Biggs, Rep. Jim Jordan, and Rep. Lee Zeldin. Donalds later joined the list on the final vote on Tuesday, switching his support from McCarthy to Jordan. The 44-year-old Republican was elected in November to his second term representing Florida's 19th District in the state's southwest. During his first election in 2020, he emerged the victor in a nine-way GOP primary and defeated his Democratic rival to succeed retiring Republican Rep. Francis Rooney, as per the Associated Press. Donalds is a native of Brooklyn and was raised by a single mother and graduated from Florida State University in 2002. He later worked as a financial adviser when he was appointed to the board of trustees at a state college by then-Gov. Rick Scott, helping him elevate his profile in Florida's GOP circles. Prior to being one of McCarthy's rivals for House Speaker, Donald said in December 2021 that the party leader had "done tremendous things" for GOP members in the House. At the time, the lawmaker said that McCarthy would be the one to bring the Republican Party to the next level. While in the first two votes for House Speaker on Tuesday, Donalds cast his vote for the party leader. Following his support of Jordan on the third balloting, however, he posted on Twitter that the reality was that McCarthy did not have the votes needed to win. According to Yahoo News, McCarthy failing to secure enough votes to become House Speaker on his sixth try has paralyzed the chamber at the beginning of a new congressional session. The situation marks the first time in a century that the selection of a speaker of the House has gone through more than one balloting. Read Also: US Congress 2023: Rep. Kevin McCarthy House Speakership Bid in Trouble Sixth Failed Balloting for House Speaker On Wednesday, Donalds said that he did not come to Washington D.C. while being interested in becoming the speaker of the House. However, he said that he also understands that part of his responsibility is to make sure that the conference gets to a point where they are doing things in an effective and constructive way. Republican Chip Roy considered Donalds a dear friend and called him a conservative but also a family man. The former said that the Florida lawmaker has a proven track record as a businessman and public service in the Florida legislature. Roy noted that Donalds was a good man who was raised by a single mom and moved past adversity in life. The former noted that the Florida lawmaker dedicated his life to advancing the cause for his family and his country, the Washington Post reported. Related Article: Kevin McCarthy Fails To Win Speakership on First 3 Votes Prompting Chaos in Republican-led House @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Shortly afterwards, he was visited by a royal bodyguard in Eton, Windsor The Duke of Sussex says he lost his virginity in a field behind a 'very busy pub' Prince Harry recounted the 2001 exchange with an older woman in his new book Prince Harry has recounted losing his virginity to an unnamed older woman at the age of 17 in his explosive autobiography. The Duke of Sussex, 38, explained how his anonymous first lover treated him like a 'young stallion' and detailed how the steamy exchange took place in a field behind a 'very busy pub'. In 2001, the royal was still a student at Eton College in Windsor when one of the Royal Family's bodyguards Marko paid him a visit. At the beginning of the meeting, Prince Harry says he suspected Marko had heard about the one-night stand - which he described as a 'humiliating' experience. Prince Harry pictured months before his 17th birthday in July 2001 at Cirencester Polo Club Over lunch in a cafeteria in the city centre, the bodyguard - who had a 'sombre look' on his face - told the Prince that he had been sent to 'find out the truth'. The father-of-two wrote: 'I suspected he was referring to my recent loss of virginity, a humiliating episode with an older woman who liked macho horses and who treated me like a young stallion. 'I mounted her quickly, after which she spanked my ass and sent me away. One of my many mistakes was letting it happen in a field, just behind a very busy pub. No doubt someone had seen us.' However, the real reason Marko had been sent to check up on Harry was because King Charles' press office had been informed a newspaper had evidence of him taking drugs -which Harry said was 'all lies'. Prince Harry pictured with friends at Beaufort Polo Clubin Gloucestershire in 2001 Prince Harry's bombshell biography Spare hit shelves in Spain today - four days early Three years after his rendezvous with the anonymous older woman, Prince Harry started dating Chelsea Davy. The couple - who met while attending schools in London - dated on-and-off for six years from 2004 after Harry travelled to Zimbabwe, where Chelsy's millionaire father owns and runs a game reserve, during his gap year. In November, reality star Catherine Ommanney, 50, claimed she had a two-month fling with the Prince in 2006 - when he was 21 and she was 34. Catherine said in an interview with The Sun that she first met Prince Harry, now 38, in a bar in Chelsea while he was still in a long-term on-off relationship with socialite Chelsy Davy. Prince Harry and Chelsea Davy pictured watching a rugby match at Twickenham in 2009. The couple dated on-and-off for six years from 2004 Catherine Ommanney, 50, allegedly had a two month fling with the royal in 2006. The reality star pictured in 2010 after joining the cast of The Real Housewives of DC There, she says, they 'shared a cigarette on the steps outside and [Harry] really opened-up to [her]'. After going back inside, she claims Harry made them all bacon sandwiches, play-fought with his friends and gave her a kiss before heading home. Catherine claims they met a few more times before the romance fizzled out and it wasn't until 2009, a year after she married her second husband (from whom she is now separated) that the two bumped into each other again at a polo match. She told the Sun she 'hopes Meghan looks after him', and that she wishes Harry nothing but 'happiness and success'. She says that after meeting in a bar, the pair then went to Eclipse nightclub in South Kensington together, before heading to one of his friend's houses. Elsewhere in the biography, Prince Harry said 'begged Prince Charles not to marry Camilla' and feared she would one day be his 'wicked stepmother'. The Duke of Sussex alleges that he and his brother would not stand in the way of the then-Prince of Wales's relationship but had asked him not to walk down the aisle for the second time, calling Camilla the 'Other Woman'. Charles had tried to 'win over the kids' before asking the public to accept Camilla, the book claims. Harry claims that meeting her for the first time was like an 'injection', writing: 'Close your eyes and you won't even feel it.' The Duke said: 'I remember wondering... if she would be cruel to me; if she would be like all the wicked stepmothers in the stories'. He added: 'Willy had been suspicious of the Other Woman for a long time, which confused and tormented him; When those suspicions were confirmed, he felt agonizing remorse for not having done or said anything before'. Read More: Royal weddings galore! 2023 is shaping up to be THE year for high society nuptials - with Princess Diana's niece and Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg among the brides-to-be Prince William and Princess of Wales have adopted the 'Middleton parenting model' and want George, Charlotte and Louis to see them as their 'best friends', expert claims Brotherly love! New video shows how Prince Louis runs after the rest of his family so he could give Princess Charlotte a bouquet of flowers at Sandringham Christmas walkabout Prince Harry has suggested that his late grandmother the Queen took something of a final swipe at Edward VIII and his American socialite wife Wallis Simpson by 'exiling' them in the Royal Burial Ground and burying them 'away from everyone else' - 36 years after the former King 'renounced the crown for love'. Harry, 38, whose own exit from the royal family along with his Los Angeles-born wife Meghan Markle has been compared to Edward and Wallis' experiences on a number of occasions, suggests in the opening pages of his explosive memoir Spare that his grandmother made the decision to bury the couple in a distant spot as a 'last scolding'. Recalling a moment when he found himself alone in the Royal Cemetery at Frogmore while waiting for a meeting with his brother William and his father Charles, Harry described the site as the 'final resting place for so many of us including... the controversial Wallis Simpson. As well as her double controversial husband Edward, who was King and my great-great uncle.' He continues: 'After giving up the throne for Wallis and leaving Britain with her, the two began to worry about their eventual return and became obsessed with being buried [in the Royal Burial Ground]. Prince Harry suggests in his memoir Spare that the Queen 'exiled' late Edward VIII and socialite Wallis Simpson in the royal cemetery at Frogmore The 38-year-old Duke writes that his late grandmother agreed to bury Edward and Wallis in the Royal Burial Ground, but that they were 'placed away from everyone else' Harry then suggests this move was the Queen's way of giving the couple 'one last scolding, perhaps. A last exile, perhaps' 'The Queen, my grandmother, agreed to their plea, but she placed them away from everyone else, under a sloping plane tree.' Edward and Wallis: A scandal that rocked a nation January 1931 - Wallis meets Prince Edward in January 1931, after being introduced via her friend Lady Furness 1931- 1934 - The American divorcee and the heir to the throne see each other regularly at various parties August 1934 - Wallis admits she and Edward are no longer just friends, after joining him on a cruise January 1936 - King George V dies. Edward asks Wallis to watch the proclamation of his accession with him from St. James's Palace August 1936 - The pair enjoy a cruise around the Adriatic sea with friends. Details of their relationship appear in the American press December 11, 1936 - Edward announces his abdication June 3, 1937 - The couple get married in the south of France. Wallis was formally known as the Duchess of Windsor, but was not allowed to share her husband's title of 'Royal Highness.' Advertisement Harry then suggests this move was the Queen's way of giving the couple 'one last scolding, perhaps. A last exile, perhaps'. Edward VIII's decision to abdicate the throne in December 1936 in order to marry American divorcee Wallis rocked the monarchy and the country to its core - sparking a controversy of epic proportions, that is now seen as an almost eerie foreshadowing of the scandal that erupted as a result of Megxit. Harry stopped short of making a direct comparison between himself and Edward, Meghan and Wallis, however the similarities between the two couples - and the sensational fallouts from their royal exits - are clear for the reader to see. Later on in Spare, Harry returns to the topic of Edward's abdication and his relationship with Wallis, recounting the former King's abdication as him 'renouncing the Crown for love'. Edward wed Wallis, who was thought unfit to be Queen, having been married twice, in Tours, France, one year after he ceased to be King. After finding herself at the center of one of the most scandalous love affairs of the 20th century, Wallis faced harsh criticism and received abusive and hostile hate mail. In 1937, she and Edward went to Germany to meet Hitler, before the atrocities of the Second World War, with her husband keen for her to experience the pomp and ceremony of a royal tour, denied to Wallis in England. Edward become governor of The Bahamas between 1940 and 1945, and the couple lived out the rest of their days enjoying the life of high society figures. When Edward died in 1972, Wallis became something of a recluse and was rarely seen in public before her death in 1986, at the age of 89. She was buried alongside her husband at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore House. According to Harry, Wallis and Edward 'became obsessed with being buried [in the Royal Burial Ground]' after they moved overseas The Duke of Sussex stops short of drawing direct comparisons between himself and Meghan and Edward and Wallis, however there are numerous similarities between the couples Frogmore Cottage, one of the properties in the grounds of the estate, is where Prince Harry and Meghan lived before they moved to California last year. Numerous parallels can be drawn between Edward and Wallis and Harry and Meghan; both couples lived overseas following their exits from the royal family - the former in France, while the Sussexes now reside in California - and both gave televised interviews after quitting the Monarchy. Edward and Wallis stunned the world when they spoke out about their experiences to the BBC in a tell-all sit-down in 1970 - more than 50 years before Harry and Meghan sparked similar scandal with their explosive Oprah interview in March 2021. However, Harry does not address these comparisons head-on in Spare, instead choosing to make just a handful of references to Edward and Wallis - although many readers will no doubt draw the parallels themselves with little difficulty. Elsewhere in the book, the Duke of Sussex is much more direct and to the point, making a series of explosive claims and allegations about his family members - including accusing his brother William of physically attacking him during an altercation in the grounds of Kensington Palace in 2019. Harry claims that his brother - whom he refers to at one point as his 'arch-nemesis' - branded Meghan 'rude', 'difficult', and 'abrasive' during an argument, which the Duke of Sussex says ended in William throwing him to the floor. He also blames William and Kate for his notorious decision to wear a Nazi uniform to a costume party in 2005, alleging that the Prince and Princess of Wales encouraged him to sport the controversial attire when he asked them for their opinion. Spare was due to be released officially on January 10, however several extracts from the book were released early - with both the Guardian and Page Six publishing excerpts late on Wednesday night. It was then revealed that the memoir had accidentally gone on sale early in Spain - resulting in multiple leaks. The Spanish version, entitled En La Sombra, which translates as 'In the Shadow', reveals that Harry has dedicated his memoir 'Para Meg, Archie y Lili... y, for supuesto, mi madre' - 'For Meg, Archie and Lili... and, of course, my mother'. READ MORE OF DAILYMAIL.COM'S UNRIVALED COVERAGE OF PRINCE HARRY'S MEMOIR SPARE Prince Harry 'begged Prince Charles not to marry Camilla' and feared she would one day be his 'wicked stepmother', his new book claims 'Wonderful! Now you've given me an heir and a spare': Charles told Diana 'my work is done' on the day of Prince Harry's birth, claims the Duke in leaked extract of bombshell memoir 'Spare' Prince Harry brands Prince William his 'ARCH-NEMESIS' in explosive memoir, as he admits he has 'always been in competition' with his 'beloved brother'11602359 because of his role as the 'spare' Duke of Sussex addressed his controversial Nazi costume in his new book Spare Prince Harry has been compared to a 'child in a playground' after he claimed the Prince and Princess of Wales 'told him to wear a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party, a royal expert has argued. Appearing on the the latest episode of Palace Confidential on Mail Plus, Diary Editor Richard Eden said the Duke of Sussex was 'pathetic' to try and shift the blame onto his brother and sister-in-law. In his new biography Spare, which was accidentally published four days early in Spain today, the father-of-two explained how he was trying to decide between a Nazi costume or a pilot's outfit to a 'Native and Colonial' themed event in 2005. Harry says he called Prince William and his then girlfriend Kate Middleton to ask their opinion and alleges they told him to pick the controversial outfit. Prince Harry claims in his new biography Spare that the Prince and Princess of Wales encouraged him to wear a Nazi costume to a 2005 fancy dress party. The trio pictured in 2016 'I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said,' Harry wrote, according to Page Six. 'They both howled. Worse than Willy's leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point.' The outfit became a huge scandal when Harry, then 20, was photographed wearing the Nazi regalia. The story made global headlines after an image of Harry in the costume featured on the front page of The Sun newspaper. The image of Harry in the costume featured on the front page of The Sun newspaper in 2005 Daily Mail's Diary Editor Richard Eden says Prince Harry is 'pathetic' to try and shift the blame Commenting on the Duke's new revelation, Richard Eden said: 'It's pathetic, isn't it? 'It's like a child in a playground saying, "it wasn't me, it wasn't me! They told me to do it!" 'He was a grown man at the time, he was an adult. Surely he can decide what to wear to a party.' Elsewhere in the episode, the expert references how Prince Harry will have to swear his allegiance to King Charles if he chooses to attend his coronation this May. Richard continued: 'On the one hand, [Prince Harry and Meghan Markle] love to attend the royal events. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not confirmed if they will attend King Charles' coronation in May. Pictured at the Trooping the Colour in June 2019 'It shows they're still part of the Royal Family, it's good for future business but the coronation will be different. 'He will be there to swear his allegiance to the new monarch [...] and that's a big thing for him to have to do. Is he really going to do that after hurling all these brickbats at the monarchy?' In his new book, Prince Harry also Prince Harry discusses his mother's affair with Major James Hewitt and claims his father Charles joked about rumours Hewitt was Harry's real father. In Spare, the Duke of Sussex says Charles 'liked to tell anecdotes' and that 'one of his best' was a story of a visit to a psychiatric hospital where he met a man claiming to be the Prince of Wales. According to the Duke's recounting of the story, Charles wagged his finger at the patient and said he was the true Prince of Wales, only for the man to repeat his words and actions. Mr Hewitt had a five-year affair with Princess Diana when he was a young Household Cavalry officer, from 1986 to 1991. This was confirmed by the Princess of Wales during the now-infamous Panorama interview with disgraced journalist Martin Bashir. Harry's resemblance to the Army officer led to claims he was a product of the affair. In his memoirs, the prince says the rumours continued even though Diana did not meet the cavalry officer 'until long after I was born'. He adds that if Charles thought anything about Major Hewitt he 'kept it to himself'. Elsewhere in the biography, Prince Harry said 'begged Prince Charles not to marry Camilla' and feared she would one day be his 'wicked stepmother'. The Duke of Sussex alleges that he and his brother would not stand in the way of the then-Prince of Wales's relationship but had asked him not to walk down the aisle for the second time, calling Camilla the 'Other Woman'. Charles had tried to 'win over the kids' before asking the public to accept Camilla, the book claims. Harry claims that meeting her for the first time was like an 'injection' that he would not feel if he closed his eyes. Read More: 'She treated me like a young stallion': Prince Harry recounts losing his virginity to an older woman in a FIELD behind a pub at the age of 17 in his bombshell biography Prince Harry claims Camilla plotted to take the Crown and marry Charles - and says he and William 'begged' his father not to marry her 'I wanted closure': Prince Harry recalls repeatedly driving through the Paris tunnel where Princess Diana died at the exact same speed in explosive biography A PE teacher and mum-of-two has urged 'every human on earth' to eat a whole carrot and two cucumbers every day this year if they want to improve their health. Belinda Norton, from the Gold Coast, said both adults and kids should eat the three veggies raw daily to supply the body with nutrients and minerals no other food can and detailed the benefits in a post. The health and fitness education professional and certified trainer said the crunchy vegetables should be eaten whole without being chopped up to exercise the jaw. Fit mum and PE teacher Belinda Norton (pictured) said every adult and child should be eating a carrot and two cucumbers whole daily to stay in peak health The Gold Coast trainer said the crunchy vegetables should be eaten whole, without being chopped up to exercise the jaw and help kids open their mouth and articulate words 'Wash and eat. Don't cut them up into small pieces. Open your mouth, stretch your jaw and eat whole,' she said in the post's caption. 'They are inexpensive, they also induce chewing meaning the jaw is exercised helping our children to open their mouth and articulate words.' The fit mum said carrots and cucumbers are portable to snack on while on the go and are 'perfectly positioned' to provide the body with enough energy to get through the day. Belinda claims carrots have fibre to maintain healthy blood sugar levels and are loaded with vitamins while cucumbers keep you hydrated and support weight loss and digestive regularity 'Eat real grown plant food from the Australian soil as they provide nutrients and minerals required by our body,' she said. Belinda claims carrots have fibre to maintain healthy blood sugar levels and are packed with Vitamin A and beta-carotene which can reduce the risk of diabetes. 'They can strengthen your bones as carrots are calcium loaded with vitamin K, both important for bone health,' she explained. Belinda recommends eating two small cucumbers as she says they hydrate and can lead to many healthy benefits including 'weight loss, balanced hydration, digestive regularity and lower blood sugar levels'. Top eight health benefits of carrots Promotes healthy teeth and gums Prevents heart disease Cleanses the body Promotes health, glowing skin Has anti-aging properties Reduces the risk of some cancers Prevents the likelihood of strokes Improves vision Source: EfM Advertisement Top eight health benefits of cucumbers Provides hydration Promotes healthy digestion Helps to control diabetes Helps lose weight Improves the health of your skin Lowers possibility of cancer Supports strong bones Improves cardiovascular health Source: EfM Advertisement 'Go on, grab a bag of carrots and some cucumbers. Munch munch. These are the perfect snacks,' she said. This isn't the first time Belinda has sung the praises of the benefits of eating whole vegetables. Previously, Belinda said 'real, whole grown foods' are the number one secret to a fit physique inside and out in the new year. At the beginning of 2022, Belinda said her goal for the year was to 'encourage others' - and her first piece of advice is to boost intake of raw, wholesome foods. 'It truly is the magic elixir to our bodies performance level. These earth-grown foods promote internal health from digestion to blood boosting components,' she wrote. 'I encourage you to eat raw vegetables daily and increase your consumption by adding vegetables to every meal including breakfast.' Previously, Belinda said 'real, whole grown foods' are the 'magic elixir' to good health in the new year At the beginning of 2022, Belinda said her goal for the year was to 'encourage others' - and her first piece of advice is to boost intake of raw, wholesome foods Belinda recommends making simple tweaks like adding spinach to eggs, eating raw carrots as snacks, eating baby cucumbers, enjoying cauliflower raw with dips and adding vegetables to every dinner. 'The fact is food is more than just calories, its information that our cells need to function, it is the information that our metabolism can use to either run efficiently or sluggish,' she said. 'When we eat sugars, fruit juice or refined carbs, it goes right to the liver, where it starts manufacturing fat, triggering insulin resistance and causing chronically elevated blood insulin levels thus driving the body to store everything meaning it holds toxicity.' She often eats meals like roasted garlic organic vegetables (left) and breakfast bagels made with a toasted seeded gluten free bagel, egg, spinach, purple cabbage and sweet chilli jam 'The fact is food is more than just calories, its information that our cells need to function, it is the information that our metabolism can use to either run efficiently or sluggish,' she said She added that 'real' foods like vegetables and low glycaemic fruits, healthy fats (nut seeds avocado and olives), gluten free whole grains, legumes and responsibility sourced proteins and seafood) give your cells the information they need to function at their very best. 'They improve skin, hair, brain function, mind clarity and immunity,' she said. 'Eating well should not only be about quantity but more imperative with quality.' Belinda regularly shares her health tricks and tips on social media, and recently spilled her secret 'five step routine reboot' to encourage Aussies to overhaul their lifestyles. So what are the five things you need to do for a 2023 'routine reboot'? Belinda regularly shares her health tricks and tips on social media, and recently spilled her secret 'five step routine reboot' to encourage Aussies to overhaul their lifestyles 1. Write a to-do list every single day 'Having a daily routine is proven to reduce stress,' Belinda explained. 'We tend to fill our brains up with our 'to-do list', and this can be incredibly overwhelming when it repeats on a loop in our mind.' When you write your list down, the PE teacher recommends sticking it in a visible place for your entire family to see, so everyone knows what needs to get done. This should help to get the list out of your mind and mean everyone knows what needs to get done. The second thing Belinda swears by is 30 minutes of morning cardio, which helps to get you ready to go every single day (pictured on a morning walk) 2. Start your day with some cardio The second thing Belinda swears by is 30 minutes of morning cardio, which helps to get you ready to go. 'Start your morning every single day with some sunrise cardio (walk, run, skip or bike) 30 minutes before your breakfast,' she said. 'Research shows that disrupted body clocks are associated with many physical and mental health conditions, including depression, diabetes, obesity and cancers. 'A routine will ensure you are still feeling productive and fulfilled in your daily routine, even when it's unpredictable.' Make this morning movement a non-negotiable part of your routine, and reap the health goals in as little as one week. 3. Journal any thoughts before bed The third thing Belinda said she does religiously is journal her thoughts a little every evening before bed. 'Creating your goals and to-do list for the next day really helps you to get motivated,' she said. 'Write down both the moments from that day that you're grateful for and what you intend to do tomorrow.' Then, make sure you get between seven and eight hours of sleep every night in order to maximise your rest. Writing a weekly dinner menu is one of Belinda's favourite habits (one of her dinners pictured), and she recommends placing it in a visible place so that all can see 4. Write a weekly dinner menu Writing a weekly dinner menu is one of Belinda's favourite habits. 'Place it in a visible place for all to see, and try keeping the menu for two weeks on a rotation to really save mental space, time and money,' she explained. If you can, get into a good routine of pre-preparing a healthy snack, meal or muesli every Sunday. This will mean you're far less likely to reach for something unhealthy when you're tired and time-poor during the week. Finally, Belinda revealed that having an exercise or training regime locked in will keep you 'motivated, mobile and aligned'; she does 30 minutes of strength three times a week 5. Do 30 minutes of strength three times a week Finally, Belinda revealed that having an exercise or training regime locked in will keep you 'motivated, mobile and aligned'. 'Our mobility is our health,' she said. 'Time is our most states barrier in exercise, yet we all need to prioritise moving our bodies for our health.' Make sure you do 30 minutes of strength work three times a week, as well as your daily cardio for the best results. 'Add in stretching and some fun and passion-type fitness activities in the outdoors to create a really balanced body routine,' Belinda said. Shoppers are rushing to snap up a stylish $20 bowl set from Kmart that looks identical to fashionable dishes more than four times the price. The five-pack Mangiare Pasta Serve Set ($20) from the discount store features Italian words like Amore, Salute and Buon Appetito like the popular In The Roundhouse plates and bowls, which cost $80 for a set of four pasta dishes. Sydney bargain shopper Dani, who goes by Luxe and Lemonade on Instagram, first alerted her thousands of followers to the dishes. Scroll down for video Shoppers are rushing to snap up a stylish $20 bowl set from Kmart that looks identical to fashionable dishes more than four times the price (both dish sets pictured) 'Look at this $20 bowl set you might need from Kmart,' she wrote alongside a video using the bowls. It wasn't long before shoppers started tagging one another excitedly and saying the bowls look far more expensive than they are. 'They kind of remind me of the In The Roundhouse products,' one shopper wrote. 'Me too! But those are so much more expensive though,' another added. 'Love! Thanks Dani! Adds to cart,' one person wrote. 'Love these so much but they seem to be out of stock already,' another added. Sydney bargain shopper Dani, who goes by Luxe and Lemonade on Instagram, first alerted her thousands of followers to the dishes from Kmart (pictured) The five-piece set from Kmart includes bowls with the words Amore (love), Salute (health), Grazie (thank you), Bellissimo (very beautiful) and Buon Appetito (enjoy your meal; pictured) The five-piece set from Kmart includes bowls with the words Amore (love), Salute (health), Grazie (thank you), Bellissimo (very beautiful) and Buon Appetito (enjoy your meal). The set includes one pasta bowl and four smaller pinch bowls. It is made from china and promises to add an 'elegant touch' to any table. Meanwhile, the In The Roundhouse crockery features bowls that say Pasta and Bacio (Kiss), as well as plates with many of the same words and similar design to the Kmart version. All of the items are both dishwasher and microwave safe. In The Roundhouse is an Australian lifestyle brand 'dreamt up with a clear vision: to create unique, modern and memorable homewares that will be loved for years (and meals) to come' (In The Roundhouse crockery pictured) This is not the first time Kmart has released a dupe of a highly coveted item. In the past, the brand released dupes of the trendy Prada nylon crossbody which retails for $1,700 and hundreds of other designer, high-end items. They have also released designer martini glasses, similar to high-end options, as well as a highly sought after Hollywood Mirror dupe, which they sold for $279 as opposed to the typical $999. Sydney-based fashion influencer Brittany Melinda (pictured) has endorsed a $15 Kmart bag as the perfect summer accessory The Kmart crossbody camera bag (left) comes in three different colours, green, black and cream. Many fans claim it's a knock off for Prada's $2,420 shoulder bag (right) In The Roundhouse is an Australian lifestyle brand 'dreamt up with a clear vision: to create unique, modern and memorable homewares that will be loved for years (and meals) to come'. The range of mix-and-match plate prints aims to 'add depth and interest to every tabletop, all at an attainable price point, so you can own multiple sets to your collection to cater to every meal and dinner party need'. For more information about In The Roundhouse, please click here. She could still breath but if the water was deeper she wouldn't have been able to The jets sucked her hair in and she was pinned down in the water, scaring them The parents said they were at home when their daughter washed her hair in spa Parents have revealed why kids should never put their head under spas Medical experts have revealed why parents should never let children put their head under the water when they're in a spa after a little girl almost drowned. The parents, who shared their story so no others have to experience the same shock of almost losing a child, or worse, said everything happened in a matter of seconds. Writing on the CPR Kids Facebook page they said their daughter Elizabeth was washing her hair in the family's jacuzzi bathtub when her hair got caught in the jets. Terrified parents have shared this picture from their bathroom - after their daughter's hair got caught in a spa's jet system 'The suction valve quickly sucked her hair through the holes in the suction cover, pinning her under the water,' they said. There was no water covering her mouth so she was able to scream for help. 'Had the water been any higher or had we not been in the room, the outcome may have been very different,' they added. 'We wanted to share here because weve never even thought of something like this happening and we want others to be aware.' Spa pool safety rules to know about * Owners of spa pools should learn a recognised resuscitation technique. * NEVER PUT HEAD UNDER A major hazard of spa pools is the danger of trapping your hair, bathing suit strings/tassles or a part of your body on the spa suction outlets. * Spas should have a cut-off switch for the pump, know where it is so you can turn it off in an emergency. * Children under 10 years should be under the active supervision of a person 16 years or older whilst in the spa pool area. * Do not use the spa pool area while under the influence of drugs or alcohol (certain medications may also produce adverse effects). * It is recommended that you use the spa pool for no longer than 15 minutes at a time. * When purchasing a spa, ask the supplier for proof that it is designed to minimise the likelihood of entrapment and complies with the recognised Australian and International standards. Advertisement The parents drained the water and worked methodically on the suction pipe and hair to release it. 'We were prepared to cut it off, but since she was not in any harm, we took a few minutes to save her hair.' Their warning comes as 'spa season' hits its peak with families on holidays and enjoying travel for the first time in years, though it has been two years since the terrifying incident. The reminder comes as 'spa season' peaks - and many parents revealed they didn't know the rule (stock image) And others were quick to comment on the horror story with their own tales. 'A friend of mine died in a spa as a young teen due to exactly this. Please never go under water in a spa and never let kids in a spa alone,' one woman pleaded. 'I once got a second degree burn on my lower back because I got suctioned onto a duct in a bathtub spa.. they are no joke,' added another. Another woman said it happened to her once and she refuses to go in spas now. Many parents changed their minds on spas with the post. 'Lets never let Eve in a spa! The little mermaid loves going under water,' one woman said, tagging her husband. 'I think our spa has these too. We should def secure in a plait I think now that Piper is diving under,' said another. The post was very popular and has been shared 185 times. Apple music users can use the app but Spotify users must log into an online site People can bring back a touch of nostalgia by using a free app or website Tech lovers have figured out a hack to make their phone look like a retro iPod Music lovers are obsessed with a little-known app that transforms your phone into an iPod Classic - and it's free. Australian tech blogger, Elly Bailey, shared the secret with her followers after accusing other tech fans of 'gatekeeping' it for themselves. The app, retroPod works with Apple music but it doesn't yet connect to Spotify. Elly, who is known as Elly Awesome online, discovered a website Spotify users can log on to for the same purpose. Scroll down for video An Australian tech blogger, who is known as Elly Awesome, shared a little-known app that transforms your phone into an iPod classic - and it's completely free Apple music users can use the app, which is called retroPod (left), but it doesn't connect to Spotify. Fortunately, Elly discovered a website Spotify users can log on to for the same purpose (right) Elly said she loves the 'nostalgia' of the app and the website, but warned that the website has issues with glitching 'Sweet nostalgia! The iPod is back,' Elly said when she uploaded a TikTok to her one million followers explaining how to use the app. She can't get enough of it as it imitates the iPod classic perfectly and features a scroll wheel which sounds and feels the same as the original gadget. 'A couple people are gatekeeping this but not me,' Elly said. 'It's totally free, it's quick and easy to install.' 'The only catch is that it doesn't work with Spotify. I'm sorry to burst your bubble.' How to turn your phone into an iPod classic: * If you use Apple music, download the retroPod app from the app store and connect it with your Apple music account * If you use Spotify or Apple music, search iPod.js on your web browser and connect it to your preferred account Advertisement Elly said a good alternative to the app for Spotify users is a free browser version of the iPod. Music lovers can search iPod.js online, and then connect either their Apple music or Spotify account and listen online. 'It's not quite the same. I will say it's a little glitchy,' the tech expert admitted. The site lets you listen to music or play games, but Elly said the app offers a more realistic experience as the site doesn't sound or feel the same, and it has a tendency to glitch. 'Excellent. This brings back so many memories from the other iPod I had,' one man said. 'This is the best music player on the play store! Everything works perfectly and the music sound amazing and it takes very little effort to put a song on it,' another commented. Travelers flying into the United States will still need proof of Covid vaccination until at least April as officials stick with the failing pandemic policy. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has quietly extended the requirement which was due to expire this weekend until April 10. It means all non-US citizens will still have to prove they have received at least two vaccine doses or an accepted single-dose shot like Johnson and Johnson's. The move makes America an outlier in the West, where most countries ditched so-called 'vaccine passports' months ago when they failed to keep infections low. There are growing concerns that damaging Covid policies are creeping back into American life after hundreds of thousands of students were forced to wear face masks in class this week as schools brought back mandates. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has quietly extended the requirement which was due to expire this weekend until April 10 The TSA last week claims the policy aims to protect US citizens and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed As shown by the graph above, introducing proof of vaccination for travelers on November 8, 2021 did not stem the influx of Covid cases from the Omicron variant during winter last year An emergency amendment sneaked out by the TSA last week claims the policy aims to protect US citizens and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed. It was initially brought in in November 2021 amid the Omicron wave that sent infection rates rocketing globally, when dozens of countries put similar restrictions in place. But experts have increasingly accepted that Covid vaccines - while highly effective at preventing severe illness - do not stop infections very well. Virtually all European countries, including the UK, have ditched the measure. Only a handful of nations have kept them, mainly in the Middle East and Africa. The TSA document reads: Together with the Presidential Proclamation and the CDC Order, these policies are intended to limit the risk that Covid-19, including variants of the virus that causes Covid-19, is introduced, transmitted, and spread into and throughout the United States, potentially overwhelming United States healthcare and public health resources, endangering the health and safety of the American people, and threatening the security of our civil aviation system. To enter the US, travelers need to present documentation showing they are 'fully vaccinated' according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition. The most effective Covid shots - like Moderna's and Pfizer's - are estimated to give up to 90 percent protection against death in the months after vaccination. However, the rapid rate at which the virus has mutated over the past year has made it difficult to figure out exactly how effective the shots are. Experts agree, whatever the figure, the vaccines have had a hugely protective effect, saving an estimated 3million American lives and preventing 19m hospitalizations. But the shots are significantly less effective at stopping transmission, dropping efficacy below 30 percent three months after immunization. Dr Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, admitted last year the shots 'cant prevent transmission anymore'. US COVID CASES: Covid infections nationally have started to tick up in recent weeks, with around 400,000 weekly cases now compared to 300,000 a month ago US COVID DEATHS: Fatalities have flatlined since the summer, a trend attributed to high levels of population immunity US COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS: Hospital admissions among people with Covid have also risen in recent weeks - but pale in comparison to last year. There were around 6,500 admissions for the virus across the US every day last week, on average around double the number in early November The Biden Administration dropped the requirement for international travelers to the US to provide a negative Covid test last June, but does not appear ready to budge on the shots. It means, technically, people can fly into the US even if they are positive for the virus so long as they are vaccinated. The US announced last week that all passengers coming from China will need to show a negative test after to keep out new variants. China abruptly ended its zero-Covid policy in December, leading to an explosive wave that has overwhelmed crematoriums and reportedly caused hundreds of millions of infections in a matter of weeks. But the World Health Organization (WHO) today said it is actually a Covid variant spreading in the US that is of most concern. XBB.1.5 - another spinoff of Omicron - is behind roughly 70 percent of new infections in the worst affected parts of the US and four in 10 nationally. It has spread rapidly in recent weeks, accounting for just four percent of US cases in early December, indicating it has a major growth advantage over rival strains. XBB.1.5 is spreading much quicker in the US than anywhere else. In Britain, for example, the sub-strain is behind just one in 20 cases. Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead for Covid, told a press conference Wednesday: 'We are concerned about its growth advantage in particular in some countries in Europe and in the US... particularly the Northeast part of the United States, where XBB.1.5 has rapidly replaced other circulating variants. 'Our concern is how transmissible it is, and the more this virus circulates, the more opportunities it will have to change.' Oxygen supplies are running dangerously low as a knock-on effect of the ongoing NHS crisis, doctors have warned. The 150billion/year health service is under immense strain from Covid, flu and bed-blockers, as well as usual winter pressures and staff absences. Ill Britons have had to be treated outside wards, including in ambulances, corridors, cupboards and hospital offices, due to a lack of space in hospitals. It means more patients with respiratory illnesses are relying on portable canisters of oxygen, which only have around 30 minutes' worth of gas in them, until they are hooked up to a bed. Woking-based BOC, the health service's main supplier of oxygen cannisters, announced that it had to ration five types of its portable oxygen. Pictured: An ambulance worker in London with a BOC small oxygen cylinder Private hospitals 'can help us cure the NHS'... and Rishi Sunak promises new surgical hubs to slash waiting lists, with cash to free up beds under new plan Rishi Sunak smiles as he arrives to deliver a speech on his 'five promises' on the NHS on Wednesday Advertisement Oxygen is delivered straight to hospital ward beds through a series of pipes. Woking-based BOC, the NHS's main supplier of oxygen cannisters, announced that it had to ration five types of its portable oxygen. It is only giving cannisters to hospitals in exchange for empty ones. BOC said: 'Integral valve cylinders (CD, ZA, ZD, HX & ZX) are currently being supplied on a full for empty basis only. 'This means we can only supply the same amount of cylinders you are returning and any orders placed for more cylinders than are being returned will be adjusted accordingly.' However, the company insisted that there is no shortage in oxygen just a spike in demand for its small cylinders. BOC said it is working with the NHS and the Department of Health, encouraging hospitals to use their piped oxygen supplies or larger cannisters. The NHS said it is seeing 'significant demand' for portable oxygen due to a rise in patients with respiratory conditions. It urged ill Brits to still use the NHS as normal. Sources in the health service told The Telegraph supply was only meeting around half of the demand for cannisters from hospitals and ambulances. Doctors told the newspaper that the situation is putting patients 'at risk' because they are forced to ration oxygen or use 'substandard alternatives'. Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust announced this week that medics had to stop treating patients in corridors due to a lack of portable oxygen. A message to staff warned that it only had 'hours' of supplies left and urged staff to shift patients to wards to ensure they had access to oxygen. East of England Ambulance Service Trust, along with South East Coast Ambulance and East of England, have told staff to carefully manage supplies due to the surge in demand. East of England has also suggested some elderly patients with oxygen saturation between 92 and 94 per cent may not require oxygen unless their level is lower than normal, it added. One NHS worker from the South West told the Sunday Times: 'We are now at the stage where there is not enough oxygen in cylinders to treat patients in corridors, ambulances and in our walk-in area in A&E.' The Doctors Association UK said such the supply problems which were uncommon even during the darkest days of the pandemic are now 'a common occurrence'. Some hospitals are warning demand for oxygen, which has been in short supply since Christmas, is higher than during the first Covid wave considered one of the worst for hospitals. Dr Matt Kneale, the organisation's co-chairman, told The Telegraph: 'We have heard about oxygen shortages from multiple doctors in different regions.' The situation has forced medics to 'kick out' patients from beds to corridors as more ill patients needed the same. 'Today, we did this so a patient could die anywhere other than a corridor,' she said. Dr Adrian Boyle, the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, told the newspaper: 'This is about people being treated in inappropriate areas, stuck on corridors and in the back of ambulances. 'There is no problem with piped supplies, this is about where patients are having to receive treatment. 'It's another illustration of our failure to be be able to provide people with the care they need.' Dr Boyle has warned that up to 500 patients are dying every week because of the current delays in emergency care. In other health news... Britain's broken NHS: Crying grandma begs family to let her die after 33-hour wait on trolley and man 'sleeps on floor after spending day in an ambulance' as trust bosses consider treating patients in TENTS to cope with dire situation Once a month jab could ease pain of arthritic knees: More than 600 people with knee osteoarthritis are taking part in clinical trials of the drug NHS axes targets on diversity and inclusion: Trusts are told to abandon goal on boosting BAME 'disparity ratio' in crackdown on wokery It has now been spotted in at least 29 countries after emerging in New York XBB.1.5, nicknamed 'the Kraken', is the most transmissible strain detected An explosive new Covid variant's rapid spread around the world has been laid bare by a fascinating time-lapse map. XBB.1.5, nicknamed 'the Kraken', is the most transmissible strain detected since the pandemic began, according to World Health Organization bosses. It has now been spotted in at least 29 countries after first appearing in New York in October. It triggered a surge in cases and taken off quicker than any variant since Omicron first swept the world last winter. Despite being extremely infectious, experts insist the strain a spin-off of Omicron is just as mild as its ancestors. The map shows where cases of XBB.1.5 had been detected by October 22 The map shows where cases of XBB.1.5 had been detected by November 10 The map shows where cases of XBB.1.5 had been detected by December 1 The map shows where cases of XBB.1.5 had been detected by December 29 How dangerous is XBB.1.5? Is it already the dominant Covid strain? And do the jabs still work? Everything you need to know about 'the Kraken' as new variant starts sweeping the UK A highly contagious Covid strain has emerged and is already behind one in 25 cases in the UK, data suggests Advertisement But it has still sparked panic over its mutations and increased transmissibility, which has raised concerns it could fuel a new wave of infections. Officials in the UK are said to have face mask, work from home and social distancing guidance ready to go if pressures, including from Covid patients, leaves the NHS 'at risk of collapse'. Surveillance data suggests the strain, a merger of variants BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75, already makes up 75 per cent of cases in the worst-hit parts of the US. The map, created by Melbourne-based data visualisation expert Mike Honey based on figures from the global pathogen database Gisaid, shows that 28 cases have been logged in the UK. This includes 24 in England, two in Wales and one in each of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Virus trackers in the UK say around 4 per cent of new cases, or one in 25, are down to XBB.1.5. But rates are thought to be as high as 50 per cent in the Wirral, according to the Sanger Institute, one of the UK's largest Covid surveillance centres. German health chiefs today expressed concern over the strain, which they are monitoring. So far one case has been detected in the nation. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said: 'Hopefully we get through the winter before such a variant can spread among us.' The World Health Organization yesterday warned XBB.1.5 is the 'most transmissible' strain ever seen in the pandemic. Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, an epidemiologist and technical lead for the WHO's Covid response, said: 'The reason for this are the mutations that are within this subvariant of Omicron allowing this virus to adhere to the cell and replicate easily.' XBB.1.5 has gained 14 new mutations to the virus' spike proteins, compared with its ancestor strains. These mutations include F486P, which helps it to bypass Covid-fighting antibodies that were generated in response to vaccination or previous infection. Another change S486P is thought to improve its ability to bind to cells. This, in theory, means people who are vaccinated or have had a previous infection may be more susceptible to an infection though not necessarily severe illness. Antibodies are just one part of the overall immune response to Covid, with other virus-fighting substances like T-cells playing a vital role. Figures from the Sanger Institute, one of the UK's largest Covid surveillance centres, show XBB.1.5 was spotted nine times in the week to December 17. Five of the cases were spotted in Wirral in Merseyside, where scientists estimate it is behind 50 per cent of cases. One XBB.1.5 sample was sequenced in Stroke-on-Trent, where 20 per cent of cases are thought to be caused by the strain. Telford and Wrekin in Shropshire (11 per cent), Tower Hamlets in London (50 per cent) and Cornwall (33 per cent) all each reported one strain caused by the Omicron sub-variant Figures from the Sanger Institute, one of the UK's largest Covid surveillance centres, shows 4 per cent of cases in the week to December 17 were caused by XBB.1.5 (shown in purple, bottom right corner) December 17 marked the first time XBB.1.5 was listed on the institute's virus dashboard, which is updated weekly Some experts are spooked by its contagiousness, as while previous infection and vaccines slash the risk of severe illness and death, new strains can fuel new waves of infections, which inevitably put pressure on health services. And WHO experts fear XBB.1.5 could be the gateway to a scarier variant. The more infections that occur, the more opportunities the virus has to mutate and evolve. Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told MailOnline that the emergence of the strain is a 'wakeup call' and could exacerbate the NHS crisis in Britain. He said: 'The XBB.1.5 variant is highly infectious and is driving increased hospital admissions in New York, particularly among the elderly. 'Waning immunity, more indoor mixing because of the cold weather and lack of other mitigations, such as wearing facemasks, are also contributing to this surge of infection in the US.' Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist based at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline that the majority of new variants 'fizzle out in a few weeks'. However, the sharp increase in XBB.1.5's prevalence is 'certainly very worrying' and suggests 'a pretty dramatic growth advantage and enough to drive a new wave of infections', he said. But nine in 10 Britons over 12 are double-jabbed, while seven in 10 have had a booster. And those most at risk from the virus such as the elderly and immunocompromised have had multiple rounds of boosters. The graph shows the proportion of cases each week that are caused by each variant, according to surveillance data. It suggests that prevalence of XBB.1.5 jumped from 22 per cent to 41 per cent in just one week US virus hospitalisations jumped 40 per cent in the month to December 28, from 1.2 to 1.7 admissions per 100,000 people The number of people infected with Covid taking up beds in wards across England soared above 8,600 on December 21, the latest data available shows. The figure has jumped 29 per cent in a week On top of this, almost all Britons are thought to have had the virus at some point since the pandemic began further boosting the immune response. Additionally, the strain doesn't seem to be linked with more severe illness. Covid hospitalisations in the US, where the strain is most prevalent, jumped 40 per cent in the month to December 28. But experts said there is no indication XBB.1.5 is behind the uptick in severe cases. Dr Barbara Mahon, director of the CDC's Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division, told CBS News: 'We're projecting that it's going to be the dominant variant in the North East region of the country and that it's going to increase in all regions of the country. 'There's no suggestion at this point that XBB.1.5 is more severe.' And not all experts are concerned. Professor Eric Topol, molecular medicine expert at Scripps Research in California said the strain doesn't seem like a 'scariant' his term for worrying versions of the virus. He told the Financial Times: 'This one is the real deal and we're betting on our immunity wall of infections, vaccinations, boosters and their combinations to help withstand its impact. Omicron was labelled the most contagious variant ever when it first emerged in November 2021. A former WHO official said it was just as contagious as measles. It has since splintered into dozens of sub-variants, most of which have fizzled out or not caused concern. However, BA.2 caused record cases last spring and BA.5 triggered another spike in August, which saw around 17,000 and 14,000 Britons in hospital at each peak, respectively. In other health news... NHS hospitals are running out of OXYGEN due to a surge in patients being treated in corridors and ambulances 'We can't do this EVERY winter': Fury over Government plans to bring back Covid-era measures to avoid full-blown NHS meltdown as zealots demand masks in public, WFH by default and return of social distancing Is Covid about to run riot in Britain? And could pandemic-era measures really make a comeback? Everything you need to know about current virus situation NASA officials are considering asking SpaceX for assistance in the event of an emergency that could leave astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) to be stranded following a coolant leak in a Russian spacecraft. The space agency is already investigating the issue, which began in December, with the help of Russia's space agency. The affected spacecraft, the Soyuz capsule, was scheduled to bring two cosmonauts and one astronaut back to Earth in March. NASA in Talks With SpaceX Authorities from the space agency have reached out to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to see if it was possible to return three ISS crew members after the docked Russian spacecraft's leaked coolant incident. On Friday, NASA said in a blog post that it had asked whether or not SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft was capable of facilitating the return of the spacemen in the event that an emergency was declared. The primary focus of the current situation was to understand the post-leak capabilities of the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, said the space agency. The spacecraft was scheduled to return the three crew members after bringing them to the ISS on Sept. 21, 2022, for a six-month mission, as per Yahoo News. The three crew members were identified as cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin, and one American astronaut, Frank Rubio. NASA and Roscosmos were working together to investigate the incident and determine their next steps. In a statement on Dec. 28, 2022, a spokeswoman for NASA said that they have asked SpaceX a few questions regarding their capability to return additional crew members on Dragon if necessary. However, she added that that sort of situation was not the space agency's prime focus at the time. The coolant leak on the Soyuz spacecraft was first detected when two Roscosmos cosmonauts were preparing to go on a spacewalk outside of the ISS. NASA also shared footage last month that showed the leak, which resembled white particles spraying out of the spacecraft that was docked to the ISS. Read Also: China Aims To Build Territory on Moon Amid Space Race, NASA Chief Warns Russian Spacecraft Coolant Leak According to CNET, the consideration of SpaceX to assist in the matter comes as the space company has launched a string of successful Crew Dragon missions to the ISS. However, it makes custom suits for its Dragon riders, so taking the three ISS crew members was not as simple as sending the spacecraft to the station. Furthermore, any SpaceX-based rescue could also have a major impact on other scheduled ISS missions, such as the upcoming SpaceX Crew-6 mission that is set for an early 2023 launch. Another alternative is if the Soyuz capsule is deemed safe to use or if Russia sends a replacement Soyuz spacecraft. While the cause of the coolant leak on the Soyuz spacecraft remains unknown, an inspection of camera footage revealed that a small hole could be the result of a micrometeoroid impact. The incident caused ammonia to spread around the ISS and NASA and Roscosmos deemed the spacecraft unsafe to transport the crew members back to Earth. Since the early stages of the construction of the ISS, space agencies have made sure to have extra spacecraft docked to evacuate crew members if needed. It was also not unheard of for astronauts to take shelter in the vessels when the station has close calls with orbiting space debris, ExtremeTech reported. Related Article: Walter Cunningham's Death: Last Surviving Apollo 7 Astronaut Dies at 90 @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The week before Christmas was the deadliest in England and Wales for almost two years, bleak figures today revealed. Almost 15,000 fatalities were logged, a fifth higher than levels typically seen at that time of year before Covid struck. Experts have blamed the huge excess death toll on the unprecedented NHS crisis and knock-on effects of the pandemic, with some warning fatalities will continue to rise. Others blamed the freezing temperatures seen in mid-December. Despite piling extra pressure on an already-crippled health service, the 'twindemic' of Covid and flu has yet to be fully reflected in the death count. Almost 15,000 fatalities were logged, a fifth higher than levels typically seen at that time of year before Covid struck Ambulances parked outside the Royal London hospital in east London on January 4 Some patients were forced to lie on the floor in the busy A&E due to a lack of beds NHS hospitals are running out of OXYGEN due to a surge in patients being treated in corridors and ambulances Woking-based BOC, the health service's main supplier of oxygen cannisters, announced that it had to ration five types of its portable oxygen. Pictured: An ambulance worker in London with a BOC small oxygen cylinder Advertisement The Office for National Statistics (ONS) registered 14,530 deaths in England and Wales in the week ending December 23. The figure is almost 2,100 higher than the previous seven-day spell. The toll was also the biggest since February 2021, during the height of the UK's first Covid winter battle. Only 429 of deaths logged across the most recent week or 3 per cent involved the virus, however. Covid was the underlying cause of death for roughly 70 per cent of those. During the darkest spells of the pandemic, in early 2020 and the winter of 2020/21, more than 1,000 Brits were dying from it every day. But the UK's historic vaccine roll-out and repeated waves of infection have drastically blunted the threat of the virus. This wall of immunity gave ministers the confidence to push ahead with the 'Living with Covid' strategy, which saw all virus curbs including masks, isolation and testing axed early last year. The rapid emergence of XBB.1.5, a variant nicknamed 'the Kraken', has sparked fears Britain will be rocked by a fresh wave in the coming weeks. But top experts are convinced the strain will not sentence the nation to another round of brutal restrictions. At the same time as Covid's resurgence, the UK is also being battered by a 'flu-nami'. It is crippling hospitals, which are already struggling to juggle huge demand, routine winter pressures and a mammoth bed-blocking crisis. ONS figures show 829 fatalities were caused by flu and pneumonia in the week to December 23. The toll is around 300 higher than one week earlier so doesn't on its own explain the sudden hike in deaths. However, Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist based at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline that many flu deaths are not recorded as such so may be subtly pushing up the death toll. He said: 'Deaths following influenza are often due to secondary bacterial infections. 'By the time people end up in hospital with their pneumonia, the influenza infection may no longer be obvious.' Ambulances wait outside Portsmouth Hospital yesterday due to shortages of rooms Paramedics have been forced to assemble makeshift wards in corridors of Aintree Hospital A&E due to a surge in demand Patients were seen to be lying on the floor at Aintree Hospital's A&E in Wirral Ambulance handover delays peaked on December 19 with more than 3,000 patients forced to wait over an hour in the back of an emergency vehicle, unable to be offloaded to a hospital bed NHS England data today showed that an average of 63,000 staff were off work every day in the week to Christmas (red line). Around 8,000 of the absences were due to Covid (blue line) The flu-nami has swept across the NHS in England, the latest round of health service data shows, with over 3,800 admissions for the virus on December 23. Graph shows the number of beds on wards taken up by those with flu (red) and the number of beds occupied due to the virus in critical care (blue) Why IS the NHS struggling this winter? Bed blockers Some 12,000 hospital beds across the country roughly one in seven are currently filled with patients declared fit for discharge. The figure is triple the pre-pandemic average. Experts say numbers are being driven by a crisis in social care, leaving patients left to languish on wards for up to nine months because there is no suitable nursing accommodation or care available for them in the community. The lack of beds has seen ambulances stuck in queues for 20 hours outside of hospitals this summer, as emergency medics scramble to find beds for patients. This has had a knock-on effect on response times. Workforce shortages The NHS, which employs over a million people, has around 130,000 vacancies across its entire workforce in England. This reduces productivity, with fewer staff to carry out appointments and procedures. Health chiefs also warn that it stops staff from delivering high-quality care as they rush between patients, and can lead to safety concerns if too few staff are working. In turn, medics are at a higher risk of burnout, illness and early retirement due to these factors. Surge in seasonal viruses Flu has surged in recent weeks, with over 4,000 beds per day being taken up by hospital admissions for the virus in the week to December 25. Sickness from seasonal winter bugs not only increases demands on the NHS but also damages its capacity. This is due to staff falling ill with the bugs themselves which prevents them from working. NHS staff sickness has surged recently with 63,000 staff missing work per day in the week running up to Christmas Day. Strep A fears 30 children in the UK have died in so far this winter due to an ongoing outbreak of Strep A. The bacterial infection is harmless for the vast majority. But it can cause life-threatening illness if the bacteria invade the blood, muscles or lungs. Doctors have warned that A&E, GPs and ambulances are in meltdown due to a surge in demand from parents worried that their child is infected. Patients have faced longer emergency department waits, while some hospitals have postponed routine procedures to cope with demand. Covid pressures Around 7,700 beds per day were occupied by a patient infected with Covid in England in the week to December 18. Two-thirds are primarily admitted for another ailment, such as a broken leg, but happen to test positive. However, infected patients still pile pressure on the health service as they have to be isolated from others. The virus also contributes to higher rates of staff sickness. GP appointment crisis Campaign groups, MPs and senior medics say desperate patients are turning to emergency and walk-in services because they can't get a face-to-face appointment with their GP. The average GP in England is responsible for 2,200 patients now up from 1,900 in 2016. In the areas with poorest access, up to 2,600 patients are fighting over one family doctor. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) has previously warned difficulties in seeing a GP was leading to a crisis in emergency departments. Advertisement Sir David Spiegelhalter, a world-renowned statistician from the University of Cambridge, said: 'Presumably much of this increase is due to the cold. 'Although the increasing problems in access to NHS care are likely to have contributed, although it is not possible to say by how much.' The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) warned the spike in deaths are 'undoubtedly' linked to record delays for urgent care. It said: 'If you can't get an ambulance to someone who's having a heart attack or a stroke, then some of those patients are going to come to harm and may die as a result.' Dr Adrian Boyle, president of the RCEM last week warned up to 500 patients are dying every week while they wait in overpacked emergency wards. Stuart McDonald, an actuary who analyses death data, told The Times that the high fatality toll could be due to the crisis in A&E, winter viruses and the nurses' and paramedics' strikes. Medics walked out twice in the week of the ONS data. He said: 'We know that Covid and flu were at high levels and there were severe delays in A&E. These are also weeks when nurses and paramedics were on strike.' Dr David Strain, clinical lead for Covid services at the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, told MailOnline that the high death toll is a trend that will likely 'get worse over the next few weeks'. He said the spike in fatalities was due to a 'composite of multiple different things', including a lack of hospital beds and too little investment in the NHS and social care, as well as the population becoming less healthy. Dr Strain said: 'Over the last 10 years we have actually lost, if anything [around] 20 per cent of the beds available to people with acute diseases such as stroke or heart attacks. 'As a result people are sat outside emergency rooms, in ambulances with time critical treatments being delayed.' Delays in treating diseases such as stroke, heart attacks and sepsis 'have very real effects', including deaths due to the conditions, he said. Experts say the collateral effects of Covid on treating cancer are to blame for a big proportion of the excess deaths. Cancer checks effectively ground to a halt during the pandemic and patients faced delays for treatment as oncologists were put on Covid wards and patients were told to stay at home to protect the NHS. And thousands fewer people than expected have started cancer treatment since the pandemic began despite NHS performance recovering slightly this summer The NHS crisis has seen patients face record delays in A&E this winter, with some reporting waits of up to four days, while others are treated in corridors, meeting rooms and even outside hospitals. Patients have been forced to sleep on the floor or in their cars due to a lack of beds and 'Dickensian overcrowding'. Last week, one in five ambulance patients in England waited more than an hour to be handed over to A&E teams. Paramedics are supposed to complete handovers to emergency department staff within 15 minutes, with none taking longer than 30 minutes. The situation led London Ambulance Service (LAS) to this week order its crews to hand over patients to emergency departments within 45 minutes even if the hospital has no available beds. NHS chiefs have warned the crisis will rumble on until Easter. The health service has blamed ongoing pressures in part on workforce shortages, with 130,000 vacancies. On top of this, staff absences are on the rise. Further adding to the crisis, 12,000 hospital beds were taken up by bed-blockers in the last week. England's Chief Medical Office Sir Chris Whitty had previously warned that England faced a 'prolonged period' of excess due to the after effects of the pandemic. This is expected to include heart disease deaths in part due to drop in the number of people with healthy blood pressure levels and cancer deaths as a result of delays to treatment during the Covid crisis. In other health news... NHS hospitals are running out of OXYGEN due to a surge in patients being treated in corridors and ambulances 'We can't do this EVERY winter': Fury over Government plans to bring back Covid-era measures to avoid full-blown NHS meltdown as zealots demand masks in public, WFH by default and return of social distancing Is Covid about to run riot in Britain? And could pandemic-era measures really make a comeback? Everything you need to know about current virus situation Pictured: London Underground commuters during rush hour this morning on the tubes, with some passengers choosing to wear face masks on their journey Pictured: London Underground commuters during rush hour this morning on the tubes, with some passengers choosing to wear face masks on their journey A woman born with two vaginas has told how she was clueless about her bizarre anatomy until she was 21. Scarlett Rose, now 30, suffered years of excruciating pain during sex that left her feeling 'like an alien' because 'I didn't know what was wrong with me'. Mrs Rose, who lives in Queensland, Australia, assumed it was because she 'wasn't ready' or that it was 'supposed to hurt'. Medics even told her that the pain she felt was 'in her head'. Scarlett Rose, now 30, suffered years of excruciating pain during sex that left her feeling 'like an alien' It was only when the she became pregnant that doctors discovered the mother-of-one's vagina was split in two. Discussing her ordeal, she said: 'When I found out I had two vaginas I was relieved because it took me years to figure out what was wrong. What is a vaginal septum? A vaginal septum is when the female reproductive system doesnt fully develop, leaving a dividing wall of tissue inside the vagina. There are two different types of the condition - longitudinal vaginal septum (LVS) which runs vertically and transverse vaginal septum (TVS) which runs horizontally. Many girls dont realise they have a vaginal septum until they reach puberty or when they become sexually active and feel pain during sex. Some women with a vaginal septum never have any symptoms. Medics arent sure what causes the condition but they know it happens as the person is developing as a fetus in the womb. Figures suggest around one in 72,000 women have a transverse vaginal septum Advertisement 'Now, sex isn't painful and I can lead a normal life.' Mrs Rose, a councillor, added: 'I also want other women to know they are not alone in this.' Figures suggest up to 72,000 women globally have a transverse vaginal septum when a wall of tissue separates the vagina into two. Her tissue ended two centimetres before the vaginal opening, making it difficult to see and hard for any doctors to diagnose. There are two different types of the condition longitudinal vaginal septum (LVS) which runs vertically and transverse vaginal septum (TVS) which runs horizontally. Mrs Rose, who started having sex at 18, said: 'The first time that I tried to do anything I thought I wasn't ready or that it was supposed to hurt.' While she sought help at the time, doctors and gynaecologists were baffled by the cause of her agony. Over the course of three years she endured laparoscopic surgery, smears and ultrasounds, as well as treatment for thrush, bacterial vaginosis and vaginismus when the vaginal muscles tighten during penetration. Discussing her quest to find answers. she said: 'It was really hard. 'I developed severe anxiety because of it. I was told that it was in my head. 'I knew that what I was experiencing physical pain and when you are told there is no issue or that people don't believe you it's very difficult. I was so embarrassed.' Mrs Rose added: 'Once I met my husband (Jamie) he told me my pain wasn't normal and I realised there was a problem.' It was only when she became pregnant in 2014 with her son Hunter, now eight, that doctors discovered Mrs Rose's vagina was split in two. Pictured with husband Jamie and son Hunter Despite the strain her condition put on her relationship with her field service technician husband, the pair (pictured together) got married and started trying for a baby She struggled to find any answers to her questions about her pain online, and no-one she knew had experienced anything similar. Mrs Rose added: 'Even when we talked to friends about it, men would tell me I wasn't good enough and that I needed to figure my problems out as a lack of sex wasn't fair on my husband. 'Having sex was incredibly painful. Intercourse isn't just for pleasure it's a way to bond in relationships. At 21-weeks pregnant Mrs Rose was rushed to hospital after she was found to have a weak cervix which could induce premature labour. Pictured with her husband after giving birth 'My husband was so supportive and understanding and made sure that I was okay.' Despite the strain her condition put on their relationship the pair still got married and tried for a baby, which Mrs Rose described as 'incredibly painful'. She added: 'Doctors told me that delivering a baby may help with the pain as they assumed my pelvic floor was too tight and having a baby can loosen it.' Mrs Rose and her field service technician husband became pregnant in 2014 with her son Hunter, now eight. However, at 21-weeks she was rushed to hospital for a surgery as she was found to have a weak cervix which could induce premature labour. During the surgery, doctors discovered her vagina was split in two and removed the septum, creating one vagina. She was told that if they hadn't discovered the tissue she could have hemorrhaged during birth, which could have killed her and her son. 'After I gave birth I had to have a smear test at six weeks post-partum. I was terrified because they were usually incredibly painful but after the surgery it was completely fine', she said. 'I wanted to raise awareness because then you can go to appointments with an idea of what is going on and you're more likely to get help and support. 'I want people to see my story and know about it so they can advocate for themselves.' It may be tempting to log onto work from your bed every morning rather than traveling to the office if it's an option. But a study has suggested people who fall into this pattern are less likely to have good physical and mental health. Those who regularly traveled more than 15 miles from home were less likely to suffer from loneliness or mobility issues than homebodies. Scientists at University College London who did the study say commuters are more likely to catch up with friends and family and visit new places. People who work from home are less likely to have good physical and mental health, a study has suggested The researchers recruited 3,014 people aged between 18 and over 75 years old who lived in northern areas of England in January 2019. Participants were surveyed about how often they traveled to work, how far they went, and how they got to the office. They were also asked to rate their health from one to five, where five was very good and one was very bad. This was self-reported, and scientists did not ask them to submit evidence of poor health or diagnoses they had. Results showed people who traveled less were more likely to report their health as bad or very bad. Not getting enough physical activity raises the risk of conditions including obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This puts people at risk of a myriad of other illnesses including heart disease, stroke and an early death. Lead author Dr Paulo Anciaes, from UCL, said: 'We explored the links between constraints to travel more than 15 miles from home, demographics and location and social participation in how residents perceived their own health. 'We found that the key variable is the number of different places people visit outside their local area. This links to more social participation and better health.' Considering responses by age group, scientists found over-55s who rarely ventured out of their hometown were at the highest risk of negative health impacts. They said the lack of regularly visiting new places left the age group at higher risk of less social participation and loneliness, linked to lower general health levels. Dr Anciaes said: 'In the north of England, rural and suburban areas with limited access options are more likely to experience population loss as young people move to the cities in search of work and good travel options. 'Meanwhile, older generations are left behind in these areas with limited transport options. The range of places they can visit is low, leading to less social participation and lower levels of general health. 'The results of this study emphasize the need for public policies that reduce constraints to travel in the region, by providing better options for private and public transport that allows for more frequent and longer trips.' The study was published in the research journal Transport and Health. It was supported by funding from Transport for the North, a government transport body in the UK. US authorities introduced WFH for federal agencies back in early 2020 when the virus was first taking off. Many agencies are still yet to relax these rules, despite Covid vaccines and boosters now being readily available. A report last month showed eight in ten workers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are still working from home. A staffer warned that the current situation made it 'almost impossible to get anything done'. If you enjoyed this article, you might like these: A report published late last year also warned over the risks of working from home, saying two thirds of under-30s in Britain had been left suffering with 'WFH back' by the practice. Covid zealots plea for people to start meeting their friends and lovers outside or online in the UK as cases mount. Vote in DailyMail.com's poll on which, if any, Covid-era measures should return this winter. The US Postal Service can continue to deliver abortion pills to women even in states that have restricted access, the Department of Justice has said. Health officials hailed the move as a victory for women's rights following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade last summer. In an opinion sought by the USPS, the DOJ said posting abortion medication did not violate an 1873 law known as the Comstock Act, which was set up to prevent 'obscene' or pornographic material being sent through the mail. The opinion also applies to other delivery companies that could be used to send abortion drugs, including UPS or FedEx. The availability of mifepristone and misoprostol - prescription medication that can induce an abortion up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy - has increasingly come into question in recent months as states across the US continue to introduce anti-abortion legislation. Abortion in the 13 states of Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin has been totally banned, without exceptions for incest or rape In 21 other states, abortion still remains at risk - with states either partially restricting the procedure or instituting bans that have since been blocked by state courts Since the landmark Supreme Court decision in July - which ended nearly 50 years of guaranteed federal abortion protections - 13 states have entirely banned abortion, with five more severely restricting access to it. Lawmakers in seven other states have tried to introduce bans, only to have them blocked by state courts. Despite widespread closures of abortion clinics across the impacted states, abortion pills - which account for more than half of all pregnancies terminated in the US - have remained available through the mail. A rule which meant the drugs had to be taken at a clinic was lifted in December 2021 to enable more women to get abortions during the pandemic. Only in the 16 states of Michigan, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington is abortion legally protected The 'pills by post' consist of two medications, mifepristone and misoprostol, taken at least 24 hours apart. Women take mifepristone first to block progesterone, a hormone needed to maintain the pregnancy, from working. The second, misoprostol, contains a hormone called prostaglandin, which causes the uterus to contract, triggering the abortion. Federal law does not prohibit the use of mifepristone and misoprostol, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found them to be safe and effective. Lawrence Gostin, Director at the WHO's Center on Global Health Law, said the DOJ's ruling marked a 'vital protection for women and doctors' He wrote on Twitter: 'Today, Biden delivers for women in America, making access to abortion medication safer, and more accessible.' In a statement, the Postal Service noted the opinion 'confirms that the Comstock Act does not require the Postal Service to change our current practice, which has been to consider packages containing mifepristone and misoprostol to be mailable under federal law in the same manner as other prescription drugs.' The 1873 law in question, passed by Congress under the administration of Ulysses S. Grant, banned anything that could 'corrupt' morals from being sent in the mail. This included contraceptives, pornographic content, sex toys, and any written material about such items. In the opinion, the DOJ's Office of Legal Council concluded that the act does not prohibit the mailing of mifepristone or misoprostol if the sender does not know if the drugs will be used illegally. It said that even in places with restrictive abortion laws, women can still lawfully use mifepristone and misoprostol because there are no prohibitions on abortions necessary to preserve the life of the woman. OLC chief Christopher Schroeder wrote in the opinion that even in states where taking abortion pills in prohibited, there are no rules stopping a woman traveling to another state where it is not illegal. Someone sending a woman these drugs cannot know where she will use them, Schroeder said. Hospitals are discharging patients into hotels to free-up beds on wards as the NHS battles a shortage of oxygen canisters. At least three NHS trusts in the South West of England are moving patients into 'care hotels' when they no longer require urgent treatment but do need social care. It comes amid a major lack of care home places and carers who can help people wash, cook and dress in their own homes. Nationally, around 13,000 hospital beds are filled with patients who doctors have declared fit for discharge but are waiting for social care. At least three NHS trusts in the South West of England are moving patients into 'care hotels' when they no longer require urgent treatment but do need social care. In Devon, the NHS has booked rooms to accommodate up to 40 patients at the Leonardo hotel in Plymouth (pictured) The NHS's bed-blocking crisis has exploded since the pandemic with the levels of delayed discharges around triple comparable figures before Covid Private hospitals 'can help us cure the NHS'... and Rishi Sunak promises new surgical hubs to slash waiting lists, with cash to free up beds under new plan Rishi Sunak smiles as he arrives to deliver a speech on his 'five promises' on the NHS on Wednesday Advertisement The 'bed-blockers' are fuelling a crisis in emergency care, as it prevents medics from admitting new arrivals until a bed becomes free, forcing ambulances to queue to drop off patients and leaving them unable to respond to new 999 calls. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has warned that up to 500 people a week are dying due to treatment and ambulance delays. It is also contributing to a shortage of portable oxygen cylinders. These typically last for around 30 minutes and are used while a patient with respiratory difficulties is transported to hospital or waiting for a bed. But with patients now spending hours or days in ambulances and hospital corridors, the NHS is running out, leaving doctors reliant on substandard alternatives. The leading supplier of oxygen to the NHS has warned that five types of cylinder are now being rationed. Some trusts have been forced to move departments and beds around, so more patients can reach piped oxygen, which remains in good supply. Patients discharged to care hotels are facing an average wait there on around a month before they can receive the social care they need elsewhere. Age UK said the policy 'underlines just how severe the crisis in social care has become'. In Devon, the NHS has booked rooms to accommodate up to 40 patients at the Leonardo hotel in Plymouth, the i reported. NHS Devon had originally booked 30 beds in the hotel, but following a deal with its counterpart in Cornwall, it extended the block booking by 10 in order to take patients from across the county border. A spokeswoman for NHS Devon said: 'Care hotels are just one of many positive measures health and care partners have put in place to reduce pressure on busy health services this winter. 'They provide social care for people who are medically fit and do not require hospital care but do need additional living support after a stay in hospital or to prevent them from needing to be admitted.' The NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board is in talks to set up a facility of its own. The care hotels in Cornwall and Devon, which will be run by private care providers, are expected to be in use until the end of March. NHS hospitals in Bristol and surrounding areas have also booked hotel accommodation for up to 30 patients until the end of March. A spokesman for the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board said: 'Local health and care services are under significant pressure and this temporary care facility delivered at a local hotel will help us to improve the flow of patients through our hospitals by ensuring more people can be discharged as soon as they are medically fit to leave hospital.' Woking-based BOC, the health service's main supplier of oxygen cannisters, announced that it had to ration five types of its portable oxygen. Pictured: An ambulance worker in London with a BOC small oxygen cylinder Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: 'The fact that this policy is even under discussion underlines just how severe the crisis in social care has become. 'Hotels are not an appropriate place to provide high-quality care for older people in need of support to recuperate. 'If the only other option is keeping someone in hospital, it may indeed be the lesser of the two evils, but it's a sad indictment of successive failure to invest in a stable, functioning social care system capable of providing the right help at the right time.' According to Age UK, 'an excess bed in the NHS' costs around of 2,500 a week. The cost of a care hotel is just under 1,000 per resident each week, while a residential care home costs around 520 a week. Regional NHS organisations have commissioned private care provider Abicare to run 20 care hotels since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. While other NHS trusts around the UK are considering similar moves, it is understood the South West has been hit particularly hard by the crisis in social care because of it's greater proportion of elderly residents. An NHS spokesperson said: Care hotels have been used locally in the NHS before as a short term measure to support with discharging clinically appropriate patients who are medically fit to leave hospital. 'They are not a replacement for care homes, but are amongst alternative local measures to support with discharging patients safely from hospital into environments that meet their individual needs.' A spokesman for BOC, the leading supplier of oxygen to the NHS, said: 'There is no shortage of BOC supplied oxygen. 'However, we are experiencing high demand for some smaller sizes of cylinder oxygen.' An NHS England spokesman said: 'While there is no shortage of oxygen, the NHS is seeing significant demand for portable oxygen due to increased numbers of patients suffering from respiratory viruses such as flu and Covid-19. 'Local areas are using existing supply as efficiently as possible, while nationally suppliers are working with the NHS to help meet increased demand anybody needing care should not hesitate to contact the NHS as they usually would.' In other health news... Britain's broken NHS: Crying grandma begs family to let her die after 33-hour wait on trolley and man 'sleeps on floor after spending day in an ambulance' as trust bosses consider treating patients in TENTS to cope with dire situation Once a month jab could ease pain of arthritic knees: More than 600 people with knee osteoarthritis are taking part in clinical trials of the drug NHS axes targets on diversity and inclusion: Trusts are told to abandon goal on boosting BAME 'disparity ratio' in crackdown on wokery Covid hospital admissions have plateaued ahead of another expected wave fuelled by 'the Kraken' variant, figures suggest. NHS stats show virus pressures peaked in mid-December, when XBB-1.5 first started to be detected across Britain, and have been falling ever since. Flu admissions also plunged during the last week of 2022. Experts hope both drops are genuine, with ailing hospitals currently being battered by a 'twindemic' that has sparked calls for a return of pandemic-era restrictions like face masks and mass testing. But officials admit the downturn could be a blip caused by reporting delays over the Christmas period. The graph shows the weekly hospital admissions per 100,000 people for Covid (red) and flu (blue). UK Health Security Agency surveillance figures showed Covid admissions feel from 12 to 11 per 100,000 people, while admissions fell to 8 per 100,000 in the week to January 1 NHS data shows 995 people, on average, infected with Covid were admitted to hospitals across England in the week to January 2. The figures suggest that the number of people seeking NHS care due to the virus, on average, peaked on December 23 (1,154) and has been trending downwards since The flu-nami has swept across the NHS in England, the latest round of health service data shows, with over 3,800 admissions for the virus on December 23. Graph shows the number of beds on wards taken up by those with flu (red) and the number of beds occupied due to the virus in critical care (blue) NHS England data today showed that an average of 63,000 staff were off work every day in the week to Christmas (red line). Around 8,000 of the absences were due to Covid (blue line) Ambulance handover delays peaked on December 19 with more than 3,000 patients forced to wait over an hour in the back of an emergency vehicle, unable to be offloaded to a hospital bed NHS hospitals are running out of OXYGEN due to a surge in patients being treated in corridors and ambulances Woking-based BOC, the health service's main supplier of oxygen cannisters, announced that it had to ration five types of its portable oxygen. Pictured: An ambulance worker in London with a BOC small oxygen cylinder Advertisement The massive strain on the NHS, triggered by staff shortages and record levels of bed-blockers as well as Covid and flu, has led to a surge in excess deaths, analysts fear. Almost 15,000 people died in England and Wales in the week before Christmas when the pressures across the health service were described as being their most intense. Fatalities were around a fifth higher than typically seen at the time of year before the pandemic. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) warned the spike in deaths are 'undoubtedly' linked to record delays for urgent care. NHS data shows 995 people, on average, infected with Covid were admitted to hospitals across England in the week to January 2. The figures suggest that the number of people seeking NHS care due to the virus, on average, peaked on December 23 (1,154) and has been trending downwards since. The numbers include patients who aren't actually ill with the virus and incidentally tested positive. On top of this, weekly UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) surveillance figures showed Covid admissions feel from 12 to 11 per 100,000 people. Rates for Covid admissions were highest among the elderly, at 131 per 100,000 for over-85s and 52 per 100,000 for those aged 75 to 84. Separate UKHSA data, also published today, suggest that influenza admissions have fallen drastically over the festive period. Hospitalisations for influenza soared to the highest level seen in a decade in the week before Christmas, with 15 admissions per 100,000 people. But admissions nearly halved in the week to January 1, hitting 8 per 100,000. Flu hospitalisations continue to be highest among the oldest age groups, at 62 per 100,000 for people aged 85 and over and 32 per 100,000 for 75- to 84-year-olds. Despite the drop, health chiefs warn that the rate is still running above any point in the previous four winters. And there can often be a slight reduction in recorded levels of hospital activity over the festive period, which this winter included the weekend of December 24 and 25 followed by bank holidays on both December 26 and 27. So the latest data might have been affected by some hospitals not returning a full set of figures, together with 'reporting delays and bank holidays over Christmas and New Year', the UKHSA said. But there may also have been a temporary reduction in the transmission of viruses due to 'reductions in social contact rates over the holiday', with fewer people travelling and many communal buildings closed, the agency said. Figures from the Sanger Institute, one of the UK's largest Covid surveillance centres, shows 4 per cent of cases in the week to December 17 were caused by XBB.1.5 (shown in purple, bottom right corner) December 17 marked the first time XBB.1.5 was listed on the institute's virus dashboard, which is updated weekly How dangerous is XBB.1.5? Is it already the dominant Covid strain? And do the jabs still work? Everything you need to know about 'the Kraken' as new variant starts sweeping the UK A highly contagious Covid strain has emerged and is already behind one in 25 cases in the UK, data suggests Advertisement Steve Russell, the health service's director of vaccinations and screening, said the NHS had delivered almost 20million flu jabs to around four in five over-65s. It means 13million have not come forward for the vaccine. But flu admissions 'continue to be very high' so it 'remains vital' that anyone eligible including pregnant women and children aged two and three who have not had their flu jab book one as soon as possible. UKHSA chief executive Dame Jenny Harries said there had been a 'dramatic increase' in the number of flu admissions before Christmas, but they have started to fall in recent days. She said: 'I urge all those eligible to come forward for their free flu vaccination, which is the best way to protect yourself from serious illness. 'Uptake of the flu vaccine is particularly low in children aged two and three, so if your child is eligible, please urgently take up the offer. 'Covid also continues to circulate at high levels and anyone eligible for a booster who has yet to take it up should come forward.' Dame Jenny added: 'Try to stay home when unwell and if you do have to go out, wearing a face covering can help prevent germs spreading to other people. Don't visit vulnerable people if you're unwell.' In response to the surge in seasonal viruses and in a plea to reduce pressure on the NHS, health chiefs issued fresh calls for ill Britons to stay off work if they are unwell and wear a mask if they must go outside. Children who are sick and have a fever should stay home from school, UKHSA bosses said. Other gloomier experts have gone even further amid record pressures on the NHS an the emergence of Omicron sub-variant XBB.1.5, which has been labelled the most contagious strain yet by World Health Organization officials. Some scientists urged people to work from home where possible, reduce their social contacts and wear masks in crowded places, even if they are not ill. But a group of Tory MPs and scientists have dismissed these calls, however. They warned that the NHS's annual winter crisis can't be used as an 'excuse to reintroduce Covid-era restrictions'. Americans who were vaccinated or infected with Covid earlier than last July may have weaker protection against the fast-rising XBB.1.5 variant, the White House said. Dr Ashish Jha, the Biden Administration's Covid response coordinator, said the chance of not catching the new strain 'isn't great' among those people, but he expects protection against severe illness and death to remain high. In a lengthy Twitter thread, he said the new variant - a spinoff of Omicron - had a 'stunning increase' in the US in recent weeks. Figures show it makes up 40 percent of active US cases, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - up from just four percent at the start of December. The fast-rising XBB.1.5 sub-variant (dark blue) now makes up 40 percent of Covid cases in the US, according to most recent CDC data Dr Jha urged people to get the bivalent Covid booster - which were tailored specifically towards the Omicron variant and its sub-strains - though there are some doubts it does improve upon previous shots. 'If you had an infection before July OR your last vaccine was before bivalent update in September... your protection against an XBB.1.5 infection is probably not that great,' Dr Jha wrote in a 13 tweet thread. The strain is a merger of the BJ.1 and XBB.1 variants - both sub-variants of Omicron that never took hold in the US. Its mutations include one change that allows it to evade vaccine antibodies provided by the vaccine, and a second that improves its ability to bind to cells. This allows it to be more infectious than previous versions of the virus and helps it evade vaccine immunity. The Pfizer and Moderna bivalent shots received authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in late Summer. They were made to combat infection from the Omicron variant - and all of the sub-variants that emerged from it over the past year. The original vaccines, which rolled out at the end of 2020, were tailored to the original Wuhan strain of the virus. While Omicron how showed ability to evade the protection provided by the vaccines against infection, those inoculated with the original shots are still unlikely to suffer severe hospitalization or death. It is currently unclear how effective the bivalent booster is against XBB.1.5 variant, and there are doubts over whether the new shot is better at preventing severe hospitalization or death from Covid than the original vaccine. Experts assure the public that there is little to worry about the new strain. Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the UK's University of East Anglia, told MailOnline this week the majority of new variants 'fizzle out in a few weeks'. However, the sharp increase in XBB.1.5's prevalence is 'certainly very worrying' and suggests 'a pretty dramatic growth advantage and enough to drive a new wave of infections', he said. America quietly extends Covid vaccination entry requirement for travelers until APRIL Travelers flying into the United States will still need proof of Covid vaccination until at least April as officials stick with the failing pandemic policy. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has quietly extended the requirement which was due to expire this weekend until April 10. It means all non-US citizens will still have to prove they have received at least two vaccine doses or an accepted single-dose shot like Johnson and Johnson's. The move makes America an outlier in the West, where most countries ditched so-called 'vaccine passports' months ago when they failed to keep infections low. There are growing concerns that damaging Covid policies are creeping back into American life after hundreds of thousands of students were forced to wear face masks in class this week as schools brought back mandates. Advertisement The strain made up 40.5 percent of Covid cases sequenced by the CDC during the final week of 2022 - up from 21.7 percent a week earlier, and 10 percent two weeks earlier. This rapid growth quickly overtook the BQ.1.1 variant - which many feared would take over as the nation's dominant Covid strain by the end of the year. BQ.1.1 makes up 26.9 percent of sequenced Covid cases. While these variants are believed to be more infectious than previous Omicron strains - they have not caused cases to rocket to the same levels as last year. The US was recording nearly 600,000 new Covid infections each day at the start of 2022, as the initial Omicron wave swept across the country. Now, cases figures are around one-tenth of what they once were - with the US logging 64,000 daily infections. Covid death figures have not risen to great heights either, with America recording 457 per day - or less than one per every 100,000 residents. Officials warn the number of Americans hospitalized with Covid is rising to worrying levels, though. Around 46,000 hospitalized Americans are testing positive for the virus each day - the highest daily figure since August, when the BA.5 sub-variant caused an uptick in cases. Dr Jha says that he is 'concerned' about the development of XBB.1.1, but does not consider it a major setback in the pandemic. 'We can work together to manage the virus and if we all do our part we can reduce the impact it will have on our lives,' he wrote. He also notes that antiviral drugs like Pfizer's Paxlovid are still believed to be effective against the strain. ..are you reading now? This isnt a cop-out but I really cant answer this in the singular as I always have at least two (often ten) books on the go, one fiction and one non-fiction. This might be an ADHD thing. In fact, one of them at the moment is the catchily titled ADHD 2.0: New Science And Essential Strategies For Thriving With Distraction From Childhood Through Adulthood, by a couple of American doctors, Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey. Their first book, Driven To Distraction, was recommended to me by a psychiatrist. That one changed my life. Fiction-wise, Im reading The Selected Stories Of Mavis Gallant, all of which I find quietly entrancing. Ive no idea how I came across this Canadian writer who spent most of her life in France, but Im very glad I did. Im also listening to Le Carres The Honourable Schoolboy, read by Michael Jayston. Ive read everything Le Carre wrote, but Jaystons reading breathes new life into it. Adrian Chiles (pictured) is currently reading The Selected Stories Of Mavis Gallant. The writer would like something long and brilliant to take to a desert island ...would you take to a desert island? Ive been reading Rebecca Wests mighty tome, Black Lamb And Grey Falcon: A Journey Through Yugoslavia, for an awfully long time. Im making glacially slow progress. Ordinarily this is a sign Im not much enjoying a book, but here its a tribute to its brilliance. My mum is from Croatia and the whole region fascinates me. Seeing it through the prism of Wests wisdom, wry humour and (occasionally troubling) prejudices is a real joy. As a child he loved Enid Blytons Famous Five. He first read Five Go Off In A Caravan For my desert island reading Id want something a) long and b) brilliant. This fits the bill. I might even finish it. ...first gave you the reading bug? As a child it was, without doubt, Enid Blytons Famous Five. The first one I read was Five Go Off In A Caravan. I still have the hardback copy my nan gave me. I opened it the other day and found that the words remain quite unnervingly familiar. It was like meeting a childhood friend who hasnt changed a bit. When I was off school sick, Id take to my bed and read all 21 in the original series, in order. As a young adult it was Thomas Hardy who awakened in me a love of literature. The Mayor Of Casterbridge and Tess Of The dUrbervilles were, respectively, my O and A-level texts. ...left you cold? I read an article somewhere opining that Len Deighton was the best writer of spy fiction. Having exhausted Le Carres output, I picked up The Ipcress File but found it unreadable. It was weird. I couldnt say the writing was bad, there was just something about the way he constructs his sentences that didnt suit me. Con/Artist: A Memoir by Tony Tetro and Giampiero Ambrosi (Hachette 25, 272pp) Japanese artist Hiro Yamagata was strolling through Beverly Hills one summer day in 1988 when he spotted some of his own paintings in a gallery window. Yamagata was surprised to see them because he had an exclusive contract with a gallery nearby. Taking a closer look, he spotted the problem. I did not paint those paintings! he yelled in fury. With the benefit of hindsight, perhaps the fakes shouldnt have been displayed quite so close to the artists official outlet. It was a mistake which ended the lucrative career of Tony Tetro, described after his arrest as the largest forger of artworks in the United States. Nobody likes a conman. Yet we seem to make an exception for art forgers. Remember Tom Keating, the so-called loveable rogue whose fakes became collectors items in the 1970s and 1980s? Con/Artist is the compulsively readable memoir of Tony Tetro (pictured), the prolific art forger of the twentieth century. The renowned art forger reveals the secrets behind his decades of painting. Perhaps we secretly admire somebody who pricks the pretensions of the art world. Or perhaps were impressed by the forgers undoubted skill and hard work. Tetro was a largely self-taught artist who turned out convincing fakes on an industrial scale. He enjoyed such a lavish lifestyle on the proceeds a Rolls-Royce, a Lamborghini, a Ferrari and a month in Monaco every summer that even friends thought he was a drug dealer. He began copying in a small way, just to learn the techniques of the great masters. During the day he sold furniture at a department store. In the evening, he copied Rembrandts and Monets on his kitchen table. It was when he read a book about a Hungarian forger called Elmyr de Hory that he decided: I could do this. Con/Artist: A Memoir by Tony Tetro (Hachette 25, 272pp). Japanese artist Hiro Yamagata was strolling through Beverly Hills one summer day in 1988 when he spotted some of his own paintings in a gallery window At first, Tetro wasnt cut out for a life of crime. He managed to sell a fake Chagall drawing to an LA gallery for $200, but stricken by guilt he went back and confessed. His second attempt was equally unsuccessful. He approached an auction house with what he claimed was an unknown drawing by Modigliani: supposedly an early sketch of a well-known nude by the Italian painter. The head of the auction house paid $1,600, but discovered by chance (from Tetros first victim) that it was a forgery. The auctioneer was furious, but immediately signed up Tetro to produce a string of fakes for his business. He also painted two Picassos and offered them to an LA gallery, who knew they were fakes. Two weeks later he received a cheque for $150,000. It seems that art dealers back then didnt care very much whether a work was genuine as long as it sold. Real or fake, the art business rolled on, says Tetro. It simply didnt matter to anybody. Some of his fakes went on show in the most surprising places. One client was James Stunt the former husband of Petra, daughter of F1 tycoon Bernie Ecclestone who owned Tetro fakes of Picasso, Monet, Dali, Chagall, Degas, Caravaggio, van Gogh and Rembrandt. He even lent some of these paintings to Prince Charles, as he then was, for display at Dumfries House. Fearing trouble, Tetro flew to London and gave an interview to the Mail on Sunday, admitting he had painted all these works, but as decoration for his clients home. Stunt later apologised to the Prince of Wales. This book is not only an account of Tetros forging career, but also features tips on how to paint like the great masters. Chagall worked with a limited range of pigments. Picasso used house paint. Dali applied paint so thinly that you can see the texture of the canvas underneath. For his first Caravaggio, he consulted a Renaissance expert at the University of California, pretending to be researching for a book. From this meeting, he discovered that two portraits had been lost during the Napoleonic wars. He then travelled to Rome to find the right canvas and pigments. His Caravaggio took four weeks to paint. All he had to do then was make it look nearly 500 years old. Apparently the best way to do this is to leave the painting overnight in an industrial pizza oven at 140C. After that, he applied a wash of distilled water and cigarette butts, mixed with dust and pollen. Do not try this at home, by the way. Advances in technology have made art forgery much more difficult Tetro concedes that many of his forgeries would now be impossible to sell. Carbon dating, spectroscopy and DNA testing can not only date materials, but can also reveal the origins of pigments and inks. The end came in 1989 when the gallery owner involved in the fake Yamagata deal called at Tetros flat. The two men chatted, the gallery owner handed over $8,000 Tetro was owed, and then left. He was barely out of there when the police arrived. The gallery owner had been wired for sound. Officers raided Tetros flat, but missed his secret room, concealed behind a mirror and opened by mobile phone signal, where he kept anything incriminating. At his trial, the jury failed to agree, and he was cleared of 67 counts of forgery. That wasnt the end, though. A friend, facing prison for drunken driving, told the police everything he knew about Tetro in return for clemency. With no money left for a defence, he admitted the offences and was ordered to report to a day-release centre for a year. With time off for good behaviour, he served nine months. Its probably just as well that he didnt pursue a sideline he was developing with a friendly printer: faking dollar bills. What next for Tetro? In my remaining years, he says, Id like to try my hand at fine watches. So if a genial American offers you a second-hand Rolex, examine it very closely indeed. I May Be Wrong I May Be Wrong by Bjorn Natthiko Lindeblad (Bloomsbury 9.99, 256pp) by Bjorn Natthiko Lindeblad (Bloomsbury 9.99, 256pp) At the age of 26, Bjorn Lindeblad seemed to have an enviably successful life. He held a senior role at a big international company, with all the trappings of company car, business-class travel and a house by the sea. Yet he wasnt happy. One day, as he was trying to understand the reasons for his anxiety, a thought suddenly appeared: Its time to move on. It was the start of a journey that would eventually lead him to a Buddhist monastery in Thailand, and 17 years as a forest monk. In his 40s, Bjorn returned to secular life and married, continuing to share the wisdom of the monastic life as a public speaker and broadcaster, before being diagnosed with the neurological disorder ALS. His inspiring book is part memoir, part guidebook to navigating life and death with empathy and grace. The Sentence by Louise Erdrich (Corsair 10, 400pp) The Sentence by Louise Erdrich (Corsair 10, 400pp) There is a double meaning to this title: it begins as the heroine, Tookie, who is of native American descent, is sentenced to 60 years in jail for a macabre crime that she was tricked into committing. In jail she reads the books in the library with murderous attention, and when her sentence is commuted, she gets a job in a Minneapolis bookstore specialising in indigenous literature. , Married to the policeman who arrested her, Tookie leads a settled life until one of the stores regulars, Flora, a white woman who is a stalker of all things indigenous, dies suddenly, and her unquiet spirit begins to haunt the bookshop. As the pandemic begins and social unrest spreads, Tookies life starts to unravel. Yet words still offer solace in this richly layered novel by Erdrich, herself a bookshop owner. Grounds keeping by Lee Cole (Faber 8.99, 448pp) Grounds keeping by Lee Cole (Faber 8.99, 448pp) At 28, Owen is at a dead end, with no job or home. He returns to his home state of Kentucky, a place that he misses when he is away, and cant wait to leave when he returns. Living in the basement of his grandfathers house, Owen gets a job as a groundskeeper at a small college. Working there entitles him to free classes and he signs up for a creative writing course where one of the tutors is a young woman from a very different background. Born in Sarajevo and brought up in Virginia, Alma is the daughter of cultured Bosnian refugees who expect her to be exceptional. Lee Coles tender debut sets Alma and Owens slowburning love affair against the divisive background of Donald Trumps presidency, with a nuanced portrait of America, strained but not broken by political divisions. During a tense disagreement over his wife Meghan Markle, Prince Harry claims his brother Prince William grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the ground. In an intriguing extract from his forthcoming autobiography Spare, Prince Harry remembers a sibling attack that, according to him, left him with obvious injuries, including cuts and bruises. Prince William Attacked Prince Harry William, now the Prince of Wales, is reported to have labeled Meghan as "difficult," "rude," and "abrasive" during the 2019 altercation, which supposedly occurred at his London residence. According to the book, Prince Harry accused his brother of "repeating the news narrative" about his wife before a yelling dispute and physical brawl erupted. The Guardian has published this excerpt. Per Daily Mail, given that Penguin Random House has taken extensive precautions to avoid leaks, it is unknown how the newspaper received an advance copy of the book. The publishing of Prince Harry's "explosive" biography is being meticulously guarded and handled in minute detail, with just a few top executives aware of the specifics, according to sources. According to Prince Harry, the brothers had gathered to discuss "the entire rolling calamity" of their relationship and publicity issues. Prince Harry reports that the heir to the king arrived at Nottingham Cottage "scalding hot." At the time of the alleged event in 2019, the Duke resided at the residence known as Nott Cott, which was located inside the grounds of Kensington Palace. Prince Harry alleges that William's behavior was irrational when they began arguing about Meghan, leading to a yelling brawl. According to Prince Harry, he first did not inform Meghan Markle of the incident but instead called his therapist. He adds that he did not alert Meghan Markle of the confrontation until she discovered "scrapes and bruises" on his back, adding that she "wasn't that astonished and wasn't all that upset," but was "terribly sad." The dramatic excerpt published only days prior to the book's formal release is expected to result in a sales increase. Prince Harry's memoir Spare is currently No. 2 on Amazon's best-seller list for pre-sales in North America and the United Kingdom. The Duke of Sussex's book, which will be released early the next week, has long been anticipated to intensify his assaults against the Royal Family. The hardcover edition of Spare will be available in UK bookstores when they open on Tuesday morning, while the Kindle edition will be available for download shortly after midnight on the same day. In the United States, which is five to eight hours behind Britain, e-book versions of the book will become available on Kindle on the evening of Monday, January 9; this coincides with the time the clock strikes midnight on Tuesday morning in the UK. The duke and his publishers have taken extraordinary precautions to ensure that the book will be published simultaneously throughout the world on Tuesday. As part of a rumored $20 million book agreement with Penguin Random House, Prince Harry has been quietly working on a book about his life within the Royal Family for over a year. He has worked with the Pulitzer Prize-winning ghostwriter J. R. Moehringer, an unusual step for a senior royal family member. According to reports, Moehringer will be compensated $1 million for her participation. Spare will be released in sixteen languages, including Chinese, Finnish, Hungarian, Spanish, and Portuguese, but no one was meant to have access to an advance copy. While King Charles may be spared the brunt of the duke's anger, it has long been believed that the 416-page book contains embarrassing facts about his terrible feud with his brother, with both Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton being criticized. Read Also: Nick Cannon Responds to Comments About Having More Kids After Welcoming 12th Child, Rules Out Vasectomy Royal Family Attempted to Reconcile With Prince Harry, Meghan Markle According to the Daily Mirror, the assertion is made despite seven attempts by the Royal Family to extend an olive branch to the Duke. The first invitation was for Prince Harry to present a tribute to his late mother, Princess Diana of Wales. The revelation occurred only a few months after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's shocking appearance with Oprah Winfrey in 2021. As an effort to heal tensions, the then-Prince Charles also wrote a letter praising Prince Harry's environmental work. King Charles stated in a 2022 New Year's article, "Harry has fiercely emphasized the effects of climate change, particularly in connection to Africa." Prince Harry was invited to Prince Philip's grave in a third attempt to alleviate escalating transatlantic relations in the wake of the Sussexes' frequent interviews. However, he did attend the Duke's funeral in April 2021, which occurred in March of last year. The rejection occurred during a court dispute with the Home Office about Prince Harry's security arrangements in the United Kingdom. In the weeks following Prince Philip's burial ceremony, though, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did visit his grandmother. Before departing for the Invictus games in the Netherlands, the Duke and Duchess had tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle. King Charles and Camilla were also there. Later that summer, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan attended the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Their invitation to attend Trooping the Colour and a gratitude service at St. Paul's Cathedral was a further olive branch given to the duo. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined the Prince and Princess of Wales for a walkabout at Windsor Castle in the days following the Queen's funeral. In an effort to present a unified front, the Fab Four received well-wishers and read tens of thousands of flower tributes. And as a last-ditch effort to save relations, King Charles invited Sussexes and their children on two vacations in an effort to heal strained ties. Related Article: Prince Harry Expresses Desire To Reconcile with Prince William, King Charles; Explosive Memoir Opposes His Remarks @YouTube @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NOW SHE IS WITCH by Kirsty Logan (Harvill Secker 16.99, 352pp) NOW SHE IS WITCH by Kirsty Logan (Harvill Secker 16.99, 352pp) You dont need a crystal ball (or a cauldron) to foresee that witches will continue to cast a spell this year. July will see the publication of The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer, which is likely to be one of this years notable debuts but until then there are plenty of spooky drama and dark arts to be going on with here. Lux has grown up with talk of the north witches their terrible shape-shifting powers and their eerie, volcanic land. Her own, charm-selling mother was burned for sorcery, as was the lover who introduced her to erotic pleasure. But its not until Lux meets the mysterious Else that she encounters real witchery, becoming caught up with Elses quest for revenge against the Lord, a man whose judgments have condemned many women. Theres a zeitgeisty insistence on the right to self-definition at the heart of Logans visceral fairytale, as well as an impassioned reclaiming of female desire. Stuffed, Russian-doll like, with stories, its on the baggy side, but nonetheless an absorbingly atmospheric adventure. THE END OF NIGHTWORK by Aidan Cottrell-Boyce (Granta 12.99, 288pp) THE END OF NIGHTWORK by Aidan Cottrell-Boyce (Granta 12.99, 288pp) Theres a lot going on in this ambitious and singular debut by Cottrell-Boyce, son of the screenwriter and childrens author, Frank. Our narrator is Pol short for Polonius who, in the course of the novel, becomes a husband, a father and also an old man while still in his 30s, due to a mysterious disease that causes fitful, catastrophic bouts of ageing. Pols own condition is, however, of somewhat less interest to him than the writings of a mysterious 17th-century prophet obsessed with the coming Armageddon. But that fascination gives way in turn when Pol learns about an internet-based millenarian movement focused on intergenerational conflict and the transformation of society in favour of the disenfranchised young. Timely ideas, and ideas about time, take the fore here including, the author has suggested, how depression affects the experience of its passage. But if Pols condition is a metaphor, its an elusive one, and the novels human drama, though at times painfully acute, is only intermittently engaging. BEFORE ALL THE WORLD by Moriel Rothman-Zecher (Corsair 18.99, 336pp) BEFORE ALL THE WORLD by Moriel Rothman-Zecher (Corsair 18.99, 336pp) Set in Philadelphia in the 1930s, this novel purports to be translated from Yiddish but, with so many linguistic inventions and interventions, this extensively footnoted end product most closely resembles something by Joyce or Samuel Beckett. Three characters are at its heart Jewish immigrant Leyb, his black American lover Charles (also the narratives translator), and poet Gittl, who grew up in the same fictional Ukrainian village as Leyb and survived a massacre in which its entire Jewish population was slaughtered. Its this that provides the books most hard-hitting moment, with pages dedicated to Gittls prayers for the dead. A highly original and powerful tale told in defiance of the worlds darkness, its nonetheless hard work, and questionable how many readers will feel inspired enough to put in the requisite effort. The New Life by Tom Crewe (Chatto 16.99, 384pp) The New Life by Tom Crewe (Chatto 16.99, 384pp) Taking Walt Whitmans poem I Sing The Body Electric as a touchstone, Tom Crewes debut is a serious but seductive look at queer Victorian lives lived under the shadow of Oscar Wildes trial. Crewe uncovers the yearning stories of upper-class writer John Addington, a conventionally married man, who is in love with working-class Frank, and shy, anxious essayist Henry Ellis, who strives for a new kind of relationship with his wife Edith. Determined to take a scientific approach to the issue of sexuality, Ellis and Addington write a controversial book on the subject, and find themselves embroiled in the highpressure fall-out from Wildes guilty verdict. Emotionally vivid and erotically charged, The New Life brilliantly reveals a seething and boiling world of loneliness and anger and lust as Crewes complicated, compelling protagonists battle the restrictive mores of the day. A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley (Abacus 16.99, 224pp) A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley (Abacus 16.99, 224pp) By rights, this should be a riotous read. Set in lawless 1851 Monterey, it tells the story of Eliza Ripple, who has been working in a brothel since the death of her husband. She befriends unconventional Jean, and the intrepid duo set about finding the villain who has embarked on a spree of killing women. Suspicious of her clients and doubtful of her gut intuition, Eliza puts herself in a position of danger (abetted by beguiling, crossdressing Jean) to discover the culprit. Slow of pace, strangely genial in tone for its subject matter and luxuriating in the loveliness of the landscape, its a disconcerting mix of murder and the mundane. Needless Alley by Natalie Marlow (Baskerville 16.99, 336pp) Needless Alley by Natalie Marlow (Baskerville 16.99, 336pp) Transplanting the hardboiled Hollywood noir of the 1940s to the backstreets and canals of 1933 Birmingham, the aptly named Marlows first novel has all the seamy glitter and cynical grime of the genre. PI William Garrett is war-damaged and scarred by the memories of his traumatic childhood. Teaming up with his long-time friend, handsome, charismatic Ronnie Edgerton, he makes a living setting honey traps for the unsuspecting wives of the citys wealthy men, who are looking for a way out of their marriages. Things take a turn for the nefarious when William falls for Clara the unhappy spouse of the egregious Morton, who is a close ally of fascist Oswald Mosley and becomes immersed in a shadowy world of pornography, drug-smuggling and murder. A little overwritten at times, and overlong, its nonetheless a promising debut thats atmospheric and darkly intriguing. THIS BOOK KILLS by Ravena Guron (Usborne 8.99, 384pp) THIS BOOK KILLS by Ravena Guron (Usborne 8.99, 384pp) A Scholarship student, Jesminder, is floundering at her expensive boarding school, bolstered only by her friendship with confident Clem. But when Clems wealthy boyfriend Hugh (who cheated on his long-term girlfriend by dating Clem) is found brutally murdered and the method is an exact copy of a short story Jess wrote, she becomes a suspect. Faced by incompetent police, Jess and her surprising new allies investigate and uncover the truth about an elite secret club of pupils that controls the school. Will Jess be the next victim? A satire on race and class privilege as well as a complex murder mystery, this is gripping stuff. THE AGENCY FOR SCANDAL by Laura Wood (Scholastic 8.99, 528pp) THE AGENCY FOR SCANDAL by Laura Wood (Scholastic 8.99, 528pp) At the height of the 1897 London season, Isobel Stanhope socially advantaged yet privately impoverished attends all the best parties but carries a secret. A talented lock-picker, shes a member of an all-female investigative agency, The Aviary, that fights an undercover war against men who control and abuse women. When a case involving a precious jewel and a powerful politician comes her way, Izzy is forced into contact with Londons most eligible bachelor with whom she is in love. Can they unmask the villain together? Feminist, funny, clever and with a pulsating romantic heart, this is perfect for a winter weekend. GAME OVER GIRL by Naomi Gibson (Chicken House 8.99, 352pp) GAME OVER GIRL by Naomi Gibson (Chicken House 8.99, 352pp) This dark, dystopian thriller is genuinely disturbing and the final twist is a genuine shock. Lola, whose mother is dead and whose twin sister hates her, is sent to boarding school where shes selected to play a virtual reality game in which she can create a fantasy world although she must not include anything from her real life. Lola breaks the rules, aided and abetted by rebellious student Sebastian, and soon spends all her time in an alternate reality with an imaginary father who loves her. But there are dark secrets in her past that seep through and no one is quite who they seem especially Lola and Sebastian. Chilling. Criminals stealing catalytic converters from petrol cars - and causing significant damage when doing so - are going unpunished with police forces charging thieves in just one per cent of cases in the last five years. In 20 police force areas reviewed, around 50,000 thefts of catalytic converters were reported between 2017 and 2021. However, fewer than 550 of these instances resulted in a thief being charged, according to figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats and reported by the BBC. Cat burglars are getting away with it: New figures gained by the Liberal Democrats suggest that just 1% of catalytic converter thefts from cars in the last 5 years has resulted in criminal charges The party sent a Freedom of Information request to all forces in England and Wales, with 20 providing full data. A total of 50,223 thefts of catalytic converters were reported in the five-year period across these 20 constabularies. However, a suspect was charged in only 548 of these instances, the figures provided suggested. Full figures from some of the biggest forces - including West Midlands Police and Greater Manchester Police - were not made available. In the 20 force areas surveyed, the number of thefts surged from just 742 being reported in 2017 to a whopping 19,451 cases in 2020. There was a decline in catalytic converter thefts in 2021, dropping to 15,780 cases, though the Lib Dems said this was likely due to it being the first full year of the Covid pandemic. In 20 police force areas reviewed, around 50,000 thefts of catalytic converters were reported between 2017 and 2021 Catalytic converters take gases produced by petrol engines and convert them into water vapour and less harmful emissions via a series of chemical reactions Palladium inside the devices is extremely valuable, which is why gangs are targeting cars The devices are fitted to all petrol cars manufactured from 1993. They are designed to reduce the harmful pollutants emitted from vehicle exhaust pipes by taking the gases produced and converting them into water vapour and less harmful emissions via a series of chemical reactions. The devices are made up of an array of valuable materials including palladium, rhodium and platinum - and criminal gangs are well aware of this small fortune stored beneath your vehicle. The combined value of all catalytic converters taken between 2019 and 2021 was more than 16million, according to calculations by insurer Direct Line last year. With gangs only interested in the pricey metals within, the methods in which the devices are removed from cars parked at the side of the road and on driveways are relatively rudimentary. In many cases, thieves saw the parts off the car's exhaust system in order to remove them as quickly as possible and escape undetected. This photo provided by the Metropolitan Police shows a number of stolen catalytic converters recovered by officers in London in 2021 Insurance claims to replace a catalytic converter that has been sawed away from the exhaust system by thieves can be as much as 3,000 This in turn can cause substantial damage to vehicles, and in some cases makes older models uneconomical to repair so they are written off by insurers. Analysis of 10,000 garage bills in 2019 by MotorEasy found that the average cost to replace a catalytic converter was as much as 1,300. However, AA Insurance said in 2020 that claims linked to damage caused when the devices have been sawed away from the exhaust can amount to anything between 2,000 and 3,000. Police tips to keep your car safe from catalytic converter thieves 1. If possible, park in a locked garage or in a well-lit, densely populated area 2. If you don't have access to a garage, park close to fences, walls or kerbs with the exhaust being closest to the barrier; this will make the theft more difficult 3. Avoid mounting your car on the kerb to park as it gives thieves easy access 4. If your catalytic converter's bolted on ask your local garage to weld the bolts to make it more difficult to remove 5. Consider a 'cage clamp' which locks around the converter 6. Speak to your car dealership about a tilt sensor that activates the alarm if someone tries to jack up your vehicle 7. If you see someone acting suspiciously under a vehicle, report it to the police While all post-1993 petrol cars have them, older models of petrol-electric hybrid vehicles are commonly targeted by thieves because they contain a higher concentration of precious metals and are generally less corroded. Insurer Admiral has previously said that hybrid models often attacked include the Honda Jazz, Toyota Prius, Toyota Auris and Lexus RX of all generations and ages. By far the highest number of thefts of the emissions controlling devices in the five-year period reviewed by the Lib Dems were recorded in London, with 36,586 cases. Just 544 of these crimes were solved by the Met, it said. In Hertfordshire, in 2020, 915 cases were recorded, though none resulted in charges for criminals. In South Yorkshire that year, police were told of 669 thefts, again with no convictions. The Liberal Democrats have called for more to be done to crack down on the problem, including more visible community policing to deter thieves. Richmond Park MP and Lib Dem Treasury spokesperson, Sarah Olney said there is a 'catalytic converter theft epidemic' in Britain, but in far too many instances the gangs responsible 'get away with it'. 'At the very least, people should be able to expect that if something is stolen from their vehicle it will be properly investigated,' she added. Responding to the report, a Home Office spokesperson told the BBC: 'We recognise the impact that theft can have on victims and we want offenders charged and brought to justice in the courts. 'Since the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership was set up in 2020, there has been significant success in tackling metal theft through co-ordinated national action against scrap metal dealers - including a marked increase in enforcement action from police and partner agencies.' A former follower of self-styled 'prophet' Samuel Rappylee Bateman has told how the depraved 46-year-old took advantage of his deep-seated Mormon faith and controlled him with a toxic mix of physical, mental and sexual abuse. So devoted was businessman Moroni Johnson, 51, he allowed scheming Bateman to marry several of his wives and most of his daughters and funded his lavish lifestyle which included two sprawling homes in Colorado City, Arizona, and a fleet of Bentley cars. He took part in humiliating rituals on Bateman's orders and was, on one occasion, made to have sex with one of his wives in front of their daughters in order to show them how to 'please' the pervert prophet. And despite his obedience to the man he believed was 'the voice of God on Earth', Johnson was being lined up for a bizarre ritual called 'blood atonement' that would have ended with his death at the time Bateman was arrested in August. Speaking in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Johnson said: 'We were taught perfect obedience produces perfect faith. If there is a Supreme Being, wouldn't you want to meet him? 'He [Bateman] preyed on our devotion to scripture.' Moroni Johnson, 51, was a devoted follower of pervert prophet Samuel Rappylee Bateman, 46, until his arrest. Johnson tells DailyMail.com how depraved Bateman took advantage of his deep-seated Mormon faith and controlled him with mental, physical and sexual abuse Bateman remains in custody after he was arrested twice earlier this year. He was first apprehended in August after he was caught towing his underaged 'wives' in a trailer in Flagstaff, Arizona The self-proclaimed prophet is currently locked up in Florence, Arizona Pervert Bateman, 46, is currently in jail in Florence, Arizona, and appeared in court in Phoenix in December to be arraigned on multiple federal charges, among them kidnap and evidence tampering. Along with wives Donnae Barlow, Naomi Bistline and Moretta Rose Johnson, Bateman is scheduled to go on trial starting January 10 and is facing a possible life sentence. All four are charged with kidnapping over the removal of eight of nine of Bateman's underage 'wives' from group homes in Phoenix in late November. Bateman is also facing a second set of child endangerment charges in Arizona after he was caught towing three of his underage wives in a box trailer kitted out with a makeshift toilet through Flagstaff in August. For Johnson, the impending trial is the latest twist in a story that has seen him lose nearly all that he held dear while dealing with the betrayal of a man in whom he truly believed. Johnson told DailyMail.com, his faith in Bateman endured even after he had been ordered to hand over his underage daughters against his wishes and had been ostracized for a year due to his reluctance to give them up. An FBI affidavit filed in Spokane reveals his anguish and confusion at having to give up his younger girls but Johnson says he felt he had no choice, telling DailyMail.com: 'He would just see a woman and say 'she's mine'. He co-opted our love for the prophets.' He added: 'At that point, who was I to question God?' The scales only fell from his eyes after his first wife, named in court papers as JJ, revealed Bateman had been planning his death and had wanted to include her in the 'blood atonement' ritual. Bateman was living in the Mormon community of Short Creek, where he and his 23 wives lived in two homes known as the 'blue house' and the 'green house' (pictured) Short Creek encompasses Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, and is the former headquarters of the FLDS He said: '[JJ] has never told a lie in her life. When she told me that, something turned in me - he would have made her an accomplice to murder.' Like Bateman, Johnson was raised as a member of the Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints a hardline offshoot of the mainstream LDS church which believes in polygamy. Bateman is a former member of the Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and was once a devoted follower of leader Warren Jeffs, 67, who is serving a life sentence for sexually abusing two underage girls Based in the twin cities of Hilldale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona collectively known as 'Short Creek' the FLDS became notorious in 2005 after prophet Warren Jeffs was arrested on accomplice to rape charges. Jeffs, who amassed 78 wives including scores of underage girls, is currently serving a life sentence in Texas after being convicted of the sexual abuse of two of the minors. But while Johnson was a respected member of the FLDS community, Bateman who was kicked out of the church by Jeffs in 2019 was not. His father DeLoy is a first cousin of Johnson's and a school science teacher who helped to educate both men. DeLoy eventually renounced the FLDS faith, told his junior wife to leave and is now estranged from his son. Johnson, by contrast, comes from a family that has produced FLDS prophets among them his grandfather LeRoy. An athlete and a hard worker, he set up a construction business and married first wife JJ when she was 20 and he 24 the couple went on to have five daughters. Later, he married a second wife named as PB in court papers and later took several of her daughters as his wives too; among them AB with whom he has two teen daughters and ZB who is the mother of an 18-month-old baby. The family later moved from Utah to Lincoln, Nebraska, where they lived a happy life a contentment that was shattered when Bateman came into their lives. Until 2019, Bateman had been married to one woman 43-year-old Lydia with whom he had five children, four sons and daughter who is now 17. He had spent most of his life scraping a living, with his biggest claim to fame arising when he appeared in the Salt Lake City Tribune photographed attending Jeffs' 2006 trial on accomplice to rape charges in St George, Utah. Somewhere between 2007 and 2019, Bateman decided Jeffs was no longer the FLDS prophet and that he was the true conduit to God proclaiming himself a prophet to an unimpressed Lydia. More seriously, he also laid claim to their teenage daughter bribing her with $50, two large bags of Doritos and the promise of an airplane ride were she to become his wife. It was too much for Lydia who told Bateman the girl 'was not and would never be' his wife, took their daughter and left eventually filing for divorce and negotiating a custody agreement that banned Bateman from having any contact with the girl. Due to his behavior, Bateman was kicked out of the FLDS by Jeffs in an order handed down from prison, and sank into despair eventually moving to Nebraska where he begged Johnson, a former employer, for help. An exclusive DailyMail.com photo shows Bateman waving from the front seat of one of the Bentley Flying Spurs which cost more than $200,000 new Two of Bateman's many wives Naomi Bistline and Donnae Barlow were seen arriving at the federal courthouse in Flagstaff on December 7 Some of Bateman's wives appear in police bodycam footage of his August arrest, when authorities found them traveling with underage girls whom he counted among his wives Family and followers of Bateman gather around as he calls from police custody following his arrest in Colorado City on September 13 Johnson said: 'Sam was from an unpopular family and he had had alcohol problems in his youth. When he walked in, I thought he fit the description of the worst possible employee someone you'd never want to hire. That was him.' Bateman also failed to mention he had been kicked out of the FLDS by the time he did, it was too late for Johnson who had become one of his small but growing band of 'Samuelites'. Johnson says Bateman preyed on his family's religious beliefs one of which includes the FLDS belief that their religion produces prophets who become the voice of God on Earth. He believes Bateman targeted his family due to their standing in the community he would often speak of having a vendetta against 'royalty' and began humiliating him, first by giving him the silent treatment and ignoring him when he asked how he had upset him. Next, he began to demand wives from among Johnson's daughters beginning with his three eldest, including Moretta who is currently languishing in jail. Johnson believes Bateman involved Moretta in his plan to take his nine underage wives from group homes in Phoenix to humiliate him further and he is distraught over the kidnapping charges she faces, which could see her jailed for 20 years. As Bateman's behavior became more outlandish, he took more wives from Johnson's family his two younger daughters, now 16 and 13, with JJ and his own wife AB and their two daughters now aged 14 and 12. He also took three more of Johnson's wives two women known as AB and BB in the court papers and Donnae Barlow, a stepdaughter turned wife of Johnson's who is now in jail in Flagstaff for her part in the underage wives' escape. Johnson tells how in 2020 he was forced to have sex with his wife in front of their daughters in order to show them how to 'please' Bateman Further humiliations came: a specious rite dubbed 'the Binding of Brothers' that saw a drunken Bateman sexually assault Johnson in front of his family and the leak of an audio tape in which Johnson was coerced into saying he would give up his wives to Bateman. Bateman refused to ask for the video to be taken down from YouTube, despite Johnson receiving a barrage of abuse online after it was published. On top of that, Bateman also insisted his followers give embarrassing confessions that he would then share publicly. Bateman's other followers were also made to give up their families and take part in rituals: LaDell Bistline Jr, 47, handed over his wife of 20 years and their teen daughters, while both he and brother Torrance, 34, were ordered to have sex with Bateman's underage wives. On one occasion, named the Atonement by Bateman, Torrance had anal sex with one of Johnson's stepdaughters who was then just 13. For Johnson, the situation got worse when Bateman began kissing the hand of his 18-month-old daughter in the same way he kissed the hands of his other wives the implied threat being he would take her too. As time went on, Bateman would profess to be annoyed with Johnson gradually ostracizing him and telling him he wasn't worthy, among other things, to ride in his Bentleys. One day he flew into a rage when Johnson and Torrance began singing a popular song entitled Largo which he describes as 'a prayer within a song'. Johnson said: 'He said, who is singing there? He said, I'm sitting in the room with the ladies and every one of them was stirred by it. That is wicked.' By the time Bateman was arrested in August, Johnson had been ostracized for almost a year unable to speak to his daughters but still controlled by Bateman who continued to demand money. The blue house was home to Bateman's followers. Wives who were being 'corrected' were sent to live with Moroni's daughters Moretta Johnson and the Bistline brothers at the blue house The lengthy punishment came after a meeting in which Bateman said Johnson had committed 11 sins one of which was an attempt to protect his young daughters and another a 'failure to treat him like a prophet' by objecting to his designs on his youngest children. Moroni said: 'I lay with my face on the floor at his feet and wept because I thought I had displeased God. It wasn't because he told me to but because I thought I had done wrong.' Had Bateman not been arrested when he was, Johnson believes he could have ended up dead with the self-styled prophet planning to target him for 'blood atonement'. After wife JJ confronted him with Bateman's plans, she then convinced him to begin helping the FBI despite him having refused to speak to agents when they first approached him. He said of the first approach: 'I honestly thought they were going to take me away. I didn't touch any juveniles but I witnessed it.' Johnson is now trying rebuild his life in the shadow of the investigation and despite knowing he too could face charges for his part in Bateman's schemes. He spent Thanksgiving with JJ and their four sons and is hoping to have his daughters returned to JJ who is living separately from Johnson in the hopes of showing Child Protective Services she can give them a safe home. Johnson is rueful when asked how he feels about Bateman and his role in his cult now. He told DailyMail.com: 'I didn't set out to hurt anybody but how do you stop a freight train?' An Australian family has been fighting a 10-year battle for compensation after their dream home began to crack. Karen and Chris Mettimano bought a home in the coastal suburb of Yanchep, north of Perth, Western Australia, in 2011. Soon after the purchase, their Ocean Lagoon Estate dream home began to buckle and warp, sinking into the ground. The family home is plagued with defects including a wall in one room hanging from the ceiling, with an entire hand able to fit in the gap between the wall and the floor. The home's windows no longer properly open or close and when a marble is placed in the middle of a room it quickly rolls to one side. Karen and Chris Mettimano's a home (pictured) in the coastal suburb of Yanchep, south of Perth, Western Australia, is sinking into the ground The family-of-four is seeking compensation from the State Government and are claiming no-fault subsidence damage. Mrs Mettimano told Daily Mail Australia it has been a very 'long and distressing' rollercoaster as they have fought for compensation over the past 10 years. 'We have tried to remain as patient as possible over the past couple of years, whilst Government has been preoccupied with Covid, though unfortunately our house continues to sink,' she said. 'We need to seek a solution before our dwelling becomes less and less unstable and our safety becomes more at risk.' Mrs Mettimano explained in a letter to the State Government that she and her husband contacted the builder after 'significant' cracks started to appear in the home in 2013. Since 2013, the couple has contacted every person and organisation involved in the build including Home Insurer, City of Wanneroo, specialists, engineers, builder Scott Park Homes - and Land Developer Peet. Mrs Mettimano said the pair have lost count of the number of meetings, emails and phone calls they have had with the council, the State Building Commission and local government members. '[We've organised] multiple building inspections, structural and geotechnical reports, all paid for ourselves,' she said. 'Twelve months of legal advice to the point where we could go no further financially or emotionally.' The Ocean Lagoon Estate dream home began to buckle, warp and crack in 2013 - two years after the family moved in (pictured, crack across the ceiling and down the wall) The home, which is located in the Ocean Lagoon Estate, is sinking into the ground (pictured) as it was built on karst rocks. The loose soil dissolves from ground water causing the home and retaining wall to subside (pictured) After almost 10 years of research, the Mettimano family discovered the home's structural defects was caused by a loss of compaction to the foundation material beneath the dwelling and retaining wall. The home was built in an area known for underground caves and sinkholes. Geotechnical reports showed the home was built on karst rocks, which have dissolved from ground water causing the home and retaining wall to subside. Since the 1960s, The Yanchep area's karst soil and sinkholes have been extensively studied by cave expert Lex Bastian and in 2003 - two years before the Mettimano's home was built - Geoscience Australia reported on the area's underlining issues. However, the builder, developer, city council and Western Australia's Planning commission (WAPC) claim they met all legal obligations. The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, which represents the WA Planning Commission, said the local government was responsible for signing-off on land and developments. 'Land preparation for development, including compaction, grading, stabilising, filling, and drainage, is not the responsibility of the WAPC,' the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage said in a statement. Mrs Mettimano said her family (pictured) is still living in the home, despite it constantly moving, and have put their lives on hold for almost a decade as they fight for compensation 'In this regard, local governments are responsible for signing off on the works to prepare land for subdivision and development.' The frustrated family was told in a letter sent by the City of Wanneroo that the matter had been appropriately addressed by the department of planning and did not require any further 'additional processes'. The builders, developers, city council and Western Australia's Planning Commission claim they met all legal obligations with land inspections and tests (pictured, massive crack in the home's wall) 'The city for its part must follow legislation and policy set by the State in these matters for both subdivision and dwelling construction through the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage and the Department of Commerce respectively. 'The city is not in a position to require additional processes or information over and above the requirements of those agencies.' Mrs Mettimano argued the State Government needs rigorous guidelines to ensure developments go through sufficient and thorough testing and do not put future home owners at risk. 'At the land development stage the Developer and Engineers should have conducted thorough investigations given the geological risks of deep loose soils in the site area,' she said. 'It appears WAPC did not have these guidelines in place and therefore, adequate testing was not completed at time of development. 'Had this been done, these issues would have been rectified at the time and not become a "latent defect". ' A gap in the exterior wall has become so wide the couple can fit their entire hand between the brick and the foundation (pictured) Mrs Mettimano said the long drawn-out battle for compensation has taken an emotional and financial toll on her family. 'It has been extremely stressful and taxing on our family through no fault of our own,' she said. 'We just want to get on with our lives and enjoy our family, without this burden.' She claims two houses in Secret Harbour, one in Mount Lawley and properties in Mullaloo were affected by loose soil and the homeowners all received ex-gratia payments from the State Government. Western Australia's Commerce Minister Sue Ellery is investigating the families circumstances and will decide if they receive compensation or not. The wife of high-profile doctor Kerryn Phelps has detailed the horrific side effects in her first interview about her battle with a debilitating Covid vaccine injury. Jackie Stricker-Phelps told Daily Mail Australia her life as she once knew it is gone and there is no prospect of recovery from her vaccine injury. The former schoolteacher's symptoms started minutes after her first Pfizer jab in May 2021 and she is still unable to walk without pain. She is one of thousands of Australians who suffer devastating long-term side effects, but feel like the government and medical regulators deny it's happening. 'I have had debilitating neurological and rheumatological effects since the initial Pfizer vaccine,' she said. Dr Kerryn Phelps' wife Jackie Stricker-Phelps (right) is still unable to walk without without pain 19 months after suffering a Covid vaccine injury 'I had a surge of heat in my head, my face went bright red, my gums and sinuses started to throb, I felt my hands and feet go numb and I developed pins and needles all over my torso, arms and legs. 'I could hardly walk, and so begin the next 19 months of hell.' Ms Stricker-Phelps said she saw a neurologist the next day, who closely monitored her symptoms, and later also visited a rheumatologist. 'I have had visual disturbance, nerve pains, burning gums, flushed face, hair loss, musculoskeletal inflammation, and night sweats,' she said. 'I tried multiple prescribed medications, steroid injections into my spine and hips for pain. 'Two of my specialists have confirmed it is a vaccine injury and say they see other people with the same adverse events.' Both she and Dr Phelps, who also suffered a serious vaccine injury from her second Pfizer jab, investigated the possible risks before getting vaccinated. 'We were told the most common symptoms were a sore arm with maybe a temperature for a few days and a rare possibility of anaphylaxis. We were both told it was far safer to get the vaccine than the illness,' she said. Ms Stricker-Phelps said the serious side effects started minutes after her first Pfizer shot and caused 'damage to her entire body' To manage the risk of anaphylaxis, Ms Stricker-Phelps had her shot in a hospital and was observed afterwards by Dr Phelps, another doctor, and a registered nurse. When her symptoms began, she claimed the nurse told her 'this is not anaphylaxis so you can go home' despite her barely being able to walk. Ms Stricker-Phelps said her symptoms had not shown any significant improvement and frequent flare-ups made her unable to perform many basic tasks. In the midst of a recent flare-up, she found it extremely painful to walk, communicating was difficult, and she struggled to leave the house. 'Flareups are even harder to deal with as there are no protocols in place for treatment,' she said. To deal with the latest one, her specialist sent her for 'yet another spinal injection' to try to reduce inflammation across her body. Even when the flare-ups subside, exercise is difficult because of the pain she suffers throughout her body. But she said the hardest thing was having to live an isolated life to avoid catching Covid. 'I cannot receive any more of the current vaccines so am not protected from Covid,' she said. 'I have to isolate from family and friends, and avoid group activities such as parties or the theatre as the virus is transmissible even from vaccinated people.' Ms Stricker-Phelps said her symptoms had not shown any significant improvement and frequent flareups rendered her unable to perform many basic tasks Ms Stricker-Phelps said she had no idea if and when her condition would improve, let alone recover, because so little was known about it. 'The best chance of recovery is for more effort and funding into research to find the underlying mechanism of the injury and for specific treatments to be developed,' she said. 'But first, the government and the medical profession need to acknowledge the extent of the problem.' Dr Phelps was among the first well-known Australian medical experts to publicly address Covid vaccine injury in her submission to a Senate inquiry into long Covid. Her lengthy testimony revealed both she and her wife suffered ongoing serious adverse affects from the vaccine, and that doctors were too afraid of losing their medical licences to talk about it. 'The cloak of silence has been lifted and people are starting to talk about long Covid and vaccine injuries,' Ms Stricker-Phelps said. Because the government never publicly acknowledged the full risk, she argues Australians didn't have proper informed consent when they decided to get the jab. 'It is important that people have fully informed consent by being made aware of the risks and then make their own decisions about their vaccinations,' she said. Ms Stricker-Phelps said she had no idea if and when her condition would improve, let alone recover, because so little was known about it Ms Stricker-Phelps said she and her wife were strong supporters of vaccination, but couldn't encourage anyone to take a Covid shot while the true extent of the risks was unknown. 'Until now, I have had all recommended vaccines without a problem. Flu vaccines every year the pneumovax vaccine, no problem,' she said. 'I fronted up for the Pfizer shot. People were all told these vaccines were safe. Clearly not the case for all people. 'These novel vaccines have had devastating effects on many people and for those who were lucky not to have any bad effects I am happy for them. 'But after what happened to me post that initial reaction and the ongoing aftermath, I would never tell anyone they had to have one of these novel vaccines.' Ms Stricker-Phelps said she found the 'cone of silence' about vaccine injuries frustrating because it stifled research into how to treat them. She called for better compensation for those affected - many of whom are not eligible for government payouts because their symptoms are not recognised - and better access to anti-viral Covid treatments. 'Safety measures are needed to protect vulnerable Australians like myself from catching Covid on top of our vaccine injuries which have already given us long Covid-like symptoms,' she said. 'So vulnerable people can once more go to the shops or indoor venues, without fear, or catch public transport without being coughed on by people because it is not mandated to wear a mask or isolate when sick. 'This is an important public health issue and it is time it is addressed. It has had devastating consequences on my life and on the lives of many other people.' Ms Stricker-Phelps said she and her wife were strong supporters of vaccination, but couldn't encourage anyone to take a Covid shot while the true extent of the risks was unknown Ms Stricker-Phelps is a founding member of Coverse, a support group for Australians suffering Covid vaccine adverse effects. Rado Faletic, who leads the group, argued Australians still had no way of knowing their risk of serious side effects because there was not enough data. 'Without the right information, nobody in this country has been able to give informed consent, we couldn't weigh up the odds properly,' he said. 'The biggest issue is when we go to the Therapeutic Goods Administration to report it, they don't follow it up. 'So it's a bit rich to say all this stuff is rare when it's not being investigated. the problem is we don't know how rare it is because they're not looking into it. 'I really hope it was all worth it, but without proper studies we don't know.' Dr Phelps in her submission to the Senate inquiry also complained that she and her wife received little to no follow up after reporting their conditions to the TGA. Mr Faletic said unless, as in Ms Stricker-Phelps' case, the effects began almost immediately, vaccine injuries were hard to diagnose as there were no bio-markers and a huge variety of symptoms. Doctors also had little to no advice from the government about what the symptoms were and how to treat them, as only a small list of minor side effects is officially recognised. 'It's really offensive to people who've been struggling with this, many for up to 18 months, it's like we don't exist,' he said. 'Australians were asked to step up and the least we could expect in return is some honesty and transparency and we've had none of that, and that's deeply hurtful to us, who've been discarded as friendly fire.' Mr Faletic said Coverse had members affected after taking all the Covid vaccines, not just the newer mRNA types, but they kept quiet in fear no one would believe them. 'Every time someone spoke out about their injury they were told they were an anti-vaxxer or putting the whole country in jeopardy, so they learned to keep it to themselves,' he said. 'I held off telling some elderly family members about my vaccine injury because they're more vulnerable to Covid. If I had my time again, I think I would tell them straight away.' Dr Phelps in her submission to the long Covid inquiry wrote that German surveys found the incidence of serious reactions was as high as 1 in 1,000 people. 'Without acknowledgment and recognition of post-vaccination syndrome or vaccine injury, there can be no progress in developing protocols for diagnosis and treatment and it is difficult to be included in research projects or treatment programs,' she wrote. 'It has also meant a long and frustrating search for acknowledgment and an attempt at treatment for many individual patients.' Dr Phelps said other doctors also 'experienced a serious and persistent adverse event' but that 'vaccine injury is a subject that few in the medical profession have wanted to talk about'. 'Regulators of the medical profession have censored public discussion about adverse events following immunisation, with threats to doctors not to make any public statements about anything that 'might undermine the government's vaccine rollout' or risk suspension or loss of their registration,' she wrote. Of the 64.4 million Covid vaccine doses administered across Australia, only 137,210 adverse events have been reported to the TGA - but the reality is likely far higher New mutant Covid strain arrives in Australia The most transmissible form of Covid so far, the XBB.1.5 subvariant, has been was detected in Australia. A 'small number' of cases were picked up in the two weeks before December 24, NSW Health said. There are no signs the latest strain is any worse than recent versions of Covid, but it may act as a 'gateway' to a worse subvariant. The thinking is, the more infections that occur, the more opportunities the virus has to mutate and evolve. The BR.2 sub variant was the most common found in new cases in NSW, XBB.1.5 was present after taking hold in the US and emerging in Britain. XBB.1.5 is another spinoff of Omicron and has already taken hold in the US where it is thought to be behind roughly 70 per cent of new infections in the worst affected areas. It has also been picked up in Britain and across Europe, in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Singapore, and India. But XBB.1.5 appears to be just as mild as its ancestor Omicron and its variants. A University of Sydney infectious diseases expert, Professor Robert Booy, said Australia's high vaccination rates combined with natural immunity should protect most people. Advertisement Doctors were advised in March 2021 by AHPRA and national medical boards to not 'undermine' the national vaccine rollout. 'Any promotion of anti-vaccination statements or health advice which contradicts the best available scientific evidence or seeks to actively undermine the national immunisation campaign... may be in breach of the codes of conduct and subject to investigation and possible regulatory action,' the joint statement said. AHPRA denied this inhibited the way doctors performed their duties. 'Doctors do not need to be afraid to take notes about the vaccine,' AHPRA said. 'It is good medical practice and a professional obligation for doctors to make accurate medical records. 'We encourage practitioners to discuss the various vaccines with their patients and use their professional judgement and the best available evidence to help the patient make the safest choices.' AHPRA said it only intervened 'where the public is at serious risk'. Dr Phelps' submission did not call for the vaccine rollout to be altered, merely for much greater transparency about the prevalence of adverse affects, and opposed doctors being censored for speaking about them. One of Prince Harrys closest friends was detained by security officials in war-torn Libya. Former cavalry officer Jack Mann was questioned by Maltese police, who challenged his claim to be on a mission to deliver medical training. Maltese police confirmed to the Mail that they spoke to the passengers for clarification of the proposed activities in Libya and that no further action was taken. According to local reports Mr Mann was stopped moments before he was supposed to board a private jet bound for the North African state. Jack Mann, right, befriended Prince Harry, left, at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Pictured: Harry and Mr Mann at a polo match in Ascot in 2015 Mr Mann recently appeared in the fourth episode of the Sussexes Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan. Pictured: Harry and Mr Mann at a polo match in Ascot in 2015 Libya has been ripped apart by conflict since the Arab Spring of 2011 and the death of dictator Muammar Gaddafi later that year. The Foreign Office advises UK citizens against any travel there. Sanctions are also in place which restrict the activities of British companies in Libya. Thousands have died in fighting between factions seeking to control the country, which has the ninth largest oil reserves in the world. Islamic State terrorists occupy Libyas more remote areas and hundreds of Russian Wagner Group mercenaries have been sighted there. British Special Forces troops were also thought to operate there intermittently. Mr Mann was photographed among a group of wealthy and privileged men who make up Harrys inner circle. Pictured: The Duke of Sussex, centre, with Jack Mann, second to right, and other friends at Harrys wedding in May 2018 Mr Mann recently appeared in the fourth episode of the Sussexes Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan, which included previously unseen pictures of the couple celebrating at their wedding reception. Mr Mann, who befriended the prince at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, was photographed among a group of wealthy and privileged men who make up Harrys inner circle. They partied long into the night at Frogmore House near Windsor Castle with celebrities such as Elton John and Serena Williams. Prince Harrys friend is also the son of SAS officer turned mercenary Simon Mann, whose alleged bid to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea in 2004 led to a five-year stint behind bars. Sir Mark Thatcher, the son of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, admitted unwittingly being a financier behind the attempted coup. He said he was misled by its organisers. Prince Harrys friend is also the son of SAS officer turned mercenary Simon Mann, pictured, whose alleged bid to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea in 2004 led to a five-year stint behind bars Jack Mann, who served with the British Army in Iraq and Afghanistan, set up the private security company Alma Risk in 2015. He previously worked in Libya as country manager for another UK security company, Aegis Defence Services. Alma Risks website says the company offers a diverse range of security and risk management services to corporate and private clients. Mann and his colleagues, including other former British soldiers, were stopped at an airport on the Mediterranean island, which is 223 miles north of Libya. Last night Mr Mann said: We did not continue the journey from Malta [to Libya] on the advice of Maltese immigration to rectify our paperwork before travelling onwards. The issue was resolved within five days and the United Nations has confirmed there was no breach of sanctions. They [Alma Risk] are free to deliver the training. I have visited Libya previously in my role as a private security consultant. ' The Mail has learned the Libyan paperwork carried by Mann and his British colleagues was looked at by the authorities. According to senior Maltese sources their documents, provided to them by their hosts in Libya, said the private security team would be visiting the country to provide advanced anti-terrorist training to Libyan Special Forces. The Maltese sought clarification from the United Nations. Any military training would have been constituted a breach of UN arms and military training embargoes. Mr Manns party were adamant they were only visiting Libya to provide medical training, which is permitted under UN guidelines. The UN mounted a brief investigation at the behest of the Maltese and more paperwork was provided by Mr Manns Libyan hosts confirming that they were visiting the country to provide medical training. A Maltese source said: The paperwork from the Libyans was badly worded. It made it appear they were going to breach the rules. We subsequently established this was not the case and the documents were misleading. A former banking manager accused of stealing neighbours' packages from the entrance of an apartment complex in Sydney's CBD has been granted bail. Sascha Pearsall, 37, and his girlfriend Nikita Bastion, 36, were arrested on Tuesday after police allegedly found bikes, ammunition, food, clothing, prescription drugs, and collectibles belonging to other residents at the units in Saunders St, Pyrmont. The couple - who live in adjoining apartment buildings and had only recently started dating - allegedly went on a stealing spree between 10.30pm on December 23 and the early hours of Christmas Eve. They are accused of plucking parcels addressed to other residents from the foyer of the units - including more than $20,000 worth of Star Wars memorabilia and pre-cooked fitness meals valued at $167.13 - before stashing them in one of their units. Police investigating the disappearance of two bikes which were reported missing from the unit complex carpark allegedly uncovered the haul. The pair were slapped with a string of charges including stealing, drug supply, and unlawful possession and were remanded in custody overnight to face separate hearings at Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday. Sascha Pearsall, 37, and Nikita Bastion, 36, (pictured) have been charged after allegedly stealing packages left for neighbours in the entrance of a Sydney apartment complex Appearing via videolink, Pearsall, in a black t-shirt and shorts, sat quietly in the dock as his lawyer told Magistrate Paul Lyon he intended to plead not guilty to eight of the nine charges against him - the single guilty plea being a count of stealing food worth less than $2000. His lawyer made an application for bail arguing his client was willing to report to police, live with his mother, and abide by a curfew. 'His mother has lived at that housing commission for 25 years and he has lived there on and off over that time,' Pearsall's lawyer said. 'You honour, there are drug and alcohol charges listed, but my client says that he does not have a drinking problem. 'He can put down a 24-hour curfew as he is unemployed at the moment.' The prosecutor opposed bail, telling the court the matter had been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the defendant could face a maximum of 15 years in jail if found guilty of drug supply. Pictured: Packages allegedly found in the possession of Pearsall and Bastion at a Pyrmont apartment complex Police will allege the pair were stealing packages and parcels intended for other residents from the complex's entrance While magistrate Lyon agreed the charges were serious, he noted the DDP case would likely take months to compile and granted Pearsall bail. Under the bail conditions, Pearsall must stay at his mother's home and not leave between 8pm and 8am unless if he is in her company, and must report to Newtown Police Station station three times a week. He cannot take alcohol or drugs, must present to police frequently for sobriety checks, cannot go within a kilometre of Pyrmont, and cannot leave Australia. Meanwhile, in an adjacent courtroom, Bastion pleaded guilty to supplying a prohibited drug, but not guilty to seven other offences. She applied for bail, which was formally refused. She will remain in custody to appear at Downing Centre Local Court later this month. Police launched an investigation after two electric bikes were allegedly stolen from the unit complex carpark on Christmas Eve. A search warrant was executed on Tuesday. Among the other items allegedly found were prescription medication, credit cards, toy collectibles, action figures, shoes, and replica firearms. Pearsall's LinkedIn bio says he has been taking a 'well deserved career break' after spending more than 11 years in various roles at Commonwealth Bank and a brief stint at Cash Rewards Bastion and Pearsall announced their new relationship on Facebook just three months ago According to court documents, police will allege the pair went on a nighttime rampage, stealing bikes, a birth certificate, and another man's bank card. Pearsall also allegedly picked up a box containing My Muscle Chef food and $23,000 worth of Star Wars memorabilia. During the same period, the couple also allegedly supplied 350ml of Butanediol, - a common 'date rape' drug also known as GHB. When police searched the home on Tuesday, the pair were also allegedly found with a third man's IDs and Prochlorperazine Maleate - a prescription nausea drug. The items were seized to undergo forensic examination. Court documents show the couple, who announced their relationship on Facebook in late October, live in neighbouring apartment towers within the same building complex as the alleged thefts in Pyrmont. Photos posted online the night before they were arrested showing them eating dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Haymarket. According to his LinkedIn profile, Pearsall worked at the Commonwealth Bank for 11 years in a variety of roles, including holding the position of Operations Integrity Manager from May 2018 to March 2022. Police executed a search warrant at the Saunders Street (pictured) unit on Tuesday while investigating the alleged Christmas Eve theft of bikes from the complex's carpark He left the banking giant in June last year to become the head of platform engineering and operations integrity at Cash Rewards. His stint at the reward program company lasted just four months, with the former IT boss's current LinkedIn profile saying: 'Taking a well deserved career break!' Pearsall has pleaded not guilty to supplying a prohibited drug, possessing ammunition without holding a licence, theft of property worth less than $15,000, three counts of possessing suspected stolen goods, theft of property worth between $2,000 and $5,000 and possession of unlawfully obtained prescription medication. Bastion will fight charges of theft of property worth between $2,000 and $5,000, possessing ammunition without holding a licence, supplying a prohibited drug, theft of property worth greater than $15,000, possession of unlawfully obtained prescription medication, and two counts of possessing suspected stolen goods. Bastion is due to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on January 10, while Pearsall's case will next be heard in the same court on March 2. A restauranteur is being praised for his classy response to a rude customer's review who said he hoped 'the owner gets cancer' after being told to respect other diners. The disgruntled customer was given a table at popular Adelaide restaurant Yiasou George on New Year's Eve but the next day left the one-star Google review. 'Our waiter was allergic to fun. This was advertised as a 'party disco vibe' but our laughter was 'too loud'... If zero stars were available I would give it... I hope the owner gets cancer,' the reviewer known as Alex said. But owner Oliver Brown, who runs Yiasou George as part of local hospitality collective The Big Easy Group, turned the tables on the reviewer with a swift reply. Yiasou George owner Oliver Brown (pictured) took the high road after a bitter customer review Yiasou George (pictured) is a popular eatery in the Adelaide CBD serving up modern Greek-Australian food in a relaxed atmosphere 'It's the owner here the one you wished cancer on,' he wrote. 'At Yiasou George, we love seeing our customers having fun, but my staff inform me you had already had a bit too much fun before you arrived, and they politely asked you to respect the other people dining in the restaurant.' 'What isn't very fun is cancer. And it's not very funny to wish it upon restaurant staff who are doing their jobs. We've donated the full amount of your meal to the Cancer Council.' Mr Brown then shared a receipt for a $499 donation to the Cancer Council - the amount of the man's bill. He added that he and has staff have chosen to start the new year with 'good vibes and love and support for anyone facing cancer'. The owner donated $499 - the amount of the man's bill - to the Cancer Council 'You can choose to start 2023 whatever way you wish. But it won't be in one of (The Big Easy Group's) venues again.' 'Wishing you a happy new year full of respect and personal growth.' The Big Easy Group runs seven bars and restaurants across Adelaide: Yiasou George, Bowden Brewing, Masa Kitchen, The Stag Public House, NOLA Adelaide, Anchovy Bandit, and Bottega Bandito. Mr Brown told The Adelaide Advertiser that the staff member who waited the customer's table did an 'amazing' job and added that all diners are emailed a feedback survey but the man instead chose to publicly insult them. Social media was awash with praise for the way Mr Brown handled the situation and pledges to dine at his establishments more regularly. Mr Brown (pictured with his wife) runs The Big Easy hospitality collective of seven Adelaide bars and restaurants including Yiasou George 'Congratulations on raising the bar both in hospitality and as a human being this post makes me want to dine with your crew even more than I already do,' one person wrote. 'All class Oliver! A credit to you, your team and your business, brilliant,' another wrote. 'Alex should be ashamed of himself, disgraceful. There are just some keyboard warriors who will never be pleased,' added a third. According to sources, Gigi Jordan was discovered dead in her New York residence after committing suicide. Gigi Jordan, a multimillionaire pharmaceutical businesswoman, was discovered dead in her New York City residence in an apparent suicide. Pharma Millionaire Guilty of Killing 8-Year-Old Son Found Dead Jordan, 62, was convicted of murdering her autistic 8-year-old son in 2014 after she admitted to feeding him a lethal medication cocktail in 2010. Jordan said that the boy, Jude Mirra, had been sexually assaulted by his father and that she murdered him to protect him from future torture, as per Inside Edition. The boy's father refuted this assertion. She was sentenced to 18 years in jail for manslaughter, but a federal court in New York granted her bail in 2020 while she fought her conviction. Jordan was given bail when an appellate court determined that a legal mistake occurred during her conviction. The New York Police Department reported that the corpse of a 62-year-old woman was discovered in her apartment on Friday, but did not reveal her identity. Norman Siegel, Jordan's attorney, told WNBC-TV that Jordan's death was "unbelievably tragic" and that his client "had much more to give to society." Siegel told the broadcaster that she sounded in excellent spirits when they spoke the night before her body was discovered. The attorney did not reply to Inside Edition Digital's request for comment. According to local sources, the day before Jordan's death, the US Supreme Court withdrew her bail, and she seemed to be returning to prison. Read Also: Russia-Ukraine War: 2014 Video Goes Viral as Late US Senator Predicted Vladimir Putin's Attack on Kyiv Gigi Jordan Previously Claimed That Husband Tried to Kill Her Jordan stated during the trial that she feared she would be unable to protect her son because her first husband, Philadelphia businessman Raymond Mirra Jr., intended to have her killed or institutionalized, and her second husband and Jude's biological father, Emil Tzekov, would gain custody of their son. Raymond Mirra Jr., Jordan's first spouse, was a lifelong entrepreneur who had great success. Currently, he serves as managing partner of the Rx Depot, a drugstore chain he created in Philadelphia. On December 14, 1998, Jordan, a certified nurse, wed Mirra, with whom he had co-founded many wildly successful medical firms. Jordan stated to the Daily News in 2012 that she was unaware of Mirra's tight links to the merciless Philadelphia mafia, with whom she believes he was involved in a major black market scam for HIV and hemophiliac prescription pharmaceuticals through his firm, Allion Healthcare of Melville, New York. In 2015, Mirra sued Jordan for defamation, alleging that her evidence at trial destroyed his reputation. Mirra, according to the New York Post, claimed that Jordan's testimony that he stole from her and threatened to have her killed harmed his public image since she knew he was connected to the Mafia. "Ms. Jordan testified that she poisoned Jude to death by feeding him over 50 pills of various prescription sedatives," according to the lawsuit. "However, she attempted to mitigate her culpability by telling ludicrous lies about Mr. Mirra that, she claimed, diminished her responsibility for taking Jude's life." The matter was resolved approximately one year later, as reported by the New York Post. Jordan, then 39, divorced Mirra in 2001 and conceived Jude with Bulgarian yoga instructor Emil Tzekov, whom she met at her Manhattan gym. Tzekov gave up his paternal rights to Jude. Nonetheless, he continued to visit Jude on occasion. Mirra, who was still Jordan's spouse and business partner, adopted Jude legally. The divorce between Mirra and Jordan occurred in November 2001. Six days later, Jordan wed Tzekov, despite the fact that Jude's official adoptive father was Mirra. Jordan divorced Tzekov in 2006. Related Article: Idaho College Murders: Leaked Video Shows Suspect Stopped by Traffic Police After Brutal Killings @YouTube @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Australia is spending up to $2 billion on 'god of war' missile launchers but some analysts are questioning whether it will be enough in what is becoming a regional arms race. The Albanese government will purchase 20 land-based High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which have been used with devastating effect by Ukrainian forces against the occupying Russians. Made by US arms and aircraft giant Lockheed Martin, the highly mobile launchers can fire a variety of surface-to-surface missiles, including GPS precision-guided ones that can strike at an enemy 300km away, which in future may extend to 500km. A launch truck fires the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) produced by Lockheed Martin during combat exercises at the Yakima Training Center, in the US state of Washington The purchase comes as China, long considered Australia's most likely adversary, has been building up its stocks of ballistic missiles and long-range bombers, which could strike at Australia from a Pacific Island nation or island. Defence Minister Richard Marles appeared to acknowledge this scenario after approving the purchase, which had begun under the preceding Morrison Government. 'In the current strategic environment, it's important the Australian Defence Force is equipped with high-end, targeted military capabilities,' he said. Australia's navy is also set to get new missiles to replace the long-serving Harpoon anti-ship weapons. Ukrainian forces unleash a missile from the HIMARS in the northern Kherson region during an offensive in November HIMARS will greatly enlarge the range the Australian army can engage at foe at, which presently stands at about 50km with the light howitzer artillery. Labor's defence strategy will be officially outlined in a major review in March but it is understood to be based around the concept of 'impactful projection', which means keeping a foe at a far distance. This line of thought was given voice by Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy in talking about the new rocket launchers. 'This is the most significant single investment in Australia's strike capability in living memory, if not ever,' he said The HIMARS, which can fire precision-guided missiles at targets 300km away, is pictured during exercises in Skede, Latvia 'These investments will allow us to keep potential adversaries at bay from farther afield.' The new rocket launchers, which will be operational in 2026-2027, can be deployed by the giant C-130J and the C-17 military aircraft. HIMARS has been credited with helping turn the tide of the Ukrainian war and making the tactics of massed Russian artillery, which Stalin dubbed the 'god of war' during WWII, obsolete. Using the system Ukrainian forces have been able to 'shoot and scoot', meaning they can set up rapidly, fire missiles and move well before any retaliatory fire can targeted. A HIMARS missile is fired during exercises in southern Morroco, with Australia to receive 20 of the launchers Reportedly not a single HIMARS has been lost in the conflict. The success of the weapons systems has impressed militaries around the world, meaning they are much in demand. Mr Conroy said Australia had to 'act fast' to secure its purchase. Some analysts think that despite the eye-watering cost the HIMARS purchase should just be the start of bolstering Australia's defence capacities. 'With the Defence Strategic Review underway, there's a good case for army to make for additional HIMARS,' Malcolm Davis, an analyst with defence thinktank ASPI, wrote in The Australian. 'The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the reality that munitions are consumed at a fearsome rate, and small piecemeal acquisitions of high-end capability are no longer the best approach to equipping for future high intensity warfare.' Retailers in Darwin have warned increasing violent behaviour from locals has caused businesses to bleed money and is driving customers away in droves, with one shop owner being forced to build a 'panic room' in his store. Shop owners in central Darwin's Smith Street shopping mall have been crying out for help from government and authorities amid a dramatic increase in crime, claiming locals are fighting and threatening customers inside their stores. Photographer and Darwin city councillor Paul Arnold said the rise in crime had forced him to install a lockable panic room for him and his staff at his CBD gallery - Paul Arnold Gallery. Darwin CBD Gallery owner Paul Arnold (pictured) has been forced to install a lockable panic room for him and his staff because of increasing anti-social and violent behaviour in the community 'If the shop gets trashed, the shop gets trashed, and they can watch on CCTV and call police,' he told the ABC. Mr Arnold said it had been the 'worst Christmas' he'd experienced in his 15 years in the city. 'People are voting with their feet and not coming into the city,' he said. 'The cost to small business is getting out of control.' Mr Arnold said there had been many meetings between retailers, government staff and police but these had not been effective in addressing the increasing concerns of shop owners. 'Police need to be keeping our retailers and business owners in the CBD, and patrons, they need to be keeping them safe, and I'm sorry, they're not,' he said. Shop owners in central Darwin's Smith Street shopping mall have been crying out for help from government and authorities amid a dramatic increase in crime ( stock image of Smith Street shopping mall pictured) Ashvin Gill, who also owns a business in the mall, said she has had to lock the front door of her store because drunk and violent locals try to force their way in. 'As the front face of this business, apart from doing my job, I also have to be aware and alert at all times of my own safety as well as my clients, so it can be pretty overwhelming and exhausting,' she said. Police crime statistics from Darwin show a dramatic increase in commercial break-ins, up 52 percent, and property damage, up 24.5, percent between 2020 and 2022. Smith Street Mall shop-owner Ashvin Gill said she has had to lock the front door of her store because drunk and violent locals try to force their way in (stock image of Smith Street Mall pictured) NT Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Janelle Tonkin told Daily Mail Australia officers were working alongside NT Police Alcohol Policing Operations to 'identify anti-social behaviour trends and hot spots' across the greater Darwin and Palmerston regions'. 'NT Police...are out within the Mall precinct almost every day supporting City Safe Operations staff,' she said. 'NT Police continue to actively investigate matters reported and where evidence exists and place offenders before the courts.' Acting Assistant Commissioner Tonkin urged NT business owners to report crime to police with 'adequate details' in order for sufficient follow-up enquires to be made. She also said police were working with agencies 'to identify areas of high risk and cohorts of people who are likely to contribute to crime and anti-social behaviour in the CBD' and 'address the causes and effect of anti-social behaviour and connect outreach services to those in need or who live rough'. Acting Assistant Commissioner Janelle Tonkin (pictured) said police were working alongside NT Police Alcohol Policing Operations to 'identify anti-social behaviour trends and hot spots' across Darwin In August last year an NT police union-led survey found low morale and high rates of attrition within the force and led to union president Paul McCue to declare the police force was 'in complete crisis' (stock image of NT police) The Territory's ongoing uphill battle with crime comes amid a crisis inside the state's police force. In August, 2022, an NT Police union-led survey found low morale and high rates of attrition within the force, following multiple police regions requesting a vote of no confidence in the NT Police Commissioner, Mr Jamie Chalker APM. More than 1,000 NT Police Association members took part in the survey about 65 per cent of union membership - which found 79.7 percent of surveyed members said they did not have confidence in the Commissioner. A whopping 92.6 percent of respondents said they did not think there were enough police in the NT to do what was being asked of them, while 79.4 percent rated current morale in the NT Police Force as low or very low. The results of the survey led to union president Paul McCue to declare the police force was 'in complete crisis'. In June, NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles announced a trial of private security guards - known as the Public Order Response Unit - on the streets of Darwin and Palmerston to help with 'anti-social behaviour', after a group of residents lobbied the government to address disorderly behaviour. Ms Fyles also announced money for businesses to increase their security and that the government would pick up a greater percentage of the cost. The cost of the private security patrols - which the government said were a short-term solution while it addressed the drivers of crime - was estimated at cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars to the taxpayer. A tourist has uncovered the stark reality of how different Bali can be depending on the location as she showed off the stunning view from her hostel - before realising her surroundings. Dutch traveller Luna took to TikTok in December to post a video of the view from her hostel balcony in Canggu, Bali. She started her video by showing off the insta-worthy pristine pool sitting inside the hostel grounds before panning across to a muddy patch of land with half-built homes in the distance. Luna's footage went viral showing the bright blue pool side tranquility with lined up deck lounges, manicured lawns and palm trees (pictured) Luna's footage, which was captioned with 'Bali Insta vs real life', showed the bright blue pool-side tranquility with lined-up deck lounges, manicured lawns and palm trees. It then panned over to next door where there is a large muddy area with some grass and run-down houses, alongside a large construction site in the background. Social media users took to Luna's post to blast Bali for being 'overrated' but others stuck up for the iconic Aussie tourist hotspot. 'I don't care what anyone says.. Bali is a vibe. Love it,' one commenter wrote. Then it pans over to next door where there is a large muddy area with some grass and run down houses, alongside a large construction site in the background (pictured) 'You've been watching too many people who think Bali is all glitz and glam on TikTok,' said another. Some slammed Luna for wanting to go cheap on her Bali stay and called on her to 'pay the price' if she wanted something better. But others saw the lighter side of it by commenting on the muddy grassy area next to the hostel. 'We love the alternative beach,' one joked. It comes after other TikTokkers posted similar footage from the holiday hotspot showing idyllic villa beauty right next door to muddy swamps during this holiday season. In November, UK tourist Victoria Goulbourne took to TikTok to post the reality of her stay. Her footage showed a crystal clear pool, swaying palm trees, a deck and chairs before panning over to a muddy swamp just behind the villa, with the filthy creek flowing through it. Social media users suggested she should go in the dry season next time. 'Probably went during the wrong season and not the best villa location,' said one commenter. 'The place I stayed in Bali was right on the beach and had my own plunge pool overlooking that ocean. We didn't try to cheap out though,' said another. Thousands of Aussies have woken up to darkness after a major thunderstorm ravages their state leaving them without power. Residents in south-east Queensland were hit by a monster storm on Wednesday night as torrential rain and lightning hammered down on the region. About 16,000 people, mostly in the Moreton Bay region north of Brisbane, were left without power, with more than a quarter of those without electricity on Thursday. The wild weather hit south-east Queensland, mostly in the Moreton Bay region north of Brisbane. Over 200,000 lightning strikes (pictured) were recorded sparking more than 2,500 power outages Emergency services responded to roughly 60 calls from locals reporting leaks in their ceilings and fallen trees. The wild weather brought strong winds reaching over 32km/h and rainfall between 50mm to 90mm across the region, with a peak of 128mm at Rothwell and 140mm around Northlakes. More than 200,000 lightning strikes were recorded sparking over 2,500 power outages - 2,173 of those in Kallangur -and a fire in Scarborough. Firefighters were called to Daniel Court in Scarborough at about 9pm following reports a house was on fire after it had been hit with lightning. The fire was not visible from the outside of the home as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze from within. Emergency services were also called to rescue a woman after her vehicle was caught in floodwaters in Kedron. A passing car saw the woman trapped in flood waters in her vehicle on Edinburgh Castle Road near Leckie Road and called triple-0 at about 10pm. Fire crews rescued the uninjured driver within 10 minutes of their arrival. It comes after the region experienced high temperatures peaking at 38C in Gatton, 37C in Ipswich, 36C in Beaudesert and 33C in Brisbane. Emergency services responded to roughly 60 calls from locals reporting leaks in their ceilings and fallen trees (pictured) The Bureau of Meteorology are forecasting a high chance of showers and the possibility of a severe thunderstorm on Thursday afternoon with Brisbane expected to receive at least 20mm of rainfall. Hot temperatures between the high 20s and low 30s are predicted for the rest of the week, with a cool change expected on Friday. As La Nina weakens over the summer, early climate models suggest 2023 will switch to an El Nino, bringing bushfires, drought and heatwaves during summer. BoM's recent climate driver update on Wednesday noted ocean temperatures 'remained warmer than average in the western Pacific' and indicated sea-surface temperatures could potentially exceed El Nino levels by June. Meanwhile residents in Broome and Derby have been warned their towns are likely to be cut off by flooding, amid a once-in-a-century flood in Western Australias Kimberley region. Fitzroy Crossing and dozens of Indigenous communities have already been hit by record flooding and WA's only road transport route to the north of the state is likely to be cut for months after a major bridge suffered significant damage. 'People are suffering ... people are scared,' WA Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said. The wild weather brought strong winds and heavy rainfall between 50mm to 90mm across the region, with a peak of 128mm at Rothwell and 140mm around Northlakes (pictured) Fitzroy Crossing's supermarket and homes have been inundated and only a few of the town's streets remain above the murky floodwaters, with people, livestock and wildlife clambering for the remaining dry ground. The evacuation centre in the town of about 1,500 was at capacity on Wednesday, as authorities commandeered boats and helicopters to transport people to safety. Another evacuation centre was being set up, the federal government said on Thursday. Two Australian Defence Force C-130 Hercules aircraft, which can carry 80 passengers, and a C-27 have been deployed to the region to join the fleet of aircraft carrying out evacuations and deliveries of urgent supplies. Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the ADF planes have had difficulty getting into the area because of the weather. 'But we are exploring some other options to provide that support,' he told ABC Radio on Thursday. 'In the meantime, the Western Australian government has been able to source some of its own aircraft and relocate people.' Meanwhile, Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia's Kimberley region has experienced its worst flooding on record The state's minister for Emergency Services, Stephen Dawson, revealed there had been 18 calls for assistance from people in flood-affected areas Authorities are particularly concerned for around 50 remote Indigenous communities outside of Fitzroy Crossing, comprising several hundred people. 'We're concerned about the risk of isolation, potentially for weeks, for those communities,' Mr Watt said. 'There will be people who don't necessarily need to be relocated, but will have some issues obtaining food, vegetables, all sorts of other things and it will be important to make sure that we can resupply those kinds of communities.' The Fitzroy River peaked at the town late Wednesday, reaching a record 15.8 metres, Emergency WA confirmed on Thursday. About 60,000 cubic metres of water per second has been flowing down the swollen waterway, which snakes its way across the Kimberley to the coast at Derby, north of Broome. 'It's one of the highest flow rates we've ever seen in an Australian river,' meteorologist James Ashley said. 'The amount of water moving down the Fitzroy River in a day is about what Perth uses water-wise in 20 years.' Residents in the town of Derby and the communities of Willare and Noonkanbah have been advised to evacuate due to flooding Authorities have warned people in Broome and Derby to prepare to be cut off as early as Thursday, with ex-tropical cyclone Ellie expected to dump up to 200mm of rain in the area, causing roads into the towns to be flooded. The weather system is hovering close to Broome where it is forecast to remain before moving slowly east back across the Kimberley towards the Northern Territory later in the day. Mr Dawson said pastoralists and livestock had also been impacted significantly by the flooding. 'Until the floodwaters start to recede it won't be possible to undertake a full assessment of damage and stock losses in the region,' he said. 'This is very distressing for the community.' Meanwhile, major flooding continues in the western NSW town of Menindee, where the Darling River was holding steady at around 10.2m on Wednesday but could rise to 10.7m from Thursday, above the 1976 flood record of 10.47m. Two New Zealand couples who survived the horror Sea World helicopter crash have spoken publicly for the first time about their ordeal - recalling how a 'fun joy ride' quickly became a nightmare. Elmarie and Riaan Steenberg and Edward and Marle Swart, all from Auckland, were holidaying on the Gold Coast when they decided to take a helicopter tour on Monday afternoon. But the leisure activity turned into a tragedy when their aircraft collided with another chopper mid-air, killing four people and leaving three people critically injured. The pilot of the helicopter the two NZ couples were flying in managed to safely land the damaged chopper on a sand bank, saving the lives of all five passengers. In a joint statement, the couple said they were 'completely devastated' by the horrific helicopter accident and their hearts went out to the victims' loved ones. Riaan (far left) and Elmarie Steenberg (left) and Marle (right) and Edward Swart (far right) were caught up in the Sea World helicopter tragedy on Monday Police and Fire and Rescue personnel inspect a Sea World helicopter after it collided with another chopper on Monday 'A fun 5-minute joy ride on vacation to Australia turned into a nightmare,' they said. 'We are grateful and blessed to have been spared but very sad for the people who lost loved ones and the little ones and mum fighting for their lives in hospital. Our hearts are so heavy for them. 'Our deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to the injured and the deceased and their families. 'We will share more when we are ready; however as we are coming to grips with what has happened and the resultant impact on our lives we ask that our need for privacy be respected at this time.' The couples expressed their gratitude to bystanders, police, and emergency services personnel who rushed to their aid and kept them calm and comfortable in the aftermath of the crash. Elmarie Steenberg (pictured with husband) Riaan remains in the Gold Coast recovering from injuries sustained in the crash The couple were on a trip of a lifetime Down Under with friends and fellow Aucklanders Edward and Marle Swart (pictured) They said the overwhelming response showed them 'mateship in action' and how 'Australians come together to help in time of need'. The tourists also extended their thanks to the hospital staff taking care of them 'for their kindness and compassion during this traumatic experience'. The couples dedicated part of the statement to their heroic pilot Michael James. 'To our pilot, who, through all the chaos, landed the helicopter safely, keeping us and other bystanders safe. You are our hero,' the statement said. 'Thank you so very much.' Pilot and new father Ash Jenkinson, 40, British newlyweds Ron and Diane Hughes, 65 and 57, and Sydney mother Vanessa Tadros, 36, were killed when their helicopter plunged to the ground shortly after takeoff. The three sole survivors on that chopper - Winnie de Silva, 33, her son Leon, 9, and Ms Tadros' son Nicholas, 10 - were rushed to hospital with critical injuries. How the tragedy unfolded in just 20 seconds The two helicopters involved in the collision can be seen on the sandbank - with one crashing into the sand and the other safely crash landing upright Ms de Silva and her son, who suffered a fractured skull have both since stabilised, while Nicholas has been put on life support in a critical condition. Four of the survivors on the other aircraft suffered injuries from glass shrapnel as the lower helicopter's rotor blades sliced through the cockpit. In a post on Wednesday, Mrs Steenberg confirmed to friends that she was caught up in the helicopter crash and provided an update on her condition. 'I am still in hospital in the Gold Coast recovering from my injuries,' she wrote on Facebook. 'All I can say [is] thank you to God for sparing all of us. 'Thank you for all of your messages. I will reply in due course.. love you all'. The new details come after a video emerged of the moments just before the helicopters collided. Taken from inside the helicopter that landed safety, the footage shows one of the passengers tapping Mr James on the shoulder to warn about the impending danger. The Air Transport Safety Bureau has now launched its investigation into the crash and vowed to look at all possible causes of the accident. Gold Coast pilot Ash Jenkinson is being remembered as hero following the tragedy, for his work during the flood crisis delivering aid and rescuing those trapped Newlywed British couple Ron Hughes, 65, and wife Diane , 57, were killed in the tragic crash 'We now have a painstaking job of trying to recreate exactly what's occurred in the lead up to this,' ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said. 'We know the takeoff and the landing phases of any aircraft operations are critical phases of flight, where the the cognitive workload of pilots are at their greatest. They Steenbergs and Swarts said they were assisting the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and Queensland police with their inquiries. Meanwhile, one of the rescuers who rushed to help the victims still can't get the harrowing scenes and noises he was confronted with out of his head. Ron Drevlak and his wife were walking their dog when the witnesses the helicopters collide. With no thoughts about risking his own safety, Mr Drevlak was one of the first rescuers on scene and arrived before the pilot of the other chopper safely landed on the sandbar. 'Instinct kicked in to just to run and run and help,' Mr Drevlak told the Today show on Thursday. 'In the back of my mind, I expected bad things, but it just didn't occur to me at the time because I can still quite clearly remember that when I got to the first chopper, the second one wasn't even on the ground that the noise and everything was still like buzzing all around us.' Three days on, he's still traumatised by the confronting scenes. Vanessa Tadros (left) was killed instantly in the helicopter crash, but her son Nicholas (right) survived and is in hospital in a critical condition Winne and Leon de Silva (pictured) were rushed to hospital with critical injuries. They have both since stabilised 'It's still very raw in my mind, particularly from the point where the chopper came apart and hit the ground,' Mr Drevlak said. 'The noise, that's something that just keeps playing over and over in my head every time I lay down to sleep at night. 'It's not a very pleasant thing to see.' Owner of Sea World Helicopters John Orr-Campbell has also spoken for the first time since the tragedy to remember Mr Jenkinson as a 'first-class pilot and a first-class man'. 'I knew Ash personally for nine years. He was a fine man and a standout pilot with 6,210 hours of flying to his name,' Mr Orr-Campbell wrote online. 'To lose a man and a pilot of Ash's calibre is shocking in every sense of the word. I, along with all the staff at Sea World Helicopters are gutted to the core. My heart aches as I think of Ash's fiancee Kosha and his one-year-old son Kayden. 'I would also like to commend the other pilot, Michael James, who heroically got the second aircraft to the ground safely. We wish him well in his recovery.' Mr Orr-Campbell revealed Mr Jenkinson had obtained his Commercial Pilots License in June, 2008 and flew choppers in Western Australia until 2011. 'During this time Ash showed his love and commitment to community - he was involved in multiple search and rescue flights in the area,' he said. 'This community mindedness saw him dedicate over 700 hours and many days away from family and friends assisting in firefighting operations across Australia.' In 2019, Mr Jenkinson became Chief Pilot of Sea World Helicopters and oversaw all aspects of safety and flight operations. 'We have lost a first-class pilot, a first-class man and a wonderful father, partner and friend,' Mr Orr-Campbell wrote. 'RIP Ash, you will forever be in our hearts.' The man suspected of killing four students had a pitstop at an Illinois airport as he's extradited to Moscow, Idaho, where he will be arraigned Wednesday night. Bryan Kohberger, 28, was charged with the murder of Ethan Chapin, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Madison Mogen, 21, and is being flown to Moscow, where the students were found dead in their off-campus home. Photos reveal that Kohberger's flight, which left from Pennsylvania, had landed at the Willard Airport, in Champaign, Illinois on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Eyewitnesses told TMZ that the private flight Kohberger was in had stopped for fuel, with the suspect was seen exiting the aircraft for a bathroom break. Kohberger is expected to land in Moscow later in the evening, where reporters are already waiting for his arrival as his new attorney was recently spotted scouring the crime scene to prepare his case. Bryan Kohberger, 28, was spotted exiting his flight bound for Moscow, Idaho, where he is accused of killing four University of Idaho students The flight, which left from Pennsylvania, stopped at the Willard Airport, in Champaign, Illinois, where the suspect was allowed a bathroom break The airport was evacuated during the stop, which only took a few minutes as the police plane refueled and took off for Idaho After stepping out of the airplane in Illinois, Kohberger, who was wearing an all red uniform, was spotted handcuffed with agents around him. During the bathroom break, the small airport was placed under lockdown, with the premises evacuated save for Kohberger and the agents transporting him, TMZ reports. Sources told the outlet that the stop only lasted a few minutes before it took off to Moscow. The small plane, a 2015 single-engine Pilatus, is owned and operated by the Pennsylvania State Police, and only seats 11 people. Members of the media have already assembled at the Pullman-Moscow airport in order to get a shot of Kohberger as he arrives in Idaho to meet with investigators. Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, was arrested after a SWAT team swooped into Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. The criminology graduate student has said he's innocent Idaho police said the four University of Idaho students were murdered in their sleep between 3am and 4am (Pictured: Victims Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Maddie Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and 20-year-old Ethan Chapin) Members of the media are already at the Pullman-Moscow airport awaiting Kohberger's arrival Kohberger had agreed to speed up his extradition to Moscow, as he claimed his innocence and said he would fight to exonerate himself. His attorney, Anne Taylor, 57, has already sent a team of investigators to the slain student's house on Kings Road in Idaho to start a crime scene reconstruction ahead of Kohberger's return to the state. Taylor and a team of four others visited the home where the bloody slayings took place on Tuesday, the same day as Kohberger waived his extradition in court. Taylor is famous for previously overturning a murder conviction of Jonathan Ellington, who was accused of using his car to run over a woman in a road-rage incident. Taylor worked on the case of Jonathan Ellington, who was accused of using his car to run over a woman in a road-rage incident. She is now representing Kohberger He was arrested after being tracked by the FBI for four days near his parents home in Pennsylvania, with authorities narrowing down the suspect from genetic genealogy A judge in Idaho has issued a gagging order on Moscow Police and legal teams in relation to the case, barring anyone linked to the case from talking about it. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said: Once he gets here, hell have an initial appearance with our magistrate. Theyll deal with issues such as making sure competent counsel is representing him, and the case will be scheduled for hearings. Once Kohberger arrives in Idaho the state law will allow the court to unseal the probable cause affidavit something which the victim's families have been keen to see. He will need to appear in court before that can happen, on four counts of murder and one of felony burglary. New Year's Eve revellers have slammed a popular Bali nightclub claiming their 'blatant cash grab' ruined their night. Tourists headed to Finns Beach Club in Canggu, self-marketed as the 'world's best beach club', to ring in the New Year, spending thousands of dollars on tickets and $20 a drink. The 2022 New Year's Eve party at Finns Beach Club featured live music from acts such as Diplo, Gorgon City, Elderbrook and Australian DJ Hayden James. A VIP cabana bed - that fit a maximum of six people - cost $2500AUD meaning each patron forked out $415 a ticket. In the days after the event, Finns has been flooded with complaints and horror stories from the night - with partygoers saying the hundreds extra they forked out for VIP tickets gave them little to no perks and others whinging about spending $10 a bottle on water. One New Year's Eve partygoer claimed the event was 'not worth it at all', 'totally overpriced' and a 'waste of time and money'. New Year's Eve revellers have slammed popular Bali nightclub, Finns Beach Club, which markets itself as the 'world's best beach club' for ripping off partygoers and ruining their night Following the event, social media was flooded with complaints and horror stories about how bad the night was despite tourists in some cases spending thousands of dollars on tickets alone 'Worst New Year's experience ever, $20 for one drink and paid $1500 for the private booth... which provided absolutely nothing good, two-hour long queues for a drink, had to load up wrist bands so they already had your money once you loaded up,' one partygoer said in a review on Google. 'Biggest waste of money and worst New Year's, I would not recommend to go to Finns for New Year's.' Another said they paid $380AUD for two tickets but were barred from the stage - with the view only given to VIP ticketholders. 'I don't mind paying festival prices but we were kept in a pen fenced off to the side and couldn't even see the stage! Absolute scam. We usually visit every trip but will never come again. Shame on you Finns,' they wrote. A third blasted the service was both terrible and expensive and slammed the club as an 'embarrassment'. 'Nothing good to say about their recent NYE event. Widespread negative response due to unreasonable wristband cash back timeframe, massive waiting lines for drinks and general admission tickets not even being able to see the stage,' they said. 'Absolute scam, would encourage anyone to look at other beach clubs as there are plenty more with much better service. All in all an embarrassment to the service industry.' Others online slammed the establishment as 'money hungry' and claimed the club made 'a mockery of the Bali service industry', describing the experience as the worst they had ever had. Finns Beach Club has been responding to some of the negative feedback online with a generic statement to any critic. 'Thank you for joining us on New Year's Eve and taking the time to provide your feedback,' they wrote. 'We believe our NYE 2022 event was a success with the majority of guests having a great time. 'We apologise that you did not have a great experience and completely understand that there are multiple ways we can improve the experience in the future.' Finns Beach Club responded to some of the negative feedback online with a statement that read: 'Thank you for joining us on New Year's Eve and taking the time to provide your feedback' yet noted that the service was too slow and changes would be made moving forward The club went on to admit the bar frontage was not big enough and the menu was too large, leading to slower service. 'Slow bar service is a lose/lose situation for the guest and the venue as it causes wait times and decreases the venue sales, so anyone who experienced this must understand it was in no way intentional,' Finns Beach club said in a statement. 'It is our number one goal for guests to have their best day of the year at Finns. We take our guest feedback seriously and will plan everything required to make NYE 2023 an even better event with an amazing guest experience. 'We hope our dedication to constantly improving our facilities, service and events will give you confidence in visiting us again.' One Australian tourist, Kieran Geraghty earlier told Daily Mail Australia, he and a group of six mates attended the event, setting them back $2,500 for the VIP Deluxe Bed Lounge package yet had their worst New Year's experience. They were promised exclusive perks such as access to a daybed, table service and shorter lines to the bar but said the experience was anything but exclusive, slamming the overpriced drinks, lack of service, and hour-long queues at the bar. Kieran Geraghty planned to usher in the new year with a group of six friends at Finns Beach Club, on the Indonesian island, on Saturday but said he had the worst New Year's experience he had ever had Mr Geraghty complained the experience was anything but exclusive slamming the overpriced drinks, lack of service, and hour-long wait in queues at the bar Mr Geraghty complained he had to stand in a queue for hours at the bar with everybody else despite being told he would have a dedicated line. 'They said we would have our own dedicated line to the bar for everyone that was in our section that paid $2,500,' he said. 'The bar, for one drink, was about an hour long.' Mr Geraghty said he was 'angry' at the overall experience saying the club was only concerned about making money. Mr Geraghty said the cost of drinks at the bar were expensive with a shot of alcohol priced at $20 AUD. He estimates he spent $400 on drinks and food with the meals falling short of his expectations. 'The food we could only get a $170 package delivered to our bed,' he said. 'It only included two rolls of sushi, chicken wings, two pizzas, and flat bread and dip.' Mr Geraghty said the experience would've been even worse for partygoers who had bought a general admission ticket. Mr Geraghty told Daily Mail Australia the cost of drinks at the bar were expensive with a shot of alcohol priced at $20 'They couldn't even see the stage,' he said. 'They were blocked off to one side of Finns. 'We met someone when we walked out that spent $4,500.' Mr Geraghty said the poor experience prompted him to leave early at 10pm while some of his friends decided to stay behind to watch the fireworks. 'There were a lot of people that were leaving around that time,' he said. Finns Beach Club have been contacted by Daily Mail Australia for comment. Mills also allegedly sexually assaulted her and starved her for five days He used a 'closed fist' to hit her in the face and neck and when his hands grew tired, he used the handle of a screwdriver to continue the assault The victim claimed that 'immediately' upon entering Mills' home, he tried to have sex with her and began to violently beat her when she refused She managed to leave the residence after Mills left to go see his father He allegedly held his Bumble date in his apartment for five days, starting on December 24 until she escaped on December 29 A Texas man was arrested after allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman he met through the Bumble online dating app. Zachary Kent Mills, 21, of Tomball, Texas - roughly 35 miles outside of Houston - was arrested and charged with first-degree aggravated kidnapping on December 30 after holding an unidentified woman in his apartment for five days. The 'severely assaulted' woman contacted police from his neighbor's home on December 29 after she managed to escape his apartment on Kuykendahl Road when he left to visit his father, ABC 13 Houston reported. Through further investigation, Harris County Constable Mark Herman was able to determine the woman had been 'held her against her will' since December 24, after Mills picked her up from her apartment and brought her back to his. After arriving at the apartment, Mills 'immediately' attempted to have sex with the woman, the criminal complaint said, and after she 'declined the defendant's sexual advances, he immediately began to physically assault her and would not let her leave the residence.' Zachary Kent Mills, 21, of Tomball, Texas was arrested on December 30 and was charged with first-degree aggravated kidnapping He allegedly held his Bumble date in his apartment for five days, starting on December 24 until she escaped on December 29. She managed to leave the residence after Mills left to go see his father (pictured: Mills in court) He used a 'closed fist' to hit her in the face and neck and after he grew tired, he would 'grab a screwdriver and hit her with the handle.' Mills also allegedly starved his date for the entire five days. When he left to go to his father's house, the victim 'gathered up her clothes' and sought the neighbor for help and later identified Mills to police through his driver's license photo. The victim was taken to the hospital to be treated for her injuries, Herman said. She left the residency with severe bruising on the majority of her body, bite marks, and cuts to both her throat and nose. Mills was booked into the Harris County Jail on a $50,000 bail. He could be charged with additional counts following an investigation, Herman said. He is currently under 24-hour house arrest and cannot go near the victim, according to his bond conditions, ABC 13 Houston said. He was arrested (pictured) a day after the woman managed to escaped. The victim claimed that 'immediately' upon entering Mills' home on the 24th, he tried to have sex with her and began to violently beat her when she refused He used a 'closed fist' to hit her in the face and neck and when his hands grew tired, he used the handle of a screwdriver to continue the assault. Mills also allegedly sexually assaulted her and starved her for five days His attorney, Chris Denuna, said his client is 'presumed innocent' at the moment and said they are working on a defense after Mills appeared in court. He is due back in court in March. Bumble said it was 'shocked and saddened to hear about this horrible crime' in a statement and that Mills has been banned from the app. 'We blocked this member as soon as we were made aware of this situation and in accordance with our Community Guidelines. We also have a dedicated law enforcement team available to respond to any requests from law enforcement as needed.' Emus travel in large flocks to find better food resources A family of emus have been pictured walking across a suburban Aussie street in a rare sighting. A Victorian man shared the extraordinary image to a native bird Facebook group after crossing paths with the 18 emus. The father emu is seen leading 17 baby emus down the road. 'Counted 17 little ones on their outing with dad,' the man who captured the birds on camera wrote. A Victorian man has crossed paths with a large flock of emus wandering down a suburban road Emus primarily travel alone or in pairs but on rare occasions they will come together in large flocks. The tall birds will travel in flocks to head to an area that has a better food supply. During the summer months, emus mainly consume seeds, flowers, grass and insects. Baby emus usually stay with their father for up to one-and-a-half years before moving off on their own. During the mating period, female emus court males and will sometimes fight other females for access to the males. After the female lays her eggs she will wander off and may mate with other males. In other instances, she will stay to defend the nest with the male before the eggs hatch. After hatching, she will then leave the nest. The sight of the emu flock comes a month after two cheeky emus returned to an outback town after they were banned from the local pub. Two emus, Kevin (pictured) and Carol, once terrorised the Yaraka Hotel in Yaraka, in south-west Queensland, stealing customers' food, drinks and even car keys The animals, Kevin and Carol, spent months terrorising the Yaraka Hotel in Yaraka, in southwest Queensland, stealing customers' food, drinks and even car keys. The emus were so naughty that the owner was forced to enforce a lifetime ban and set barricades up at the entrance to stop them from sneaking in. The pair are beloved by the town's 20 residents but vanished in January. But Yaraka resident Leanne Byrne, the emus' unofficial carer, said she had since spotted the siblings return to the town and one of them now had four baby chicks. The pair of emus had been missing from the small outback town since January but have since been rediscovered The Yaraka Hotel, in the remote orange sandy desert of southwest Queensland, has put up barricades at its entrances in an effort to stop the feathered bandits Ms Byrne leaves Yaraka each year for a few months at a time to work and said the pair usually make their way back from the wilderness once she returns. But the emus failed to come back to Yaraka at the start of the year after going walkabout in January, with Ms Byrne struggling to find them. Ms Byrne was given nine emu eggs that had been found by local workers, but only Kevin and Carol survived. The animal lover said the pair, who are siblings, 'love cuddles'. Ms Byrne is hoping the emus will stay away from the town until the chicks are grown and able to fend for themselves. 'They're not my pets. They just tended to stay, and everyone looked after them type thing. They're still wild animals,' she told the ABC. A drunk driver accused of killing two Tennessee parents on Christmas Day may have to pay child support for their now orphaned children. Patricke Conley, 42, was arrested after he lost control of his vehicle after hitting a mailbox and swerved into the lane where Dustin and Brittany Dillard, both 33, were driving along with their three young children. Conley's arrest report alleged his car went up into the air before colliding with the Dillard's Jeep Wagoneer SUV. Police arrived and found the SUV flipped over with Dustin and Brittany pronounced dead at the scene and their sons seriously injured. Conley was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of vehicular assault. Dustin and Brittany Dillard, both 33, died on Christmas Day when they were struck in their car by a drunk driver. Their three kids were in the backseat and survived Patricke Conley, 42, was charged with homicide after he killed the two parents. Police found several bottles of Bud Light at the scene Several 'Bud Light beer cans' were recovered at the scene with Conley's car smelling of alcohol, according to the arrest affidavit. Tennessee Senate unanimously passed a law in April 2022 that forces drunk drivers in the state to make payments similar to child support if they cause the death of a parent. The payments would be paid until the child is 18, while the amount would be decided by the court. Police also charged Conley with traffic violations and open container violations. He was also charged with violating his probation after he was previously sentenced to eight years in jail on drug charges. Conley appeared in court on December 29 in a wheelchair with a massive cut on his face. He pleaded not guilty. The Dillard's children may receive child support payments from Conley Moments after the crash, two men ran to the Dillards' flipped car after witnessing the scene from their home. 'I heard an explosion outside,' a witness named Charles told The National Desk. 'My son, he came down to me and he said, 'There [were] two vehicles that were flipped over on their top,' and I went ahead and grabbed my jacket and I ran outside.' Charles initially ran to comfort Conley, who was in distress, before he heard the boys in the Dillard's car. 'I had my handgun in my pocket, so I took the butt of it, and I smashed the window.' he said. He was unable to get the three boys out of the vehicle until the police arrived. The three boys later identified as Preston, Pierce, and Pryor are improving and are expected to make a full recovery, according to Bradley County Schools. One witness said they heard the scene unfold from outside their home when they heard an explosion The three boys later identified as Preston, Pierce, and Pryor are improving and are expected to make a full recovery The Senate bill to hold drunk drivers accountable was proposed by Cecilia Williams, whose son Cordell, 30, his fiancee Lacey Newton, 25, and their four-month-old son Cordell II, were killed by a drunk driver. The crash left Cecilia's grandsons Bentley, five, and Mason, three, orphaned. Lawmakers named the bill Ethan, Haile, and Bentley's Law after Cecilia's grandson Bentley as well as the two children of Nicholas Galinger, a Tennessee police officer killed by a drunk driver in a hit-and-run. The drunk driver's blood alcohol level was allegedly double the legal limit when he hit the Williams' car, which went off the road and struck a tree before catching fire. Although the law will not benefit her and her grandsons personally she said she campaigned for its introduction to 'help other people.' Tennessee Senate unanimously passed a law in April 2022 that forces drunk drivers in the state to make payments similar to child support if they cause the death of a parent Brittany was a teacher at Walker Valley High School in Cleveland, Tennessee at the time of her death. Her former students remembered her as more than a science teacher. 'Mrs. Dillard was more than a teacher, she was a light at Walker Valley High School and a role model to so many,' Brandon Akiona wrote in a tribute post. 'I know now how lucky I was to be one of those few lucky students call Mrs. Dillards class my safe space freshman year. 'I was lucky to sit on that old couch, talking everything from Newtons laws to Enneagrams with her. 'Lucky to answer questions of the day and spend all of class laughing about our crazy answers. Lucky to be in the room when she announced to our class that she was going to be a mom.' Christin Childree added that she never had the privilege to sit in Brittany's classroom but noticed her around campus. 'I never had Mrs. Dillard as a teacher, but I always felt like I did,' Childree wrote. 'I saw her every day like she was. 'Her energy was always the same, so cheerful and encouraging. She was everything a teacher needed to be and more.' Bradley County Schools warned against fake online fundraisers for the Dillard family and requested those who wish to make a contribution to Venmo @Terri-Dillard-5. The US House of Representatives adjourned for the second day in a row without electing a new speaker, as conservatives within the Republican caucus have been steadfast in their opposition to California Rep. Kevin McCarthy's bid for the chamber's leadership. McCarthy said Republicans are still discussing a path ahead after the House adjourned for a second day without a speaker, according to NBC News. The California legislator told the press that the unification of enough Republicans in favor of calling it a night indicated the talks are going "well" and will likely continue; nevertheless, this does not suggest that their conclusion is imminent. When asked what he planned to do after the House resumed its regular session on Thursday at noon, Kevin McCarthy said he would continue discussions with his colleagues. Debate Rather Than Election According to McCarthy, members would instead engage in a debate than cast votes on the floor. Therefore he proposed eliminating the six roll call votes that took place over two days to determine who would serve as speaker of the US House of Representatives. The Republican lawmaker does not believe that continuous voting would be constructive. "We've been there. Everyone knows where they stand. The votes don't change much," he noted. According to GOP sources familiar with the internal deliberations, Texas Rep. Chip Roy, one of the conservatives who has voted against McCarthy's speakership candidacy, informed GOP executives that he believes he can convince ten holdouts to support McCarthy if these current negotiations succeed and that there are further opponents who may be prepared to vote "present." It has been reported that the meetings between Kevin McCarthy supporters and opponents on Wednesday were the most fruitful and serious of their kind so far. In one evidence of a concession, a McCarthy-aligned super PAC decided not to engage in open Republican primaries in safe districts, one of the conservatives' main targets that McCarthy had rejected until now, CNN reported. Read Also: Byron Donalds Emerges as Alternative to Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker Amid Chaos Among Republicans However, even if these talks are successful and ten legislators switch to McCarthy's side, which is far from inevitable, that still leaves Kevin McCarthy short of the 218 votes necessary to become speaker. The next House Majority Whip, Tom Emmer, described Wednesday night's discussions for the future speaker as productive. The Republican from Minnesota said that many people were engaged in this, adding that some individuals are sitting down and discussing the topic of determining their next measures. Donald Trump's Call for McCarthy Support Failed During the fight for control of the US House of Representatives, Donald Trump has thrown his support behind troubled Rep. Kevin McCarthy. Earlier on Wednesday, the former president urged his followers to "VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY" on his online platform, Truth Social. Despite his pleading, Kevin McCarthy was defeated in three more rounds of voting. The previous president's supporters, numbering 20 conservative Republicans, stood firm. Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado told the chamber that Donald Trump encouraged her and other dissenters "to knock this off," as per a BBC report. The Republican legislator remarked that Donald Trump should contact McCarthy and tell him "it's time to withdraw" in her speech accepting the nomination for another Republican contender. After the House failed to pick a Speaker in the first round for the first time in 100 years, Mr. Trump, who is running for president again in 2024, entered the fray on Wednesday morning. Related Article: Donald Trump Fires Back After January 6 Committee Withdraws Subpoena @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Progressive Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri on Wednesday lashed out at people who are lauding GOP Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida's nomination for House Speaker as 'historic.' Donalds was nominated as conservatives' alternative to embattled House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, whose quest for the gavel has been derailed by 20 lawmakers in his caucus including Donalds. When announcing the nomination in the first round, Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy noted the historic nature of having two black candidates for House Speaker. It came after Democrat Rep. Pete Aguilar nominated incoming Democratic Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for the gavel. It earned a standing ovation from both sides of the House chamber - but Bush was not moved. 'He is a prop,' Bush, who is also black, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon. 'Despite being Black, he supports a policy agenda intent on upholding and perpetuating white supremacy. His name being in the mix is not progressits pathetic.' Former GOP Rep. Doug Collins slammed Bush's comments as racist. Missouri Rep. Cori Bush dismissed the enthusiasm around the historic nature of Rep. Byron Donalds' nomination for House Speaker She claimed Donalds was being used as a 'prop' for white supremacy rather than being held up as a serious candidate 'Congresswoman, this is racism and you should be held accountable. Its disgraceful, disgusting, and dishonorable,' Collins replied to the post. Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee said, '[I]f you cant disagree with your colleague...without accusing him of racism, you might be part of the problem.' Earlier on Wednesday, Donalds spoke to reporters on the steps of the US Capitol during an impromptu press conference on after his name was put forward in the race. He said it is 'up to' McCarthy as to whether he drops out of the running for House Speaker. Donalds spoke to reporters on the steps of the US Capitol after voting for himself in the second round of Wednesday's Speaker vote, and the fifth round overall. Asked by DailyMail.com about his reaction to Donald Trump supporting McCarthy, Donalds - a supporter of the ex-president himself - brushed off the high-profile backer. 'President Trump has been in that position for several months. Knowing President Trump, he doesn't change his mind,' Donalds began. 'That's all well and good, but the members are going to decide this process. And you know, that's, that's no disrespect at all to President Trump. That's just the reality of the House.' Florida GOP Rep. Byron Donalds held an impromptu press conference on the steps of the US Capitol It comes after Colorado GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert, another Trump ally, publicly demanded that the ex-president call McCarthy and tell him to withdraw from the race as she nominated Donalds in his place during one of Wednesday's votes. The House of Representatives failed to elect a speaker on the first-round vote for the first time in 100 years on Tuesday - and then fell further into disarray as McCarthy failed multiple times on Wednesday. It's set the GOP's new - albeit slim - House majority off to a chaotic start. A group of 19 conservatives derailed McCarthy's bid, despite his making last-minute concessions they had asked for including greenlighting a measure that would allow any five Republicans to call for a new Speaker vote at any time - known as the motion to vacate. Donalds joined their rebellion on the third round, by which point McCarthy's critics had all coalesced around GOP Rep. Jim Jordan - who has repeatedly said he does not want the gavel. Then on Wednesday, Donalds was nominated by Texas Rep. Chip Roy in the first round and Boebert in the second round. He told reporters on Wednesday that he did not 'actually' desire the Speakership, adding, 'I really never came here to try to be in leadership.' House Republicans have been in disarray with a second day in session without a Speaker It's led to multiple heated moments on the House floor between GOP members for and against Kevin McCarthy 'I didn't come to DC being interested in becoming Speaker of the House,' Donalds said. 'But I also understand that, you know, part of my responsibility is to make sure that our conference gets to a point where we are doing the things in an effective and constructive way.' Unlike Jordan, however, who also said he did not want the role he was being nominated for on Tuesday - Donalds has voted for himself in all three rounds on Wednesday. Republicans have fallen into disarray already on the second day of their slim majority. The 118th Congress has not yet been sworn in due to the delay in picking a new Speaker. GOP lawmakers could be seen having intense conversations on the House floor and in various hallways outside of the chamber. McCarthy's critics have made clear that his concessions are not enough, signaling that the inter-party fight has taken a deeply personal turn. Donalds originally supported McCarthy but has since called for more discussions and meetings for his party to work out a compromise. However, he told reporters that the fight may not be over yet for the current House GOP chief. 'I don't think we're there at this point,' he said when asked if McCarthy should step aside. 'I think there's a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all, you know, to a close.' 'But I'm not going to speak for Kevin, and that's something that he and his team got to figure out.' He suggested he hadn't yet spoken with McCarthy but 'anticipated' a conversation later Wednesday. The video was released Tuesday by the Houston Police Department Dovran accelerated and was able to get the men out of his car Five minutes into the ride, the men pulled out guns and demanded he exit The driver, known as Dovran, picked up two riders in October before the incident New video released by the Houston Police Department shows the horrifying moments when an Uber driver was held at gunpoint by two passengers. The shocking situation, which included one of the men demanding the driver get out of the vehicle and yelling 'I'm going to kill you,' was documented by the Uber driver, who had a camera on his dashboard. The victim, an Army Reserves veteran, managed to get away by accelerating and getting the men out of his car before he took off and found safety. While the incident took place in October, Houston Police released the footage Tuesday in hopes someone may be able to identify the suspects and bring them to justice. The victim, an Army Reserves veteran, managed to get away by accelerating and getting the men out of his car before he took off and found safety The aggravated robbery took place around 11am on October 18 when the Uber driver, identified as Dovran, picked up a man named 'MJ' from a restaurant. After just five minutes in the car, one of the two men he had picked up from the 7600 block of Westheimer pulled out a gun and threatened him. 'MJ' set a drop-off location for an address near a Walmart until he later ut then location to an apartment complex located at 2929 Dunvale Road. At that address, the two men attempted to attack the man, who has been driving with Uber for five years, according to Click 2 Houston. The passenger demanded Dovran get out of the vehicle all while pressing a gun to his head. The other passenger in the car can be seen reaching for his seat as the other threatens the driver. 'Get the f*** out the car. Get the f*** out the car,' one of the suspects says in the video. The aggravated robbery took place around 11am on October 18 when the Uber driver, identified as Dovran, picked up a man named 'MJ' from a restaurant After just five minutes in the car, one of the two men he had picked up from the 7600 block of Westheimer pulled out a gun and threatened him One of the passengers leapt forward, demanding Dovran get out of the vehicle The one man attempted to hold Dovran back from exiting Dovran somehow managed to stay calm and focus on staying alive. 'I wasn't scared in that situation at that time,' the driver told ABC13. 'I was just trying to escape. Luckily, he didn't shoot me.' While the one suspect continued to threaten Dovran, the second got out of the car and opened the driver's door. The suspect then attempted to steal the man's phone, police said. At some point during the struggle for the phone, Dovran was able to knock the second suspect to the ground, all while the first suspect was still holding the gun. The one suspect held the gun to the driver's head until he exited the vehicle The two men tussled for nearly a minute, knocking over the camera in the meantime 'Get out before I kill you. Get out before I kill you. I'm going to kill you,' the armed suspect said in the video. The men tussle for nearly a minute, knocking down the dashcam in the process. Dovran then said he decided to accelerate, hoping to at least put distance between himself and the other suspect. 'I was thinking, "OK, if I drive off, at least one guy will be behind me because he was outside." Luckily, the guy who was in the driving seat, he just jumped out,' Dovran explained. Uber released the following statement to Click 2 Houston regarding the scary incident: 'The actions of the riders shown in the video were chilling to watch and we are grateful the driver wasnt injured,' the company said. 'We removed the riders access and have reached out to the driver to offer support. We look forward to assisting police in identifying those responsible.' The rideshare company states on its website they allow drivers to end a ride anytime they feel unsafe. 'I was thinking, "OK, if I drive off, at least one guy will be behind me because he was outside." Luckily, the guy who was in the driving seat, he just jumped out,' Dovran explained Both suspects have been described by Houston Police as black men, around 20 years old. They are approximately 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 9 inches, 140 pounds, with slim builds and dark complexions. Both men wearing hoodies during the aggravated robbery. Police ask that anyone with information on this case reach out immediately. Information leading to the charging and or the arrest of any felony suspects may result in a cash payment of up to $5,000. Tipsters must contact Crime Stoppers directly to remain anonymous. Tips can be submitted by calling 713-222-TIPS (8477) or at www.crime-stoppers.org. A jury found that she fatally stabbed Yousuf Rasmussen in the neck The daughter of the former US National Intelligence Director has been found guilty in the stabbing death of a Maryland man after an argument at an Airbnb. A Montgomery County jury on Tuesday convicted Sophia Negroponte, 29, of second-degree murder in the February 2020 death of Yousuf Rasmussen, news outlets reported. Negroponte faces up to 40 years in prison at sentencing on March 31. She is the daughter of John Negroponte, who spent a long career in Washington as a diplomat before being named the United States first-ever Director of National Intelligence in 2005. A Montgomery County jury on Tuesday convicted Sophia Negroponte (pictured left), 29, of second-degree murder in the February 2020 death of Yousuf Rasmussen (pictured right), news outlets reported Sophia Negroponte and Rasmussen attended the same Washington high school and had been drinking at a Maryland Airbnb, along with another person, on the night Rasmussen was killed, Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy said. They argued twice that night and Rasmussen left. When Rasmussen returned to get his cell phone, Negroponte 'stabbed him multiple times, one being a death blow that severed his jugular,' McCarthy said. Police said when they arrived, Negroponte was on top of Rasmussen screaming, 'I'm sorry.' During the investigation, Negroponte told police she only remembers removing the knife from Rasmussen's neck. Defense attorney David Moyse had urged jurors to consider that Sophia Negroponte was so intoxicated that night that she couldn't form specific intent. 'Alcohol pervades this case from the start; it pervades her life,' he said, adding, 'and it is absolutely at the heart of what happened there that night. And its one of the major reasons that this is absolutely not a murder.' Jurors did not find Negroponte guilty of the most serious charge she faced, first-degree, premeditated murder, according to the Post. But they convicted her of second-degree murder, finding that she intended 'to inflict such serious bodily harm' to Rasmussen 'that death would be the likely result.' Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Terrence J. McGann ordered her bond revoked, noting that Rasmussen was 'taken from this earth, at a very young age with his whole life ahead of him, in such a horrific way.' Sophia Negroponte and Rasmussen attended the same Washington high school and had been drinking, along with another person, on the night Rasmussen was killed, Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy said Police say Sophia Negroponte stabbed Rasmussen after an argument in February 2020 Sophia Negroponte is the adopted daughter of John Negroponte, who spent a long career in Washington as a diplomat before being named the United States' first ever Director of National Intelligence in 2005. He is seen at a conference in Colombia in 2019 'Yousuf was a kind and gentle soul, a loving person who brought our family and his many friends great joy in his 24 years of life,' Rasmussen's family said in a statement. 'We will carry him with us forever.' After the verdict, John Negroponte, 83, said his family will discuss a possible appeal with their attorneys. 'Neither the prosecutors nor perhaps the jury took into sufficient consideration the complexities and mitigating circumstances of the case - Sophia's past trauma and other factors that led to a very troubled existence. She's had severe alcohol use disorder,' John Negroponte said. President George W. Bush appointed John Negroponte as the nation's first intelligence director in 2005. He later served as deputy secretary of state. He also previously served as ambassador to Honduras, Mexico, the Philippines, the United Nations and Iraq. He had previously served as ambassador to countries including Honduras, Mexico, and the Philippines under Bill Clinton, George H W Bush and Ronald Reagan. Negroponte and his wife, Diana Negroponte, adopted five girls during their time in Honduras - Sophia, George, John, Alexandra, and Marina. President Bush, left, looks on as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, ceremonially swears in Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, second left, at the State Department in Washington in 2007 This is the moment two thieves launched an SUV over a guardrail in New Jersey and fell 21 feet to escape police. Two thieves attempted to evade the police in Verona, New Jersey, on Sunday by driving over a guardrail and launching a stolen vehicle 21 feet. The Verona Police Department responded to a request for assistance for a stolen vehicle from the North Caldwell Police Department shortly after midnight on Sunday. The car was found on the edge of Verona through a tracking system on Hilltop Drive. Officer McMahon, whose first name was not released, located the vehicle and called for backup. When three officers approached the vehicle, 'attempted to flee the complex by driving off-road striking multiple parked cars, eventually going over a retaining wall and falling 21 feet.' Two thieves attempted to evade the police in Verona, New Jersey, on Sunday by driving over a guardrail After the thieves were approached by three officers, the drive peeled out of the driveway and immediately drove off the cliff It barreled through the guardrail (pictured) before dropping 21 feet. The passenger was arrested on the scene, while the drive was later apprehended after fleeing the scene Bodycam footage shows the white SUV peeling out of the driveway, tires squealing, as it crashed into the thin guardrail and fell down the cliff. As it fell down the hill, the car landed nose-first before rolling onto its top and hitting the house below. Photos released by the two departments show the car with its entire front bumper ripped off. The crash caused property damage to the home's balcony and damaged one of the homeowner's cars. The driver, who was not identified, escaped the crash and fled on foot, but was later apprehended. The female passenger was found near the wreckage and taken into the custody of North Caldwell Police. Both were taken to the hospital for medical evaluations. The two police departments are now warning residents to 'lock your vehicles and remove the key fob.' 'This video is an example of how brazen and reckless these car thieves are in avoiding apprehension,' the joint statement read. It toppled down before crashing into the house (pictured) below A man is lucky to be alive after he was swept overboard into a raging ocean when a huge wave engulfed a small tour boat, causing three people to be taken to hospital. The boat, belonging to local tour company Montague Island Adventures, was battling the elements on its way out of the Narooma inlet, on NSW's far south coast, when the wave crashed into the craft at around 11.25am on Wednesday. The boat, attempted to clear the breakwall in heavy surf, was getting thrown higher and higher on each wave before it attempted to crest a final huge one. The final surge caused the boat to become almost vertical and airborne with all of the orange-life jacketed tourists desperately holding onto the boat. However one tourist on the open rear deck failed to stay in the boat, plunging off the back and into the surging water despite another passenger's lunge to grab him. A man was swept overboard from a small tourist boat heading out from the NSW south coast on Wednesday Graham Martin, who is co-founder of HR software provider Worknice, was watching from shore and captured the near tragedy on video. 'It was all super crazy,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Waves were crashing over him and he was at the mercy of currents.' 'He was lucky to drift around to the north where a bodyboarder helped him onto the rocks.' Mr Martin said the man was conscious but couldn't tell what state he was in otherwise. The boat, belonging to the Montague Island Adventures tour company, was almost engulfed by the huge wave Emergency services arrived quickly at the scene and were there to treat the man, aged in his 50s, as well as other passengers on the boat who suffered injuries from being thrown around in the maelstrom. Ambulance NSW told Daily Mail Australia the man was injured in the chest area and was having trouble breathing as well as being in shock. The journey out of Narooma inlet on Wednesday morning was beset with rough conditions from the start He was taken to a local hospital in a stable condition. Two other passengers were taken to separate hospitals with suspect broken bones or fractures, while four others were treated for relatively minor injuries. Graham Martin watched the drama unfold and said the 50-year-old man thrown overboard was lucky to survive The company that owns the boat, Montague Island Adventures, runs tours to explore the protected nature reserve of Montague Island, which is 9km offshore. They also offer snorkeling with seals, whale watching and fishing charters. The company has been contacted for comment. A restaurant owner has received a landslide of praise after his response to a rude customer review went viral. A customer visited Yiasou George, a Mediterranean-style venue in Adelaide's East End, on New Year's Eve before they decided to leave a scathing Google review of the business. The Big Easy Group managing director Oliver Brown (pictured right) A special dining event offered a shared tasting menu and champagne on arrival while promising 'disco party vibes' and 'loads of ouzo shots'. The reviewer complained he had been told by staff that he was being 'too loud' before having a personal dig at the restaurant's owner. 'Happy new year, and I hope that the owner gets cancer,' he wrote. Yiasou George hosted a cheesy disco in December. Picture Instagram It appears the review has since been deleted from the business' Google Review page. Managing director Oliver Brown of Big Easy Group, which owns Yiasou George, took to social media to clear up the damning review. 'My staff inform me you already had a bit too much fun before you arrived, and they politely asked you to respect the other people dining in the restaurant,' Mr Brown wrote. 'What isn't very fun is cancer. And it's not very funny to wish it upon restaurant staff who are doing their jobs.' Following his response, Mr Brown told the restuarant's 5,000 Instagram followers he had donated the full cost of the disgruntled reviewer's $499.95 meal to the Cancer Council. 'At Yiasou George and the Big Easy Group, we treat everyone with respect and won't tolerate this type of behaviour,' he wrote. 'So we've invited (the reviewer) to never dine with us again. Here's to a damn good 2023 full of good vibes only.' Yiasou George hosted a cheesy disco in December Yiasou George hosted a cheesy disco in December Mr Brown's donation was met with praise from all over Australia. More than 30 Google reviews have been posted in the last week, the majority rating Yiasou George with five-star reviews. 'Legendary response to Alex! Never been to your restaurant, but hats off to you for donating to charity, on behalf of Alex,' one reviewer wrote on Thursday morning. 'I also haven't been to this restaurant (yet) but I want to applaud the owner for his excellent response,' another said. 'It's disgusting to wish cancer on anybody! Sounds to me like the person who wrote that 'drunken' review is already very sick!' Others praised Mr Brown's support of those who have experienced or have supported loved ones through cancer diagnoses. 'As someone who has been affected by cancer and lost love ones, I applaud your integrity,' one reviewer wrote. 'Fight hate with love.' 'Haven't eaten there, but respect the hell out of the owner and how and how you handled a particular keyboard warrior,' another said. 'Next time I'm in Adelaide, I'll be heading your way for sure.' 'Kudos to this venue for the respectful handling of a disrespectful, disruptive and scurrilous diner (and the fake review),' a third said. An Australian man has been bailed up by authorities at a dramatic border confrontation for trying to bring pepper spray into Ireland. The man, who goes by the TikTok name shearingshedvlogs, was trying to pass through Dublin Airport this week when he was stopped by police and given a harsh lesson. The first video showed him talking to a security official at the X-ray machines before he was told police would be on their way. The second video showed a female Irish police officer speaking to him and explaining to him that the pepper spray was classified as a 'firearm' in Ireland because of its dangerous nature. 'You can't carry this, you shouldn't have this in the country full stop and to bring this through an airport is ridiculous,' the policewoman (pictured) at Dublin Airport said 'It's illegal to carry this in Ireland, this is classed as a firearm,' the officer said, as she held up his pepper spray in a plastic bag. 'That's ridiculous,' he yelled, before she reprimanded him again. 'Come here and I'll tell you something, that is your opinion, this is our country, these are our rules,' she said. The man replied, 'my bad,' as the official said airport police were seizing the item, before dropping another bombshell. 'Because it's illegal, the state police are on their way as well ... you cannot take this through an airport,' she said. 'You can't carry this, you shouldn't have this in the country full stop and to bring this through an airport is ridiculous,' she added, using his word against him. Some social media commenters chose to honour the policewoman (pictured) by saying, 'she is so professional' He also tried to reason with a security official at the airport. 'Bro I can't believe you are calling the police on me ... it says on the label [of the spray] it complies with the laws of air travel,' the Aussie traveller said. Social media users took to the post commenting on how fast the man was silenced by the female officer, with some laughing at the way the Irish speak. 'Bruh he got shutdown so fast,' a commenter said. '"Come here and I tell ya something", most Irish saying ever,' one observer joked. Some honoured the policewoman by saying, 'she is so professional,' and 'well done to this officer'. Pepper spray is used to incapacitate people by causing breath difficulties, temporary blindness and a burning sensation on the skin 'Never argue with an Irish police officer,' one more added. 'Try getting into Australia with a banana never mind a weapon,' said another. Pepper spray is used to incapacitate people by causing breathing difficulties, temporary blindness and a burning sensation on the skin. It is a defence mechanism in a small aerosol bottle that contains an inflammatory compound called capsaicin. They are typically used by police as a crowd control measure or when it is unsafe or unnecessary to use a gun. As a rule it is illegal to carry pepper spray in carry-on luggage on flights but they can be allowed in checked in bags but only on approval from airlines, who may need to inspect the item. In Australia it is illegal to have pepper spray on carry on luggage and Virgin Australia as well as Qantas forbid letting the items into checked bags. It's part of a series of changes to the state's Animal Care act Every other state already had banned dogs from travelling unrestrained Offenders can face hefty fines of up to $8,625 if caught Dogs are now banned from travelling in ute and trailer trays unrestrained right across Australia after Queensland became the final state to introduce the law. The state government passed the law outlawing the practice last month as part of a series of changes to Queensland's Animal Care and Protection Act. Drivers caught with a dog unrestrained in their ute or trailer tray can face fines of up to $8,625. Dogs are now required to be put in a large enclosed cage or tethered to the vehicle when they're on the back of a ute or trailer. Farmers have been granted a special exemption against the law and can continue to leave dogs unrestrained in the back of their utes or trailers if the dog is helping them move livestock. Dogs will no longer be allowed to be left unrestrained in the back of utes and trailers in Queensland under new laws (stock image) Queensland is the last state in Australia to implement the rule after the government updated the state's Animal Care and Protection Act (pictured, Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk) People who observe motorists driving around with dogs unrestrained in their ute or trailer can report them to the RSPCA. 'The RSPCA advises people to ensure their dogs restraint is long enough to allow the dog to stand and lie down, but not so long that there is risk of the dog jumping or falling over the edge of the moving vehicle. 'Using swivels to attach the restraint to both the vehicle and the dogs collar can help prevent the restraint from tangling.' 'Also remember not to drive with your dog in the tray of the ute, or another open vehicle or trailer if the dog is going to be exposed to extreme weather conditions. 'In addition, ute trays or other metal surfaces can get very hot in the sun and dogs can burn their footpads so please take precautions to protect your dog,' the RSPCA said. 'Consider safely restraining your dog in the cabin of your ute or open vehicle with a safety-belt restraint as this is generally safer, especially in the case of an accident.' STATE BY STATE RULES FOR DRIVING WITH A DOG ON A TRAILER OR UTE ACT: Section 15A of the Animal Welfare Act 1992 prohibits a person from carrying a dog in or on a moving vehicle if the dog is not restrained or enclosed in a way that prevents the dog from falling or jumping from the vehicle or being injured (exemption for dogs being used to work livestock) NSW: Section 7 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 prohibits a person from carrying a dog on the open back of a vehicle unless the dog is restrained or enclosed in such a way as to prevent the dog falling from the vehicle (exemption for dogs being used to work livestock). NT: Section 34 of the Animal Protection Act 2018 (NT) prohibits transporting a dog in a vehicle unless the dog is inside a passenger compartment AND is secured in such a way that prevents it from being injured or falling from the vehicle. QLD: The recently passed Animal Care and Protection Amendment Bill 2022 prohibits transporting a dog on the open back of a vehicle unless the dog is secured in such a way that prevents it from being injured or falling from the vehicle. SA: Section 45 of the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 prohibits a person from transporting a dog on an open tray of a vehicle unless the dog is enclosed or restrained in a way that prevents the dog from falling or escaping from the vehicle. This does not apply to the transport of an accredited assistance dog or a dog that is being used in the droving or tending of stock or is going to or returning from a place where it will be, or has been, so used. TAS: Section 16(3) of the Dog Control Act 2000 requires a person in charge of a dog in or on a vehicle to restrict the dog sufficiently to prevent the dog from leaving the vehicle or attack any person or animal outside the vehicle. VIC: Section 15A of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 prohibits a person from transporting a dog in or on a tray or trailer unless the dog is secured in such a way as to prevent the dog from falling off, moving off, or being injured from the movement of the vehicle or trailer. This does not apply to a dog which is being used to assist in the movement of livestock. WA: Section 6.2 of the Standards and Guidelines for the Health and Welfare of Dogs in Western Australia 2020 requires that, where a dog is transported on the open back of a moving vehicle on a road, the dog must be suitably secured by enclosing the dog in a transport crate fixed to the vehicle or restrained by a tether where; (i) the length of the tether allows the dog some movement, including to stand and lie down, but does not allow the dog to jump or fall off the tray; and (ii) the tether is not attached to a choke chain or other device which may tighten around the neck. Advertisement Other amendments to Queensland's Animal Care act includes the ban of pronged dog collars and giving animal welfare inspectors powers to intervene where an animal is found to be in distress. The metal pronged collars inflict pain on dogs as a form of 'punishment' by tightening around their necks when pressure is applied. The individual holding the leash is able to pull the collar, with the blunted prongs pinching the animal's neck. A new animal welfare law was also introduced under the act where if someone breaches their duty of care to an animal that results in its death, serious deformity, serious disablement or prolonged suffering, they can be jailed. Offenders face up to three years in prison or up to $287,500 in fines. Offenders face fines of up to $8,625 if they don't secure their pet appropriately (stock image) Other amendments to the state's Animal Care act includes a ban on pronged dog collars (pictured, a pronged collar around a dog's neck) Agriculture minister Mark Furner (pictured) reflected on the amendments, saying Queenslanders wanted 'to see animals better protected and people who don't comply punished appropriately' Agriculture Minister Mark Furner reflected on the sweeping changes to Queensland's Animal Care act, which had not been updated since 2001, last month. 'This follows the first major review of the Act in 20 years and extensive community consultation with over 2300 Queenslanders,' he said. 'Queenslanders want to see animals better protected and people who don't comply punished appropriately, and that is exactly what these updated laws provide.' 'Being able to love and keep pets like dogs is an important part of many people's lives and Queenslanders want those pets to have strong protections,' Mr Furner added. The pro-Brexit Reform UK party yesterday ruled out a pact with the Conservatives at the next election, saying it will field a candidate against every Tory MP. Reform UK emerged in 2021 from Nigel Farages Brexit Party which had agreed not to stand in Tory-held seats at the 2019 election, helping Boris Johnson to achieve a landslide win. Its cast-iron guarantee that it will challenge for every seat next time piles more pressure from the Right on PM Rishi Sunak. Reform leader Richard Tice, who took over from Mr Farage in March 2021, gave a speech yesterday to re-launch the party. He said Reform already has 600 candidates ready to contest seats across the country in 2024. Reform UK emerged in 2021 from Nigel Farages Brexit Party which had agreed not to stand in Tory-held seats at the 2019 election, helping Boris Johnson to achieve a landslide win Branding the Conservative Government high-tax Consocialists, Mr Tice told supporters that the Tories have broken Britain, they have literally wrecked our country. He said: What works in broken Britain? Public services? The NHS? Railways? Royal Mail? Border Force? Whats really working? Immigration completely out of control ... This Government has utterly failed theyve broken Britain and the Opposition has no solutions. He railed against the UKs record tax burden and the number of Britons on benefits as he demanded the Government make work pay, and called for ministers to make better use of the nations energy treasure. On immigration, he said: Surely one of the most important things that a Government can do is maintain secure borders to know whos coming in and whos going out. The Tories will be concerned that support for the Right-wing party could split the vote and allow Labour to win crucial seats. The PM is pictured above yesterday They kept saying that one of the Brexit advantages was to take control of our borders. Now the Tories have completely abandoned it. Reform have enjoyed a boost in the polls since Mr Sunak became Prime Minister, jumping from 3 per cent up to 8 per cent in a survey last week. In many polls it is narrowly behind the third-placed Liberal Democrats. Mr Tice claimed that the Tories were worried and that Reform was gaining all the time. The Tories will be concerned that support for the Right-wing party could split the vote and allow Labour to win crucial seats. However, they are likely to be relieved after Mr Tice confirmed that Mr Farage will not return to lead the party as he is focused on his media career. Mr Tice insisted: Weve already got 600 candidates we will stand everywhere. I think people are starting to realise that were serious about this. Some people have ignored us until now, but weve got momentum. The most transmissible form of Covid seen in the three years since the pandemic began was detected in Australia before Christmas. A 'small number' of cases of the rogue XBB.1.5 subvariant were picked up in the two weeks prior to December 24, New South Wales Health confirmed in a statement on Thursday morning. While there are no signs the latest strain, nicknamed 'the kraken' is any worse than recent versions of Covid, fears are emerging it might act as a 'gateway' to a scarier subvariant. The newest and most transmissible form of Covid seen in the three years since the pandemic began, XBB.1.5 aka 'the Kraken' was detected in Australia before Christmas There is still a highly mixed group of sub-variants circulating, the BR.2 sub variant is the most common. NSW Health continues to monitor emerging sub-variants including XBB.1.5, of which there have been a small number of detections in the two weeks to 24 December 2022. NSW Health (@NSWHealth) January 5, 2023 While there are no signs the latest strain, nicknamed 'the kraken' is any worse than recent versions of Covid, fears are emerging it might act as a 'gateway' to a scarier subvariant The thinking is, the more infections that occur, the more opportunities the virus has to mutate and evolve. In all 59,652 people in NSW were diagnosed with Covid-19 in the two weeks to 31 December 2022 in NSW, which was a decline in cases. While BR.2 sub variant was the most common found in new cases, XBB.1.5 was present after taking hold in the United States and emerging in Britain. 'NSW Health continues to monitor emerging sub-variants including XBB.1.5, of which there have been a small number of detections in the two weeks to 24 December 2022,' the department announced. XBB.1.5 is another spinoff of Omicron and has already taken hold in the US where it is thought to be behind roughly 70 per cent of new infections in the worst affected areas. NSW Health says it continues to monitor emerging sub-variants including XBB.1.5 WHY XBB.1.5 COULD BE DIFFERENT XBB.1.5 has gained 14 new mutations to the virus' spike proteins compared with its ancestor strains, which appear to have given it enhanced antibody-resistance. This means people who are vaccinated or have had a previous infection are more susceptible to an infection - though not necessarily severe illness. But what appears to be spooking the WHO is the prospect of XBB.1.5 being the gateway to a scarier variant. The more infections that occur, the more opportunities the virus has to mutate and evolve. Advertisement It has also been picked up in Britain and across Europe, in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland and in Singapore and India. But XBB.1.5 appears to be just as mild as its ancestor Omicron and its variants. A University of Sydney infectious diseases expert, Professor Robert Booy, said Australia's high vaccination rates combined with natural immunity should protect most people. 'Our vaccines probably do protect against it and we shouldnt be overly concerned although Ive called it extra bad boy (but) its just a way of remembering the name XBB.1.5,' he told Sky News. 'Its more transmissible, its more active, young and able to get around but its not more severe its not more virulent, its not more likely to put you in hospital.' Early concern about the new subvariant based on how it is currently surging in the US and Europe. Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead for Covid, told a press conference Wednesday: 'We are concerned about its growth advantage in particular in some countries in Europe and in the US... particularly the Northeast part of the United States, where XBB.1.5 has rapidly replaced other circulating variants. 'Our concern is how transmissible it is and the more this virus circulates, the more opportunities it will have to change.' Statistics from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed the strain is behind 41 per cent of cases in America. Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told MailOnline that the emergence of XBB.1.5 is a 'wakeup call' and could exacerbate the NHS crisis in Britain. He said: 'The XBB.1.5 variant is highly infectious and is driving increased hospital admissions in New York, particularly among the elderly. 'Waning immunity, more indoor mixing because of the cold weather and lack of other mitigations, such as wearing facemasks, are also contributing to this surge of infection in the US.' The new omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 is rapidly spreading throughout the United States, and experts warn that it is extremely contagious. Medical experts are becoming more concerned about this unique mutation as the onset of the colder season brings an increase in cases of COVID-19. The latest COVID-19 Omicron subvariant has evolved to avoid immune system detection. According to medical experts, this strain is very infectious and resistant to natural immunity or immunizations. According to Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel, there are two subvariants at play: XBB and XBB.1.5. Dr. Siegel, a professor of medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center, has said that XBB.1.5 is more infectious than previous strains. He said that its capacity to cling to a host is what makes it so contagious, per Fox News. The expert noted that viruses always seek to spread to new hosts, and the greater "grip" it has, the easier it transfers "from cell to cell." Siegel elaborated that each omicron form of XBB is "outcompeting its predecessor," making both of them extremely contagious. Staggering Increase in Infections Ashish Jha, the White House's COVID-19 response coordinator, took to Twitter on Wednesday to address concerns about the rapid spread of XBB.1.5. He noted that the rapid rise of the COVID-19 Omicron subvariant from 4% to 40% in only a few weeks was staggering. Jha suggested that XBB.1.5 is more infectious and immune-evasive than prior mutations, but he did not speculate on its potential harm. "If you had an infection before July or your last vaccine was before the bivalent update in September, your protection against an XBB.1.5 infection is probably not that great," he remarked, per The Hill. Read Also: NYC Pharma Millionaire Gigi Jordan Who Killed Her 8-Year-Old Son with Autism Was Found Dead in Prison However, Jha said that antivirals targeting COVID-19, such as Paxlovid and Molnupiravir, should still be effective in treating infections. Two antiviral drugs combined into one, Paxlovid, prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus from replicating by inhibiting an enzyme it requires. Most Communicable Subvariant According to Maria Van Kerkhove, the technical director for COVID-19 at the World Health Organization, global health experts are concerned about the rapid spread of the subvariant in the northeastern United States. XBB.1.5 is the most widespread COVID-19 Omicron subvariant in the United States, with the number of US COVID-19 cases tripling every two weeks. Van Kerkhove told reporters at a news briefing on Wednesday in Geneva that it is the "most transmissible subvariant" that has been found yet. The mutation in this particular omicron subvariant is responsible for the virus' enhanced ability to infect cells and spread rapidly. Van Kerkhove speculated that it might be considerably more prevalent than in the 29 nations where it has already been found. As the cost of genetic sequencing drops throughout the globe, keeping track of Covid variations has gotten more challenging, she added. The World Health Organization (WHO) still lacks data on the severity of XBB.1.5; nevertheless, according to Van Kerkhove, there is currently no evidence that it makes patients sicker than prior versions of omicron. She said that the WHO's advisory panel monitoring COVID-19 variations is now publishing a risk evaluation of XBB.1.5, CNBC reported. Van Kerkhove predicted that the virus would evolve as it spread. She added that the WHO is anticipating further global waves of infection and mortality. Related Article: Further Details on China's Current COVID-19 Breakout Urged by Top WHO Advisers @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. First lady Jill Biden is set to have a procedure to have a 'small lesion' above her right eye removed. The lesion was discovered by Dr. Kevin O'Connor, Physician to the President, during a 'routine skin cancer screening.' Vanessa Valdivia, the first lady's press secretary, confirmed the news that Biden, 71, would undergo the removal, the second time she's gone under the knife as first lady after having a puncture wound cleaned out in July of last year. The procedure, known as 'Mohs surgery,' will take place on January 11, according to O'Connor. First Lady Jill Biden is set to have a procedure to have a 'small lesion' above her right eye removed O'Connor said doctors recommended that the lesion be removed from Jill Biden, 71, and be examined 'in an abundance of caution.' He said an update will be provided afterward. The president and first lady returned to the White House on Monday after spending the New Year's holiday on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. In April 2021, she underwent what the White House said was a common medical procedure. The president accompanied his wife to an outpatient center near the campus of George Washington University and the couple returned to the White House after about two hours. Biden departed the White House a little after 7pm that night to meet the first lady at Walter Reed, flying on Marine One. 'I'm late for a very important date,' he told reporters as he left. The White House provided no details about that procedure. The lesion was discovered by Dr. Kevin O'Connor, Physician to the President, during a 'routine skin cancer screening' In December, it was reported that first lady Biden and the rest of the family 'fully support' Joe Biden seeking a second term as president - as the wait continues for him to formally announce his re-election bid. With Donald Trump already in the race and other Republicans making rumblings, Biden has the luxury of the incumbency and, after Democrats avoided a red wave in the midterm election, a fresh vote of confidence from his own party about his ability to lead. He has said he intends to run again and noted that only his family or a surprising development - such as a health crisis - would dissuade him from running. On the family front, Jill Biden, who serves as the first and last voice her husband hears on a given day, is on board. She is described as the most influential adviser in his orbit. 'As the President has said, he intends to run for reelection and that is something both Dr. Biden and the family fully support. She's been ready from the beginning and fully supportive,' a Biden senior adviser told DailyMail.com. Jill Biden and rest of the family 'fully support' Joe Biden seeking a second term - above the first lady watches the president speak at the November National Christmas tree lighting Jill Biden is described as being the most influential voice in her husband's orbit - above the first couple at a White House reception in early December Biden, 71, has not always been keen on being first lady. She was not on board in 2004 when her husband was mulling a bid. When he met with advisers at their Wilmington home to discuss the matter, she walked through the meeting with the word 'No' written on her stomach. But she has come to terms with the idea of four more years in the White House, being described as 'all in.' Her words carry weight in the administration, where she keeps a close eye on President Biden. She is often seen on the Truman balcony of the White House, watching him disembark from Marine One on the South Lawn after a trip (once she even had a glass of wine in her hand). Dr. Biden is often the hand on his elbow, guiding Biden when he lingers too long chatting to supporters or reporters or if he is simply running late. She joined his last press conference after it was reported she privately told aides that they should have interfered at his previous one, where he took questions from reporters for almost two hours. And those included tough queries on his son Hunter's business dealings and on his own cognitive health. Biden sat in a chair on the sidelines at November's event, watching him speak. King Charles pleaded with his warring sons William and Harry not to make his 'final years a misery', according to a leaked extract of the Duke of Sussex's bombshell book. In a passage from Harry's highly anticipated autobiography, Spare, which has been leaked to The Guardian newspaper, the duke recounts a meeting with his father and brother after Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021. In the tell-all memoir, which is set to be released early next week, he recalls Charles standing between himself and the heir 'looking up at our flushed faces'. Harry then quotes his father as saying: 'Please boys, don't make my final years a misery.' King Charles pleaded with his warring sons William and Harry not to make his 'final years a misery', the Duke of Sussex 's bombshell book has revealed Harry also claimed his brother William grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the floor during a heated argument over his wife, the Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry has previously given insights into the relationship with his father, including in 2017, when guest edited the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. During an interview with his father, Prince Harry revealed the two would talk for 'hours and hours' about Charles' passion for the environment and affectionately referred to him a 'Pa'. He also revealed how he valued his father's opinion saying: 'I do end up picking your brains more now than I ever have done.' That same year, the two princes paid tribute to their father for being 'there for us' following the death of Princess Diana, during a BBC documentary to mark the 12th anniversary of her death. Both princes were staying at Balmoral with their father in 1997, when Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris, and it was up to Prince Charles to break the news to his sons. Harry said of his father: 'One of the hardest things for a parent to have to do is to tell your children that your other parent has died. 'How you deal with that, I don't know. But, you know, he was there for us. He was the one of the two left. Princes William, Harry and King Charles III pictured at the Queen's funeral in September 2022 As children: Prince Charles and his sons William and Harry at Kensington Palace The young royals with their father at Kensington Palace in June 1989 The then-Prince of Wales with Harry and William at Balmoral, Scotland, in August 1997 'He tried to do his best and to make sure that we were protected and looked after but he was going through the same grieving process as well.' In 2018, Prince Harry married Meghan at St George's Chapel in Windsor, during which Prince Charles walked the Duchess of Sussex down the aisle. Speaking of the moment his father stepped in, he told a BBC documentary: 'I asked him to and I think he knew it was coming, and he immediately said "yes, of course, I'll do whatever Meghan needs and I'm here to support you." 'For him, that's a fantastic opportunity to step up and be that support, and you know he's our father so of course he's going to be there for us.' Prince Charles, William and Harry, attend the commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge in Lille, France in 2017 A royal Christmas tradition: Members of the royal family seen walking to church at Sandringham in 2001 Princes William and Harry with their father on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in August 2000 for the Queen Mother's 100th birthday celebrations The wedding took place just weeks before the Prince of Wales celebrated his 70th birthday at a special Buckingham Palace garden party. During the celebrations, the Duke made a touching speech paying tribute to his father. He said: 'It is your selfless drive to affect change, whether that is to improve the lives of those who are on the wrong path, to save an important piece of our national heritage or to protect a particular species under threat, which William and I draw inspiration from every day. 'So, Pa, while I know that you've asked that today not be about you, you must forgive me if I dont listen to you much like when I was younger and instead, I ask everyone here to say a huge thank you to you, for your incredible work over nearly 50 years.' Princes Harry and Charles skiing in Canada in 1998 Princess Diana with Harry, William and Prince Charles on the deck of the Royal Yacht Britannia in May 1985 The royals enjoying a skiing break in Switzerland in 1995 Ten years later: Princes Harry (left), William (right) with father the then Prince Charles (centre) during a ski break in Switzerland in 2005 Prince Charles with his sons Harry and William viewing floral tributes to Princess Diana outside Kensington Palace following her death in 1997 But by the end of 2019, there were signs that their relationship was beginning to fray. In the 2020 biography Finding Freedom, about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, co-author Omid Scobie said both William and Harry have 'in the past, run hot and cold with their father'. The book explained: 'He's not just their father, he's also the future king and their boss - he's the purse-keeper. 'There are many political things here which can feed into a very up-and-down relationship, and it was felt by those at Clarence House that it was a headache to put together.' Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan's Oprah Winfrey interview revealed further signs of a rocky relationship between the pair, with the Duke revealing that his father had stopped taking his calls as the couple prepared to step back as senior royals. The royal family gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the RAF flypast in 2018 Prince William, Charles and Harry attend the Invictus Games in London in 2014 During the tell-all chat with Oprah, Harry also said his family 'literally cut me off financially', adding that he felt 'really let down' by his father. 'Of course I will always love him but there's a lot of hurt that's happened and I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that,' he said. Despite putting on a united front for Prince Philip's funeral, their relationship continued to appear strained. In a podcast on parenting, Harry hinted at a turbulent childhood, saying that he wanted to 'break the cycle' of the 'pain and suffering' of his upbringing with his own children. The prince, who at that time in May 2021 was expecting his second child with wife Meghan, likened his life to being 'a mixture between The Truman Show and being in a zoo'. Princes Harry and William with their father Charles in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1993 The family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 2002 Princes Harry and William with their father Charles at a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral to celebrate the Queen's 80th birthday in June 2006 Speaking on the podcast Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, he said: 'I dont think we should be pointing the finger or blaming anybody, but certainly when it comes to parenting, if Ive experienced some form of pain or suffering because of the pain or suffering that perhaps my father or my parents had suffered, Im going to make sure I break that cycle so that I dont pass it on, basically. 'Its a lot of genetic pain and suffering that gets passed on anyway so we as parents should be doing the most we can to try and say "you know what, that happened to me, Im going to make sure that doesnt happen to you".' He continued: 'I never saw it, I never knew about it, and then suddenly I started to piece it together and go "OK, so this is where he went to school, this is what happened, I know this about his life, I also know that is connected to his parents so that means hes treated me the way he was treated, so how can I change that for my own kids?" 'And here I am, I moved my whole family to the US, that wasnt the plan but sometimes youve got make decisions and put your family first and put your mental health first.' Prince Charles with his sons Harry and William at a service of thanksgiving for the life of Diana, Princess of wales in August 2007 Prince Charles with sons William and Harry pictured in the Swiss village of Klosters at the start of their annual skiing holiday in March 2002 The family seen enjoying a bike ride together at the Sandringham estate in NorfolK When Harry and Meghan flew back to London to celebrate the Queen's platinum jubilee celebrations in June last year, they did not join other royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the trooping the colour - as they had previously done in 2018. Th Queen had decided that only working royals would gather on the balcony for the traditional fly-past, however they did join other family members for other parts of the celebrations including a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral. Hinting at hopes of reconciliation, Prince Harry he would 'like to have my father and brother back' as he launched a publicity blitz for his memoir this week. The Duke of Sussex was interviewed by ITV's Tom Bradby and CBS News' Anderson Cooper before the release of Spare next week with short trailers for both programmes dropping. In a leaked extract of his highly anticipated autobiography, Spare, Prince Harry recounts a meeting with his father and brother after Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021 Speaking to Mr Bradby in a clip where no questions can be heard, Harry says 'it never needed to be this way' and refers to 'the leaking and the planting' before adding 'I want a family, not an institution'. He also says, in an apparent reference to the royals, 'they feel as though it is better to keep us somehow as the villains' and that 'they have shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile'. The relationship between the Prince of Wales and his estranged brother is 'hanging by a thread' ahead of the publication of Harry's tell-all memoir, sources have claimed. Insiders fear the strained relationship between the brothers is likely to be further damaged by attacks on Prince William and his wife Kate in the controversial book. The memoir is said to be 'tough on William' and include a description of a fight between the brothers, as well as featuring 'a broadside' against Kate. The princes' father, now King Charles, is said to fare better than his eldest son in the book, but is already wounded by criticisms of him and other senior royals contained in Harry's Netflix series with wife Meghan. Sources say that, while the King is deeply hurt and bewildered by Harry's actions, he is still keen to keep a line of communication open, however guarded. 'Whether Prince William would be so receptive is another question,' one source said. 'Things are hanging by a thread as it is after the last few months, and from the sounds of it Harry's memoir is unlikely to help.' The Daily Mail has previously reported that, while friends find it hard to believe the brothers will never talk again, William feels betrayed and angered by his brother's attacks on the Royal Family. While Buckingham Palace is refusing to comment or get caught up in a 'pointless tit for tat' public row with the Sussexes, there is a degree of 'apprehension' about what Harry's memoir will include. A source with knowledge of the book told The Sunday Times they believed it would cause irrevocable damage to the brothers' relationship. The source told the newspaper: 'Generally, I think the book [will be] worse for them than the Royal Family is expecting. 'Everything is laid bare. Charles comes out of it better than I had expected, but it's tough on William, in particular, and even Kate gets a bit of a broadside. 'There are these minute details, and a description of the fight between the brothers. I personally can't see how Harry and William will be able to reconcile after this.' In the Harry & Meghan Netflix series, Harry, 38, accused his father of lying to him as the family attempted to negotiate a 'Megxit' deal for the couple at a crisis summit in Sandringham in January 2020. He said it was 'terrifying to have my brother scream and shout at me and my father say things that just simply weren't true and my grandmother quietly sit there and sort of take it all in'. He also claimed senior royals were jealous of Meghan's popularity and attempted to tear her down by planting negative stories against her in the media. The Sunday Times source said the book - due to be published on January 10 - explored Harry's grief over the death of his mother, Princess Diana. They told the newspaper: 'The overall impression is that this is a man who has never recovered from the trauma of his mother dying so young, and then along comes Meghan and he projects on to her a parallel with Diana.' Spare is written by JR Moehringer, a Pulitzer prize-winning former journalist who was also the ghost-writer for Andre Agassi's best-selling autobiography. The book's publisher Penguin Random House claims it will be a 'landmark publication', telling his story with 'raw, unflinching honesty'. In an extraordinary excerpt from his upcoming book, Harry has also claimed he was physically attacked by his brother over his marriage to Meghan. He alleged the confrontation took place at his London home in 2019 and left him with a visible injury to his back after the Prince of Wales grabbed him by the collar, ripped his necklace and knocked him to the floor. Harry also claimed William had called the US actress 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive' - comments which the younger brother said parroted 'the Press narrative' about his wife. The 'extraordinary scene' is 'one of many in Spare', according to The Guardian newspaper which said it was able to obtain a copy of the book despite 'stringent pre-launch security around the book'. Its article goes on to say that Harry claimed his elder brother had wanted to discuss 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship and struggles with the Press. Royal sources have said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were invited to join the family this Christmas. Pictured: King Charles and his wife Camilla lead the Royal Family on a walkabout at Sandringham on Christmas Day But when William arrived at Nottingham Cottage - where Harry was then living - in the grounds of Kensington Palace, the Prince of Wales was already 'piping hot'. The Guardian reports: 'After William complained about Meghan, Harry writes, Harry told him he was repeating the Press narrative and that he expected better. 'But William, Harry says, was not being rational, leading to the two men shouting over each other. 'Harry then accused his brother of acting like an heir, unable to understand why his younger brother was not content to be a spare.' Insults were then exchanged between the two men, before William claimed he was trying to help. Harry writes he found the comments incredulous and informed his brother of such, angering William. So much so, Harry writes, that the Prince of Wales swore and stepped forwards. It comes as Prince Harry's suggestions that his family have shown no desire to reconcile with him were tossed aside by royal sources who say his father invited him to visit over Christmas. The Duke of Sussex claimed a potential reunion with his relatives in the UK did not seem on the cards, saying his father and brother had 'absolutely no willingness to reconcile'. He made the claim in a trailer for an interview with ITV's Tom Bradby, part of the publicity blitz for his memoir. But insiders at Buckingham Palace have branded the claims 'nonsense' and said Harry and his wife Meghan had an open invitation to join the rest of the Firm this Christmas. That is despite the release of their bombshell Netflix programme last month, which saw them launch a series of attacks on the monarchy. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, one source said the latest claim by Harry was 'complete and unadulterated nonsense'. There are fears there will be no chance of reconciliation after the publication of Harry's memoir. Pictured: William, Harry, Meghan and Kate at Westminster Abbey in 2018 They said: 'It takes some audacity to say that when his father invited him to stay at his house when in the UK, invited him to spend Christmas with the rest of the family and continued to make public statements of support.' They also told the publication: '[The King] has been saddened that he hasn't had the opportunity to spend time with his grandchildren. He has always left the door open for his son and will continue to do so.' Representatives of Prince Harry have been contacted for comment. There have been suggestions by some royal experts though that the already tense relationship between Harry and the rest of his family could become even more frayed upon the release of his memoir. Insiders fear that the Duke of Sussex and his brother William, the Prince of Wales, will 'never reconcile' after Spare is released, with the book set to feature stinging attacks on him and his wife Kate. A source told the Sunday Times: 'Generally, I think the book [will be] worse for them than the Royal Family is expecting. 'Everything is laid bare. Charles comes out of it better than it had expected, but it's tough on William, in particular, and even Kate gets a bit of a broadside. 'There are these minute details, and a description of the fight between the brothers. I personally can't see how Harry and William will be able to reconcile after this.' The memoir has been penned by ghostwriter JR Moehringer, with some of the proceeds being donated by the duke to charity. Before it is published next week, two interviews with Harry by Mr Bradby and CBS's Anderson Cooper, both conducted at a hired ranch in Montecito, will be released. But one royal expert said Harry and Meghan need to learn 'silence is common sense' and that airing dirty laundry in public is not likely to help bring about the reconciliation the duke claims he wants. Richard Fitzwilliams said proclamations made by the Sussexes in the Press are not helping the fractured relationship. 'Harry might like to 'get his brother back' and 'his father back', but must surely know giving this catalogue of woes even more exposure, is not the way to do so. 'Further accusations of stories being planted against them by the Palace in both interviews show how bitter he and Meghan still are but, though their fans may support it, there will come a time when even the media tire of exposure at this level. 'Harry says in the trailer for the CBS interview, referring to the Palace's inability to protect them from false reports, that 'there comes a point when silence is betrayal'. 'There is also a point, if they wish any relationship, however distant, with the Royal Family, when silence is common sense. When will the Sussexes learn this?' In a trailer for his interview with US TV personality Mr Cooper, Harry was asked why he had not communicated his grievances with the family in private. In response he said: 'Every single time I've tried to do it privately there have been briefings and leakings and planting of stories against me and my wife. 'The family motto is never complain and never explain it's just a motto.' He added: 'They [Buckingham Palace] will feed or have a conversation with a correspondent, and that correspondent will literally be spoon-fed information and write the story, and at the bottom of it, they will say they have reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. 'But the whole story is Buckingham Palace commenting. 'So when we're being told for the last six years, ''we can't put a statement out to protect you'', but you do it for other members of the family, there becomes a point when silence is betrayal.' The clips appear to confirm reports that Harry will use his memoir to reveal details about disagreements between him and his brother the Prince of Wales, 40. It comes after the duke claimed in his Netflix documentary that William broke a promise to never to leak stories or brief against one another after witnessing the fallout of such actions in their father's office. Prince Harry has gone nuclear on his brother in his book and claimed William attacked him after branding Meghan Markle 'difficult'. The Duke of Sussex has described a stand-up row that ended with the Prince of Wales grabbing him by the collar and throwing him to the floor, shattering a dog bowl with his back. William then allegedly declared: 'I didn't attack you, Harold'. In an extraordinary excerpt from his upcoming autobiography Spare, leaked to the Left-wing Guardian newspaper, Harry recalls what he claims was a physical attack by his sibling, which he says left him with visible injuries, including 'scrapes and bruises'. The furious row allegedly broke out in the kitchen of his London home, Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace in 2019 shortly before Megxit. William is said to have branded Meghan 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive' and insisted he was trying to help his younger brother during a meeting about 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their failing relationship and Harry's rows with the Press. Harry accused his brother of 'parroting the Press narrative' about his American wife before a screaming match ensued, ending in a physical altercation, the book claims. He says he gave the heir to the throne a glass of water and said: 'Willy, I can't speak to you when you're like this'. Describing what he claims happened next, and insisting he was scared, the former soldier said: 'He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out'. In an extraordinary excerpt from his upcoming autobiography Spare, Harry recalls what he describes as a physical attack by his sibling, now the Prince of Wales, which he claims left him with visible injuries When they began arguing about Meghan, Harry claims William was not being rational, leading to a shouting match (Pictured: Harry and William arrive to hold a vigil in honour of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall in September last year) The Nottingham Cottage kitchen, where Harry claims his brother grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the floor, smashing a dog bowl Harry wearing a necklace with Meghan in September 2019 in South Africa Harry claims that William had then urged him to fight back, saying that is what would happen when they scrapped as children. But the duke claims he refused, claiming that William left and then returned 'looking regretful, and apologised'. William then 'turned and called back: "You don't need to tell Meg about this".' Harry claims he said: 'You mean that you attacked me?', to which William replied: 'I didn't attack you, Harold'. Harry says that the first person he spoke to about it was his therapist, on the phone. But he claims Meghan would see the cuts 'scrapes and bruises' on his back from the dog bowl. He claims his wife 'wasn't that surprised, and wasn't all that angry. She was terribly sad'. The extract has been published by the Guardian. It is not known how the newspaper obtained an early copy of the book, given that the publisher Penguin Random House has gone to great lengths to prevent leaks. The leak also reveals: Prince Harry has claimed his brother William grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the floor during a heated argument over his wife Meghan When he and his brother began arguing about Meghan, Harry claims William was not being rational, leading to a shouting match (Pictured: Harry and Meghan in their latest Netflix documentary) There will be a probe at publisher Penguin over the leak. One excerpt also made it to the Page Six news site in the US. Sources previously said arrangements for Harry's 'explosive' memoir's release were ultra-closely guarded and being managed in minute detail, with only a handful of senior executives aware of the exact details. MailOnline has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment. The brothers, according to Harry, had met to discuss 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship. But the heir to the throne arrived to Nottingham Cottage 'piping hot', Harry writes. The duke had been living in the home, known as Nott Cott and situated in the grounds of Kensington Palace, at the time of the alleged incident in 2019. When they began arguing about Meghan, Harry claims William was not being rational, leading to a shouting match. Harry said he told his brother he was unable to understand why he was not happy with being 'the spare', accusing his brother of acting like an heir. William told him he was trying to help him. The brothers, according to Harry, had met to discuss 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship and struggles with the Press when a screaming match ensued (Pictured: The Queen Consort, the King, William and Harry leave the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service held at St Paul's Cathedral on December 14, 2017) Harry claims William and Kate TOLD him to wear Nazi uniform - and is angry they escaped blame Prince Harry partially blamed both his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton for his infamous appearance at a costume party wearing a Nazi uniform Advertisement Harry said: 'Are you serious? Help me? Sorry is that what you call this? Helping me?' It was that comment, according to Harry, which infuriated William, causing him to swear while stepping towards him. Harry said he was scared and retreated to the kitchen as William followed, and then Harry claims he was attacked. He said: 'I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.' The dramatic extract revealed just days before the book's official release is likely to see a surge in sales. It comes as Harry's tell-all memoir Spare is already second on Amazon's best-seller list in pre-sales in North America and the UK. The Duke of Sussex's book, which is set to be released early next week, has long been expected to double-down on his attacks on the Royal Family. Spare is currently on sale for $22.40 on Amazon in the US and half price at 14 on the UK site. Spare is currently on sale for $22.40 on Amazon US and 14 on the UK site. The book has already become second on Amazon's best-seller list in pre-sales in the US (pictured) and the UK The hardback of Spare will be in UK bookshops when they open on Tuesday morning, with the e-book edition available to download on Kindle from shortly after midnight on the same day. In the United States, which is five to eight hours behind Britain, it will be the evening of Monday January 9 when e-copies of the book become available on Kindle, at the same moment as the clock strikes midnight on Tuesday morning in the UK. There are ultra-secure arrangements in place, with the duke and his publishers going to great lengths to ensure it is published simultaneously around the world next Tuesday. Harry has been secretly working on the book about his life in the Royal Family for over a year as part of a reported $20million (17million) book deal with Penguin Random House. He has collaborated with the Pulitzer-winning ghostwriter JR Moehringer in a rare move from a senior member of the royal family. Moehringer is reported set to be paid $1million (800,000) for her contribution. Spare is being published in 16 languages including Chinese, Finnish, Hungarian, Spanish and Portuguese, but no one was supposed to be able to get their hands on an early copy. While King Charles may be spared the worst of the duke's rage, the book was long understood to contain damaging details about his bitter fallout with his brother, with both William and his wife Kate coming under fire in its 416 pages. Spare is expected to double down on the Duke of Sussex's attacks on the Royal Family. Pictured: Prince Harry on US show CBS News Spare tells Harry's story with 'raw, unflinching honesty', according to Penguin Random House. Publishing sources said arrangements for Harry's 'explosive' memoir's release were ultra-closely guarded and being managed in minute detail, with only a handful of senior executives aware of the exact details. Deliveries to bookshops are being scheduled to be last-minute to avoid unauthorised copies being leaked. Guarded sites across the world have been secured to house copies of the book prior to distribution. One likened the sophisticated security operation to the 2007 release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when JK Rowling was determined her young fans would not have the experience spoilt by learning of the boy wizard's fate before reading the seventh and final novel in the series. An army of guards, satellite tracking systems and legal contracts were all deployed to protect the ten million first copies of the new Harry Potter book. When the finished manuscript was taken by hand from London to New York, a lawyer for the American publisher sat on it during the flight. When copies were sent out to retailers, lorries were fitted with satellite tracking systems which would reveal if any of the vehicles deviated from their intended routes. Harry and Meghan are said to have signed a four-book deal with the publishing giant Penguin Random House, with the fourth reportedly being an autobiography by the Duchess of Sussex. It comes as the Royal Family are 'completely exhausted' with the 'stream of misinformation' from the couple, sources have claimed. The comments come in the wake of Prince Harry's publicity blitz for Spare, during which he has claimed his family 'have shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile'. He also claimed he would 'like to have my father and brother back' in trailers for two interviews with ITV's Tom Bradby and CBS's Anderson Cooper which dropped yesterday. In a series of clips from the duke's ITV conversation, Harry tells Mr Bradby: 'It never needed to be this way', and refers to 'the leaking and the planting' before adding: 'I want a family, not an institution.' He also says 'they feel as though it is better to keep us somehow as the villains' and 'have shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile', although it is unclear who he is referring to. Filmed in California where the duke now lives, ITV said Harry: The Interview will go into 'unprecedented depth and detail' about his life in and outside the Royal Family. Mr Bradby, a former royal correspondent and current presenter of ITV News at Ten, is a friend of the Sussexes and previously interviewed them for a documentary about their 2019 Africa tour. But in a separate interview with CBS News, set to be broadcast the same day, Harry also criticises Buckingham Palace over an alleged failure to defend him and his wife before they stepped down as senior royals. The duke also reveals to the US broadcaster that he would not return to the institution as a full-time royal. Both CBS and ITV have released snippets of the duke's conversations ahead of the full interviews being televised. Speaking with CBS's Mr Cooper, Harry talks of the 'betrayal' by Buckingham Palace, telling the 60 Minutes programme: 'Every single time I've tried to do it privately, there have been briefings and leakings and planting of stories against me and my wife. 'The family motto is "never complain, never explain", but it's just a motto. 'They [said to refer to Buckingham Palace] will feed or have a conversation with a correspondent, and that correspondent will literally be spoon-fed information and write the story, and at the bottom of it, they will say they have reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. 'But the whole story is Buckingham Palace commenting. 'So when we're being told for the last six years, "we can't put a statement out to protect you", but you do it for other members of the family, there becomes a point when silence is betrayal.' It comes after the duke claimed in his Netflix documentary that William broke a promise to him never to leak stories or brief against one another after witnessing the fallout of such actions in their father's office. Prince Harry says he called his therapist after being physically attacked by his brother William following a heated argument, according to an extraordinary excerpt from his new book. The Duke of Sussex is set to claim in his memoir, Spare, that his older sibling left him with visible injuries after a furious row over his wife Meghan Markle, in which Harry accused him of 'parroting the press narrative' about her. The explosive incident, during which William reportedly called the Duchess 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive' is alleged to have taken place at Harry's London home in 2019. In one section of the book, which doesn't come out until next week, Harry claims immediately following the argument he called his therapist instead of his wife. Prince Harry, pictured here doing exercises in a therapy session, claims he called his therapist after a physical bust-up with his brother William The Duke of Sussex claims in his new book that he was 'knocked to the floor' by William during a row over his wife, Meghan Markle. Pictured: The brothers at the funeral procession of their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II last year According to the Guardian, which claims to have obtained a copy, Meghan later noticed the 'scrapes and bruises', leading to him coming clean about the bust-up with his brother. It is not known how the outlet got a copy of the book, given the stringent security measures put in place by its publisher to prevent leaks. In the extract Harry claims William 'grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace and... knocked me to the floor' during an extraordinary row at Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace. He said the argument came about when William wanted to talk about 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship, arriving at the cottage 'piping hot'. In the dramatic passage, the Duke says his brother was not acting rationally, with both men shouting over each other and exchanging insults as the argument escalated. He said his brother ended up knocking him to the ground, leaving him with a visible injury after he landed on 'the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me'. Harry added that his brother urged him to fight back, but left when he refused to do so, before later coming back to apologise. The passage claims that when William left again he urged Harry not to 'tell Meg about this' and saying 'I didn't attack you, Harold'. Harry claims he first rang his therapist, before later telling his wife who 'wasn't that surprised, and wasn't all that angry'. Harry has previously spoken of going to therapy to process the trauma of his childhood, which included the death of his mother, Princess Diana. The Duke praised EMDR - which stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing - for helping him deal with his past. It is based on the principle that the mind can heal from trauma by using external stimuli to help the brain process traumatic experiences and facilitate healing. Prince Harry, 36, was today seen closing his eyes and tapping his chest during a therapy session via videolink with Sanja Oakley, a UK-based psychotherapist, which aired on his Apple TV+ show. The Duke of Sussex closes his eyes during a therapy session shown in an Apple TV documentary series Appearing on The Me You Can't See, Harry 'processed his negative thoughts' by crossing his arms and taking in a deep breath, before closing his eyes and slowly tapping each side of his chest. He told Oprah: 'EMDR is always something that I've wanted to try and that was one of the varieties of different forms of healing or curing that I was willing to experiment with. 'And I never would have been open to that had I not put in the work and the therapy that I've done over the years.' Devotees say simply moving your eyes from left to right between 25 and 30 times can diminish negative memories and, therefore, their impact on your wellbeing. This, done repeatedly with a trained psychologist - up to 40 times in an hour session - can change your life immeasurably for the better, so experts claim. While critics have dismissed it as pseudoscience, EMDR has a body of scientific research behind it that proves it to be effective for the treatment of severe trauma. Not only is it available on the NHS, but training is compulsory for Ministry of Defence mental health personnel on the front line. The claims made by Harry in his new memoir are likely to put further strain on the already frayed relationship between him and his family. In the book he is set to claim that his father, King Charles, has pleaded for his warring sons not to make his 'final years a misery'. In one excerpt Harry recounts a meeting with his father and brother after Prince Philips funeral in April 2021, in which Charles stood between himself and the heir 'looking up at our flushed faces'. The book, which is being released next week is highly-anticipated, already making it to second place on the Amazon bestsellers list in the UK and USA from pre-sale orders alone. Harry has pledged some of the proceeds from the memoir, which was ghost written by Pulitzer-winning author JR Moehringer, will go to charity. It is reported the book will have to sell more than 1.7million copies for publisher Penguin Random House to break even after it gambled $20million on a 'four-book' deal with the Duke. The leak will be a source of embarrassment for the firm, which has put out all the stops to put a halt to potential leaks. It will be officially released in UK bookshops when they open on Tuesday morning, with the e-book edition available to download on Kindle shortly after midnight the same day. In the United States, which is five to eight hours behind Britain, it will be the evening of Monday January 9 when e-book copies of the book become available on Kindle, at the same moment as the clock strikes midnight on Tuesday morning in the UK. Before it is released a pair of TV interviews on ITV and CBS will be aired on Sunday, in which Harry will speak about the book and the claims made within. In a trailer for his interview with ITV's Tom Bradby, Harry claimed his family had shown 'absolutely no willingness to reconcile'. But this drew outrage from sources close to the Royal Family, who claimed his father invited Harry and Meghan to join the family at Christmas. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, one source said the claim by Harry was 'complete and unadulterated nonsense'. They said: 'It takes some audacity to say that when his father invited him to stay at his house when in the UK, invited him to spend Christmas with the rest of the family and continued to make public statements of support.' They also told the publication: '[The King] has been saddened that he hasn't had the opportunity to spend time with his grandchildren. He has always left the door open for his son and will continue to do so.' Teachers are now more likely to strike after backlash to the Prime Minister's maths pledge to make all pupils in England study maths until the age of 18, a union leader has warned. Kevin Courtney, who oversees more than 300,000 educators as joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), accused Sunak of a 'baffling failure' to notice the obstacles facing the industry. 'Sunak's plan is disappointing not only in its lack of realism but its lack of vision', he said. More than 500,000 teachers across three unions are considering possible strike action in England and Wales, with deadlines for votes from January 9 'It overlooks the increasingly detailed and urgent discussions about curriculum reform that have been taking place across the education sector and even within his own party. 'Most people who voted will have voted. But I think there will be a few people who will look at this and think 'is that all they've got to say about education?' 'It doesn't sound like they're taking the problem of the teacher recruitment crisis seriously because they've missed their maths teacher recruitment targets every year for the last 11 years.' Teachers, who are currently balloting, say the plan fails to tackle the recruitment crisis currently gripping the sector. More than 500,000 teachers across three unions are considering possible strike action in England and Wales, with deadlines for votes from January 9. Unions have urged staff to vote as soon as possible amid fears that postal chaos may delay the return of ballots. Teachers, who are currently balloting, say the plan fails to tackle the recruitment crisis currently gripping the sector Last night, Rishi Sunak faced backlash over his plan which was one of Dominic Cummings's 'favourite hobby horses'. In 2011, Mr Cummings persuaded then-Education Secretary Michael Gove to adopt it. It has now left Westminster observers wondering if its resurgence is further evidence of Cummings's behind-the-scenes influence on Mr Sunak's government. The fallout comes as the sector battles a recruitment crisis that has left schools with no maths experts. It has become so dire that almost half (45 per cent) of secondary schools rely on non-specialists to teach the subject, according to a recent analysis. Some struggling teachers are leaving their posts for higher-paying jobs in Aldi and Amazon while others have been forced to use food banks. Department for Education figures show targets for recruiting maths teachers into Initial Teacher Training (ITT) have not been met for more than a decade. Just 65 per cent of the maths teacher target was met for the school year 2019/20, rising to 84 per cent for 2020/2021, 90 per cent for 2021/2022 and 90 per cent for 2022/2023. Princes Harry and William refer to each other as 'Willy' and 'Harold', it was revealed today as a copy Duke of Sussex's memoirs were leaked. The revelation was made in an extraordinary passage from Harry's upcoming autobiography Spare in which he recalled the moment he suffered a physical attack by his sibling. It comes days after royal insiders said Harry's book is so cutting of his brother that the pair may not be able to reconcile their differences following its release. The furious row allegedly broke out at his London home in 2019, during which William, the now Prince of Wales, is said to have branded Meghan 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive'. Princes Harry and William refer to each other as 'Willy' and 'Harold', it was revealed today as a copy Duke of Sussex 's memoirs were leaked The revelation was made in an extraordinary passage from Harry's upcoming autobiography Spare Harry accused his brother of 'parroting the press narrative' about his wife before a screaming match ensued, ending in a physical altercation. The extract has been published by the Guardian. It is not known how the newspaper obtained an early copy of the book, given that the publisher has gone to great lengths to prevent leaks. In one dramatic excerpt, Harry writes that William 'grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and knocked me to the floor'. The Duke of Sussex claims he was left with a visible injury to his back. The brothers, according to Harry, had met at Nottingham Cottage to discuss 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship and struggles with the press. When they began arguing about Meghan, Harry claims William was not being rational, leading to a shouting match. The Duke of Sussex claims he gave his brother a glass of water and told him: 'Willy, I can't speak to you when you're like this.' He writes: 'He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. 'I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.' It was then that William told his brother to hit him back, a reference to scraps they had as children, Harry writes. In an extraordinary excerpt from his upcoming autobiography Spare, Harry recalls what he describes as a physical attack by his sibling, now the Prince of Wales, which he claims left him with visible injuries Prince Harry has claimed his brother William grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the floor during a heated argument over his wife Meghan Markle When he and his brother began arguing about Meghan, Harry claims William was not being rational, leading to a shouting match (Pictured: Harry and Meghan in their latest Netflix documentary) The Duke said he refused to retaliate and that William left, before returning 'looking regretful' and apologising. When the future king left for the final time, Harry claims he 'turned and called back: ''You don't need to tell Meg about this.''' Harry says he responded with: 'You mean that you attacked me?' He says William added: 'I didn't attack you, Harold.' According to Harry, he did not initially tell Meghan of the fight but phoned his therapist. The brothers, according to Harry, had met to discuss 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship and struggles with the press when a screaming match ensued (Pictured: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry leave the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service held at St Paul's Cathedral on December 14, 2017) Spare is currently on sale for $22.40 on Amazon US and 14 on the UK site. The book has already become the No.2 on Amazon's best-seller list in pre-sales in the US (pictured) and the UK He writes that he informed Meghan of the altercation only when she noticed 'scrapes and bruises' on his back, adding that she 'wasn't that surprised, and wasn't all that angry', but that she was 'terribly sad.' In another excerpt, Prince Harry recounts a meeting with his father and brother after Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021. He recalls Charles stood between himself and the heir 'looking up at our flushed faces'. Harry then quotes his father as saying: 'Please boys, don't make my final years a misery.' The dramatic extracts revealed just days before the book's official release are likely to help boost sales. It comes as Prince Harry's tell-all memoir is already No2 on Amazon's best-seller list in pre-sales in North America and the UK. Spare is currently on sale for $22.40 on Amazon in the US and half price at 14 on the UK site. The hardback of Spare will be in UK bookshops when they open on Tuesday morning, with the e-book edition available to download on Kindle from shortly after midnight on the same day. It is bad news for the Eeyores of this world who have a glass-half-empty approach to life. Pessimists are at greater risk of struggling with anxiety, a study suggests. Researchers looked at 625 students, who were asked to predict the grades they expected to get in a set of four exams. Many students had an 'optimism bias', meaning that they upgraded their expectations of future exam grades based on how they had previously performed. (Stock Image) Pessimists are at greater risk of struggling with anxiety, a study suggests (Stock Image) Researchers looked at 625 students, who were asked to predict the grades they expected to get in a set of four exams But pessimistic people expected the worst, so did not update their predictions of future grades adequately when they did better than anticipated. These pessimists later showed greater signs of anxiety, the researchers discovered, based on a questionnaire they completed up to three years later. Experts suspect pessimism is a strategy people adopt because they don't want to be disappointed by unpredictable events. That is also a sign of anxiety, so the two can be strongly linked. Dr Aaron Heller, who led the study from the Department of Psychology at the University of Miami, said: 'Our results suggest that people who are pessimistic learn differently from the surprises in their lives. (Stock Image) Pessimistic people expected the worst, so did not update their predictions of future grades adequately when they did better than anticipated 'Not only are they less optimistic, but even when small good, surprising things happen to them, they don't change their outlook as much as people who are not pessimistic, and this may put them at greater risk of symptoms of anxiety.' The study, published in the journal Science Advances, asked people for predictions of their results in four difficult chemistry tests. Pessimists generally failed to increase their predictions for themselves when they did slightly better than expected. The anxiety test, six months to three years later, asked questions such as whether people felt anxious and on edge or felt they worried too much. The researchers used exam results to test for pessimism, as previous studies have looked only at gambling tasks, which are less related to real life. Discovery star 'Dirty Water Don' and his team have become the first to dive into New York City's East River in search of Wooly mammoth tusks. Mammoth bone expert John Reeves kicked off a 'bone rush' in the Big Apple after revealing the location of 500,000 tusks reportedly dumped into the river in the 1940s. Don Gann, 35, who starred in the first episode of Discovery's 'Sewer Divers,' said he was not shocked by the revelation given that he and his friends have found all sorts of old treasures and even human bodies at the bottom of the East River. Although he's excited by the prospect of finding the mammoth tusks, which can go for around $20,000 a piece, he warned that the search could get out of hand quickly as more and more people show up to survey the waters. 'I expect someone will find something soon, and itll cause a commotion and get a bunch more people down here,' Gann predicted. 'Itll snowball from there and its going to end when someone gets killed or injured' 'And at that point, officials are going to have to shut the whole thing down.' Discovery star Don Gann, better known as 'Dirty Water Don' who appeared in the first episode of 'Sewer Divers,' is leading the dive into NYC's East River in search of mammoth tusks Gann said his crew of experts are properly equipped to search the East River, but warned that the tusk rush could result in an amateur losing their life. Pictured: Gann is pulled in from the river by Stephen Cortes Pictured: Diver John Santiago returning to his boat after an unsuccessful first look into the river Gann, who's based in New Jersey, went out into the East River on Wednesday accompanied by his brother, John, and two coworkers, Stephen Cortes and John Santiago. He noted that they were the only divers out there, as others did their own surveillance on boats and underwater cameras. Gann, who has nine years of experience diving, said he's always finding things in the East River, from cannonballs to copper to quartz. He said he has found three human bodies while diving there, with Cortes finding eight. 'Today we found a whole truck down there,' he said. 'You really find all kinds of stuff down there.' Gann was out in the waters on Wednesday looking for the bones. Pictured (L-R): John Gann, Don, Stephen Cortes and John Santiago Gann's crew explored the site where the bones were allegedly dumped in the 1940s on East River Drive near 65th Street Santiago warned of the frigid temperatures and strong currents in the river Although he said the prospect of finding tusks would be exciting, he warned amateurs that the trip could be more than they bargained for if they're not properly equipped. Since they're all pros, Gann said his ship was properly equipped to allow his team to stay safe and warm while surveilling the bottom of the East River. 'I wouldnt recommend this to just anyone,' he warned. 'Especially diving with just scuba gear. You need proper equipment.' He added that the race was on to be the first to discover the tusks allegedly in the river, and should his team find it, it would likely propel Gan to greater fame. He was the focus of the first episode of 'Sewer Divers,' which premiered this Sunday as a film crew following the lives of those who explore centuries-old sewer systems across the country. Gann, who promotes himself as 'Dirty Water Don,' starred in the first episode of Discovery's newest series, 'Sewer Divers' Gann is pictured showing off his special protective suit he wears to protect himself from contaminated waters as he dives into a manhole Gann, who promotes his persona of 'Dirty Water Don' on social media, said he was excited at the chance to share his passion with the world. He's said he's dove into manholes in all five boroughs, and in the trailer of the new series, he warned that the job can be exciting, but treacherous. A lot of people in this industry wont last because they're claustrophobic,' he said.The [manhole] is small, the ladders are in disrepair or broken down there. 'Theres usually a current or the area is very slick so you cant get good footing or move around. You really rely on your guys up top. Theres quite a few dangers. Electrical shock, a slew of dive-related sicknesses. 'You could lose a limb. You could lose your life,' he added. Despite the dangers of the waters, plenty of people are lining up in boats and around the river banks with underwater camera drones for a chance to find the mammoth tusks. Wooly mammoth bone expert John Reeves said the tusks were dumped by 'mistake' along the East River Drive near 65th Street The revelation has kicked off a bone rush, with Austin Volz, 26, heading out into the water with his friends Josh Leonard and Turner Kilpatrick on New Years' Eve Austin Volz, 26, who owns a remodeling business just north of Atlanta, went out to the River on New Years' Eve just a day after the Joe Rogan podcast episode dropped with his interview with Reeves. Volz said he went with his business co-owner Josh Leonard and their friend, Turner Kilpatrick, on a 12 hour drive to New York. Once there, they deployed their duck boat and sent down waterproof cameras to look for the tusks. Although the search came back empty, Volz said his crew will return in the weekend with a larger boat and proper diving equipment for another crack at the ancient fortune. 'Theres a lot of buzz right now and a race to see who will find the tusks first,' Volz said. 'I think whoever finds it first will get all the credit, and everyone wants to be that guy.' Volz, however, also echoed Gann's warning that amateurs should be careful as he too noted the dangerously low temperatures and strong currents in the East River. Steve Zerges, 49, was also at the East River sending out an underwater camera to search for the Wooly mammoth tusks A small crowd was gathered along the river as Gann's crew sailed towards the center Speaking on the Rogan's podcast, gold miner turned bone mogul John Reeves said he wanted to kick off a 'bone rush' and mapped out the location of 50 tons of mammoth tusks that could be at the bottom of the East River. Reeves read from a draft report from the Fairbanks mining District Alaska, which detailed the transportation of 500,000 tusks from Fairbanks to New York City's American Museum of Natural History in 1940. Reeves - who owns thousands of acres of mining grounds in the area and got a hold of the report from the company he bought, and spoke to its lead author, Richard Osborne of the University of Alaska - said the museum 'ran out of storage' and dumped the bones. The report revealed the location of the dumping site at East River Drive and 65th Street. Wooly mammoth Tusks can go for around $20,000 each depending on their condition, putting the potential value at the bottom of the river at around $1 billion. 'If any of you guys want to go out and find some bones I'll tell you exactly where the f*** they're at,' Reeves said as he spelled out the location. 'They're finders keepers.' Alaskan gold miner turned mammoth expert John Reeves revealed the location of 500,000 tusk bones allegedly dumped in the middle of New York City's East River Alaskan miners who saw no value in the tusks allegedly shipped them off to New York City's American Museum of Natural History. Pictured: Tusks found in 1907 in an Alaskan expedition Citing the draft report, Reeves said that gold miners shipped off 500,000 tusks to New York because the owners saw 'no value.' 'You got to remember this was in 1928 to 1958,' Reeves told Rogan. 'People, you know miners, didn't collect the bones.' According to the report about the tusks, 'mistakes' were made over the 'acceptable condition' of the bones shipped to New York. 'They took about a whole box car load of these bones, they ran out of storage, and they dumped them in the East River,' Reeves said. The tusks were ultimately tossed in the river at the former New York City Hospital dumping site. Questions are being asked about the leak of Prince Harry's highly anticipated autobiography to the US edition of The Guardian, which has reported on its sensational claims about rifts among the royals. The Guardian states it managed to obtain a copy of the book - already a bestseller - despite stringent security measures by publisher Penguin Random House ahead of its release next Tuesday. The memoir's claims were detailed by the Guardian's New York breaking news reporter Martin Pengelly on its website. Titled 'Spare', the book explores the prince's troubled relationship with the rest of his family as the younger brother of the heir to the throne. The Duke and his publishers Penguin Random House went to great lengths to ensure 'Spare' is published simultaneously around the world next Tuesday The Guardian states it managed to obtain a copy of the book - already a bestseller - despite stringent security measures by publisher Penguin Random House ahead of its release next Tuesday (Pictured: The Guardian's New York site) One recollection by Prince Harry includes a clash with his brother William over Meghan Markle in the grounds of Kensington Palace in 2019. The Prince of Wales is said to have referred to her as 'difficult', rude' and 'abrasive', which Harry responds as a 'parrot[ing of] the press narrative'. The Duke of Sussex goes on to claim that his brother 'grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and knocked me to the floor.' Elsewhere, Harry recalls another angry confrontation with his brother at Windsor Castle after the death of the Duke of Edinburgh in April 2021. He describes his father remonstrating with them, saying: 'Please, boys. Don't make my final years a misery.' Elsewhere, the prince mentions names they used to refer to each other by and adds that he later discussed their fallout with his therapist. A source told The Times they were unsure if the brothers' relationship will recover, adding: 'I think the book [will be] worse for them than the royal family is expecting. Not since the last 'Harry' book has security been so tight. As publication looms for the Duke of Sussex's memoir, the ultra-secure arrangements echo those of the final instalment of the Harry Potter series 16 years ago, insiders said yesterday 'Everything is laid bare. Charles comes out of it better than I had expected, but it's tough on William, in particular, and even Kate gets a bit of a broadside. 'There are these minute details and a description of the fight between the brothers. I personally can't see how Harry and William will be able to reconcile after this.' Ultra-secure arrangements for the book are said to echo those of the final instalment of the Harry Potter series 16 years ago, insiders said this week. Back then, publishers spent millions of pounds trying to stop the plotline being leaked before it went on sale in bookshops. This week, an enormous logistics operation is under way around Prince Harry's bombshell biography Spare. The duke and his publishers Penguin Random House are going to great lengths to ensure it is published simultaneously around the world next Tuesday. Publishers spent millions of pounds trying to stop the plotline of the final installment of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series being leaked before it went on sale in bookshops. The author is pictured above at the launch of The Deathly Hallows in 2007 The hardback will be in UK bookshops when they open on Tuesday morning, with the e-book edition available to download on Kindle from shortly after midnight on the same day. Spare is being published in 16 languages including Chinese, Finnish, Hungarian, Spanish and Portuguese, but - in theory - no one in any country will be able to get their hands on an early copy. Although the official release date is January 10, readers in Australia - which is 11 hours ahead of the UK - have been left in no doubt that, for them, copies will only become available on January 11. In the United States, which is five to eight hours behind Britain, it will be the evening of Monday January 9 when e-book copies of the tome become available on Kindle, at the same moment as the clock strikes midnight on Tuesday morning in the UK. Harry's tell-all book is expected to double-down on his attacks on the Royal Family. While King Charles may be spared the worst of the duke's rage, the book is understood to contain damaging details about his bitter fallout with his brother, with both William and his wife Kate coming under fire in its 416 pages. Spare tells Harry's story with 'raw, unflinching honesty', according to Penguin Random House. The Sussexes are said to have signed a $20million (16.6million) four-book deal with the publishing giant. Harry's tell-all book is due to be released next Tuesday, but its contents have already been seen and reported on by the Guardian US Publishing sources said arrangements for Harry's 'explosive' memoir's release were ultra-closely guarded and being managed in minute detail, with only a handful of senior executives aware of the exact details Publishing sources said arrangements for Harry's 'explosive' memoir's release were ultra-closely guarded and being managed in minute detail, with only a handful of senior executives aware of the exact details. Deliveries to bookshops are being scheduled to be last-minute to avoid unauthorised copies being leaked. Guarded sites across the world have been secured to house copies of the book prior to distribution. One likened the sophisticated security operation to the 2007 release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when JK Rowling was determined her young fans would not have the experience spoilt by learning of the boy wizard's fate before reading the seventh and final novel in the series. An army of guards, satellite tracking systems and legal contracts were all deployed to protect the 10 million first copies of the new Harry Potter book. When the finished manuscript was taken by hand from London to New York, a lawyer for the American publisher sat on it during the flight. When copies were sent out to retailers, lorries were fitted with satellite tracking systems which would reveal if any of the vehicles deviated from their intended routes. The owner of the company involved in the mid-air collision that claimed the lives of four people on the Gold Coast has broken his silence. Sea World Helicopters chief pilot Ash Jenkinson, 40, was killed when his helicopter was struck by another helicopter descending to land above the water of Queensland's Gold Coast at about 2pm on Monday. The father-of-one, as well as British newlyweds Ron, 65, and Diane Hughes, 57, and Sydney mother Vanessa Tadros, 36, were killed in the horror crash. Vanessa's son Nicholas Tadros, 10, and mother-and-son Winnie and Leon de Silva, 9, were also onboard and were remain in hospital with critical injuries. The other helicopter managed to land safely, but the windscreen was damaged. Terrifying footage from inside the chopper shows a passenger trying to warn the pilot of the oncoming aircraft just moments before the collision. In a moving statement on Thursday, director and owner of Sea World Helicopters John Orr-Campbell said Mr Jenkinson was a 'first-class pilot and a first-class man'. 'I knew Ash personally for nine years. He was a fine man and a standout pilot with 6,210 hours of flying to his name,' Mr Orr-Campbell wrote. Sea World Helicopters chief pilot Ash Jenkinson, 40, (pictured) was killed when his helicopter was struck by another helicopter descending to land above the water of Queensland 's Gold Coast at about 2pm on Monday The helicopters collided on the Southport Broadwater at about 2pm on Monday 'To lose a man and a pilot of Ash's calibre is shocking in every sense of the word. I, along with all the staff at Sea World Helicopters are gutted to the core. My heart aches as I think of Ash's fiancee Kosha and his one-year-old son Kayden. 'I would also like to commend the other pilot, Michael James, who heroically got the second aircraft to the ground safely. We wish him well in his recovery.' Mr Orr-Campbell revealed the experienced pilot had obtained his Commercial Pilots License in June, 2008 and flew choppers in Western Australia until 2011. 'During this time Ash showed his love and commitment to community - he was involved in multiple search and rescue flights in the area,' he said. 'This community mindedness saw him dedicate over 700 hours and many days away from family and friends assisting in firefighting operations across Australia.' Mr Jenkinson is survived by his fiancee Kosha (pictured right) and his one-year-old son Kayden In an emotional statement on Thursday, Sea World Helicopters John Orr-Campbell (pictured) described Mr Jenkinson as a 'first-class pilot and a first-class man' In 2019, Mr Jenkinson became Chief Pilot of Sea World Helicopters and oversaw all aspects of safety and flight operations for the company. 'We have lost a first-class pilot, a first-class man and a wonderful father, partner and friend,' Mr Orr-Campbell wrote. 'RIP Ash, you will forever be in our hearts.' Dozens of the pilot's loved ones have flooded his personal Facebook page with messages of love and support in the days following his death. 'We used to talk about his job a lot, a job he absolutely loved which not only included rides for tourists but also he battled the intense bush fires a few years back and helped the flood victims,' said one person. 'I know that fun, positive, adventurous spirit of the legend that you are will live on through the lives of everyone that knew you,' another wrote. 'Ash was the most kind hearted and selfless man to walk the earth. The love he had for his beautiful family and friends was certainly one of a kind and this extended to anyone who would cross his path,' a woman wrote. A GoFundMe has raised more than $12,000 of its $15,000 goal to give $5,000 to each of the families impacted by the crash. British couple Ron, 65, and Diane Hughes, 57 died when their helicopter collided with another chopper mid-air and plummeted 30 metres near the Sea World theme park It is understood the helicopter taking off clipped another aircraft before nosediving into the sand and claiming the lives of four people Organiser Ritchie Gregg said Mr Jenkinson had come to the aid of the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers communities during the flood crisis. 'This year he poured his heart into the Northern New South Wales flood relief work where he spent countless hours supplying and rescuing those in need that otherwise would have never have received any help,' he wrote. 'He also worked hard throughout the Australian bushfires and conducted numerous animal rescues. He is our hero and has a huge heart.' It comes as terrifying footage has revealed the moment a passenger tried to warn pilot Michael James that Mr Jenkinson's chopper was in a collision course with their aircraft just moments before the horror crash. He can be seen pointing wildly out the window and tapping the pilot's shoulder urgently before tightly gripping the seat in front of him as he braces for impact. Moments later the helicopter cabin explodes in a shower of shattered glass and metal as the rotor blades of the other chopper slice through the cockpit. The pilot and passengers are blasted by the shards of deadly debris but amazingly Mr James manages to keep control of the badly damaged aircraft and land nearby. Now his grateful passengers say they owe him their life for his cool head and quick response in the face of unimaginable terror in a cockpit destroyed in the impact. Two couples from Auckland in New Zealand were on board the pleasure flight with another tourist from Western Australia when the accident occurred. Four people in the second helicopter died in the crash when the rotor unit and gearbox were ripped off their aircraft, sending it plummeting upside down into the sandbar below. Ms de Silva who was in the lower helicopter told the Herald Sun that she heard a 'loud bang' and felt 'shaking' when the two helicopters collided. Two New Zeaand couples who were travelling together on board the aircraft - Riaan and Elmarie Steenberg and Marle and Edward Swart - have hailed the hero pilot Winnie de Silva (left) has two broken legs, a broken right shoulder, a broken collarbone and a damaged left knee after the Sea World helicopter crash. Leon (right) has a fractured skull and is in an induced coma 'The only thing I could see was death in my eyes. I didn't want to see death in my eyes so I closed them and held my son's hand beside me,' she said. 'My feet and right arm were stuck. I remember screaming and yelling out for help I wasn't able to get out.' Ms de Silva's husband Neil said his stepson Leon was also fighting in hospital and was still unable to open his eyes or talk. But he added the nine-year-old managed to give a very weak thumbs-up when his mother told him everything was going to be alright during a Wednesday phone call. 'It wasn't a full thumbs-up, it was about halfway, but that was fantastic news yesterday, so they're fighting on and we're gonna have a long battle ahead of us,' he said. Mr de Silva said his wife, who was still in intensive care, wanted to send condolences to the Tadros and Hughes families. 'We're going through hell and can't imagine what they're going through, so she wanted to let them know that she's thinking and praying for them,' he said. Better equipment, more experiences help Chinese hospitals treat severe COVID-19 cases (Global Times) 14:35, January 05, 2023 Photo: Li Hao/GT As COVID-19 infection curve has already peaked in several major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Global Times reporters talked to several major hospitals to see for medical workers, whether the "hardest time" has already passed. Doctors said that the number of patients admitted into emergency rooms and fever clinics has dropped, yet the number of severe cases is still high, and hospitals are also coping with the lack of medical workers. Hospitals nationwide are making strenuous efforts to make up the shortage of hospital staff, upgrading capacity and expand medical resources in order to pull through the outbreak wave in an orderly and safe manner. Despite challenges, many doctors believe China will weather the wave soon with medical workers' hard work, the country's swift action in tackling difficulties, and the past three years' experiences. In the lobby of Daxing People's Hospital in Beijing, masked patients were waiting in order to be received by doctors; nurses hustling through to attend patients in need. It is one of the busiest days for doctors in this hospital at capital's Daxing district, as Beijing is busy treating COVID-19 patients after China relaxed its COVID-19 responses last month. Yet doctors from the hospital told the Global Times that the most difficult peak time in their hospital appears to be over. According to Yuan Jinglin, deputy dean of the hospital, the hospital's emergency department and fever clinic received more than 1,000 patients per day at peak time, which had fallen by the end of December, and that dozens of whom in very severe situation need emergency treatment. Since this month, Yuan said the number of patients received by the emergency department alone has seen a decline from 780 people at the peak to about 500 in recent days. Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said last week that virus circulation in major Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Tianjin and Chengdu has already peaked. However, Yuan said that despite slight decline, the number of severe cases is still high in their hospitals, especially those elderly with severe underlying diseases. Doctors told the Global Times that their focus at current stage is to concentrate resources in saving severe cases and prevent deaths. Yuan said that the hospital already equipped with 80 percent medical equipment they need to treat the rising number of severe cases, and they are no longer in need of ventilators and oxygen generating plants. The biggest problems, according to Liu Xia, director of the fever clinic of Daxing People's Hospital, is lack of medical staff. "Most hospitalized cases are over 80 years old, they are in need of monitoring. In our infectious and fever clinics, we still need one third more of the staff in order to cope," said Liu. Hard work Daxing People's Hospital offers a peek inside the current challenges that hospitals face in major Chinese cities, which were among the first to feel the pressure of the country's exit wave. In an interviews with the Global Times previously, Wuhan's Tongji Hospital, a major facility for the city's COVID-19 patients, said that during the recent week, the hospital has admitted a surging number of patients in its fever clinic and emergency departments, with 2,200 people visiting those two departments on a daily basis. On December 30, 2022, 92.32 percent of pneumonia patients that were hospitalized in the hospital showed severe symptoms. A similar situation also struck Jiangsu Province Hospital, whose emergency rooms saw soaring number of patients from previous 500 to 1,200 per day in recent days. Chen Xufeng, a doctor at Jiangsu Province Hospital, told the Global Times that the biggest difficulty for them right now is that more medical workers are getting infected whilst more patients are swarming into the hospital. Many doctors in Beijing are insisting on working even after being infected with COVID-19, if they experienced only mild symptoms. Liu from the Daxing People's Hospital told the Global Times that sometimes, doctors nearly passed out, and then they were escorted out to rest for a while; after that they would continue treating patients. Cao Quan, an official from ICU department at the Jiangsu Province Hospital, told the Global Times that doctors at the ICU unit now shoulder twice or triple amount of work than usual but none of them quit or give up. They all hoped to take leave as late as possible while get back to work sooner, said Cao. Wuhan's Tongji Hospital, in order to elevate their ability of treating surging number of patients, broke the traditional branches and allowed doctors of all disciplines to accept patients with COVID-19. The hospital's beds for patients with severe symptoms have increased to 1,041 from previous 546; and 60 percent of whom are for patients with respiratory diseases. Yuan also said that the shortage of medicine that crippled hospitals in Beijing in early December is not a problem anymore. For example, the hospital began to distribute Pfizer's COVID-19 treatment drug Paxlovid to elderly patients with severe diseases. Jiao Yahui, director of the Medical Administration Bureau of the National Health Commission, said last week that hospitals should expand their medical resources and increase capacity to offer medical service. She instructed cities to upgrade their designated hospitals in treating COVID-19 patients, and major hospitals to expand wards for severe cases and ICU beds. Adequate preparation The influx of patients and the strain they impose on Chinese medical system have become target of foreign media's smearing of China's relaxing of its COVID-19 response recently. They claimed that hospitals are ill-prepared for such "abrupt" decision and thus are struggling to cope with current case ballooning. Yuan said before the major adjustment of China's COVID-19 response in December, the hospital's preparation of medical staff and supplies to cure COVID-19 patients has never stopped during the past three years. Previous anti-epidemic policy required the hospital to set separate wards for patients infected by COVID-19, prepare medical equipment like ventilators and oxygen cylinders, and train medical staff for COVID-19 treatment, said Yuan. "Then we faced surging number of patients, mostly young people, rushing to the fever clinic and now focused on the treatment of severe cases as more elderly got infected. We have always been adjusting the deployment of medical staff and reserve of supplies in accordance to the changes of the situation." Virulence of Omicron has decreased, said Ran Xiao, also from Tongji Hospital, noting that compared with three years in the past, hospitals also have more choice of medicine, better equipment and have a mature treatment routine to follow. Zhou Ning, a doctor from Wuhan's Tongji Hospital, told the Global Times that the experience accumulated during the past three years endows with him more confidence in the face of the virus. "Now we already have a clear picture of the virus, know how to treat severe cases, where to invest more resources. We don't have the panic and helplessness that struck us three years ago." (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked the West to provide his army with heavy tanks to increase their firepower as fighting rages between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the east on Thursday. The Ukrainian military said that the Russians were focusing on an attack in the Bakhmut sector of the Donetsk area while their offensive in the Avdiivka and Kupiansk areas kept going amid the Russia-Ukraine War. Ukrainian forces are recapturing territory in the neighboring Luhansk region, but the province's governor warned that this was not occurring quickly, Reuters reported. The Donbas area includes the cities of Luhansk and Donetsk and is the industrial core of Ukraine. In 2014, Russian-backed proxies gained control of sections of the region. Russia held illegal referendums in September, drawing the ire of Ukraine and the West, and then annexed the provinces of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Each of the four areas is not under Russia's complete authority. Even though Russian artillery has been pounding Bakhmut for months, the city's officials nevertheless consider it a victory because they need something to show the Russian people after a string of military defeats. Between Donetsk and Luhansk, it is on a major supply route. Russia may be able to make progress toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, two larger cities, if it takes control of Bakhmut, a city whose population of 70,000 to 80,000 before the conflict has been reduced to close to 10,000. Zelensky asked Western allies for heavy weapons and tanks to fight the Russians in his Wednesday evening video message. The Kyiv administration has frequently requested Abrams and German-made Leopard heavy tanks from Western allies as the Russia-Ukraine War drags on. US Considering Ukraine's Tank Request US President Joe Biden said that the United States was contemplating deploying Bradley Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine. There have been tens of thousands of casualties, and tens of thousands of people have been uprooted from their homes because of the destruction of cities, per Inquirer. Read Also: Pope Benedict XVI's Final Dying Words, Last Letter Revealed; Vatican Shares Photos in Resting Place US forces have relied heavily on the Bradley armored vehicle due to its formidable cannon. Used extensively by the Army to transport soldiers on the battlefield since the 1980s. Ukraine would benefit from the U.S. Army's hundreds of Bradleys in trench warfare and battlefield capability. However, the action of Joe Biden would fall short of delivering the Abrams tanks that Kyiv has requested to win the Russia-Ukraine War. France Grants Ukraine's Request On Wednesday, the French president declared that after discussions between Emmanuel Macron and his Ukrainian counterpart, Zelensky, France will become the first Western nation to supply tanks to Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed Macron in a video message released that evening, noting that the decision demonstrated the necessity for additional partners to deploy stronger weaponry. The Ukrainian head of state noted: "This is something that sends a clear signal to all our partners," and added that there was no logical rationale for the delay in Western tank deliveries to Ukraine, as per a France 24 report. French military assistance for Ukraine has changed with the provision of the French-made AMX-10 RC, a light tank variant in commission since the 1980s that is being retired. Macron has been apprehensive of antagonizing Russia and cutting off diplomatic communication with Vladimir Putin for some time, although Paris has already given state-of-the-art artillery, armored personnel carriers, anti-aircraft missiles, and air-defense systems to Ukraine. After Macron's conversation with Zelensky, an aide said to the press on condition of anonymity, the president intended to "increase" assistance by committing to supply AMX-10 RC light tanks to Ukraine. Related Article: COVID-19 Cases: These 9 Countries Impose More Restrictions for Travelers from China Amid COVID Outbreak @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Zahab was a prolific Islamic State recruiter who was killed in an airstrike in 2018 Ms Raad travelled to Syria in early 2014 to join her husband Muhammed Zahab A Sydney woman has been charged just months after being rescued from a Syrian refugee camp for reformed Islamic State fighters and eight years after she allegedly left Australia to fight for the militant group with her husband. Mariam Raad, 31, was arrested after search warrants were issued in the NSW country town of Young and the western Sydney suburb of Parklea on Thursday morning. She was charged with entering and remaining in parts of Syria, believed to be the city of Raqqa, that were under the control of the Islamic State terrorist organisation. Police will allege Ms Raad travelled to Syria in early 2014 to join her husband Muhammad Zahab, who left Australia in 2013, to join the fight for Islamic State. Ms Raad's husband, a former Sydney maths teacher, was a prolific Islamic State recruiter who lured dozens of his family members to Syria before he was killed in a targeted airstrike in 2018. Police allege Ms Raad knew her husband's activities with Islamic State and, of her own free will joined him. Mariam Raad, 31, has been charged for allegedly leaving Australian shores to fight for Islamic state months after being rescued from a refugee camp Police will allege Ms Raad travelled to Syria in early 2014 to join her husband Muhammed, who left Australia in 2013, to join the fight for Islamic State Muhammad Zahab (pictured) was a prolific Islamic State recruiter who lured dozens of his family members to Syria before he was killed in a targeted airstrike in 2018 The woman was in Al Roj Internally Displaced Persons camp in Syria before being repatriated back to Australia in October, 2022 with her four children. She was one of the 17 women and children rescued from Syria and resettled back in Australia after police deemed them to be no threat to the nation. Ms Raad was arrested following a joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police and the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT). In a statement, the JCTT said 'newly obtained evidence' had led to Ms Raaad being charged. AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Command Sandra Booth said Australians returning from declared conflict areas will be investigated in order to ensure the public's safety. 'Individuals will be brought before the courts when evidence supports allegations that returned individuals have committed offences in conflict areas,' Acting Assistant Commissioner Booth said. 'The JCTT will continue to target (alleged) criminal activity and does not target specific ideologies or beliefs.' NSW Police Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander, Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton, said the NSW JCTT will continue to protect the community from those they believe pose a threat. Ms Raad will face Wagga Wagga Local court on Friday. If found guilty she could spend up to 10 years behind bars 'We have zero tolerance for Australians or anyone who seek to commit acts of violence or extremism, and those considering doing the wrong thing will come under our notice,' Assistant Commissioner Walton said. 'Our investigators methodically gather information and evidence, conduct surveillance and work tirelessly to target criminal activities which pose a threat to the Australian community.' Ms Raad will face Wagga Wagga Local court on Friday. If found guilty she could spend up to 10 years behind bars. Ms Raad spent more than three years detained in al-Hol and al-Roj camps before being repatriated to Sydney. The mother of four previously told The Australian while situated in a refugee camp that she posed no threat to Australians (pictured: al roj camp in northeast Syria) The mother of four previously told The Australian while in a refugee camp that she was ready to come home. 'I want to go back (to Australia),' Ms Raad said. 'I want my kids to have a chance at a real future. 'I'm stressed. It's not easy being a single mother with four children in a camp. The boys are growing older and I go to sleep every night imagining they will be taken away from me.' The group of repatriated women released a statement in October after landing in Australia. 'We are willing to do whatever is asked of us by government authorities to ensure the safety of our families and the Australian community and we will fully cooperate with all Australian law enforcement agencies,' the women said. Another 43 women and children are still at the Syrian refugee camp and are hoping to be repatriated back to Australia some time this year. Christopher Semok, who enlisted in September, was found out to have been a member of several white nationalist and anti-Semitic organizations A young man with ties to multiple extremist hate groups was dismissed in December from a Marine Corps training program The Marine Corps dismissed a man from its Delayed Entry Program after he admitted that had belonged to extremist groups before enlisting to serve. In September, Christopher Semok became a poolee - a recruit who trains with Marine Corps Recruiters - but in November, images appeared on social media of Semok appearing to attend a rally for the white nationalist group Patriot Front. The pictures were posted to a Twitter account that belongs to the Atlanta branch of Antifa. After the pictures popped up online, a spokesperson for Marine Corps Recruiting Command said that the institution had become aware that a poolee may have links to extremist groups. In September, Christopher Semok became a poolee - a recruit who trains with Marine Corps Recruiters - but in November, images appeared on social media of Semok appearing to attend a rally for the white nationalist group Patriot Front Semok was allegedly part of several white supremacist hate groups including Patriot Front, the National Socialist Movement, and the Goyim Defense League This week, the Corps announced that the executive officer of the Marine Corps Recruit Station in Tampa had 'conducted a preliminary inquiry' into the poolee's past affiliations that began in December. 'During the inquiry, Mr. Semok admitted that he had been affiliated with neo-Nazi and anti-Semite groups, active on social media and at activist demonstrations,' read the release from the Corps. Semok additionally claimed that the reason he failed to tell the Marine Corps about his affiliation with the groups is that because he allegedly broke ties with them one month prior to his original enlistment. The release added that it takes 'allegations of racism, fascism and other forms of discrimination seriously.' 'In the case of Mr. Semok, RS [Recruiting Station] Tampa found it was in the best interest of national security to not let Mr. Semok remain within the DEP [Delayed Entry Program,' it went on. Semok was allegedly part of several white supremacist hate groups including Patriot Front, the National Socialist Movement, and the Goyim Defense League. According to the Anti-Defamation League, Patriot Front has been responsible for the 'vast majority' of white supremacist propaganda distributed in the United States in recent years. It roots its behavior in the belief that its European ancestors conquered America and that it, therefore, belongs to them, alone. The National Socialist Movement is a small neo-Nazi group that is primarily known for holding public rallies and protests dressed in Nazi-styled uniforms. The Goyim Defense League is a small group of scattered individuals responsible for dozens of anti-Semitic propaganda events each year. The loose network is united by its hatred of Jews. The young appears to have gone by several different names, including Christopher Leblanc and 'Ryan FL' Christopher Leblanc AKA Christopher Semok relocated to Spokane, Washington last month. He has now officially affiliated with the National Socialist Movement. Leblanc/Semok is likely staying with NSM leaders Eddie McBride & Jamie McBride (Larson) in Spokane. Pic: Feb NSM video pic.twitter.com/AUKf9IpEBX ATL Antifascists (kolektiva.social/@AtlantaAntifa) (@afainatl) March 1, 2022 In December of 2021, the Department of Defense updates its definition of what constitutes participation in extremist activities. A previous definition, according to Task and Purpose, allowed military members to belong to extremist groups so long as they were not active participants. The Defense Department's attempts to eliminate the presence of far-right extremists from its active-duty roster became even more pronounced in the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol breach. There remains, however, a challenge in attempting to implement a social media vetting process to identify extremists during the recruitment process. Katherine Kuzminski, the program director at Center for a New American Security, told Military.com that the social media vetting responsibility was primarily that of recruiters and unit-level commanders. But it is unclear exactly how stringently it must be implemented and what precisely it should entail. 'What happens if someone has an anonymous account? How many searches on Google are they supposed to go through? Everyone says a like is not an endorsement, but what if they like a neo-Nazi page?' she said. A Perth family faces an uncertain future after a tragic beach accident left the father paralysed and fighting for his life - as his wife revealed she thought her husband was joking when she found him facedown and motionless in the surf. Perth couple Scott Race, 39, and Peta Byrne had been swimming at a beach at Secret Harbour in Perth on December 28 when a freak wave dumped Mr Race on the ocean floor, causing his neck to break in two places. It was a split second moment that changed the family forever. The father-of-six was pummelled into a sandbank after being pulled underwater by the huge wave. The break in his neck damaged his spinal cord and his C6 and C7 vertebrae, two crucial parts of the spine. Mr Race was still conscious as he floated facedown in the water but was unable to move and desperately held his breath while hoping someone would come to his rescue. Ms Byrne, his partner of 11 years, realised something was wrong and made it just in time before he drowned. Perth father-of-six Scott Race (pictured), 39, faces the frightening possibility of never walking again after a freak wave dumped him, causing his neck to break in two places on December 28 Mr Race's body was pummeled into a sandbank after being pulled underwater by the huge wave, breaking his neck and damaging his spinal cord (stock image of Secret Harbour, Perth) Ms Byrne told The Sydney Morning Herald she initially thought her partner was just playing a game in the ocean. 'I looked over at him and thought he was mucking around because he was just floating with his face in the water,' Ms Byrne said. 'I went to shake him and nothing. So I grabbed him and picked him up, and he was gasping for air and he goes, "I cant move, I cant move, I cant move."' Lifeguards arrived and placed him on a spinal board while they waited for emergency services, after which he was taken to Perth Royal Hospital via helicopter. Mr Race was rushed into surgery after doctors at the hospital became concerned a severely dislocated disc was putting pressure on his spinal cord. Ms Byrne said she was 'hysterical and hyperventilating' during the four hour-long operation. An MRI the following day revealed Mr Race's spinal cord was badly bruised, not severed, however he remains paralysed from the armpits down seven days after first arriving at the hospital. Doctors said Mr Race's injury was catastrophic and it was unlikely he will ever be able to walk again. Ms Byrne said the entire family's lives had been changed in 'one split second', and she planned to spend as much time with Mr Race and their children as she comes to terms with an uncertain future. Peta Byrne (left) and her partner Scott Race (right) have been together for 11 years and have six children together 'My head was spinning, and I was thinking, how am I going to manage all this?' she said. 'Because youve only got certain hours you can visit and then Ive got to deal with the kids at home and then Ive got to deal with work.' The couple have six children together - Jackson, 20, Stephanie, 19, Tayla, 16, Caleb, 16, Addisyn, 14, and Jessica, 13. Friends and family have set up a GoFundMe page for the family, which has so far raised more than $20,000. Organisers of the GoFundMe said they hope Mr Race will be able to regain feeling and movement over time, but the family faces a 'long hard journey ahead'. 'He is currently in the intensive care unit at Royal Perth Hospital after being airlifted by helicopter,' they wrote. 'His spinal cord is not severed, however he is currently paralysed from the armpits down. 'As they both will be spending endless hours, days, weeks and possibly months back and forth at hospital this will impact them financially as they are both not able to work and have a large family with six children,' they said. A 'distressed' crocodile tugged at heart strings after it was captured in Bali A 'pet' crocodile has tugged at heart strings after it was recaptured at a popular tourist spot, with some terrified about how close the mammoth reptile was found to the community. The saltwater crocodile was snapped by Australian woman Deb Schnippins who posted photos while she was on Legian Beach in Bali on Wednesday. Images of the reptile showed its legs and snout firmly tied up, with a makeshift blindfold on its head as locals stood around the animal. Ms Schnippins claimed a lifesaver had dragged it out of the sea by its tail. Deb Schnippins posted photos of the crocodile (pictured) as it lay on the sand on wooden sticks it had been carried on from the shore She said the creature looked in a bad way as it lay on the sand on wooden sticks it had been carried on from the shore. 'Crocodile currently on Legian beach. Is very skinny, spine is very visible and just breathing,' Ms Schnippins said. 'A local told me its a pet thats escaped its cage. Police dont want to answer any questions about whats going to happen to it, will likely go to the zoo.' Social media users took to her Facebook post bewildered of its presence close to the community but other travellers were more worried about the 'distressed' crocodile. 'How awful for this poor animal, I can imagine how distressed it would be,' one traveller said. 'Obviously sick of being caged!' said another, while one tourist wrote, 'I'd escape too if I was hungry, poor croc'. 'Obviously sick of being caged!' said another over the recaptured crocodile (pictured), while one tourist wrote, 'I'd escape too if i was hungry, poor croc' 'I really hope they get it vet care before making a decision or get advice from someone with knowledge of these creatures of whats best for this animals future,' one commenter said 'Unfortunately I think this poor creature will be put to sleep if its condition is as bad as it looks,' another said. 'I really hope they get it vet care before making a decision or get advice from someone with knowledge of these creatures of whats best for this animal's future.' But some argued the claim the animal would be taken to a zoo was false, which would have been said just to 'appease the masses'. 'Never believe what you are told! Once the traffic was really busy years ago, we were told an elephant had fallen off the back of truck. This is sad and real,' one more wrote. Yet others were more alarmed over the creature being near the popular spot on the party island known for its golden sand and dazzling blue water (pictured Legian Beach in Bali) Yet others were more alarmed over the creature being near the popular spot on the party island known for its golden sand and dazzling blue water. 'Lucky we didnt go swimming,' one tourist said, while another added, 'OK so we now have crocodiles to watch out for'. 'You have always needed to,' another replied. 'Salt water crocs travel, they have recorded crocs going from the bays in Darwin up in to [Indonesia].' 'Lucky we didnt go swimming,' one tourist said, while another added, 'OK so we now have crocodiles to watch out for' 'Ill keep the swimming to the pools haha,' another one said. Meanwhile, another asked why Ms Schnippins was 'confused as to why police have to answer questions', after her comment on the police withholding information. 'They were managing the situation,' she responded. 'They dont need to inform you on the situation if they have it under control,' he replied back. 'Everyone gets informed in Bali,' another laughed. Meanwhile, footage of the same crocodile being carried with the wooden sticks from the shore by a crowd of locals and lifesavers was also posted to social media. The sight of the creature found in the tourist hub did not surprise other seasoned travellers. 'Saw one slide into a creek/drain about 10 years ago on the way to Denpasar. No one believed us, but I know what I saw,' she said. 'How do people even have crocodiles as pets,' another asked. A property that houses Sydney's 'best brothel' is up for sale, with buyers being asked to fork out $3.5million to own the piece of real estate. Located in the industrial precinct of Blacktown, Western Sydney, the property includes a free-standing duplex building suitable for owner occupiers and investors. Spanning 760sqm, the 40 Forge Street property also includes two units, one of which is home to a brothel. Adult service parlour Blacktown 40 (picture) has operated out of the second unit, at 40 Forge street Blacktown, for the past 20 years. The property spanning 760sqm is up for sale, with an asking price of $3.5 million Adult service parlour Blacktown 40 has operated out of the second unit on the property for the past 20 years. Blacktown 40 is one of several brothels in the suburb and it describes itself as the the best brothel in Blacktown. It is unknown whether Blacktown 40 will continue to operate once the warehouse and unit one is sold, despite having a 10-year lease which expires in 2026 Commercial buyers have shown a 'decent level of interest' despite property sales slowing down during the holiday period, according to The Daily Telegraph. The unassuming warehouse is described in the listing as having 'dual roller shutter access of approximately 275 sqm, with 95 sqm of office and amenities over two levels.' The listing explains the brothel is 'currently operating' and 'council approved', with prospective buyers told both units have 'ample parking at the rear'. Daily Mail Australia has contacted listing agent Steven Giffney from Solve commercial for comment. It comes after a similar property at 12 Forge Street was sold on December 19 and leased. Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger has arrived back in Moscow in handcuffs to be charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students. Kohberger, 28, agreed to be extradited to Idaho from Pennsylvania during a brief 10-minute hearing on Tuesday afternoon in Monroe County. On Wednesday night, a plane carrying the alleged killer landed at the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport which lies just across the state line in Pullman, Washington. He had made a pit stop halfway through at an airport in Illinois. Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show the moment Kohberger stepped off a Pennsylvania State Police Pilatus PC-12 jet that was surrounded by cops as it rolled to a halt following a journey of almost 12 hours - parking next to a hanger set away from the commercial terminal. Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger has arrived back in Moscow in handcuffs to be charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students A somber Kohberger, who was wearing a red prison-issue jumpsuit topped with a black jacket, was led off the plane and into a waiting police SUV before being transported to the Latah County Jail, a 15-minute drive away in Moscow. He was accompanied on the lengthy flight west by four armed Pennsylvania State Police troopers and was met by officers from the Moscow Police Department and the Idaho State Police. A crowd of locals from Moscow and Pullman was also waiting - standing by their cars in the airport parking lot to see the plane land. The WSU criminology PhD candidate now faces an arraignment hearing within the next 24 hours where he will be formally charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one of burglary. Kohberger has insisted he had nothing to do with the savage knife slayings of students Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, and Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, 20, and is expected to plead not guilty when he appears before Judge Megan Marshal. Kohbergers return to Idaho is the latest twist in a case that has caught the attention of the nation for over two months. Madison, Kaylee, Xana, and Ethan were discovered dead in their beds on the morning of November 13 in a scene so brutal, police told DailyMail.com it is one of the worst we have ever seen.' Bryan Kohberger arrives at Pullman-Moscow airport after being flown from Pennsylvania following his court appearance yesterday A Latah County Sheriff's Department vehicle, part of a caravan transporting Bryan Christopher Kohberger A crowd of locals from Moscow and Pullman was also waiting for Kohrberger - standing by their cars in the airport parking lot to see the plane land Police arrived at the home following a 911 call reporting an unconscious person which came from the phone of one of the victims roommates at 11.58am. When they went inside, they discovered Xana and Ethan dead on the second floor, while Kaylee and Madison were found on the third. All four died from knife wounds with Latah County Coroner Kathy Mabbutt saying the slash injuries that killed the quartet had been made with a large fixed-blade knife. Police also revealed the four had died between 3am and 4am, with all four enjoying final evenings out in Moscow before returning home just before 2am. Kaylee and Madison had been at a popular local bar called The Corner Club and were caught on camera purchasing a portion of carbonara pasta from a local food truck before getting a cab home. Kohberger is being flown from Pennsylvania following his court appearance yesterday, Tuesday Kohberger is accused of murdering four Idaho University students on November 13, 2022 Meanwhile, Ethan and Xana had been at a party at the Sigma Chi frat house, which is close to the scene on King Road, before arriving home around the same time as Madison and Kaylee. Two other roommates, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen, were also sleeping at the property at the time of the murders but survived the bloodbath. The brutal killings initially appeared to leave the Moscow Police Department stumped, with little information released during the first six weeks of the investigation beyond that police believed it to be a targeted murder. Shortly before Christmas, police asked for help in finding the driver of a 2013 white Hyundai Elantra seen near the house but made no further announcements until December 30 when they announced Kohberger had been cornered in an early morning raid. The criminology student was apprehended at his parent's home in the Poconos Mountains and booked into the Monroe County Correctional Center. The 28-year-old Washington State University, criminology student was arrested at his family home in Chestnuthill Township in Monroe County, Pennsylvania A Latah County Sheriff's Department vehicle, part of a caravan transporting Bryan Christopher Kohberger, a graduate student accused of first-degree murder in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students, arrives at the Latah County Jail Kohberger, who appeared wearing a suicide vest in his booking photo, had made the drive back to Pennsylvania from Pullman, Washington, in the same white Hyundai police had been looking for. Despite being pulled over twice in Indiana, he was allowed to make the cross-country drive but was closely watched by police for four days before his arrest. The 28-year-old later told his lawyers he was surprised to have been arrested and said he is looking forward to being exonerated when the case goes to trial. Enoch has a 'tight-knit' community which has been left shocked by the killings Police said they haven't detected any threat to the public as they investigate The bodies were found with gunshot wounds in Enoch City, Utah, on Wednesday A church-going family of eight including five children have been found dead at their Utah home after police were called in for a welfare check. The bodies of two parents, their five children and another adult were found on Wednesday in the town of Enoch with gunshot wounds. City officials in Enoch did not provide more details or a potential motive for the killings but police said they did not detect any threat to the public. City Manager Rob Dotson said: 'We all know this family. Everybody has some connection to the individuals and some connections to the family.' A church-going family of eight including five children have been found dead at their Utah home after police were called in for a welfare check. Pictured: A law enforcement officer outside the home Enoch is a small town of about 8,000 people located 245 miles (394 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City The bodies of three adults and five minors were found on Wednesday in the town of Enoch with gunshot wounds Mr Dotson said the community was sent reeling by news of the eight bodies and that the deceased - all members of one family - were well known in the southern Utah town. 'Many of us have served with them in church, in the community and gone to school with these individuals,' Dotson said in a video statement Wednesday night. 'This community at this time is hurting. They're feeling loss, they're feeling pain and they have a lot of questions,' Dotson added, noting that officials planned on releasing more information as it becomes available and the police investigation progresses. 'We won't know the mindsets, the thoughts of the individuals who experienced this tragedy, but we all can pray that their families and the neighbors and all will come to an understanding of what happened in this place, probably in a day or two, or maybe longer,' said Dotson, choking up at one point. Welfare checks usually take place when neighbors raise concerns or when individuals have not been seen for an extended period of time. According to the New York Times, neighbors said Enoch is a 'tight-knit community' where everyone knows everyone, and it has been left shocked by the killings. They said children often play in the yards and everyone helps each other out, for example to shovel snow. Police tape surrounds the crime scene in Enoch, Utah, where eight members of a family were found from gunshot wounds Law enforcement officials stand near the home. Police said they did not detect any threat to the public The five children attended schools in the Iron County School District in Cedar City, officials said in a letter sent to parents. The letter posted on the school's website said: 'It is with deep regret that we inform you about a tragic loss to our school community. 'This afternoon on Jan 4, eight members of a family residing in Enoch with five students in our schools tragically passing away. 'This loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school district, especially our students.' It added that a Crisis Intervention Team would help students, parents and staff during the difficult time. Iron County School District has eight secondary schools, nine elementary schools and two preschools. The total enrolment is approximately 8,900 students. Enoch is a small town of about 8,000 people located 245 miles (394 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City, The town, off Interstate 15 in rural Utah, just north of the city of Cedar City and about 80 miles (128 kilometers) west of Bryce Canyon National Park, had major flooding in 2021 that caused damage at hundreds of homes. Utah Governor Spencer Cox offered condolences in a tweet on Wednesday night. Cox tweeted: 'Our hearts go out to all those affected by this senseless violence. Please keep the community of Enoch in your prayers.' Enoch Police said in a press release: 'At this time, we do not believe there is a threat to the public or that there are any suspects at large.' They added that an investigation is ongoing and more information will be released at a later time. A child has died and more than 180,000 are without power in California as a 'bomb cyclone' battered the West Coast with heavy rainfall and gusts. The storm knocked over trees and killed a child, aged one or two, as peak wind gusts reached up to 130mph in Central California, with many areas seeing gusts as low as 50mph. Governor Gavin Newsom has already declared a state of emergency as the state faces deadly flashing flood warnings, especially along the coastal areas. Officials in California have also ordered evacuations in high-risk coastal areas and towns such as Montecito, where Harry, Meghan and Oprah live. The wind is so strong a Valero gas station in San Francisco bowed under the weight of it. The overhead structure is now laying on its side as the gas pumps are ripped out of the ground on King Drive and Callan Boulevard The wind knocked over the structure as gusts are reaching up to 85mph The bomb cyclone (pictured) has barreled across the state, bringing heavy rain for up to 30 hours and could potentially cause a loss of life 'If you've still got power, it's a good idea to charge your cellphone, computers, and tablets now while you can,' a National Weather Service meteorologist said. A child, thought to be aged one or two, was killed on Wednesday when a redwood tree fell on a home, according to Accidental Fire Department Chief Ron Lunardi, as reported in CNN. Authorities have not yet released the name of the child. 180,000 homes and businesses were thought to be without power on Thursday morning, according to data from US Power Outage of California. San Francisco fire officials said they rescued a family that had become trapped when a large tree fell on a sedan. They confirmed that the family were not critically injured. California facing life-threatening double whammy of bomb cyclone, Pineapple Express storm. DETAILS: https://t.co/Cc1NE2IRml pic.twitter.com/XHqU85EDog FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) January 4, 2023 The wind is so strong a Valero gas station in San Francisco bowed under the weight of it. The overhead structure is now laying on its side as the gas pumps are ripped out of the ground on King Drive and Callan Boulevard. Wind gusts reached 130mph at Hopper Canyon and Alpine Meadows, as more than 40 million were under wind alerts this morning. The bomb cyclone has yet to hit peak intensity as it barrels along the coast, causing 45-foot waves out at sea; rising water levels in San Francisco, and causing fire crews in Sacramento to have to perform rescues. Los Angeles can expect two to three inches of rain through Sunday, while Big Sur can expect three to five, according to the Weather Channel. San Francisco Fire Department worked hard to remove trees that had fallen on the roads San Francisco fire officials said they rescued a family that had become trapped when a large tree fell on a sedan Fire officials confirmed the safety of the family after they managed to remove the tree Cars sit stuck in a flooded underpass at Webster St. and 34th St. that has been flooded since this weekend's storm in Oakland Officials have also warned people throughout Northern California to stay off the roads. 'We anticipate that this may be one of the most challenging and impactful series of storms to touch down in California in the last five years,' said Nancy Ward, the new director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. The storm, which brought howling winds to Northern California on Wednesday evening, is one of three so-called atmospheric river storms in the last week to reach the drought-stricken state. In Southern California, the storm was expected to peak in intensity overnight, with Santa Barbara and Ventura counties likely to see the most rain, forecasters said. The first evacuations were ordered for those living in areas burned by three recent wildfires in Santa Barbara County, where heavy rain forecast for overnight could cause widespread flooding and unleash debris flows. County officials did not have a firm number for how many people were under evacuation orders, but Susan Klein-Rothschild, a spokesperson in the county's emergency operations center, estimated it was in the hundreds. Drivers barrel into standing water on Interstate 101 in San Francisco, California on January 4, 2023 PG&E utilities workers clear a fallen tree which took down some power lines next to Bella Vista Elementary School in the Bella Vista neighborhood in Oakland, California Sacramento fire crews had to rescue a resident due to heavy flooding in the area Water levels are so high that it's submerging cars and has already killed three people A bridge in Oakland was shut down due to high water levels Among the towns ordered to evacuate was Montecito, where five years ago huge boulders, mud, and debris swept down mountains through the town to the shoreline, killing 23 people and destroying more than 100 homes. The town is home to many celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle. 'What we're talking about here is a lot of water coming off the top of the hills, coming down into the creeks and streams and as it comes down, it gains momentum and that's what the initial danger is,' Montecito Fire Department Chief Kevin Taylor said. Elsewhere, a 45-mile stretch of the coastal Highway 1, which runs through Big Sur, was closed Wednesday evening in anticipation of flooding and rock falls. Further north, a 25-mile stretch of Highway 101 was closed due to several downed trees. Officials asked drivers to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary as the storm was forecasted to drop up to 10 inches of rain on an area where the hills have already been saturated over the past month. By Wednesday evening, nine Northern California counties were under flood watches or advisories. Evacuation orders were in place in Santa Cruz County's Paradise Park along the swiftly moving San Lorenzo River, as well as in areas along the Pajaro River. Residents who fled wildfires in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 2020 were packing their bags as the towns of Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, and Felton were all warned they should be prepared to evacuate. The power storm has caused California to declare a state of emergency and some areas have issued evacuations Almost the entire coast is under a flood watch as some areas are still reeling from the New Year's Eve storm Sonoma County authorities issued an evacuation warning for residents along a stretch of the Russian River. Meanwhile, 8,500 sandbags distributed by officials weren't enough to meet demand as forecasters warned of imminent flooding. Residents are also warned to beware of mudslides due to the heavy rainfall - which could give up to an inch an hour in some areas - the National Weather Service in San Francisco said. The rain is expected to last around 30 hours and it won't stop until late Thursday evening. Three deaths have already been confirmed in Sacramento due to flooding. Sacramento's Sheriff's Office recovered a submerged body from a vehicle on Wednesday. In San Francisco had to rescue a family after a tree had fallen and trapped them. Since California was already hit with a devastating storm on New Year's Eve, which already drenched the state with five inches of rain, according to USA Today. The already saturated ground could cause landslides, and mudslides, and the worst flooding is in low-elevation areas. A former employee of Rudy Giuliani has filed a $3.1 million sexual harassment lawsuit against him claiming he abused her while she endured toxic work conditions. Noelle Dunphy, a writer and business consultant who worked for Giuliani starting in 2019, said the two had a romantic relationship, but alleged that things changed when he began abusing alcohol and demanding sexual favors from her, the Daily Beast reports. In her suit filed on Wednesday in New York Supreme Court, Dunphy wrote: 'Rudolph W. Giuliani, the former US Attorney, once hailed as 'America's Mayor,' is a sexist sexual predator and abuser.' She also claimed that he made racist and bigoted remarks in his office and threatened her to keep quiet by bringing up his ties to former President Donald Trump. Noelle Dunphy (left), a writer and business consultant, accused Rudy Giuliani of sexually harassing her when she worked for him between 2019 and 2021 Dunphy filed a $3.1 million suit against the former New York City Mayor, claiming he also created a toxic work environment and threatened her when she tried to speak out According to the lawsuit, Dunphy, who is representing herself, began working for Giuliani after he retained her for 'business development work and other work' in January 2019. 'It began with Rudy as my boss and lawyer and later turned romantic,' Dunphy told the Daily Beast. She said during that time Giuliani offered his legal advice to help her 'achieve justice' over the abuse she suffered earlier in her life. Instead of legal advice, however, the lawsuit claimed Giuliani would get 'frequently intoxicated while discussing matters of law, and he leveraged his counsel to pressure her for sexual quid-pro-quos during lawyer-client consultations. 'As a result of Giuliani's legal malpractice, [Dunphy] was re-victimized, re-victimized, retraumatized, left without legal redress, and substantially worse off than before Giuliani agreed to represent her in hopes of securing justice against an abuse,' the lawsuit states. 'Instead, Giuliani leveraged the traumatic details of [Dunphy's] prior victimization to fulfill his morally bankrupt sexual compulsions and fetishes.' Giuliani's lawyer, Robert Costello, said his client denied the allegations and said that Dunphy was never an employee of the former New York City mayor. 'These are libelous allegations drafted by an individual with no lawyer because no lawyer would associate themselves with this nonsense,' the lawyer said in a statement. Dunphy claimed she entered a romantic relationship with Giuliani after he hired her in January 2019, with the attorney allegedly offering his services to her Dunphy said rather than providing legal insight for a case of abuse she had suffered, Giuliani made her a victim again by demanding sexual favors in exchange for his aid Along with the sexual harassment claims, Dunphy alleged that Giuliani created a toxic work environment fueled by heavy drinking. 'Despite attempting to cultivate a public image of himself as 'America's Mayor,' Giuliani frequently made racist, bigoted, anti-Semitic, anti-LGBTQ, and misogynistic remarks, often during confused and hostile alcohol-laced tirades, further reinforcing the toxicity of the workplace operating under his direction, adding to the chronic and pervasive violations of applicable New York State and New York City laws prohibiting discrimination in the workplace,' the suit states. The suit also claimed that Giuliani would start drinking alcohol first thing in the morning and kept drinking throughout the day, which was 'affecting his behavior as [Dunphy's] boss and lawyer.' Then in 2021, after she was allegedly subjected to more sexual harassment, Dunphy said Giuliani fired her without reason and failed to pay her for the work she had done. Even though she agreed to 'be an off-the-books, secret employee,' she told the Daily Beast she had hard evidence regarding her allegations of non-payment and a toxic work environment. When she complained, the lawsuit claims that Giuliani threatened her to keep her quiet. 'At these times, Giuliani threatened [Dunphy] with further retaliation if she did not stay silent, stating that his private investigators and political connections to President Trump enabled him to retaliate in other ways, express and implied,' she wrote in the suit. Dunphy also accused Giuliani of creating a toxic work environment, saying he was often drunk and made racist and bigoted remarks in his office Giuliani has denied all the allegations and claimed Dunphy never worked for him Dunphy ultimately claims that the alcohol abuse was spurred by Giuliani's divorce from his third ex-wife Judith, and his mounting political and legal controversies during the final years of the Trump administration. According to her website and LinkedIn, Dunphy is a writer and business development consultant who previously worked for an ABC news station in Rhode Island. She touts her shift into politics by working at events with Trump, Giuliani, the Clintons, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and a slew of other former politicians. Her blog also includes plenty of pictures of her together with Giuliani, posing at events between 2017 and 2020. Amazon will also 'eliminate' 18,000 jobs too though unclear where these will be An employer with a reputation as one of Australia's best workplaces has announced it will slash thousands of jobs as a global tech downturn hits. Salesforce, the runner-up to Cisco in the 2022 Australia's Best Workplaces report, announced on Thursday that 7,000 of its staff - around 10 per cent of all staff - would lose their jobs across its global workforce. That comes after the cloud computing pioneer announced 1,000 job losses in November 2022. Salesforce, an employer with a reputation as one of Australia's best workplaces has announced it will slash thousands of jobs as a global tech downturn hits Billionaire Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, 58, told staff in a letter on Wednesday that he partly blamed himself for the job losses Amazon also announced 18,000 job losses, making it the latest in a string of tech giants to announce layoffs in recent months. High fuel and power costs for consumers and businesses are believed to be partly behind the tech downturn. Spending with online businesses boomed during lockdowns, but has fallen since. Salesforce's Australian workforce, believed to be around 2,770 staff before the first cuts were announced in November, is understood to be affected by the cuts, The Australian reported. The company's chief executive, Marc Benioff, told staff in a letter on Wednesday that he partly blamed himself. 'Ive been thinking a lot about how we came to this moment. As our revenue accelerated through the pandemic, we hired too many people leading into this economic downturn were now facing, and I take responsibility for that,' he wrote. On the same day that the scale of Salesforce's losses became clear, a leak forced Amazon to announce 18,000 jobs would be 'eliminated' Amazon's 18,000 job losses will be a fraction of its global workforce of 1.5 million people Salesforce staff who lose their jobs will fare better than many workers when they get laid off thought. They will receive almost five months of pay, health insurance, career resources and other benefits, the company said. Salesforce also noted it would be closing some of its offices and reducing its floor space, but did not name the affected locations. The company acquired naming rights to the tallest office building in Sydney in 2019, the 263 metre tower at Circular Quay, which was due for completion in February. The company had planned to occupy 24 levels of the building before the layoffs. On the same day that the scale of Salesforce's losses became clear, a leak forced Amazon to announce 18,000 jobs would be 'eliminated'. An Amazon employee released information about the mass job losses before the surplus staff could be contacted, forcing chief executive Andy Jassy to reveal the sackings. The company's plan was originally to inform the unfortunate staff on January 18 after discussions with unions. 'Between the reductions we made in November and the ones were sharing today, we plan to eliminate just over 18,000 roles,' said Mr Jassy in a statement. The job losses are a fraction of Amazon's global workforce of 1.5 million people. Three people and five children were discovered dead inside a residence on Wednesday, according to police in Enoch, Utah. According to a news statement by Enoch authorities, the eight people were discovered during a welfare check at a residence on Albert Drive, and each of them looked to have suffered gunshot wounds, according to Fox News. Following a welfare check in the 4900 block of Albert Drive in Enoch, Utah, police reportedly discovered three adults and five children dead from apparent gunshot wounds in the Utah killings. "Officers examined the house and discovered three adults and five youngsters dead inside the home," the statement said. It added that authorities believe there is no danger to public safety at the moment. Moreover, police said that the investigation is ongoing and that additional details would be released at a later date, per Reuters. Officials from the Enoch Police Department were unavailable for comment, and no other details were provided about the Utah murders. A Community in Agony Rob Dotson, the city manager of Enoch in southern Utah, stated that the news of the Utah killings shocked the community. All of the victims were members of the same family and were well-known there. Dotson remarked in a video released on Wednesday night, many have "served" with the victims "in church, in the community, and school." "This community is suffering anguish," Dotson said, adding that the people have lots of questions regarding the Utah murders. He also noted that many law enforcement organizations are collaborating on the investigation, which might take days. Read Also: New COVID-19 Omicron Subvariant Should Concern Americans: Here's Why Dotson, who became emotional at one point, stated, "We won't know the mindsets, the thoughts, of the persons who suffered this tragedy." They hope that the victims' families, neighbors, and everybody will learn the truth about what happened. Tragedy Leaves Lots of Questions and Concerns For Schools An official letter to parents revealed that all five students were enrolled in the Iron County School District. Per CBS News, the letter stated, "It is with profound sadness that we notify you about a devastating loss to our school community. This afternoon, on Jan. 4, eight members of a family residing in Enoch with five students in our schools tragically passed away." Authorities are expected to release additional information today after last night's grisly discovery of an Enoch family, five of them school-aged children, found apparently shot to death in their home. Here's what we know so far: https://t.co/oPXFE2xeTC KUTV2news (@KUTV2News) January 5, 2023 The letter further indicated that the whole school district and the students will be deeply affected by the Utah murders, which will raise many questions and concerns that need to be addressed. Dotson said it was standard procedure for officers to do welfare checks based on reports to the department when someone wasn't seen for an extended time, such as in this case. Enoch City, with a population of roughly 8,000, lies in southwestern Utah, about 250 miles (400 km) south of Salt Lake City. It is along Interstate 15 in rural Utah, about north of the metropolis of Cedar City and roughly 80 miles west of Bryce Canyon National Park, which suffered catastrophic floods in 2021 that destroyed hundreds of houses. On Twitter late Wednesday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox expressed sympathy for all who had been devastated by the Utah murders. "Please keep the community of Enoch in your prayers," Gov. Cox tweeted. Related Article: NYC Pharma Millionaire Gigi Jordan Who Killed Her 8-Year-Old Son with Autism Was Found Dead in Prison @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Prince Harry has blamed Prince William and Kate for his notorious appearance at a costume party wearing a Nazi uniform in 2005. The Duke of Sussex says in his new memoir - where he is expected to detail resigning from royal duties along with wife Meghan - they both thought it was funny. Harry claims he was considering either the Nazi uniform or a pilot's outfit to a 'Native and Colonial' themed event and called his brother and sister-in-law for their opinion. 'I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said,' Harry wrote, according to Page Six. Prince Harry partially blamed both his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate for his infamous appearance at a costume party wearing a Nazi uniform 'They both howled. Worse than Willy's leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point.' The outfit became a huge scandal when Harry, then 20, was photographed wearing the Nazi regalia. The story made global headlines after an image of Harry in the costume featured on the front page of The Sun newspaper. The Duke of Sussex wore the Nazi uniform at a party thrown by Olympic show jumper Richard Meade. Harry - seen here with William in 2021 - asked his brother and sister-in-law for advice on whether to wear a Nazi uniform or a pilot uniform to the party Harry said William and Kate, seen here in 2020, 'howled' with laughter when Harry asked whether he should wear the Nazi costume The theme of the event - held to mark the birthday of Mr Meade's son Harry - was 'native and colonial'. Harry wore the desert uniform of General Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps. Earlier in the evening he had worn an army-style jacket with a German flag on the arm. Harry had arrived with his elder brother Prince William, who reportedly dressed in a skin-tight black leotard with a leopard skin pattern and a matching leopard skin tail and paws. One guest told the Daily Mail afterwards: 'If this was his idea of a joke then it went down like a lead balloon.' Harry issued a groveling apology shortly after the image was published. He said: 'I am very sorry if I have caused any offence or embarrassment to anyone. It was a poor choice of costume and I apologise.' Addressing the issue in his Netflix series, Harry said that dressing as a Nazi was one of the 'biggest mistakes' of his life. The Duke of Sussex expressed regret for his 2005 gaffe and said all he 'wanted to do was make it right.' He said he met with the chief rabbi and also spoke to a Holocaust survivor as part of efforts to repair the damage done by the gaffe. At the time, the chief rabbi was Jonathan Sacks, who passed away in 2020. Harry, pictured in 2004, issued a grovelling apology shortly after the image was published. He said: 'I am very sorry if I have caused any offence or embarrassment to anyone. It was a poor choice of costume and I apologise' Prince Harry has said in his new Netflix series that dressing as a Nazi was one of the 'biggest mistakes' of his life The Duke of Sussex said: 'It was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. 'I felt so ashamed afterwards. 'All I wanted to do was make it right. I sat down and spoke to the chief rabbi in London, which had a profound impact on me. 'I went to Berlin and spoke to a Holocaust survivor. 'I could have got on and ignored it and made the same mistakes over and over in my life but I learnt from that.' Spare tells Harry's story with 'raw, unflinching honesty', according to Penguin Random House. Publishing sources said arrangements for Harry's 'explosive' memoir's release were ultra-closely guarded and being managed in minute detail, with only a handful of senior executives aware of the exact details. Deliveries to bookshops are being scheduled to be last-minute to avoid unauthorised copies being leaked. Guarded sites across the world have been secured to house copies of the book prior to distribution. One source compared the complex security operation to the 2007 release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. An army of guards, satellite tracking systems and legal contracts were all deployed to protect the first ten million copies of JK Rowlings seventh Harry Potter book. When the finished manuscript was taken by hand from London to New York, a lawyer for the American publisher sat on it during the flight. Two high school students in Omaha, Nebraska, suffered cuts when a fight broke out and a teen pulled out a knife. Shocking video taken by a student at the Harry A. Burke High School captured the fight that erupted in the hallways on Wednesday at around 11:20am. It opens with three boys attacking a single student, punching and stomping on him until a school officer and other adults rush in to separate the teens. The boy who was getting beat gets up and suddenly pulls out a knife, scaring away onlookers. He then lunges at one of his attackers before one of the adults is able to intervene and grab the knife away from him. The adults appear to try and calm the teen down before he goes after one of the students being restrained on the ground. The security officer finally gets a hold of the boy as more adults rush in to get the situation under control and direct the students away from the scene. Two high school students suffered cuts when a fight broke out at the Harry A. Burke High School in Omaha, Nebraska. Video of the brawl shows a group of boys attacking a student in the middle of the hallway before a security officer and adults rush in to help The boy on the ground then gets up and pulls out a knife (center), lunging at one of his attackers as an adult tries to intercept him According to Omaha police, two students suffered minor cuts and injuries in the altercation. In a letter to parents, school principal Darren Rasmussen wrote: 'Staff and security immediately responded to de-escalate the situation. The incident was under control quickly, without the need to place the school in Hold or Secure. 'We continue to work with the families of the students involved, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.' The identity of the students involved in the fight has not been disclosed. Despite Rasmussen's reassurance, parents and students in the district said the fight was not an outlier in the school, nor was it even the only brawl that took place that day. Students are seen running away in fear as the adult wrestles the knife away from the boy The security officer is able to restrain the boy after he went on to assault one of his attackers who was being held down on the floor LeeLynn Tuttle, who graduated from the high school in 2006, said she now regrets sending her daughter to the school following the latest fight. 'You know, it's a little scary as a parent, you know, your kids going to school to be safe and learn things, and then you're getting videos of kids getting cut,' she told KETV. 'Like, I'm scared every day to send my daughter to school and that shouldn't be a problem.' Her daughter, Hailee Osborn, told the local outlet that before the fight in the hallway, 'there was a fight in the gym before that.' Amid the negative publicity for the high school, Rasmussen took to Twitter to post a message that read: 'Don't dwell on the one negative thing that happened at school today when there were hundreds of amazing things that happened as well.' School principal Darren Rasmussen (above) said the students only suffered minor injuries Police are looking to see if Garcia had left the station after getting off the train, as the R train was only a five-minute walk from the station Her family said she hardly took the N train and usually took the R to get home She made plans with her boyfriend to meet at her parent's house, but never showed Garcia was heading home after working a shift at her job in Midtown Manhattan She got off at Queensboro Plaza around 11.15pm with a low phone battery, according to a friend she was with Adamaruis 'Yuri' Garcia, 21, of Queens, was last seen on a Queens-bound N train A New York City woman disappeared on New Year's Eve after being last seen on a subway train bound for the city's borough of Queens. Adamaruis 'Yuri' Garcia, 21, of Queens, was last seen on a Queens-bound N train - a train she doesn't normally take - after getting off from her job at Rue 57, a French restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, around 9pm on December 31. Garcia, who usually takes the R train, had gotten off a northbound N train at Queensboro Plaza - which offers the N, W, and 7 trains - around 11.15pm after hanging out with friends after work. The R train is roughly a five-minute walk away from the station. 'She doesn't usually get off at Queensboro Plaza,' her cousin Tannia Illescas told CBS 2 New York. 'She usually doesn't do any transfers, she just usually takes the R [train].' Adamaruis 'Yuri' Garcia, 21, of Queens, was last seen on a Queens-bound N train - a train she doesn't normally take - after getting off from her job in Midtown Manhattan around 9pm on December 31 She was last seen wearing a tight black dress (pictured) and Nike sneakers. She got off the N train at Queensboro Plaza at 11.15pm. Police are now investigating to see if she left the station. Her family says she usually takes the R train, which was a five minute walk from the station she was last seen at Her family said her phone battery was low when she off the train, but she had last talked to her boyfriend, where they agreed he would meet them at her family home. However, Garcia never showed up the apartment. Another cousin, Jessenia Robles, 20, of Pennsylvania, told NBC News that it was weird for Garcia to go this long without being 'active on social media.' 'Shes never gone for a long period of time without anyone knowing,' the relative told the outlet. 'I dont think she would leave for a long period of time, four days not contacting anyone, especially her boyfriend.' Robles, among several other family members, traveled from Pennsylvania to help their New York City family members distribute photos of Garcia near the subway station she went missing on Wednesday. Police are attempting to determine if Garcia had left the station on New Year's Eve. The night she went missing, she was wearing a skintight black, long-sleeved dress and Nike high-top sneakers. She was on the N train with a friend when she got off and reportedly last spoke with her boyfriend, who make plans to meet her at her parent's apartment, where she never showed up She was working at Rue 57 (pictured) in Midtown Manhattan before her disappearance The 115-pound girl was officially reported missing on Monday and police currently do not have an update on her whereabouts. Her mother, Amanda Robles, is desperate for answers, telling Telemundo 47: 'My daughter, I love her and miss her a lot. She needs to be here with us. 'Investigators say there are going to go there to find out what happened through cameras - to check if she got off the train or took another train or what happened.' 'It's very, very sad to start the year with this news,' her uncle Carlos Robles, of Pennsylvania, said. Two people have been charged with manslaughter after a young boy was killed when he was allegedly left in the wreck of a crashed four-wheel drive that was then struck by a semi-trailer on a country road. Riley Wells, 6, died from head injuries in the January, 6, 2022 crash on the Carnarvon Highway near the town of Injune about 500km west of Brisbane. Investigators allege the boy wasn't removed from a Toyota LandCruiser that left the road and repeatedly rolled over, despite two adults - Jesse Dennis, 34, and Anne Harrison, 19 - managing to free themselves from the vehicle. The four-wheel drive ended up overturned in the northbound lane about 2am before a passing truck collided with it. The boy died at the scene. Riley Wells (pictured right) from Roma was left in the rolled-over car. He is pictured here with his parents Ian Wells and Shanowahh Dennis who were not involved in the crash The RACQ Lifelight helicopter attended the scene near Injune in January 2022 (pictured) After a year-long investigation, police on Wednesday charged the vehicle's driver Mr Dennis and passenger Ms Harrison. The man has also been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, while both were charged with taking a protected animal. The three were allegedly returning from a kangaroo-shooting trip in the rural area when the crash happened. Both were granted police bail and will appear in Roma Magistrates Court on January 17. Ms Harrison, whose puppy was also killed in the impact, shared online a month after the crash that Riley's smile 'would lighten everyone's day'. Family friend Lynette Goodworth said: 'I knew how hard it would hit his family. Riley was a really lovely kid.' 'He loved his brothers, he loved pigging (pig hunting) with his dad, fishing and shooting. He was a real country kid and loved all the stuff that kids do out here in Roma,' she said. Furious commuters have lashed out at striking railway workers on a picket line as walkout misery continued today. Some were heard shouting 'shame on you' at Victoria station in central London, while others slammed 'selfish' rail unions as walkouts crippled the entire network with just 20 per cent of trains running. Services have been hobbled by the walkout by members of Aslef at 15 rail companies in a long-running dispute over pay, with some areas having no trains all day - on what has been dubbed 'Tragic Thursday'. This afternoon the Government has announced it will be introducing new 'anti-strike' laws that ensure minimum safety levels during industrial action for services including fire, ambulance and rail. Services have been hobbled by the walkout by members of Aslef at 15 rail companies in a long-running dispute over pay, with some areas having no trains all day The action follows a 48-hour strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union which led to widespread disruption across the country on Tuesday and Wednesday The latest wave of industrial action comes as reports suggest the Prime Minister could announce legislation to enforce minimum service levels during strikes as soon as Thursday Government unveils 'anti-strike' laws to ensure minimum safety levels for some services including fire and rail The Government is to introduce new 'anti-strike' laws in the next few weeks, it announced today. These laws will ensure minimum safety levels during industrial action for services including fire, ambulance and rail. Business Secretary Grant Shapps said that 'industrial action is disruptive for everyone' and the government has a responsibility to 'protect life and livelihoods'. He said it was necessary to introduce minimum safety levels - the minimum levels of service we expect to be provided - in order to 'restore the balance between those seeking to strike and protecting the public from disproportionate disruption'. The new measures will see the UK align with countries such as France and Spain that already have minimum service agreements in place. Advertisement Among the operators which will run no trains all day on Thursday are Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Northern, Southern, Southeastern, Thameslink and TransPennine Express. Rail links to the UK's two busiest airports will be cut, with Gatwick Express and Heathrow Express shutting down. The RMT is staging another 48-hour strike from Friday in its bitter dispute over jobs, pay and conditions. Areas where trains will run on Thursday include: Wales; the Central Belt, Fife and the Borders of Scotland; and parts of the South Western Railway network. Services will also operate on London Overground and the Elizabeth line. Only around 20 per cent of normal services will run, according to the Rail Delivery Group. Support for the industrial action appears to be waning, with one person asked at Birmingham New Street station what he thought of the strikes. Andy Peet, a retired charity adminstrator, said: 'I don't think they should be striking. 'I don't agree with them. 'I think the country is in enough trouble as it is without people striking on the railways.' The action follows a 48-hour strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union which led to widespread disruption across the country on Tuesday and Wednesday. The latest wave of industrial action comes as reports suggest the Prime Minister could announce legislation to enforce minimum service levels during strikes as soon as Thursday. An ASLEF union picket line outside Victoria Station which is closed to the public this morning Passengers stand outside the locked gates at the entrance to Southfields underground station in south London waiting for the first train of the day as transport services are impacted during a national rail strike by train drivers from the Aslef union Travellers speak to station staff outside Victoria Station which is closed to the public this morning Heavy traffic on the A40 at Perivale in west London on the third of four days of rail strike action this week The Times newspaper reported that Rishi Sunak is considering measures which could allow employers to sue trade unions and sack workers. The new law would reportedly apply to six sectors, including the health service, rail, education, fire, border security and nuclear. However, a significant pay rise for public sector workers is also reportedly under consideration as a means of ending the strikes, according to the paper. The RMT is staging another 48-hour strike from Friday in its bitter dispute over jobs, pay and conditions. Striking railway workers on a picket line outside Euston station Euston station was remarkably empty as a walkout was underway Smiling Aslef members on official picket outside the station Passengers at Reading Station on the second day of the new Year rail strikes yesterday Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said it is 'inevitable' that further strikes will be held unless there is a breakthrough to the long running row. Aslef General Secretary Mick Whelan says more strikes are coming unless he and members get their way and a pay rise Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said it was 'inevitable' that further strikes will be held unless the deadlock is broken. He warned that strikes could escalate, saying train drivers wanted to go 'harder and faster' after years of not receiving a pay rise. Mr Whelan said he felt rail employers and the Government were 'playing games' rather than making any serious attempt to resolve the pay dispute. 'The situation is getting worse and my members now want to go harder and faster because of the lack of progress. Thousands of Aslef members working for 15 train operators will walk out, leaving large parts of the country with no trains all day. The last trains leave London this evening, before a mass strike culls 90 per cent of services 'We are in a weird world where the Government will do anything to keep private companies in the industry. 'It is inevitable that more strikes will be held and probably escalate. 'The train companies say their hands have been tied by the Government. While the Government - which does not employ us - says it's up to the companies to negotiate with us. 'We are always happy to negotiate - we never refuse to sit down at the table and talk - but these companies have offered us nothing, and that is unacceptable.' 21,000 Aslef workers will walk out in a mass strike on what has been dubbed 'Tragic Thursday' - with less than ten per cent of train services running RMT boss Mick Lynch (centre) has accused ministers of 'undermining efforts to get a settlement' and added that an agreement was 'torpedoed' last month. The Prime Minister was asked on Wednesday about the wave of strikes sweeping across the country, replying that his Government's door was always open for dialogue. He said: 'We're very keen on dialogue. The Government's door is always open.' 'You'll hear more from the Government in the coming days about our approach,' Mr Sunak said, adding: 'My view is people should always behave reasonably and fairly and make sure that what we're doing is centred around what is responsible for the country, what's affordable for the country. 'I think that's the right dialogue to be having, and I hope we can have that dialogue.' He said 'people should have the right to strike', adding 'that has to be balanced with the right of the British public to go about their lives without suffering completely undue disruption in the way we've seen recently'. Mr Sunak added: 'And that's why I have said we will introduce new legislation that restores that balance and crucially protects people's lives as well as their livelihoods.' The companies affected by the Aslef strike are Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; CrossCountry; East Midlands Railway; Great Western Railway; Greater Anglia; GTR Great Northern Thameslink; London North Eastern Railway; Northern Trains; Southeastern; Southern/Gatwick Express; South Western Railway (depot drivers only); SWR Island Line; TransPennine Express; and West Midlands Trains. New TUC leader Paul Nowak has written to the Prime Minister calling for an urgent meeting to discuss the industrial disputes including those on the railways, in the NHS and the civil service and called for a change in Government direction, saying ministers should open pay negotiations with unions. In the letter, Mr Nowak said public services were in crisis after years of 'underfunding and understaffing'. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has warned that industrial action will need to continue beyond May unless a reasonable offer is made to the union. Talks are due to be held next week in another attempt to find a settlement. On Wednesday, the DVSA driving examiners' strike started in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West, while traffic officer service workers at National Highways and Rural Payments Agency staff continued their walkouts. London bus workers at Abellio began a two-day strike on Wednesday, the first in a series of action planned by the group throughout January. Payne Haas shared a cryptic message on Instagram following news his mother is under welfare checks in prison following a car crash that killed three. The Brisbane broncos NRL star posted a video of US rapper Future giving a 'motivational' speech declaring 'ain't nobody going to stop me.' His mum Uiatu 'Joan' Taufua, 46, was jailed in the Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre on Wednesday after receiving three charges of manslaughter for allegedly causing a fatal crash west of the Gold Coast last Friday. Police allege Taufua was driving dangerously at a high speed when her black Mercedes veered onto the opposite lane near Bonogin, hitting a silver Mercedes. She was also charged her for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, unlicensed driving and evading police. Retired doctor Chris Fawcett, 79, his partner Susan Zimmer, 70, and her daughter Steffanie, 35, were all killed in the crash. Broncos star Payne Haas (left) has not attended training since the accident and remained off social media until Thursday On Thursday Haas shared a cryptic Instagram video of US rapper Future (above) saying 'I'm trying to get where I'm going' Broncos star Payne Haas's mother Uiatu 'Joan' Taufua (pictured left in 2019 and right on Tuesday) is being subject to welfare checks in jail after allegedly causing a car crash that killed three Taufua was on parole at the time of the crash for violently assaulting two Star Casino bouncers in September. The mother pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine months in jail but was granted parole after serving a month behind bars. Her alleged involvement in the crash was deemed to be a breach of her parole prompting police send her back behind bars. Meanwhile, Haas has not attended Broncos training since the crash but broke his social media silence on Thursday. The NRL player shared a video of US rapper Future giving a 'motivational' speech. 'I'm trying to get to where I'm going and ain't nobody going to stop me,' Future said in the clip, shared to Haas' Instagram story. 'The talking, the captions, the memes, it can't stop me because it's a vision I have and goals I have set out for myself that I gotta get no matter what.' Police allege Taufua was driving dangerously at a high speed when her car veered into the opposite lane near Bonogin, hitting a silver Mercedes (pictured, the aftermath of the crash) Retired doctor Chris Fawcett, 79, (above) was killed during the car crash in Bonogin on Friday Susan Zimmer, 70, and her daughter Steffanie, 35, (together above) were killed after Taufua allegedly collided with their silver Mercedes Taufua was hospitalised following the crash with extensive external injuries and a bruised rib. Footage captured on Tuesday showed her limping from the back of a police van into custody at a Gold Coast watch house while wearing her hospital bracelet, a cast and compression socks. She is now reportedly being treated as a 'medium risk' inmate and is subject to hourly check-ins. 'The psychologist who interviewed her would have made that assessment and 60 minutes are only deemed as medium risk,' an officer at the facility told Courier Mail. It is understood Taufua still has access to her belongings and has remained in a normal cell. Onlookers cheered and applauded the group once the shark safely swam away A group of young fishermen have been applauded for their bravery after a teenager reeled a shark at a popular beach. Witnesses filmed as the four teens struggled to drag the monster predator back out to the ocean on Quinns Beach, north Perth, as the sun began to set on Wednesday. The boys grabbed a hold of the shark's back fin as waves pushed the animal towards the shore. Footage of the incident shows the distressed creature opening and closing its mouth as the beachgoers work frantically to save it. Four teenagers were applauded for rescuing a shark they accidentally reeled into a popular beach (pictured, the group pulling the shark into the water) Eventually, they managed to get the shark into deep enough water for it to swim away. A crowd on onlookers can be heard cheering as the animal returns to the water. A similar incident was also recorded near Quinns Beach in 2019 when a shark was washed ashore. Rottnest Island's The Basin beach and Fremantle's Port Beach were also closed on Wednesday after a shark was spotted near their shorelines. Prince Harry sensationally claims in his 'explosive' memoir that his father King Charles told his mother Princess Diana on the day that he was born: 'Wonderful! Now you've given me an heir and a spare - my work is done.' The extraordinary claim is reportedly made in the Duke of Sussex's upcoming autobiography, Spare, which is expected to be published next week and has been leaked to The Guardian. The newspaper reports that King Charles's son was elaborating on the story behind the book's title when he recounted what the then-Prince of Wales said to Diana on the day of his birth. Harry's extraordinary book claims come after he risked deepening the feud within the Royal Family by accusing The Firm of 'leaking and planting' stories in the media, while claiming he wants his father and brother back, in trailers for interviews to promote his memoir. Diana and Charles leaving St Mary's Hospital with newborn Harry in 1984 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort observe the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is transferred from the gun carriage to the hearse at Wellington Arch following the State Funeral It also comes after the Duke reportedly claimed he was physically attacked by his brother over the younger prince's marriage to Meghan Markle. In a leaked extract of his highly anticipated book to The Guardian, Harry alleged the confrontation took place at his London home in 2019 and had left him with a visible injury to his back after the Prince of Wales grabbed his brother by the collar and ripped his necklace before knocking him to the floor. The front cover of Harry's upcoming memoir, Spare, which will be published next week Harry further claimed William had called the American actress 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive' - comments which the younger brother said parroted 'the press narrative' about his wife. According to The Guardian, the 'extraordinary scene' is 'one of many in Spare' which is due to be published on January 10. The newspaper said it was able to obtain a copy of the book despite 'stringent pre-launch security around the book'. Its article goes on to say that, according to Harry, his elder brother had wanted to discuss 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship and struggles with the press. But when William arrived at Nottingham Cottage - where Harry was then living - in the grounds of Kensington Palace, the Prince of Wales was already 'piping hot'. 'After William complained about Meghan, Harry writes, Harry told him he was repeating the press narrative and that he expected better,' The Guardian reports. 'But William, Harry says, was not being rational, leading to the two men shouting over each other. 'Harry then accused his brother of acting like an heir, unable to understand why his younger brother was not content to be a spare.' The brothers, according to Harry, had met to discuss 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship and struggles with the press when a screaming match ensued (Pictured: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry leave the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service held at St Paul's Cathedral on December 14, 2017) Prince Harry's book is expected to double down on his attacks on the Royal Family. Pictured: Prince Harry on CBS News Harry claims William and Kate TOLD him to wear Nazi uniform - and is angry they escaped blame Prince Harry partially blamed both his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton for his infamous appearance at a costume party wearing a Nazi uniform Advertisement Insults were then exchanged between the two men, before William claimed he was trying to help, claims which Harry found incredulous, and informed his brother of such, angering William. So much so, Harry writes, the Prince of Wales swore and stepped forwards, scaring him. He writes: '(William) called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.' Harry writes that William urged him to hit back but he refused. Shortly afterwards though, the elder brother apologised. William had then told his brother not to tell Meghan about the confrontation, resulting in Harry saying: 'You mean that you attacked me?', to which William responded: 'I didn't attack you, Harold.' Harry said he did not immediately tell his wife but she had noticed 'scrapes and bruises' on his back. The duke's extraordinary book claims come after the release of a teaser trailer from an ITV interview in which Harry said he wants his father and brother back. The interview, due to be released on Sunday, will be broadcast two days before Spare is published around the world. In a series of clips from the duke's ITV conversation, Harry tells presenter Tom Bradby: 'It never needed to be this way', and refers to 'the leaking and the planting' before adding: 'I want a family, not an institution.' He also says 'they feel as though it is better to keep us somehow as the villains' and 'have shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile', although it is unclear who he is referring to. In an extraordinary excerpt from his upcoming autobiography Spare, Harry recalls what he describes as a physical attack by his sibling, now the Prince of Wales, which he claims left him with visible injuries Filmed in California where the duke now lives, ITV said Harry: The Interview will go into 'unprecedented depth and detail' about his life in and outside the royal family. Mr Bradby, a former royal correspondent and current presenter of ITV News at Ten, is a friend of the Sussexes and previously interviewed them for a documentary about their 2019 Africa tour. But in a separate interview with CBS News, set to air the same day, Harry also criticises Buckingham Palace over an alleged failure to defend him and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, before they stepped down as senior royals. The duke also reveals to the US broadcaster that he would not return to the institution as a full-time royal. Both CBS and ITV have released snippets of the duke's conversations ahead of the full interviews being televised. Speaking with CBS's Anderson Cooper, Harry talks of the 'betrayal' by Buckingham Palace, telling the 60 Minutes programme: 'Every single time I've tried to do it privately, there have been briefings and leakings and planting of stories against me and my wife. 'The family motto is 'never complain, never explain', but it's just a motto. 'They (Buckingham Palace) will feed or have a conversation with a correspondent, and that correspondent will literally be spoon-fed information and write the story, and at the bottom of it, they will say they have reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. 'But the whole story is Buckingham Palace commenting. 'So when we're being told for the last six years, 'we can't put a statement out to protect you', but you do it for other members of the family, there becomes a point when silence is betrayal.' It comes after the duke claimed in his Netflix documentary that William broke a promise to him never to leak stories or brief against one another after witnessing the fallout of such actions in their father's office. Australian influencers have been put on notice by the Australian Taxation Office as a crackdown on undeclared luxury gifts gets under way. The ATO said it will use a sophisticated set of 'data matching' technologies to weed-out influencers who are failing to report sponsorships as part of their income which can include handouts and holidays. A spokesman warned the technology will be used to see if Insta-famous celebrities are owning up to their 'millionaire' lifestyles. 'If you are paid in-kind, such as with goods or other benefits - for example, being able to keep an item or outfit used in a post or being gifted something - you are subject to the same income tax and GST treatment as normal cash or credit payments,' the ATO told the Daily Telegraph. The Australian Taxation Office announced a new crackdown on luxury lifestyle influencer (pictured, Sydney-based influencer and jewellery designer Emma Pillemer) Hundreds of Australia-based influencers share content with 'gifted' hashtags for posts they are paid for through gifted goods (pictured, left Jono Castano, right Chantelle Stanton) All income generated by influencers - even those who use their platform as a hobby, not a business - is subject to tax under Australian law. 'Gifts' given by companies instead of cash in exchange for advertisements are also considered income. However, gifts given by companies without the expectation of services - for example, PR packages - aren't considered income. Australian law requires creators on social media to claim when a post is sponsored, but glitzy events and luxurious gifts are often put in a 'grey area'. Hundreds of influencers around Australia - including big names Jade Tuncdoruk, Olivia Molly Rogers, Bec Judd, Jono Castano, Rozalia Russian, Chantelle Stanton, Lisa Danielle Smith and Lucas White Smith - share sponsored posts with 'gifted' hashtags. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any of the influencers named or pictured are not declaring gifts to the ATO or are otherwise evading tax. Sydney-based actor and influencer Suzan Mutesi (above) said it will be difficult for influencers to gauge the value of gifts they receive from companies The Australia Taxation Office said it will be cracking down on influencers who don't claim non-cash payments as income after sharing posts with the hashtag 'gifted' A high-profile accounting executive said the upcoming 'game-changing' policies will have many influencers rethinking whether 'gifts' are worth the extra tax. 'It is well and good to walk around with a $5,000 handbag but if you can't afford the tax, what is the point? It is a game-changer that will have influencers rethinking the situation,' they said. A celebrity agent agreed, adding 'the gravy train is over for influencers' who can't afford to pay cash for expensive presents. 'A crackdown will take a much-needed weed whacker to the infestations of wannabe Kardashians of late,' the agent said. However, Sydney-based actor and influencer Suzan Mutesi said it could be difficult for some influencers to determine the value of their gifts. She said many non-cash payments given to influencers can be sample designs that were never intended to be sold, goods made specifically for them or invitations to exclusive holidays and events. The race to overthrow Vladimir Putin and take the Kremlin crown is underway, says Russian war analyst and former loyalist Igor Strelkov. The former FSB colonel said the fight for the 'political Olympus' has already begun amongst those surrounding the Russian president. Strelkov - who was key to Putin's annexation of Crimea in 2014 - is now a staunch critic of the Kremlin's war strategy in Ukraine. An immediate mass mobilisation of half a million more men is the only way for the Russian president to avoid defeat and humiliation in the war in Ukraine, he claims. Igor Strelkov said the fight for the 'political Olympus' has already begun amongst those surrounding the Russian president, pictured yesterday The fight at the top of the Kremlin focuses on Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner private army. Pictured: Putin and Prigozhin He claimed that Putin crony Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner private army, is already going head to head with allies of the weakening defence minister Sergei Shoigu. Others believe security allies of ex-FSB head Nikolai Patrushev - secretary of the powerful security council - are more likely to pull the trigger on Putin in a bid to save the elite ruling circle if the war continues to go wrong. Some claim the security bloc is lining up his son agriculture minister Dmitry Patrushev as the frontman for a coup replacing Putin if he is forced out by war setbacks or ill health. Strelkov sees Prigozhin, once Putin's 'chef' in charge of Kremlin banquets, as aiming to be a major political force in his own right and there is evidence he is now securing prominent coverage in the state media. There has been speculation he wants to become defence minister - or even president. An immediate mass mobilisation of half a million more men is the only way for Putin to avoid defeat, Strelkov said. Pictured: Putin (right) and Sergey Kiriyenko (left), his first deputy chief of staff 'The grouping of Yevgeny Prigozhin stands against groupings which includes Sergei Shoigu,' said Strelkov the former defence minister of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic. 'They have already started the fight. They are not fighting over the number of shells 'Now we are speaking about what comes after Putin. Will it happen in one year or two? We don't know. 'But factually the fight for the political Olympus has begun between the groupings that surround Putin to the extent that even we can notice it.' He added that Prigozhin wants to become a 'political actor' and 'is clearly pumping up his authority, including in public'. Strelkov warned: 'His latest appearances in the media clearly showed that now he positions himself not just like a war commander, but as a public and a political figure 'Prigozhin stands against the grouping which Shoigu either heads or belongs to. They have already started to fight. It was like a "feudal" battle. The military crisis led to a power crisis,' he said. 'In turn the power crisis will deepen the military crisis. And it'll keep going down the spiral, unless urgent measures I mentioned earlier are taken.' Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu delivers a speech during an annual meeting of the Defence Ministry Board in Moscow last month Putin at a meeting with Shoigulast year Predicting another wave of mobilisation, he added: 'They will be forced to have it - a second and then perhaps a third wave. To win in Ukraine we would need about half a million more soldiers.' Telegram channel General SVR claimed Putin has approved plans to call up two million for mobilisation this year, with some going to the front as cannon fodder, and others working in military-linked industries. The first to be called will be men in debt to their ex-wives over alimony payments, it claimed. Such a move for mass mobilisation could come next month. Strelkov has key support among army and secret services commanders below the top level. He has so far avoided arrest despite biting criticisms of Putin and his leading henchmen. Strelkov, 52, a staunchly pro-war blogger, was among three convicted by a Dutch court last year for the downing of a Malaysian Airlines passenger jet in which all 298 on board were killed in 2014. Despite this, he remains a key voice inside Russia on the conduct of the war. Google isn't getting off the hook anytime soon. The California-based search giant recently had its request of blocking an antitrust ruling in India denied by an Indian Tribunal following the country's decision to fine the company for anti-competitive practices. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) previously ruled against Google in October 2022 to the tune of a $161 million fine after years of investigation. Google's Denied Antitrust Request Denial A tribunal consisting of two-panel members of India's National Company Law Appellate Tribunal denied Google's request to block the ruling of the country's competition watchdog due to its "voluminous nature" as of the hearing's date. According to a Reuters report, Google's counsel, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, pushed to put the CCI's ruling on hold or at least extend its implementation date beyond Jan. 19, as it will force Google to change its business model and harm consumer interest. Google also told the Tribunal through a legal filing in January that the CCI's investigation unit copied parts of a European ruling against it from a similar verdict about its abuse of market dominance of its Android OS, per CNBC. The company mentioned that the CCI's decision had more than 50 instances of copypasting, which was sometimes done word-for-word, per Tech Crunch. Read More: Ysbryd Games Announces That World of Horror Will Exit Early Access in Summer 2023 The search giant also argued in its filing that the CCI's investigative unit deployed evidence from Europe that was not examined in India, and as such, the Commission failed to conduct an "impartial, balanced, and legally sound investigation" to determine whether Google had abused its dominance in certain markets. The CCI has yet to address Google's allegations as of the writing of this article. Google appealed the CCI's ruling in late December 2022, during the holiday season. Meanwhile, the Commission held its investigation to learn if Google abused its dominance in five different markets: licensable OS for smartphones, app store, web search services, non-OS specific mobile web browsers, and online video hosting platforms in India. A Setback Of Major Proportions A Google spokesperson previously said that Google decided to appeal the CCI's ruling to avoid a major setback for its Indian users and businesses who trust Android's security features. The CCI's ruling could also raise the cost of Android mobile devices in India, making them less accessible in the process. Indeed, the appeal's denial is a major setback for Google's business in the country, which is widely considered the second most populated country after China. Google also amassed more than 500 million users in the country, which makes it a key overseas market the company is reluctant to lose. You may remember that Google previously pledged to invest an additional $10 billion between 2020 and 2027 to help accelerate the adoption of digital services in the country. This claim is further evidenced by App Annie's report finding that the country is Google Play Store's top customer in terms of the number of app downloads, beating its home country and Brazil for the title. Related Article: Google Voice To Warn Users of Potential Spam Calls Soon Rishi Sunak's promised anti-strike laws to curb the power of militant union barons could be unveiled as early as today. The long-awaited legislation is expected to include 'minimum service' levels in key sectors - such as rail, education, fire and border security. Employers could be able to sue unions and sack staff if these basic functions are not maintained. The measures should be brought before Parliament by the end of the month, although they are unlikely to be in place for the current wave of industrial action. The government faces a battle in the House of Lords, with Labour branding the move an 'attack on the right to strike' and unions threatening to ask the courts to step in. Rishi Sunak confirmed that the anti-strike laws are imminent in a speech yesterday Train drivers have walked out today, bringing the rail network to a standstill yet again Aslef chief Mick Whelan condemned the proposed laws in interviews this morning Industry figures obtained by the Daily Mail show the average driver's salary has surged by more than a third 34 per cent since 2012 (Pictured: RMT boss Mick Lynch on the picket line on Tuesday) A government source told the Times: 'This legislation will remove the legal immunity for strikes where unions fail to implement a minimum level of service. The strikes will be illegal. Ultimately people could be fired for breach of contract.' Train drivers have walked out today, bringing the rail network to a standstill yet again. In his first major speech as PM yesterday, Mr Sunak said 'people should have the right to strike'. But he added: 'That has to be balanced with the right of the British public to go about their lives without suffering completely undue disruption in the way we've seen recently. 'And that's why I have said we will introduce new legislation that restores that balance and crucially protects people's lives as well as their livelihoods.' Union barons have vowed to 'fight' the Government over anti-strike laws and any new legislation could take months to come into force fully. Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Labour would not support the move. 'The NHS relies on the goodwill of doctors and nurses and other people who work in our health service,' she said. 'If you say that people can't take industrial action, to say that we're going from clapping our nurses to sacking them for taking industrial action which is what the Government is now threatening the idea that that's going to produce outcomes and reduce delays for patients, that's just for the birds. 'And that's why Labour would oppose it if the Government go down that route.' In his first major speech since taking the job, Mr Sunak said 'people should have the right to strike' but ministers are pushing forward proposals to guarantee a minimum service Mr Sunak also appeared to hint that nurses could be offered more in pay to resolve the bitter dispute with the Royal College of Nursing. The union has demanded pay increases of 19 per cent, but were given about 4 per cent for this year (2022-23). The PM said: 'As I've said on pay, those conversations need to be based on what's affordable. 'I think a 19 per cent pay rise is not affordable - I don't think anyone thinks a 19 per cent pay rise is affordable. 'But that doesn't mean we shouldn't have dialogue, shouldn't have conversations.' A pay review process which also decides pay increases for 2023-24 could also be brought forward to smooth tensions. Addressing the process for deciding pay increases for next year, he said: 'We'll be setting out more of plans in this regard in the coming days.' Two people have been rushed to hospital following a stabbing in a street attack in North London on Wednesday night. A man in his 20s and a woman, 18, are being treated for non life-threatening stab wounds following an attack in Nightingale Lane, Hornsey. Police were called to the scene just before 6.30pm along with air ambulance crews and paramedics from the capital's ambulance service. The Metropolitan Police has launched inquiries into the stabbing, and no arrests have been made yet. Police were called to the scene Nightingale Lane, Hornsey just before 6.30pm along with air ambulance crews A cordon was put in place as forensic teams began working at the scene, as residents reported seeing a large police presence in the area A cordon was put in place as forensic teams began working at the scene, as residents reported seeing a large police presence in the area. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told MailOnline: 'Police were called at 18:27hrs on Wednesday, 4 January to reports of a stabbing in Nightingale Lane, Hornsey. 'Officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance. The Metropolitan Police has launched inquiries into the stabbing, and no arrests have been made yet 'Two people, an 18-year-old woman and a man aged in his 20s, were found with stab injuries and taken to hospital. Their conditions were assessed as not life-threatening. 'Enquiries are ongoing to establish what happened. No arrests have been made.' A London Ambulance Service spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We were called yesterday (4 January) at 6.24pm to reports of an incident on Nightingale Lane, Hornsey. 'We sent a number of resources to the scene, including an incident response officer, two ambulance crews, and a medic in a fast response car. We also dispatched London's Air Ambulance. 'We treated two people at the scene. We took one of them to hospital and one to a major trauma centre as a priority.' Anyone with information that could help with the investigation is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 5579/04Jan. Anonymous reports can be made to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Chris Heaton-Harris was forced to apologise today after hackers accessed his Twitter account and posted a series of offensive messages. In the latest ministerial cyber-security breach, the Northern Ireland Secretary's feed was breached overnight. The tweets included a racial slur and a threat to jail gay and transgender people before they were deleted. It came after his Cabinet colleague Gillian Keegan was targeted over the festive period. And Liz Truss's phone was hacked by criminals believed to be working for Russia when she was foreign secretary last year. Only this week ministers and large numbers of civil servants were warned they are vulnerable to hackers after personal data was left online. In the latest ministerial cyber-security breach, the Northern Ireland Secretary's feed was breached overnight. Some of the tweets included swearing and one a racial slur. Eventually, the Northern Ireland Secretary appeared to get hold of his account, as the posts were deleted and he apologised in a new tweet. It came after his Cabinet colleague Gillian Keegan was targeted over the festive period. The Northern Ireland Secretary deleted the tweets and wrote on his account: 'My Twitter account was hacked this morning, messages not posted by me have been deleted.' However, the tweet disappeared shortly afterwards and his account posted a string of further tweets, which suggested security had once again been compromised. In one, the account said: 'We are passing a new law soon, all transgenders and homosexuals will now serve 10 years behind bars.' The tweet was posted twice as whoever appeared to hack into Mr Heaton-Harris's account spelt 'serve' as 'server' the first time. Eventually, the Northern Ireland Secretary appeared to get hold of his account, as the posts were deleted and he apologised in a new tweet. He said: 'I'm afraid my Twitter account was hacked overnight and someone posted some deeply unpleasant stuff on my account for which I can only apologise.' Experts have voiced alarm that ministers could be easily tricked into revealing sensitive information using a database of contact details. Names, job titles and email addresses of 45,000 civil servants were available on the Government Communication Service (GCS) website. The contacts were taken down in March 2020 due to work on the site, but a message insists they will return soon, according to The Times. In 3,000 cases mobile phone numbers were included, while others featured Twitter and LinkedIn profiles. Liz Truss's personal phone - including private messages she exchanged with Kwasi Kwarteng - was hacked by agents suspected of working for Russian President Vladimir Putin A source with knowledge of the incident said that the security breach caused absolute pandemonium Boris was told immediately, and it was agreed with the Cabinet Secretary that there should be a total news blackout Mr Heaton-Harris's account being exposed comes just over a week after Education Secretary Gillian Keegan's account fell victim to hackers who used it to promote crypto currency and post images of Twitter owner Elon Musk. Last year, Liz Truss's personal mobile phone was hacked by agents suspected of working for the Kremlin. The cyber-spies are believed to have gained access to top-secret exchanges with key international partners as well as private conversations with her leading political ally, Kwasi Kwarteng when the brief Pm was foreign secretary. One source said that the phone was so heavily compromised last summer that it was placed in a locked safe inside a secure Government location. The hack was discovered during the summers Tory leadership campaign but the details were suppressed by Boris Johnson, who was Prime Minister at the time, and the Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case. It is understood that messages which fell into foreign hands included criticisms Ms Truss and her future Chancellor Mr Kwarteng made of Mr Johnson, leading to the potential risk of blackmail. Sources said that up to a years worth of messages were downloaded. They are also believed to have included highly sensitive discussions with senior international foreign ministers about the war in Ukraine, including detailed discussions about arms shipments. The now-fraught relationship between Princes William and Harry has echoes stretching back more than 100 years. The Duke of Sussex claims in his upcoming book that his brother attacked him after branding his wife Meghan Markle 'difficult'. But the pair are not the first royal siblings to spectacularly fall out. The future Kings Edward VIII and George VI quarrelled growing up, with their tutor telling in 1907 how the presence of one in the school room acted as a 'red rag' to the other. And whilst the pair got on better in adulthood, Edward's decision to abdicate in 1936 so he could marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson was seen as a 'personal betrayal' by George, royal author Alexander Larman told MailOnline. The pair met on only a few occasions after the abdication, before their relationship broke down irretrievably after a 'furious' in-person row in 1949 over King George's refusal to grant Wallis the title of Her Royal Highness. The future Kings Edward VIII and George VI quarreled growing up, with their tutor telling in 1907 how the presence of one in the school room acted as a 'red rag' to the other. Above: Edward (left) and Prince Albert - known as George as King - are seen together as teenagers Whilst the pair got on better in adulthood, Edward's decision to abdicate in 1936 so he could marry American divorcee Wallis was seen as a 'personal betrayal' by George. The future George VI, then Prince Albert, the Duke of York, is seen with his brother King Edward VIII at their father's funeral in January 1936 The pair spent a lot of time together in early childhood, but, like with Prince William and Harry, it was said to be 'clearly understood' that Prince Edward was the heir to the throne. Edward is said to have acted as a 'head nurse' to his other siblings, including George, who was known at the time by his first name, Prince Albert. Writing years later, the Duke of Windsor said he could 'always manage' his brother. In January 1907, the boys' tutor, Peter Hansell, said he was finding it difficult to keep peace in the schoolroom. He reported: 'It is extraordinary how the presence of one acts as a sort of "red rag" to the other'. However, due to the fact that George was lacking in confidence and had a stammer, he did later look up to his elder brother, who he saw as a 'mentor' figure. But further tensions began to emerge when, after becoming King following the death of his father George V, Edward did not hide his relationship with Wallis, who is believed to have become his mistress in 1934. Edward VIII abdicated in December 1936 so he could marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Above: The King giving his abdication broadcast Like the tension between Prince Harry and Meghan and William and Kate, there was also significant friction between Edward and Wallis and George and his wife Elizabeth, the future Queen Mother. The famous diarist Chips Channon noted in July 1936: 'The Simpson scandal is growing, and she, poor Wallis, looks unhappy. 'The world is closing around her, the flatterers, the sycophants, and the malice...' Edward further upset courtiers and the press by sending Wallis to Royal Ascot in a royal car, even though she had no official status. Royal biographer Sarah Bradford writes in her book, George VI: The Dutiful King: 'Tension between the Yorks and Wallis reached its highest point so far at Balmoral in late September [1936]. Edward's proposal to marry Wallis whilst divorce proceedings with her second husband were still ongoing - sparked a constitutional crisis which culminated in Edward's decision to abdicate. Pictured: The couple on the day of their wedding in 1937 Prince Edward (top) and his brother Prince Albert (right) are seen with their father King George V Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII: A scandal that rocked a nation January 1931 - Wallis meets Prince Edward in January 1931, after being introduced via her friend Lady Furness 1931- 1934 - The American divorcee and the heir to the throne see each other regularly at various parties August 1934 - Wallis admits she and Edward are no longer just friends, after joining him on a cruise January 1936 - King George V dies. Edward asks Wallis to watch the proclamation of his accession with him from St. James's Palace August 1936 - The pair enjoy a cruise around the Adriatic sea with friends. Details of their relationship appear in the American press December 11, 1936 - Edward announces his abdication June 3, 1937 - The couple get married in the south of France. Wallis was formally known as the Duchess of Windsor, but was not allowed to share her husband's title of 'Royal Highness.' Advertisement 'It would be the last time they were to meet socially, and, when they did, the disapproval on their side and the dislike on hers were publicly noticeable.' The Yorks were said to be unhappy at how Edward had invited Wallis to Balmoral for his first visit there as King, only six months after the death of his father. Issues were further exacerbated by the King's decision to meet Wallis in Aberdeen on the same day that he had gotten his brother and the Duchess of York to take on an official engagement in the city, on the grounds that he was unable to attend. Later, at a dinner party in September, the Duchess of York ignored Wallis when the American defied convention by stepping forward to greet her before the King. Mr Larman told MailOnline: 'Up to the abdication in 1936, Edward was the mentor figure. George looked up to him. 'He relied on his elder brother, and that's why the abdication was a personal betrayal to him. 'After he became king, George always referred to the abdication as that dreadful day. 'He felt he had been betrayed by his elder brother, but Edward felt he had been betrayed by George because he wouldn't allow Wallis the title of Her Royal Highness.' The brothers' relationship became 'very acrimonious very quickly', to the point that, when Edward and Wallis married in 1937 after the former king's abdication, 'George was not only not there but he wouldn't allow any other members of the family to attend,' Mr Larman added. The new Duke of Windsor - granted his title by his brother - did not see George again until 1939, and when they did meet, the atmosphere was fraught with tension. After that, their next meeting came in 1945. 'What you can see is that the relationship between them was very tense. There was animosity in their letters. The Duke of Windsor felt his brother had betrayed him,' Mr Larman said. 'I think George was horrified by the way that his brother had essentially not just betrayed his country but betrayed his family.' Prince Edward and Prince Albert - the future King George VI - are seen with their mother, Queen Mary Prince Edward is seen holding his baby brother Prince Albert in 1903 Prince Edward and Prince Albert are seen with their tutor Peter Hansell at Balmoral in 1911 Prince Albert, later King George VI (1895 - 1952) (left) and Edward VIII (1894 - 1972), as Prince Edward Whilst the pair did come close to reconciling after the Second World War, the tensions re-emerged when Edward made another attempt to get Wallis HRH status. 'By 1949, he was demanding that his wife be given this title,' Mr Larman said. 'Edward came to blame his brother for this and it culminated in this furious row in 1949 and that was essentially the end of the relationship between them.' King George's refusal to give Wallis HRH status was made clear in Letters Patent that said Edward's 'wife and descendants, if any shall not hold said title or attribute.' Edward's relationship with Wallis, who had been twice married before her union with him, was a scandal when news first emerged of it. His proposition to marry her whilst divorce proceedings with her second husband were still ongoing - sparked a constitutional crisis which culminated in Edward's decision to abdicate. The Daily Mail's coverage on December 11, 1936, reported King Edward's speech in which he announced his decision to abdicate. The newspaper reported how the former king had 'renounced the Throne and all his titles and will leave the country to-night' After a short period of exile, the Duke had hoped to return to live in Britain but was not allowed to do so, with the King threatening to cut off his allowance if he tried to come back without invitation. Speaking in an interview with the BBC's Kenneth Harris in 1970, Edward had said he offered his services to the King but was not given a new role after his time as Governor of the Bahamas in the war. Asked why that was, he replied, 'You'd have to ask. Most of the people, I'm afraid, are underground now who prevented me. Oh, I don't know, it is hard to say.' Edward and Wallis spent their married life living in France and travelling frequently to the United States. They enjoyed numerous holidays and hosted lavish parties, as well as travelling to meet Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in 1937. Edward was infamously photographed giving a Nazi salute and later also toured industrial facilities and even a concentration camp. The Duke's health deteriorated in the 1960s and towards the end of 1971 he was diagnosed with throat cancer smoker. Twenty years earlier, his brother died after suffering from lung cancer. Edward passed away in May 1972. Prince Harry has dodged whether he will attend the Coronation of his father and attacked Prince William again in an explosive second trailer for his interview with ITV. In a publicity blitz for his upcoming memoir, the Duke of Sussex told Tom Bradby that 'a lot can happen between now and then' when asked if he will go to see his father crowned in June. The new clip, released this morning, shows Mr Bradby asking Harry about why he has chosen to discuss his relationships with family members in his memoir Spare. In extraordinary excerpts leaked to the Guardian, Harry has claimed he was attacked by his brother in his London home in a row over Meghan, who William said was difficult and rude. Pressed on speaking publicly about family matters, Prince Harry says: I dont know how staying silent is ever going to make things better. And, in a barbed comment about William, he declares: 'He would probably say all sorts of different things.' He also denied invading the privacy of his brother and father by sharing private conversations and rows in his new book, insisting critics 'don't understand'. Harry has renewed his attacks against his family in the latest trailer for his ITV interview, to be broadcast on Sunday night Harry dodged whether he would attend his father's Coronation, telling Tom Bradby that 'there's a lot that can happen between now and then' Mr Bradby replied: 'Wouldn't your brother say to you, "Harry, how could you do this to me after everything? After everything we went through?" Wouldn't that be what he would say?' Harry responds: 'He would probably say all sorts of different things.' Former royal correspondent Mr Bradby also asks Harry about plans for his fathers Coronation as well as his view of the monarchy and his role in it. Mr Bradby asks: If you are invited to the Coronation will you come? Refusing to say yes, Harry answers: Theres a lot that can happen between now and then. But, the door is always open. The ball is in their court. Theres a lot to be discussed and I really hope that theyre willing to sit down and talk about it. Although Harry says he still believes in the Royal Family, when asked if he will play a part in its future, he replies: I dont know. The duke also repeats his claims that the Palace planted negative stories about him and Meghan in the Press, as he alleged in their Netflix series last month. Former royal correspondent Mr Bradby, pictured, asks Harry if he's invading the privacy of his 'nearest and dearest' without permission Harry looked emotional throughout the clip - part of a 90-minute show at 9pm on Sunday night on ITV1 to promote his book Mr Bradby says: 'Some people will say you've railed against invasions of your privacy all your life. The accusation here will be, are you invading the privacy of your nearest and dearest without permission?' The duke replies: 'That would be the accusation from people that don't understand or don't want to believe that my family have been briefing the Press.' The interview is set to air on Sunday night - two days before the release of his book on January 10. A Greek pilot wrote an explosive confession letter admitting to the murder of his British wife to silence her over his drugs racket, the victim's father has claimed. Babis Anagnostopoulos, 35, suffocated Caroline Crouch and their pet dog in front of their baby daughter Lydia in a fake burglary. He was jailed for life last summer but now his father-in-law, David Crouch, has claimed the wife-killer detailed his crime in a typed letter. Anagnostopoulos allegedly transported drugs in his helicopter for a local gang but tried to get out after confessing to Miss Crouch, who threatened to leave him. Greek pilot Babis Anagnostopoulos (pictured centre being escorted by police officers in Athens, May 2022) wrote an explosive confession letter admitting to the murder of his British wife to silence her over his drugs racket, the victim's father has claimed Babis Anagnostopoulos (right), 34, was jailed for life for suffocating 20-year-old Caroline Crouch (left) to death at their home in a suburb of the Greek capital Athens on May 11 2021 The criminals then told the pilot he would have to silence his wife after he let slip that she knew so he killed Miss Crouch fearing if he didn't he too would be killed. Lawyers for Anagnostopoulos dismissed the claims as 'fake' and part of manoeuvres ahead of their client's appeal of his murder sentence later this year. But Mr Crouch, 79, who lives on the Greek island of Alonissos, insists he has a typed letter in 'very good English'. He told Greek TV station Ant1: 'I tell you why he murdered Caroline in front of his child. 'He was involved with a drug gang. There was a restaurant that Caroline and Babis used to go to and the man there who owned the restaurant was involved in drugs. 'He spoke to Babis and he told him that the gang he was involved in needed a helicopter pilot and it was one job for which he'd paid a lot of money.' He continued: 'Babis was very stupid. Instead of keeping his mouth shut he told Caroline. 'Now, Caroline was a very honest person and said she would not have anything to do with it and if he continued with this drug business she would leave immediately and go to the Philippines. Anagnostopoulos (right) was jailed for life last summer but now his father-in-law, David Crouch, has claimed the wife-killer detailed his crime in a typed letter 'So, he told the people, the gang, that he couldn't do it and they asked him why and I just told you how stupid he is he said, 'I told my wife and she said if I continue doing it she is going to leave me.' 'They said, 'Well, you can't tell your wife, you have got to keep her quiet. If she believes you she'll always know this and one day she is going to talk and so we will have to get rid of her.' Mr Crouch added: 'That was the only reason he killed her, because he thought if he didn't both he and Caroline would be killed by the drug gang.' He admitted the letter is not signed, but insisted: 'If you speak to his mother, she'll tell you what the truth is.' It is the latest twist in the shocking murder of 19-year-old Miss Crouch at their villa in Alonissos in May 2021. Anagnostopoulos tied himself up after strangling both his wife and five-month-old dog, Roxy, before telling police they had been attacked by Albanian criminals. He wept crocodile tears in a service at a hilltop cemetery on his wife's home island of Alonissos, hugging her distraught mother, Susan. But Greek police unravelled his deception and Anagnostopoulos was given 16 years for killing his wife, and 11-and-a-half years for killing their dog and perverting the course of justice. Mr and Mrs Crouch, 58, won custody of their two-year-old granddaughter Lydia who is now living with family in Mrs Crouch's native Philippines. Anagnostopoulos allegedly transported drugs in his helicopter for a local gang but tried to get out after confessing to Miss Crouch, who threatened to leave him But Anagnostopoulos's parents are appealing the decision and believe they should have custody of the child. Mr Crouch, a retired engineer from Liverpool, said: 'I don't think it is right that Lydia should grow up with the parents of the man who murdered her mother.' Explaining how she is growing up in the Philippines, he said: 'Oh she is very, very happy there. 'My stepdaughter has three of her own children and she plays with them continuously. 'She calls my stepdaughter mummy and her husband daddy and she looks upon the children of my step daughter as brothers and sisters. 'So it would be ridiculous, in my opinion, to have her stay with the parents of a man that murdered her mother.' But Lydia does not yet know what happened to her mother. 'At the moment she doesn't think her mother was murdered,' he said. 'She just thinks her mother has died she doesn't really understand death. 'We have never spoken about her father at all she has never asked about her father and so we have never spoken about it.' Responding to the allegations over a confession letter, Alexandros Papaioannidis, for Anagnostopoulos, told the Mail: 'All this is fake and I think this is a move from the father only for the appeal.' He was in the back of a police van at one time Williams claimed he was raping her Mr Trengrove attempted suicide as his life was 'utterly destroyed' by her claims One of the victims of a serial rape liar who stoked outrage in her hometown has told how he was driven to attempt suicide as his life was 'utterly destroyed' by her baseless claims against him. Jordan Trengove, 22, spent 10 weeks on a sex offenders wing in prison, sharing a cell with a self-confessed paedophile, because he was randomly targeted by Eleanor Williams. Williams, 21, brought shame on Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, by claiming she and other young women had been raped and trafficked by 'Asian grooming gangs'. To back up her lies she posted graphic pictures of her cut, beaten and bruised face and body - injuries she caused herself using a hammer among other instruments. Jordan Trengove (pictured), 22, was driven to attempt suicide as his life was 'utterly destroyed' by her baseless accusations of rape against him Eleanor Williams Eleanor Williams claimed she was abused by an Asian grooming gang in Barrow, Cumbria In all, six men had their lives turned upside down by false claims of sexual assault or grooming by Williams, who faces a lengthy prison sentence in March when she comes back before a judge at Preston Crown Court. Jordan was the first of her victims and was accused of three rapes against her in 2019. It led to him being arrested in front of his horrified family, his home becoming the target of hate attacks and 10 weeks in HMP Preston. He is now bringing a civil action against Cumbria Police, claiming they failed to properly investigate 'cast iron' alibis and urged police: 'Listen to the accused men as well as the woman making the complaint.' On one of the occasions Williams claimed he was raping her, Jordan was in the back of a police van having got into an altercation outside a Barrow nightclub. He was still charged with the rape offence. His nightmare began on a night out in 2019. Jordan said: 'Me and a friend were going out and Ellie Williams had no one to go out with so she tagged along with us. 'I didn't know her well but thought she was OK, she seemed to be a nice enough girl and we had a good time for a while that night. I was never alone with her and it was all perfectly innocent. 'Later my friend was attacked, he was randomly punched by some bloke and I took him home and made sure he was OK before returning to Manhattan's, the club we'd been in. 'I was told Ellie was in a back room at the club and was in a state, I assumed through drink. I went upstairs to the club and stayed until 4am, chatting to people. 'I then got involved in a bit of an altercation at the taxi rank outside and ended up being taken home in the back of a police van.' The following day the police arrived at his family home in Barrow and arrested him in front of his horrified mother and younger siblings for the rape of Eleanor Williams. Williams's claims that she had been abused by a grooming gang were found to be false by a jury Jordan said: 'I was just completely stunned, I couldn't understand why she would be making a claim like that, it made no sense. 'But by then the damage was already done. Our family home had 'rapist' painted across it within hours and my mum's window was smashed in. 'I was released but arrested twice more in the following two days, both for rapes on different occasions. 'It didn't seem to register with the police that on one of those occasions when I was supposed to have raped her I was in their custody. 'I had cast iron alibis for all three accusations but they just didn't listen to me, made no effort to check out my story and were happy to take hers without question. 'After my third arrest I was charged with all three rapes, put in a police cell and brought up in front of Barrow magistrates. 'It was reported by the local media and my life in my home town at that moment was effectively over, I was ruined, my life utterly destroyed and it will never be the same again.' Jordan was remanded in custody and sent to Preston Prison where he was detained on a wing reserved for sex offenders. He said: 'My cell mate was a guy who quite happily admitted he had been sending sexual images to an eight year old girl. 'I was horrified, it made my skin crawl to be locked up all day with this guy and I asked for a move to another cell but I was ignored. As far as they were concerned we were both sex offenders. 'I admit I've been in trouble for minor things in the past, drunk and disorderly offences, that kind of thing, but being in that place with those people was horrifying to me. 'They eventually released me when it became clear Williams had invented everything, but by then it was too late.' On his release Jordan was forced to move out of Barrow as he was shunned by his former community and had 'rapist' yelled at him in the street. After a fresh start in Ulverston, outside Barrow, he began a relationship with Kayla Wilkinson, 25, who was shocked by the ordeal he had suffered. The young couple went on to have baby son Louie, aged 17 months, but Jordan's relationship with him was difficult at first. He said: 'I struggled to bond with Louie. At the time he was born Eleanor Williams' trial was still waiting to be heard and I still had this accusation by her hanging over me that I was a rapist. 'I couldn't bear the thought that my son might grow up thinking his father was a rapist and the thought of that depressed me beyond words. 'I couldn't go out to the shops by myself without someone staring or commenting and we began to find the accusations were affecting every part of our lives. 'The school attended by Kayla's older children informed social services of the accusations, so they became involved and our landlord came round to check out rumours he'd heard that I was a convicted rapist. 'Although all the charges against me were dropped and my accuser charged with fabricating them, I still felt like the one who was on trial every day of my life.' In August 2020 it all became too much and he took an overdose at home. Jordan said: 'My life was unrecognisable from what it had been and I was reaching breaking point. A family friend had died and everything was just too much so I tried to kill myself. 'I took an overdose and was rushed to hospital where they saved my life. At that time I didn't want to be saved but now I'm so glad they did.' Tommy Robinson (pictured) visited Barrow-in-Furness, further stoking the idea that the town's women were under threat from organised gangs of Asian men Despite being charged with nine counts of perverting the course of justice, there was massive support from a large section of the Barrow community who believed her claims about Asian grooming gangs and being trafficked by sexual abusers at home and abroad. It heightened racial tensions one Indian restaurant had its windows smashed and a Muslim takeaway owner was chased down the street by men who poured alcohol on his head. Tommy Robinson visited the town, further stoking the idea that Barrow's women were under threat from organised gangs of Asian men. Jordan said: 'While all this was going on I was sitting there watching it happen knowing that it was a lie. The whole town was going crazy and it was being whipped up by the Justice For Ellie Facebook group which continued supporting her right up to the trial.' Despite the weekly outpourings of support for Williams on Facebook, Kayla was arrested when she posted an angry message condemning her. She said: 'I was sick of reading all these lies about Ellie Williams being the victim when she had destroyed Jordan and others so I wrote a long post in his support and told everyone she was a liar. 'The police came and arrested me and I had to accept an adult caution, which I still have on my record now. 'This whole thing has put our relationship under massive pressure, it took us to the point of breaking up but we've battled through it. We're a family and we want to stay as one, it's been tough but we've stuck together.' After an 11-week trial at Preston Crown Court, Williams was convicted of eight counts of perverting the course of justice Now that Williams has been convicted of all nine charges following a lengthy trial, Jordan feels his life can begin again. He said: 'I've been left with so many questions. I'd like Ellie Williams to look me in the eye and explain why she made those accusations and ruined my life, what did she gain from doing that? 'She's a strange girl who I have no doubt has some issues but nothing excuses what she did. 'Barrow was a town with a proud industrial history and she has wrecked its reputation with these lies about grooming gangs. 'I finally feel I can now walk around with my head held high because finally people know the truth about me. I'd like to move on and find a job - that has been impossible with this hanging over me. 'I've also seen a solicitor to begin a case against Cumbria Police for the way they failed to investigate my side of the story. 'I was in prison before they even checked my albis. They simply did not want to listen to an accused man who was accused by a young woman who they felt had no reason to lie. 'That's the problem - she had no reason to lie and she still did. Equal weight should have been given to what I was saying and it just wasn't, I was ignored and locked up. 'I also want to campaign for anonymity for men accused of rape until they have been convicted or admitted it. 'The stigma of being accused of rape - as I have found to my massive cost - can ruin your life.' A Sea World pilot hailed a 'hero' for remarkably landing his helicopter after the cockpit windscreen was shattered in an explosion of glass has been released from hospital. Michael James, 52, saved the lives of all five of his passengers - couples Riaan and Elmarie Steenberg, and Marle and Edward Swart, and a tourist from WA - after stabilising his aircraft following the collision between the two Eurocopter EC130s above the Gold Coast theme park on Monday. Four people died when the other helicopter plunged into a sandbank after its main rotor detached: Vanessa Tadros, 36, British newlyweds Ron Hughes, 65, and wife Diane, 57, and chief pilot Ash Jenkinson, 40. Three other passengers were rushed to hospital in serious conditions: Vanessa's son Nicholas Tadros, 10, and Leon de Silva, 9, who both had to be placed on life support, and Leon's mother Winnie, 33, who suffered multiple broken bones. Sea World pilot Michael James hailed a hero for landing his chopper has been released from hospital (pictured right) Mr James was released from hospital on Thursday afternoon along with Ms Steenberg and Ms Swart who all suffered injuries from the broken glass that pelted them after impact. The Steenbergs and Swarts had been travelling as a foursome on a holiday from New Zealand when they visited Sea World. On Thursday they issued a statement thanking Mr James for his actions under pressure. 'To our pilot, who, through all the chaos, landed the helicopter safely, keeping us and other bystanders safe. You are our hero. Thank you so very much,' they said. Kiwi couples Riaan and Elmarie Steenberg and Marle and Edward Swart (pictured) paid tribute to hero pilot Michael James for saving their lives in a statement on Thursday 'Our deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to the injured and the deceased and their families. 'We are grateful and blessed to have been spared but very sad for the people who lost loved ones and the little ones and mum fighting for their lives in hospital. 'Our hearts are so heavy for them.' One of the two boys Leon de Silva woke up from his induced coma on Thursday and was able to give his mother a thumbs-up during a video chat in what has been described as a miracle. Leon has spent the last three days in an induced coma in Queensland's Children's Hospital Leon's stepfather Neil was seen on Thursday speaking on a phone call and appearing very happy outside Gold Coast University Hospital where his wife is recovering. He has confirmed his stepson is now in a stable condition. 'It's a bloody miracle,' a Queensland Health spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'The main issue is the extensive injuries that he (Leon) has. He's lying in bed at the moment. He is still laying with his eyes closed and not able to talk or communicate at this stage,' Mr de Silva told Sunrise earlier on Thursday. 'But the nurses told Julie yesterday that he could hear us talk so she videoed Winnie. Neil de Silva was pictured speaking on the phone on the Gold Coast as his stepson Leon was taken off life support and listed as in a stable condition in Brisbane Leon (left), pictured with his mum Winnie de Silva (right),woke up from his coma on Thursday 'Winnie was able to talk directly to Leon and as she was saying 'Mum's here and everything's going to be alright'... he actually managed to give her a thumbs up, so that was fantastic news yesterday. 'Both are fighting on and we're going to have a long battle ahead of us.' Aviation experts have now pored over the haunting footage and revealed key moments in the video clip - including the final seconds of chief pilot Ash Jenkinson and his passengers. One now believes the accident may have been caused by a tragic twist of fate where both helicopters were in each other's blind spots. The footage appears to show the rising helicopter may have been hidden from the surviving pilot's line of sight by the cockpit fuselage The footage appears to show the rising helicopter may have been hidden from the surviving pilot's line of sight by the cockpit fuselage. And the descending chopper, above and to the right, may have been obscured by the angle it was above Mr Jenkinson who was on the far side of his aircraft with two passengers to his right. Passengers' desperate warnings to the pilot may also have been drowned out by engine noise and their microphones possibly muted by incoming radio messages. 'It's an extraordinary quirk of fate,' industry veteran Geoffrey Thomas of AirlineRatings told Daily Mail Australia. As the clip opens, it pans across the cockpit and the horizon outside, revealing Mr Jenkinson's Eurocopter 130 helicopter already in the air and frighteningly close by. It is briefly seen rising up towards Mr James's identical chopper but the experienced pilot appears oblivious to the danger, and looks off to the right. It appears the other aircraft may have been hidden by the cockpit pillar to his left. The video appears to show the other aircraft may have been hidden by the cockpit pillar to his left (pictured) 'The other helicopter that's taken off is in a blind spot,' said Mr Thomas. 'As he's turning, you can actually see the other helicopter. The passenger in the back can see the helicopter. 'But if you look at the pilot, part of the cockpit structure is masking that helicopter - and as he turns, it continues to mask the other aircraft. 'It's genuinely in his blind spot and stays there - so he was totally unsighted.' Despite the impending danger both the pilot and one of the passengers appear to be looking off to the right moments before impact. Keith Tonkin, managing director of Aviation Projects, believes Mr James may have been focused on where he was going to land and events off to the right as the other chopper closed in on him. 'He might have been concentrating on something like where he was and where he was flying towards,' said the aviation consultant. 'I don't know if he's been distracted. 'He might have had something he thought was important at that time to be concentrating on, that he was directing his attention towards.' Two passengers have a different angle on the outside view and spot the danger, seemingly pointing out the aircraft until one desperately taps the shoulder of the pilot to alert him. The tourist then braces for impact as the pilot turns to face him, just as the cockpit explodes in a shower of shattered glass and metal when the other chopper collides. The video has raised speculation about why the passengers did not appear to say anything over the radio headset intercom systems they were wearing. Two passengers have a different angle on the outside view and spot the danger, seemingly pointing out the aircraft until one desperately taps the shoulder of the pilot to alert him But Mr Thomas said it was possible their microphones could have been muted by incoming radio messages overriding the in-aircraft chatter. 'It could be the mic was muted because there was some other communication which was going on and coming in,' said Mr Thomas. 'It may have been a helicopter saying 'I'm lifting up', or just lifted off, or something like that. Who knows what that other communication might have been? 'But certainly, the passengers could be hearing it. He could have spoken to him - but clearly it went from a tap on the shoulder to bracing for impact.' Passengers' desperate warnings to the pilot may also have been drowned out by engine noise and their microphones possibly muted by incoming radio messages The devastating impact was revealed in an extended version of the video which showed the cabin ripped open amid fragments of glass and metal everywhere. Blue sky can be seen through the wrecked remains of the helicopter's front fuselage and the noise of the rotor blades can clearly be heard as the horizon spins outside. Off camera, the other helicopter's rotor blades and gearbox had been ripped out by the collision which is believed to have then severed its rear tail rotor. The loss of control then sent it tumbling upside down towards the sandbar below where it crashed into the ground, killing four inside. Miraculously though, Mr James managed to regain control of his aircraft despite the shock and terror of the situation and severe damage to the plane's flight controls. In astonishing scenes, he calmly brought the crippled chopper down in a safe crash landing close to the mangled wreckage of the other helicopter. One aviation expert believes the accident may have been caused by a tragic twist of fate where both helicopters were in each other's blind spot Mr Tonkin hailed the skill and mental strength of the pilot to respond under the circumstances. 'The pilot did an amazing job,' he said. 'There's no question about that. The whole front of the helicopter was smashed off. 'It would have been so disorientating. In your mind, you're doing something and you're predicting your flight path, and then to have that happen, all of a sudden... 'To not be in control of the aircraft and to have all that damage and devastation around you will be very disorienting. It wouldn't be expected. 'Whether the pilot then had full instrumentation and the information that he would normally have to be able to land a helicopter is questionable as well. 'The fact that he's landed it safely is amazing.' Family have been described a 'beautiful and idyllic' by neighbors in cul-de-sac Police visited the home of a Californian doctor charged with the attempted murder his wife and their two young children by intentionally driving their Tesla of the side of a 250ft cliff nine times since 2017. Dr. Dharmesh A. Patel, 42, has been accused of intentionally trying to kill his wife Neha, 41, and their four-year-old son and seven-year old daughter on Monday after he plunged their car off the side of a cliff. It has since emerged that cops were called Patel's family home in Pasadena nine times since 2017 in response to burglary alarms and reports of suspicious people in the vicinity. The incidents were labeled by police as false alarms or canceled, according to records seen by the LA Times. The two suspicious person incidents were reported as 'gone on arrival.' Footage from a neighbor's doorbell camera has also emerged showing Patel delivering neighbors flowers on Christmas Eve - just days before the crash. The Californian doctor charged with the attempted murder of his wife and their two young children by intentionally driving their Tesla of the side of a 250ft cliff gave his neighbors poinsettias on Christmas Eve (pictured) - days before the crash The move was not out of the ordinary for Patel, who would often be seen pushing his four-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter in their stroller with his wife Neha, 41 (pictured together) The radiologist would even give cookies to neighbors, who described the family at the end of the cul-de-sac as 'beautiful and idyllic'. Pictured: The family's home in Pasaden Patel is accused of intentionally driving his white Tesla Model Y off a cliff known as Devil's Slide on Monday near San Francisco, during a trip north. But this image of a happy family was dashed when Patel, a radiologist at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Pasadena, was accused of intentionally trying to kill his wife and two children. Patel is accused of intentionally driving his white Tesla Model Y off a cliff known as Devil's Slide on Monday near San Francisco, during a trip north. Miraculously, all four members of the family - Patel, his wife Neha and their kids aged four and seven - survived without any serious injuries. The doctor and his family remain in Stanford Hospital and Patel will be booked into the San Mateo County jail on suspicion of attempted murder and child abuse after he's released, the California Highway patrol said. Now, details have emerged about what appeared to be the family's 'idyllic' lifestyle - Patel was often seen playing with his children and they sent out Christmas cards with their smiling family on the front. 'They're a beautiful, idyllic family, no indication of issues,' Roger Newmark, who has lived on the quiet cul-de-sac for more than 40 years, told the LA Times. 'It's so strange because he is a great guy. Maybe it was a moment of insanity.' Police were also never called to domestic disturbances at the Patel home - but have been called to their address nine times since 2017 in response to burglary alarms and reports of suspicious people in the vicinity. The incidents were labeled by police as false alarms or canceled, according to records seen by the LA Times. The two suspicious person incidents were reported as 'gone on arrival.' Patel is accused of intentionally driving his white Tesla Model Y off a cliff known as Devil's Slide on Monday near San Francisco, during a trip north. Miraculously, all four members of the family - Patel, his wife Neha and their kids aged four and seven (pictured together) - survived without any serious injuries The white Tesla is seen at the bottom of the cliff at Devils Side on Monday following the crash Rescuers work on retrieving a destroyed Tesla sedan that had plunged off a cliff in Devil's Slide in San Mateo County, California, on Monday The car was traveling northbound on Highway 1 near San Francisco on Monday morning. Witnesses said they saw Patel perform a U-Turn and drive up onto the dirt area before plunging down the cliff Other than those reported incidents in 2017, life for the Patels appeared to be 'idyllic,' with their neighbors saying the couple were always keen to talk to them. Video from a Ring camera, obtained by the LA Times, shows Patel delivering poinsettias to his neighbors on Christmas Eve. He was heard speaking to one woman who was house-sitting for a friend who had gone away for the festive season. 'I'm Dharmesh,' he told the woman, adding that he lived opposite, where his white Tesla was parked outside the garage. 'Can I just leave it [the poinsettia] at the front door?' One neighbor, Sarah Walker, told the newspaper: 'He's just so present. Dharmesh and I would wave 'Hi,' but he would always come over and have a conversation. He was always happy and ready to talk.' This image from video provided by San Mateo County Sheriff's Office shows a helicopter rescue after a Tesla plunged off a Northern California cliff View from the rescue helicopter after a vehicle carrying two adults and two children went over a cliff in Devil's Slide, San Mateo county, California, on Monday Rescuers initially hailed the family's survival as a 'miracle' after the Tesla sedan plummeted down a notorious cliffside Monday along the Pacific Coast Highway near an area called Devil's Slide that's known for fatal wrecks. Firefighters were forced to cut the family out of the wreckage. They used a rope system to haul the children up the cliff in a rescue basket while the parents were hoisted by helicopter. Initially, there were questions over whether the car - which is famous for its self-driving technology - had gone rogue and taken the family off the road by mistake. Now, some are asking whether the vehicle - which has airbags adjacent to the two front seats in addition to in front of them - actually saved them. The move was not out of the ordinary for Patel, who would often be seen pushing his four-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter in their stroller with his wife Neha, 41 (pictured together) On Tuesday, police charged Patel with attempted homicide and child abuse, alleging that the incident was an attempted murder-suicide gone wrong. The case brought back memories of a 2018 tragedy when a woman intentionally drove off another Northern California cliff in an SUV with her wife and their six adopted children. All were killed. The crash in Mendocino County happened just days after authorities in Washington state opened an investigation following allegations that Jennifer Hart's children were being neglected. Investigators are looking into Patel's motive and police would not say whether detectives have been able to interview him. 'I have no idea what his thought pattern was,' he said. Investigators do not have to present the case to prosecutors until after Patel is booked into jail. 'They are not under the gun because the suspect Patel remains hospitalized and thus they can investigate the case more thoroughly,' San Mateo District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said in a statement. Patel is a doctor in radiology at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in the Mission Hills area of Los Angeles. 'Providence Holy Cross Medical Center is deeply saddened to learn of a traffic incident involving one of our physicians and his family,' the statement said. 'We are extremely grateful there were no serious injuries. We will not respond further, as this incident is under investigation.' Headteacher described Mr Bessell as 'hugely missed, but never forgotten' Tributes have flooded in after the climber fell nearly 2,000 feet on December 30 He taught at Ashton Park School in Bristol and led trips as outdoor coordinator Mark Bessell, 49, was killed in an avalanche on Ben Nevis in Scotland Tributes have been paid to an ex-forces teacher who died in an avalanche on Ben Nevis in Scotland. Mark Bessell, 49, died after he and a fellow climber plunged nearly 2,000 feet down the north face of Ben Nevis during an avalanche on December 30. Experienced climber Mr Bessell was a teacher at Ashton Park School in Bristol and led trips as the school's outdoor educational and external visits co-ordinator. In March 2022 he headed up a trip taking 20 students to Iceland where they climbed volcanoes and glaciers. Mark Bessell, 49, (pictured) died after he and a fellow climber plunged nearly 2,000 feet down the north face during an avalanche on December 30 Bad weather prevented the dispatched rescue teams from reaching the two men for eight hours (pictured: the scene during the rescue) Headteacher at the school Richard Uffendell paid tribute to the teacher in a statement released to parents and said Mr Bessell will be 'hugely missed'. Mr Uffendell said: 'It is with the deepest regret that I inform you that Mark Bessell has passed away following a tragic accident on Friday 30th December. 'Mark was climbing on Ben Nevis and was caught in an avalanche. Mark suffered a significant fall and despite the efforts of mountain rescue has sadly passed away. 'Mark was a huge part of Ashton Park and he will be hugely missed, but never forgotten. 'Our deepest sympathies go to the family and especially Charlie (his wife), during this very difficult and upsetting time. 'We are in contact with Charlie and are following her wishes and respecting her privacy. 'We are offering support to all students and staff, including the use of external agencies at this difficult time. 'When the time is appropriate, we will work with Mr Bessell's family on how we will remember the huge positive impact he had on the lives of all at Ashton Park School and Sixth Form, and all of South Bristol. 'I understand you may find this deeply distressing. 'I am truly sorry to share this news with you. 'My sympathies to you.' Ex-forces Mr Bessell was an experienced climber and led trips as the school's outdoor educational and external visits co-ordinator. Pictured: Mr Bessell at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in a previous climb The men plunged around 2,000 feet as an avalanche hit during bad weather conditions (pictured: the north face of Ben Nevis) Mountaineer Mark was in a party of four on Number Two Gully when it is thought he and another man, aged 42, accidentally triggered an avalanche. Bad weather prevented the dispatched rescue teams from reaching the two men for eight hours. A helicopter was dispatched to help and rescuers said a slide of approximately 600 metres occurred. Donald Paterson, the leader of the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team said: 'It appears they were near the top and their weight made a cornice [an overhanging ledge of snow] give way and that triggered the avalanche. 'The wind conditions meant that the helicopter couldn't get in so the teams found the pair on top of the snow and stretchered them off the mountain. 'They must have fallen 600 metres (1968ft) and the chap who survived was very lucky. 'Though badly injured, he dodged a bullet while his friend didn't. 'We wish to extend our condolences to the deceased's family and friends at this difficult time.' A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Around 3.25pm on Friday, December 30, 2022, we received a report of two people falling in an avalanche at Ben Nevis. 'The Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team were dispatched and a 49-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. 'A 42-year-old man was taken to Belford Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.' A mother-of-five, 46, plunged 60 feet to her death on Durdle Door in Dorset cliff in March last year. It's just the beginning of 2023 but Apple fans are already anticipating the launch of the iPhone 15. It would likely arrive in September if Apple would follow its practice. Months ahead of the much-awaited launch, rumors about the features of the upcoming Apple flagship are already circulating online. In this article, we have listed five features that we expect to see in the upcoming iPhone 15. 1. USB-C Charging Ports Given the European Union's new ruling that iPhones sold in the region must switch to USB-C ports by 2024, it is expected that the upcoming iPhone 15 will have a USB-C charging port instead of a Lightning port. The big question now is whether the Cupertino-based company will switch all iPhone models to USB-C or only those sold in the EU. We have seen Apple modify the iPhone models regionally. The company has done it with the iPhone 14 wherein the US version contains an electronic SIM, while other variants of the model have retained the SIM slot. We have yet to see if Apple will do the same thing for the USB-C charging port in iPhone 15. But according to Avi Greengart, an analyst at Techsponential, Apple has good reasons to switch all iPhones to USB-C moving forward. He added that there are a larger ecosystem, security, and accessory considerations with the USB-C charging connector. 2. Dynamic Island in All iPhone 15 Models When it comes to the iPhone 15 lineup, Apple is expected to continue selling four iPhone models. According to circulating rumors, the models will generally have a similar design. In connection, the shape-shifting cutout, popularly known as Dynamic Island, is expected to make its way across all models, according to CNET. The said rumor comes from display analyst Ross Young. In a September tweet, Young also said that he's not expecting entry-level iPhone 15 models to have a higher refresh rate like that of the higher-end ones because the supply chain can't support it. Read Also: iPhone 15 Pro Leak Features Samsung Technology Used To Hide Face ID 3. 48MP Camera The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are equipped with a 48MP series. Because of this feature, the said models take images with greater details than the one taken using the standard 12MP resolution. According to MacRumors, the upcoming iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will be having this same advanced, high-end camera feature. One of the differences between high-end and standard models of the iPhone lineup is the camera feature. For the iPhone 15 lineup, we expect the iPhone 15 Pro to feature a periscope lens, something that will not be available to the entire lineup. 4. Solid-state Buttons In a tweet that Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo posted in October, he noted ways Apple can further differentiate its base and Pro models. According to him, instead of the standard keys present on today's devices, Apple might give the iPhone 15 Pro models solid-state volume and power buttons. According to Kuo, the solid-state buttons will be similar to the home button found on the iPhone SE and iPhone 7. It will mimic the feel of pressing a button with the help of haptic feedback. 5. Periscope-style Telephoto Kuo also predicted that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be equipped with a periscope-style telephoto lens. The telephoto lens allows for higher optical zoom levels. Kuo even forecasted that the iPhone 15 Pro Max could have a 6x optical zoom. Related Article: iPhone 15's A17 Bionic Chip May Focus More on Battery Life, Reports Suggest The incident happened in a 1,200-seat arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi His wife, who is also a trainer, 'saved his life' by chasing away the big cat The lion 'clawed and sank its teeth' into circus performer Alexey Makarenko The horrific moment a lion attacked a well-known circus performer in Russia has been caught on video. The beast 'clawed and sank its teeth' into Alexey Makarenko, 42, during a performance in front of children and their parents. His wife Olga Borisova, 43, also a trainer, 'saved his life' in chasing away the predator when it forced him to the floor of the circus ring in Black Sea resort of Sochi. The drama began when two male lions started fighting during an act in the 1,200-seat arena. A video shows the horrific moment a lion attacks a well-known circus performer in the circus ring in Black Sea resort Sochi The drama began when two male lions started fighting during an act in the 1,200 seat arena, before turning on trainer Makarenko Makarenko intervened to seek to stop the brawl, triggering a furious response from a third lion which attacked the trainer, knocking him to the ground Alexey Makarenko, a professional trainer, was attacked by a lion during a performance at Sochi circus in Russia. He is pictured with wife and fellow trainer Olga Borisova and a lion in a previous performance Makarenko intervened to seek to stop the brawl, triggering a furious response from a third lion which attacked the trainer, knocking him to the ground. Borisova rushed to help, using a whip to scare the lion as the lights were switched off and staff went into emergency mode deploying water cannons and 'noise grenades' to deter the beasts. Makarenko recovered to hurl a prop at the lion to scare it out of the ring at Sochi State Circus. Amazingly, the pair then took a bow and embraced in front of the audience as if nothing had happened. Many spectators thought the kerfuffle was part of the act, said one report. In fact, Borisova has rescued him from possible death, said head of the Great Moscow State Circus, Edgard Zapashny. A video shows the gash wounds to the experienced lion tamer, who is now recovering. Makarenko recovered to hurl a prop at the lion to scare it out of the ring at Sochi State Circus. He is pictured in a previous performance Alexey Makarenko, a professional trainer, is pictured with his wife Olga Borisova, who also trains lions with him at the circus Warning: graphic content Alexey Makarenko, a professional trainer, shows his wounds after he was attacked by lion during a performance at Sochi circus in Russia The lion 'clawed and sank its teeth' into Alexey Makarenko, leaving horrific wounds 'As I tell my studentsfighting lions are likely to unite and take part in the conflict,' said Zapashny. 'And today, confirming my words, a lion attacked my colleague Alexei Makarenko. 'At the very moment when both tamers decided to extinguish the conflict in order to prevent injuries to the animals, a third lion in the arena decided to attack the person who intervened in the conflict. 'We must pay tribute to Alexei's wife, trainer Olga Borisova, who reacted in time and saved her husband's life. 'Now Alexei is receiving medical care, but he will be back soon in the ring of the Sochi Circus with his handsome lions.' Are you a maths whizz, or can you at least solve the same problems posed to an 11-year-old child preparing for an 11+ exam? Every year, some 100,000 pupils across the country sit 11+ exams in the hopes of achieving a highly sought-after grammar school place. And, while some parents who excelled at mathematics in school, they may now find themselves stumped when attempting to help with their children's homework. Parenrts began sharing maths problems on Twitter this week after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared that maths should be compulsory for every pupil up to the age of 18- a move that union leaders warn could result in even more teacher strikes. So, MailOnline asks... can you solve these recent 11+ questions set to prospective grammar school pupils? (Answers at the bottom of the page) In his first major speech as PM yesterday afternoon, Mr Sunak promised to equip children for the 'jobs of the future' by combating high rates of innumeracy in the UK. Young people will be forced to take 'some form' of maths delivered either through new courses or existing qualifications such as A-levels, T-levels and Core Maths. For most the drive is likely to involve practical skills rather than algebra. Around eight million adults in England have numeracy skills expected of primary school children, according to Government figures. Currently only around half of 16 to 19 year-olds study maths in some form. The problem is particularly acute for disadvantaged pupils, 60 per cent of whom do not have basic maths skills at age 16. But union leaders are warning that teachers are now more likely to strike after backlash to Mr Sunak's maths pledge. Kevin Courtney, who oversees more than 300,000 educators as joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), accused Sunak of a 'baffling failure' to notice the obstacles facing the industry. Young people will be forced to take 'some form' of maths delivered either through new courses or existing qualifications such as A-levels, T-levels and Core Maths. For most the drive is likely to involve practical skills rather than algebra 'Sunak's plan is disappointing not only in its lack of realism but its lack of vision', Mr Courtney said. 'It overlooks the increasingly detailed and urgent discussions about curriculum reform that have been taking place across the education sector and even within his own party. 'Most people who voted will have voted. But I think there will be a few people who will look at this and think 'is that all they've got to say about education?' 'It doesn't sound like they're taking the problem of the teacher recruitment crisis seriously because they've missed their maths teacher recruitment targets every year for the last 11 years.' Teachers, who are currently balloting, say the plan fails to tackle the recruitment crisis currently gripping the sector. More than 500,000 teachers across three unions are considering possible strike action in England and Wales, with deadlines for votes from January 9. Unions have urged staff to vote as soon as possible amid fears that postal chaos may delay the return of ballots. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (pictured lats month) declared yesterday that maths should be compulsory up to the age of 18 More than 500,000 teachers across three unions are considering possible strike action in England and Wales, with deadlines for votes from January 9 Meantime, opposition parties have dismissed the initiative as 'empty' - while Tories urged Mr Sunak to focus on tackling illegal immigration instead. Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said the Prime Minister 'needs to show his working', as 'he cannot deliver this reheated, empty pledge without more maths teachers'. She added: 'Yet the Government has missed their target for new maths teachers year after year, with existing teachers leaving in their droves.' A Labour source said: 'In their desperation to ensure Sunak's speech doesn't happen after Keir's, No 10 have revealed they have nothing to offer the country except double maths. 'As the health service falls to pieces after 12 years of Tory rule, criminals terrorise the streets, and working people worry how their wages will last the month, the country is entitled to ask: is this it?' Former Cabinet minister John Redwood tweeted: 'As the Prime Minister turns his attention to maths teaching he should not forget his choice as most pressing priority was to stop illegal migration. 'Parliament needs to legislate urgently on small boats and public services.' Nigel Farage also waded in, saying: 'So Rishi Sunak's big idea to save the nation is maths until the age of 18! How will quadratic equations help to solve broken Britain?' WHAT ARE THE ANSWERS? The Australian War Memorial has been slammed for using 'gender neutral' pronouns to honor fallen soldiers. At 4.45pm ever day, the memorial, based in Canberra, holds a Last Post ceremony to remember a fallen Australian soldier, before a posting a tribute to the soldier on its Twitter account. However, since January 1, it has begun to refer to the solders as 'their' rather than 'his' or 'her'. A memorial source insisted 'their' was being used to stop mixing up the genders of fallen soldiers. However, opposition veterans' affairs spokesman Barnaby Joyce criticised the memorial and described the move as 'woeful wokeism'. The Australian War Memorial (pictured in Canberra) has been slammed for using 'gender neutral' pronouns when paying tribute to fallen soldiers Opposition veterans' affairs spokesman Barnaby Joyce criticised the memorial and described the move as 'woeful wokeism' 'The use of 'their' is grammatically correct and used only to denote possession,' a memorial spokesman told the Adelaide Advertiser. Mr Joyce responded: 'No one buys the argument this was suddenly changed to ensure perfect grammar. 'The notion that this decision was made to avoid mistakes online is equally unbelievable, because the Australian War Memorial uses the correct pronouns in ceremonies.' He branded the decision as the 'worst form of disrespect' for Australia's soldiers and questioned who made the decision to change the policy. The first post under the new policy saw the memorial pay tribute to Flight Lieutenant Leo Braham Patkin. 'In the Last Post Ceremony for 1 January 2023, we remember and pay tribute to Flight Lieutenant Leo Braham Patkin and their service in the Second World War,' it wrote. Wednesday's post read: 'In the Last Post Ceremony for 4 January 2023, we remember and pay tribute to Corporal Albert Edward Flint and their service in the Second World War.' The posts are in contrast to those from before the new year. Since January 1, the memorial has begun to refer to the solders as 'their' rather than 'his' or 'her' A December 28 post read: 'In the Last Post Ceremony for 28 December 2022, we remember and pay tribute to Lance Corporal Francis Thomas Joseph Kilmartin and his service in the First World War.' Unlike its Last Post entries on social media, the memorial uses his and her when referring to service men and women. A spokeswoman for Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said: 'The Minister was not aware of the phrasing of Australian War Memorial tweets'. 'The Australian War Memorial is an independent agency and is responsible for its own social media,' the spokeswoman said. A sombre Prince Harry has been pictured walking one of the dogs whose food bowl may have been smashed when Prince William allegedly threw his younger brother to the ground in a row over Meghan. The Duke of Sussex took Pula for some exercise in California just hours before excerpts of his new book Spare were leaked to The Guardian newspaper. Harry was wrapped up in a hat, rain coat and wellies as he walked the black Labrador alone in a torrential rainstorm by a quiet public beach at noon yesterday. Within hours of his walk, a leaked copy of his memoir revealed he has gone nuclear on his brother, with claims William assaulted him in his London kitchen after branding Meghan 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive'. Harry got black Labrador Pula, adopted by the Sussexes in 2018, out of the boot of his luxury 4x4 before striding off down a coastal path to the beach. The royal looked serious and sombre in the car park, shortly before the accusations - which could end his relationship with his older brother - appeared in the Press. Harry, however, still insists he 'would like to have my brother back' despite his memoir and TV attacks. Prince Harry walked the Sussexes' black Labrador Pula in the pouring rain in California yesterday The Duke of Sussex, wrapped up against the storm, looked serious before excerpts from his book Spare was leaked Pula (pictured yesterday) was adopted in 2018 - and may have had its bowl broken after Harry claims his brother threw him to the floor The Duke of Sussex has denied breaching the privacy of his brother as he described a stand-up row that ended with the Prince of Wales grabbing him by the collar and throwing him to the floor, shattering a dog bowl with his back. William then allegedly declared: 'I didn't attack you, Harold'. In an extraordinary excerpt from his upcoming book, Harry recalls a 'physical attack' which allegedly left him with visible injuries, including 'scrapes and bruises'. He claimed the row broke out in the kitchen of his London home, Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace in 2019. William is said to have branded Meghan 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive' and insisted he was trying to 'help' his younger brother. Harry accused his brother of 'parroting the Press narrative' about his US wife before a screaming match ensued, the book claims. Harry claims he gave the Prince of Wales a glass of water and said: 'Willy, I can't speak to you when you're like this'. Describing what happened next, Harry claims: 'He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out'. Prince Harry looked serious as he walked his dog alone in a torrential rainstorm by a quiet California beach The boot of his car was protected because of the bad weather. The prince then grabbed a ball to throw to his pet on the sand Harry claims that William had then urged him to fight back, saying that is what would happen when they scrapped as children. But the Duke of Sussex claims he refused, claiming that William left and then returned 'looking regretful, and apologised'. William then 'turned and called back: 'You don't need to tell Meg about this'.' Harry claims he said: 'You mean that you attacked me?', to which William replied: 'I didn't attack you, Harold'. The Duke of Sussex says that the first person he spoke to about it was his therapist, on the phone. But he claims Meghan would see the 'scrapes and bruises' on his back from the dog bowl. He claims his wife 'wasn't that surprised, and wasn't all that angry. She was terribly sad'. The extract has been published by the Guardian. It is not known how the newspaper obtained an early copy of the book, given that the publisher Penguin Random House has gone to great lengths to prevent leaks. The Sun reported, meanwhile, that the book accidentally went on sale early in Spain. The Spanish version En La Sombra, which translates as 'In the Shadow', shows that Harry has dedicated his memoir 'Para Meg, Archie y Lili... y, for supuesto, mi madre' - 'For Meg, Archie and Lili... and, of course, my mother'. The book leak also reveals: In an extraordinary excerpt from his upcoming autobiography Spare, Harry recalls what he describes as a physical attack by his sibling, now the Prince of Wales, which he claims left him with visible injuries When they began arguing about Meghan, Harry claims William was not being rational, leading to a shouting match. Pictured: Harry and William arrive to hold a vigil in honour of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall on September 17, 2022 The Nottingham Cottage kitchen, where Harry claims his brother grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the floor, smashing a dog bowl Harry, wearing a necklace, with Meghan in September 2019 in South Africa Prince Harry has claimed his brother William grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the floor during a heated argument over his wife Meghan When he and his brother began arguing about Meghan, Harry claims William was not being rational, leading to a shouting match. Pictured: Harry and Meghan in their latest Netflix documentary There will be a probe at publisher Penguin over the leak. One excerpt also made it to Page Six in the US. Sources previously said arrangements for Harry's 'explosive' memoir's release were closely guarded and being managed in minute detail, with only a handful of senior executives aware of the exact details. In one dramatic extract, Harry writes that William 'grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and knocked me to the floor'. The Duke of Sussex claims he was left with a visible injury to his back. MailOnline has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment. Harry claims the brothers had met to discuss 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship and struggles with the Press. But William arrived to Nottingham Cottage 'piping hot', Harry writes. When they began arguing about Meghan, Harry claims William was not being rational, leading to a shouting match. Harry said he told his brother he was unable to understand why he was not happy with being 'the spare', accusing his brother of acting like an heir. William told him he was trying to help him. The brothers had met to discuss 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship. Pictured: Camilla, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry in 2017 Harry claims William and Kate TOLD him to wear Nazi uniform - and is angry they escaped blame Prince Harry partially blamed both his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton for his infamous appearance at a costume party wearing a Nazi uniform Advertisement Harry said: 'Are you serious? Help me? Sorry is that what you call this? Helping me?' It was that comment, according to Harry, which infuriated William, causing him to swear while stepping towards him. Harry said he was scared and retreated to the kitchen as William followed, and then Harry claims he was attacked. He said: 'I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.' The dramatic extract was revealed just days before the book's official release is likely to spark a surge in sales. Spare is already No2 on Amazon's best-seller list in pre-sales in North America and the UK. The Duke of Sussex's book, which is set to be released early next week, has long been expected to double-down on his attacks on the Royal Family. Spare is currently on sale for $22.40 on Amazon in the US and half price at 14 on the UK site. Spare is currently on sale for $22.40 on Amazon US and 14 on the UK site. The book has already become the No.2 on Amazon's best-seller list in pre-sales in the US (pictured) and the UK The hardback of Spare will be in UK bookshops when they open on Tuesday morning, with the e-book edition available to download on Kindle from shortly after midnight on the same day. In the United States, which is five to eight hours behind Britain, it will be the evening of Monday January 9 when e-book copies of the book become available on Kindle, at the same moment as the clock strikes midnight on Tuesday morning in the UK. There are ultra-secure arrangements in place, with the duke and his publishers going to great lengths to ensure it is published simultaneously around the world next Tuesday. Prince Harry has been secretly working on the book about his life in the Royal Family for over a year as part of a reported $20million book deal with Penguin Random House. He has collaborated with the Pulitzer-winning ghostwriter J. R. Moehringer in a rare move from a senior member of the royal family. Moehringer is reported set to be paid $1million for her contribution. Spare is being published in 16 languages including Chinese, Finnish, Hungarian, Spanish and Portuguese, but no one was supposed to be able to get their hands on an early copy. While King Charles may be spared the worst of the duke's rage, the book was long understood to contain damaging details about his bitter fallout with his brother, with both William and his wife Kate coming under fire in its 416 pages. Prince Harry's book is expected to double down on his attacks on the Royal Family. Pictured: Prince Harry on CBS News Spare tells Harry's story with 'raw, unflinching honesty', according to Penguin Random House. Publishing sources said arrangements for Harry's 'explosive' memoir's release were ultra-closely guarded and being managed in minute detail, with only a handful of senior executives aware of the exact details. Deliveries to bookshops are being scheduled to be last-minute to avoid unauthorised copies being leaked. Guarded sites across the world have been secured to house copies of the book prior to distribution. One likened the sophisticated security operation to the 2007 release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when JK Rowling was determined her young fans would not have the experience spoilt by learning of the boy wizard's fate before reading the seventh and final novel in the series. An army of guards, satellite tracking systems and legal contracts were all deployed to protect the 10 million first copies of the new Harry Potter book. When the finished manuscript was taken by hand from London to New York, a lawyer for the American publisher sat on it during the flight. When copies were sent out to retailers, lorries were fitted with satellite tracking systems which would reveal if any of the vehicles deviated from their intended routes. Prince Harry and Meghan are said to have signed a $20million four-book deal with the publishing giant Penguin Random House, with the fourth reportedly being an autobiography by the Duchess of Sussex. It comes as the Royal Family are 'completely exhausted' with the 'stream of misinformation' from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, sources have claimed. The comments come in the wake of Prince Harry's publicity blitz for Spare, during which he has claimed his family 'have shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile'. He also claimed he would 'like to have my father and brother back' in trailers for two interviews with ITV's Tom Bradby and CBS's Anderson Cooper which dropped yesterday. In a series of clips from the duke's ITV conversation, Harry tells Mr Bradby: 'It never needed to be this way', and refers to 'the leaking and the planting' before adding: 'I want a family, not an institution.' He also says 'they feel as though it is better to keep us somehow as the villains' and 'have shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile', although it is unclear who he is referring to. Filmed in California where the duke now lives, ITV said Harry: The Interview will go into 'unprecedented depth and detail' about his life in and outside the royal family. Mr Bradby, a former royal correspondent and current presenter of ITV News at Ten, is a friend of the Sussexes and previously interviewed them for a documentary about their 2019 Africa tour. But in a separate interview with CBS News, set to air the same day, Harry also criticises Buckingham Palace over an alleged failure to defend him and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, before they stepped down as senior royals. The duke also reveals to the US broadcaster that he would not return to the institution as a full-time royal. Both CBS and ITV have released snippets of the duke's conversations ahead of the full interviews being televised. Speaking with CBS's Anderson Cooper, Harry talks of the 'betrayal' by Buckingham Palace, telling the 60 Minutes programme: 'Every single time I've tried to do it privately, there have been briefings and leakings and planting of stories against me and my wife. 'The family motto is 'never complain, never explain', but it's just a motto. 'They (Buckingham Palace) will feed or have a conversation with a correspondent, and that correspondent will literally be spoon-fed information and write the story, and at the bottom of it, they will say they have reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. 'But the whole story is Buckingham Palace commenting. 'So when we're being told for the last six years, 'we can't put a statement out to protect you', but you do it for other members of the family, there becomes a point when silence is betrayal.' It comes after the duke claimed in his Netflix documentary that William broke a promise to him never to leak stories or brief against one another after witnessing the fallout of such actions in their father's office. She said she told officers her husband punched her in stomach when pregnant 'Emma' (not real name), who can't be named for legal reasons, feared for her life She's raising 14k for legal fight with Met Police after they dismissed allegations Woman, in her 40s from London, claims she was raped by her husband in 2019 A woman who says she was raped by her husband is looking to crowdfund 14,000 for a legal battle with the Metropolitan Police after they dismissed her allegations. She said she was raped in late 2019 at the end of an abusive and controlling relationship. They have since separated. The woman, who calls herself 'Emma' (not her real name) in her crowdfunder plea, cannot be named for legal reasons. In 2021 Emma, who is in her 40s and from London, told Met Police officers her husband had raped her two years earlier - but the force told her she had not made an allegation of rape. But she had previously told officers she feared for her life and at one point she said her husband had punched her stomach when she was pregnant. 'Emma', who cannot be named for legal reasons, who says she was raped by her husband is looking to crowdfund 14,000 for a legal battle with the Metropolitan Police after they dismissed her allegations (fundraiser pictured) She says she told police: 'I said midway that this feels like rape to him and he still carried on. I said beforehand that I didn't want sex any more. I don't see how this is consensual sex.' She claims police did not interview the suspect, take any evidence from her phone or speak to any witnesses. It is also claimed police continued to refuse to investigate even after she made an official complaint to the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards over the force's handling of her case. After Emma raised concerns and asked a women's charity for help, the force agreed to investigate allegations of coercive and controlling behaviour against her estranged husband, but not rape. Police had been called to the then couple's home several times over a number of years and had conducted multiple domestic abuse risk assessments. On one of these occasions she told police she feared for her life and that the situation was getting worse. Another time officers arrived to find Emma , who was pregnant at the time, holding her stomach and crying. She told officers that her husband had punched her in the belly. She has asked public law and human rights lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to challenge the lawfulness of the Met's decision. In response to legal correspondence from the firm, the force said closing the rape investigation was within its 'very wide discretion'. She is looking to raise the money because lawyers instructed by the Met said they would pursue her for legal costs if the court rules against her. 'Emma' claims police did not interview the suspect, take any evidence from her phone or speak to any witnesses. Pictured: Met Police headquarters Scotland Yard Emma said: 'I never thought the police would let me down this badly and can't understand why it's fighting this case. 'Rape survivors shouldn't have to go to court to force the police to do their job, but here I am. It just feels surreal. 'The fact that the Met has repeatedly threatened to claim legal costs from me if I don't win in court is really scary. 'I know I have a strong case but I can't risk having to pay the Met tens of thousands of pound if I lose. 'That's why I'm crowdfunding 14,000 to protect myself against that risk.' She added: 'I feel really bad asking people for help just after Christmas and during a cost of living crisis but the Met hasn't left me with any other options. 'The deadline for issuing my case at court is coming up and I either have to go for it or accept that my complaint of rape is not going to be properly investigated. 'The trauma of the rape itself will live with me for the rest of my life, but it's been made so much worse by the way the Met has treated me. 'They told me that what happened to me wasn't a crime, even after I told them he had sex with me when he should have known I wasn't consenting. 'The fact that the Met is still refusing to treat my report as an allegation of rape should worry all women and everyone who cares about women's safety. 'That's why I want the Met to investigate my report and that's why I'm bringing this legal case. 'It's about more than just what happened to me, it's about trying to improve things for all rape survivors.' One time officers arrived to find 'Emma' , who was pregnant at the time, holding her stomach and crying. She told officers that her husband had punched her in the belly (picture posed by models) Gus Silverman, the specialist human rights lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Emma, said: 'My client has made a crystal clear allegation of rape. 'However, the Met carried out a completely inadequate investigation followed by total denial that it did anything wrong. 'The Human Rights Act places the police under a legal duty to promptly and effectively investigate allegations of rape. 'The fact that the Met hasn't even interviewed the man suspected of raping my client is shocking, and is made worse by the position it's now taking in response to this proposed legal action. 'Rather than admitting its mistake the Met is spending taxpayers' money to argue that she is out of time to challenge its failures in the High Court. 'The fact that this argument is legally wrong does not make it any less of an objectionable attempt to avoid investigating an allegation of rape. 'It's appalling that people in my client's situation have to rely on the kindness of others to allow them to bring these challenges, when the Met will have the benefit of lawyers paid for out of the public purse. 'Sadly it's a position that lots of people find themselves in unless they are very poor and get legal aid or are very rich.' A Home Office review last month found 'widespread investigative failings' by police forces including the Met in relation to complaints of rape. It said investigators lack 'sufficient specialist knowledge about sexual offending.' The review found allegations of rape by current or former partners were associated with particularly low charging rates, with only 1.2 per cent of such complaints made to one force resulting in charges. Last year the Metropolitan Police was placed in special measures by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, which found 'not all reports of rape are correctly recorded'. It also said the force had a high proportion of inexperienced staff and lacked effective supervision. The crowdfunder launched yesterday on Crowdjustice, and Emma is hoping to raise the money by February 3. She has already received nearly 100 in donations as of around 11am this morning and a supporter told the alleged victim: 'I admire your courage.' China has angrily denied under-reporting deaths from Covid-19, as US President Joe Biden and the World Heath Organisation (WHO) both voiced concerns over its control of the virus. Beijing furiously hit back at the criticism over its handling of the raging outbreak on Thursday, as the pandemic continues to rip through the country. The WHO's emergencies director, Mike Ryan - in some of the UN health agency's most critical remarks to date - called out Chinese officials and said they were under-representing data on several fronts. China reported just one new Covid death in the mainland for Wednesday, compared with five a day earlier, bringing its official death toll to 5,259. But British-based health data firm Airfinity has estimated about 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from Covid. Patients lie on beds in the emergency department of a hospital, amid the Covid-19 outbreak in Shanghai, China, January 5, 2023 A medical worker stays next to a man receiving chest compressions through a CPR device while lying on the floor, Shanghai, China, January 5, 2023 China scrapped its stringent Covid controls last month after protests against the government restrictions, abandoning a policy that had shielded its 1.4 billion population from the virus for three years. This followed nearly three years of lockdowns, travels bans and school closures that weighed heavily on the economy and prompted street protests not seen since the late 1980s. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press briefing in Beijing that China had transparently and quickly shared COVID data with the WHO. Mao said that China's 'epidemic situation is controllable' and that it hoped the WHO would 'uphold a scientific, objective, and impartial position'. 'Facts have proved that China has always, in accordance with the principles of legality, timeliness, openness and transparency, maintained close communication and shared relevant information and data with the WHO in a timely manner,' Mao said. The WHO's Mike Ryan said on Wednesday the numbers China was publishing under-represented hospital admissions, intensive care unit patients and deaths. This comes after it appeared families in China were burning the bodies of their loved ones in the streets amid an explosion of infections. A relative reacts next to a man receiving chest compressions through a CPR device amid the coronavirus outbreak, Shanghai, China, January 5, 2023 Families have begun to burn the bodies of their loved ones in the streets of China amid an explosion of Covid-19 infections Hours after the WHO's criticism, US President Joe Biden also raised concern about China's handling of a Covid outbreak that is filling hospitals and overwhelming some funeral homes. 'They're very sensitive when we suggest they haven't been that forthcoming,' Biden told reporters while on a visit to Kentucky. The French health minister voiced similar fears while German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach voiced concern about a new Covid subvariant linked to growing hospitalisations in the northeastern United States. More than a dozen countries that have imposed restrictions on travellers from China, including the UK and US. The European Union on Wednesday 'strongly encouraged' its member states to impose pre-departure Covid-19 testing of passengers from China. China has criticised the border controls, calling them unreasonable and unscientific. It has also warned of 'countermeasures' if such policies continued to be imposed. The government said on Thursday that its border with its special administrative region of Hong Kong would also reopen on Sunday, for the first time in three years. Patients lie on beds in the emergency department of a hospital, amid the Covid-19 outbreak in Shanghai, China, January 5, 2023 Millions of people will be travelling within China later this month for the Lunar New Year holiday. China's government has played down the severity of the situation in recent days and the state-run Global Times said in an article on Wednesday that COVID had peaked in several cities including the capital, Beijing, citing interviews with doctors. But a Reuters report at a hospital in Shanghai's suburban Qingpu district, detailed patients on beds lined the corridors of the emergency treatment area and main lobby on Thursday. Most of them elderly and several breathing with oxygen tanks. A notice on a board advised that patients would have to wait an average of five hours to be seen. Staff declared one elderly patient dead and pinned a note to the body on the floor stating the cause of death 'respiratory failure'. Police patrolled outside a nearby crematorium, where a stream of mourners carried wreathes and waited to collect the ashes of loved ones. With one of the lowest official Covid death tolls in the world, China has been routinely accused of under-reporting for political reasons. In December last year, the WHO said it had received no data from China on new Covid hospitalisations since Beijing lifted its zero-Covid policy. A passenger wearing personal protective equipment arrives at a train station in Beijing on January 5, 2023 In its latest weekly report, the WHO said China reported 218,019 new weekly Covid cases as of January 1, adding that gaps in data might be due to authorities simply struggling to tally cases. The methods for counting Covid deaths have varied across countries since the pandemic first erupted in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. Chinese health officials have said only deaths caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure in patients who had the virus are classified as COVID deaths. But disease experts outside China have said its approach would miss several other widely recognised types of fatal COVID complications, from blood clots to heart attacks as well as sepsis and kidney failure. International health experts predict at least 1 million COVID-related deaths in China this year without urgent action. A furious shop worker confronted a woman she accused of stealing $500 worth of clothes with the awkward encounter broadcast on Facebook Live. The alleged thief was chased down by Marnie Ponting of Destani Fashion in Helensvale shopping centre on the Gold Coast, Tuesday. 'Excuse me, those pants that you've got in your bag, you didn't pay for the them,' Ms Ponting said as she pulled the clothing out of the woman's bag in another store. The woman accused of the robbery did not deny the accusation and instead passed the blame onto her child: 'Oh, my baby, yeah, my baby.' Pictured is the moment shop worker Marnie Ponting (right) caught up with the alleged shoplifter (left) 'No! Not your baby, you,' Ms Ponting said as she pulled item after item out of the woman's bag. Ms Ponting said the alleged robber walked into her shop and let her kids ran amok, possibly as a 'distraction'. 'They were running around the store, pulling clothes down, just making a mess of my store,' she told 7News. She said the accused thief packed her bag with clothes and took off into a supermarket. While Ms Ponting was out confronting the alleged thief, neighbouring beauty salon owner Sonny ran over to watch the clothes shop. Nurse Nicole Smith, who is a customer of Destani Fashion, broadcast the whole thing live on Facebook. 'What would you like to say to everybody for stealing?' she asked the alleged thief. 'And this is now going to go all over Facebook. It's going Facebook live,' she said. Ms Ponting (who is behind the woman at the front) is pictured pulling item after item out of the alleged thief's bag Ms Ponting (centre) is pictured talking to the alleged shoplifter after retrieving $500 worth of clothing from her shopping bag, while another woman looks on, stunned at what was happening 'When you're stealing from small businesses you're stealing from your neighbours,' Ms Smith said. On Facebook she posted that the shop has 'excellent customer service and are all round nice people. 'While I was in there, this lady decided to steal hundreds of dollars worth of clothing. She didn't even try to hide it. Just pulled cloths off the hangers and walked out. 'We caught up to her in Coles. She didn't deny she hadn't paid for the clothes but tried to blame her "baby". Disgusting.' Shop worker Marnie Ponting (pictured) said the social media shaming is enough punishment for the alleged thief and that she won't take the matter to the police Pictured is Destani Fashion in the Helensvale shopping centre on the Gold Coast, from where a thief allegedly stole $500 worth of clothes Ms Ponting said her reason for confronting the alleged thief was simple - she wanted the clothes back. 'We've only just made it through Covid. It's a small, family-owned business. There are six of us here that rely on this business and this shop for our jobs,' she said. 'We cant afford for someone to come in and take $500 worth of stock.' The shopkeeper is not planning to take the matter to the police insisting the social media shaming is enough punishment for the alleged thief. 'I highly doubt that she'll be coming back to our store anytime soon,' she said. Prince Harry's memoir 'Spare' has accidentally gone on sale in Spain with customers able to get their hands on copies despite the publication date set at January 10 with stringent measures in place. MailOnline obtained copies of the bombshell book in Spain this morning - before it was pulled from the shelves. The memoir is titled En La Sombra in Spanish, which has the translation 'In the Shadow', with 'Principe Harry' at the top of the cover. Inside it is reportedly dedicated to his wife, children and Diana, reading: 'Para Meg, Archie y Lili... y, for supuesto, mi madre' - which means 'for Meg, Archie and Lili... and, of course, my mother'. MailOnline has found copies of the bombshell book on sale in Spain this morning The Spanish version 'en la sombre' translates as 'in the shadow' - and customers in Spain have already managed to get copies Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have declined to comment on the leaked claims from Harry's book Publishing sources had said arrangements for Harry's 'explosive' memoir's release were ultra-closely guarded and being managed in minute detail, with only a handful of senior executives aware of the exact details. Deliveries to bookshops were said to be being scheduled to be last-minute to avoid unauthorised copies being leaked. Guarded sites across the world have been secured to house copies of the book prior to distribution. But MailOnline has obtained copies in Spain, as has the Sun newspaper. The bombshell memoir was on sale in Spain today in what appeared to be a mistake by the publishers or a bookshop chain. Entitled En La Sombra In the Shadow in Spanish the hardback copy was selling for 21.90 in the 'recommended' section of the Casa del Libro, which is a nationwide chain of booksellers. But within hours the memoir was pulled from the shelves. 'The book was not supposed to have gone on sale until January 10,' said a shop assistant. At the start of the book it reads: Para Meg, Archie y Lili y por supuesto mi madre (for Meg , Archie, Lili and of course my mother). A shop assistant at the branch in Barcelona told MailOnline: 'We just received this today. It was the only new book. There was no indication that we could not put it on sale until a certain date so we put it on sale today. 'We have already received at least requests for the book. It might be popular here in Spain.' One possible reason that the Duke of Sussex's book went on sale early in Spain is that tomorrow is King's Day when families traditionally give presents just as happens in Britain on Christmas Day. Publishers possibly believed it might prove the book, which has been highlighted in the Spanish media, might make a good last minute present. One customer earlier said they grabbed two editions, translated into Spanish, for 22.90 (22.22). Deliveries to bookshops were supposed to be being scheduled to be last-minute to avoid unauthorised copies being leaked - but MailOnline has found copies for sale in Spain It comes after the Guardian revealed they managed to obtain a copy, which shows Prince Harry has gone nuclear on his brother in his new book and claimed William attacked him after branding Meghan Markle 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive' shortly before Megxit. The Duke of Sussex has described a stand-up row that ended with the Prince of Wales grabbing him by the collar and throwing him to the floor, shattering a dog bowl with his back. The furious row allegedly broke out in the kitchen of his London home, Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace in 2019. In an extraordinary excerpt from his upcoming autobiography Spare, Harry recalls what he describes as a physical attack by his sibling, now the Prince of Wales, which he claims left him with visible injuries When they began arguing about Meghan, Harry claims William was not being rational, leading to a shouting match (Pictured: Harry and William arrive to hold a vigil in honour of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall on September 17, 2022) The Nottingham Cottage kitchen, where Harry claims his brother grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the floor, smashing a dog bowl Harry wearing a necklace with Meghan in September 2019 in South Africa The extract has been published by the Guardian. It is not known how the newspaper obtained an early copy of the book, given that the publisher Penguin Random House has gone to great lengths to prevent leaks. The leak also reveals: Prince Harry has claimed his brother William grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the floor during a heated argument over his wife Meghan Markle When he and his brother began arguing about Meghan, Harry claims William was not being rational, leading to a shouting match (Pictured: Harry and Meghan in their latest Netflix documentary) There will be a probe at publisher Penguin over the leak. One excerpt also made it to Page Six in the US. Sources previously said arrangements for Harry's 'explosive' memoir's release were ultra-closely guarded and being managed in minute detail, with only a handful of senior executives aware of the exact details. MailOnline has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment. The brothers, according to Harry, had met to discuss 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship and struggles with the press. But the heir to the throne arrived to Nottingham Cottage 'piping hot', Harry writes. The Duke had been living in the home, known as Nott Cott and situated in the grounds of Kensington Palace, at the time of the alleged incident in 2019. When they began arguing about Meghan, Harry claims William was not being rational, leading to a shouting match. The dramatic extract revealed just days before the book's official release is likely to see a surge in sales. It comes as Prince Harry's tell-all memoir Spare is already No2 on Amazon's best-seller list in pre-sales in North America and the UK. The Duke of Sussex's book, which is set to be released early next week, has long been expected to double-down on his attacks on the Royal Family. Spare is currently on sale for $22.40 on Amazon in the US and half price at 14 on the UK site. The brothers, according to Harry, had met to discuss 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their relationship and struggles with the press when a screaming match ensued (Pictured: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry leave the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service held at St Paul's Cathedral on December 14, 2017) Spare is currently on sale for $22.40 on Amazon US and 14 on the UK site. The book has already become the No.2 on Amazon's best-seller list in pre-sales in the US (pictured) and the UK The hardback of Spare will be in UK bookshops when they open on Tuesday morning, with the e-book edition available to download on Kindle from shortly after midnight on the same day. In the United States, which is five to eight hours behind Britain, it will be the evening of Monday January 9 when e-book copies of the book become available on Kindle, at the same moment as the clock strikes midnight on Tuesday morning in the UK. There are ultra-secure arrangements in place, with the duke and his publishers going to great lengths to ensure it is published simultaneously around the world next Tuesday. Prince Harry has been secretly working on the book about his life in the Royal Family for over a year as part of a reported $20 million book deal with Penguin Random House. He has collaborated with the Pulitzer-winning ghostwriter J. R. Moehringer in a rare move from a senior member of the royal family. Moehringer is reported set to be paid $1million for her contribution. Spare is being published in 16 languages including Chinese, Finnish, Hungarian, Spanish and Portuguese, but no one was supposed to be able to get their hands on an early copy. While King Charles may be spared the worst of the duke's rage, the book was long understood to contain damaging details about his bitter fallout with his brother, with both William and his wife Kate coming under fire in its 416 pages. Prince Harry's book is expected to double down on his attacks on the Royal Family. Pictured: Prince Harry on CBS News Spare tells Harry's story with 'raw, unflinching honesty', according to Penguin Random House. One likened the sophisticated security operation to the 2007 release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when JK Rowling was determined her young fans would not have the experience spoilt by learning of the boy wizard's fate before reading the seventh and final novel in the series. An army of guards, satellite tracking systems and legal contracts were all deployed to protect the 10 million first copies of the new Harry Potter book. When the finished manuscript was taken by hand from London to New York, a lawyer for the American publisher sat on it during the flight. When copies were sent out to retailers, lorries were fitted with satellite tracking systems which would reveal if any of the vehicles deviated from their intended routes. Prince Harry and Meghan are said to have signed a $20million four-book deal with the publishing giant Penguin Random House, with the fourth reportedly being an autobiography by the Duchess of Sussex. It comes as the Royal Family are 'completely exhausted' with the 'stream of misinformation' from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, sources have claimed. The comments come in the wake of Prince Harry's publicity blitz for Spare, during which he has claimed his family 'have shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile'. He also claimed he would 'like to have my father and brother back' in trailers for two interviews with ITV's Tom Bradby and CBS's Anderson Cooper which dropped yesterday. In a series of clips from the duke's ITV conversation, Harry tells Mr Bradby: 'It never needed to be this way', and refers to 'the leaking and the planting' before adding: 'I want a family, not an institution.' He also says 'they feel as though it is better to keep us somehow as the villains' and 'have shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile', although it is unclear who he is referring to. Filmed in California where the duke now lives, ITV said Harry: The Interview will go into 'unprecedented depth and detail' about his life in and outside the royal family. Mr Bradby, a former royal correspondent and current presenter of ITV News at Ten, is a friend of the Sussexes and previously interviewed them for a documentary about their 2019 Africa tour. But in a separate interview with CBS News, set to air the same day, Harry also criticises Buckingham Palace over an alleged failure to defend him and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, before they stepped down as senior royals. The duke also reveals to the US broadcaster that he would not return to the institution as a full-time royal. Both CBS and ITV have released snippets of the duke's conversations ahead of the full interviews being televised. Speaking with CBS's Anderson Cooper, Harry talks of the 'betrayal' by Buckingham Palace, telling the 60 Minutes programme: 'Every single time I've tried to do it privately, there have been briefings and leakings and planting of stories against me and my wife. 'The family motto is 'never complain, never explain', but it's just a motto. 'They (Buckingham Palace) will feed or have a conversation with a correspondent, and that correspondent will literally be spoon-fed information and write the story, and at the bottom of it, they will say they have reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. 'But the whole story is Buckingham Palace commenting. 'So when we're being told for the last six years, 'we can't put a statement out to protect you', but you do it for other members of the family, there becomes a point when silence is betrayal.' It comes after the duke claimed in his Netflix documentary that William broke a promise to him never to leak stories or brief against one another after witnessing the fallout of such actions in their father's office. A British man gunned down in Jamaica in what police have said was a contract killing was shot 12 times in a 'cold-blooded assassination' while he was partying with a friend, his heartbroken mother has revealed. Sean Patterson, 33, a personal trainer from West London, was visiting the Caribbean island on a short stay when he was chased by a gunman and shot several times. His body was found at around midday on January 2 in a 'pool of blood' outside a guest house where he had been staying, with gunshot wounds to his upper body and head, local police said. Mr Patterson's mother Lesley Wright said her son's body was riddled with 12 bullets in what she described to the MailOnline as a 'cold-blooded assassination' that occurred after he had been at a New Year's Day party with a friend nicknamed 'Shabba', who is now being questioned by the local police. Sean Patterson, who was gunned down in Jamaica in what police have said was a contract killing, was shot 12 times, his heartbroken mother has revealed The personal trainer was shot and killed outside of the guesthouse where he was staying, pictured, in Jamaica when. Witnesses have said they heard 'explosions' Speaking from her home in Shepherd's Bush, she told MailOnline: 'I don't know who'd want to hurt my son. Why'd they want to do so. 'But he was killed in cold blood. An assassination. He wasn't the argumentative type at all. He lived quietly with his fiancee and their dog in Hounslow. 'Sean had been at a big party and was by the pool. Someone tugged at his arm and he shrugged them off and then there was a load of gunshots and Sean was hit numerous times,' a heartbroken Ms Wright added. Wright told MailOnline she believed son Sean Patterson had attended a large New Year's Day gathering on the Caribbean island with Oshane Richards, known by his nickname 'Shabba', who is now being quizzed by police investigating the murder. 'Sean knew Shabba from the White City Estate in London,' she said. 'Shabba was deported back to Jamaica about ten years ago. I don't know why but Sean continued to speak to him and send him money because he was struggling financially. 'Sean went to a party on New Years Day with Shabba and the two people he flew out to Jamaica with, my godson and one of my best friends. 'They'd come back to their villa on Monday morning and rather than go to bed Sean stayed up. He was killed by the pool. 'The contract to kill my son was arranged in Jamaica not Britain. Life there - among all the poverty - is not with a dime and so people will kill for next to nothing. They kill just so they can eat in some cases. 'The police have said nothing more to me about why he was targeted. Although I've heard people mention Snapchat playing some sort of part. I don't know what exactly. Local police say Patterson (pictured) was found with gunshot wounds to his upper body and head at around midday on Monday 'The police in Jamaica mentioned Sean's "extensive criminal record" and that he was known by police in Britain over drugs, violence and firearms. 'That was all a long time ago. He fell in with a bad crowd in Ladbroke Grove and on the White City Estate when he was younger. 'A drugs gang took over the house he was living in, he felt he had no choice and couldn't go to the police otherwise his life would've been in danger. That's just how it is in inner city areas of London like that. 'The police caught him with a firearm but it was a fake, nothing but a toy and it was for protection as someone had threatened to stab him. 'That was all in the past. He'd settled down with his fiancee and they lived a quiet life in the suburbs and hoped to get married. 'Sean's murder has left me broken, he was the spark in all our lives.' Speaking this week, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Fitz Bailey said: 'Our investigation so far has theorised that the murder was a contract killing that emanated from Britain. There is no evidence that Patterson was robbed or has any connection in Jamaica. The commissioner went on to say that the Londoner was well known to British police: 'From credible information received Sean Patterson was well known to the UK authorities and has an extensive criminal record for a number of criminal offences which includes narcotics violence and firearms.' Patterson is pictured in younger days Jamaica Constabulary Force says its Montego Bay officers received reports that the British national was standing by a pool at the villa when witnesses heard 'loud explosions'. According to a published report in Jamaica, Mr. Patterson was then shot multiple times after a short chase. He was rushed to the hospital but was later pronounced dead. A 34-year-old man from Kingston, Jamaica, has been now taken into custody in connection with the incident, according to local media. Reports in Jamaica claimed the suspect had been deported from the UK in 2013 for drug offences. Mr Bailey said Patterson had arrived in Jamaica shortly before New Year's Eve on December 29 with another man who was also from London. The pair had spent several days at an apartment before checking into the villa in Bogue Hill on New Year's Day. Later that day, the commissioner said, the two Brits had met up with a third man - from Kingston - who would be present when Mr Patterson was shot and killed. All three men had stayed at the guest house in separate rooms and the following day at around noon, Mr Patterson and the Jamaican man had gone to the villa's pool deck. '(The Kingston man) reported that his back was turned to (Mr) Patterson when he heard several loud explosions (which) sounded like gunshots,' Mr Bailey said. 'He reported that he looked around and saw a lone man dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt with a handgun shooting (Mr) Patterson.' The witness reportedly fled and hid in bushes. Sean's mother said: 'He'd been having the time of his life. He'd never been [to Jamaica] before but sent me a photo of himself basking in the sunshine and a video of himself leaping off a cliff into the sea (pictured)' Upon their arrival at the scene, police found the 33-year-old victim on his back in a 'pool of blood' with 'what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the upper-body and head'. Mr Bailey added: 'There is no evidence (Mr) Patterson was robbed.' The commissioner concluded by saying local authorities were working with their international partners - including UK police - and were making 'significant progress' in the case. On Tuesday a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson confirmed to the PA news agency they were currently 'supporting the family of a British man who died in Jamaica and are in contact with the local authorities'. Speaking to MailOnline on Wednesday, Patterson's mother told how her son had travelled to the Caribbean island for the first time to meet family. Ms Wright said her youngest son Patterson had only been in the country for two days when he was murdered. He lived with his fiancee in Hounslow, west London, and the couple were planning on marrying later this year. 'I've lost my baby. No mother should have to bury her child. He'd gone to Jamaica with my godson and one of my best friends and had only been there for two days. 'He'd been having the time of his life. He'd never been before but sent me a photo of himself basking in the sunshine and a video of himself leaping off a cliff into the sea. 'Sean has family in Jamaica through his father. They are very well-to-do over there and he'd hoped to meet them. He never got the chance,' she said. Mrs Wright added: 'The local police have told me that Sean was at a big party over New Year and was sitting by a pool talking to friends. 'Someone pulled at his arm and he shrugged the person off but about four gunshots were fired immediately afterwards and Sean was hit in the upper body. Mr Patterson, from west London, was taken to hospital but could not be saved. This image shows the view from the guesthouse where he was shot 'I don't know any other details but he wouldn't quarrel with anyone, he just wasn't the argumentative type. 'I'm absolutely broken, I'll never be the same again. 'He has four sisters and three brothers and he was the youngest. He was born premature and for a while it was touch and go as to whether he would survive. 'But he grew up to be the loveliest, sweetest boy and the kindest, most happy-go-lucky man. 'He worked as a personal trainer and had been with his girlfriend for about 13 or 14 years. They'd got engaged about five years ago and were hoping to marry later this year.' She added: 'His fiancee is in bits, devastated. As the whole family are. Speaking to local media, the father of Sean Patterson said his son was killed days after arriving in the Caribbean outside a guest house in St James 'People say that Jamaica is a paradise but there is a lot of violence there, so many guns and so much poverty. 'We hope for justice and that my son's killer is taken off the street where they can't hurt anyone else and destroy another family. 'Sean was a diamond who shone bright and when he shone, he lit up everyone's life.' Speaking to local media, Patterson's father, Alan, said his son was 'starting to live his life and find himself' in Jamaica. 'I'm trying to process this. I'm Jamaican parentage, I've been to Jamaica, all the family has been to Jamaica,' Alan Patterson said. 'We need justice, we want justice, he deserves justice because he was somebody.' A family source told MailOnline that a man being held on suspicion of Sean's murder had previously lived in London but was deported back to Jamaica. The source said: 'Sean had been friends with the man when he lived in the UK and had sent him money, trainers and clothing when he was sent back to Jamaica. 'What he has got to do with it we just don't know yet but he's in custody in Jamaica and is apparently involved somehow.' Nelson Mandela's granddaughter today appeared to backtrack in a panic after she furiously accused Harry and Meghan of using her grandfather's name and legacy to 'make their millions'. Ndileka Mandela had told The Australian newspaper that she was angry the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared to compare their battles in the Royal Family with her grandfather's long walk to freedom, calling it 'upsetting and tedious'. But in an extraordinary climbdown, she has now insisted she 'honestly doesn't find anything wrong with them using that opening thing inspirational with a quote of granddad' - and accused the couple's critics of 'making a mountain out of a mole hill... for no reason'. She told Fox News: 'Meghan has always been an activist, and this is in her activism work which my grandfather was, he was, a social justice activist through and through. Harry says in the trailer for their latest film, part of their $100million (83million) deal with the streaming giant: 'This was inspired by Nelson Mandela' Ndileka Mandela (left), pictured with sister Nandi Mandela (right) and her son Luvuyo Madasa in London last month, hammered the Sussexes for their use of their family name. She appears to have since backtracked 'And his enter point into politics was through social activism, which is exactly what Meghan and Harry are doing. 'Like I said early on, a lot of people use granddad's quotes, and nobody has been made such a big rah-rah as they are making out of Harry and Meghan using this quotation.' MailOnline has contacted the Nelson Mandela Foundation for comment. In the trailer for the couple's latest Netflix film Live To Lead, part of their 83million deal with the streaming giant, Harry said: 'This was inspired by Nelson Mandela.' Ms Mandela had previously said: 'That's chalk and cheese, there is no comparison. I know the Nelson Mandela Foundation has supported the initiative but people have stolen grandfather's quotes for years and have used his legacy because they know his name sells - Harry and Meghan are no different from them. 'I admire Harry for having the confidence to break away from an institution as iconic as the Royal Family. 'Granddad rebelled against an arranged marriage to find his own path in life,' she told The Australian. 'But it comes at a price, you have to then fund your own life, I've made peace with people using granddad's name but it's still deeply upsetting and tedious every time it happens.' The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet Graca Machel, widow of the late Nelson Mandela, on the last day of their tour in Africa in 2019 South African president Nelson Mandela and Princess Diana at Mandela's home in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 17, 1997 Nelson Mandela and wife Winnie, walking hand in hand, raise clenched fists upon his release from Victor prison, Cape Town, in this Sunday, February 11, 1990 In the trailer for Live To Lead, which was co-produced by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Harry quotes Mandela: 'What counts in life is not the mere fact that we've lived...' Meghan then appears and finishes the quote: '...It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.' The couple were executive producers, according to the credits, and introduce each of the series' seven episodes. With Harry's book Spare released next week, Ms Mandela warned: 'Harry needs to be authentic and stick to his own story, what relevance does granddad's life have with his? 'I don't believe he nor Meghan have ever properly met granddad, maybe when Harry was young at Buckingham Palace, but they are using his quotations in the documentary to draw in people and make millions without the Mandela family benefiting.' The Mail has asked a spokesman for the Sussexes to comment. The couple have previously been criticised by the Mandelas. Zwelivelile 'Mandla' Mandela told MailOnline he was 'surprised' at her remarks in The Cut magazine when she claimed that three years ago a cast member of the Lion King told her that 'we rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison' The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the premiere of The Lion King at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on July 14, 2019 Questions were raised in August over Meghan's suggestion that her wedding to Harry prompted celebrations in South Africa. The duchess told magazine The Cut that while she attended the 2019 London premiere of The Lion King, a South African actor told her his country had 'rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison'. The interview prompted anger in the country, where Mandela's grandson said his release from prison should not be compared to a royal wedding. Zwelivelile Mandela said: 'Madiba's [Mandela's] celebration was based on overcoming 350 years of colonialism with 60 years of a brutal apartheid regime in South Africa. So it cannot be equated to as the same.' And an actor who claimed he was the only South African cast member in The Lion King said he was 'baffled' because he did not attend the London premier and he has never met the duchess. Dr John Kani, 79, who voiced the monkey shaman Rafiki in the film, said: 'I have never met Meghan Markle. This seems like something of a faux pas by her.' The actor, a friend of Mr Mandela, said the moment the anti-apartheid campaigner walked free from prison could not be compared to a royal wedding. He said: 'It lives in our memories for ever to the world. It is a kind of, 'Where were you when JFK was shot... where were you when Nelson Mandela was released'? You can't really say where you were when Meghan married Harry.' Dharmesh Patel, a 41-year-old man, fell 250 feet down a cliff while driving through Highway 1 in Northern California. Upon rescue along with his wife and children, the police believed his intention was to crash the vehicle to kill his family. The Accident The car appeared to be wrecked after its 250-foot fall, but the driver and the passengers did not sustain life-threatening injuries. The passengers included his wife and two young children below the age of ten. Upon the arrival of a rescue team, they found the victims of the accident alive and conscious. It was considered a miracle since the car flipped multiple times before landing on rocky grounds, according to the Coastside Fire Protection District battalion chief, Brian Pottenger. He also mentioned that it was unusual for anyone to survive a fall as serious as the accident in question in that area. The highway was dubbed "Devil's Slide" due to its reputation of being a dangerous area to drive through, as mentioned in Gizmodo. The accident led the car to drop into rocky cliffs down to the beach area of the Pacific Ocean. The vehicle landed upright, which made it easier for the rescue team to access the passengers through the side windows of the car. This afternoon, deputies responded to a solo vehicle over the side of Hwy 1 south of the Tom Lantos tunnel. Two adults suffered non-life threatening injuries and two children were unharmed. Tremendous collaborative effort btwn SMSO, @CHP_GoldenGate and @calfireSCU pic.twitter.com/sVyKp6LSrc San Mateo County S.O (@SMCSheriff) January 3, 2023 Tesla's self-driving mode was questioned due to its history of accidents involving the feature, but the California Highway Patrol clarified that it wasn't the reason why the car careened out of the highway and down the cliff. In the investigation, the crash site was analyzed and witnesses were interviewed, which led to authorities believing that the crash was intentional. The highway patrol spokesperson did not disclose any information why they concluded that the incident was attempted murder. Read Also: NHTSA Says Self-Driving Cars were Involved in 392 Crashes in 10 Months - How Many were Teslas? The Rescue Emergency responders arrived at the scene including a helicopter to help extricate the family from the mangled vehicle. The children did not sustain injuries and were brought up on stretchers by firefighters who rappeled down the cliff. They were taken to the nearby hospital. The adults were injured, but nothing was life-threatening. They were hoisted onto a helicopter and taken out of the scene of the accident. They were then taken to the road and were sent to a hospital via air ambulance, according to The New York Times. Since authorities determined that the accident was deliberate, Patel, the father of the family, has been arrested on Monday for attempted murder and child abuse, says the California Highway Patrol of the Golden Gate Division. Once the father was released from the hospital, he will be sent to the San Mateo County Jail. The Highway Patrol has not given the case to The San Mateo County district yet, which would determine if Patel would be charged with the alleged crime. The highway where the accident took place has seen dozens of fatal accidents over the past decades, which is why it was deemed a dangerous area to drive through. However, Highway Patrol was still convinced that it was intentional and that the proposed charges were justified. Related: Tesla's Full Self-Driving Software is Behind Eight-Car Crash in California, Driver Says The boss of Putin's Wagner mercenaries has released the first batch of Russian prisoners to be pardoned after fighting in Ukraine - offering them the bizarre advice 'Don't rape women, drink too much or get up to no good'. The prisoners were recruited last year by Yevgeny Prigozhin who offered them freedom from Russia's hellish jails in return for joining the country's failing invasion of Ukraine. Having survived six months of Putin's meatgrinder war, the inmates have now been released with Prigozhin saying the ragtag group of convicts should be 'treated with deepest respect by society'. But he also told them: 'Don't drink a lot, don't use drugs, don't rape women, do not get up to no good'. It means the start of convicted murderers, rapists and robbers being allowed back onto Russian streets with their sentences wiped out. The boss of Putin's Wagner mercenaries has released the first batch of Russian prisoners to be pardoned after fighting in Ukraine - offering them the bizarre advice 'Don't rape women, drink too much or get up to no good' The prisoners were recruited last year by Yevgeny Prigozhin who offered them freedom from Russia's hellish jails in return for joining the country's failing invasion of Ukraine Having survived six months of Putin's meatgrinder war, the inmates have now been released with Prigozhin saying the ragtag group of convicts should be 'treated with deepest respect by society' Some of the men have opted to continue fighting for private army Wagner, which they joined after being freed from Russia's hellish jails to take part in the war in Ukraine. Prigozhin, known as 'Putin's Chef', was seen in a video speaking to a group of the men - some of them injured - whose faces were blurred. 'You've worked through your contract. You worked honourably, with dignity,' Prigozhin said in the video published by Russia's Ria Novosti news agency. Prigozhin said the men 'should be treated with deepest respect by society' after completing the six-month contracts they were offered to obtain freedom. Some immediately told him they would return to the war, and he hailed them as 'born warriors'. Others - including brutal convicted killers - can go back into society, amid concern they will return to a life of crime. The scheme pioneered by Prigozhin - a Putin fixer now rapidly turning into a major populist political and military figure in Russia - has led to tens of thousands of prisoners being allowed out of jail. Prigozhin (pictured placing flowers on a grave) praised the fighters for their sense of duty to the motherland The men are formally pardoned by Putin, as president. Prigozhin said of the ex-convicted who have survived six months at the front: 'It is necessary to understand that they are fully capable members of society.' Putin sends warship armed with Zircon missiles past UK Putin launched a warship armed with new Mach 9 nuclear-capable hypersonic Zircon cruise missiles on a mission to challenge the West (pictured on a test launch last year on board the Admiral Gorshkov) Advertisement He praised the fighters for their sense of duty to the motherland. 'This is what a calling is.not be afraid of the enemy, to look him in the eyes, and not to look away,' he said. Yet thousands of those released to fight have been killed or maimed. Prigozhin has been pictured in a morgue with corpses of his fighters. Critics in Russia say many convicts were strong-armed to join Putin's war in an abuse of human rights - then used as cannon fodder. Prigozhin told critics that if prisoners were not fighting, their own sons would be called to the war. Prigozhin was also filmed with wounded fighters, being sent home, who told him: 'We want to thank you for the chance for us to start a new life, to become a human from scratch. 'Thank you for the big and strong family [of ex-convicts fighting in the war]. We understand what friendship is. 'We respect you very much 'We want to fight further and protect our Motherland' Prigozhin told them: 'You became humans already. 'You were humans. Just life has swung - and swung back.' Among Wagner ex-prisoners killed were Vadim Medvedev, 23, jailed for theft and drugs offences. The convicts have been formally pardoned by Putin, as president (pictured on January 4) Pedestrians look at the destroyed Russian military vehicles at an open air exhibition of destroyed Russian equipment in Kyiv on January 5 Putin's troops 'using piles of dead comrades as shield from bullets' Emergency service workers extinguish a fire after shelling on the Bakhmut frontline in Ivanivske, Ukraine as Russia-Ukraine war continues Advertisement Drug trafficker Dmitry Chuikin, 47, was killed in Ukraine seeking to earn his freedom by staying alive for six months. Another convict Vadim Grigoriev - whose crimes were not revealed - was posthumously ordered the Order of Courage. Wagner fighters have been at the forefront of Moscow's offensive in Ukraine. The group's presence has also been reported in conflict zones including Syria, Libya, Mali and the Central African Republic. In September, a video surfaced of a bald man bearing a strong resemblance to Prigozhin in a jail courtyard, offering contracts to prisoners to fight in Ukraine with a chilling set of conditions. 'If you arrive in Ukraine and decide it's not for you, we will regard it as desertion and will shoot you. Any questions, guys?' said the man. 'No one gives themselves up,' he said, adding recruits should have grenades on them in case of capture. 'If you die, your body will be repatriated to the place you wrote down on the form.' It was not possible to verify if the man in the video was Prigozhin but his company Concord did not deny it was him. 'Of course, if I were a prisoner, I would dream of joining this friendly team in order to be able not only to redeem my debt to the Motherland, but also to repay it with interest,' Concord cited him as saying. A cleaner and alleged killer charged with murdering a young woman who disappeared a month ago was remanded in custody today after a hearing at the Old Bailey. Maureen Gitau, 24, was last seen as she left her home in Evelyn Street, Deptford, southeast London on December 5. She was reported missing by her family on December 10 and concerned friends on December 12. It is alleged that on the evening of Monday December 5, the 24-year-old entered a property in Deptford, in the London Borough of Lewisham, with Mark Moodie but did not leave the building alive. Mark Moodie, 54, of Woolwich, has been charged with the murder of Maureen Gitau, 24, pictured Ms Gitau was last seen leaving her home on Evelyn Street, SE8 on December 5. Police are yet to recover Ms Gitau's body The prosecution claim she was murdered by the 54-year-old at the property and her body placed in a bin which was collected on Thursday December 8. Mark Moodie, 54, appeared at the Old Bailey via video-link from HMP Thameside charged with murdering Ms Gitau - but no body has been found. Moodie, who wore a green jumper, spoke to the court on Thursday to confirm his name and date of birth. Ms Gitau's body has not been found, but police confirmed Moodie was one of the last people she spoke to on her phone before her disappearance. Prosecutor James Dawes, KC, said: 'The deceased in this case is Maureen Gitau who disappeared and has not been seen since 5 December 2022. 'Her body has not been found. 'She was reported missing on 12 December by friends and it was dealt with by the police as a missing person's enquiry. 'Enquires revealed that one of the last people to speak to her on the telephone on 5 December was the defendant. 'As a result this defendant was spoken to by police.' Judge Mark Dennis, KC, remanded him in custody to appear at a plea and trial preparation hearing on 23 March. Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn of the Met's Specialist Crime Command is leading the investigation. She previously said: 'Maureens family have been informed and they will be supported by specialist officers. 'This news has come as a terrible shock. My thoughts, and those of my team, are with them at this very difficult time. Police are asking anyone who knew Ms Gitau and, who saw her on 5 December in the Deptford area, or anyone who believes they have information that could assist the investigation, to call 101. Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111. Moodie, of Nightingale Place, Woolwich, is charged with murder. A three week trial date was set for 27 November. Vladimir Putin told Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan he was open to dialogue with Ukraine, but only if Kyiv accepts 'new territorial realities'. Russian troops occupy large swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine. The Kremlin claims it has annexed the Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions despite not controlling them in their entirety. The Kremlin said on Thursday that Putin told Erdogan peace talks are possible, but only if Ukraine accepts that territories occupied by Moscow as Russian. 'Putin again confirmed Russia's openness to serious dialogue on the condition of Kyiv authorities fulfilling the well-known and repeatedly voiced requirements of taking into account the new territorial realities,' the Kremlin said in a statement. Erdogan had called for peace talks in the phone call with Putin, his office said earlier. Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured today) has told Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan he was open to dialogue with Kyiv, but only if it accepts 'new territorial realities' 'The Russian side emphasised the destructive role of Western states, pumping the Kyiv regime with weapons and military equipment, providing it with operational information and targets,' the statement from the Kremlin added. This is not the first time Putin has expressed that he is ready for peace talks under the conditions set out by Moscow. On Christmas Day, in an interview with state television about the war in Ukraine, Putin said that Russia is 'prepared to negotiate some acceptable outcomes'. The leaders also discussed the implementation of a landmark grain deal, brokered by the UN with the help of Turkey, to unblock Ukrainian grain. The Kremlin said the pair discussed 'the unblocking of food and fertiliser supplies from Russia' and the need for 'the removal of all barriers to Russian exports.' Russia briefly exited the deal in October after a drone attack on its Black Sea Fleet. It re-entered the deal within days but officials have complained of restrictions on Russian products. Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February last year, when he planned for a rapid takeover of Kyiv and much of the country. Instead, the war has seen Russian forces halted by a stubborn Ukrainian army backed by Western arms, forced to retreat from captured territory and struggling to avoid further setbacks. Workers remove debris of a destroyed building purported to be a vocational college used as temporary accommodation for Russian soldiers, dozens of whom were killed in a Ukrainian missile strike as stated previously by Russia's Defence Ministry, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in Makiivka, Russian-controlled Ukraine, January 4, 2023 In recent days, the Russian army have faced a number of setbacks, with Ukraine striking several targets - resulting in what Kyiv says was hundreds of deaths. Russia said Wednesday the toll climbed in its worst single reported loss from a Ukrainian strike, which an increasingly criticised Moscow blamed on troops using their mobile phones that gave away their location. The Ukrainian military's strategic communications unit has said nearly 400 Russian soldiers were killed in the town of Makiivka in eastern Ukraine, and even Russian commentators have said the death toll may be far higher than the 89 Russia admits. The death toll in Makiivka is the highest reported by the Russian military in a single strike since its troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The deadly strike came after months of discontent within Russia towards the military following a series of battlefield defeats and a hugely unpopular mobilisation drive. As Moscow grappled with the aftermath of the strike, France's President Emmanuel Macron told Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky that his country would send French-made light tanks to help repel the Russian invasion. A soldier from Carpathian Sich international battalion fires an RPG while conducting manoeuvres near the front line, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, Ukraine, January 3 Meanwhile, Erdogan pressed Putin to declare a 'unilateral' ceasefire in Ukraine. 'President Erdogan said that calls for peace and negotiations should be supported by a unilateral ceasefire and a vision for a fair solution,' his office quoted Erdogan as telling Putin in a telephone call. Erdogan was due to follow the talks with a separate conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later on Thursday. The Turkish leader has used his good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv to try and mediate an end to the war. Turkey hosted two early rounds of peace talks and helped strike a UN-backed agreement restoring Ukrainian grain deliveries across the Black Sea. Erdogan has also repeatedly tried to bring Putin and Zelensky to Turkey for a peace summit. Erdogan's call for a ceasefire followed a proposal earlier Thursday by Russia's spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill for an Orthodox Christmas truce this week. The step was dismissed by Kyiv as a cynical trap. Many Orthodox Christians, including those living in Russia and Ukraine, celebrate Christmas on Jan. 6-7. 'I, Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, appeal to all the parties involved in the internecine conflict to cease fire and establish a Christmas truce from 12:00 on Jan. 6 until 24:00 on Jan. 7 so that Orthodox people can attend services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,' he said. A senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Mykhailo Podolyak, cast the Russian Orthodox Church as a 'war propagandist' that had incited the 'mass murder' of Ukrainians and the militarisation of Russia. 'The statement of the Russian Orthodox Church about the 'Christmas Truce' is a cynical trap and an element of propaganda,' he said. Turkey's Erdogan has been able to maintain good relations with Putin by refusing to join Western sanction on Russia and ramping up bilateral trade during the war. The two leaders now have tentative plans to set up a natural gas hub in Turkey that can offer Russia an alternate way of supplying Europe with fuel. Erdogan's office said that Turkey 'has strengthened and will continue to strengthen the infrastructure' of the proposed hub. Meanwhile, Erdogan said on Thursday he may meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as part of peace efforts after the highest-level talks in public between Ankara and the Damascus government since the Syrian war began in 2011. In a speech in Ankara, Erdogan said a trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers from Turkey, Russia and Syria would first be held to further develop contacts after a landmark talks between defence ministers in Moscow last week. Erdogan also said he will speak to Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the Black Sea grain corridor and fertiliser issue following his phone call with Putin. Prince Harry promised that his much-anticipated memoir would be one of raw, unflinching honesty. Raw and unflinching it certainly is turning out to be, according to a leaked copy seen by The Guardian, which published some of the most explosive extracts this morning. In it, Harry accuses his estranged brother of physically assaulting him during a particularly heated row at his Nottingham Cottage home after William called his wife Meghan rude and abrasive. He also recalls how their desperate father pleaded for peace between his warring sons at Prince Philips funeral. In a leaked extract of his highly anticipated autobiography, Spare, Prince Harry recounts a meeting with his father and brother after Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021 Its worth letting the fact that Harry would stoop to recounting a private remark allegedly said by a grieving King Charles at his own fathers funeral sink in a little. The Guardian also teasingly states that Harry is unsparing in his recounting of intensely private scenes and conversations in a clear attempt to ramp up publicity ahead of Tuesdays official publication. So it is clear, then, that this will be a book packed with revelations designed both to embarrass and humiliate the Royal Family, as well as ensure that it will shoot up the best-seller charts and fill the Sussexes pockets with lucre. That it was leaked to a Left-wing anti-monarchist newspaper will be of interest to many given Harry and Meghans vocal antipathy to the popular Press and their sanctimonious declaration that those speaking and acting for them would never again resort to anonymous or underhand briefings. That said the reporter concerned, Martin Pengelly, has developed a remarkable career in getting hold of contraband copies of the most sought-after books in the US. The result, though, is the same. And it is very difficult to see how relationships between the key players in this deeply painful drama can ever be repaired after this. Harry seems hell-bent on wreaking a self-righteous public vengeance on his family for ever perceived slight in his life and nothing less than an Oprah-filmed truth and reconciliation committee will satisfy him. Of course this may paper over the cracks in the short term, but will clearly do nothing to mend the painfully sad personal implosion at the heart of it all. The cover of Prince Harry's highly anticipated autobiography, Spare The question that remains for me, however, is that of honesty - something Harry is clearly making great play of. According to The Guardian the physical altercation between Harry and William occured after insults were exchanged. Were any of these from Harry? If so, what were they? For while it is clear that, on occasions, the whole Harry and Meghan saga was mishandled by Buckingham Palace, there has been precious little honest accountability from the Sussexes so far of any of the mistakes they have made along the way. Another extract leaked to Page Six in New York attempts to drag William and Kate into Harrys Nazi 2005 costume drama, claiming they approved his choice of outfit and found it hilarious. While it is certainly plausible, Harry was at the time a 20-year-old man who had been given a gun and was training at Sandhurst to fight for his country. Surely, then, he should be accountable for his own actions? This seems like nothing less than spite to me. In recent weeks, I have heard from several former friends of the prince who are all aghast at his actions and marvel at how unrecognisable he is now. People grow up, they develop. That is understandable. It would be utterly wrong to say that the man known for his risque wise-cracks and far from political-correct behaviour cannot change. (And for the record, I was once or twice on the receiving end of it but was not remotely offended and, unlike Harry, consider something that was said to me in a private capacity should remain so). But for some of those that I have spoken to, Harrys lack of genuine self-reflection and decision to go nuclear on his family for money smacks of the very rank hypocrisy and dishonesty he professes to abhor. Suspected murderer Bryan Kohberger was pulled over by cops in Indiana at the request of an FBI surveillance team tailing him to see if he had any injuries on his hands after brutal slayings The team was desperate to see if Kohberger had suffered any wounds consistent with the four victims trying to defend themselves - with an autopsy report revealing that some of the students fought back against their killer. Law enforcement wanted video images of the 28-year-old and his hands after experts claimed they might have been marked by the knife used in the slayings. He was pulled over twice in Indiana by police on December 15 for tailgating, which sources now say was at the request of the FBI. A new mugshot of Kohberger was taken after he arrived at Latah County Jail late on Wednesday night Both time officers let him go with just a warning, with Kohberger looking visibly more concerned during the second stop by Indiana State Police on December 15. He did not appear to have any injuries on his arms or hands A law enforcement source told Fox News that the FBI team wanted images of Kohbergers hands to see if he had any cuts or bruises. Experts believe that the 'fixed-blade knife' was likely to dull quickly, which would have caused injury to the attacker because of the physical force required to kill. From the footage, it does not appear as though the quadruple killer has any marks, despite web-sleuths zooming in to try to find any hint of an injury. Investigators were reportedly still building their case when Kohberger was pulled over, 15 days before he was ultimately arrested. Documents also revealed that Kohberger switched his license place on his car on November 18, just five days after the students were killed. Authorities were trying to link him to the case after finding his FBI at the murder house with genetic genealogy playing a major role in catching the suspected killer. It comes as a new mugshot of Kohberger has been released after he arrived back in Idaho and was transferred to Latah County Jail. The killer spent several hours on a flight accompanied by law enforcement and landed at the Pullman Moscow regional airport on Wednesday evening. A law enforcement source told Fox News that the FBI team wanted images of Kohbergers hands to see if he had any injuries, so asked Indiana cops to pull him over Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger has arrived back in Moscow in handcuffs to be charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show the moment Kohberger stepped off a Pennsylvania State Police Pilatus PC-12 jet that was surrounded by cops. A somber Kohberger, wearing a red prison-issue jumpsuit topped with a black jacket, was led off the plane and into a waiting police SUV before being transported to the Latah County Jail, a 15-minute drive away in Moscow. He was accompanied on the lengthy flight west by four armed Pennsylvania State Police troopers and was met by officers from the Moscow Police Department and the Idaho State Police. Authorities have released footage of the first time suspected quadruple murderer Bryan Kohberger was pulled over for driving too close to the van in front. His 2015 Hyundai Elantra had a Pennsylvania license plate when he was pulled over by Latah County Sheriffs Office for a minor traffic violation in August. CarFax documents show that the registration was changed from the state where his parents live to Washington where he was staying close to Washington State University. Under Washington state law, drivers are required to register their vehicle within 30 days of moving to the state with the new plates shown in the body camera footage of both traffic stops. The Hancock County Sheriffs Department confirmed Kohberger was pulled over by a deputy at around 10:41 a.m. on December 15. Police bodycam footage captured the moment an officer approached the 28-year-old in his sedan on December 15 on the I-70 just outside Indianapolis. Kohberger appeared in court on Tuesday and waived extradition during a brief court hearing The crime took place six weeks ago, 2,500 miles from where Kohberger was arrested. His father flew to meet his son in Washington and drove with him back to their Pennsylvania home He and his father Michael told the officer there had been a 'mass shooting' at his university before his dad added that a 'SWAT team' descended on the campus. Michael then described the shooting as horrifying, just days before his son was arrested by another SWAT team that swooped on their home. The criminal justice graduate was again in the driver's seat next to his father, Michael, during the stop and then handed over his license. Michael was quick to tell officers where they have traveled from, explaining that they left Washington State University to head home to Pennsylvania. Kohberger himself speaks calmly to officers explaining that they have been driving for hours after a SWAT team descended on WSU. He then appears to try to lie to the officer, claiming they are going for Thai food, before his dad jumps in to say they are on their way home to Pennsylvania. On Friday, the criminal justice graduate student was arrested in connection with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20 Kohberger was being flown from Pennsylvania back to Idaho in order to appear in court charged with the four murders Kohberger is accused of murdering four Idaho University students on November 13, 2022 The incident, which was linked to a shooting on campus, was strangely brought up by Kohberger after the officer asked where they had come from. Kohberger was pulled over twice within nine minutes while driving along I-70 in December. On both occasions, he was given a verbal warning, with Kohberger and his father both appearing more concerned on the second occasion they were pulled over. Idaho cops first appealed for information on a white Hyundai Elantra on December 7 - a week before the Indiana traffic stop. Kohberger was eventually arrested on December 30 at his parents' house in Pennsylvania over the massacre of four University of Idaho students on November 13. The footage was released hours after Kohberger started his extradition process back to Idaho after leaving Pennsylvania at around 6am yesterday. Kohberger left the Monroe County Correctional Facility after waiving his right to extradition in a hearing on Tuesday. Bryan Kohberger arrives at Pullman-Moscow airport after being flown from Pennsylvania following his court appearance yesterday The 28-year-old Washington State University, criminology student was arrested at his family home in Chestnuthill Township in Monroe County, Pennsylvania He is expected to appear in court in Moscow at some point today, when the probable cause affidavit for his arrest will be unsealed. The killer was arrested Friday in connection with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20. Kohberger has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one of felony burglary. Michael Mancuso, Monroe County 1st Assistant District Attorney, yesterday confirmed that they believed Kohberger is so desperate to return to Idaho to find out the contents of the affidavit. A judge in Idaho has issued a gagging order on Moscow Police and legal teams in relation to the case, barring anyone linked to the case from talking about it. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said: Once he gets here, hell have an initial appearance with our magistrate. Kohberger signed his own extradition waiver in court in Pennsylvania on Tuesday Representatives from the Association for Crime Scene Reconstruction leave the home of murdered Moscow students, on behalf of Kohberger's defense team Three men and two women arrived at the property on King Road in Moscow at around noon on Tuesday Theyll deal with issues such as making sure competent counsel is representing him, and the case will be scheduled for hearings. Chief Public Defender of Kootenai County Ann Taylor will be representing Kohberger Idaho, however a five-strong team of investigators hired by his defense team were sent to the home where the quadruple slaying took place. It is unusual for defense attorneys paid by the state to create a reconstruction of the crime scene. The investigation of the house comes after the court ordered a clean-up mission to be halted, when it was announced that authorities had made an arrest in the chilling case. Photos show that an Idaho State Police trooper accompanied the group, but the lawyer in Idaho representing Kohberger has yet to be identified. Ex-homicide detective and attorney Ted Williams said: The fact that Bryan Kohberger's attorney has brought in private investigators to go throughout this crime scene leads me to believe that he is definitely going to mount a strong defense. Hours after his extradition hearing investigators hired by Kohbergers defense team arrived at the property on King Road to take pictures and footage. Pictured is Ann Taylor (centre) Kohberger's parents covered their faces as they arrived at the courthouse on Tuesday. The family is standing by him Kohbergers public defender in Pennsylvania, Jason LaBar, said that the alleged killer expects to be exonerated - with his family standing by him. He claims that the family think it is completely out of character for him to be accused of the bloody slayings. Investigators started tracking Kohberger's movements across the US, with witnesses claiming that they saw both him and his father getting repairs done to a white Hyundai Elantra on December 16. Police then impounded the vehicle from outside his parents' home when they swooped on the property in Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County. Kohberger had previously studied under a professor in Pennsylvania known for her expertise on serial killers, and was studying criminology at Washington State University at the time of the slayings. Investigators in Moscow, Idaho, have yet to outline a motive, but those who knew Kohberger say he had a deep interest in the psychology of criminals. A 26-year-old man was refused bail after he allegedly 'sexually touched and assaulted up to nine people' - including two young girls - at a busy shopping centre. Police were called to the Westfield shopping centre in Liverpool, southwest Sydney, about 3.15pm on December 21, 2022, following reports a man allegedly touched two girls aged six and nine. A man was arrested a short time later after being stopped by security leaving the complex. He was taken to Liverpool Police Station and initially faced two charges of common assault and stalking or intimidate with the intention to cause fear of physical harm. A 26-year-old Sydney man was arrested after allegedly sexually touching and assaulting up to nine people - including two young girls - at the Westfield in Liverpool (above) However, the local Liverpool man was handed down 18 more charges last Thursday following continued inquires by NSW Police. They include three counts of sexually touching another person without consent, four counts of intentionally sexually touching child under 10 years, two counts of intentionally sexually touching a child aged between 10 and 16 years and nine counts of common assault. It is understood the man allegedly assaulted or touched up to nine different people in the shopping centre on the day of his arrest. He was refused bail and is set to appear in Liverpool Local Court on January 9, 2023. NSW Police are continuing to investigate the matter. Governor Ron DeSantis wants public Florida universities to disclose all government funds spent toward programs, classes and other initiatives related to diversity, equity, inclusion and the teaching of critical race theory. The memo sent Wednesday is part of DeSantis' efforts to zero-in on education in his second term as governor. Florida higher education systems that receive government funding from the state will have to complete a document with a comprehensive list of diversity and race-related programs, which includes the staff hired to teach or advise these groups or classes, according to the memo. DeSantis' Press Secretary Bryan Griffin told DailyMail.com: 'This is a fact-finding initiative to determine how many public dollars are going towards such things.' 'Governor DeSantis believes that funding for higher education should go towards education academics and truth and not trendy ideologies,' he added over the letter, which was send December 28. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis laid out his plans for his second term in an approximately 20-minute speech that many saw as a blueprint for a presidential run in 2024 A memo from Florida's budget director Chris Spence set a January 13 deadline for universities to detail spending on on classes, programs and staffing related to diversity, equity, inclusion and critical race theory 'Each Florida College System and State University System must complete the attached document to provide a comprehensive list of all staff, programs, and campus activities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and critical race theory,' the memo reads. It was sent by state budget director Chris Spence to the Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. and State University of Florida Chancellor Ray Rodrigues. The Florida governor is requiring universities and colleges to provide a 'brief description of the program or activity; positions, including full and partial FTE; total funding spent to support the initiatives; and of the total spent to support the initiative, the amount that is state funded.' The deadline for these materials, according to the memo, is January 13. 'Governor Ron DeSantis has prioritized a cost-effective higher education system that delivers high quality service to Floridians to best prepare them for employment,' the letter reads as reasoning for requiring the expenditure breakdown. DeSantis was sworn-in on Tuesday for his second term as Florida governor. During 20-minute remarks following the oath of office, DeSantis laid out a blueprint for his priorities for Florida over the next four years but many saw the speech as the governor's way of straddling his current office and expressing ambitions for the White House. The governor put much of his focus during the speech on family ideals and education. DeSantis said he will enact 'family friendly' policies and make Florida the best state to raise a family during his inauguration speech on Tuesday. Pictured: The governor arrives at his swearing-in ceremony January 3, 2023 with wife and Florida first lady Casey DeSantis and their three children Madison, Mason and Mamie 'We must ensure school systems are responsive to parents and to students, not partisan interest groups, and we must ensure that our institutions of higher learning are focused on academic excellence and the pursuit of truth, not the imposition of trendy ideology,' he said. DeSantis also insisted that Florida will remain 'a great place to raise a family'. He vowed to 'enact more family-friendly policies to make it easier to raise children and we will defend our children against those who seek to rob them of their innocence.' During his first term, DeSantis earned a fair amount of criticism from activists for the LGBTQ+ and black communities over his policies that limited teaching of Critical Race Theory and gender identity especially in younger children. Elon Musk has backed Kevin McCarthy to be Speaker of the House as lawmakers head to the Capitol for the third day to cast their ballots at noon. The Twitter owner threw his support behind his ally on Thursday morning with Republicans still at a stalemate in farcical scenes in Congress. 'Kevin McCarthy should be Speaker' Musk tweeted. The House adjourned at 8pm on Wednesday night, sparing McCarthy of a seventh Speaker ballot which he would have likely lost. It is the first time in more than 100 years that a Speaker hasn't been chosen on the first round of voting, and the process looks set to drag on with the GOP unable to find a deal. The Republican rebels who have sunk his bid, who have been nicknamed the 'Taliban 20', have dug their heels in and insisted they will never back the Republican leader. McCarthy said overnight that there has been progress in talks ahead of a make-or-break day for his bid. Elon Musk has backed Kevin McCarthy to be Speaker of the House as lawmakers head to the Capitol for the third day to cast their ballots. The Twitter owner threw his support behind his ally on Thursday morning with Republicans still at a stalemate in farcical scenes in Congress REPUBLICAN REBELS VOTING AGAINST MCCARTHY Andy Biggs - Arizona Dan Bishop - North Carolina Lauren Boebert - Colorado Josh Brecheen - Oklahoma Michael Cloud - Texas Andrew Clyde - Georgia Eli Crane - Arizona Byron Donalds - Florida Matt Gaetz - Florida Bob Good - Virginia Paul Gosar - Arizona Andy Harris - Maryland Ana Paulina Luna - Florida Mary Miller - Illinois Ralph Norman - South Carolina Andy Ogles - Tennessee Scott Perry - Pennsylvania Matt Rosendale - Montana Chip Roy - Texas Keith Self - Texas Advertisement The chamber floor devolved into chaos on Wednesday night soon after members returned from a brief break, as Democrats and Republicans attempted to out-scream each other during a voice vote on whether to call it a night. Embattled House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy told reporters earlier in the evening that he wanted to end today's session to allow for more negotiations after 20 members of his caucus derailed his bid for the gavel. But Democrats appeared ready to stay on the floor and drag McCarthy's potential political demise out in public. House Democrats' new No. 3 Rep. Pete Aguilar called for individual votes to be cast after the voice vote proved inconclusive, and it came down to the wire. All eyes were on the Republican McCarthy critics to see if they would join Democrats in dragging out the night. At one point, DailyMail.com observed progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in an intense conversation with conservatives like Matt Gaetz and Paul Gosar. But in the end, she was one of the Democrats hollering for the House clerk to allow more time for their members to race onto the floor and cast their votes. In the end, the move to adjourn narrowly won out - to the tune of claps from the GOP side. Just five Republicans voted with the Democrats to keep the night going: Reps. Andy Biggs, Lauren Boebert, Eli Crane, Matt Gaetz and Bob Good. It came after six rounds of voting - three on Tuesday and three on Wednesday - where the GOP failed to coalesce around a new leader. It's setting their new House majority off to a rocky start. The chamber briefly adjourned earlier on Wednesday afternoon until later the same evening, with McCarthy holding a crisis meeting in incoming Majority Whip Tom Emmer's office in between. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy told reporters on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting and just before the 8pm session that he wanted to move the Speaker vote for another day Republicans have fallen into disarray over their disagreements on a new House Speaker Several extracts from the book have been published despite strict security A clip from the GMA interview reveals Harry brands William his 'arch-nemesis' in the book, with the Duke discussing the 'competition' between 'heir' and 'spare' Strahan said Harry writes about the death of his mother Diana, how he dealt with it, and his time in the military, as well as his role as a husband and father Added that the book will 'open a lot of eyeballs', and hinting at topics covered The GMA anchor revealed today that he received an advance copy of Spare ahead of an interview with Prince Harry to promote the explosive memoir Good Morning America anchor Michael Strahan today hinted that the royal family should brace for the worst in Prince Harry's bombshell memoir Spare, revealing that he has already read the entire book, which he warned will 'drop a lot of jaws'. The 51-year-old TV host shared this thoughts on the explosive autobiography this morning, when he admitted that he received an advance copy of Spare - amid multiple leaks from the book - ahead of an interview with Harry, 38, which is due to air in full on Monday morning. After showing a short teaser clip from the sit-down, in which Strahan revealed Harry refers to his brother William as his 'arch-nemesis', the GMA anchor proceeded to share his 'amazement' at 'how open [the Duke] is'. 'He is not holding anything back,' Strahan said - in what could well be interpreted by the palace as a clear warning of what further bombshells may emerge from the book. 'I read the book from the first page to the last and you're amazed at how open he is. I think [it's] going to open a lot of eyeballs and drop a lot of jaws, as they say.' Good Morning America anchor Michael Strahan has warned that Prince Harry's upcoming memoir Spare 'will drop a lot of jaws' while admitting he has already read the entire book According to Strahan, 51, who sat down for an interview with Harry, 38, the Duke of Sussex is 'not holding anything back' in his book Strahan also hinted at the other topics that are covered by Harry in Spare, telling his co-hosts that it includes discussions about his relationship with William, his feelings about his mother Diana's death, and his time in the military - as well as his role as a father and husband Strahan's admission that he has already read Spare from cover to cover comes amid multiple leaks from the book - despite publisher Penguin Random House going to great lengths to keep it under lock and key 'This book is about a lot more than just his relationship with his brother,' he said. 'He covers so much. He talks about deep grief, the death of his mother, how he dealt with that. [His] time in the military and the most important role, which you can tell for him right now is being a husband and being a father. 'And he also talks about his grievances with the press, which is one of the reasons he's been so vocal about that. 'But it's also a story and a conversation with him about healing. Because when you read the book, you realize it's been one heck of a life. And to see him where he is right now, it shows how much he's really had to work to find himself.' Strahan's summary of the book was shared shortly after GMA aired a short teaser clip from the host's sit-down interview with Harry - during which it was revealed that the Duke brands William as 'his arch-nemesis' in Spare. In the short seconds-long glimpse at the sit-down, Strahan is heard telling Harry: 'There's a quote in the book where your refer to your brother as your "beloved brother and arch-nemesis". Strong words. What did you mean by that?' Harry then responds: 'There has always been this competition between us, weirdly. I think it really plays into or always played by the "heir/spare".' In a teaser clip from Strahan's sit-down with Harry, the GMA anchor reveals that the Duke refers to his brother William as his 'arch-nemesis' Strahan's admission that he was 'amazed by how open [Harry] is' in the book will no doubt fuel further fears among the royal family about what bombshells are yet to come Strahan's admission that he has already read Spare in its entirety comes after multiple extracts from the book were released online - despite publisher Penguin Random House reportedly going to extreme lengths to keep its contents under lock and key. Both the Guardian and Page Six have published extracts from the tome - and the book also accidentally went on sale early in Spain, enabling readers to buy an advance copy ahead of its official release on January 10. There is understood to be a probe at Penguin over how the leaks and early releases occurred. The extracts that have been published thus far certainly back up Strahan's warning that Harry is 'holding nothing back', with the Guardian sharing a sensational excerpt in which the Duke accuses his older brother Prince William of physically attacking him during an altercation at Nottingham Cottage in 2019. In a clear indication that Harry plans to hold nothing back when it comes to airing his true feelings about his brother, the Duke of Sussex describes a nuclear argument between the siblings, which he says ended with the Prince of Wales grabbing him by the collar and throwing him to the floor, shattering a dog bowl with his back. William then allegedly declared: 'I didn't attack you, Harold.' According to the Guardian, Harry writes that William branded Meghan Markle 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive' and insisted he was trying to 'help' his younger brother during a meeting about 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their failing relationship and Harry's rows with the press. Harry says he accused his brother of 'parroting the press narrative' about his wife before a screaming match ensued, ending in a physical altercation. He claims he then gave the heir to the throne a glass of water and said: 'Willy, I can't speak to you when you're like this'. Recalling what he claims happened next, and insisting he was scared, the former soldier wrote: 'He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. 'He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.' READ DAILYMAIL.COM'S UNRIVALED COVERAGE OF PRINCE HARRY'S MEMOIR Prince Harry 'begged Prince Charles not to marry Camilla' and feared she would one day be his 'wicked stepmother', his new book claims 'Wonderful! Now you've given me an heir and a spare': Charles told Diana 'my work is done' on the day of Prince Harry's birth, claims the Duke in leaked extract of bombshell memoir 'Spare' Prince Harry brands Prince William his 'ARCH-NEMESIS' in explosive memoir, as he admits he has 'always been in competition' with his 'beloved brother'11602359 because of his role as the 'spare' Kevin McCarthy and his allies were reportedly negotiating late into the night The House of Representatives will gavel back into session at noon Thursday House lawmakers are wearily making their way back to the US Capitol on Thursday morning as Republicans' fight over who will lead their thin majority spills into a third day. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy's bid for the House Speakership was derailed by conservative rebels, who an ally of his dubbed the 'Taliban 20.' Returning to the Capitol this morning, he told reporters that talks are 'making progress.' The historic gridlock has paralyzed Capitol Hill; with no Speaker, the 118th House of Representatives cannot be sworn in, and new legislation cannot move to the floor or through committees - which do not have formal chairs yet. And on Wednesday, a group of Republican military veterans held a press conference warning that the disarray was leading to significant national security vulnerabilities. Florida Rep. Michael Waltz said from the podium, 'Authoritarian regimes all over the world are pointing to whats going on in the House of Representatives and saying, Look at the messiness of democracy, look at how it doesnt work, cant function.' It's been reported that McCarthy made some significant new concessions to his 20 detractors, including a measure that would allow one GOP lawmaker to trigger a vote for a new House Speaker, according to CNN - known as motion to vacate the chair. It's not clear whether the new concessions GOP Leader McCarthy has made will be enough to win him the Speaker's gavel He lost six Speaker votes across two days in a historic display of chaos in the US Congress Despite that, there appear to still be five lingering holdouts. As of now, McCarthy can only afford to lose four votes to still win. Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Bob Good of Virginia, Andy Biggs of Arizona, and Matt Rosendale of Montana likely won't budge, Politico reported in its Thursday morning Playbook. But McCarthy's critics have once again gathered for an 8am meeting to discuss the overnight concessions he made, GOP Rep. Warren Davidson - not among the number - told CNN's morning show. In addition to the motion to vacate the chair being set at one vote, McCarthy has also reportedly promised conservatives votes on border security and term limits legislation. He also reportedly agreed to giving more spots on the House Rules Committee to members of the hardline-right House Freedom Caucus. The powerful panel acts as a gatekeeper for any legislation that comes to the floor. But his pathway to winning 218 votes still appears murky with the five likely holdouts, and no Democrat would vote for the conservative concessions McCarthy has given. There are five GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Lauren Boebert, who have committed to voting against McCarthy, no matter what Republicans have fallen into disarray over their disagreements on a new House Speaker Even some moderates in his party appear wary of him giving away too much. GOP Rep. Carol Miller of West Virginia, who has voted for McCarthy in all six rounds, told CNN on Thursday morning that she did not like the threshold for the motion to vacate the chair being reduced from five to one. Under the GOP's previous conference rules, a new Speaker vote is triggered by no less than half of its members. The House gavels back into session at 12pm on Thursday, where lawmakers will have two options: a seventh round Speaker vote, or to adjourn. One potential pathway to victory for McCarthy is to convince enough critics to vote 'present,' which would lower the number of votes needed to reach a majority. But after emerging from a meeting in incoming Majority Whip Tom Emmer's office on Wednesday evening, Gaetz made clear to reporters that he would keep voting against McCarthy for as long as it takes. Gaetz called McCarthy 'desperate' and said he was ready to 'vote all night, all week, all month' against him. Meanwhile Boebert, who has also made clear McCarthy would never get her support, was grilled about her resistance by conservative TV host Sean Hannity on Fox News Wednesday night. Hannity launched blistering criticism at Boebert and McCarthy's other detractors, asking her, 'If I'm going to use your words, and your methodology, and your math...isn't it time for your side to pack it in?' Boebert kept insisting that McCarthy would not reach the majority threshold to win the gavel, as a frustrated Hannity pushed her to directly say why she would not give in. 'I asked you a simple question. I feel like I'm getting an answer from a liberal,' an exasperated Hannity said at one point. Negotiations have nevertheless been ongoing to try to persuade the holdouts to vote for McCarthy or at least vote 'present' McCarthy told reporters while entering the Capitol on Thursday morning that they were 'making progress' (pictured: McCarthy, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and others celebrating when their motion to adjourn for the night passed on Wednesday evening The 118th Congress has been paralyzed without an agreement on who will lead the House of Representatives Texas Rep. Chip Roy, however - a critic of McCarthy's who has also been a leader in negotiations for the conservatives - reportedly told GOP Leaders that he could persuade 10 holdouts to cross the line amid the new concessions, according to CNN. An original 19 'no' votes on McCarthy in the first two rounds of voting on Tuesday turned into 20 on the third attempt, as Florida Rep. Byron Donalds joined them in voting for Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan. Jordan, however, has voted for McCarthy every time. On Wednesday, the 20 rebels shifted their support to Donalds - making it, along with Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries' nomination, the first time two black candidates were up for House Speaker. It's not immediately clear if they will stick behind Donalds or coalesce behind another candidate in an attempt to keep pushing McCarthy further from the gavel. MCCARTHY OFFERS FRESH CONCESSIONS TO WIN OVER HARD-RIGHT REPUBLICANS IN A STUNNING REVERSAL, THE GOP LEADER IS NOW OPEN TO ONCE 'RED-LINE' DEMANDS FROM RIGHT-WING REBELS ONE-MEMBER MOTION TO VACATE THE CHAIR In a major concession to the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus, the California Republican has offered to lower the number of members required to sponsor a resolution to force a vote to remove the speaker - from five to one - a change that the GOP leader had previously said he would not accept. FREEDOM CAUCUS TO HAVE RULES COMMITTEE SEATS McCarthy is open to allowing GOP hardliners to handpick four of the party's members on the powerful Rules Committee - no small concession as it controls what legislation reaches the floor, as well as allowing ANY lawmaker to propose changes on spending legislation, including any that would tank the measure. A VOTE ON TERM LIMITS There were also discussions of introducing legislation limiting House members to three terms and Senators to two terms. The upper chamber is currently led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York meaning the proposal to limit the Senate is a no-go. REBELS TO CHAIR SUB-COMMITTEE Several 'Never Kevin Caucus' members want high-profile assignments including Florida's Matt Gaetz as chair of the House Armed Services subcommittee and Maryland's Andy Harris as the head of the Appropriations subcommittee on Health and Human Services CHANGES TO APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS The Freedom Caucus wants rule changes that would decentralize power in both the House GOP - and the rest of the chamber - to give more power to individual members. The demand that committee chairs are selected by the committee and not the leadership, and rewards fundraising and party loyalty. Advertisement It has been announced by Marvel that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be available on Disney+ by February 1st, which continues to honor the late Black Panther actor, Chadwick Boseman who died of cancer at the age of 43. The Sequel Comes to Small Screens The sequel started its production in 2021, almost a year after Chadwick Boseman had passed. It was released in early November of 2022. In under just two months, MCU fans and viewers alike can now watch it on Disney+. For those who haven't seen it or heard of the plot, you shouldn't expect the king of Wakanda to make an appearance. Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, stated that Chadwick Boseman's role will remain unfilled, as mentioned in GameSpot. Not only will there be no recasts, but the character will also be retired from the Marvel Cinematic Universe altogether out of respect for the late actor. The movie's writer did consider who might inherit the Black Panther title, but Boseman returning through CGI was out of the question. The movie has seen great success, becoming one of Marvel's highest-grossing films just behind "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Another MCU movie will be hitting the big screens soon. "Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania" is set to show in theaters on February 17th. Read Also: X-Men Movies Timeline: How to Watch the Films in Chronological Order MCU Movies Ahead It's not just the "Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania" that's gracing the theaters, although it's already interesting enough to see Scott, Hope, Cassie, Hank, and Janet get transported to the Quantum Realm. There are many more Marvel movies you can look forward to this year alone. On May 5th, Marvel is also releasing "Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 3." For GOTG fans, this has been a long-awaited release, since the third volume has experienced many delays in the past, most of which was because of issues surrounding James Gunn and his busy schedule. There's also another Spider-Man animated film, which will be released on the 2nd of June. "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is a sequel to the 2018 animated movie "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." July 28th will also bring "The Marvels" to theaters, which features Brie Larson's Carol Danvers or Captain Marvel. Anyone familiar with the MCU knows that all the movies and shows are connected, but this particular movie is a sequel to an MCU movie and a Disney+ show. A character in the movie became a hero in Disney+'s "WandaVision," according to ScreenRant. The movie will show Captain Marvel teaming up with Teyonah Parris' Monica Rambeau and Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan. To get the whole context of the movie, you might want to brush up with "WandaVision" and "Ms. Marvel" to understand the individual characters further. Kamala Khan can be seen in the latter and Monica Rambeau in the former. You won't have to watch "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" to understand some references that might pop up in the movie. One important tidbit to remember was that the movie showed Monica Rambeau's mother to be the Captain Marvel of Earth-838. Related: 5 Marvel Titles Streaming on Disney+ in 2023 Republican Rep. Byron Donalds fired back at Democratic Rep. Cori Bush for suggesting he was a 'prop' in the speaker race because he supports white supremacy. The Florida congressman said 'nobody asked' the Squad member for her opinion, asked her for a policy debate and told her not to be a 'crab in a barrel'. Donalds was nominated as conservatives' alternative to embattled House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, whose quest for the gavel has been derailed by 20 lawmakers in his caucus including Donalds. When announcing the nomination in the first round, Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy noted the historic nature of having two black candidates for House Speaker. It came after Democrat Rep. Pete Aguilar nominated incoming Democratic Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for the gavel. It earned a standing ovation from both sides of the House chamber - but Bush was not moved. 'He is a prop,' Bush, who is also black, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon. Republican Rep. Byron Donalds fired back at Democratic Rep. Cori Bush for suggesting he was a 'prop' in the speaker race because he supports white supremacy. Bush dismissed the enthusiasm around the historic nature of Rep. Byron Donalds' nomination for House Speaker 'Despite being Black, he supports a policy agenda intent on upholding and perpetuating white supremacy. His name being in the mix is not progressit's pathetic.' 'Nobody asked Cori Bush her opinion on the matter. Before you judge my agenda, let's have a debate over the policies and the outcomes. Until then, don't be a crab in a barrel!' Donalds responded. Donalds was also asked about Bush's comments during an appearance on Fox Business on Thursday morning and said: Man, that sucked, man, to be honest with you, man ... If you see a Black man rising, let the man rise, even if you don't agree with him.' Former GOP Rep. Doug Collins slammed Bush's comments as racist. 'Congresswoman, this is racism and you should be held accountable. It's disgraceful, disgusting, and dishonorable,' Collins replied to the post. Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee said, '[I]f you can't disagree with your colleague...without accusing him of racism, you might be part of the problem.' Earlier on Wednesday, Donalds spoke to reporters on the steps of the US Capitol during an impromptu press conference on after his name was put forward in the race. He said it is 'up to' McCarthy as to whether he drops out of the running for House Speaker. Donalds spoke to reporters on the steps of the US Capitol after voting for himself in the second round of Wednesday's Speaker vote, and the fifth round overall. Asked by DailyMail.com about his reaction to Donald Trump supporting McCarthy, Donalds - a supporter of the ex-president himself - brushed off the high-profile backer. 'President Trump has been in that position for several months. Knowing President Trump, he doesn't change his mind,' Donalds began. 'That's all well and good, but the members are going to decide this process. And you know, that's, that's no disrespect at all to President Trump. That's just the reality of the House.' It comes after Colorado GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert, another Trump ally, publicly demanded that the ex-president call McCarthy and tell him to withdraw from the race as she nominated Donalds in his place during one of Wednesday's votes. The House of Representatives failed to elect a speaker on the first-round vote for the first time in 100 years on Tuesday - and then fell further into disarray as McCarthy failed multiple times on Wednesday. It's set the GOP's new - albeit slim - House majority off to a chaotic start. A group of 19 conservatives derailed McCarthy's bid, despite his making last-minute concessions they had asked for including greenlighting a measure that would allow any five Republicans to call for a new Speaker vote at any time - known as the motion to vacate. Donalds joined their rebellion on the third round, by which point McCarthy's critics had all coalesced around GOP Rep. Jim Jordan - who has repeatedly said he does not want the gavel. Then on Wednesday, Donalds was nominated by Texas Rep. Chip Roy in the first round and Boebert in the second round. He told reporters on Wednesday that he did not 'actually' desire the Speakership, adding, 'I really never came here to try to be in leadership.' House Republicans have been in disarray with a second day in session without a Speaker It's led to multiple heated moments on the House floor between GOP members for and against Kevin McCarthy 'I didn't come to DC being interested in becoming Speaker of the House,' Donalds said. 'But I also understand that, you know, part of my responsibility is to make sure that our conference gets to a point where we are doing the things in an effective and constructive way.' Unlike Jordan, however, who also said he did not want the role he was being nominated for on Tuesday - Donalds has voted for himself in all three rounds on Wednesday. Republicans have fallen into disarray already on the second day of their slim majority. The 118th Congress has not yet been sworn in due to the delay in picking a new Speaker. GOP lawmakers could be seen having intense conversations on the House floor and in various hallways outside of the chamber. McCarthy's critics have made clear that his concessions are not enough, signaling that the inter-party fight has taken a deeply personal turn. Donalds originally supported McCarthy but has since called for more discussions and meetings for his party to work out a compromise. However, he told reporters that the fight may not be over yet for the current House GOP chief. 'I don't think we're there at this point,' he said when asked if McCarthy should step aside. 'I think there's a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all, you know, to a close.' 'But I'm not going to speak for Kevin, and that's something that he and his team got to figure out.' He suggested he hadn't yet spoken with McCarthy but 'anticipated' a conversation later Wednesday. The Arizona Department of Corrections is inducing the labor of pregnant prisoners against their will, three women have claimed - after allegedly being forced to give birth before their respective due dates. Medical records and interviews provided by the women - Stephanie Pearson, 21, Desiree Romero, 37, Jocelyn Hefner, 34 - support their claims, and show their births were fast-tracked by as many as three weeks. All the inmates are currently incarcerated Perryville Prison in Buckeye - one of 13 state facilities operated by the Department of Corrections (ADC). Stephanie Pearson and Desiree Romero - who both gave birth in the prison this year - had their labors induced at 39 weeks as opposed to the normal 40 weeks. Heffner was induced at 37 weeks twice, on two separate occasions, in 2020 and 2022 during separate sentences at the prison. The ADC has yet to comment on the claims. Jocelyn Hefner, 34, was induced at 37 weeks twice, on two separate occasions, in 2020 and 2022 during separate sentences at the prison. State prison officials have yet to comment Stephanie Pearson, 21, and 34-year-old Desiree Romero had their labors induced at 39 weeks as opposed to the normal 40 weeks, prison records provided by the women show NaphCare, the healthcare company that provides services to inmates, says it has strict policy of forcing inductions. Documents provided by the women to a local newspaper show they did on multiple separate occassions. The Alabama-based company took over the prison's health care contract in October, In 2021, the company was forced to pay nearly $700,000 to the federal government over allegations it overcharging clients. Based in Alabama, the firm currently provides health care services to local, state and federal clients in 32 states. The deal that saw the company take over Arizona's entire state prison network is expected to yield the company approximately $10 million in annual profits. Prison records and interviews provided by the women to the Arizona Republic laid bare the sensational charges, which could see the state come under federal scrutiny. All three women told the newspaper they were suddenly told by prison medical providers at the prison that they were being induced with virtually no warning. The women further charged they were erroneously told it was a policy of the ADC that all pregnant prisoners undergo induced labor - not due to their individual conditions. The women say they were given no explanation for the policy - which is not listed in either NaphCare's or the state's list of medical regulations. All the inmates are currently incarcerated Perryville Prison in Buckeye - one of 13 state facilities operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) They believe it is being implemented to reduce liability for the state's prison system. The prison came under fire by the American Civil Liberties Union in 2019 after a female prisoner gave birth to a baby in her cell, alone, with the baby ending up in the toilet. A subsequent report submitted in federal court by attorneys for the on behalf of more than 25 incarcerated Arizona women found that pregnant prisoners were suffering from 'deficient' and 'dangerous' prenatal and postnatal care. Despite the findings, the ACD was not reprimanded for their alleged actions. 'They said they induce everyone because they don't want anyone going into labor here,' Pearson told The Republic of the explanation she was given as to why she was to undergo the premature procedure. 'They just told me that someone on a different yard a few years ago went into labor in their cell, and had their baby in the cell, and that's why they induce everyone now.' she added. The inmate, who was admitted into the prison last May after being booked an outstanding felony warrant for larceny and charges of possession of marijuana, said she was provided the explanation by a prison obstetrician. This photo, taken in 2018, shows barracks in the female section of Perryville. The prison came under fire by the American Civil Liberties Union in 2019 after a female prisoner gave birth to a baby in her cell, alone, with the baby ending up in the toilet Romero, who like Person was induced a week ahead of her due date, similarly said that she was told repeatedly by the medical providers that it is policy to induce all pregnant prisoners a week early. 'They induce us all now so that we don't go into labor in prison,' she said. Romero said she never had a choice in the matter. If she did, Romero says she would have waited to have the baby spontaneously. ' 'I'm quite used to the prison making all these decisions for us because we are still state property,' she said. Heffner, currently serving her second stint in Perryville, said she disputed the decision to induce her labor during two pregnancies - only to be denied each time. 'I felt like I was viewed as a liability and walking around a prison yard nine months pregnant didn't comfort this state institution,' Heffner said. 'Most ladies get induced here, I've caught on to.' The women's claims were supported by medical records reportedly viewed by The Republic. Doctors say that inducing labor should only be done with the informed consent of patients, with 39 weeks commonly being the absolute earliest timeline to ensure a safe birth. Several other instances of neglect and mistreatment of female prisoners during and after their pregnancies were discovered by the watchdog after it toured the prison in April 2019 DailyMail.com has reached out to both Perryville Prison and and the ADC for comment. The charges aired in the Republic's report come as advocates for incarcerated women have sounded alarms regarding what they claim are human rights violations occurring before, during and after birth, in Arizona state prisons. The ACLU's report on Perryville in particular contains several instances of neglect and mistreatment of female prisoners during and after their pregnancies after touring the jail for three days in April 2019. During the probe, the nonprofit spoke with 25 women who had recently given birth or miscarried at the facility. In their report, attorneys called the women's stories 'shocking and horrifying.' Claims included in the report were that health care and regular staffers at the prison regularly mistreated pregnant prisoners, and did not provide them with adequate nutrition or adequate hygiene supplies. Officials wrote that some women at the prison were receiving only an extra peanut butter sandwich and glass of milk in their diets, and had limited or no access to fruits and vegetables. Inmates who had given birth were also given thin panty liners instead of state-mandated gauzes and bandages to deal with bleeding. Other breaches of state policy discovered by the watchdog included an instance of one woman being shackled while being transported to the hospital to go into labor. The report stated the woman complained of abdominal pain and bleeding and told medical and correctional staff 'I'm losing my baby.' The incident violated a state law that indicates that 'women who are pregnant who are being transported for delivery should not be shackled,' attorneys wrote. 'Nevertheless we did find the medical notes showing the woman being transported off-site to deliver her stillborn fetus while shackled.' Officlas also found instances of pregnant, drug addicted prisoners who were not given proper treatment. ' 'Proper treatment for women who have reporting using heroin when when they were pregnant is to immediately put them on methadone,' the report said. 'That's to manage any withdrawals and to also mitigate the possibility of a miscarriage.' In one severe case in 2019, a 'seriously mentally ill woman' reported she had recently given birth in the toilet of her cell, alone. Officials wrote that after the woman's water broke, she was sent to a hospital for just a few hours, only to be returned to the prison the same day 'for reasons that the hospital did not explain to her. Records from the prison backed up the woman's claims, which included that she was returned to her cell instead rather than the prison infirmary, where she did not receive medical condition for three days. 'When she went into labor, she was screaming and banging the door,' attorneys wrote. Other inmates present the unit that night corroborated the story, the ACLU said, writing that 'All the other women around her woke up and started screaming and banging on their doors' to alert prison staff, The woman said it took 15 to 20 minutes before an officer arrived. The woman, who was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia, was also administered drugs involuntarily for her condition during her pregnancy. The report stated that the woman, who was not named,' felt the baby start to come out, and was in excruciating pain and sat on the toilet, defecated and delivered the baby into her hands and continued to scream for help.' Another woman told medical staff that she was given Tylenol during he pregnancy, despite the fact it can cause severe complications for a growing fetus. She told attorneys that one night six weeks ahead of her due date, she 'felt a pain she had never felt before.' She notified prison staffers, and was sent back to her cell with the medication - which causes complications due to the fact that it thins the blood of those whom ingest it. The inmate would later give birth to a stillborn baby at 34 weeks of pregnancy. No legal action was taken against the Arizona prison system as a result of the report. The Golden Globes are axing their 'ambassadors' the sons and daughters of A-listers who for 60 years have ushered award winners onto and off stage during the event. Since 1963, celebrity offspring have enjoyed a moment in the spotlight at the Globes, serving almost as prom queens (and kings), while gaining a big publicity boost into the bargain. Lots of famous names have served as ambassadors. The 1975 Miss Golden Globe was Melanie Griffith (daughter of Tippi Hedren); and her daughter Dakota Johnson played the same part in 2006. Laura Dern (daughter of Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd) took the role in 1986; and Rumer Willis (daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore) in 2009. Sistine, Scarlet and Sophia Stallone daughters of Sylvester served in 2017. Idris Elba presents Miss Golden Globe 2019, his daughter Isan Elba, onstage during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 06, 2019 Isan Elba, daughter of Idris Elba, was 17 when she was the 2019 Golden Globes ambassador Sylvester Stallone, model Jennifer Flavin, and Stallone's daughters, who were joint Miss Golden Globe, Sistine, Scarlet and Sophia at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2017 Joint Miss Golden Globe 2017 Sistine Stallone, Scarlet Stallone and Sophia Stallone In 2019 it was the turn of Isan Elba, daughter of Idris. The last ambassadors, in 2021, were Jackson and Satchel Lee: twin offspring of director Spike. However a source close to the awards, which will take place in a televised ceremony at the Beverly Hilton ballroom on January 10, confirms that the tradition has been ditched, even though the ceremony is back again after Covid. 'It won't happen this year,' the source said. No reason has been officially given, but after a complete overhaul of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association which votes for the awards, focusing on improving diversity, transparency and fairness in the organisation and the event, it's easy to see that this jobs-for-the-kids tradition no longer feels like a happy fit. An entertaining row broke out in December over so-called 'nepo babies' nepo being short for nepotism who get hired in Hollywood as much for who their parents are as for their talents. The 1975 Miss Golden Globe was Melanie Griffith (right with her mother, Tippi Hedren) and Griffith's daughter, Dakota Johnson, played the same part in 2006 Pictured: (l-r) Dakota Johnson, Miss Golden Globe, and Melanie Griffith on stage during The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Jackson Lee and Satchel Lee, children of Spike Lee, were Golden Globe ambassadors at the 78th annual awards in 2021 The awards were not televised last year after the pandemic and an expose which revealed a lack of diversity at the HFPA, which at that time had not a single black member. This year the Globes are back, but there are still some signs of nervousness in Hollywood. So far, only a few stars are confirmed to attend, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Ana de Armas the biggest names so far. Both will present awards on the night. The Globes will air live on NBC and Peacock on January 10 (a Tuesday), and be hosted by Jerrod Carmichael. In previous years there have been big parties on the night hosted by all the studios but this time around, with budgetary crises gripping the industry, it's a different story. Rumer Willis, daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, was Miss Golden Globe in 2009 Laura Dern, daughter of Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd, took the role in 1986 Netflix is hosting a 'Celebration Toast' on January 8, with no mention of the Globes on its invite; Warner Bros. Discovery is putting on a party the same day, to celebrate Elvis's birthday, again with no official mention of the awards. The BAFTA Tea party, traditionally held the day before the Globes, is now scheduled for January 14, the day before the Critics Choice Awards and after the Globes. In 2021, the LA Times revealed that the HFPA had no black members and alleged unethical conduct. Actor Tom Cruise returned his three Golden Globes in protest. The organisation has since banned members from accepting gifts and introduced a hotline for reporting misconduct. Some 132 new voters and members have been added and the HFPA says it now has the most diverse membership of all awards ceremonies. It also has a code of conduct. The 2014 Miss Golden Globe, Sosie Bacon, with her parents, actress Kyra Sedgwick and actor Kevin Bacon at the 71st annual awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 12, 2014 Prince Harry uses his memoir to discuss his mother Diana's affair with Major James Hewitt and claims his father Charles joked, 'Who knows if I'm even your real father?' In Spare, which was accidentally released today in Spain, the Duke of Sussex says Charles 'liked to tell anecdotes' and that 'one of his best' was a story of a visit to a psychiatric hospital where he met a man claiming to be the Prince of Wales. According to the Duke's recounting of the story, Charles wagged his finger at the patient and said 'I am the Prince of Wales' only for the man to 'respond with the same gesture'. According to the Duke's retelling, Charles then joked: 'Who knows if I'm even your real father? Perhaps your father really is in Broadmoor, my dear son!' Harry wrote that the joke was 'in poor taste' given a rumour that his real father was James Hewitt. Harry says Charles 'liked to tell anecdotes' and that 'one of his best' was a story of a visit to a mental asylum where he met a man claiming to be the Prince of Wales Cavalry officer James Hewitt had a five-year affair with Princess Diana from 1986 to 1991 Mr Hewitt had a five-year affair with Princess Diana when he was a young Household Cavalry officer, from 1986 to 1991. This was confirmed by the Princess of Wales during the now-infamous Panorama interview with disgraced journalist Martin Bashir. Harry's resemblance to the Army officer led to claims he was a product of the affair. In his memoirs, the prince says the rumours continued even though Diana did not meet the cavalry officer ' until long after I was born'. He adds that if Charles thought anything about Major Hewitt he 'kept it to himself'. Elsewhere in the memoir, Harry claimed he and William 'begged' Charles not to marry Camilla after Princess Diana's death, fearing that she would be their 'wicked stepmother'. The Duke alleges that he and his brother would not stand in the way of the then-Prince of Wales's relationship but had asked him not to walk down the aisle for the second time, calling Camilla the 'Other Woman'. Charles had tried to 'win over the kids' before asking the public to accept Camilla, the book claims. Hewitt had a five-year affair with Princess Diana which ended in 1991 Harry reveals he killed 25 Taliban fighters Advertisement Harry also uses the book to accuse his older brother of being the aggressor during Megxit, claiming their relationship has become so strained and damaged that the Prince of Wales would only 'scowl' at him. The Duke reveals that he held a secret meeting with William and Charles hours after the funeral of Prince Philip in April 2021 close to the grave of King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. However, he said his father and brother wouldn't listen to him and claimed not to understand why he had emigrated. In Spain, Spare is called 'En La Sombra', which translates as 'In the Shadow', and begins with the dedication: 'For Meg, Archie and Lili... and, of course, my mother'. The book is not due out in the UK until Tuesday morning, but various excerpts have been leaked to the Press today. LeClaire earned $750 a week for her work at the artists' collective and over $4,800 for her residency at the university It has since been revealed she is actually a white woman She founded a queer Indigenous artists' collective and served as a resident at the University of Wisconsin-Madison A non-binary race faker who pretended to be a Native American for years as she gave lectures and wrote essays about her experience as a 'two-spirit' Native is now being slammed by the communities she once represented. Kay LeClaire, 28, made a name for herself among Wisconsin's Native American community, co-founding a queer Indigenous artists' collective and speaking out about issues of importance to the tribal communities in the state. She publicly identified herself in interviews as a Native American 'two-spirit,' a term many Indigenous people use to describe a non-binary gender identity. Eventually, LeClaire was even appointed to serve on Wisconsin's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Task Force, and was named the first Community Leader-in-Residence at University of Wisconsin Madison's School of Ecology a position that was funded by the school's Equity and Justice Network. It has now been revealed that LeClaire received over $4,800 for that role and earned a salary of $750 a week for her role as an administrator with the art collective, despite never showing up for work. Her actions may have been illegal as she profited off the work of actual Native American's, with one tribal leader now saying she is 'worse than a colonizer.' Kay LeClaire, 28, made a name for herself among Wisconsin's Native American community LeClaire, pictured in high school, worked for years pretending to be a Native American LeClaire, who uses they/them pronouns, stands accused of buying Native American artwork off of Etsy and passing it off as her own a possible violation of the 1990 Indian Arts and Crafts Act. She would describe on social media how she would have 'visions' and dreams that would lead her to create these intricate pieces of work. But more than once, the New York Post reports, the real creators came forward to take ownership of the pieces. 'LeClaire passed off people's crafts as their own and made up stories about the visions,' said Jon Greendeer, the Health and Wellness Coordinator at the Ho-Chunk Nation. 'In this way, they did more damage than any European colonizers did in the old days.' He said that members of his tribe, which numbers more than 8,000, were shocked when a genealogist revealed that LeClaire is actually of German, Swedish and French Canadian descent. She had even previously claimed to have Cuban and Jewish heritage. 'I think it was incredibly deceptive,' Greendeer said of LeClaire's play at being a Native American from the Metis tribe and adopting a 'Native name' Nibiiwakamigkwe. 'They targeted the very people they tried to lift up,' he continued. 'I can only think that they have serious mental health issues.' He noted that he thinks LeClaire took advantage of the 'welcoming and open' nature of Wisconsin's Indigenous communities. 'They fooled a lot of people even though a lot of what they spoke was Google and Wikipedia knowledge,' Greendeer said. 'They were a master when it suited them, but they created a house of cards.' Jon Greendeer, the Health and Wellness Coordinator at the Ho-Chunk Nation, called LeClaire 'worse than a colonizer' for her actions Griige Collective co-founder Nipinet Landsem said LeClaire became a 'financial drain' on the company and would stop showing up for work LeClaire used her fake identity to help form the Griige Collective a group of queer Indigenous artists in Madison. She worked for the group in an administrative capacity for several years, and was paid $750 a week not including any revenue she would make from jewelry and crafts sales. But after a while, co-founder Nipinet Landsem said, LeClaire would stop showing up for work and the other executives were working to remove her as an owner even before the allegations she was faking her heritage came to light. 'They were a financial drain for us,' Landsem told the Post. 'We paid them and they didn't come into work.' Landsem, who uses they/them pronouns, continued to say that LeClaire was 'abusive, very hard to work with and always playing the victim. 'They were very good at making everyone feel bad,' they said. 'I cannot stress enough how good of a liar they are. This is someone who is extremely intentional.' LeClaire, pictured here in 2020, is accused of buying Native American artwork on Etsy and passing it off as her own a possible violation of the 1990 Indian Arts and Crafts Act The same year she founded the Griige Collective, LeClaire's artwork was featured at the Overture Center for the Arts in its Everything COVID exhibition. She providing a native 'jingle dress' adorned with bells meant to capture prayers and intentions of visitors. That dress, though, was made by another artist. LeClaire also served in the residency program at the University of Wisconsin, where she earned $4,876.56 in private gift and grant funding as she held lectures about the struggles of the state's Indigenous community. She would even write about the struggles of the Wisconsin Native American community, penning essays in local newspapers about her experiences as a 'two-spirit' Indigenous person. In one from February 2020, for example, LeClaire wrote about how she was trying to get a white-owned music venue opening in Madison to change its name from Winnebago the name of a local tribe that Indigenous people see as a slur. The venue, on Winnebago Street ultimately did change its name, and LeClaire wrote in Our Lives Wisconsin: 'I'm glad the owners have decided to no longer profit from the identities of Indigenous people.' But, she said: 'The name change is in response to their anger and the potential loss of white people's money rather than misrepresentation of and education from Indigenous people. 'Once again, white folk's emotions, labor and intentions carry more weight than ours.' Her activism ultimately landed her a role on Wisconsin's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Task Force. It is unclear whether she made any money for serving on the task force which was allocated $300,000 when it was first formed in 2020. That money was meant to be used for studies, to collect data or to consult with experts. But it could also be used to cover members' travel expenses. Some in the Native community have said they had their suspicions about LeClaire She was named the first Community Leader-in-Residence at University of Wisconsin Madison's School of Ecology, earning over $4,800 for the role Some in the Native community have said they had their doubts about LeClaire's claims, but would give her the benefit of the doubt. Speaking to DailyMail.com, Kanyhtakelu Becky Webster, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, said she met LeClaire through the Indigenous food sovereignty movement and 'we became friends.' She said LeClaire identified herself as New York Oneida and Ojibwe. When asked whether she ever doubted those claims, Webster said: 'There were signs, but I ignored them. 'Then a couple mutual friends reached out and shared their doubts. During my last visit with Kay, we talked extensively about the Liz Hoover incident (another pretendian). 'Kay doubled down and spoke about how terrible Liz's actions were. It wasn't until the genealogy report was released before I fully accepted Kay's lies.' 'I went through all the emotions, denial at first (I even reached out to Kay with the allegations), then shocked that our doubts were right, sad, angry, betrayed, confused [and] hurt,' she said. LeClaire had previously disparaged Elizabeth Hoover, who came under fire for falsely claiming Native American ancestry 'Most of all, I am mourning a person I thought was my friend, a person that never really existed.' Webster added that she now hopes LeClaire 'gets the help she needs' and 'apologizes for the damage she caused and admits to what she has done. And Landsem told Madison.com they had their suspicions of LeClaire because she would tan a lot, with Landsem even giving her a ride to the tanning salon when she said she had Vitamin D deficiency. Soon, though, Landsem said, they and others would start noticing that LeClaire would carry around a bottle of spray tan. Ladsem also noticed that LeClaire would also make inaccurate statements about Metis culture. 'They claimed to be Metis and I'm Metis,' Landsem explained. 'They told me a bunch of weird stuff about Metis culture, and I was like "Well, you don't know what you're taking about.' So Landsem decided to do some digging of her own and found old photos on LeClaire's social media pages showing her with fair skin and light hair. But Landsem decided to continue to give LeClaire the benefit of the doubt, saying it can be difficult to define someone's Native ancestry. 'The legacy of colonialism has left a lot of Indigenous people disconnected,' they explained. 'A lot of people don't have super accurate information on their family. 'I'm assuming that you [LeClaire] are just stepping out of your lane as a disconnected person.' LeClaire's ruse was finally uncovered in late November by an online sleuth. She is pictured here, right, with her husband Natives have said they became suspicious of LeClaire, back right, because she would often go tanning. She is pictured here with her husband's family LeClaire's ruse was finally upended in late November, when hobbyist genealogist AdvancedSmite decided to dig into her background. He told Madison365 that he first became aware of LeClaire through a Facebook ad for an upcoming talk on Indigenous feminism. It identified LeClaire under her 'Native name' Nibiiwakamigkwe, which AdvancedSmite said they found unusual because the given Ojibwe name is 'typically something that would just be used in ceremony or with other people who are Ojibwe or a part of your community,' he said. AdvancedSmite, who is also of Indigenous then conducted some research and found that while LeClaire is 'a common Native American last name,' there were social media posts in which she identified as Anishinaabe. The genealogist also discovered that LeClaire had previously claimed to be Cuban in bios, interviews and elsewhere through August 31, 2020. And in a Facebook post in 2017, she claimed to be a 'white woman.' AdvancedSmite then reportedly used online records and resources to find LeClaire's true lineage German, Swedish and French Canadian, Madison365 reported, and reported their findings on the New Age Fraud Forum. It was also claimed on the forum that LeClaire graduated from Hamilton High School in Sussex, Wisconsin, where she was known as Katie Le Claire, in 2012. She apparently attended the University of Wisconsin and in the summer of 2018 married fellow Hamilton alum Adam Pagenkopf, a research specialist at UW, it was reported. LeClaire graduated from Hamilton High School in Sussex, Wisconsin, where she was known as Katie Le Claire, in 2012 LeClaire publicly identified herself in a Facebook post in 2017 as a 'white woman' In the aftermath, a patron of the Griige Collective the art collective LeClaire helped found presented the data to Landsem, who said they immediately believed the findings. 'I thought, "This matches up with what Kay has told me,"' she recounted to Madison.com. '"This matches up with the documents that I have for them, as this person who does all the finances in this business." '"I completely believe this. They're lying about everything."' Griige later posted a statement to Instagram, reading: 'The collective at Giige would like to extend our gratitude to the Indigenous community within and surrounding Teejop in the wake of the recent revelation of the many harms committed by former cofounder Kay LeClaire. 'Evidence has come to light indicating that Kay LeClaire has made false claims regarding their heritage, their art and their position in the community,' they continued. 'It is with great relief and a legal feat behind the scenes that the team at Giige announce our separation from co-founder Kay LeClaire, effective 12/31/2022. 'The foundation of our collective encompasses gender and trauma-informed care within an Indigenous tattooing space, bringing healing through ink back to Indigenous and queer bodies. 'This person has gone against our inherent values and perpetuated harm within the Teejop community and beyond. 'Without our knowledge and consent, Kay LeClaire used our position as an Indigenous-led business to inflate their platform and expand their access to an already vulnerable community.' They continued to explain: 'Our collaboration with Kay LeClaire came from the ethics that form the foundation our business as well as a place of trust. 'Communities are built on trust and while Kay LeClaire violated that trust, we will not let thier actions shake our beliefs, limit the trust we give our community or compromise our ethics due to their harmful behavior, 'We want to acknowledge how our platform and community standing allowed Kay LeClaire to increase the amount of harm they were able to do. 'We express immense gratitude to those that brought this issue to our attention, and sincerely thank everyone who has informed us of the ongoing harm happening outside of and through Giige.' The company also sought to clarify what role LeClaire played, writing: 'Kay LeClaire was our administrative associate and our event planner as well as a member of our artist collective. 'Kay LeClaire was NEVER a tattoo artist at Giige and any tattoos they claim to have created did not take place on the premises.' LeClaire co-founded the Griige Collective a group of queer Indigenous artists in Madison She worked an administrative role in the company (pictured) but stopped showing up for work The executives then went on to say they first met LeClaire in late 2019, at which point 'they were already claiming to be Indigenous... and were vouched for by other trusted community members. 'We have also been hurt by Kay LeClaire on personal, cultural and financial levels and, unrelated to the allegations made in the NAFPS thread, had been in the process of removing them from ownership of Giige since October 2022. 'We were still unaware of the extent of their behavior, so we began a process of resolving our internal conflicts through mediation in November 2022. We were met with resistance and obstruction at every step of the way. 'We did not become aware of the full extent of their lies until 12/23/2022, at which point we took their removal from ownership of Griige to our lawyer for immediate action instead of continuing discussion with them.' Griige is now calling on the 'non-Indigenous businesses that have platformed Kay LeClaire and their work to offer a formal statement on their work with this individual and commit to paying reparations to the Tribes. 'We call on you to match the amount of money you paid Kay LeClaire for their false knowledge and misrepresentation of our people in a donation to an Indigenous organization harmed by Kay LeClaire,' the company said. 'Our collective is committed to a process of rematriation and redistributing the art and cultural items that Kay LeClaire is in possession of, should they do the right thing and relinquish them. We are working with the Indigenous community in Teejop to accomplish this process and appreciate your patience. 'We are also committed to maintaining our shop as an Indigenous and queer space for the community in and around Teejop,' it continued. 'Our hearts, space and resources are open to you.' In a lengthy statement posted to Griige's Facebook, the other executives talk about how they were already working to remove LeClaire as an owner before these allegations came to light At the same time, Griige called on LeClaie to 'offer a formal apology for any fraud, lies and theft of culture, art and opportunities. 'We call on them to acknowledge the harm they have committed, gracefully accept the consequences and sincerely apologize to those they have harmed, including the Tribes they claimed, the communities and organizations they worked with and anyone who called them a friend.' 'It is unfortunate, disturbing an da clear symptom of ongoing colonialism that Indigenous people continually have to face the consequences for trusting someone who is pretending to be our kin. 'What has been unveiled over the past few months has taken a huge emotional toll of all of us and we ask for your patience as we take the time to heal ourselves. 'Please do not ask us for permission regarding actions to be taken in the wake of this tragedy,' the company continued. 'This requires a great deal of labor on the part of people already harmed by Kay LeClaire and puts us in a position where we are then in charge of the fallout for their actions. 'Follow your best judgment when deciding how to respond to this an dhow to personally make things right.' Griige concluded: 'We deeply appreciate the community support we have so far received and ask that you continue to support us as we reorganize and heal. 'Kay LeClaire is still a part of the broader Madison community and is a human being deserving of care, despite their egregious actions. 'While this is a call to action and attention, we do not condone harassment or violence of any kind directed towards Kay LeClaire. 'We will not tolerate discussion of Indigenous identity issues by non Indigenous communities on our page, nor will we tolerate speculation or diagnoses of Kay LeClaire's mental or physical health status,' the executives said. 'We ask you to encourage them to seek help and take accountability for their actions.' In the summer of 2018, LeClaire married fellow Hamilton alum Adam Pagenkopf, a research specialist at UW LeClaire did apologized in a statement to Madison365. 'I am sorry,' they wrote. 'A lot of information has come to my attention since late December. I am still processing it all and do not yet know how to respond adequately. What I can do now is offer change. 'Moving forward, my efforts will be towards reducing harm by following the directions provided by Native community members and community-specified proxies.' The statement went on: 'Currently, this means that I am not using the Ojibwe name given to me and am removing myself from all community spaces, positions, projects, and grants and will not seek new ones. 'Any culturally related items I hold are being redistributed back in community, either to the original makers and gift-givers when possible or elsewhere as determined by community members. Thank you.' But Natives say she has done too much damage to apologize. 'Reconciliation is impossible,' said Greendeer. 'They have lost the faith of the community.' LeClaire has stepped down from her residency at the University of Wisconsin, where she earned over $4,800 in the past year The University of Wisconsin has now said she has stepped down from her residency, and released a statement saying: 'We are deeply concerned about allegations that a community member with whom we have partnered misrepresented their identity and disingenuous actions. 'The School of Human Ecology and its Center for Design and Material Culture do not have plans to further collaborate with LeClaire for its Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection.' And the Overture Center said it has contacted the artist who actually made the 'jingle dress' and is working to make sure that person receives proper credit and compensation. 'We were shocked and disappointed by the evidence that an artist misrepresented themselves and their work and we are investigating the issue,' spokeswoman Shari Gasper said in an emailed statement. She added: 'The Overture Center would never knowingly work with an artist who misrepresented their credentials or background. 'We are reaching out to the Indigenous community to apologize, and we extend our apologies to the community as a whole. 'While we are diligent in our efforts to research performing artists, it appears this person went to great lengths to deceive the Overture Center and ultimately our community.' A group of drunk American YouTubers have been slammed for acting like a pack of wild animals after creeping into a Singapore safari park at night, petting a sleeping wallaby and trying to feed a hyena a potato chip. The video filmed at the Mandai Night Safari by a group known as 4funguys on social media was uploaded to TikTok on Oct 26 and recently resurfaced on the video sharing platform. The reckless behavior has been viewed 'seriously' by park management who on Tuesday said that acts of trespassing and the intent to disrespect or endanger wildlife will not be tolerated. A police report was lodged by the park on Dec 31 authorities telling asiaone.com that the matter is being investigated. A group of drunk American YouTubers have been slammed for acting like a pack of wild animals after creeping into a Singapore safari park at night The video filmed at the Mandai Night Safari by a group known as 4funguys on social media was uploaded to TikTok on Oct 26 and recently resurfaced on the video sharing platform In the TikTok video, the young men are seen purchasing bottles of soju from a convenience store and downing their drinks before heading into the Night Safari, where they can be seen boarding a tram. Although it's not known what time they arrived at the park, the video's caption said that one of the men, Johnny, jumped off the tram at 2am. 'Jonny just randomly got off the tram,' one of the inebriated YouTubers is heard saying as he stumbles through the bush and into the darkness. The group are then seen wandering around on their own, jumping fences and exploring the enclosures with total disregard to park rules. 'This animal exhibit where there are no cages on anything,' said another one of the YouTubers who proceeds to pan the camera across the park. A sleeping wallaby is the first animal the group encounter, the person filming the moment asking, 'what are you doing' as one member leans down to pat the dozing marsupial. A police report was lodged by the park on Dec 31 authorities saying that the matter, in which the group are seeing swigging soju, is being investigated The group are then seen wandering around on their own, jumping fences and exploring the enclosures with total disregard to park rules Although it's not known what time they arrived at the park, the video's caption said that one of the men, Johnny, jumped off the tram at 2am 'Aw, he's patting him,' another from the group can be heard saying before they explode into laughter. The video then cuts to the Hyena enclosure where the brazen group proceed to interact with the creature. 'So that's a hyena with no fence,' one of the YouTubers is heard saying before one from the group, referred to as John, is seen trying to feed it a potato chip. 'Come here buddy,' the person referred to as John is heard saying to beckon over the carnivorous animal. The final clips of the video show the group attempting to scale a small rocky wall helping one another up the precarious surface. The short 30 second clip was slammed in the comments some going as far as to alert authorities. A sleeping wallaby is the first animal the group encounter, the person filming the moment asking, 'what are you doing' as one member leans down to pat the dozing marsupial The video then cuts to the Hyena enclosure where the brazen group proceed to interact with the creature 'So that's a hyena with no fence,' one of the YouTubers is heard saying before one from the group, referred to as John, is seen trying to feed it a potato chip The final clips of the video show the group attempting to scale a small rocky wall helping one another up the precarious surface 'Hello, @singapore police force,' said one TikTok user. 'Lol better hope sg gov don't see this,' said another. '@singapore police force @visit Singapore like that can ah?' another user said. 'How did they manage to openly behave in such a reckless way? Shldnt someone be supervising the tram rides,' one person queried. Mandai Wildlife Group have reassured the public that the affected animals in the video are well and have thanked people for calling out the perpetrators online. Criminal trespass offences carry an imprisonment term of up to three months, a fine of up to $1,500, or both. Just days after the night safari video was uploaded the group are seen stealing candy from children on Halloween The account that has videos of the group playing pranks and following through with dares has since taken down the night safari video In 2020, a 19-year-old entered a rhino enclosure at the Singapore Zoo and performed a backflip in front of the animals. Ralph Wee Yi Kai posted videos of his stunt, filmed by his female companion, on his TikTok account. He was charged with criminal trespass and eventually sentenced to undergo reformative training for at least at a year. His female companion also received a stern warning for abetting criminal trespass. The 4funguys social media account has more than a million subscribers and continues to upload videos to TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. The account that has videos of the group playing pranks and following through with dares has since taken down the night safari video. Just days after the night safari video was uploaded the group are seen stealing candy from children on Halloween. Members of the group are seen driving past children who are carrying bags of candy before one of the members of the group is seen grabbing it and running away down the street. An employee at a Utah ski resort who died in a chairlift accident on Monday was a 29-year-old ski patroller from Millcreek, Utah. Christian Helger died after being ejected from a chairlift shaken by a tree that fell onto a lift cable, Summit County Sheriff Justin Martinez said on Wednesday. 'Our prayers are with the Helger family as they grieve the loss of Christian,' Martinez said in a statement on Wednesday. Representatives of Park City Mountain and the Summit County Sheriff believe Helger fell at least 25 feet from the Short Cut chairlift into a deep ravine around 11:25 a.m. Ski patrol members took at least 20 minutes to reach Helger and dig him out of what deputies called 'chest-deep snow' before attempting to treat him. Christian Helger, 29, a Park City Mountain employee, died on Monday morning in Utah after being ejected from a chairlift that was shaken by a tree that fell onto a lift cable Representatives of Park City Mountain and the Summit County Sheriff believe Helger fell at least 25 feet from the Short Cut chairlift into a deep ravine around 11:25 a.m. on Monday Helger was returning to his station after a morning of avalanche mitigation work when the accident occurred, according to a statement released by the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association on Wednesday. Investigators said they believe a pine tree fell onto the chair lift cable behind the chair he was riding in, causing nearby chairs to jump so severely he fell out. Summit County Sheriff Captain Andrew Wright told KSL-TV on Tuesday that Helger fell to terrain that was difficult to access. 'This wasn't over a run,' Wright said on Tuesday. 'There was a ravine where he had fallen. It took at least 20 minutes from what we've been told for ski patrol to get down there, dig him out of the snow, and start performing life-saving measures.' Ski patrollers worked for hours to extricate Helger's body in what they called avalanche-prone terrain, according to the statement. Other patrollers safely evacuated 10 riders from the lift and escorted them out of the challenging area. The ski patrol union declined to comment on the state of the lift cable and surrounding trees, according to KPCW. The union said in its statement that any loss is incredibly difficult for patrollers, but responding to a fatal accident involving one of their own was 'truly unfathomable.' The Medical Examiner's Office will determine the exact cause of death. Helger was returning to his station after a morning of avalanche mitigation work when the accident occurred, according to Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association on Wednesday Helger is described by loved ones as an 'incredible climber and human' There has been an outpouring of love and heartfelt messages on Helger's social media accounts which show a plethora of photos of the adventurous skier and climber. His Instagram account bio reads: 'Alive to work and play outside' Wright said the department's investigation may consider variables including snow, tree health and tree proximity to the lift. 'Certainly, there are a lot of questions that will come into play as to what caused that to happen. Yes, there was a lot of snow. There could be other factors the health of the tree, the proximity of the tree, all of those types of things,' Wright said. For now, Park City Mountain Resort is keeping the Short Cut chairlift closed and working with its employees to help them with anything they need. 'Especially those ski patrollers, they are really tight knit,' Wright said. The investigation may consider variables including snow, tree health and proximity to the lift For now, Park City Mountain Resort is keeping the Short Cut chairlift closed and working with its employees to help them with anything they need There has been an outpouring of love and heartfelt messages on Helger's social media accounts which show a plethora of photos of the adventurous skier and climber. His Instagram account bio reads: 'Alive to work and play outside.' 'Lost my nephew Christian this week in a horrible, tragic accident,' one family member wrote. 'Words can't express the sadness we all feel- our hearts are broken. We love you Christian and will never forget you amazing smile!!!' Another loved one described Helger as an 'incredible climber and human' and shared photos of the worker scaling the sides of cliffs. As record snowfall continues in Utah, Park City has received 56 inches in the past week. Lift maintenance crews have been in a labor dispute with the resort over the past year, demanding higher wages, safer working conditions and more efforts to retain experienced mechanics. A barber who sent thousands of pounds of Covid-19 bounce back loans to so-called Islamic State terrorists in Syria has been jailed for 12 years. Tarek Namouz, 43, thanked the judge but shouted 'May Allah destroy you' at police officers after he was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday. He ran a barber's shop in west London and received coronavirus relief grants from Hammersmith and Fulham Council during the pandemic. Namouz sent the funds via a money transfer bureau between November 2020 and May 2021 to organise terror attacks in Syria, the court heard. Tarek Namouz , 43, sent thousands of pounds of Covid-19 bounce back loans to Islamic State terrorists in Syria The 43-year-old came to Britain as a student and claimed asylum in 1996 to avoid military service. He was arrested on May 25, 2021, and recalled to prison to serve the rest of a 10-year sentence for raping an 18-year-old woman in The Prince pub, in Wood Green, where he was the landlord in 2014. He had been released in September 2019 on licence. Police identified transfers totalling about 11,280 but Namouz boasted to a friend during a prison visit he had sent 25,000 to Yahya Ahmed Alia, who he described as an 'ex-fighter with Islamic State' who could buy sniper rifles for 2,500. Namouz had received money from the government to assist his business, Boss Crew Barbers, during the Covid 19 pandemic, and lived in a third-floor flat above the shop Another 3,000 believed to have been earmarked for the same purpose was found in his bedroom drawer in the flat above his shop, Boss Crew Barbers, in Blythe Road, Hammersmith. Namouz denied knowing the money would be used for terrorism, telling police he sent the funds to 'help... the poor and needy in Syria'. But he was found guilty of eight counts of entering into a funding arrangement for terrorism between November 2020 and May 2021 last month following a trial. He was also convicted of two counts of possessing terrorist information after videos, including details of how to make an improvised explosive device with ball bearings and using knives to carry out a lone wolf attack, were found on his mobile phone. Judge Peter Lodder KC jailed Namouz for 12 years, with a further year on extended licence, saying he had demonstrated a 'commitment to terrorism' and planned to 're-establish a state run in accordance with extreme Islamic principles'. Judge Peter Lodder KC jailed Namouz for 12 years, with a further year on extended licence 'In 2020 and 2021 you ran a barber's shop in Hammersmith,' he said. 'You were entitled to Covid bounce back loans which were paid to you by the local council. 'You sent that money, and other money, through a west London transfer and currency exchange, to terrorists in Syria.' Namouz interrupted the judge from the dock, claiming 'I never sent that money' but said: 'Thank you, your honour' after he was sentenced. However, in a further courtroom outburst before he was taken down to the cells, he turned to police officers sitting in court and said: 'May Allah destroy you. We will meet on judgment day. You're a kafir (non-believer) and you will end up in hell.' Prosecutor John McGuinness KC earlier told jurors both Namouz and Alia were 'committed to the Islamic extremist culture', 'fervently supported the culture of IS' and were 'committed to the cause of terrorism'. Analysis of one of Namouz's phones showed they were in regular WhatsApp contact and talked about buying a building for 'storing weapons', such as Kalashnikovs, heavy machine guns and explosives, and occupying it with 'IS fighters'. Prosecutor John McGuinness KC earlier told jurors both Namouz and Alia were 'committed to the Islamic extremist culture' In one message, Namouz said: 'I shall supply the funds ... and you deal with the required purchases including buying weapons and planning on the ground, making war plans and providing equipment.' Files downloaded from the Telegram app on Namouz's phone contained IS propaganda and instructions for preparing explosive substances, creating improvised explosive devices and combat tactics. One video showed an IS fighter demonstrating assassination techniques using a knife. Tyrone Smith KC, defending, said Namouz was a 'man of modest means', with a 'legitimate' income through his barber's shop. 'He had in that relevant period some assistance from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham due to Covid conditions,' he said. 'He was handing over money he had, for the best part, earned or was entitled to.' Parents of students at a Canadian high school are threatening legal action to prevent a transgender shop teacher from continuing to wear size Z prosthetic breasts in class. Attorney Rishi Bandhu, who has a child at Oakville Trafalgar High School and represents three other parents, issued the warning in a recent legal letter to the Halton District School Board in Ontario. The letter demanded that shop teacher Kayla Lemieux be held to the same dress code standards as the district's students, calling her attire an 'obvious' breach of the district dress code. It comes after students were reportedly threatened with suspension if they took pictures of the controversial teacher, and a protester who mockingly dressed up as Lemieux at school board meeting was banned from district property for life. Parents at Oakville Trafalgar High School have threatened legal action over shop teacher Kayla Lemieux (above), seeking to stop her from wearing large prosthetic breasts in the classroom Attorney Rishi Bandhu (right), who has a child at Oakville Trafalgar High School and represents three other parents, issued the warning in a recent legal letter In his letter, Bandhu also asked that the school board explicitly state any exceptions to the dress code, and allow parents to discuss the matter at school council hearings. 'In our view, it's just illogical and absurd to suggest that the teachers would be held to a lower standard than the students in terms of their attire,' Bandhu told Fox News in an interview on Wednesday. Bandhu acknowledged that 'human rights by their nature are complex' and added that the school board faces 'a very delicate balancing of interests' in weighing Lemieux's rights against the concerns of parents. 'What they're missing is that when it comes to human rights, and particularly gender expression, context is important,' he said. 'The context that they are missing here is that this is a school, and these are children, they are adolescents, and their maturity is still developing,' argued Bandhu. The Halton District School Board did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com on Thursday morning. The Halton District School Board suggested it would be a violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code to criticize or stop la Lemieux, who began transitioning from a man to a woman in 2021, from wearing the large breast prosthetics (above) Oakville Trafalgar High School shop teacher Kayla Lemieux is seen skydiving in October Lemieux's appearance in the classroom has drawn increasing controversy in recent months. Last month, a source told DailyMail.com that in 2021 Lemieux attended a children's dance recital in Burlington, Ontario and was asked to leave by other parents. Lemieux sat in the front row watching the children dancing on stage. Eventually, she was confronted by concerned parents and asked to leave as she did not have a child involved in the show. The educator began transitioning from male to female in 2021. Lemieux did not respond to requests for comment. In October, an activist who dressed up as Lemieux at a school board meeting to protest her presence in the classroom was been banned from the district's properties for life. David Menzies, a host for the conservative network Rebel Media, attended a meeting of the Halton School District School Board, where Lemieux teaches at Oakville Trafalgar High School, with similarly large prosthetic breasts. David Menzies, a host for the conservative network Rebel Media, attended a meeting of the Halton School District School Board in October dressed to impersonate Lemieux Controversial teacher Kayla Lemieux pictured at a children's dance recital in Ontario in 2021 Menzies brought with him a petition calling for the school board to be terminated over Lemieux's continued employment. He was eventually removed from the meeting by a police officer. During his protest, Menzies said that his petition asking for the removal of the board had 16,000 signatures. He told the members of the board: 'The Halton District School Board and the Director of Education, Curtis Ennis, should be fired for allowing a female-identifying shop teacher to wear enormous fake breasts that are barely contained by see-through blouses while teaching.' Last month, parents at the Halton School District, in Ontario, Canada, claimed some students were warned they would be suspended from classes if they continue filming and photographing Lemieux, according to the Toronto Sun. The district has sent out a warning reminding students that they are not allowed to take pictures of anyone in school unless they get their permission. School board spokesperson Heather Francey reiterated that the district cannot comment on Human Resources matters. She added that students must obey the district's 'Responsible Use Procedures for Information and Communications Technology' policy. 'It is routine practice for students to obtain permission of any subject at any time (including other students, staff or any person) before capturing, using and transmitting images or video,' she told the Sun. 'This policy helps guide that standard courtesy across our board.' He is expected to appear in court in Idaho on Thursday, charged with four counts of murder and one count of felony burglary The 28-year-old was also given protective equipment to stop any harm from coming to him Bryan Kohberger's stop on route to Idaho caused an entire airport to be evacuated Alleged murderer Bryan Kohberger was fitted with a protective helmet moment after touching down in Idaho before he was taken to Latah County Jail. The mass killer was walked to a vehicle by sheriffs' deputies before having a camo-colored helmet strapped to his head by authorities last night. It is unclear why law enforcement fitted him with the safety gear, but it could be to stop him from harming himself or stop any potential threats to his life. Idaho permits the open carrying of guns. He was previously fitted with a 'turtle suit' a suicide prevention vest when he was first arrested in Pennsylvania on suspicion of the quadruple slaying. Law enforcement fitted the suspected killer with a protective helmet after he stepped off the plane in Idaho Hours earlier Kohberger put an entire airport in Champaign, Illinois, into lockdown so he could relieve himself It came after an entire Illinois airport was evacuated so the suspect could relieve himself and the plane be refueled. Kohberger was seen entering the Flightstar in Champaign around 11am, bound in shackles and accompanied by three armed officers. The criminal justice graduate student was wearing his red prison jumpsuit, with the lockdown for his arrival lasting until he re-boarded the plane, which is owned by the state. Employees and passengers were asked to leave the building so Kohberger could use the facilities, which was his only stop on his 2,400 mile trip back to Idaho. The 2015 fixed-wing single-engine Pilatus was also refueled while he was inside, and took off again shortly after. Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show the moment Kohberger stepped off a Pennsylvania State Police Pilatus PC-12 jet that was surrounded by cops. Kohberger was seen entering the Flightstar in Champaign around 11am, bound in shackles and accompanied by three armed officers The criminal justice graduate student was wearing his red prison jumpsuit, with the lockdown for his arrival lasting until he reboarded the plane, which is owned by the state Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger has arrived back in Moscow in handcuffs to be charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students Kohberger, 28, arrived in Idaho late last night and was transferred to Latah County Jail, alongside 22 other inmates. He is expected to appear in court to face the four charges of murder and one count of felony burglary against him. Once he has faced a judge, a probable cause affidavit will be released to the public revealing why police arrested Kohberger for the crimes. Kohberger was eventually arrested on December 30 at his parents' house in Pennsylvania over the massacre of four University of Idaho students on November 13. Kohberger left the Monroe County Correctional Facility at 6am yesterday after waiving his right to extradition in a hearing on Tuesday. The killer was arrested Friday in connection with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20. Michael Mancuso, Monroe County 1st Assistant District Attorney, yesterday confirmed that they believed Kohberger is so desperate to return to Idaho to find out the contents of the affidavit. A judge in Idaho has issued a gagging order on Moscow Police and legal teams in relation to the case, barring anyone linked to the case from talking about it. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said: 'Once he gets here, he'll have an initial appearance with our magistrate. 'They'll deal with issues such as making sure competent counsel is representing him, and the case will be scheduled for hearings.' Bryan Kohberger arrives at Pullman-Moscow airport after being flown from Pennsylvania following his court appearance On Friday, the criminal justice graduate student was arrested in connection with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20 A new mugshot of Kohberger was taken after he arrived at Latah County Jail late on Wednesday night Chief Public Defender of Kootenai County Ann Taylor will be representing Kohberger Idaho, however a five-strong team of investigators hired by his defense team were sent to the home where the quadruple slaying took place. The investigation of the house comes after the court ordered a clean-up mission to be halted, when it was announced that authorities had made an arrest in the chilling case. Photos show that an Idaho State Police trooper accompanied the group, but the lawyer in Idaho representing Kohberger has yet to be identified. Ex-homicide detective and attorney Ted Williams said: 'The fact that Bryan Kohberger's attorney has brought in private investigators to go throughout this crime scene leads me to believe that he is definitely going to mount a strong defense.' An FBI surveillance team wanted to see if suspected quadruple killer Bryan Kohberger had any injuries to his hands after the bloody slayings, so asked Indiana cops to pull him over Both time officers let him go with just a warning, with Kohberger looking visibly more concerned during the second stop by Indiana State Police on December 15. He did not appear to have any injuries on his arms or hands Kohberger appeared in court on Tuesday and waived extradition during a brief court hearing Kohberger's public defender in Pennsylvania, Jason LaBar, said that the alleged killer expects to be 'exonerated' - with his family standing by him. He claims that the family think it is 'completely out of character' for him to be accused of the bloody slayings. Investigators started tracking Kohberger's movements across the US, with witnesses claiming that they saw both him and his father getting repairs done to a white Hyundai Elantra on December 16. Police then impounded the vehicle from outside his parents' home when they swooped on the property in Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County. Kohberger had previously studied under a professor in Pennsylvania known for her expertise on serial killers, and was studying criminology at Washington State University at the time of the slayings. Investigators in Moscow, Idaho, have yet to outline a motive, but those who knew Kohberger say he had a deep interest in the psychology of criminals. Rackspace Technology has acknowledged that the hacker known as Play was responsible for the ransomware attack that impacted email access for its Hosted Exchange customers in early December. The company told Cybersecurity Drive on Monday that the hacker was identified after a forensic examination led by CrowdStrike, the FBI, and other specialists. The Attack Was Allegedly Linked To A Zero-Day Exploit As Per Reports This comes after a report from last month that described a fresh vulnerability that the ransomware gang was using to attack Microsoft Exchange servers and access a victim's networks. According to reports, bypassing Microsoft's ProxyNotShell URL rewrite mitigations was made possible by the OWASSRF exploit. This probably occurred as a result of the major vulnerability (CVE-2022-41080) that permits remote privilege escalation on Exchange servers being targeted. By leveraging CVE-2022-41082, which is the same flaw used in ProxyNotShell attacks, they were also able to get remote code execution on susceptible servers. With that, the OWASSRF exploit was discovered on Rackspace's network, and Play ransomware was identified as responsible for the ransomware attack last month. This information was all according to emails from Rackspace officials to Bleeping Computer and recent interviews with local media. "We thank CrowdStrike for their thorough work in discovering this zero-day exploit during the course of this investigation and will be sharing more detailed information with our customers and peers," says Karen O'Reilly-Smith, Rackspace's Chief Security Officer. The executive also says that it is imperative that the company share the findings of this investigation with members of the security community in order to defend each other against similar attacks in the future. Since the incident, Rackspace has given customers free licenses to move their email from its Hosted Exchange infrastructure to Microsoft 365 ever since the attack was identified. Additionally, the business is striving to send affected individuals download links to their mailboxes as per the Chief Security Officer's statements. Read More: Royal Ransomware Takes Responsibility For Queensland University Of Technology Attack The Attack Was First Spotted From Six Months Ago As was previously mentioned by Cybersecurity Drive, the ransomware attack hit thousands of Rackspace users and prevented them from accessing emails from before the incident. On servers compromised by Rackspace, the OWASSRF attack was used to drop remote access programs like Plink and AnyDesk. The probe also discovered that the ConnectWise remote administration program, which is probably going to be used in assaults, is part of the Play ransomware toolset that was discovered online. With that, before applying fixes for CVE-2022-41080, it is encouraged for all companies using on-premises Microsoft Exchange servers on their network to immediately deploy the most recent security updates for Exchange. Numerous victims have uploaded ransom notes and samples to the ID Ransomware platform since the Play ransomware operation launched in June 2022. It is important to note that recent victims of the Play ransomware include the Belgian city of Antwerp, the German hotel business H-Hotels, and the Cordoba Judiciary in Argentina. Related Article: LockBit Ransomware Extends Decryptor to SickKids Hospital, Apologizes for the Cyberattack The British newlyweds killed in a mid-air crash between two helicopters in Australia had arrived in the country days before the tragedy to visit relatives they had not seen for years because of the Covid pandemic, their heartbroken family revealed today. Ron and Diane Hughes, aged 65 and 57, were two of four victims who died when the two helicopters collided in front of hundreds of horrified tourists on Main Beach on Australia's Gold Coast on Monday. Mr and Mrs Hughes, who married in August and have been described by their family as a 'fun-loving couple who had a zest for life', had arrived in Australia last week to visit Mr Hughes' daughter Jane Manns and his grandchildren. In an emotional tribute, their family said the 'generous and loyal' couple were 'loved and adored by everyone they met', adding they were still 'struggling to come to terms with their loss'. Ron and Diane Hughes, aged 65 and 57 (pictured together on their wedding day), were two of four victims who died when the helicopters collided in front of hundreds of horrified tourists on Main Beach on Australia's Gold Coast on Monday Two crashed helicopters sit on the sand at a collision scene near Seaworld, on the Gold Coast, Australia on Monday Officials have said the fatal crash near Sea World occurred less than 20 seconds after one helicopter took off from a sandbar and collided with another aircraft that was landing at the same time. Mr and Mrs Hughes, from Neston, Cheshire, were killed alongside British pilot Ash Jenkinson, 40, and Sydney mother Vanessa Tadros, 36. Tadros' ten-year-old son was pulled from the wreckage and is in a critical condition in hospital. Two other people on board Winnie De Silva, 33, and nine-year-old Leon were also hospitalised. Of the six occupants in the other helicopter, flown by Michael James, five suffered minor injuries while one left the scene unscathed. 'We are deeply saddened and still in a state of shock from the events that unfolded on Monday,' Mr and Mrs Hughes' family told the Liverpool Echo in a statement. 'Ron and Diane arrived last week, visiting our family on the Gold Coast after being separated by Covid for the last few years. 'They were the most generous, loyal, fun-loving couple who had a zest for life and were loved and adored by everyone they met. 'Tragedies like this happen to 'other people' and we are all struggling to come to terms with our loss. 'They leave a huge hole in our family and will be survived by parents, brothers, sons, daughters, and their cheeky grandkids.' The family thanked the first responders, emergency services and Sea World staff for their efforts to save the couple. The family thanked the first responders, emergency services and Sea World staff for their efforts to save the couple. Pictured: Emergency personnel move a body from the scene of a helicopter collision near Seaworld, on the Gold Coast, on Monday How the tragedy unfolded in just 20 seconds They also said their thoughts were with everyone impacted and that they were praying for the recovery of survivors still in hospital. 'Finally, the outpouring of love from our friends, family and the Gold Coast community has touched us all and will never be forgotten,' they added. Following the incident Diane's brother Dave Boyce wrote on Facebook: 'For those who don't know my sister and her husband were involved in the helicopter crash on the Gold Coast yesterday. 'We would also like to thank you all for the love and support we have received. We are truly humbled at this heartbreaking time.' The fatal crash occurred just 20 seconds after the lower aircraft took off and the two Eurocopter EC130s collided around 250ft off the ground. Mr and Mrs Hughes, from Neston, Cheshire, were killed alongside British pilot Ash Jenkinson, 40, (pictured) and Sydney mother Vanessa Tadros, 36 Vanessa Tadros (left) was killed instantly in the helicopter crash, but her son Nicholas (right) survived and is in hospital in a critical condition As the first chopper gained altitude, it smashed into the second aircraft, which appeared to be descending. The churning rotors of the first helicopter ripped into the cabin of the second one, shattering its glass cockpit just inches from the pilot and passengers inside. Witnesses said they saw a terrifying cloud of broken glass and debris explode as the two aircraft ploughed into each other in mid-air. The devastating force of the collision ripped the rotor unit and gearbox from the lower chopper, immediately sending it hopelessly tumbling out of control. It spun upside down and plummeted to the ground below, smashing into a sandbar, killing the pilot, Mr and Mrs Hughes and Ms Tadros on impact. Mr James meanwhile managed to land his aircraft upright on a sandbar between Sea World and Gold Coast's popular Broadwater beach. It meant that five of the six occupants of his helicopter minor injuries while one left the scene unscathed. Winne and Leon de Silva (pictured) were rushed to hospital with critical injuries. They have both since stabilised The Sea World pilot has been hailed a 'hero' for saving the lives of his five passengers - couples Riaan and Elmarie Steenberg, and Marle and Edward Swart, and a tourist from Western Australia. The forensic crash unit is investigating the incident with help from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: 'We are supporting the family of two British nationals who died in Australia and are in contact with the local authorities.' Australia's Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said his thoughts were with those affected by the incident. 'Australia is shocked by the news of the terrible and tragic helicopter incident today on the Gold Coast,' he said in a tweet. 'My thoughts are with all those affected, including first responders, and my deepest sympathies are with those who are grieving.' Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk tweeted it was an 'unthinkable tragedy'. She said: 'My deepest sympathies are with each of the families and everyone affected by this terrible accident.' Rep. Kat Cammack doubled down on accusing Democratic members of Congress of drinking and said the debauchery on Capitol Hill is 'no surprise to anyone.' 'Here on Capitol Hill, a place where there are literally cubbies where members have tucked their alcohol aside, it's no surprise to anyone,' the Florida Republican said, adding that Democrats only got 'offended' because they knew it to be true. On Wednesday Cammack took to the podium on the House floor to nominate Kevin McCarthy for his six of now ten ballots. The congresswoman said it was clear Democrats were relishing in Republican division by the 'popcorn, blankets and alcohol' they were bringing to votes. Cammack acknowledged the 'Groundhog Day' feeling on the House floor as she nominated McCarthy for Speaker for the sixth ballot. Rep. Kat Cammack doubled down on accusing Democratic members of Congress of drinking and said the debauchery on Capitol Hill is 'no surprise to anyone' 'They want us to fight each other that much has been made clear by the popcorn, and blankets, and alcohol that is coming over there,' Cammack said. Democrats erupted over the remark, shouting at the House Clerk to strike it from the record. 'Take down her words!' some shouted, as others demanded an apology. 'If only! If Dems took a shot every time McCarthy lost a Republican, we'd all be unconscious by now,' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter. Earlier many Democrats posted photos on Twitter of tins of popcorn they were bringing to the cloakroom as they watched chaos unfold among their colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Democrats have been poking fun at Republican in-fighting as McCarthy moves no closer to becoming the House speaker. Earlier this year ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn was chastised by his Republican colleagues for saying that cocaine use is rife on Capitol Hill and he had been invited to orgies by fellow lawmakers. 'Here on Capitol Hill, a place where there are literally cubbies where members have tucked their alcohol aside, it's no surprise to anyone,' the Florida Republican said 'The sexual perversion that goes on in Washington ... being kind of a young guy in Washington where the average age is probably 60 or 70, I look at all these people - a lot of them who I've looked up to throughout my life ... then all of a sudden you get invited to like, 'well hey we're going to have kind of a sexual get together at one of our homes. You should come,' like, what did you just ask me to come to? And then you realize they're asking you to come to an orgy.' McCarthy is now staring down his tenth vote for speaker, having lost 21 Republican votes on the first nine ballots. The House must continue voting on the speaker's race until it votes to adjourn. New footage shows the NYC subway shooter napping and wetting himself during an FBI interview - with newly-released clips also showing the chaos in the aftermath of his bloodbath. Footage obtained by NBC New York in the wake of Frank James' guilty plea Tuesday shows his nonchalant attitude following his arrest in April, two days after the attack that injured 10 subway passengers on a Brooklyn N train. He denies all knowledge of what cops quiz him about during an interview. At one point in the clip, James, 63, can be seen cocking his head back to sleep. He also peed himself during the interview, and was seen being helped away by two cops, before later telling them he spends his day drinking and making YouTube clips, adding: 'That's all I do.' The 63-year-old shooter opened fire on the northbound N train that was traveling through Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Miraculously, no-one was injured in the attack, with never before-seen footage showing the blood-smeared chaos and panic inside the subway car moments after James unloaded his gun. Frank James is seen napping in the chair with his head cocked back while alone in the interview room during the two-hour long police interview on Wednesday James is seen holding himself as he appears to have wet his pants as investigators assist him He was captured nearly 30 hours later after a grueling manhunt, after James called police and turned himself in, saying 'I get my phone and open YouTube and there is just video after video of me plastered of the face of suspect,' NBC New York reported. James now faces a potential life sentence. FBI agents and investigators are seen in the video that was released on Wednesday asking James if he has any plans to hurt anyone else. James responded, 'I don't know what you are talking about.' During the two- hour interview with authorities, James is seen sitting in a chair facing two investigators. The second harrowing video shared by investigators shows passengers injured and bleeding scattered across the floor of the moving train as stream of gunshots are heard. Panicked passengers asking, 'Were those gunshots? Oh, my god!' as others cried for help. 'Please someone help me get off.' While another moaned, 'My leg hurts a lot...the right one.' During the terror, kind-hearted New Yorkers are seen jumping to assist and comforting the wounded. 'I'll help you. I'll help you.' 'Don't let anyone bump into you,' one person said. 'You are okay.' Shaken passengers gave an account of the horror they just witnessed. 'It was an explosive bomb...black smoke ...popping sounds came from the end of the train next to a construction worker with orange clothes on,' a female rider said. As the train approaches the 36th Street station an MTA worker arrives and an army of first responders rush to the gory scene, but James is nowhere in sight. It was later revealed that he escaped hopping onto another train on the platform. Additional video footage shows James calmly walking in the street after the attack - dressed in his orange construction jacket and hat - hauling a black suitcase and carrying a black backpack bags. The footage shows James telling investigators during the two-hour video that he had black bag of supplies on that train and admitted driving the van bringing the weapons from Philadelphia to New York. An unidentified man is seen down on the ground reeling in pain as pools of blood are beside him after the subway attack that saw 10 people shot and 23 people injured on April 12, 2022 Panicked passengers asking, 'Were those gunshots? Oh, my god!' as others cried for help. 'Please someone help me get off.' While another moaned, 'My leg hurts a lot...the right one' Images of terrified passengers running to safety. Some kind-hearted New Yorkers were see rushing to help the wounded after the unprovoked attack Prosecutors have asked federal Judge William Kuntz II to sentence James to more than 40 years in prison for the attack. They wrote in a letter last week that he should be imprisoned beyond the roughly 32-year to 29-year sentence that federal guidelines recommend, arguing that James planned the attack for years and endangered the lives of dozens of people, FOX 5 reports. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Winik said when James first appeared in court that he 'terrifyingly opened fire on passengers on a crowded subway train, interrupting their morning commute in a way this City hasn't seen in more than 20 years,' James was arrested following a 24-hour manhunt across the city 'The defendant's attack was premeditated, it was carefully planned, and it caused terror among the victims and our entire city.' In court documents, prosecutors also suggested that James had the means to carry out more attacks. He was previously charged with a single terrorism offense to which he pleaded not guilty, but the charges against him were later upgraded. Ten of the charges he pleaded guilty to on Tuesday one for each victim accuse him of committing a terrorist attack on a mass transportation system. The 11th charge accuses James of discharging a firearm in a violent crime. James was set to face trial in February on these charges, but his attorneys wrote in court documents on December 21 that he will plead guilty. Kuntz had since issued an order instructing the US Marshals Service to use 'all necessary force' to ensure James to show up for the plea proceeding on Tuesday, noting that he failed to show up for previous hearings. In October, for example, the gunman balked at being brought to the Brooklyn federal court, but appeared later in the day after Kuntz issued a similar order. At the time of the attack James, dressed in a construction worker's vest and helmet, donned a gas mask and rolled smoke grenades into the train car before opening fire. Videos from the scene showed hundreds of commuters frantically running for the exits as shots were fired, while others were left bleeding in the station. The Bronx-born, Milwaukee-based suspect was ultimately arrested while strolling down the street on April 13. In court documents, prosecutors detailed how more ammunition had been found in James' rented Philadelphia apartment, including an extended round magazine that was fit for a semi-automatic rifle. Frank James, 63, is seen walking with police and FBI after he turned himself after seeing YouTube videos of himself on his phone after the April 12, 2022 subway attack where he opened fire shooting 10 and injuring 23 passengers. James was charged with a federal terrorism offense and faces a potential life sentence James is seen smirking as he is being placed into a police vehicle after the nearly 30 hour manhunt. James eventually turned himself into the authorities after the brutal April 12 attack James is seen hauling a suitcase and black knapsack dressed in construction gear and hat after opening fire on a Brooklyn subway train An artist rendered sketch of James sitting in the courtroom. He has been accused of carrying out the worst attack on a New York subway system in years, pleaded guilty to terrorism charges on Tuesday His 9mm handgun was later found at the 36th Street subway station after the attack, along with spent shell casings, fireworks, and a key to his U-Haul. Police also searched a storage unit in Philadelphia, where he was keeping more ammunition, a torch and a gun silencer. There was also a propane gas tank in the U-Haul when police swooped in on it hours after the attack. James allegedly dumped the truck five miles from the 36th Street subway and was filmed walking away. His motive remains unknown. James has a criminal history which extends back to 1992, when he pleaded guilty to attempted petit larceny. He was known to the FBI's Guardian Program, which tracks terror threats and suspects, over an incident in New Mexico in 2019. At the time, he was cleared of all wrongdoing. But in a YouTube video posted just one day before the attack, James said he wanted to harm people, calling himself the Prophet of Doom. 'I can say I wanted to kill people. I wanted to watch people die,' he said. Another video showed him pointing at passengers one by one in a packed New York City subway car. Other videos featured James ranting about discrimination and complaining about white people. Mayor Eric Adams suggested that it was the responsibility of YouTube to monitor the videos and report them. 'There's a corporate responsibility hen we are watching hate brew online,' Adams said at the time. 'We can identify [hate] using artificial intelligence and other methods to identify those who are talking about violence.' Critics accused Adams of passing the buck, noting that the surveillance cameras in the station were not working - allowing James to flee - and that NYPD failed to find him, despite his wandering around Manhattan for almost 24 hours after the attack and eventually calling the police himself. A month after the attack in May, James' lawyers accused FBI investigators of breaching his rights by swabbing his cheek for a DNA sample and making him sign papers without asking for permission from his legal team, or ensuring they were there in accordance with James' legal rights. Further details of that interaction at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Correctional Center have not been shared. A picture of the body of Ursula von der Leyen's prized horse lying dead in a pasture has reemerged, as she is forced to deny ordering a wolf cull in revenge. Dolly, a pony belonging to the European Commission's President, was savaged by a wolf at her home in rural Lower Saxony, northwest Germany, on September 1. Ms von der Leyen, a keen equestrian, said at the time that her family were 'horribly distressed' by the incident that happened just 300ft from their home. DNA evidence identified the culprit as a wolf linked a dozen other killings. Officials had previously issued a bounty for it to be shot but the wolf was never caught. Now, the incident has returned to the headlines amid reports that officials in Brussels have their sights on all the wolves across the continent. Pictured: The body of Ursula von der Leyen's prized horse, named Dolly, is seen lying dead in a pasture in Germany after it was savaged by wolves in September last year Ms von der Leyen, a keen equestrian, said at the time that her family were 'horribly distressed' by the incident that happened just 300ft from their home. She has been forced to deny that she is pushing for a continent-wide cull of wolves after the incident A photograph taken in September at the time of Dolly's death shows the body of the pony lying in long grass in the middle of a pasture. The scene was discovered the morning after the attack on the well-guarded compound, at the end of a road on the estate. Hannover officials placed the bounty on the wolf, known as GW950m, on account of it being behind the deaths of 12 other animals. The bounty expires on January 31. It is illegal across Europe to kill or catch wolves, except under special circumstances - as is with the case of the culprit behind the death of Dolly. However, her death could have wider implications for wolves across Europe. Shortly after Dolly's death, Mrs von der Leyen ordered EU officials to carry out analysis into the dangers posed by wolves. This was seen to have been done under pressure from powerful agricultural lobby and her fellow CDU politicians in Germany, who want the rules to be relaxed. In November, she wrote to members of her German People's Party saying: 'The Commission recognises that the return of the wolf and its growing numbers lead to conflict.' That same month, centre-Right members of the European Parliament secured a resolution calling for laws protecting wolves to be eased. DNA evidence identified the culprit behind the pony's death as a wolf linked a dozen other killings. Officials had previously issued a bounty for it to be shot but the wolf was never caught Officials in Hannover said the bounty had been placed on GW950m's head before Dolly the pony's death. 'A request for a special exception to the protected species laws was submitted and evaluated according to the relevant legal requirements,' Christina Kreutz, a spokeswoman for the region of Hannover, said at the time. The authorities declined to comment on whether Ms von der Leyen was involved. In an email to Politico, Ms Kreutz said: 'The attack on Ms. von der Leyen's pony was not the reason. The publication noted that the initial request was made on August 31 - the day before Dolly was killed. A Commission spokesman denied that the President was involved. 'The Commission and the president are not involved in any way in the decision,' he told Politico. Environmental campaigners accuse Mrs von der Leyen of stoking a culture war over the wolf, with some linking her position to the death of Dolly. Pictured: A car belonging to German officials is seen outside of Ursula von der Leyen's family home in Germany in September, after her family's prized pony was killed by a wolf They said it was good that 'after being on the brink of extinction, large carnivores have been making a remarkable comeback to Europe's landscapes'. Speaking to the Telegraph, deputy director of Birdlife Europe Ariel Brunner accused Europe's Right-wing parties of stoking up a culture war over the issue of wolves. 'Give me a break. The laws are good,' Mr Brunner said. 'The derogations are there. If there are problem animals, you can shoot them. What are they talking about? 'This is a low-level political operation conducted like the culture wars in the US. Politicians are looking for red-button topics where you can divide people into us and them.' But European farmers have long-complained about wolves killing their livestock, and thus threatening their livelihood. Pekka Pesonen, secretary general of agricultural group Copa-Cogeca, claimed wolf attacks are forcing farmers to quit. According to The Telegraph, more than 10,000 sheep are killing every year in France alone. Pesonen said wolf populations need to be managed. The sister of alleged quadruple killer Bryan Kohberger starred in a gory slasher movie where young students were brutally hacked to death on a camping trip. Amanda Kohberger, 34, starred as 'Lori' in the low-budget thriller 'Two Days Back' in 2011 with characters being stabbed and slashed with knives and hatchets. It bares chilling similarities to the crimes her brother is accused of - attacking four students as they slept in the remote college town of Moscow, Idaho. The horror film shows the group being murdered one by one by a maniac killer who won over their trust but Kohberger's sister is one of the few to survive the slayings. Amanda Kohberger appeared in the gory horror movie, which depicts several bloody murders She starred as 'Lori' in the low-budget thriller 'Two Days Back' in 2011 with characters being stabbed and slashed with knives and hatchets Kohberger, 28, was arrested at his parent's home in Pennsylvania on December 30, days after the family celebrated the holidays together. Kevin Boon, directors of the film, told the New York Post: 'You're f***ing kidding me, her brother is that guy? Goddamn man, holy cow. 'I remember her well. I directed the movie, wrote the movie, I cast her. She is a lovely woman, who was very nice. I liked her a lot. 'I know she had tried to get into movies. On low-budget movies, there's a bunch of scummy kind of guys, but she was smart enough not to go for that stuff. 'There was nothing weird about her I cannot believe that's her brother. Amanda, who now works as a licensed school counselor in Pennsylvania, went for the role in open auditions. The horror film shows the group being murdered one by one by a maniac killer who won over their trust but Kohberger's sister (left) is one of the few to survive the slayings A new mugshot of Kohberger was taken after he arrived at Latah County Jail late on Wednesday night Kohberger's parents covered their faces as they arrived at the courthouse on Tuesday. The family is standing by him, with his sisters Melissa and Amanda both attending She was alongside her sister Melissa and parents Michael and Maryann when Kohberger attended his extradition hearing on Tuesday. The film follows a group of students who go into the woods on a mission to 'catch forestry students suspect of illegal foresting'. However, students quickly go missing and are stabbed and left to bleed out, with one being hacked by a hatched and another caught in a bear trap. One of them is even killed then bound to a tree, with multiple students being killed by a twisted peer who had an unknown connection to the woods. But 'Lori', Amanda's character, flees as soon as people go missing and is seen safely back on campus at the end of the film. Kohberger's family are standing by him, releasing a statement to 'promote his presumption of innocence' while the alleged murderer himself said he 'expects to be exonerated' of the charges. He arrived back in Idaho last night after being extradited from Pennsylvania and is expected to appear in court on Thursday. Kevin Boon, directors of the film, told the New York Post : 'You're f***ing kidding me, her brother is that guy? Goddamn man, holy cow'. Kohberger pictured centre back Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger arrived back in Moscow in handcuffs to be charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students It bares chilling similarities to the crimes that her brother is accused of, attacking four students as they slept in the remote college town of Moscow, Idaho The alleged killer has been charged with four counts of murder and felony burglary. As soon as he appears in court, a probable cause affidavit will be released, which will reveal why police arrested him. Kohberger left the Monroe County Correctional Facility at 6am after waiving his right to extradition in a hearing on Tuesday. The killer was arrested Friday in connection with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20. Kohberger has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one of felony burglary. Michael Mancuso, Monroe County 1st Assistant District Attorney, yesterday confirmed that they believed Kohberger is so desperate to return to Idaho to find out the contents of the affidavit. On Friday, the criminal justice graduate student was arrested in connection with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20 A law enforcement source told Fox News that the FBI team wanted images of Kohberger's hands to see if he had any injuries, so asked Indiana cops to pull him over Kohberger appeared in court on Tuesday and waived extradition during a brief court hearing A judge in Idaho has issued a gagging order on Moscow Police and legal teams in relation to the case, barring anyone linked to the case from talking about it. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said: 'Once he gets here, he'll have an initial appearance with our magistrate. 'They'll deal with issues such as making sure competent counsel is representing him, and the case will be scheduled for hearings.' House Republicans' stalemate over who will serve as Speaker has put all other business on hold in the lower chamber, including classified briefings and investigations into the Biden family. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy failed to win the gavel in a series of six votes over two days. Instead of progress, he went from 203 votes to 201. Lead Republicans on the House Committees on Foreign Affairs, Armed Services and Intel put out a warning Thursday morning that the in-fighting on Capitol Hill could threaten national security. Since there aren't any chairs on committees, they can't conduct any oversight business. That means the high-profile investigations into Hunter Biden, China and the Afghanistan withdrawal are on pause. 'The Biden administration is going unchecked and there is no oversight of the White House, State Department, Department of Defense, or the intelligence community. We cannot let personal politics place the safety and security of the United States at risk,' Reps. Mike Rogers, Mike Turner and Michael McCaul said in a statement. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy failed to win the gavel in a series of six votes over two days. Instead of progress, he went from 203 votes to 201 Rep. Mike Bost of Illinois, lead Republican on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, told reporters: 'We cannot organize our conduct or oversight. We cannot hold the Biden VA accountable.' He said the committee can't conduct oversight to make sure the PACT Act, passed last Congress to expand healthcare for veterans, is being implemented properly. On Wednesday Rep. Mike Gallagher said he and Rep. Don Bacon were supposed to meet with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to discuss issues in the Indo-Pacific region in the SCIF (sensitive compartmented information facility). Gallagher said he was denied entry to the meeting. 'I'm informed by House security that technically, I don't have clearance.' 'We don't have access to anything,' Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio. 'The secure facility that we work in every day when we're here, we can't go in there right now...We're in there all the time. And right now, we can't be in there at all.' 'I sit on the House Intelligence Committee. We oversee all 19 intelligence agencies. We are currently offline,' Rep. Mike Waltz underscored. There will be no legislating in the period without a speaker - committees cannot amend or approve bills and send them to the floor for a vote. Gallagher told reporters Thursday that the select committee to investigate China, which he is expected to chair, was supposed to launch Wednesday, but was held up. 'We have a very aggressive plan we're ready to launch,' he said. Rep. Mike Gallagher said he was denied entry to a classified meeting. 'I'm informed by House security that technically, I don't have clearance' There aren't any House rules either - what McCarthy has been negotiating with his defectors - as a speaker has to oversee the adoption of rules each Congress. If no rules package is adopted by January 13, the fallout will extend to staffers - those employed by committees will not be paid, according to guidance circulated by the House Administration Committee. The lower chamber is entering day three of a political standoff that's seen little movement over a series of six votes where McCarthy failed to become Speaker. Overnight he conceded nearly everything his dissenters had said they wanted - including a single member motion to vacate where one member can call a vote to oust him, hand-picked committees and subcommittee chairs for Freedom Caucus members and guaranteed floor votes on border security and term limits bills. It's unlikely that the rules concessions will be enough to change the minds of the 20 in his opposition, however. The 'Never Kevin' faction is believed to be larger than the four votes McCarthy can afford to lose and still win the speakership. A man and woman have been found dead at a house in North Wales after suffering 'sudden deaths'. Police were called to the property in Pensarn, Abergele on December 29, the force confirmed. They arrived shortly before noon following an alert from the Welsh Ambulance Service. The deaths, which were reported as 'sudden' are not being treated as suspicious. Police were called to the property in Pensarn, Abergele on December 29, the force confirmed. File image A North Wales Police spokesperson told MailOnline: 'At 11.56am on December 29, we received a call from the Welsh Ambulance Service to a report of the sudden death of a man and a woman at a property on Lon y Gors, Pensarn. 'The deaths are not being treated as suspicious and the local coroner's office has been informed.' One of the 20 House Republicans who has voted against GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy's bid for the Speakership has said he's 'out' if the rebels' efforts to overhaul the Congressional status quo fails. The lawmakers have been willing to negotiate with leaders, but have largely made clear that they do not trust McCarthy alone to bring about the changes necessary within the House GOP to give rank-and-file members more of a voice in the party. 'Were going to either see improvement up here the same way we made remarkable improvements in North Carolina in the state legislature, or Im out,' Rep. Dan Bishop told Roll Call. Bishop told the outlet he's 'older than the average bear' and 'not going to stay up here for decades.' The conservative Republican reportedly added that during 'every one' of McCarthy's nearly 15 years in House GOP leadership, problems had 'gotten worse, not better.' Bishop's spokesperson accused another outlet of 'purposefully misconstruing' the congressman's comments when it reported he threatened to resign if the bid to take McCarthy out of the running for Speaker failed. North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop said he was 'out' if the House GOP status quo did not change but would not make clear what that means He's one of 20 Republicans who have been voting against House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy's bid for Speaker 'Congressman Bishop said that he doesnt plan to be on the hill for life, & that if we *eventually* cant get the necessary changes to the institution, that he would shorten his planned tenure,' she wrote on Twitter. Bishop himself clarified, 'This story is incorrect. I said nothing of the kind - I will serve my term with all the force and vigor in me.' House lawmakers are wearily making their way back to the US Capitol on Thursday as Republicans' fight over who will lead their thin majority spills into a third day. The historic gridlock has paralyzed Capitol Hill; with no Speaker, the 118th House of Representatives cannot be sworn in, and new legislation cannot move to the floor or through committees - which do not have formal chairs yet. And on Wednesday, a group of Republican military veterans held a press conference warning that the disarray was leading to significant national security vulnerabilities. Florida Rep. Michael Waltz said from the podium, 'Authoritarian regimes all over the world are pointing to whats going on in the House of Representatives and saying, Look at the messiness of democracy, look at how it doesnt work, cant function.' It's been reported that McCarthy made some significant new concessions to his 20 detractors, including a measure that would allow one GOP lawmaker to trigger a vote for a new House Speaker, according to CNN - known as motion to vacate the chair. It's not clear whether the new concessions GOP Leader McCarthy has made will be enough to win him the Speaker's gavel McCarthy has also reportedly promised conservatives votes on border security and term limits legislation. He also reportedly agreed to giving more spots on the House Rules Committee to members of the hardline-right House Freedom Caucus. The powerful panel acts as a gatekeeper for any legislation that comes to the floor. But his pathway to winning 218 votes still appears murky with at least five likely holdouts, and no Democrat would vote for the conservative concessions McCarthy has given. Texas Rep. Chip Roy, however - a critic of McCarthy's who has also been a leader in negotiations for the conservatives - reportedly told GOP Leaders that he could persuade 10 holdouts to cross the line amid the new concessions, according to CNN. Roy also signaled he would be open to shifting his position if certain demands were met, somewhat deflating their critics' argument that the 'Never Kevin caucus' is solely interested in deposing McCarthy. 'I want to be able to have enough members on the rules committee that we can block bad bills,' Roy told Fox News in a television interview. 'I want to make sure that Republicans are the ones making sure that those bills get through the rules committee to the floor, and I want an open amendment process, and I want to be able to have the ability to make points of order on the floor.' The Agudath Israel of America group launched a campaign against The NYT An Orthodox Jewish group has launched a campaign against The New York Times blasting the newspaper for its investigative coverage into the city's private yeshiva schools over the past few months. At least three billboards were put up in Manhattan by the Agudath Israel of America group that accuse the newspaper's investigation of threatening their way of life and call the articles 'misleading and one-sided portrayals' of their community. A billboard near Lincoln Tunnel in Manhattan asks The New York Times to 'stop attacking' Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Jews. The billboard claims that The New York Times has featured 12 articles against Orthodox Jews in three months. Another section of the billboard reads, '2x New York City Antisemitic Attacks Doubled.' In recent months, The New York Times has published a series of investigative articles focused on the schools, known as yeshivas, and the community. The articles claim the school system deprives children of secular education, exploits public funding, contributes to poverty and mistreats students. Times bosses have defended their reporting, with one school featured since fined $8 million for corruption. An Orthodox Jewish group has launched a campaign against the New York Times blasting the newspaper for its investigative coverage into the city's private yeshiva schools. Pictured is a billboard near the Lincoln Tunnel in Manhattan The Agudath Israel of America group claim the newspaper's investigation threatened their way of life and call the articles 'misleading and one-sided portrayals' of their community The new campaign includes three billboards in Midtown Manhattan, an informational video, social media outreach, and a website called KnowUs.org. 'They disparage our way of life writ large everything from the way we educate our children, handle marriage, divorce and custody disputes and even the way we support our families while holding fast to our faith and traditions,' the group stated. The campaign aims to highlight the growing violence against Jews in New York, stating that: 'A major newspaper launching a campaign against a minority group is always wrong. In this climate, it is deeply concerning.' The New York Times investigation found that local yeshivas deprive students of secular education, and that all 1,000 students failed the standardized tests in reading and math. The stories published also reported that some students at the yeshivas had been subjected to physical abuse by unqualified teachers while the yeshivas have taken more than $1 billion in federal, state and local taxes over the past four years. The stories published reported that some students at the yeshivas had been subjected to physical abuse by unqualified teachers while the yeshivas have taken more than $1 billion in federal, state and local taxes over the past four years Agudath claimed that the yeshiva system actually saves public funds overall because parents pay tuition while still paying taxes, and has lower rates of abuse than public schools Rabbi Yitz Frank, Ohio director of Agudath Israel, called The Times reporting 'unfair and in many cases biased.' 'It creates a negative tone about our community among the public. That's what we're worried about,' he said. According to The Times of Israel, Agudath claimed that the yeshiva system actually saves public funds overall because parents pay tuition while still paying taxes, and has lower rates of abuse than public schools. After the first Times story was published, the Central United Talmudical Academy in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, agreed to pay fines and restitution that totaled more than $8 million for paying teachers off the books and requesting reimbursements for meals for students that it never actually provided, the Religious News Service reported. There are billboards in Midtown Manhattan near Times Square and near the NYT building Another billboard was put up at 620 Eighth Avenue outside the New York Times building A closer look at the billboard outside the New York Times building that tells the New York Times 'words do break bones, please stop attacking our community' The New York Times has published a series of investigative articles that are harshly critical of the schools. Pictured is executive editor of The New York Times Dean Baquet A spokesman for the Times told the outlet that they were confident in the accuracy of its reporting. 'Our reporters have spent months seeking to help readers understand what is happening inside some of New York's lowest-performing schools, speaking to hundreds of parents, students, and educators to explain the inner workings of Hasidic Jewish religious schools, which receive substantial amounts of public money,' the spokesman said in an email. Rabbi David Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America, claimed that Orthodox Jews have been under increasing antisemitic assaults and now they are under assault by the 'paper of record.' 'Orthodox Jews have been under increasing assault in the streets of New York,' Zwiebel said. 'Now we are under assault by the "paper of record." 'The time has come to speak up, lest our silence be construed as acquiescence to the normalization of anti-Orthodoxy. Hence the urgent need for KnowUs.' Avrohom Weinstock, chief of staff at Agudath Israel added that they 'don't understand The New York Times' obsession with us.' 'We shouldn't have to put up a billboard in 2023 to ask people to stop attacking us. Orthodox Jews, like every minority, should not be 'othered.' Rishi Sunak is on a collision course with Labour and the unions today after his anti-strike laws were finally unveiled. Ministers announced that the long-awaited legislation will include 'minimum service' levels in key sectors - such as rail, fire and ambulance. Employers could be able to sue unions if they prevent basic functions being maintained during walkouts. The government said that measures recognise that 'disruption to blue light services puts lives at immediate risk'. The proposals stop short of imposing the same rules on the rest of the NHS, education, nuclear decommissioning and border security. But there is a stark warning that could change if union chiefs do not agree 'voluntary positions' on what provision there will be during industrial action. Business Secretary Grant Shapps said: 'We hugely value the work of our public services and we're reaching out to unions to have an honest conversation on pay, conditions and reform. Industrial action is disruptive for everyone from people relying on essential services to get to work or care for their family to hard-working business owners whose sales suffer. It also costs those striking at a time when family budgets are tight. 'As well as protecting the freedom to strike, the Government must also protect life and livelihoods. 'While we hope that voluntary agreements can continue to be made in most cases, introducing minimum safety levels the minimum levels of service we expect to be provided will restore the balance between those seeking to strike and protecting the public from disproportionate disruption.' Rishi Sunak confirmed that the anti-strike laws were imminent in a speech yesterday. Business Secretary Grant Shapps said the government must 'protect life and livelihoods' as well as the right to strike Train drivers have walked out today, bringing the rail network to a standstill yet again Aslef chief Mick Whelan condemned the proposed laws in interviews this morning The measures should be introduced in Parliament by the end of the month, although they are unlikely to be in place for the current wave of industrial action. The government faces a battle in the House of Lords, with Labour branding the move an 'attack on the right to strike' and unions threatening to ask the courts to step in. Mr Shapps pointed out there had been a commitment to strike legislation in the Tory manifesto, suggesting that should stop peers blocking the plans. The Government has also invited unions to meet for 'honest, constructive conversations' about 2023-24 pay settlements. But that has prompted more fury as the current disputes relate to the deals for 2022-23. A statement said: 'Ministers are reaching out to unions to invite them to sit down and discuss the evidence that the Government will be submitting to the pay review bodies and hopes that unions will also share their evidence. 'If the offer is accepted, discussions will take place between government departments and unions in the coming weeks on issues including pay evidence, workload and conditions in the public sector. 'These discussions will help ensure the evidence submitted to the pay review bodies is as considered and informed as possible, including reflecting areas of common ground. 'The Government is clear that the well-established independent pay review process is the right way to set public sector pay it provides independent, expert advice and is a neutral process in which all parties play a role. 'These new discussions would feed into this process and are offered as the Government recognises the particular economic challenges the country faces this year.' Train drivers have walked out today, bringing the rail network to a standstill yet again. In his first major speech as PM yesterday, Mr Sunak said 'people should have the right to strike'. But he added: 'That has to be balanced with the right of the British public to go about their lives without suffering completely undue disruption in the way we've seen recently. 'And that's why I have said we will introduce new legislation that restores that balance and crucially protects people's lives as well as their livelihoods.' Earlier, Keir Starmer said Labour was expecting to repeal any anti-strike legislation brought in by Mr Sunak. Asked about the issue after delivering a keynote speech, Sir Keir said: 'Frankly, the Government is all over the show on this. Every day there is a different briefing as to whether there is going to be legislation, what it is going to be and when it is going to come. 'I think there is a reason for that and that is because I don't think this legislation is going to work. I am pretty sure they have had an assessment that tells them that it is likely to make a bad situation worse. 'Obviously we will look at what they bring forward, but if it is further restrictions then we would repeal it and the reason for that is I do not think that legislation is the way that you bring an end to industrial disputes.' Union barons have vowed to 'fight' the Government over anti-strike laws and any new legislation could take months to come into force fully. Gary Smith, GMB general secretary, said: 'A Government that has presided over 13 years of failure in our public services is now seeking to scapegoat the NHS staff and ambulance workers who do so much to care for the people of our country. 'The NHS can only function with the goodwill of its incredible staff and attacking their fundamental right to take action will alienate them even further and do nothing to help patients and the public. 'We are always ready to discuss our members' pay but the Government is refusing to talk about problems as they exist now, instead they want to kick the can down the road. 'There are huge questions over the NHS Pay Review Body, as ministers' actions have consistently undermined its independence. The process needs real reform and our members need a much stronger commitment than we heard today.' The announcement said unions would be bound to follow the legislation and would risk employers bringing an injunction to prevent strikes from taking place or seeking damages if they did not comply. RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: 'Curtailing workers' freedom to participate in lawful industrial action is always undemocratic and we will look closely at what the Government releases. 'We will meet with ministers to see their evidence for the pay process. However, only negotiations on our dispute can avert the planned action this month and I urge the Prime Minister to show a renewed sense of urgency, grasp the nettle and negotiate with nurses without further delay. 'As for minimum staffing, last month's action was safe for patients because of detailed discussions we chose to initiate with the NHS to protect emergency services and life-saving care. The public respected that and even ministers acknowledged our constructive approach. 'Safe staffing levels that are set in law are what we want to see year-round not just in these extreme circumstances. 'We've long campaigned for governments to be accountable for safe and effective staffing levels in NHS and social care to prevent one nurse being left with 15, 20 or even 25 sick patients. 'The evidence is unequivocal safe staffing saves lives and having the right number of registered nurses on duty has a direct impact on the safety and quality of patient care. Today's highly unsafe situation is what is driving our members to say 'enough is enough'.' Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect said: 'This hollow invitation ignores the fact that a majority of public sector workers are not covered by a pay review body, including nearly all civil servants. We have been calling for years for this to be rectified, something which the Government has consistently ignored. 'These workers have been some of the most harshly treated over the past decade of real-terms pay cuts, and now the Government is signalling its intent to leave them out once again. 'Our members have already indicated their willingness to take industrial action and there is nothing in this announcement that will persuade us not to proceed to a formal ballot as planned.' In his first major speech since taking the job, Mr Sunak said 'people should have the right to strike' but ministers are pushing forward proposals to guarantee a minimum service Mr Sunak also appeared to hint that nurses could be offered more in pay to resolve the bitter dispute with the Royal College of Nursing. The union has demanded pay increases of 19 per cent, but were given about 4 per cent for this year (2022-23). The PM said: 'As I've said on pay, those conversations need to be based on what's affordable. 'I think a 19 per cent pay rise is not affordable - I don't think anyone thinks a 19 per cent pay rise is affordable. 'But that doesn't mean we shouldn't have dialogue, shouldn't have conversations.' A pay review process which also decides pay increases for 2023-24 could also be brought forward to smooth tensions. Addressing the process for deciding pay increases for next year, he said: 'We'll be setting out more of plans in this regard in the coming days.' Acer had plenty of new PC products to show off at CES 2023. It includes laptops under its Aspire, Swift, and Predator product lines. Most of what the company revealed were basically refreshed versions of existing notebooks. But Acer did reveal an all-new laptop line, the Acer Swift Go, a slim and light device with an OLED display, as per CNET. What Are the Features of Acer Swift Go? The new Acer Swift Go is available in 14-inch and 16-inch models. The highlight of the device is its support for OLED screens. Both models will have 500-nit peak brightness, high amounts of contrast, and deep black levels. In addition, Acer Swift Go includes a 100 percent DCI-P3 color range and VESA Display HDR True Black 500 certification. According to Android Authority, the 16-inch Acer Swift Go will have a resolution of 3,200 x 2,000 pixels. Meanwhile, the 14-inch version will have 2,880 x 1,800 resolution support. Moreover, the Acer Swift Go notebooks will also be sold with regular IPS screens. Under the hood, both models will have Intel's 13th Gen Core H-Series processors. It will have up to 16GB of RAM and up to 2TB of onboard storage. If you wish to add more storage, it is equipped with a microSD card port. The 14-inch model is lighter at 2.76 pounds, while the 16-inch version weighs 3.52 pounds. Another thing to look forward to is the battery that will last to up to 9.5 hours on a single charge. Currently, both models are not yet available for purchase but they are expected to arrive soon in Europe and in the US. Starting at 1,099, the Acer Swift Go 16 will launch in Europe in March, while it will arrive in the US in June, starting at $799.99. Meanwhile, the Switch Go 14 will launch in February in Europe, with a starting price of 999, and in the US in May, at $849.99. Read Also: Acer S5 Ultrabook Hits U.S. in June: Top Features We Love More Acer Announcements at CES 2023 In addition to the Acer Swift Go series, the company had more announcements at CES 2023. The company will also bring the Acer Swift 14 touchscreen notebook to the US in March. It will come with two display resolution choices, 2,560 x 1,600 and 1,920 x 1,200. It also comes with 32GB of RAM. Upon arrival, its price will start at $1,399.99. Meanwhile, another device to look forward to is the Acer Aspire 5 Series laptop. It will also have 13th Gen Intel Core processors plus the Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs. It will be available in 14-, 15-, and 17-inch versions. It will be launched in March with a starting price of $599.99. If you are looking for a good notebook on a budget, the Acer Aspire 3 is the one for you. It will be available in 14-, 15-, and 17-inch models. It will arrive in March starting at $499. For hardcore gamers, the Acer Predator Helios 16 and Predator Helios 18 notebooks are a must-have. Both have support for Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs. They will also arrive in the US starting in March, starting at $1,649.99. Related Article: Acer Announces Aspire VX 15 And V Nitro Gaming Notebooks Perhaps the third day is a charm as Republican leader Kevin McCarthy resumes his multiple and ill-fated attempts become House speaker, but he remains determined to persuade enough conservative stalwarts to vote for him and emerge with as a dealmaker. It's been a century since a majority nominee has not won the House gavel on the first vote, and after two days and six rounds of elections, the battle to become the Speaker has turned into a bitter Republican Party feud replete with deepening party infighting and potentially long-term repercussions. The California Republican McCarthy is under extreme pressure from restless and resentful Republicans and Democrats to secure the votes needed or step aside, so the House can get on with the business of governing. The GOP rebels have proven resilient in waiting him out, as long as it takes. The House is scheduled to return at 12 noon with rumors of either an immediate and seventh round of Speaker elections or an adjournment to continue negotiations. Not wanting a repeat of the past two days, there are now reports that the GOP leader now open to once 'red-line' demands from right-wing rebels. DailyMail.com looks at the top concessions in the race for Speaker which is now in its third day. ONE-MEMBER 'MOTION TO VACATE' THE CHAIR In a major concession to the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus, McCarthy has offered to lower the number of members required to sponsor a resolution to force a vote to remove the speaker - from five to one - a change that the GOP leader had previously said he would not accept. U.S. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (L) listens as Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert (R-CO) (R) who said he should step down. FREEDOM CAUCUS TO HAVE RULES COMMITTEE SEATS McCarthy is open to allowing GOP hardliners to handpick four of the party's members on the powerful Rules Committee - no small concession as it controls what legislation reaches the floor, as well as allowing ANY lawmaker to propose changes on spending legislation, including any that would tank the measure. U.S. Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert (R-CO) is part of the 'Never Kevin' group that is demanding GOP leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy to allow conservative members more access to committees. A VOTE ON TERM LIMITS There were also discussions of introducing legislation limiting House members to three terms and Senators to two terms. The upper chamber is currently led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York meaning the proposal to limit the Senate is a no-go. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has failed six times to get enough votes to become the next Speaker of the House REBELS TO CHAIR SUBCOMMITTEES Several 'Never Kevin Caucus' members want high-profile assignments including Florida's Matt Gaetz as chair of the House Armed Services subcommittee and Maryland's Andy Harris as the head of the Appropriations subcommittee on Health and Human Services The 118th session of Congress voted to adjourn on Wednesday evening after a second day without electing a Speaker CHANGES TO APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS The Freedom Caucus wants rule changes that would decentralize power in both the House GOP - and the rest of the chamber - to give more power to individual members. The demand that committee chairs are selected by the committee and not the leadership, and rewards fundraising and party loyalty. Bombshell revelation detailed in his leaked autobiography due out on January 10 Reveals he killed 25 Taliban fighters and thought of them as 'chess pieces' Prince Harry details 2012 tour of duty in Afghanistan in his tell-all memoir Spare Prince Harry revealed in his memoir that he killed 25 Taliban fighters during his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. The Duke of Sussex, who was known as 'Captain Wales' in the military, wrote that he did not think of those killed 'as people' but instead 'chess pieces' he had taken off the board. This is the first time that Harry, 38, has specified the number of insurgents he personally killed during his time in Afghanistan, where he went in both 2007-8 and 2012 and flew an Apache attack helicopter during his second tour. Harry pictured during his second tour of duty at Camp Bastion, southern Afghanistan, in 2012 Prince Harry pictured making early morning pre-flight checks in the cockpit of a helicopter In Spare, the Prince said that he flew on six missions that resulted in the 'taking of human lives' in his leaked autobiography. While many soldiers do not know how many enemies they have killed in combat, the Duke wrote that 'in the era of Apaches and laptops' he was able to say 'with exactness' the number of insurgents he killed. Harry wrote that 'you can't kill people if you see them as people' and said he instead saw them as 'chess pieces removed from the board'... 'bad guys eliminated'. The prince was first deployed to Helmand province as a forward air controller in 2007, but his first tour of duty was cut short when an Australian magazine broke a media embargo by mistake. However, he returned in 2012 with the Ministry of Defence publicising his second deployment on the understanding that the media would allow him to get on with the job at hand. Harry reportedly detailed the shock revelation in his tell-all memoir Spare that has been leaked days before it was due to be published After he learnt to fly Apache helicopters, Harry was deployed to Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan in 2012 where he stayed for 20 weeks. During his 2012 tour, Harry helped provide helicopter support to the International Security Assistance Force and Afghan forces operating throughout Helmand province. Based out of Camp Bastion, 662 Squadron Army Air Corps, to which he belonged, flew more than a hundred deliberate missions over 2,500 flying hours, providing surveillance, deterrence and, when required, close combat attack capabilities as well as escort duties for other aircraft. Captain Wales qualified as a co-pilot gunner in February 2012. He was posted to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, to gain further flying experience and to operate the Apache on a number of exercises before deploying to Afghanistan in September 2012. Prince Harry on patrol in the deserted town of Garmsir, southern Afghanistan, in 2008 Prince Harry pictured in November 2012 during his deployment in Afghanistan Harry sitting in an armoured vehicle in Helmand province in February 2008 Prince Harry in Helmand province Southern Afghanistan in 2008 Harry trained to fly in the front seat as the mission or aircraft commander but the majority of the time operated the Apache's sights, sensors and weapons systems. The revelation of how many enemy combatants he killed could escalate fears for his personal safety as Prince Harry has been long-regarded as a terrorist target due to his royal status and military links. It comes amid an ongoing legal battle with the Home Office not to provide full police protection for Harry and his family when visiting the UK. The Duke's barrister said he 'does not feel safe' when he is in the UK, having lost his taxpayer-funded security when he and his wife gave up royal duties. He has previously been regarded as a target for terrorists due to his two deployments to Afghanistan, as well as being a member of the Royal family. Harry revealed some details of his deployment to Afghanistan in 2013 after returning home. Asked if he had killed during his deployment, the 28-year-old prince said matter-of-factly: 'Yeah, so lots of people have. The squadron's been out here. Everyone's fired a certain amount.' Prince Harry patrolling the deserted town of Garmsir in 2008 Harry brands William his 'arch-nemesis' who 'he was always in competition with' Advertisement He added: 'Take a life to save a life, that's what we revolve around. If there's people trying to do bad stuff to our guys, then we'll take them out of the game. 'I'm not here on a free pass... our job out here is to make sure the guys are safe on the ground and if that means shooting someone who is shooting them, then we will do it.' Harry was hailed by his colleagues and superiors as being 'on top of his game' during the tour. He was given no special treatment and worked, ate and slept in the same basic conditions as the other pilots. It was, in his own words, 'as normal as it's going to get. I'm one of the guys, I don't get treated any differently'. He admitted that his work is interspersed with periods of intense boredom while waiting for a call-out and he whiled away his time watching DVDs and playing computer games. He even allowed himself to be photographed wearing a silly Santa hat, complete with blond plaits, to make his colleagues breakfast at Christmas and turn on their festive lights. His father Charles, he revealed, had sent him a food parcel containing a jar of Clarence House garden honey and a box of huge Cuban cigars. Harry's tell-all autobiography Spare was due for publication on January 10 but has already gone on sale in Spain. The book leak also reveals: The Duke of Sussex pictured in Helmand province during his first tour of duty in 2008 Prince Harry was pictured walking his dog Pula in the rain in California yesterday hours before the revelations from his memoir leaked One section of the book claims that Harry was 'knocked to the floor' by his brother William in a furious row over his wife Meghan Markle, with the Duke saying he was injured when a dog bowl shattered underneath him. The bowl may have belonged to Pula (pictured with Harry in California yesterday), who was adopted in 2018 Prince William 'pointed a finger' at Meghan and called her 'rude' during furious row sparked when Duchess told Kate she 'must have baby brain because of her hormones', new book claims Jack Wright for MailOnline and Kate Mansey, Assistant Editor for the Mail On Sunday Prince Harry has sensationally claimed that his brother William called Meghan 'rude' and 'pointed a finger at her' during a furious bust-up after the Duchess of Sussex told Kate that she must have 'baby brain because of her hormones'. Details of the alleged row have appeared in Harry's bombshell memoir Spare, which has been published in Spain. Harry writes that Meghan made the comment during the run up to the Sussexes' wedding in May 2018. After apparently upsetting Kate, Harry says Meghan apologised and insisted that is how she speaks to her friends. But Harry then claims that William 'pointed a finger at Meg' and thundered: 'Well, it's rude, Meghan. These things are not done here'. Meghan then allegedly retorted: 'If you don't mind, keep your finger out of my face'. Harry writes that Meghan made the comment during the run up to the Sussexes' wedding in May 2018. Meghan is pictured with Kate here in 2018 at an event in London During the run up to Harry and Meghan's wedding in May 2018, Harry writes that Meghan told Kate that she must have 'baby brain because of her hormones' Meghan, Harry, William and Kate watching a fly-past to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in 2018 A well-placed source told the Mail: 'In the book Harry says that there was a discussion about the timing of the wedding rehearsal and the flower girl dresses and Kate was very upset. 'Meghan said that Kate must have ''baby brain'' because of her hormones. 'It caused a huge row because Meghan was told that she wasn't close enough to her sister-in-law to discuss her hormones and it wasn't the way people spoke to each other within the Royal Family. 'The book makes clear that Meghan felt the fall-out wasn't her fault, but it doesn't exactly make her look very good either.' In an extraordinary development, Harry - who reveals that the brothers called each other 'Harold and Willy' - details the extent of the rift between the brothers. Using language in the book that appears designed to shock, Harry describes his brother as 'my Archnemesis'. Harry, Meghan, William and Kate at Westminster Abbey in March 2018 The detail about the fight between the women, however, gives the fullest account yet about how the bitter rift extended to their wives. Meghan first discussed the row with Kate during her interview with Oprah Winfrey two years ago. When Oprah asked if reports were true that she had made Kate cry, Meghan replied saying 'the reverse happened', adding: 'It made me cry and it really hurt my feelings. It was a really hard week of the wedding and she was upset about something but she owned it and she apologised.' Harry will reveal that the brothers had countless physical fights from childhood upwards. One of the worst in recent years was over the way in which William shared his views on Meghan. Meghan being interviewed during her and Harry's recent Netflix documentary A source said: 'Harry doesn't hold back on William, He writes that William told him: 'Meg is difficult, she's rude, she's abrasive. She's been rude to the staff.' More allegations look set to emerge not only from the book but during a third television interview, the Mail has learned. As well as television appearances with Anderson Cooper in the US and Tom Bradby for Britain's ITV, Harry has granted another interview to broadcaster and former American football player Michael Strahan. The 90-minute interview with Strahan is expected to be broadcast on US television early next week to coincide with Tuesday's book launch. A source said: 'There will be many more revelations and discussion about the book so the Royal Family will want to brace themselves.' Putin says he's open to peace dialogue, but Kyiv must accept 'territorial realities' World leaders have slammed Vladimir Putin's order of a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine to allow people to mark Orthodox Christmas as hypocrisy. The Russian despot called on Ukraine's forces to observe the proposed truce, which would run for 36 hours - from 12pm, January 6 to midnight on January 8. He ordered his defence minister Sergei Shoigu to introduce the ceasefire along the entire line of contact, the Kremlin reported. But Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Putin's decree, saying it would only be possible when Russia leaves the territory it is occupying. Western leaders followed suit, with U.S. President Joe Biden claiming it was 'interesting' that Putin was ready to bomb hospitals, nurseries and churches on Christmas and New Year's. Vladimir Putin (pictured today) has ordered a temporary ceasefire in the war in Ukraine to allow people to mark Orthodox Christmas, Russian media has reported The Russian president called on Kyiv to observe the proposed truce, which would run for 36-hours: From 12pm, January 6 to midnight on January 7. Pictured: A Ukrainian soldier fires an RPG near the front lines of Ukraine on January 3 'I think he's trying to find some oxygen,' Biden quipped, while German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said if Putin really wanted peace 'he would bring his soldiers home'. 'A so-called ceasefire brings neither freedom nor security to people living in daily fear under Russian occupation,' Baerbock wrote on Twitter. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky's adviser Podolyak said: 'First. Ukraine doesn't attack foreign territory & doesn't kill civilians. As RF (Russian Federation) does. Ukraine destroys only members of the occupation army on its territory. 'Second. RF must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a 'temporary truce'. Keep hypocrisy to yourself.' Putin did not appear to make his cease-fire order conditional on a Ukrainian agreement to follow suit, and it wasn't clear whether hostilities would actually halt on the 684-mile front line or elsewhere. 'Taking into account the appeal of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I instruct the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation to introduce a ceasefire regime along the entire line of contact of the parties in Ukraine from 12.00 on January 6, 2023 to 24.00 on January 7, 2023,' Putin said in the order. 'Proceeding from the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the areas of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and allow them to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on Christmas Day.' This is the first time Russia introduced a full ceasefire in Ukraine since the launch of the offensive in February last year. Western leaders slammed the Russian president's order for a ceasefire Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Putin's peace order was hypocritical German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said if President Vladimir Putin really wanted peace 'he would bring his soldiers home' The call for a ceasefire followed an earlier proposal by Russia's spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill for an Orthodox Christmas truce this week. Pictured: Ukrainian servicemen ride a tank in the village of Torske, Donetsk region, Ukraine December 30, 2022 Emergency service workers extinguish a fire after shelling on the Bakhmut frontline in Ivanivske, Ukraine as Russia-Ukraine war continues on January 2 Ukrainian officials have previously dismissed Russian peace moves as playing for time to regroup their forces and prepare for additional attacks. At various points during the war that started on Feb. 24, Putin has ordered limited and local truces to allow evacuations of civilians or other humanitarian purposes, although these were not always observed by Russian forces. Podolyak said the ceasefire declaration was a 'banal trick'. 'There is not the slightest desire to end the war,' he said, adding: 'There is no need to respond to the obviously manipulative initiatives of the Russian leadership'. Independent political analyst Tatyana Stanovaya said the ceasefire order is intended to make Putin look reasonable and interested in peace. The move 'fits well into Putin's logic, in which Russia is acting on the right side of history and fighting for justice,' she said. 'We must not forget that in this war, Putin feels like a ''good guy'', doing good not only for himself and the ''brotherly nations'' but also for the world he's freeing from the ''hegemony'' of the United States,' Stanovaya, founder of the independent R.Politik think tank, wrote on Telegram. The call for a ceasefire followed an earlier proposal by Russia's spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill for an Orthodox Christmas truce this week. The proposal was dismissed by Kyiv as a cynical trap by Moscow. President Volodymyr Zelensky had proposed a Russian troop withdrawal earlier, before December 25, but Russia rejected it. Pictured: A man looks at the destroyed Russian military vehicles at an open air exhibition of destroyed Russian equipment in front of the Church of Three Saints in Kyiv on January 5, 2023 The Russian Orthodox Church, which uses the ancient Julian calendar, celebrates Christmas on Jan. 7 - later than the Gregorian calendar - although some Christians in Ukraine also mark the holiday on that date. Kirill has previously justified the war as part of Russia's 'metaphysical struggle' to prevent a liberal ideological encroachment from the West. On the rainy streets of Kyiv, some questioned the Russians' sincerity in discussing a truce, with others also calling it hypocrticial. 'Shall we believe the Russians?' Svitlana Zhereva asked after Kirill's proposal. 'On the one hand they have given their blessings to the war and to kill. On the other hand, they want to present themselves as saints who are against blood spilling. 'But they should be judged by their actions,' she added. A young male resident said: 'Everybody is preparing [for an attack] because everybody remembers what happened on the New Year when there were around 40 Shahed [suicide drone attacks on Kyiv]. So a new attack can happen. 'Our air defence system is well prepared, and everybody is used to the attacks and ready. But everything is possible,' he added. Another man said: 'Patriarch Kirill rarely says anything adequate and I think that his words are nothing by hypocrisy.' The Russian Orthodox Church, which uses the ancient Julian calendar, celebrates Christmas on Jan. 7 - later than the Gregorian calendar - although some Christians in Ukraine also mark the holiday on that date. Pictured: A Christmas tree is seen in Kyiv on January 2 Despite Putin's call for a ceasefire, major new supplies of Russian armoured vehicles along with troops and weaponry have been moved to Belarus. Videos show Russian BTR-80K amphibious armoured personnel carriers and BTR-82A APCs on trains. The move of hardware to Belarus comes as Russia is believed to be planning new offensives against Ukraine from the north. But Belarus claimed the weaponry was being supplied to its forces for defensive purposes. Yet Putin is pressing Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko to play a more active role in the war. 'The decision to create a regional grouping of troops on the territory of Belarus was made and is being implemented solely in the interests of strengthening the protection and defence of the Union State, based on the current situation near our borders,' said the Belarus defence ministry. 'Personnel, weapons, military and special equipment of the armed forces of the Russian Federation will continue to arrive in the Republic of Belarus.' The ministry said 'combat coordination activities' were planned as well as air force drills. 'Joint training of the Belarusian and Russian components of the regional grouping of troops is complex in nature and covers not only the combat component, but also all supporting systems,' the ministry said. A man carries belongings he recovered from a damaged residential building after a missile strike in Chasiv Yar, eastern Ukraine, on January 5, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine Putin spoke by phone with Turkey's president Thursday and the Kremlin said Putin 'reaffirmed Russia's openness to a serious dialogue' with Ukrainian authorities. But that professed readiness came with the usual preconditions: that 'Kyiv authorities fulfill the well-known and repeatedly stated demands and recognise new territorial realities,' the Kremlin said, referring to Moscow's insistence that Ukraine recognize Crimea as part of Russia and acknowledge other illegal territorial gains. Russian troops occupy large swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine. The Kremlin claims it has annexed the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions despite not controlling them in their entirety. Previous attempts at peace talks have fallen at that hurdle, as Ukraine demands that Russia withdraws from occupied areas at the very least. Elsewhere, the head of NATO said he detected no change in Moscow's stance on Ukraine, insisting that the Kremlin 'wants a Europe where they can control a neighboring country.' 'We have no indications that President Putin has changed his plans, his goals for Ukraine,' NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in Oslo. Erdogan, meanwhile, pressed Putin to declare a 'unilateral' ceasefire in Ukraine. Erdogan spoke to both Putin and Zelensky in his latest attempts as a mediator to broker an end to the 10-month war, that began when the Russian despot ordered the invasion on February 24, 2022. This is not the first time Putin has expressed that he is ready for peace talks under the conditions set out by Moscow. On Christmas Day, in an interview with state television about the war in Ukraine, Putin said that Russia is 'prepared to negotiate some acceptable outcomes'. In recent days, the Russian army have faced a number of setbacks, with Ukraine striking several targets - resulting in what Kyiv says was hundreds of deaths. Russia said Wednesday the toll climbed in its worst single reported loss from a Ukrainian strike, which an increasingly criticised Moscow blamed on troops using their mobile phones that gave away their location. The Ukrainian military's strategic communications unit has said nearly 400 Russian soldiers were killed in the town of Makiivka in eastern Ukraine, and even Russian commentators have said the death toll may be far higher than the 89 Russia admits. The death toll in Makiivka is the highest reported by the Russian military in a single strike since its troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The deadly strike came after months of discontent within Russia towards the military following a series of battlefield defeats and a hugely unpopular mobilisation drive. BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers arrive in Belarus from Russia Meanwhile, Ukraine's Western allies have renewed a vow to keep supporting Kyiv for as long as it takes to defeat Russia. In the latest pledge of military help, the French Defense Ministry said it plans talks soon with its Ukrainian counterpart on delivering armored combat vehicles. France's presidency says it will be the first time this type of Western-made wheeled tank destroyer is sent to Ukraine's military. Also, U.S. President Joe Biden said Bradley Fighting Vehicles, a medium armoured combat vehicle that can serve as a troop carrier, could be sent to Ukraine. On Thursday evening, German government sources told AFP that Germany and the US are both planning a 'new step' in weapons for Ukraine. The fighting in Ukraine has increasingly become a war of attrition in recent weeks, as winter sets in. Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office, said Thursday at least five civilians were killed and eight wounded across the country by Russian shelling in the previous 24 hours. The ongoing intense battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut has left 60% of the city in ruins, Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said Thursday. Ukrainian defenders were holding the Russians back, but the Kremlin's forces have pummeled the city with months of relentless shelling. Taking the city in the Donbas region, an expansive industrial area bordering Russia, would not only give Putin a major battlefield gain after months of setbacks, but it also would rupture Ukraine's supply lines and open the way for Moscow's forces to press on toward key Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk. A star of HBO's Raised by Wolves was bitten six times by an angry seal pup as she swam along the coast of South Africa - forcing her to make a trip to the ER with bloodied fingers. Loulou Taylor posted about the attack, which happened on Tuesday on Clifton Beach in Cape Town, on Instagram and jokingly compared it to a scene from Jaws, albeit one involving a seal instead of a shark. Video of the incident shows the year-old Cape fur seal first attack a boy playing in the shallows. Once the boy breaks free a lifeguard on the beach blew their whistle and instructed swimmers to get out of the water. Moments later, Taylor was also attacked and started struggling with the disgruntled seal. A man approached to help, grabbed it by its flippers, and hurled it into the sea and away from the shore. HBO actress Loulou Taylor (pictured) was bitten six times by an angry seal pup as she swam on the coast of South Africa Taylor is a South Africa-born and LA-raised actress that appeared in popular HBO show Raised by Wolves and plays recurring character Cassia. After the attack she posted photos of a bloody finger with a visible gash. She wrote: 'Be careful swimming at Clifton! I was attacked by a seal in the water and bitten 6 times requiring an ER visit and strong antibiotics. They have big teeth!' A day later on Wednesday she posted photos of two fingers in bandages and indicated that she was recovering. 'Status update! Im on the mend,' she wrote. As seals can carry bacteria in their mouths, Taylor was provided with 'strong antibiotics.' On Instagram Taylor jokingly compared the incident to a scene from Jaws, albeit one involving a seal instead of a shark The year-old Cape fur seal first attacked a boy who was playing in the shallow waters before swimming out and biting Taylor Taylor is a South Africa-born and LA-raised actress that appeared in popular HBO show Raised by Wolves Brett Glasby, programme coordinator at the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation, suggested the seal's erratic behavior may have been triggered by a algae bloom in South African waters that caused the release of toxins. He told local paper the Daily Maverick there has been a spike in seal attacks since December. 'It's not aggressive behavior, it's defensive behavior. Last year, we had a mass die-off on our coastlines that was attributed to domoic acid poisoning from red tide algae bloom. 'The seals consume fish and crustaceans that have algae bloom domoic poisoning,' he said. 'One of the symptoms is a swelling of the brain.' He said that causes neurological damage which is suspected to cause a greater number of attacks, but that without an MRI scan of the seal's brain its not possible to say with certainty. On Wednesday she posted photos of two fingers in bandages and indicated that she was recovering In an Instagram post Taylor warned that the small seal had sharp teeth as posted a photo of her bloody finger An alternative explanation was presented by Dune Spence-Ross, from the Hout Bay Seal Rescue Center. He told News24: 'Any predator that is surrounded and harassed like the seal was would have reacted the same way, but of course the video doesnt show the part where the seal is being stressed by a crowd of people surrounding it.' 'Yesterday, the beachgoers were lucky,' he added, 'it was only a yearling approximately 12 months old, weighing no more than 10kg by the looks of it. 'If that was a fully grown seal, the headlines would have been very different.' Prince Harry has recalled the horrific moment he watched the 9/11 attacks as a teenager - and how he demanded a visit Ground Zero to meet victims' families during his official trip to the US eight years later. The Duke of Sussex, who was aged 16 at the time, was surrounded by his shocked and silent classmates when he watched the devastating attacks on the Twin Towers, he revealed in his memoir 'Spare.' Harry was still a student at Eton College - and said that right after lunch everyday he would go into the TV room in his boarding house to watch Neighbors - an Australian sitcom show. But on September 11, he unknowingly walked into the room to find it packed with his fellow classmates who had their eyes locked on the television. Prince Harry pictured at the World Trade Center, on May 29, 2009, as he paid his respects to those who died in 9/11. This was his first official royal trip to the US, and he demanded that visiting the site was put on his itinerary The young Prince, who was 25 at the time, paid his respects at Ground Zero. The construction of the memorial was just underway when he first visited Prince Harry, pictured in his Eton College uniform in 2003, recalled that he found out about the 9/11 attacks while at school. He watched the news among his fellow classmates - who were all stunned into silence at the horrific unfolding world event They were watching the tragic news - which Prince Harry described as a nightmare once he realized what was unfolding in front of him. Prince Harry recalled the chaos unfolding - as he watched the Twin Towers 'melt' and people 'jump from rooftops' on screen - while the room at Eton became overwhelmed with young boys biting their lips and nails in shock. The Duke said that he and his fellow pals were 'astonished and in silence' as they watched the painful reporting on the television screen. Harry also wrote in his memoirs that he was sent on his first official trip to the US years later in 2009 - where he made sure that visiting the World Trade Center was in his itinerary. And he said that he has never forgotten meeting the 'parents, spouses, and children' of victims while on his New York trip. They were 'clutching at photos of mothers and fathers who had been crushed, vaporized, or burned alive.' He wrote in Spare: 'September 11 was abominable and indelible...the most heinous crimes in world history.' Prince Harry meets Monica Iken, who lost her husband in the World Trade Centre attacks Harry meeting members of the FDNY at Ground Zero during his 2009 trip to New York Prince Harry and Meghan Markle paid their respects at a wreath by the survivor tree at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in September 2021 - for the 20th anniversary of the attacks Harry, pictured relaxing in his door room in 2003, said that he remembers the moment he realized what had happened at the World Trade Center. He was just 16-years-old at the time, and had finished having lunch at school Prince Harry's memoir Spare was set to go on sale on January 10 - but was already being sold in Spanish bookstores on January 4 His two-day visit to New York City in 2009 started with a visit to Ground Zero - where he bowed his head and observed a minutes silence after placing a wreath near the site. He was then taken on a brief tour of the construction site before meeting firefighters from a nearby station who were involved in the rescue attempt. It read: 'In respectful memory of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and in admiration of the courage shown by the people of this great city on that day.' At the time, the construction of the memorial site was only just underway. Harry arrived at the site of the World Trade Centre in downtown Manhattan in glorious sunshine, dressed in a dark blue suit with maroon striped tie. In 2009, Prince Harry left the wreath at the site, with a handwritten note that read: 'In respectful memory of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and in admiration of the courage shown by the people of this great city on that day' Pictured: Eton College, one of the most prestigious boarding schools in England, UK. Both Prince Harry and William attended the school during their teen years At the time, reports said that the young royal glanced upwards, seemingly taking in the enormity of the structures felled in the attack, and said simply, 'Wow'. He then met then New York state governor David Paterson, thanking him briefly for having him over, before meeting the families of 9/11 victims. Prince Harry, who was aged 25 at the time, insisted that there were no special arrangements for his journey - taking a commercial flight to New York. In 2021, Harry returned to the World Trade Center to pay his respects on the 20th anniversary of the tragedy - this time with his wife, Meghan Markle. The pair, who had quit their Royal Family duties by this point, both wore black as they laid a wreath and took a moment to pay their respects to those who died in 9/11. The couple took a moment of silence at the wreath on the site of the Twin Towers during their trip to the Big Apple in September 2021 Prince Harry and his school friends were watching the tragic news - which the teenaged royal described as 'a nightmare' once he realized what was unfolding in front of him The book launches a fresh attack on William and the Royal Family Harry says he struggled with Shakespeare but loved the American classic Of Mice and Men He details how he struggled academically at Eton, the elite English boys' boarding school he and Prince William attended Prince Harry's favorite book at Eton was the American novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, a story he says reminded him of his relationship with his brother William, he reveals in his new memoir Spare. In the book - released accidentally today in Spain, five days ahead of schedule - Harry talks about his struggles with Shakespeare and French lessons at Eton, revealing how his father, King Charles, despaired over his lack of interest and would force him to attend plays on days off. One book he did enjoy was Steinbeck's classic, he said. 'The piece of literature that I do remember liking and even enjoying is a short American novel. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck. Princes Harry and William as teenagers in 2003. Harry describes in his new memoir Spare how William 'acted like he didn't know him' while the pair studied at the elite English boarding school Eton Gary Sinise and John Malkovich in the 1992 film adaptation of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men 'We were assigned to read in English language units. Unlike Shakespeare, Steinbeck did not need a translator. He wrote in the vernacular, plain and simple. Better yet, it was brief. Of mice and men: one hundred and fifty little pages of nothing. 'And best of all: the argument was entertaining. Two uncles, George and Lennie, roam California looking for a place to call home, trying to overcome their limitations.' Harry went on to explain he liked the book because neither man is a 'genius,' and its story of 'friendship, loyalty and camaraderie.' The prince also told of how the fictional siblings reminded him of himself and his brother William, who were two 'nomads' who endured the same 'circumstances' and 'cared' for one another. But he said William 'ignored' his attempts to build bridges with one of the book's best-known sayings; 'You go crazy if you don't have anyone.' Harry's memoir Spare was published in Spain today five days ahead of schedule Harry claims in the book that his older brother froze him out at boarding school, determined to make his own friends and distance himself from his family. Steinbeck's book, widely taught in classrooms both in the UK and the US, ends with George shooting Lennie in a mercy killing. The premise of the book hinges on Lennie being unaware of his own strength; he accidentally kills animals and then accidentally snaps the neck of his boss' wife while stroking her hair. Harry, describing his hatred of Shakespeare which enraged his father. He says he attempted to read Hamlet, but found the play's parallels with tragedy he'd endured in his life too close for comfort, and gave up. He describes being dragged to plays in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace, by his father to watch plays. Harry says he usually struggled to understand the action on stage - but that when he did, the words 'burned' because he found the similarities to his own life too eerie. Harry's book Spare was not due to be published until Tuesday but Spanish publishers jumped the gun, releasing it today. In other sections of the book, Harry reveals how he lost his virginity to an 'older woman' who 'spanked his a**' as they made love in a field. He described the encounter as a 'mistake.' He also claims Wills and Kate 'told' him to wear the Nazi uniform that became his biggest shame in 2005, and that they'd 'howled with laughter' over it. In one of the most damaging allegations to emerge from the book so far, he also claims his brother knocked him to the floor during a 2019 argument over how he and Meghan, and their strained relationship with the Royal Family. President Joe Biden's immigration plan announced Thursday will allow up to 30,000 asylum seekers from Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Haiti into the country per month, while 'rapidly' expelling just as many back to Mexico if they illegally cross the border. In a lunchtime speech from the Roosevelt Room, Biden outlined the new plan and confirmed that he would be making his first border trip as president, visiting El Paso, Texas on Sunday ahead of the 'three amigos' summit in Mexico on Monday and Tuesday. The announcement, just days into 2023, comes after 2022 brought a record number of migrants illegally crossing the U.S. southern border, with Republicans making the mess one of their top midterm campaign issues. Biden explained that cell phone apps would now be used to streamline the immigration process. Migrants making asylum claims will have to download an app called 'CBPOne' and make an appointment outside the country before showing up at a U.S. port of entry, including airports. Migrants can also use the U.S.'s parole program to have someone inside of the country sponsor them. They would then go through a background check, Biden explained, and if their application is approved they would use the same 'CBPOne' app and present that at a port of entry. 'My message is this: If you're trying to leave Cuba, Nicaragua or Haiti ... do not, do not just show up at the border. Stay where you are and apply legally from there,' Biden instructed. President Joe Biden announced a plan Thursday that will allow migrants to legally enter the U.S. through the air and at ports of entry if they pre-register their asylum claims using a cell phone app BIDEN'S PLAN TO ADDRESS HISTORIC MIGRANT CRISIS Accept 30,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela every month Can come to the U.S. for two years if they are sponsored, have background checks and receive work authorization Expel migrants from those countries who try to cross the border illegally and impose a five-year ban on reentry Individuals from Mexico and Panama will not be eligible for parole in the U.S. Mexico has agreed to accept 30,000 expelled migrants a month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela Welcome 20,000 refugees from Latin America and Caribbean nations in 2023 and 2024 Migrants will have to set up an appointment using a cell phone app for appointments at border entry points U.S. giving $23 million in humanitarian assistance to Mexico and Central America Increasing funding available to border cities and those receiving an influx of migrants Advertisement Approved migrants would be able to work in the U.S. legally for two years after that. 'That's the process,' Biden said. 'But if their application is denied, or they attempt to cross into the United States unlawfully, they'll be returned back to Mexico and will not be eligible for this program after that.' The parole program was originally set up to deal with Venezuelan border crossers, but Biden announced Thursday it would be expanded to those fleeing Cuba, Nicaragua and Haiti. He also said that Mexico had agreed to take as many as 30,000 border crossers back every month. Asked if he believed migration was a human right, Biden said he did believe so 'if your family is being persecuted.' 'I know it was a human right for, you know, Jews in Germany to be able to get to escape and get help where they could,' Biden said, pointing to the Holocaust. 'But the other side of this is - there's also, the people in this country have basic rights, that are here.' To Biden that meant not allowing 'criminals' into the country and ensuring that immigrants' background checks were 'real.' Migrants from Venezuela are in line to be processed at the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas on Wednesday. Biden will travel to El Paso Sunday ahead of the 'three amigos' summit in Mexico Monday and Tuesday President Joe Biden said Wednesday he hoped to see 'peace and security' if he visits the southern border next week, as he plans to make a speech on migration Thursday from the White House Biden will meet with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Mexico after his long delayed trip to the U.S.-Mexico border Sunday. Biden said the delay was due to waiting to see how the courts would treat Title 42, the COVID-19 pandemic order that allowed for quick expulsion of migrants. 'I wanted to make sure that I knew what the outcome or at least the near outcome was on Title 42 before I went down,' Biden said. Last month, the Supreme Court blocked the lifting of Title 42, while the high court considers the case. Republican have called on Biden for months to make the trek. 'Republicans haven't been serious about this at all, come on,' the president said, when a reporter mentioned the GOP's demand. Biden pushed Republicans - who took over the House majority on Tuesday, though are still without a speaker - to work with him to get new immigration laws passed. 'Look, we need more resources to secure the border, yet again extreme Republicans have said no,' Biden complained. 'Many Republicans have said we need to do something. But it's time to stop listening to their inflammatory talk. It's time to look at thier record,' the president continued. He offered to sit down with 'anyone' willing to get immigration reform done. 'But if the most extreme Republcians continue to demagogue this issue and reject solutions, I'm left with only one choice - to act on my own, do as much as I can on my own to try and change the atmosphere,' Biden said. Biden said he hoped that Border agents telling him what they needed during his Sunday trip might compel Republicans to play ball. Vice President Kamala Harris - who is charged with dealing with the 'Northern Triangle' countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras - stood over Biden's right shoulder. He praised her several times throughout the speech and at one point seemingly called her 'President Harris.' Biden had teased a trip to the border Wednesday while traveling to and from Ohio and Kentucky to tout his bipartisan infrastructure law. 'That's my intention, we're working out the details now,' he said on tarmac as he departed the Cincinnati area when asked if a border trip would be happening ahead of his trip to Mexico City. Upon landing at the White House he said he hoped to see 'peace and security' at the southern border. 'No, I'm going to see what is going on. I'm going to be making a speech tomorrow on border security and you'll hear more about it tomorrow,' he said. Curtis Sliwa has offered to become New York City's 'rat czar' and help mayor Eric Adams get rid of the rodent infestation at his Brooklyn home. Republican nominee Sliwa, 68, lost to Democratic candidate Adams in the 2021 New York City mayoral election. Mr Sliwa staged a publicity stunt on Wednesday outside Mr Adams' home on Lafayette Avenue, saying he could defeat the rat problem with an army of feral cats, reported the New York Times. Adams, 62, has been fined $1,200 for failing to control the rats at his four-unit apartment house in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Curtis Sliwa has offered to become New York City's 'rat czar' and help mayor Eric Adams get rid of the rodent infestation at his Brooklyn home Mr Sliwa staged a publicity stunt on Wednesday outside Mr Adams' home on Lafayette Avenue, saying he could defeat the rat problem with an army of feral cats Republican nominee Sliwa, 68, lost to Democratic candidate Adams in the 2021 New York City mayoral election. Eric Adams is pictured on December 5, 2022 Mr Sliwa took two cats in a cage outside the apartment in a publicity stunt against his opponent, where he also pointed to a massive dead rat. The activist said: 'He's tried everything. But it's time that we revert to the best measure that's ever worked. And that's cats.' 'You can't resolve the problem in the city if you can't even deal with a rat problem in front of your own house'. Sliwa said the cats could be like an army of 'Batmans and Robins' patrolling the streets. He added that feral cat colonies already in the city could also help and that they could follow the example of Istanbul, which has 100,000 feral cats that are treated as part of the community. Mr Adams responded that Sliwa could become the city's new 'rat czar' or be hired as an intern. He added at a press conference: 'Don't put it out there if you're not willing to live up to it'. He said he would hire him as Sliwa is 'probably looking for a job' after the election victory in 2021, which saw the current mayor win 67 per cent of the vote. Sliwa is the founder of civil patrol Guardian Angels and owns 16 rescue cats with his wife Nancy, including Tiny and Thor, who were present at the press conference. The mayor previously announced plans to hire a director of rodent mitigation with the aim of resolving the city's rat problem. Sliwa is the founder of civil patrol Guardian Angels and owns 16 rescue cats with his wife Nancy, including Tiny and Thor, who were present at the press conference Mr Sliwa took two cats in a cage outside the apartment in a publicity stunt against his opponent, where he also pointed to a massive dead rat A city council member told CBS News that the city has had a 71 percent increase in rat sightings since 2020. Pictured: Rat road kil on Lafayette Avenue New York City Mayor Eric Adams may be dealing with rising crime and a homeless problem but he's willing to pay big money for someone who can get rid of the city's rats The mayor previously announced plans to hire a director of rodent mitigation with the aim of resolving the city's rat problem (pictured on November 29) The job, which pays between $120,000 to $170,000, is being listed for anyone with a background in urban planning, project management, or government work. It also suggests you have a: 'swashbuckling attitude, crafty humor and general aura of badassery.' A knowledge of PowerPoint is also necessary. A city council member told CBS News that the city has had a 71 percent increase in rat sightings since 2020. Meanwhile, a study in 2014 by Jonathan Auerbach estimated there were two million rats living in the city. On December 7 the health department issued two new summonses to Adams for failing to control the rats, bringing the total to three. Adams claims to have spent nearly $7,000 on measures to get rid of rats, which meant the first summons was dropped. Meanwhile the mayor is also dealing with economic problems and record levels of homelessness in the city. Since being elected he has taken a 'tough-on-crime approach' and implemented a zero-tolerance policy on homeless people sleeping in subway cars. In a news conference on Wednesday Mr Adams said: 'We have a rat problem in the city. I mean, who are we kidding?' The mayor has previously said he is terrified of rats. He has tried using glue traps and drowning the rats in alcohol, according to Sliwa. A Las Vegas circus has purchased an entire town in the Mojave Desert with the aim of turning it into a 'circus town.' Spiegelworld, which puts on performances blurring the lines between acrobatic and burlesque performances, purchased Nipton, California, for $2.5million cash in 2022. Much like the show Schitt's Creek - which saw a formerly wealthy family trying to sell off a town they once bought on as a joke - the unincorporated town of Nipton sat for sale for years after it was bought on a whim in the 1980s by a couple for $200,000. The parallels are not lost on Spiegelworld founder Ross Mollison, who told The Wall Street Journal 'Imagine it's 'Schitt's Creek' but owned by a circus.' Mollison and his team have already started overhauling the unincorporated town and working with its 25 or so residents to ready it for the big top. A hotel in the small town of Nipton, California, on the northeast border of the Mojave Desert Preserve Acrobats perform at a Spiegelworld performance. The troupe recently bought a town which it hopes to outfit into a full circus Spiegelworld bills itself as a 'raunchy' show, and an 'immersive adult playground' Spiegelworld puts on a series of themed shows, including one billed as an 'immersive adult playground' that is 'unapologetically raunchy and undeniably hilarious' and 'holds a mirror to the yearnings and desires lurking deep within your soul.' The show hopes to take that experience - which consists of scantily clad men and women performing acrobatics, dancing, singing, and telling bawdy stories and jokes - and spread it across the entire town of Nipton. 'What if an audacious circus company purchased a small town in the middle of the Mojave Desert?' Spiegelworld's website reads. 'A living town where performers and artisans can retreat to dream and create? A place to tell stories around the campfire? A place to dine under the stars and wake up to a panoramic view of the mountains?' Mollison plans to fill the town with performance spaces, a large outdoor art park, lodging for visitors in an underground bunker, and a restaurant tucked away among the many Eucalyptus trees spread across the town's desert landscape. 'I don't want to build a resort. This is a very high-end circus. At the same time it's filled with character and personality.' Mollison told The Wall Street Journal. 'There could be an element of permanent Burning Man,' he added. The town already has a number of sculptures that were used in previous Burning Man festivals. The desert landscape surrounding the town of Nipton, California One of the few stores in the small desert town of Nipton, California Old cars painted up as sculptures in the desert town of Nipton, California The Spiegelworld team has set to work preparing the town for its eventual opening, and has hauled away at least 250 tons of refuse since the project began. The company has been forced to grapple with damaged infrastructure in the town, including haywire old electrical systems, clogged septic tanks, a barn stacked with decaying old mattresses, discarded appliances, and even half buried old tankard railroad car which needs removal. 'There were a lot of Band-Aids we had to really fix,' said Frank Stebel, who along with his partner Alex has already moved into Nipton to spearhead the revival project. 'It felt so quaint and community-oriented,' Alex said. 'We could definitely see it needed a lot of work.' A Spiegelworld acrobat performs atop a large sculpture previously used at a Burning Man festival A former Burning Man sculpture that found its way to Nipton, california Teepee frames stand in the desert outside of Nipton, California Nipton sits right on the northeast border of the brutally hot Mojave Desert Preserve, a location which once sat at the crossroads of two wagon trails. The town was founded in 1905, after first being settled as a simple mining camp by gold seekers passing through the region. Over the years a few stores and a small single-story hotel were erected, and little changed since then. The town was bought in 1980s Californian Jerry Freeman, who picked it up on a whim to surprise his wife Roxanne Lang. They owned the town together until Jerry died in 2016, and a year later Roxanne sold it to the cannabis company American Green Inc., which aimed to turn Nipton into an oasis for marijuana-smoking social media influencers. Spiegelworld performers walk into Nipton in a promotional video announcing the company's purchase of Nipton Three Spiegelworld performers made a human tower in a raunchy performance A roller skating performance at a Spiegelworld show An acrobat performs at a Las Vegas Spiegelworld show in 2020. The company intends to turn Nipton into a circus town But the company stopped paying Roxanne, and she foreclosed on them and reclaimed the town. It went back on the market in 2021, and she met with interested buyers from religious cults, tech investors, and 'some people from Brazil, one of whom was a dentist,' she told the Wall Street Journal. Spiegelworld's purchase of Nipton came with a few caveats, including the remaining of Jim Eslinger, who has lived in the town for 14 years and long served as its defacto mayor. 'I've met quite a few of the acrobats,' Eslinger said. 'They're awesome people and what I hear is they have some really good shows.' Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger smiled during a brief court appearance today, that came as police and prosecutors revealed their bombshell case against him, including how his DNA was found on a knife sheath at the scene. Kohberger, 28, was denied bail today during a brief court appearance in Moscow shortly after an affidavit detailing prosecutors' case against him was shared online. Kohberger spent most of the 10-minute hearing looking directly at Judge Megan Marshall as she read him his rights and the five counts and answered yes when asked if he understood each count. At one point, Kohberger was pictured smiling at his lawyer Anne Taylor. It is unclear what prompted the grin, which comes six days after he shot to notoriety as America's most infamous alleged mass-murderer. Kohberger remained impassive throughout but briefly began rocking back and forth as the judge told him he was facing the death penalty. He will return to court on January 12 for a status hearing. Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger smiles at his attorney in court today as he is denied bail. Kohberger will return to court on January 12 Kohberger is shown on in court on Thursday after being extradited to Idaho from Pennsylvania Friday's papers included details on how Kohberger's DNA was found on a knife sheath close to the bodies of Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. The documents also detailed how a surviving roommate, Dylan Mortensen, came face-to-face with a masked man believed to be Kohbegrer in the hallway of their shared home around the time of the killings, shortly after 4am on November 13. Mortensen heard what she believed to be her roommates cries, left her room and saw a man in a black mask with bushy eyebrows. She froze with fear, and watched as he walked past, then waited six hours before calling cops. Further details on Kohberger's alleged stalking of his victims was shared. His phone was found to have been in the vicinity of their Moscow home 12 times before the November murders, starting in mid-August. The family of Kaylee Goncalves were also in court, with her mother shaking her head and sobbing as the homicide charge related to her daughter was read out. The Goncalves family leaving court on Thursday following the hearing. They said it was an 'emotional moment' to come face to face with their daughter's alleged murderer for the first time After the hearing, their family attorney told reporters: 'It was an emotional moment for the family seeing the defendant for the first time and the family will be in this for the long haul.' Kohberger has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of burglary for the November 13 massacre. If convicted, he is facing the death penalty for the murders of Idaho students Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. The 19-page probable cause affidavit released today, reveals the following bombshells about the case; Surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen saw Kohberger in a black mask She had heard cries and victim Goncalves say 'there's someone here' Xana Kernodle ordered a DoorDash which arrived 20 minutes before the killing Kohberger visited the house at least 12 times before the murder He turned his phone off on the night of the killings to avoid detection Mortensen told police the killer had 'bushy eyebrows' - which they noticed in Kohberger once they'd identified him Below, DailyMail.com breaks down the key pieces of information from the court documents, and the questions that remain unanswered. KOHBERGER'S DNA FOUND ON KNIFE SHEATH THAT WAS A 99.9% MATCH TO TRASH AT HIS FAMILY HOUSE The most damning piece of evidence is the fact that a DNA sample taken from Kohberger's family's home in Pennsylvania matched DNA found on the snap button enclosure of a knife sheath found at the murder scene. The sheath is described as 'tan leather' with the USMC (United States Marines Corps) and 'KA-BAR' insignia stitched on its exterior. A similar sheath can be purchased online for less than $20. According to Moscow PD Officer Brett Payne - a rookie who joined the force in 2020 - the sheath was found on a single bed next to the stabbed corpses of Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. The documents describe a tan, leather knife sheath with a button snap and 'KA-BAR' and USMC' insignias being found at the scene. Above, a similar sheath that is available for purchase online on eBay The 19-page affidavit details how Kohberger's DNA was found on a knife sheath that was left at the crime scene. It was lying on the bed next to Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves 'I noticed what appeared to be a tan leather knife sheath laying on the bed next to Mogen's right side (when viewed from the door). 'The sheath was later processed and had "Ka-Bar" 'USMC" and the United States Marine Corps eagle globe and anchor insignia stamped on the outside of it. 'The Idaho state lab later located a single source of male DNA (suspect Profile) left on the button snap of the knife sheath,' Payne wrote. That DNA sample was sent for lab processing and then onto the FBI's genetic genealogy branch. Through extensive research of public DNA databases, a match led to Kohberger's home. Police had already zeroed in on Kohberger by linking his white Hyundai Elantra to the scene. On December 27, an undercover team of police seized trash from Kohberger's family home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. On December 27, an undercover team of police seized trash from Kohberger's family home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania A DNA sample from that trash returned a 99.98 percent match with the sample on the knife sheath. Cops obtained a sample of his DNA on December 27, when they stole trash from his family's house in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. That sample returned a 99.98 percent match with the sample found at the scene to Kohberger's father. SURVIVING ROOMMATE DYLAN MORTENSEN SAW MAN IN BLACK MASK IN THE HOUSE Dylan Mortensen was awake at the time of the killings - around 4.20am - and that she saw a man in a black mask in the house. She told police she'd been at home and awoke to the sound of Kaylee Goncalves playing with her dog upstairs, on the third floor of the house. She then heard 'cries' and what she thought was Goncalves saying: 'there's someone here.' Kohberger, 28, is accused of murdering Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin on November 13 in the quiet, college town of Moscow, Idaho Next, Mortensen said she heard a male voice saying 'It's OK. I'm going to help you.' She opened her bedroom door, then saw a man in a black ski mask that covered his nose and mouth, walking 'towards her'. Frozen, she told police she watched him leave through a sliding door, then she locked herself in her bedroom. It's unclear why she did not call cops immediately; police did not attend the scene until the following afternoon. SHOE PRINT FOUND IN THE MUD OUTSIDE SLIDING DOOR USED 'BY KOHBERGER' A shoe print was found in the mud outside the murders house, just outside the sliding door that Mortensen said was used by the killer to escape. Police studied that shoe print and found a 'diamond pattern' which is consistent with the sole of a Vans shoe Police studied that shoe print and found a 'diamond pattern' which is consistent with the sole of a Vans shoe. It's unclear if Kohberger owns Vans - the affidavit does not confirm the discovery of any shoe that has a sole print similar the one found at the scene. SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS FROM NEARBY HOUSES PICKED UP CRIES AND DOG BARKING At 4.17am, a surveillance camera from a nearby house heard picked up faint sounds of 'cries' and a dog barking. The dog is the animal Kaylee Goncalves' shared with her ex-boyfriend. The dog was found unharmed in an empty bedroom in the house when police arrived the next day. According to the affidavit: 'At approximately 4:17 am, a security camera located at 112 King Road, a residence immediately to the northwest of 1122 King Road, picked up distorted audio of what sounded like voices or a whimper followed by a loud thud. 'A dog can also be heard barking numerous times starting at 4:17 am. 'The security camera is less than fifty feet from the west wall of Kernodle's bedroom.' HOW WHITE HYUNDAI ELANTRA LED POLICE TO KOHBERGER FIRST A white Hyundai Elantra was observed on surveillance cameras in the vicinity of the crime, around the relevant time frame, but the absence of a front license plate made it harder for police to track down its owner. The clue came from a cop in the University of Washington's campus force. He had been on the lookout for any vehicles that matched the description given by Moscow cops, and honed in on Kohberger's vehicle. The white Hyundai Elantra that was seen in the area of the killings on the night in question. A University of Washington campus policeman was on the lookout for similar vehicles after the murders and noticed Kohberger's car in the parking lot of his campus apartment Kohberger is a PhD criminology student. On November 29, police obtained surveillance footage from the parking lot of Kohberger's apartment building, some 10 miles from the murder scene, in Pullman, Washington State. Moscow Police officers visited the parking lot to obtain a license plate for the vehicle. They ran a search, and found multiple incidents in which the car and its owner - Bryan Kohberger - had been pulled over multiple times in the past. With Kohberger's name, police honed in on him and reviewed historic surveillance camera footage, along with phone records, going back several months. KOHBERGER STALKED THE VICTIMS' HOUSE, VISTING 12 TIMES BEFORE THE MURDERS A study of Kohberger's phone records and surveillance camera footage from Pullman, WA - where he lived - and Moscow, ID - the murder scene - revealed that he visited the area 12 times at least before November 13, the night of the killings. Kohberger had to return to the state of Idaho to be formally charged and served with the search warrants that were used to secure his arrest. A police depiction of the route they believe Kohberger took on the night of the murders that was included in the case files Those documents are expected to be made public by the Idaho courts either during or after his appearance. Kohberger is a PhD student studying criminology. He lived eight miles from the murder scene in student housing on the University of Washington's Pullman campus. Through his public defenders, he has protested his innocence. His family, who hid their faces during a court appearance in Pennsylvania earlier this week, also believe he is innocent. Kohberger's attorney in Idaho previously revealed his eagerness to return to Idaho to learn more about the authorities' case against him. After the November 13 killings, Kohberger and his father, Michael, drove 2,500 miles in a white Hyundai Elantra from Idaho to Pennsylvania. WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG FOR ROOMMATE TO CALL POLICE? Dylan Mortensen, the surviving roommate, told police that she saw a masked man leave the house at approximately 4.20am. Dylan Mortensen, the surviving roommate, told police that she saw a masked man leave the house at approximately 4.20am. The first 911 call didn't come in until just before noon She had heard 'cries' coming from her roommates' rooms, heard Kaylee saying 'there's someone here', and had heard a man saying 'it's OK. I'm going to help you.' What remains unclear is why Mortensen waited until after 11am to call 911 and report what she'd seen. She has not made any public remark since the murders. WHAT WAS THE MOTIVE AND DID HE KNOW THE VICTIMS? The two resounding questions that are not answered by the probably cause affidavit are did Kohberger know any of the victims, and what was his alleged motive? It was previously revealed that there were 'connections' being found between the victims, namely Goncalves, and the suspect, but those connections have not yet been made public. The probable cause affidavit lays out the evidence that led police to make an arrest but does not put forth the entire case against Kohberger. That will emerge during trial - if the case gets to that stage. Veteran actor Na Moon-he / Courtesy of CJ ENM By Kwak Yeon-soo Na Moon-hee is a tireless actor who has worked steadily on the stage, in film and television for over six decades. At the age of 81, she is still eager to do something new. Last October, she debuted as a TikTok creator to reach younger audiences. "I post at least one video per week, and I'm having a lot of fun with TikTok because I get to interact with young people, who know me better for the 'Unstoppable High Kick.' As much as my fans love my character from the 2006 sitcom, I love it too," she said in an interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday. In 2022, she debuted as the television host of Channel S' "Real Granny" and challenged herself to sing a score from the musical film, "Hero." In the film, now playing in theaters, Na plays the role of Jo Maria, the mother of Korean independence movement activist Ahn Jung-geun. Ahn was executed in a Japanese prison in China in March 1910 after he assassinated Hirobumi Ito, Japan's prime minister and the first resident general of Korea, in October 1909, a year before Japan's 1910-45 colonial occupation of Korea started. "I have no idea why director Yoon Je-kyoon cast me, but I believe he offered me the role because he trusts me. We worked together on the 2010 film 'Harmony,' which he produced, and I have seen all his films including, 'Haeundae' and 'Ode to My Father,'" she said. Na recalled that portraying a real-life character was a daunting task. She did an in-depth study on Jo Maria, although she found it difficult to empathize with her. "I have tremendous respect for Jo Maria, who advised Ahn to die for the sake of Korea instead of begging for mercy. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn't be able to say so. To a mother, her child is always her baby," she said. Actors Na Moon-hee, right, and Jung Sung-hwa in a scene from the film, "Hero" / Courtesy of CJ ENM One of Andrew Tate's alleged sex trafficking victims was duped into becoming a webcam porn worker with a promise of marriage, Romanian authorities have claimed. The notorious misogynist, 36, was arrested last week along with his British brother Tristan, 34, at their luxury warehouse-style mansion just north of the capital Bucharest on charges of human trafficking and rape. Tate allegedly recruited scores of women and held them under house arrest 'like prisoners' while forcing them to create online pornographic content. Romanian prosecutors claim that Tate recruited the women on social media platforms and lured them to Bucharest by falsely professing his love and intention to marry them. Andrew Tate, 36, (centre) was arrested last week along with his British brother Tristan, 34, (back right) at their luxury warehouse-style mansion just north of the capital Bucharest on charges of human trafficking and rape Tate (pictured on a private jet) allegedly recruited scores of women and held them under house arrest 'like prisoners' while forcing them to create online pornographic content One of Tate's alleged victims said she was promised marriage to one of the brothers, according to court documents obtained by Romanian news outlet Gandul. She was lured to Romania by Tate and Tristan 'by misrepresenting the intention to establish a marriage or cohabitation relationship,' prosecutors claim. The woman was picked up at the airport by a 'female accomplice' after landing in Romania and she was initially promised that she would be living with her 'boyfriend'. But the woman was told 'she would live with some girls who work for' the brothers, prosecutors claim in the court documents. She was then allegedly forced to create pornographic content for the Tate brothers. Romanian prosecutors claim the brothers 'identified vulnerable people and exploited their needs for affection, trust, stability, creating the impression of a close relationship'. The tactics are known as the 'lover boy' method, which is used by criminals to recruit victims who are suffering from economic hardship by seducing them with gifts and promises of a better life abroad. The brothers had 'the role of recruiting people, who were transported and housed in houses in Romania... and the role of supervising and coordinating the entire exploitation activity', prosecutors claim. The prosecutors claimed allowing Tate and Tristan to not face imprisonment 'poses a danger to public order'. It comes after it emerged that a mystery 'madam' - identified only as Ana B in court documents - reportedly helped run the Tate and Tristan's alleged human trafficking operation in Romania, reports Gandul. Ana B would allegedly sign the contracts and pay the women working in Tate's reported webcam operation from a building in the Romanian town of Popesti-Leordeni. Tate allegedly recruited scores of women and held them under house arrest 'like prisoners' while forcing them to create online pornographic content The news site reported Ana's home was raided by police on April 11 last year as part of the human trafficking probe. The former casino worker was detained but later released. It came after it was revealed that Tate was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in 2015 while running a webcam business in Britain. Tate was accused of violently abusing two women who on Wednesday came forward with their claims. One of the women alleges he raped her, while the other claimed he repeatedly strangled both of them. Tate denied the allegations in a statement issued to Vice from his Romanian lawyer. The accusers also blamed the UK judicial system for 'mishandling' their case, which left Tate, who has gained hordes of fans after sharing misogynistic content online, free to gain global popularity. According to one woman, who was 20 at the time, Tate used 'emotional and physical' manipulation while running his Luton-based webcam business back in 2015. She told Vice World News how she was allegedly a regular victim of abuse during her 15-an-hour shifts for Tate's webcam business from a 'dingy flat in Luton' and was strangled 'at least five times'. She said: 'When I saw that he was arrested in Romania I was shocked and didn't know how to react. I cried. Everything I read is what I told the police [at the time of the complaint].' The second accuser, who was allegedly raped by Tate, added: 'I have been very frustrated by the British police and court system for a long time, they could have stopped him from doing the exact same abuse to these women in Romania. 'I hope and pray he's finally arrested for his disgusting abuse and crimes against young women, and I can finally exist without having to see and hear the person who degraded and raped me all over the Internet.' The accusations come after the social media influencer was arrested in Romania in December following allegations he forced women he kept in his house to create online pornographic videos for profit. Tate was arrested alongside his brother Tristain and Luana Radu and Georgiana Naghel, who are all accused of luring women to the compound and then 'coercing' and 'controlling' them to create social media pornography. Images from last week, taken by local news site Gandul, show Tate dressed in a black hoodie on one side of the van next to Naghel, his alleged girlfriend of one year, who in turn was sat next to Radu, a former policewoman. Tate, his brother Tristan, and the other suspects are all set to be held for 30 days while Romanian police continue their probe. Andrew Tate is pictured caged in the back of a police van alongside his 'angels' after their arrest as part of a probe into alleged sex crimes. (Centre: Georgiana Naghel, Tate's alleged girlfriend and right: Luana Radu, a former cop who left the force to work in webcams) Georgiana Naghel (left), 28, is described as a businesswoman and influencer who is believed to have been dating Tate for almost a year before her arrest. Luana Radu (right), 32, was previously based at a police station in central Bucharest but quit the force eight years ago to pursue a career working in video chat rooms Meanwhile, in 2015, Tate was released under investigation in the UK after two women claimed he has sexually assaulted them. He later appeared as a contestant in the Big brother house in 2016. At the time of the alleged incidents, Tate was released under investigation and appeared as a contestant in the Big Brother house in 2016. Tate was eventually booted off the Channel 5 reality show, with reports linking his ousting with a video shared online appearing to show the influencer slapping an ex-girlfriend and hitting her with a belt. However, it has since been claimed that the real reason behind Tate's ejection was the fact the police's sexual abuse investigation came to light. Producers were aware of the police investigation at the time of Tate entering as a contestant, telling Vice he was 'closely monitored at all times' before being ejected five days later on June 13, 2016. But it was reported last night that there were delays made by Hertfordshire Police in handing the case over to the Crown Prosecution Service. The accusers also claim Herts Police 'mishandled' their case. In a statement, a Hertfordshire Police spokesperson told Vice: 'We acknowledge that there were some delays to the investigation. This was addressed at the time and apologies were made. 'The case was only closed in late 2019 after a case file had been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service and they took the decision not to prosecute. 'All those involved in the investigation were further updated at that time.' Chicago-born Tate, whose full name is Emory Andrew Tate III, has been branded 'the king of toxic masculinity' for his online diatribes against women - which have gained him notoriety and millions of followers. Tate, a former pro kickboxer, first came to prominence when he appeared on the reality show Big Brother in 2016, but was ejected from the show after a video surfaced online which appeared to show him striking a woman with a belt a clip he claimed had been edited. Tate's home in the Eastern European nation was also raided on April 11 this year as part of a human trafficking investigation. Following the April raid, which was reportedly prompted by a complaint from a US citizen to the American Embassy in Bucharest, the Tate brothers were detained for several hours for questioning but ultimately released as the investigation continued. Andrew Tate has previously boasted to his followers that '40 percent' of the reason he moved to Romania was because the police were less likely to pursue any sexual assault allegations against him. Together with his brother Tristan, he allegedly set up a webcam business in Romania in which young models told sob stories to unsuspecting male viewers. Despite previously saying that the site was 'a total scam', Tate claims to have made millions from it. A Mormon family including five children were found shot dead inside of their rural Utah home by the family patriarch on Tuesday. The children's father then turned the gun on himself. The bodies of Michael, 42, and Tausha Haight, 40, their five children and Tausha's mother, Gail, 78, were found on Wednesday in the town of Enoch with gunshot wounds. The children were only identified as three daughters, aged 17, 12, and 7, and two sons, aged 7 and 4 years old. Police had been called to their home to perform a welfare check by other family members. It was later revealed that massacre occurred shortly after Tausha filed for divorce from her husband, reports KSL. Until last week, Michael had been working as an insurance agent for Allstate. A statement from Enoch City Manager Rob Dotson identified Michael Haight as the only suspect in the crime. Dotson said: 'While this intense investigation is ongoing, investigators currently believe there are no suspects outstanding. Evidence suggests that the suspect took his own life after killing seven others in the home. The suspect is 42-year-old Michael Haight.' The Haight family pictured together in June 2022 at the Kolob Canyons in Zion National Park in Utah Tausha Haight's mother, Gail Earl, 78, was also killed in the massacre, her husband, Boyd, died in 2020 Online records show that Michael Haight worked as an insurance agent for Allstate and the he ran a financial services business out of the family's home along North Albert Drive in Enoch. Fox Salt Lake City reports that Michael had recently left his job at the insurance giant. The station also noted that Tausha filed for divorce on December 21. James Park, who represented Tausha Haight in the divorce case, said she had not expressed any fear that her husband would physically hurt her but he declined to elaborate, citing the investigation into the killings. Park said he only met with her twice, mostly recently on Tuesday, and said she 'was an incredibly nice lady.' In a press conference, Dotson said that authorities entered the home around 4:00pm on January 4th. The alarm was first raised when Tausha did not show up to an appointment, Dotson said. At the same press conference, the town's mayor Geoffrey Chestnut said through tears that he was a neighbor of the Haight family and that their children played in his yard. Officials said that the family was known to law enforcement and that they had been to the home previously for unspecified reasons. None of those visits occurred recently. Neighbors of the family told KSL that they were active in the town's Mormon community and described them as 'very welcoming.' It has been revealed that Tausha, right, had filed for divorce from her husband, Michael, on December 21 Welfare checks usually take place when neighbors raise concerns or when individuals have not been seen for an extended period of time Tausha's Facebook page is littered with images of her family, the most recent shows her with her husband in June 2022. Her mother, Gail, lived with the family. Her husband, Boyd Jay Earl, died in 2020 at the age 77. He was a veteran of Desert Storm and was a Green Beret, according to his obituary. A neighbor, Tina Brown, told Fox Salt Lake City: 'Tausha was the most kind and generous person and she never ever said anything ill about anyone. She would give the shirt off of her back for anyone and she served people tirelessly.' While another neighbor, Tom Deville, told the station: 'I just feel terrible, they were just really nice people and I mean, it's going be one of those things that who knows.' Tausha's Facebook page is littered with images showing how her family grew in recent years Neighbors of the family told KSL that they were active in the town's Mormon community and described them as 'very welcoming' Archives from the local newspaper show that Haight's first birthday was commemorated with an announcement in the local newspaper in 1981 alongside a baby picture of him laughing. He was in Boy Scouts as a young boy and earned the 'Faith in God' award as a fourth grader. Two years later in 1992, another newspaper article showed that he had won a 'Gospel in Action' award from his church. His picture appeared again in the newspaper in 1998 when he was finalist for an academic award in high school for business and marketing. After high school, he served a church mission in Brazil and then married Tuasha at a church temple in St. George, in 2003. She was from Overton, Nevada, located just two hours south of Cedar City, where he grew up. A neighbor, Tina Brown, told Fox Salt Lake City: 'Tausha was the most kind and generous person and she never ever said anything ill about anyone. She would give the shirt off of her back for anyone and she served people tirelessly' Dotson earlier said that the community was sent reeling by news of the eight bodies and that the deceased - all members of one family - were well known in the southern Utah town. 'Many of us have served with them in church, in the community and gone to school with these individuals,' Dotson said in a video statement Wednesday night. 'This community at this time is hurting. They're feeling loss, they're feeling pain and they have a lot of questions,' Dotson added, noting that officials planned on releasing more information as it becomes available and the police investigation progresses. 'We won't know the mindsets, the thoughts of the individuals who experienced this tragedy, but we all can pray that their families and the neighbors and all will come to an understanding of what happened in this place, probably in a day or two, or maybe longer,' said Dotson, choking up at one point. The bodies of three adults and five minors were found on Wednesday in the town of Enoch with gunshot wounds Law enforcement officials stand near the home. Police said they did not detect any threat to the public Police tape surrounds the crime scene in Enoch, Utah, where eight members of a family were found from gunshot wounds Enoch is a small town of about 8,000 people located 245 miles (394 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City Welfare checks usually take place when neighbors raise concerns or when individuals have not been seen for an extended period of time. The five children attended schools in the Iron County School District in Cedar City, officials said in a letter sent to parents. The letter posted on the school's website said: 'It is with deep regret that we inform you about a tragic loss to our school community. 'This afternoon on Jan 4, eight members of a family residing in Enoch with five students in our schools tragically passing away. 'This loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school district, especially our students.' It added that a Crisis Intervention Team would help students, parents and staff during the difficult time. Iron County School District has eight secondary schools, nine elementary schools and two preschools. The total enrolment is approximately 8,900 students. Enoch is a small town of about 8,000 people located 245 miles (394 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City, The town, off Interstate 15 in rural Utah, just north of the city of Cedar City and about 80 miles west of Bryce Canyon National Park, had major flooding in 2021 that caused damage at hundreds of homes. Utah Governor Spencer Cox offered condolences in a tweet on Wednesday night. Cox tweeted: 'Our hearts go out to all those affected by this senseless violence. Please keep the community of Enoch in your prayers.' Enoch Police said in a press release: 'At this time, we do not believe there is a threat to the public or that there are any suspects at large.' They added that an investigation is ongoing and more information will be released at a later time. A serving Metropolitan Police officer has admitted tying up a young woman with duct tape and falsely imprisoning her. PC Sam Grigg, 36, pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Natasha Rabinowitz, 20, in a house in Twickenham, south-west London, on December 2 last year. It is said Grigg and Ms Rabinowitz were known to each other. Grigg, who was attached to the South West Basic Command Unit, was suspended from duty after being charged. Video-link at Kingston Crown Court (pictured), PC Sam Grigg, 36, he pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault occasioning actual bodily harm Appearing via video-link at Kingston Crown Court from HMP Wandsworth, and wearing a grey sweatshirt, he pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. John Howey, defending, said: 'Mr Grigg accepts that he tied up the complainant. He takes no issue with anything she says.' The Met said Ms Rabinowitz, aged in her 20s, suffered minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment. Grigg, of Hazel Close, Twickenham, south-west London, was off duty at the time of the offence. Judge Georgina Kent ordered a pre-sentence report and adjourned the sentencing hearing to February 10 at the same court. She said: 'This is a serious offence. 'The ordering of the report is not an indication of the outcome.' The incident was reported on December 6 last year and Grigg was charged two days later, appearing in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court on December 8. Commander Jon Savell, who is in charge of the Met's professional standards team, previously said: 'I recognise this news will cause concern and I would like to reassure the public that we took immediate steps as soon as the report was received by police.' PC Grigg appeared in court via video-link at from HMP Wandsworth (pictured) According to an earlier statement from the force, the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards was informed and a referral would be made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. In a statement published today, commander Savell said: 'PC Grigg's behaviour was totally unacceptable and I know it will cause concern among members of the public. He's let down the Met and his colleagues who are committed to keeping the people of London safe. 'We took immediate action to suspend PC Grigg from duty when his offending came to light and we will now look to commence misconduct proceedings at the earliest opportunity. 'We are determined to have a Met that the public can trust, with officers that people feel comfortable to approach. When someone fails to meet these standards, we will take action to remove them from our organisation.' The animal, nicknamed Ken, is up for adoption Police are now seeking the pup's owner, who has since disappeared The man can be seen hurling the dog before abandoning him Animal service officials in Southern California are looking for a man who recently threw a dog over a razor-wire fence and abandoned the animal. The horrifying incident which was caught on camera shows the moments a man picks up the dog and hurls him over a gate at a cellphone tower in Riverside County. The dog's owner, 30-year-old Robert Ruiz Jr., has since disappeared without a trace as officials search for answers. A representative with the local animal shelter said they are now searching for a new home for the 'very sweet' traumatized animal. The 'very sweet' pup was mostly unhurt in the incident, according to local officials The video, taken from a security camera on the cellphone tower, was shared by the Riverside County Department of Animal Services Wednesday. Local officials are hoping the video may prompt someone to come forward with information on the man whose actions could have resulted in the death of an innocent dog. The incident occurred in Winchester, a census-designated place southwest of Los Angeles and northeast of Temecula. In the 45-second video shared by the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, the animal can be seen standing next to the man for several seconds before he picks the dog up over his head and throws him through the air. The eight-year-old pit-bull mix is thrown backward, even getting caught on the razor-wire in the midst of the air. The snag causes the dog, who was originally named KO, to flip before luckily landing on his paws. The incident occurred in Winchester, a census-designated place southwest of Los Angeles and northeast of Temecula This is where the dog was thrown over a razor wire fence in California The man in the video immediately walks away after tossing the pup, taking off quickly from the site. KO, renamed Ken by animal center officials, then goes to the corner of the gated area and looks out longingly at the man walking away. Ken then is heard quietly whimpering until the video cuts out. DailyMail.com spoke with John Welsh from the Southern California animal center who said the 'sweet' animal is still in their custody. 'It's heartbreaking to see an animal treated this way,' Welsh said. In the 45 second video shared by the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, the animal can be seen standing next to the man for several seconds before he picks the dog up over his head The man, believed to be Robert Ruiz Jr., 30, then throws him through the air over the fence While Welsh said he is not an animal behavior specialist, he said the dog's response may 'That dog clearly was looking like "hey, where are you going, why are you leaving me?"' the Riverside County animal services worker said. Maintenance workers eventually found the dog and reached out to the animal services department and caring for Ken at the scene. Employees told the animal services worker the dog was very thirsty and that they gave him three bottles of water. Ken is microchipped which is how officials were able to identify his owner as Ruiz Jr. Several attempts have been made to reach Ruiz Jr. at his Temecula address but the man no longer lives there and the number attached to the chip is not allowing calls, according to officials. 'We're now moving forward with seeking the arrest warrant because this person needs to be held accountable for such a horrible act of willful abandonment,' Animal Services Commander Josh Sisler said in a new release. Sisler also said he is confident the man in the video is Ruiz Jr. The eight-year-old pit-bull mix is thrown backwards, even getting caught on the razor-wire in the midst of the air. The snag causes the dog, who was originally named KO, to flip before luckily landing on his paws Welsh told DailyMail.com the declaration to arrest has not been filed as of January 5. 'It is just shocking to see this act. It's a small miracle the dog did not suffer serious injuries from the razor wire or from such a high drop,' Sisler said. Ken was examined by veterinarians for injuries and is being cared for at a shelter in Jurupa Valley, Welsh said. The pup was also treated his eyes for mucus discharge. Ken is now up for adoption or transfer to one of the county's partner rescue organizations. Welsh said the center is accepting tips and applications 'We're getting a lot of interest from the public,' said Welsh. Anyone who may know the whereabouts of Ruiz Jr. or is interested in adopting Ken can reach out to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services at shelterinfo@rivco.org. KO, renamed Ken by animal center officials, then goes to the corner of the gated area and looks out longingly at the man walking away The video of the incident sparked backlash from animal lovers on social media who were shocked by the horrendous actions of the man. 'Perhaps tossing the "owner" over a tall fence with razor wire into an enclosure with no food, no water or shelter would be appropriate in addition to a fine,' suggested one person. 'Hoping for a speedy arrest and quick placement in an amazing home for Ken,' said one Facebook user. 'This is why I dont trust very many people because to many are flat out evil. Thank goodness the dog is in good hands now,' said another. 'That precious dog goes to the fence watching that jerk walk away wagging his tail .. please find that guy .. the dog will be shown love from now on,' wrote one person. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed banning non-compete clauses in labor contracts - a rule that would block companies from limiting employees' ability to work for a rival or start their own business. The federal watchdog, led by Chairwoman Lina Khan, announced the lofty proposal Thursday as part of an effort to raise wages and increase competition across various sectors. The proposed rule would ban provisions known as noncompete agreements, which prevent workers from seeking employment with competitors after their respective contracts are terminated. The provisions further bar staffers from starting a competing business after their employment. In both cases, the restrictions can last months - or even years. The FTC - the body tasked with protecting the interests of the American consumer - argues that the practice is exploitative. The federal watchdog, led by Chairwoman Lina Khan, announced the lofty proposal Thursday as part of an effort to raise wages and increase competition among various sectors. Since assuming her seat in 2021, the progressive has FTC Chair Lina Khan, the most progressive of the agency's Democrats, reiterated this stance while announcing the prospective guidance - which she said could open up jobs for tens of millions of Americans while raising wages hundreds of billions each year. 'Non-competes block workers from freely switching jobs, depriving them of higher wages and better working conditions, and depriving businesses of a talent pool that they need to build and expand,' Khan said. 'By ending this practice, the FTC's proposed rule would promote greater dynamism, innovation and healthy competition.' Khan, who began her tenure as head of the federal agency in 2021 and has since taken steps to curb companies' power across various sectors, said that the rule, if approved, would create more than 30million citizens. The federal official further asserted that the guidance would likely see workers' wages raised by $300billion for every year it remains in place. Khan's words came after her commission voted 3-1 in favor of pushing through the proposal, with the public now having 60 days to weigh in on the plan. It covers not just employees but independent contractors, and even interns and volunteers. Following Thursday's meeting, Khan, 33, charged that there's 'a whole raft of economic evidence that now documents the ways in which these noncompete clauses undermine competition and competitive conditions.' Several studies show that non-competes, which account for roughly 20 percent to 45 percent of all non-federal US workers, limit wages due to them deterring job-hopping, one of the more proven ways of securing a raise in salary or hourly wage. The FTC - the body tasked with protecting the interests of the American consumer - argues that the practice is exploitative. The agency's headquarters in Washington, DC, is pictured Economists and financiers well-versed in such manners say their rise to prominence in recent decades can account for the current dormancy in income for middle-class workers. Others argue that non-competes - largely designed to stop high-level employees from jumping ship to other companies, bringing with them sensitive information and knowledge - help protect the interests of giant, multibillion-dollar companies from competition for aspiring start-ups, creating more monopolies across industries. The arrangements, some say, make it unnecessarily difficult for companies to bring on new workers experienced in their respective fields. Initially designed for more highly paid and more educated workers, companies have since expanded the perfectly legal, limiting practices - on low-wage, hourly workers and even interns. The proposal is the latest in a series of aggressive maneuvers to rein in the power of large companies under the agencys new chair, who is one of the country's most prominent antitrust thinkers. Last year, in one of Khan's first moves as head of the FTC, she attempted to block Metas acquisition of virtual reality developer Reality Labs, with Khan moving to block the merger despite protests that the guidance was over-reaching. Just last month, the agency sued to block Microsoft's takeover of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard - a deal valued at roughly $69billion - amid claims the merger would squash prospective competition to the Xbox console. The watchdog is also currently investigating Amazon and its founder Jeff Bezos, over allegations the ecommerce giant scammed customers into signing up for its Prime service, and then made it unnecessarily difficult to cancel their memberships. Khan's series of maneuvers have been labeled by detractors as the 'hipster antitrust' movement - with the Columbia professor being criticized for seemingly taking steps to cull free-reign capitalism. Many from that school of thought have defended non-competes, arguing that employees are free to turn them down when accepting a job. Others maintain that there existence alone allows prospective employees to negotiate for higher pay when being hired, in return for accepting the restriction. It is also said by some that non-competes - a practice that has been around since the Middle Ages, first surfacing in 15th century England when an apprentice promised to not exercise his trade in the same town as his former master for six months - make employers more likely to invest in training and share sensitive information with staffers they otherwise might not be privy to. At least one study has found that the enforcement of non-competes can lead to an increase in jobs offered by start-ups, though most studies suggest the practice does more harm than good. For the next two months, the public will be allowed to submit comments on the proposal, to potentially sway the agency before the proposal comes into law. The FTC has said the rule will then take another 180 days - or six months - to go into effect, before being finalized. The prospective law could still face legal challenges. An inmate inside a Pennsylvania jail threatened to kill suspected murderer Bryan Kohberger before he was moved to a higher security prison. The 28-year-old denied killing the four University of Idaho students to other prisoners after being asked why he did it. Kohberger was kept in Monroe County Correctional Facility for five days before being extradited to Idaho. Sources told NewsNation he was asked why he was eight miles away from his apartment he said: 'The shopping is better in Idaho'. Kohberger appeared in court on Tuesday and waived extradition during a brief court hearing On Friday, the criminal justice graduate student was arrested in connection with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20 Another inmate reportedly threated his life, after becoming aware that he had been arrested in connection with the high-profile case. The unnamed inmate allegedly swore at Kohberger and said: 'F***you, I'm going to kill you', with sources saying Kohberger was creepy and got to shower every day. However he was forced to wear a suicide smock in his cell, and house with a cell in a glass door so officers could keep an eye on him at all times. He was also fitted with a protective helmet moment after touching down in Idaho before he was taken to Latah County Jail. The mass killer was walked to a vehicle by sheriffs' deputies before having a camo-colored helmet strapped to his head by authorities last night. It is unclear why law enforcement fitted him with the safety gear, but it could be to stop him from harming himself or stop any potential threats to his life. Idaho permits the open carrying of guns. Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger has arrived back in Moscow in handcuffs to be charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students Law enforcement fitted the suspected killer with a protective helmet after he stepped off the plane in Idaho Police were on the hunt for Kohberger's white Hyundai Elantra, which officials began tracking in November after identifying that it was in the area of the killings He was previously fitted with a 'turtle suit' a suicide prevention vest when he was first arrested in Pennsylvania on suspicion of the quadruple slaying. It came after an entire Illinois airport was evacuated so the suspect could relieve himself and the plane be refueled. Kohberger was seen entering the Flightstar in Champaign around 11am, bound in shackles and accompanied by three armed officers. The criminal justice graduate student was wearing his red prison jumpsuit, with the lockdown for his arrival lasting until he re-boarded the plane, which is owned by the state. Kohberger, 28, arrived in Idaho late last night and was transferred to Latah County Jail, alongside 22 other inmates. On the night of the murders, Kohberger's phone pinged a cell tower close to his apartment in Pullman, Washington Bryan Kohberger arrives at Pullman-Moscow airport after being flown from Pennsylvania following his court appearance He was eventually arrested on December 30 at his parents' house in Pennsylvania over the massacre of four University of Idaho students on November 13. Kohberger left the Monroe County Correctional Facility at 6am yesterday after waiving his right to extradition in a hearing on Tuesday. The killer was arrested Friday in connection with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20. Michael Mancuso, Monroe County 1st Assistant District Attorney, yesterday confirmed that they believed Kohberger is so desperate to return to Idaho to find out the contents of the affidavit. A judge in Idaho has issued a gagging order on Moscow Police and legal teams in relation to the case, barring anyone linked to the case from talking about it. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said: 'Once he gets here, he'll have an initial appearance with our magistrate. 'They'll deal with issues such as making sure competent counsel is representing him, and the case will be scheduled for hearings.' A mother-of-two who was 'looking forward to being a grandma' died after she was run over in a hospital car park while on her way to visit her granddaughter for the first time. Mary Owen-Jones, 52, of Rhos on Sea, North Wales, died from her injuries two days after the accident, which happened the same day her grandchild was born. Her heartbroken family said the hairdresser had a 'passion for life and her family' - and was looking forward to 2023 with her new granddaughter April Rose, who was born on New Year's Day. Ms Owen-Jones was walking between two car parks near the main entrance at the Glan Clwyd hospital in Bodelwyddan on Sunday at around 8.40pm, when the tragic collision happened. Mary Owen-Jones, 52, of Rhos on Sea, North Wales, died in a hospital car park while on the way to visit her baby granddaughter for the first time She was walking between two car parks near the main entrance at the Glan Clwyd hospital (pictured) in Bodelwyddan on Sunday at around 8.40pm, when the collision happened She died on Tuesday following her injuries after the collision. In a moving tribute, her devastated family said: 'Mary is survived by her son and daughter, Andrew and Jasmine, her granddaughter, April Rose and her husband, Arwel. 'She had a passion for life and her family and was particularly looking forward to being a grandma to her newly born granddaughter, April Rose. 'She will be deeply missed by all who knew her. We are absolutely heartbroken and would ask to be given the appropriate privacy to allow us time to grieve.' Her family said the hairdresser was 'particularly looking forward to being a grandma' Daughter Jasmine had posted on social media how the family were looking forward to welcoming baby April Rose and uploaded pictures of her scans. Ms Owen-Jones's family are being supported by specialist police officers. She was a well-known mobile hairdresser in the seaside town and also worked as a teaching assistant. The family thanked people have 'reached out to them during their difficult time.' North Wales Police have now launched an urgent appeal for witnesses. Sergeant Liam Morris of the Roads Policing Unit said: 'I offer my profound condolences to the woman's family at this very difficult time. 'An investigation has commenced, and I am appealing to anybody who may have witnessed or inadvertently captured the incident on their dash-cam whilst parked outside the hospital to contact us as a matter of urgency. 'Anybody with information that could assist with our investigation should contact us via the live web chat, or on 101, quoting reference number 23000006433. 'The incident involved a car and a pedestrian happened at around 8.40pm on the hospital grounds between two car parks, near to the main entrance of the hospital.' A conspiracy theorist who wrote 'Jews and gays are grey aliens' on a bus stop during a graffiti campaign has been cleared of stirring up racial hatred. Nicholas Lalchan, 48, used a black marker pen to vandalise 17 bus stops across northwest London, causing 100 worth of damage each time. Lalchan earlier admitted having an article with intent to cause criminal damage. Meanwhile, he denied but was convicted of the charge of stirring up racial hatred following his first trial in 2021. Nicholas Lalchan, 48, who wrote 'Jews and gays are grey aliens' on a bus stop during a graffiti campaign has been cleared of stirring up racial hatred However, the conviction was later quashed for legal reasons at the Court of Appeal and Lalchan was finally cleared of the offence by a jury, following a retrial at Aldersgate House crown court in central London. The jury failed to reach a verdict against him on a charge of racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage and the count was dropped by the prosecution. Canadian Lalchan scrawled the words 'Jews and gays are grey aliens' on a bus stop in 2019. Speaking to jurors, he said: 'I'm a Christian, I'm not happy with gay, LGBT agenda, especially what they're trying to do in schools. 'In Scotland children as young as four can determine what gender they want to be. I don't agree with this stuff. I'm a Christian and it goes against my religion.' Prosecutor David Patience told the latest trial: 'It is not in dispute that Mr Lalchan wrote the graffiti on the bus stops. He admitted that in the witness box. 'That written material was clearly threatening, abusive or insulting. 'The most obvious example I suggest is the phrase ''Jews and gays are grey aliens''. Lalchan used a black marker pen to vandalise 17 bus stops across northwest London, causing 100 worth of damage each time. [File image] 'What he is trying to do is to convert people to his way of thinking - to stir up new attitudes, new feelings in those who read his graffiti. 'You can safely reject the assertion that he was subject to mind control when daubing the graffiti. Such assertions are the stuff of science fiction, with no basis in reality.' Mr Patience added: 'Hatred of Jews is part and parcel of his belief system in relation to the new world order.' The prosecutor informed the court that antisemitic cartoons had been found downloaded onto his computer. 'He is not on trial for those images. There is no suggestion that he ever distributed them', said Kerry Moore, defending. 'There is no threat of violence to any community in those writings, no encouragement to attack anyone, nothing of that nature. 'He puts Jews and gays together. That is not an ethnic group. Gays are not an ethnic group.' The graffiti started appearing on various bus stops in northwest London in March 2019. Jurors were shown photographs of the graffiti written over the plastic coverings of bus timetables and maps. 'The graffiti differed slightly from bus stop,' said Mr Patience. 'It referred, the prosecution say, to bizarre conspiracy theories.' Much of the graffiti refers to conspiracy theories and 'encouraged people to search on YouTube and Google to find out about them', said Mr Patience. These include 'the Rothchild Trillions', 'Talmud quotes about the Goyim', 'child rape assembly line', and 'Rabbi Nuchem Rosenberg interview'. Other messages said: 'Arrest warrant for the Queen and the Pope' and 'beware malevolent aliens e.g. Jews and gays'. Mr Patience commented: 'This graffiti was daubed on bus stops in areas of northwest London, which the prosecution suggest have large Jewish communities, such as Edgware, Hendon, Finchley. 'It was seen by Jewish people, and others, who were distressed by what they saw and reported it to the police.' Police obtained CCTV footage of a man vandalising a bus stop at 3:30am and the images were circulated. A police community support officer recognised Lalchan. He was caught as he was leaving his house carrying black marker pen and leaflets with similar messages to the bus stop graffiti. Meanwhile, when police searched his address they found more leaflets, marker pens, maps of bus routes and a USB stick containing pictures which made references to Jewish people and conspiracy theories. Lalchan was interviewed under caution and charged at the police station. He responded: 'New world order, the fourth Reich, you'll see.' He told the court it was too late to stop the New World Order, and all there was left to do was turn to Jesus Christ. 'We're in the trap and they're closing the lid. They're in control of the finances, in control of Facebook, the media,' he said. 'As a Christian, Jesus Christ is my messiah so I'm trying to get people who don't believe in God. 'We cannot stop them, it's unstoppable, the only thing you can do is accept it's here already. Your only hope is to turn to God through Jesus Christ.' He added that the New World Order is 'a socialist, communist kind of thing' which is 'in control of the world's economy, control the money, and control the people'. 'I think it is a satanic entity, it's an antichrist movement. I'm a Christian. It's verging on evil to tell you the truth.' Lalchan made more claims including one that Pope Francis is leading a 'Satanic cult' which involves paedophilia and ritual killings. Mr Moore, defending, said Lalchan genuinely holds beliefs and that his issue was with religion rather than race. 'If it was truly his motivation to combat and deal with a new world order to convert people to Christianity then his intention was not to stir up racial hatred,' he said. 'His obsession is religious not racial.' Lalchan, of Woodlands Road, Edmonton, admitted having an article with intent to cause criminal damage. Lalchan denied and was cleared by the jury of stirring up racial hatred earlier today. The jury failed to reach a verdict against him on a charge of racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage and that count was dropped by the prosecution. Lalchan was bailed ahead of sentence on March 13. A former Louisiana sheriff's deputy and SWAT commander will spend the rest of his life in prison as he was sentenced to 100 years after pleading guilty to slew of sex crimes Tuesday. One of the 150 horrific crimes saw former Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office Deputy Dennis Perkins, 46, ejaculate sperm into a cake that his teacher wife had made for her students at Westside Junior High School. His wife, Cynthia, 37, was sentenced to 41 years in prison in February for pleading guilty her role in her husband's crimes, which also included producing child pornography. As part of her sentencing, Cynthia agreed to testify against her husband. Perkins, who was first arrested in 2019, told reporters as he left court in Livingston Parish, 'I just want to make this statement. Jesus Christ has forgiven me. And I'm grateful for that. And, I hope and pray that anybody that this affected will also find forgiveness and healing through Jesus Christ.' At Tuesday's hearing, Perkins cried more than once, reports WAFB. Dennis and Cynthia Perkins were first arrested in October 2019 when authorities found a photo of the pair naked with a minor after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Dennis Perkins, 46, and Cynthia Perkins, 36, were accused of putting semen in a cake and serving it to children at the school were Cynthia taught While also at the hearing, one of his victims gave a statement saying, 'You're absolutely not worth my time. Instead of protecting, you chose abuse. Have a nice life in prison.' The victim also stated her hope that the former deputy spends the rest of his days living in fear. Perkins entered the plea to one count of second-degree rape, two counts of sexual battery of a child, one count of video voyeurism, two counts of production of child porn involving children under age 13 and one count of mingling of harmful substances. The plea agreement was forged so young victims in the case would not have to testify. Prosecutors said they met with each victim to get approval to go forward with the plea deal. In October 2019, the former SWAT commander and his wife were arrested when authorities found a photo of the pair naked with a minor after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Perkins was fired from his job after the arrest while Cynthia resigned from her teaching role. She had taught English language arts at Westside Junior High School since 2016. Prior to that, she worked at North Live Oak Elementary and Live Oak Middle School for four years. At his sentencing hearing, one of his victims gave a statement saying, 'You're absolutely not worth my time. Instead of protecting, you chose abuse. Have a nice life in prison' Cynthia filed for divorce shortly after her arrest, alleging that Dennis had manipulated her into committing the crimes Cynthia filed for divorce shortly after her arrest, alleging that Dennis had manipulated her into committing the crimes. Following the baking incident, it was alleged that the father of a student who ate the contaminated cupcakes has fallen into a debilitating depression over the incident and has not been able to find gainful employment. Another lawsuit claimed that a student and a parent have been afflicted by mental health and behavioral problems, and have not been able to sleep since the cupcakes incident. In a suit filed last May, a student's parents alleged that Cynthia showed the girl inappropriate images, and that she also photographed and videotaped the minor. All four lawsuits, which were filed separately, also accused the Livingston Parish School Board of negligence. Cynthia resigned from her teaching job the day she was arrested. She had taught English language arts at Westside Junior High School (pictured) since 2016. Prior to that, she worked at North Live Oak Elementary and Live Oak Middle School for four years The couple were charged with producing child porn, rape, attempted rape, sexual battery, obscenity and video voyeurism In 2014, Perkins was investigated when rape allegations were made against him by a Baton Rouge police officer. Those allegations did not result in charges. At the time of Cynthia's sentencing, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said, 'Today, Cynthia Perkins admitted to her crimes and pled guilty in court. he not only waived any right to appeal, and attempt to avoid conviction, but she also spared the victims from reliving her horrific crimes during this particular trial.' Per the plea deal, Cynthia had to agree to certain facts in the case such as assisting her husband in the sexual assault of a juvenile, helping him film a juvenile while bathing, and lacing desserts with his semen before giving them to school-aged children. Cynthia voiced a lengthy apology to the victims, her friends and family before the sentencing. 'I would also like to apologize to my three children. I haven't spoken to them in three years. I love them and I miss them, and I'm sorry,' Perkins said. But one of her children, born during her first marriage, described her in a letter to the court as a 'horrible' and 'manipulative' mother. 'My life is so much better without you,' the letter read. In May, another woman who had been implicated in the case, Melanie Curtin, was sentenced to life in prison after it emerged that Dennis and Cynthia Perkins were in possession of a video showing Curtin raping a minor in their home. During Curtin's trial, the victim said: 'When I saw parts of the video, I wanted to literally die.' The victim told the court that she had been drinking alcohol with Perkins and Curtin when the attack took place. Curtin and Perkins had previously been in a relationship together. Prince Harry has claimed he 'didn't know P*** was an insult' when he notoriously used the racial slur to describe a fellow soldier from Pakistan. In an extract from his upcoming autobiography Spare, the Duke of Sussex said he 'heard many people use the word' as a child and 'had not seen anyone wince or get upset' and that he had not considered them to be racist. He added: 'And I didn't know anything about unconscious biases either. I was twenty-one years old, I had grown isolated from the real world and wrapped in privilege, and I believed that word was the same as 'Yankee.' Harmless.' In 2009, Harry apologised after footage emerged of him using the slur to describe his Sandhurst colleague Ahmed Raza Khan. Harry said he had used the term without malice after the recording, taken in 2006, was released. Prince Harry and Ahmed Raza Khan during The Sovereign's Parade at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, April 2006. Prince Harry has claimed he 'didn't know P*** was an insult' when he notoriously used the racial slur to describe his fellow soldier from Pakistan Harry writes in his book: 'I was twenty-one years old, I had grown isolated from the real world and wrapped in privilege, and I believed that word was the same as 'Yankee.' Harmless.' (Pictured: Harry at Eton wearing his traditional school dress) Recalling the video in his book, Harry said he had filmed it while killing time before boarding a plane to Cyprus with his fellow cadets. He said that he was filming each serviceperson and making comments about them. He recalls: 'When I got to my partner and good friend Ahmed Raza Kahn, a Pakistani, I said, ''Ah, our little P*** friend.''' Harry sent the video to another cadet who was making an 'end-of-year video', but the clip began circulating and ended up being sold to the News of the World, sparking a firestorm of criticism. The Duke said people accused him of learning nothing from the Nazi debacle in 2005, saying that he was 'worse than stupid' or a 'partyboy,' and that he 'was racist.' He said he was in Highgrove watching the scandal unfold as leading politicians blasted him on national television, and that he was unable to process it. Harry claimed that his father's office issued an apology on his behalf and that he had wanted to issue another one, but palace aides advised against it. 'Not the best strategy, sir', he claims they told him, to which he said: 'F*** the strategy.' Harry said he contacted Ahmed directly and apologised. He said his comrade told him he knew he was not racist and that 'nothing happened'. However the Duke writes that 'it did happen' and that his friend's forgiveness only made him feel worse. The extract is one of dozens to be released overnight after copies of his book Spare were accidentally sold early in Spain. The issue of racism is tackled elsewhere in the autobiography, when Prince Harry addresses his notorious Nazi uniform scandal. But the Duke appears to blame Prince William and Kate for his choice of attire at the costume party in 2005. The Duke of Sussex says in his new memoir - where he is also expected to detail resigning from royal duties along with wife Meghan - they both thought it was funny. Harry claims he was considering either the Nazi uniform or a pilot's outfit to a 'Native and Colonial' themed event and called his brother and sister-in-law for their opinion. 'I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said,' Harry wrote, according to Page Six. Prince Harry partially blamed both his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate for his infamous appearance at a costume party wearing a Nazi uniform 'They both howled. Worse than Willy's leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point.' The outfit became a huge scandal when Harry, then 20, was photographed wearing the Nazi regalia. The story made global headlines after an image of Harry in the costume featured on the front page of The Sun newspaper. The Duke of Sussex wore the Nazi uniform at a party thrown by Olympic show jumper Richard Meade. Harry - seen here with William in 2021 - asked his brother and sister-in-law for advice on whether to wear a Nazi uniform or a pilot uniform to the party Harry said William and Kate, seen here in 2020, 'howled' with laughter when Harry asked whether he should wear the Nazi costume The theme of the event - held to mark the birthday of Mr Meade's son Harry - was 'native and colonial'. Harry wore the desert uniform of General Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps. Earlier in the evening he had worn an army-style jacket with a German flag on the arm. Harry had arrived with his elder brother Prince William, who reportedly dressed in a skin-tight black leotard with a leopard skin pattern and a matching leopard skin tail and paws. One guest told the Daily Mail afterwards: 'If this was his idea of a joke then it went down like a lead balloon.' Harry issued a groveling apology shortly after the image was published. He said: 'I am very sorry if I have caused any offence or embarrassment to anyone. It was a poor choice of costume and I apologise.' Addressing the issue in his Netflix series, Harry said that dressing as a Nazi was one of the 'biggest mistakes' of his life. The Duke of Sussex expressed regret for his 2005 gaffe and said all he 'wanted to do was make it right.' He said he met with the chief rabbi and also spoke to a Holocaust survivor as part of efforts to repair the damage done by the gaffe. At the time, the chief rabbi was Jonathan Sacks, who passed away in 2020. Harry, pictured in 2004, issued a grovelling apology shortly after the image was published. He said: 'I am very sorry if I have caused any offence or embarrassment to anyone. It was a poor choice of costume and I apologise' Prince Harry has said in his new Netflix series that dressing as a Nazi was one of the 'biggest mistakes' of his life The Duke of Sussex said: 'It was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. 'I felt so ashamed afterwards. 'All I wanted to do was make it right. I sat down and spoke to the chief rabbi in London, which had a profound impact on me. 'I went to Berlin and spoke to a Holocaust survivor. 'I could have got on and ignored it and made the same mistakes over and over in my life but I learnt from that.' Spare tells Harry's story with 'raw, unflinching honesty', according to Penguin Random House. Publishing sources said arrangements for Harry's 'explosive' memoir's release were ultra-closely guarded and being managed in minute detail, with only a handful of senior executives aware of the exact details. Deliveries to bookshops are being scheduled to be last-minute to avoid unauthorised copies being leaked. Guarded sites across the world have been secured to house copies of the book prior to distribution. One source compared the complex security operation to the 2007 release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. An army of guards, satellite tracking systems and legal contracts were all deployed to protect the first ten million copies of JK Rowling's seventh Harry Potter book. When the finished manuscript was taken by hand from London to New York, a lawyer for the American publisher sat on it during the flight. Korea's top central banker will attend meetings of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) to be held in Switzerland early next week, his office said Thursday. Rhee Chang-yong, head of the Bank of Korea (BOK), will leave for Basel on Saturday to join the Global Economy Meeting, Meeting of Governors from major emerging market economies and Meeting of Governors set to be held from Sunday to Monday, the BOK said in a release. Rhee and other top central bankers of BIS member countries will discuss latest global economic and financial market conditions, the BOK said. Rhee is to return home Wednesday. (Yonhap) Farmers are to get increased subsidies to protect the environment, it was announced today as a minister vowed to 'free' the industry from the effect of EU laws. Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference, Farming Minister Mark Spencer announced up to 1,000 extra cash for English farmers taking nature-friendly steps under the new 'sustainable farming incentive' (SFI). There will also be an average increase of 10 per cent in payment rates for farmers who are in Countryside Stewardship agreements for ongoing work such as maintaining bird-friendly seed margins, creating scrub habitat, and managing upland grass areas to provide habitat for bugs and ground-nesting birds. And payments through one-off grants for activities such as creating hedgerows, rewetting peatland, and reducing farmyard runoff under the Countryside Stewardship scheme will also increase by an average of 48 per cent. Mr Spencer, a former farmer, told the conference he wanted the UK to be 'free of the legacy of the Common Agricultural Policy for good'. 'We need to learn from the past and focus on helping to build resilient and sustainable businesses which enhance the environment at the same time,' he added. Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference, Farming Minister Mark Spencer announced up to 1,000 extra cash for English farmers taking nature-friendly steps under the new 'sustainable farming incentive' (SFI). There will also be an average increase of 10 per cent in payment rates for farmers who are in Countryside Stewardship agreements for ongoing work such as maintaining bird-friendly seed margins, creating scrub habitat, and managing upland grass areas to provide habitat for bugs and ground-nesting birds. 'Making a shift towards a more resilient food system is critical to feeding a growing nation, to halt the decline of nature and reach net zero, and fundamentally improving lives of people in this country and across the world,' he said. 'In other words, we need to keep everyone fed and save the planet at the same time and those are two sides of the same coin.' The announcement follows demands for more clarity on the new Environmental Land Management scheme (Elms) regime to pay farmers for 'public goods' such as healthy soils, habitat creation and clean water. The Elms payments, which cover England, will replace the EU agriculture regime of subsidies mostly on the basis of the amount of land farmed, with payouts under the old 'basic payment scheme' (BPS) already being cut. Alongside payments for sustainable farming practices, such as managing soils, Elms was designed to pay for 'local nature recovery' habitat creation on farms, which will now be developed from the existing Countryside Stewardship scheme. Elms also has a strand for 'landscape recovery' projects to restore nature at a large scale, including rewilding schemes. Mr Spencer said: 'My challenge to our great industry is simple - this year, take another look at the Environmental Land Management schemes and think about what options and grants will help support your farm. 'As custodians of more than 70 per cent of our countryside, the nation is relying on its farmers to protect our landscapes as well as produce the high-quality food we are known for, and we are increasing payment rates to ensure farmers are not out of pocket for doing the right thing by the environment. 'By increasing the investment in these schemes, I want farmers to see this stacks up for business - whatever the size of your holding.' The increase in funding for environmental efforts is being paid for by ongoing annual reductions in basic payments being made to farmers, with 1 billion of the 2.4 billion annual agriculture budget now available for nature-friendly farming and schemes such as driving productivity or innovation on farms. The Countryside Stewardship options have been assessed individually to ensure they are paying a fair price to farmers for delivering the actions to protect the countryside, taking into account rising costs. The new payment of 20 a hectare for up to 50 hectares of land for entering the SFI, which could deliver farmers an extra 1,000, aims to drive take-up in the scheme which has so far had low numbers signing up. Just under 2,000 businesses have applied for the scheme, and there are some 1,570 live agreements in place, figures show. The cash - a 'management payment' - aims to cover the administrative costs of entering into the scheme, and attract smaller businesses such as tenant farmers. Under SFI, farmers are being paid to improve soils and moorlands, and an expanded set of actions they will be paid to take in 2023 will be published shortly, the Environment Department (Defra) said. It is hoped SFI measures will be taken at scale across the countryside, alongside productive farming with measures such as cutting inputs including pesticides and fertiliser to produce healthy soils, improve water quality and cut carbon emissions, and taking care of habitats such as rivers and hedges. Payments under woodland creation and tree schemes in England are also being updated this year, Defra said, to encourage farmers to incorporate more trees as a natural resource on farms. Mark Tufnell, president of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), said: 'Today's announcement shows Government is listening and adapting to the concerns of farmers. It reduces uncertainty, supports proper valuations and creates stronger incentives for a wider range of farms to enter into the schemes. 'All this is to be welcomed, but everything is moving too slowly.' National Farmers' Union vice president David Exwood said farmers are having to make 'crucial long-term decisions that are essential to running viable and profitable food producing businesses' without the clarity needed on Elm schemes and options. 'While some of these latest changes are welcome, including enhanced payments for farmers and landowners through the Countryside Stewardship scheme and the introduction of a Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) management payment, it risks being too little too late, especially given the current economic challenges we are experiencing and the rapid erosion of direct payments,' he said. The identity of a suspected 'murder victim' whose body was discovered by a dogwalker in a pond next to an NHS hospital has been revealed by police. Police said they had identified the victim as Phillip Lewis, 59, known as 'Scottish Phil', from Harlow, Essex. A 52-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of murder, while a 23-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. They are both currently in custody. The body of Mr Lewis was found in Oakwood Pond in Harlow, Essex, close to the Princess Alexandra Hospital on New Year's Eve after a dog walker reported a suspicious object in the water. Police said they had identified the victim as Phillip Lewis (pictured), 59, known as 'Scottish Phil', from Harlow, Essex The body of Mr Lewis was found in Oakwood Pond (above) in Harlow, Essex, close to the Princess Alexandra Hospital on New Year's Eve after a dog walker reported a suspicious object in the water A local man, Paul, who did not wish to give his last name, said his dog Brandy had found the body parts in the pond. He said: 'It was my dog with my son-in-law and they were at the pond, and the dog pulled him down towards the water. '(My son-in-law) thought he was going for the ball because the ball was in the water. 'But no, he went through the water and stopped dead, you know how dogs do, and there were two body parts.' Paul said the dog had found a pelvis as well as another body part. He said his son-in-law was 'quite upset about it all', adding: 'It was a gruesome find.' 'It is not nice at all, especially for all who live around here - especially for my neighbour who knew him, which is even worse,' Paul said. 'I don't know him but I know he was quite a likeable fellow.' Specialist officers are continuing their enquiries at Oakwood Pond in Harlow today following the launch of a murder investigation Detective Superintendent Rob Kirby, Head of Major Crime, said: 'Phil lived in Harlow for many years and had a wide circle of friends who he socialised with. 'I want to extend my condolences to Phil's friends and family and re-iterate my commitment to them that we will work relentlessly to bring those responsible for his murder to justice. 'This has been a fast-paced investigation and we have worked quickly to make arrests, but our work does not stop there. 'Specialist officers are continuing to search the area around the pond and work to drain it is ongoing. This is really important to identify potentially vital evidence. 'A team of dedicated specialist detectives are continuing to work around the clock to give Phil's friends and families the answers they need about what happened to him and why.' Specialist officers are continuing their enquiries at Oakwood Pond in Harlow today following the launch of a murder investigation. Work to drain the pond has begun as part of the work to gather evidence following the discovery of human remains on New Years Eve. Specialist police search advisors have been working at the scene since Saturday afternoon to carry out searches in the area. Work to drain the pond has begun as part of the work to gather evidence following the discovery of human remains on New Years Eve Officers have also been among the community carrying out house-to-house enquiries. Det Supt Kirby added that Essex Police needed the public's help. He said: 'I want to thank the community here in Harlow for their support and understanding. 'I know this investigation has caused shock and concern, but we don't believe there is an ongoing risk to the wider public. 'You will continue to see a visible police presence in the area and if you have any information or concerns please come and speak to one of our officers. 'In particular, we need people living in the area around the pond to check their CCTV and doorbell footage going back to the beginning of November. 'We also want anyone who came into contact with Phil since 1 November, and any friends or acquaintances, to come forward. 'And anyone who regularly visits the pond and the surrounding area who has seen anything suspicious in the last two months. 'Any information you have, no matter how insignificant you believe it is, could be vital for our investigation.' Members of the public were asked to call the dedicated hotline on 0800 051 4526 or submit information online at mipp.police.uk/operation/4201020122Q39-PO1. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy lost a historic 10th round of ballots to be House Speaker on Thursday, the longest such battle since 1859. No House Speaker vote has gone on this long in modern US political history, and it's set Republicans' new majority in the chamber off to a rocky start. In 1856, it took former House Speaker Nathaniel Prentice Banks two months and 133 rounds of voting for the House of Representatives to settle on a leader - the longest stretch on record. In the ninth round, nominations went on as expected, with McCarthy's name back in the ring alongside Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and GOP spoiler candidate Rep. Byron Donalds. Firebrand Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert delivered a surprising fourth nomination, however, this time for Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern. She claimed 'threats were made' behind closed doors against members who refused to support McCarthy, and said the leader's Speakership bid was 'not happening.' 'We need to get to a point where we start evaluating what life after Kevin McCarthy looks like,' Boebert said, adding that she 'loved' the intense debate raging in the Republican cloakroom and through the halls of the US Capitol. She made the same nomination in the 10th round, and was backed up by firebrand GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz and Rep-elect Josh Brecheen. US Republican Representative Kevin McCarthy listens before the House of Representatives votes for a seventh time for a new speaker at the US Capitol in Washington, DC It comes after McCarthy lost the first three rounds on Thursday along similar margins that he's seen earlier this week. Gaetz voted for Donald Trump in the first two rounds but switched to Hern on the third and fourth, alongside Boebert and Brecheen - who like Hern hails from Oklahoma. Boebert earlier cast her vote for Hern without nominating him first - in the second round of the day and eighth overall. She first only mentioned support for 'Kevin,' twisting her knife of disapproval into the embattled GOP leader as she clarified her support was with Hern. Boebert told DailyMail.com that she had switched her vote from Donalds to Hern because 'were not gonna get the votes' to back the black Florida Republican. Brecheen told DailyMail.com he voted for Hern because 'He is from Oklahoma, hes got a very good track record on fiscal responsibility.' McCarthy spent much of the third day of votes walking around the chamber speaking to both allies and holdouts (seen speaking with Republican Rep.-elect Cory Mills of Florida) He shook hands with Texas Rep. Troy Nehls after the former sheriff nominated him for the third round of Thursday votes Rep.-elect George Santos is seen speaking with fellow Republican Rep.-elect Pat Fallon on the third day of votes In the seventh round vote earlier on Thursday, McCarthy's tally of 'no' votes quickly exceeded the four-member threshold he can afford to lose, as the members of the same group of 'Never Kevin' Republicans shot down his quest for the gavel. While the majority of those rebels voted for Florida GOP Rep. Byron Donalds, as they did yesterday, firebrand Congressman Matt Gaetz broke from his faction to nominate Donald Trump. It's a purely symbolic move from a lawmaker who all but swore to never vote for McCarthy. Asked by DailyMail.com if he genuinely believed Trump was a good candidate for the gavel, Gaetz dryly quipped: 'Yes, that's why I voted for him.' That's despite McCarthy agreeing to several concessions that would give significantly more power to the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, multiple reports have said. When it first came time to cast a vote, Donalds was not present in the chamber. He later returned to vote for himself. Otherwise, the seventh-round vote played out largely like the others have. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was seen sitting next to Gaetz, despite the two trading jabs in the days leading up to the Speaker vote over their differing opinions on McCarthy. Despite that, however, Greene held fast to her vote for the beleaguered House GOP Leader. The first round vote ultimately saw all 212 Democrats back their new leader, Hakeem Jeffries, while McCarthy got 201 votes. Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert broke from her fellow GOP McCarthy critics to vote for a new Speaker candidate - Republican Study Committee Chair Rep. Kevin Hern Firebrand GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene were seen sitting next to each other, despite their public break over McCarthy's Speakership bid Nineteen Republicans supported Donalds. And Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, who switched her vote from 'McCarthy' to 'present' on Wednesday, did so again. Some lawmakers injected levity in the otherwise monotonous proceedings. Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman repeated a bit he began on Wednesday in which he cast votes for his party leader, Hakeem Jeffries, in the style of a popular internet meme known as 'Leeroy Jenkins' which involves shouting the name in an exaggerated way. GOP Rep.-elect Mike Lawler, casting a vote for McCarthy, noted he was proudly casting his vote from the district that is 'home to Bill and Hillary Clinton.' The statement got a chuckle out of the GOP leader. House lawmakers wearily made their way back to the US Capitol as Republicans' fight over who will lead their thin majority spills into a third day. McCarthy's bid for the House Speakership was derailed by conservative rebels, who an ally of his dubbed the 'Taliban 20.' The House adjourned on Wednesday evening after a raucous vote on whether to call it a night. Just before 9pm last night, House Democrats' new No. 3 Rep. Pete Aguilar called for individual votes to be cast after the voice vote proved inconclusive. Four Republicans joined Democrats in trying to drag out the session for more votes - which would have likely resulted in additional losing rounds for McCarthy - but ultimately the vote fell 216 to 214 for adjournment. For the seventh round, McCarthy was nominated by Michigan Rep-elect John James GOP Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina stood to nominate Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, who the anti-McCarthy faction nominated on Wednesday At the US Capitol ahead of the vote on Thursday, McCarthy told reporters, 'Im confident we will reach a solution otherwise we wont be successful.' The historic gridlock has paralyzed Capitol Hill; with no Speaker, the 118th House of Representatives cannot be sworn in, and new legislation cannot move to the floor or through committees - which do not have formal chairs yet. And on Wednesday, a group of Republican military veterans held a press conference warning that the disarray was leading to significant national security vulnerabilities. Florida Rep. Michael Waltz said from the podium, 'Authoritarian regimes all over the world are pointing to whats going on in the House of Representatives and saying, "Look at the messiness of democracy, look at how it doesnt work, cant function."' It's been reported that McCarthy made some significant new concessions to his 20 detractors, including a measure that would allow one GOP lawmaker to trigger a vote for a new House Speaker, according to CNN - known as motion to vacate the chair. In addition to the motion to vacate the chair being set at one vote, McCarthy has also reportedly promised conservatives votes on border security and term limits legislation. He also reportedly agreed to giving more spots on the House Rules Committee to members of the hardline-right House Freedom Caucus. The powerful panel acts as a gatekeeper for any legislation that comes to the floor. Idaho quadruple murder suspect Bryan Kohberger applied for an internship at a police department in Washington just a month before the brutal murders of four university students, a police affidavit has revealed. New details in the case were revealed in a trove of documents released by the Idaho police on Thursday ahead of Kohberger's first appearance in court after being extradited from Pennsylvania. The 19-page affidavit revealed that Kohberger, 28, who was a criminology student at Washington State University, had applied for an internship with the Pullman Police Department in September with an essay expressing his interest in helping rural cops 'better collect and analyze technological data in public safety operations.' Kohberger was arrested on December 30, more than a month after Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were murdered on November 13 in the quiet, college town of Moscow, Idaho. Idaho quadruple murder suspect Bryan Kohberger applied for internship at Pullman Police Department in Washington state and wrote essay saying he wanted to help rural cops Kohberger, 28, is accused of murdering Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin on November 13 in the quiet, college town of Moscow, Idaho When Kohberger applied for the internship, he wrote an essay expressing his interest in assisting rural law enforcement agencies with how to better collect and analyze technological data in public safety operations, the affidavit revealed. Kohberger was a PhD student studying criminology before his arrest. He lived eight miles from the murder scene in student housing on the University of Washington's Pullman campus. Through his public defenders, he has protested his innocence. His family, who hid their faces during a court appearance in Pennsylvania earlier this week, also believe he is innocent. The affidavit by Moscow PD Officer Brett Payne claims that Kohberger's DNA was found on a knife sheath that was left next to one of the bodies, and that he stalked the property by visiting 12 times before the night in question. Today, the documents revealed: Surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen saw Kohberger in a black mask She had heard cries and victim Goncalves say 'there's someone here' Xana Kernodle ordered a DoorDash which arrived 20 minutes before the killing Kohberger visited the house at least 12 times before the murder He turned his phone off on the night of the killings to avoid detection Mortensen told police the killer had 'bushy eyebrows' - which they noticed in Kohberger once they'd identified him Kohberger, 28, a criminology student at Washington State University, applied for an internship with the Pullman Police Department in September with an essay expressing his interest in helping rural cops 'better collect and analyze technological data in public safety operations' The knife sheath was tan, leather, US Marines sheath that was found next to the corpse of Maddie Mogen, according to the documents. Kohberger's DNA was found on the snap button enclosure of the sheath, and was later positively identified to match him. Cops obtained a sample of his DNA on December 27, when they stole trash from his family's house in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. That sample returned a 99.98 percent match with the sample found at the scene to Kohberger's father. Five months before the brutal murders, Kohberger appealed on Reddit for participants to complete his survey about how they selected their targets and carried out offenses. He also asked the participants to provide information to 'understand how emotions and psychological traits influence decision-making when committing a crime.' Five months before the murders, Kohberger appealed to criminals on Reddit, asking them to share their experiences to help him with his college studies 'Hello, my name is Bryan and I am inviting you to participate in a research project that seeks to understand how emotions and psychological traits influence decision-making when committing a crime. 'In particular, this study seeks to understand the story behind your most recent criminal offense, with an emphasis on your thoughts and feelings throughout your experience,' he said. Questions included: 'Did you prepare for the crime before leaving your home?', 'Why did you choose that victim or target over others?' and 'What was the first move you made to accomplish your goal?' Questions included: 'Did you prepare for the crime before leaving your home?', 'Why did you choose that victim or target over others?' and 'What was the first move you made to accomplish your goal?' 'After committing the crime, what were you thinking and feeling?' was another. He also asked how criminals 'leave the scene' and whether they acted alone. In the context of a criminology degree, the survey may seem perfectly innocent. But it gained harrowing sinisterism in light of his arrest on suspicion of quadruple homicide last month. Suspected Idaho killer Bryan Kohberger staked out his victims' home twelve times before brutally murdering them, a police affidavit reveals. Authorities have released the probable cause affidavit ahead of the 28-year-old hearing in Moscow, Idaho, later today. It reveals how Kohberger turned his phone off on the night of the murders in an attempt to cover his tracks before the murders - turning it off before getting too close to the property. Kohberger even returned to the scene of the crime at 9am on November 13 - just hours after he allegedly committed the quadruple murders. Kohberger stalked the house of his four victims on twelve occasions before killing them Kohberger turned his phone off on the night of the murders in an attempt to cover his tracks after getting close to the property on King Road The documents say that the criminal justice graduate stalked the property in the late evening and early morning on each occasion bar one. Officials have not revealed the exact dates that he canvassed the three-story property but confirmed that in August, he was pulled over just two minutes after leaving the area covered by the cell phone tower closest to the home. A Latah County Sheriffs deputy pulled him over on August 21 at 11.37pm as part of a traffic stop in which he provided his number. During the stop, which was recorded on the officer's body cam, Kohberger was driving his white Hyundai Elantra. Documents show that officers believe Kohberger stalked the victims, staking out the house at least twelve times before the killings Officials have not revealed the exact dates that he canvassed the three-story property but confirmed that in August, he was pulled over just two minutes after leaving the area covered by the cell phone tower closest to the home On the night of the murders, Kohbergers phone pinged a cell tower close to his apartment in Pullman, Washington Because of the series of traffic stops, officers were able to link both the car and the phone number to Kohberger and look up each time his device pinged the tower closest to the property. On the night of the murders, Kohbergers phone pinged a cell tower close to his apartment in Pullman, Washington. It then is seen leaving the area of his residence at 2:47am and traveling south through Pullman which cops have confirmed lines up with the movements of his white Hyundai caught on camera. His phone then stops reporting to the network, with FBI experts confirming that it is consistent with the phone being turned off, on airplane mode or in an area without phone coverage. Court documents show that his phone is not active again until 4.48am, in the southbound lane of Highway 95 just south of Moscow. Kohberger then travels towards Genesse, Uniontown and eventually back to Pullman between 4:50am and 5:26am. The cell phone data then pings when he returns to his property, which is again caught on camera when the Elantra drives north on Stadium Drive at 5.27am. His phone then left his apartment again at 9am and traveled towards Moscow, back towards the King Road residence and arrived between 9.12am and 9.21am. Kohberger then returned home to his apartment in Pullman at 9.32am, with further analysis showing that Kohberger passed a coffee stand at 12.36pm after the murders. Police were on the hunt for Kohberger's white Hyundai Elantra, which officials began tracking in November after identifying that it was in the area of the killings Police believe that Kohberger deliberately tried to hide his location during the murders Twisted Kohberger even returned to the scene of the crime at 9am on November 13 - just hours after he allegedly committed the quadruple murders He then went grocery shopping in Washington at 12.46pm, leaving at Albertsons grocery store at 1:04pm. It is unclear what he purchased. The suspected killer was in the Johnson Idaho, between 5.32pm and 5.36pm before appearing to be turned off again until 8.30pm. His phone has remained off or not connected to the network since November 14. The affidavit, written by peace officer Brett Payne, adds: Based on my training, experience and facts of the investigation thus far, I believe that Kohberger was likely the driver of the white Elantra that is observed departing Pullman, WA and that this vehicle is likely Suspect vehicle 1. Additionally, the route of travel of the phone during the early morning hours of November 13 and the lack of phone reporting to the tower between 2.47am and 4.48am is consistent with Kohberger attempting to conceal his location during the quadruple homicide that occurred at the King Road Residences. The mother of a British holidaymaker who could face up to 20 years in a US prison after being held by the FBI for an air rage incident has told of her astonishment at hearing of his arrest. US prosecutors said Damien Murphy and his friend Anthony Kirby, both 36, were detained over their extremely disruptive behaviour aboard a flight home to Manchester from Mexico. The pair are understood to have been partying on holiday with other friends over the New Year weekend but their flight home was diverted to make an unplanned landing in the US. Some six armed officers boarded the Tui flight from Cancun moments after it was forced to touch down at Bangor international airport in Maine on Monday night after it was claimed the pair verbally and physically abused passengers and crew. Pictured: Damien Jake Murphy (left) and Anthony Joseph James Kirby (right), both 36 and from Manchester, were detained by US officers and have been charged with federal offences. They could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted Damien's mum Joanne Rafter today told of her shock at learning of her son's arrest and the threat facing him Damien Murphy was detained over their extremely disruptive behaviour aboard a flight home to Manchester from Mexico In a video filmed by a passenger, the first man, carrying a black holdall and red plastic bag, walks down the aisle laughing as police escort him off followed by his friend, who pushes past an officer. The two then become embroiled in a verbal altercation with others on board, with one shouting: 'Get off.' One of the men responds by shouting: 'F**got.' A third man dressed in black quietly walks off the plane followed by US police. Murphy and Kirby, both from Manchester, have been charged with federal offences and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. A third man, who has not been named, was not charged. Damien's mum Joanne Rafter today told of her shock at learning of her son's arrest and the threat facing him. She told MailOnline: 'I don't know what's gone on. We haven't spoken to Damien. It is all a shock. 'We knew he was going on holiday but I don't know if they were all friends before or if he had met on holiday.' Mrs Rafter added: 'We only found out about the arrest yesterday when someone contacted me to say it was on the internet. 'I have seen the footage but don't know anything other than that. We will have to see what happens now.' Relatives of Anthony Kirby at his home nearby refused to discuss his arrest. In exclusive footage given to the MailOnline, three British men are seen being removed from a plane by US Federal Police officers as it was flying from Mexico to Manchester. The aircraft was forced to make an unplanned landing in the US because of their allegedly disruptive behaviour. Damien Jake Murphy (left) was arrested and charged along with Anthony Joseph James Kirby (centre). The third man (seen right towards the rear of the plane) was not arrested Damien Jake Murphy (seen wearing a blue top) carries his belongings as he is removed from the plane by US officers Anthony Joseph James Kirby is shown barging past one of the US officers as he is removed from the flight Kirby and Murphy have been charged with federal offences and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The third man, who has not been named, was not charged. According to the FBI, their behaviour escalated as the plane flew over US airspace. The men were refused alcohol by cabin crew but one is said to have retrieved a bottle from his carry-on luggage so that they could continue drinking. They are also accused of allegedly making racist remarks about the staff and passengers while filming the interactions and attacking an employee who tried to calm them down. Moments after the plane made its unexpected stop one of the men arrested is accused of getting into a fist fight with a passenger. One holidaymaker, who was on the plane, told MailOnline: 'It was total pandemonium on the plane soon after it took off. It was obvious that these lads were drunk out of their heads and looking for trouble. 'When the plane landed in Maine, one of the men hit another passenger around the face and screamed: 'You fat scouse c**t.'' He added: 'These men didn't care about anyone, they were swearing in front of young families and were a total disgrace. It ruined what had been a lovely holiday for a lot of people, but we were delighted when the US police kicked them off the plane. I hope they get what they deserve.' A third man, who has not been named, was also removed from the flight. He was not arrested or charged by US authorities. He is shown left towards the rear of the plane removing his belonging, and right as he was removed by US officers Caroline Farbridge, 56 who had been on a two-week holiday in Cancun, said: 'The passengers clapped and cheered when the US police came on board because we were so desperate to get these men off. 'They behaved in a truly despicable way. They were drunk even before they got on the plane, one of them was so paralytic he could barely walk. I could tell that they were going to be trouble and they just wanted to cause problems for everybody around them.' She added: 'It was quite a horrible, terrifying experience and I don't understand why the airline let these men board in the drunken condition they were in.' After the men were kicked off the flight, two FBI officers then boarded and took witness statements from other passengers before the plane was allowed to continue its journey to Manchester, arriving around four hours late. Ms Farbridge, who had been on holiday with her daughter, revealed that the captain made several announcements appealing for the men to stop drinking and behave otherwise he would be forced to land the plane. Anthony Joseph James Kirby, one of the three men who were kicked off the plane, is seen posing for a photograph after seemingly taken part in an 'Ironman' triathlon. He was arrested by US officials for causing a disturbance on the flight and has been charged Anthony Joseph James Kirby is seen posing with an unnamed woman The plane was diverted to Bangor International Airport in Maine (pictured, file photo) She added: 'About an hour after the plane took off from Mexico all you could hear was shouting and hollering coming from the back of the plane and it never stopped. These men were a complete nuisance, they should hang their heads in shame. 'The captain gave them plenty of warnings, so they've only got themselves to blame. I hope that they are locked up for a long time. The whole crew behaved in a very professional way and the captain absolutely did the right thing by landing the plane to get these men off.' Kirby and Murphy have both been charged with one count of interference with flight crew and assault. The charges came under a special aircraft jurisdiction in the US. They made their first appearance in a federal court in Bangor on Tuesday and face up to 20 years in prison and fines of more than 200,000 if found guilty. Both were remanded in custody after a judge agreed with the US attorney's office in Maine that they should be detained until their cases are resolved because they both live outside the country. Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden are holding talks this morning as they mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. However, hopes that the visit could help break the deadlock at Stormont have dwindled - with the DUP slamming the president as 'extremely partisan' and 'anti-British' after he trumpeted his Irish roots. Mr Biden is only expected to 'greet' the leaders of the main Northern Ireland political parties, before giving a speech and immediately heading over the border to the Republic, where he will spend the next three days. Mr Sunak suffered an awkward moment as he greeted Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove last night, with the the president appearing to push him to one side in order to shake hands with someone else. And despite fledgling signs of a thaw in relations after the Windsor Framework eased the row with the EU over post-Brexit rules in the province, US officials have suggested the leaders will not even talk about reviving a trade package. Grief-stricken Prince Harry contacted a psychic to contact his late mother beyond the grave. Extracts from the Duke of Sussexs memoirs, Spare, reveal Harry sought a woman who claimed to have powers to try and speak with Diana, who was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997 when her youngest son was about to turn 13. He also claimed to have received a message from the late Princess of Wales, in which Harry was apparently told he was living the life she couldnt. The medium is alleged to have told the prince: Youre living the life she wanted for you. Grief-stricken Prince Harry contacted a psychic to contact his late mother beyond the grave Extracts from the Duke of Sussexs memoirs, Spare, reveal Harry sought a woman who claimed to have powers to try and speak with Diana, who was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997 when her youngest son was about to turn 13 The book also claims the unnamed woman told him his mother was with him right now. It was at this point that his neck grew warm, and his eyes watered, Spare adds. The woman is then alleged to have told Harry his mother knew he was looking for clarity and feels your confusion, and knew he had so many questions, and said answers would come in time. In another passage, Harry wrote how he was told his mothers ghost witnessed how his son Archie has broken a Christmas tree ornament in the shape of the Queen. It was claimed that the psychic quizzed the Duke over the breaking of a Christmas ornament, who admitted his son was attempting to fix it. The woman is then alleged to have said the late Princess enjoyed a giggle over the incident. In another extract, Harry said he thought a close encounter with a leopard while on holiday in Botswana with his brother, William, was a message from their mother. Diana and Charles leaving St Mary's Hospital with newborn Harry in 1984 He claimed the leopard was a messenger sent by his mother to reassure him that 'everything will be fine'. But despite this cryptic encounter, the Duke wrote in the book that he feared he was going to be eaten alive. The Duke also said he briefly believed, in the immediate aftermath of the tragic car crash, that his mother faked her own death. He later repeatedly drove through the tunnel in Paris where she died, in an attempt to understand what happened. New York Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis said that America's adversaries are 'laughing' at the internal bedlam of the GOP that has halted business on the House floor. The congresswoman said she had not just national security concerns but worries about delaying all matters of governance as GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy stares down his seventh lost Speaker vote. 'It's not just the Democrats who think this is funny,' she told DailyMail.com. 'It's the communist Chinese, it's Vladimir Putin, it's communist Cuba, its our biggest detractors - Iran.' 'They are watching what is happening and the 10 percent is really not only jeopardizing our ability to govern but they're jeopardizing the institution as a whole,' Malliotakis added. New York Rep. Malliotakis said she shared not just national security concerns but worries about delaying all matters of governance Lead Republicans on the House Committees on Foreign Affairs, Armed Services and Intel put out a warning Thursday morning that the in-fighting on Capitol Hill could threaten national security. On Wednesday Rep. Mike Gallagher said he and Rep. Don Bacon were supposed to meet with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to discuss issues in the Indo-Pacific region in the SCIF (sensitive compartmented information facility). Gallagher said he was denied entry to the meeting. 'I'm informed by House security that technically, I don't have clearance.' 'We don't have access to anything,' Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio. 'The secure facility that we work in every day when we're here, we can't go in there right now...We're in there all the time. And right now, we can't be in there at all.' 'I sit on the House Intelligence Committee. We oversee all 19 intelligence agencies. We are currently offline,' Rep. Mike Waltz underscored. There will be no legislating in the period without a speaker - committees cannot amend or approve bills and send them to the floor for a vote. 'We need to be able to do our job', Malliotakis continued, adding that the House needed to move on border security bills, a bill to stop President Biden from 'raiding' the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and other priorities. Even if those bills have little chance of passing a Democrat-led Senate, 'Let's force the senates hand on those issues,' she said. He lost six Speaker votes across two days in a historic display of chaos in the US Congress The congresswoman said some of the 20 McCarthy defectors were putting their personal issues with him above governing. 'Some are trying to get good government reforms - which I support - others are just trying to deprive Kevin because they have a personal issue with him,' she said. 'They care more about their personal beef than to wanna do whats in the best interest of the conference and the country and that's whats bothering most of us.' Despite making major concessions to House Freedom Caucus demands overnight, McCarthy has now faced a stunning seventh loss in a row over the course of three days. His path forward remains unclear and House business is on hold until someone holds the gavel. The 'Never Kevin' faction is believed to be larger than the four votes McCarthy can afford to lose and still win the speakership. If votes drag out until Jan. 13 and no rules package is passed, committee staff will not be paid. Don Lemon has branded Prince Harry 'gauche' for choosing to publish claims his brother Prince William physically attacked him in his bombshell book 'Spare' - saying: 'It's just not done'. The CNN anchor searched for a word to describe Harry's move, before finally describing it as 'gauche' - meaning unsophisticated or lacking in grace. 'Everyone has a family,' said Lemon, before asking rhetorically: 'I have arguments with my family. Am I going to put that out there for the whole world to see?' It comes amid a media storm surrounding Harry's bombshell revelations in his book, that include anecdotes about a physical fight with Prince William, confessions about cocaine use, and admitting killing 25 people while a soldier in Afghanistan. Fox News quoted royal experts that the book is a 'betrayal' to the royal family, and could be the 'final nail in the coffin'. Harry accuses the current Prince of Wales of grabbing him by the scruff of the collar and throwing him to the ground, causing him to fall onto a plastic dog bowl, which he said broke into pieces that cut his back. Don Lemon criticized Harry for publishing accusations William physically attacked him in his new book Spare 'I just don't understand why on Earth he would want to put that out there? I know he's selling a book but to me its just... what is the word I'm looking for? It's just not done,' said Lemon. 'What exactly is he achieving by airing family dirty laundry?' he said at the end of the segment. Prince Harry says the incident happened in 2019 when William was visiting him at his London home. The fight allegedly broke out in the kitchen of Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace, shortly before he and Meghan left to North America. William is said to have branded Meghan 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive' and insisted he was trying to help his younger brother during a meeting about 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their failing relationship and Harry's rows with the Press. Harry accused his brother of 'parroting the Press narrative' regarding his American wife before an argument ensued, ending in the physical confrontation, the book claims. In an excerpt from his upcoming autobiography Spare, Harry recalls what he describes as a physical attack by his sibling, now the Prince of Wales, which he claims left him with visible injuries The Nottingham Cottage kitchen, where Harry claims his brother grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the floor, smashing a dog bowl Harry says in the book he gave William a glass of water and said: 'Willy, I can't speak to you when you're like this'. Describing what he claims happened next, and insisting he was scared, Harry said: 'He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. 'He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out'. Lemon's reaction to the leaked segment in the book on CNN this morning is the latest in a series of developments which have seen the US media gradually turning on Harry and Meghan. Much of that change was prompted by the the release of the couple's Netflix documentary last month. NBC's Daisy McAndrew said the couple made no effort to apologize for their role in the breakdown of Harry's relationship with his family, while CNN's Max Foster pointed out how one-sided the documentary was. Fox News columnist Lee Cohen said they are on track to become 'the most hated royals' ever and suggested that not even Wallis Simpson and the Duke of Windsor's connections to Nazis left the public so disappointed. The Associated Press, universally regarded for its journalistic impartiality, summarized the finale with the headline: 'Harry, Meghan vent their grievances in final Netflix episodes.' Fox News quoted royal experts that the book is a 'betrayal' to the royal family, and could be the 'final nail in the coffin' NBC reporter Daisy McAndrew said the couple took 'no responsibility' for their role in the rift with the Royal family and said there is 'no way back' from the Netflix series CNN Royal Correspondent Max Foster said the Palace must respond now to the 'very serious' allegations made by Harry and Meghan in the new episodes The Associated Press summarized the finale with this headline: 'Harry, Meghan vent their grievances in final Netflix episodes' At other points in the upcoming book Spare, a Spanish version of which accidentally went on sale in Spain, Harry labels his brother his 'arch-nemesis.' Harry also uses parts of the book to discuss his service in the military and time served in Afghanistan in 2007, 2008 and 2012. Specifically, he said he killed 25 Taliban fighters during his second tour. Harry, who during his second tour flew an Apache attack helicopter, said it was 'not a fact that filled me with satisfaction, but I was not ashamed either.' This is the first time Harry has specified the number of insurgents he personally killed during his time in Afghanistan. US once-in-a-century political chaos disturb the world (Global Times) 14:37, January 05, 2023 The US Capitol building is seen in Washington, DC., on November 4, 2022. Photo: Xinhua Right before the second anniversary of the Capitol riots, on January 3, 2023, another political chaos, dubbed by CNN as a "horror show," happened in the same place. US House of Representatives went through a "difficult labor" of a new speaker after three rounds of voting failed. The last time a House speaker vote went to multiple ballots was 100 years ago. Tuesday's occurrence was truly a once-in-a-century phenomenon. During Capitol riots, American rioters shocked the building from the outside. This time, the stalemate was the result of conflicts from inside the Capitol. The two events are chaotic phenomena of spread and aggravation of the disease of US political system. The one who failed to pass the three rounds of the votes for US House speaker is Kevin McCarthy. In the eyes of outsiders, he is a well-known ultra-conservative politician. He is against Clean Power Plan and the Paris Agreement, and promised to overturn a number of relevant legislations that Washington has passed. His crazy anti-China remarks also left a very bad impression on the Chinese people. However, astonishingly, McCarthy was not opposed because of his radicalism, but because he was considered not tough enough by some more radical congressmen in the Republican Party. It shows how severe the division and polarization in the US politics are. What happened in the highest hall of "US democracy" is not a simple farce, but a political thriller with huge destructiveness, and a wide-ranging and far-reaching impact. This not only worries Americans, but also political observers from quite a few countries internationally. While the antagonism between political parties in the US continues to escalate, the internal divisions in the Republican and the Democratic parties have become increasingly prominent. At this time, a completely irrational and dangerous tendency has surfaced in Washington: finding or creating an "enemy" outside the US to suppress, alleviate and divert political divisions within the country. As a result, China, which is developing rapidly in economy and has a different political system and ideology from the US, is forcibly being established as an "enemy of the US." Some lawmakers are scrambling to show their toughness toward China. The tougher, the better. They will gradually fall into collective self-hypnosis, and will keep a blind eye on the fact that the enemy of "US democracy" is actually the US itself. The US House of Representatives will continue to vote on Wednesday, but to some extent the result is no longer important. McCarthy is intensely negotiating with his opponents in the Republican Party. To put it bluntly, it is a political exchange, and he is likely to make a more "tough" promise in the future. If McCarthy is still elected after some tossing and turning, then his extreme words and actions may intensify. In fact, the current difficult status of China-US relations has a lot to do with US sick party politics. Meanwhile, the electoralization of political party functions, the frequent emergence of extreme issues, and the rise of veto politics has spilled over from the US to many countries and international institutions, causing widespread concerns and seriously hindering international cooperation. History proves that political parties' "being at daggers drawn" in the US Congress often indicates major turmoil. Before this time, there have been 14 times in the history of the US that Congress was unable to elect a speaker in the first round of voting, 13 of which occurred before the Civil War, and the elections in 1855 and 1859 before the outbreak of the war were among the most voted - 133 and 44 times respectively. Amid rising political animosity, 90 percent of Americans expect 2023 to be a year of political conflict in the US, according to the latest Gallup poll. More than 70 percent of Americans disapprove of the performance of Congress, according to a previous Gallup poll. This reflects a general disappointment in the US society with its domestic politics, and also shows that the "anti-democracy" in the US has developed to an advanced stage, and has caused it to be trapped in the cocoon of "veto politics," losing the momentum of innovation, and will become more radical in the future. Such a US is dangerous to the world. Faced with the political chaos in the US, Canada's Globe and Mail raised a sharp question: whether the political class of the country is able to govern, and whether the internal conflicts and contradictions of one of the major political parties contaminate the entire system. Another Canadian media quoted a research report saying that the toxic political culture in Washington and across the US was spilling over the border. "Canada is picking up the political radicalization bug from the US." It seems that as Canada is a close neighbor of the US, its feeling is very distinct. When such a US shamelessly claims the world cannot lose US leadership, isn't that horrific? (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) gettyimagesbank By Yi Whan-woo Any international flights departing from Korea's regional airports will be able offer duty-free shopping on board, the Korea Customs Service (KCS) announced on Thursday. In-flight duty-free sales on planes bound for overseas destinations have been allowed only under the condition that the duty-free items are loaded directly from the airports where the corresponding planes depart. This rule is premised on airlines operating international flights at Korea's smaller airports being equipped with their own inventories of duty-free items. Big-name carriers could afford to have inventories at smaller airports, such as Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province and Yangyang International Airport in Gangwon Province. But low-cost carriers could not afford to do so, as they have inventories only at three major airports in Gimpo, Incheon and Gimhae due to financial reasons. They as a result have not offered in-flight duty-free sales. Under the circumstances, the KCS will allow budget airlines that want to offer in-flight duty-free shopping to ship the products from major airports. Their shipment will be made possible using domestic flights connecting major cities and rural areas. "We expect all airlines to benefit from our revised rule on in-flight duty-free shopping around March, when we develop a related data processing system," the KCS said in a press release. The KCS said the envisioned measure is also in line with the government's efforts to overhaul regulations and boost the market-driven economy. Airlines have been focusing on nurturing in-flight duty-free shopping as a means of diversifying their income structures. However, the introduction of on-arrival duty-free shops has been negatively affecting their expansion. The Mexican army have captured Ovidio Guzman, an alleged major fentanyl trafficker and son of kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman. Wild scenes erupted in Sinaloa as news of the arrest spread through the city, just days before U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to make his first visit to Mexico. The arrest in Culiacan comes three years after the Mexican army detained Guzman but then released him after Sinaloa cartel gunmen seized control of much of the city. The October 2019 release orders came from President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in a bid to avoid further bloodshed at the time. The Mexican army have captured Ovidio Guzman, an alleged major fentanyl trafficker and son of kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman The Mexican president, who had taken office in 2018 pledging to replace the 'war on drugs' with a policy using social programs to tackle organized crime, was widely criticized for giving up the alleged trafficker. The U.S. government has sought the extradition of Guzman, one of several sons of 'El Chapo' who have allegedly assumed prominent roles in the Sinaloa cartel since their father was extradited to the United States in 2017. Mexican authorities have accused the younger Guzman of being a key figure in fentanyl trafficking - a synthetic drug blamed for tens of thousands of deaths in the United States. Gunfire and car-jackings have been reported in the city as word spread of Guzman's arrest. Mayor Juan de Dios Gamez confirmed on Twitter that federal armed forces have been carrying out an operation in Culiacan since dawn on Thursday and that this has prompted violence in the city and other parts of the state. 'We ask the citizens of Culiacan not to leave home due to the blockades that have occurred in different parts of the city,' he said. The Mexican government has told local media that they are urging residents to stay home as burning vehicles, shootings and blockades are seen across the city Vehicles remain ablaze in Sinaloa after news spread of Guzman arrest, the videos uploaded to twitter by local media and residents of the city Videos of helicopter attacks on the Sinaloa cartel were posted online when the operation to catch the wanted alleged drug trafficker started in the early hours of Thursday. As the day progressed, convoys of what have been described to be Sinaloa cartel members were filmed setting up roadblocks along highways after the military captured Guzman. In videos uploaded to twitter, members of the international organized crime syndicate, are seen sitting in vehicles and armed. The syndicate have also been filmed shooting from the ground with 50-caliber BMG's at Mexican Armed Forces aircraft. While the moments of terror and anguish experienced by passengers on an Aeromexico flight after their arrival in Culiacan following the capture of Guzman were also uploaded online. The Mexican government has told local media that they are urging residents to stay home as burning vehicles, shootings and blockades continue across the city. Convoys of what have been described to be Sinaloa cartel members were filmed setting up roadblocks along highways after the military captured Guzman The US State Department claims that Guzman and his brother, Joaquin, are currently overseeing approximately eleven methamphetamine labs in the state of Sinaloa. It's said they are producing an estimated 3000-5000 pounds of the drug per month. The department have also claimed that information indicates Guzman ordered the murders of informants, a drug trafficker and a popular Mexican singer who had refused to sing at his wedding, according to reports by BBC. In December, the US announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Guzman and three of his brothers, who are thought to have kept their positions of command in the group. Their father, 'El Chapo,' is meanwhile serving a life sentence in the US after being found guilty in 2019 of drug trafficking and money laundering. The Guzman family have a long history of escaping capture by the Mexican authorities. Moments of terror and anguish were experienced by passengers on an Aeromexico flight after their arrival in Culiacan following the capture of Guzman 'El Chapo' broke out of prison twice. Federal prosecutors in the U.S. claim his sons helped orchestrate the infamous escape. In 2015, 'El Chapo' escaped from a maximum-security detention center through a mile-long tunnel dug into the shower of his cell. Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which comprises the Federal Entities of Mexico and is divided into 18 municipalities. Its capital city is Culiacan Rosales. It's also home to the Sinaloa Cartel which has significantly influenced the culture of the region. The cartel is reportedly the largest drug trafficking, money laundering and organized crime syndicate in the Americas and based in the city of Culiacan. Biden plans to visit the southern border with Mexico on Sunday, for the first time since taking office, according to an administration official to ABC News. Mexican security forces had previously arrested Guzman in 2019 but released him to avoid the threat of violence from his supporters The arrest was confirmed by a senior Mexican security official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in advance of an official announcement and comes just days before U.S. President Joe Biden's first visit to Mexico this year The U.S. president will visit El Paso, Texas, 'to address border enforcement operations and meet with local officials, who have been important partners in managing the historic number of migrants fleeing political oppression and gang violence in Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua and Cuba,' the official said. Since becoming president, Republicans have hammered Biden on his handling of immigration and the persistent migrant crisis at the southern border, making it a top campaign issue in last year's midterm elections. Despite that pressure, Biden has resisted calls to actually visit the border. Biden had already planned to visit Mexico City on Monday and Tuesday to meet with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The North American Leaders Summit will focus on climate change, migration, the environment, the economy and other topics, the White House told the outlet. Embattled GOP Congressman-elect George Santos has been spotted sporting a $7,800 Cartier watch that bears his name, sparking speculation the timepiece may be as fake as his resume. In various photos snapped of the 34-year-old Congressman-elect over the past week, Santos could be seen wearing a timepiece made by the luxury watchmaker as part of its Santos de Cartier collection. But, Forbes reports, it could be a fake copy of the real watch, with the counterfeit selling for just $150. It wouldn't be the first time the Congressman from Long Island was exposed as a scammer in fact he has made a name for himself lying about everything from his career, education, heritage and even when his mother died. He is now being investigated in Brazil for alleged check fraud after he went from having zero assets to contribute to his first campaign in 2020 to being able to lend more than $700,000 to his campaign this past year. Still, Santos has remained defiant, publicly appearing on the House floor this week as Republicans continue to debate who will serve as the next Speaker. Disparaged Congressman-elect George Santos, 34, was pictured wearing what appeared to be a $7,800 Cartier watch The Santos de Cartier watch comes with two interchangeable straps, one in stainless steel and one in blue rubber The Santos de Cartier watch comes with two interchangeable straps, one in stainless steel and one in blue rubber. Congressman-elect Santos seemed to be wearing both sporting the stainless steel one on Tuesday and the blue one on Wednesday. According to the Cartier website, the Santos watch was 'conceived by Louis Cartier in 1904 to help aviators tell time mid-flight. It says that Cartier, himself, designed the timepiece himself for his friend, Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, who was struggling to check his pocket watch while flying a plane. 'Since then, this pioneering wristwatch has became an icon, defined by its geometric dial, harmoniously cured horns and signature exposed screws.' But counterfeit ones could sell for just $150, and a luxury watch expert told Forbes 'it is impossible to be sure of the type of watch let alone its authenticity from the available photos.' On Thursday, Santos appeared to elect for the rubber blue strap for the third-consecutive day of voting for a Speaker of the House The Republican Congressman elect met with Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, on Wednesday Santos has remained defiant, publicly appearing on the House floor this week as Republicans continue to debate who will serve as the next Speaker Now, some on Twitter are speculating whether or not the fraudster actually doled out the money for the expensive watch or just bought a forgery. Mike Elmendorf, the president and CEO of a New York contractors' association, for example, said he was betting Santos bought a forgery from Battery Park. Another person added: 'In a turn many a producer would've rejected for being too on the nose, George Santos is wearing a *Santos de Cartier* watch, starting MSRP US$6,800.' And Sean Ross Collins-Sweeney, a spokesperson for New York State Sen. Anna Kaplan, said he is more interested in why Santos decided to switch his band amid ongoing debates about who will be the next Speaker. Speculation has mounted online about whether the notorious liar bought the expensive watch or simply elected to purchase a fake Santos has already admitted to using a stolen checkbook to spend roughly $1,300 at a clothing store in the Brazilian city of Niteroi back in 2008. The checkbook reportedly belonged to a man his mother worked as a nurse for in Brazil, who died a year before she spoke with police in November 2010, according to CNN. The outlet obtained court documents that claim Santos came clean to police in 2010, after previously speaking with them in 2008 and 2009 over the matter. He reportedly told police he used 'some sheets' of the checkbook and destroyed the rest. Santos' mother, the Republican reportedly told police, was in 'despair' when she asked him to return the checkbook - which he had already ruined at that point. Santos 'acknowledged having been responsible for forging the signatures on the checks, also confirming that he had destroyed the remaining checks,' the police report says. He reportedly came clean on a Brazilian social media website the following year, writing: 'I know I screwed up, but I want to pay.' But on Monday, it was revealed that Brazilian authorities revived the investigation, which was stalled for nearly 10 years after authorities in Rio de Janeiro failed to locate Santos. Santos is being investigated in Brazil for allegedly stealing a checkbook and spending roughly $1,300 in just one day back in 2008. He is pictured here sitting with Rep. Lauren Boebert Santos has claimed that he has never committed any crimes. He is pictured here Wednesday with Rep-elect Andy Ogles, of Tennessee The incoming House member has since claimed to the New York Post that he has never committed any crimes. 'I am not a criminal here not here or in Brazil or any jurisdiction in the world,' Santos said. But he has admitted to lying about being employed at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, as well as attending Baruch College and New York University. Santos was also called out for falsely claiming his grandparents were Holocaust survivors, as well as misrepresenting details about his mother's work and not disclosing that he was married to a woman until shortly before his first run for Congress in 2020. He's now being investigated by federal and state authorities over whether his lies ever broke any laws. Despite mounting controversies, he's still on Capitol Hill for the first and second days of the 118th Congress The Brazilian criminal case could be the same one referenced in an account by Santos' former lover reported in the New York Times earlier on Monday. Pedro Vilarva, who said he was 18 and Santos 26 when they began dating, accused the now-incoming lawmaker of pawning off his phone behind his back and lying about having an income. After moving in together in 2014 after just a few months of dating Vilarva described abruptly breaking off the relationship upon discovering that Santos was wanted in Brazil. DailyMail.com has reached out to Santos' lawyer for comment. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy has been silent on Santos even as a growing number of current and incoming members of their conference have distanced themselves. With just a slim 222-seat majority in the new Congress, every GOP vote is critical to his pursuit of the House Speakership. Donald Trump's updated plan to tackle the southern border crisis should he earn a second term in the White House in 2024 includes deploying the Navy to combat drug traffickers using U.S. waters to smuggle drugs into the country. The announcement released in the form of a nearly five-minute video and subsequent statement came at the same time President Joe Biden was delivering his first-ever speech dedicated solely to the southern border crisis. Trump wants to 'wage a war' on cartels and promised to restore border policies that he claims brought the drug smuggling to a 45-year low and vowed to wipe out the drug cartels, 'just as we took down ISIS'. 'Every day, drug traffickers are using the waters of our region to ship their lethal positions to America,' he said in his video posted to Truth Social. Former President Donald Trump laid out his plans to 'wage a war' on drug cartels and send the U.S. Navy to tackle drug smugglers at sea in his proposed migration policy for his 2024 campaign Fentanyl being brought across our southern border is killing Americans every single day. Joe Biden has sided with the cartels as they wage war against America. President Trump will put our country first and wage war against the cartels. pic.twitter.com/flirrVvcSA MAGA War Room (@MAGAIncWarRoom) January 5, 2023 Meanwhile, President Joe Biden also detailed on Thursday a plan to tackle migration in his first-ever speech dedicated to the southern border crisis. Vice President Kamala Harris attended the remarks The former president added: 'In addition to restoring strong border security, I will deploy all necessary military assets, including the U.S. Navy, to impose the full Naval embargo on the cartels.' Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., President Biden announced that he will continue to use COVID-19 restrictions to 'rapidly' expel border crossers. But he also said that he would allow up to 30,000 people from Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Haiti to enter the U.S. by air monthly. 'We can't stop people from making the journey,' Biden said in his Thursday remarks. 'But we can require them to come here in an orderly way under U.S. law.' Trump has a less friendly approach to migration. 'It's now time for America to wage war on the cartels,' the former president said in his video. 'In this war, Joe Biden decided against the United States and with the cartels.' Biden's plan includes flying in up to 30,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela every month to try and cut down on illegal crossings. Pictured: Migrants from Venezuela wait in line to be processed by Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas on Wednesday, January 4 Trump's plan includes sending the Navy to take down drug smugglers and cartels in the waters around the U.S. 'Biden's open border policies are a deadly betrayal of our nation,' he continued. 'When I'm president, it will be the policy of the United States to take down the cartels, just as we took down ISIS and the ISIS caliphate.' Reuters reported ahead of Biden's immigration speech Thursday the broad outlines of the White House's plan - which penalizes those who arrive on foot at the U.S.-Mexico border, but also allows asylum seekers to enter the country. 'The legal pathways that we're announcing today are generous, but at the same time there are serious consequences for circumventing them,' a senior administration official told Reuters. Biden also confirmed he will make a border stop in El Paso, Texas, Sunday, as he's due in Mexico for the 'three amigos' summit Monday and Tuesday. Biden announced a plan Thursday that will allow migrants to legally enter the U.S. through the air, hoping to cut down on the number of illegal border crossings BIDEN'S PLAN TO ADDRESS HISTORIC MIGRANT CRISIS Accept 30,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela every month Can come to the U.S. for two years if they are sponsored, have background checks and receive work authorization Expel migrants from those countries who try to cross the border illegally and impose a five-year ban on reentry Individuals from Mexico and Panama will not be eligible for parole in the U.S. Mexico has agreed to accept 30,000 expelled migrants a month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela Welcome 20,000 refugees from Latin America and Caribbean nations in 2023 and 2024 Migrants will have to set up an appointment online for appointments at border entry points U.S. giving $23 million in humanitarian assistance to Mexico and Central America Increasing funding available to border cities and those receiving an influx of migrants Advertisement Biden said the delay was due to waiting to see how the courts would treat Title 42, the COVID-19 pandemic order that allowed for quick expulsion of migrants. 'I wanted to make sure that I knew what the outcome or at least the near outcome was on Title 42 before I went down,' Biden said. Republican have called on him for months to make the trek. 'Republicans haven't been serious about this at all, come on,' the president said. Biden pushed Republicans - who took over the House majority on Tuesday, though are still without a speaker - to work with him to get new immigration laws passed. 'We need more resources to secure the border, yet again extreme Republicans have said no,' Biden complained. 'But if the extreme Republicans continue to demagogue on this issue ... I'm left with only one choice, to act on my own.' Biden had teased a trip to the border Wednesday while traveling to and from Ohio and Kentucky to tout his bipartisan infrastructure law. 'That's my intention, we're working out the details now,' he said on tarmac as he departed the Cincinnati area when asked if a border trip would be happening ahead of his meetings with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Upon landing at the White House he said he hoped to see 'peace and security' at the southern border. 'No, I'm going to see what is going on. I'm going to be making a speech tomorrow on border security and you'll hear more about it tomorrow,' he said. A seventeen-year-old A-level student died after taking an ecstasy pill for the first time at a sleepover with her friends, an inquest heard. Lila-Grace Smith took the class A drug while staying at her friend's house last summer on the evening of June 3. She was rushed to hospital after her friends called an ambulance but she could not be saved. Bradford Coroner's Court heard the amount of ecstasy in her system was 'well within' the range of levels that have been associated with deaths from taking the drug. Lila-Grace Smith, 17, died after taking ecstasy for the first time while staying at her friend's house last summer Her heartbroken mother, Emma Hargreaves, told the inquest she had warned her daughters of taking drugs because she knew someone who overdosed from ecstasy. In a statement read to the court, the mother said Ms Smith had spoken to her about her friends taking drugs but she herself had never taken any. Ms Hargreaves told the court Ms Smith was in sixth-form studying Psychology, Biology and French at North Halifax Grammar School. She also had a part-time job as a waitress and had previously taken piano lessons. Ms Smith's heartbroken mother, Emma Hargreaves, left, told the inquest she warned her daughters of taking drugs because she knew someone who overdosed from ecstasy Ms Hargreaves said: 'Lila would stay over at her friend's houses from time to time. We knew she would have a drink when she went to parties, but we weren't worried about her consuming alcohol. 'We'd just started having conversation about drugs. When I was younger, I knew someone who overdosed on ecstasy.' She added: 'Lila had met her boyfriend at primary school and they had been boyfriend and girlfriend for some time.' The inquest heard that on June 3, 2021, Ms Smith was sleeping over at a friend's house in Keighley, West Yorkshire. They had discussed going out to bars, but chose to stay in. The court heard the friends had consumed alcohol, nitrous oxide - a legal high known as 'hippy crack' - and later ecstasy. Detective Sergeant Collum Hanogue, who supervised the police investigation, said the friends had researched the effects of ecstasy earlier that evening. Ms Smith was in sixth-form studying Psychology, Biology and French at North Halifax Grammar School. She also had a part-time job as a waitress and had taken piano lessons However, he said police were unable to identify who had supplied and acquired the drug and no criminal proceedings were ongoing. He told the inquest the two girls that Ms Smith was with rang one of their boyfriends just after 11pm once Ms Smith had taken ill. The unnamed lad and three friends got in a taxi and arrived at the house at 11:20pm. Two of them put Ms Smith in the recovery position and two took the girls to another room to save her embarrassment when she came around. But when the student's condition worsened at 11:42pm, they rang 999 and administered CPR until the ambulance arrived. The student was pronounced dead at 12:45am on Saturday, June 4, 2022 after she was rushed to hospital Medics rushed Ms Smith to hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 12:45am on Saturday, June 4, the inquest heard. She was fit and healthy and had never taken the drug before, according to her family. Her mother said: 'We've got a really big family and that's what her life was based around really. I just felt heartbroken and shocked mainly. 'You just never think it would happen to you or your child.' She added: 'I think you can tell kids to not take drugs but they don't listen because they think they're invincible and that it won't happen to them.' DS Hanogue said: 'It would very much appear that all parties were aware and were willing participants.' Recording a narrative conclusion, Assistant Coroner for West Yorkshire Mary Burke said: 'This is a tragic case of the death of a young girl who had her whole life ahead of her. 'Hopefully young people out there who might hear of this report may pause and think for a minute before they take such risks.' They added: 'We have a family here who will grieve forever and a day for the loss of their loved one. Let this be a lesson, please.' Last week, one passenger filed a lawsuit against the airline over the situation The opening comes just days after Southwest canceled more than 15,000 flights Southwest Airlines is currently looking for a PR adviser Southwest Airlines is causing a storm on social media for the second time in two weeks - for posting job opening for a public relations adviser just days after the Christmas holiday flight cancellation disaster. The job is full-time and is currently accepting applications from anyone with 'entry level' experience and even includes perks like free flights and hybrid work. Despite the benefits, many on social media pointed out the obvious challenges the candidate would face with on person writing: 'I hear hell is looking for a PR director too.' In the days after Christmas, thousands of flights were canceled daily by the airline, prompting widespread outrage and even a lawsuit over the delays. Southwest Airlines is being mocked online after posting a job opening for a PR adviser The job posting comes just days after thousands were stranded across the U.S. by the Texas-based airline The Texas-based airline shared the job posting Tuesday to its LinkedIn page and has since received more than 200 applications. While some are clearly eager to jump at the potential position, others were not so keen to get in with the company, who canceled more than 15,000 flights from December 22 to December 30. 'What kind of thrillseeker do you have to be to apply for this?' asked one person. 'Couldn't pay me enough, not even in free flights,' wrote another person. The new employee will have tall orders to live up to on their first day, including having to 'respond to daily media inquiries in real-time as a Southwest Spokesperson.' They will also need to 'monitor media sentiment to inform responses and potential shift in approach,' according to the job posting. 'I would advise them for $25,000 per hour but that is my best and final!' said one person who set high standards for the person accepting the position. This is the job posting from Southwest Airlines These are just some of the responsibilities the new PR adviser has to face 'Couldn't pay me enough, not even in free flights,' said one person in regard to the job opening Among the other responsibilities of the new hire is the ability to cover media inquiries and communications concerns. 'Maintain knowledge and expertise of emerging communication trends and offer strategic counsel to adapt our tactics accordingly and ability to respond to issues and crisis events with a sense of urgency and professionalism,' the posting reads. Potential employees should also expect they may have to work outside of the traditional '8 to 5 hours' and must be willing to travel. The position also offers paid paternity and maternity leave, medical and dental, 401K, and vision insurance. The posting arrived online to some colorful commentary One Twitter user remarked they would 'hate to be doing Southwest's PR' The new hire will need to 'monitor media sentiment to inform responses and potential shift in approach,' according to the job posting Social media users have poked fun at the airline in the days since the cancelations To make matters worse, Southwest also posted a job opening early Thursday morning for a communications specialist. That employee must be willing to provide 'strategic communication counsel, development, and execution of communication plans.' The person needs to be skilled in 'understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making' and skilled in 'using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses or alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.' The positions come as the airline continues to face backlash from the nightmare which included thousands of stranded passengers and lost bags over the holiday season. The airline is also looking for a communications specialist Southwest hubs in Denver and Chicago have been hit particularly hard by the deluge of cancelations. Passengers are pictured here in Chicago on December 28 An exasperated couple is pictured here trying to find their luggage at Chicago's Midway Airport last week Southwest has apologized to customers in the days since the drama unfolded, offering frequent-flyer points and assistance with lost luggage. The company gave stranded passengers 25,000 points, which equals out to $300. 'We're doing everything we can to return to a normal operation,' said Jordan, who called the fiasco a 'giant puzzle is taking us several days to solve'. 'I know that no amount of apologies can undo your experience,' Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said in a letter. Jordan also said they are working 'with great urgency' to reimburse and process refunds. He blamed the fiasco on Southwest's unique carrier model, which relies on rolling hubs and a point-to-point network rather than the hub-and-spoke system used by other airlines. In a video statement, Jordan publicly apologized to customers and employees The postings come just one day after DailyMail.com shared the story of a passenger who is suing after his flight to Portland, Oregon was canceled last week. Eric Capdeville filed a proposed class action lawsuit against on December 30 in New Orleans federal court. Capdeville claims the airline breached its contract with passengers and owes them full refunds for their scrapped flights. He argues that under Southwest's own policy, he is entitled to a full refund, as the flight was canceled 'through no fault of his own.' A stranded passenger holds her 14-month-old daughter as she waits with family members at the Southwest terminal at the Los Angeles International Airport on December 27 The budget airline only operated one-third of its scheduled flights last week due to operational issues The Louisiana resident is now seeking damages for passengers on Southwest flights canceled since December 24. He argues in court documents obtained by DailyMail.com that Southwest's Contract of Carriage 'mandates refunds' when flights are canceled by the airline 'as well as full compensation for incurred costs and resultant cancellations.' 'Southwest's failure to provide prompt refunds for canceled flights violates not only its own Contract of Carriage, but also federal law,' the lawsuit claims. Capdeville says in the suit that he purchased two tickets from New Orleans to Portland, Oregon for himself and his daughter, which included a connecting flight to Phoenix, Arizona through Southwest. But when the day of the scheduled flight arrived, he learned of the massive cancelations on Southwest Airlines and discovered his was on the list and there were no other flights he could take. 'Despite the fact that Plaintiff could not take the flight he booked, and Defendant could not offer any comparable accommodations on another flight, Plaintiff was not given a refund, but was only offered a credit for use on a future flight. Travelers waded through the south security checkpoint in Denver International Airport last Tuesday amid the widespread cancelations A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines declined to comment on the lawsuit, but said: 'There are several high priority efforts underway to do right by our customers, including processing refunds from cancelled flights, and reimbursing customers for expenses incurred as a result of the irregular operations. 'We have a long and proud 51-year history of delivering on our Customers expectations and we are committed to the all-important imperative of taking care of them during operational disruptions.' It has previously said it would reimburse affected passengers for reasonable expenses such as last-minute hotel, rental car and dining costs, but it might take several weeks. It remains unclear whether any other passengers will join in on the class action suit. Passengers were stuck in airports across the country during the travel chaos The disruptions left thousands of passengers without their luggage. A Southwest Airlines employee is pictured looking for an unclaimed bag last Thursday Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has confirmed in recent days he has met with unions representing Southwest pilots and flight attendants, and said they told him crew members were also in a 'terrible situation.' 'They're frustrated and often stranded, and they themselves are often sleeping in airports so you have a company that's got a lot of cleaning up to do,' Buttigieg said in an interview on CNN. He noted he had also spoken with Southwest's CEO Bob Jordan, who had pledged that the airline would proactively offer hotel and restaurant vouchers for stranded passengers, many of whom had to wade through lines of luggage to find their belongings. The Department of Transportation has said it would open an investigation into 'Southwest's unacceptable rate of cancellations' and whether the airline was meeting its legal obligations to stranded customers. On December 29, Buttigieg even sent a letter to Jordan once again calling the disruptions 'unacceptable' and saying federal law requires refunds when carriers cancel flights unless passengers accept rebooking. President Joe Biden also weighed in as desperate passengers were forced to sleep in terminals surrounded by growing mounds of lost luggage. 'Thousands of flights nationwide have been canceled around the holidays. Our Administration is working to ensure airlines are held accountable,' he wrote on Twitter. Idaho murder victim Xana Kernodle received a DoorDash delivery just moments before she, her boyfriend and her two friends were murdered, according to a newly-released police affidavit. The affidavit recounting the moments Moscow Police Officer Brett Payne entered the home on Kings Street and found the four college students brutally stabbed to death says Kernodle received the food order at around 4am on the night of November 13. About 12 minutes later, Dylan Mortensen, who survived the attack, said she thought she heard Kaylee Goncalves, 21, say 'Someone's here,' but a forensic review suggests it may have just been Kernodle watching videos on TikTok at the time. Police now say Kernodle, her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20 and Madison Mogen, 21, were killed between 4am and 4.25am that night by Bryan Kohberger. Kohberger, 28, was arrested on December 30, more than a month after the quadruple homicide. He was denied bail on Thursday as new court documents revealed his DNA was found on a knife sheath lying next to the victim's bodies. Xana Kernodle, 20, received a DoorDash package just moments before she and her roommates were killed on November 13 Idaho quadruple murder suspect Bryan Kohberger applied for internship at Pullman Police Department in Washington state and wrote essay saying he wanted to help rural cops The shocking police affidavit released on Thursday details how Mortensen was awoken several times the night of November 13 before coming face-to-face with her friend's murderer. It says she was woken up for the first time at around 4am by what she thought sounded like Goncalves playing with her dog in one of the upstairs bedrooms. A short time later, she said she heard what she thought was Goncalves saying something to the effect of 'There's someone here.' But a forensic review of Kernodle's phone showed that she was awake at the time and using the TikTok app suggesting the sound may have just come from a TikTok video. Mortensen told police on the scene she looked out her window at the suggestion that there may be someone on the premises, but did not see anything. She then opened her door just a few minutes later when she thought she heard crying coming from Kernodle's room. At that point, the affidavit chillingly reveals she heard a male voice say something to the effect of 'It's ok, I'm going to help you.' By 4.17am, security cameras located just to the northwest of the home picked up distorted audio of what sounded like voices or a whimper followed by a thud. A dog could also be heard barking several times. Mortesensen said she then decided to open her door again, when she saw a man in black clothing and a mask that covered his mouth and nose walking toward her. She said the male walked past her as she stood in a 'frozen shock phase,' and walked towards the sliding glass door in the back while she locked herself inside her room. The revelations now raise further questions about the night of the murders, as cops have said they did not receive a 911 call about the quadruple homicide until about seven hours later. Kohberger, 28, is accused of murdering Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin on November 13 in the quiet, college town of Moscow, Idaho The 19-page affidavit released on Thursday revealed that Kohberger, a criminology student at Washington State University, visited the house at least 12 times before the murder and turned his phone off on the night of the killings to avoid detection. He was denied bail during a brief court appearance in Moscow. He will return to court on January 12 for a status hearing. Kohberger spent most of the 10-minute hearing looking directly at Judge Megan Marshall as she read him his rights and the five counts and answered yes when asked if he understood each count. He remained impassive throughout but briefly became agitated during the reading of the final count - the murder of Ethan Chapin for which he faces life imprisonment or the death penalty. Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger is shown in court this afternoon. He was denied bail and will return to court on January 12 Bryan Kohberger is shown in custody in Idaho. Police released their 19-page affidavit against Kohberger today ahead of his first Idaho court appearance The family of Kaylee Goncalves were also in court, with her mother shaking her head and sobbing as the homicide charge related to her daughter was read out. After the hearing, their family attorney told reporters: 'It was an emotional moment for the family seeing the defendant for the first time and the family will be in this for the long haul.' Kohberger has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of burglary for the November 13 massacre. If convicted, he is facing the death penalty for the murders of Idaho students Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. He was denied bail today during a brief court appearance in Moscow after court documents were shared online Kohberger was transferred to Idaho in order to find out what evidence prosecutors had against him A probable cause affidavit was finally made public after the quadruple murder arrest last week Police have unsealed the arrest affidavit revealing why they have pointed the finger at Bryan Kohberger more than a month after four students were slain in their beds. The explosive document shows how painstaking work by Moscow Police and the FBI tracked down the 28-year-old criminal justice graduate student. He was denied bail today during a brief court appearance in Moscow shortly after the affidavit outlining some of the case against him was shared online. The papers included details on how Kohberger's DNA was found on a knife sheath close to the bodies of Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger smiles at his attorney in court today as he is denied bail. Kohberger will return to court on January 12 However, the long-awaited revelations have brought a series of questions about the brutal slayings on November 13. DailyMail.com looks at the still missing pieces of information that court documents and hearings failed to give answers to: Why did Dylan wait SIX hours before calling 911 despite coming face to face with killer? Surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen is under pressure to reveal why she failed to call the authorities earlier despite coming face to face with a 'bushy eyebrowed' killer. The probable cause affidavit revealed that Mortensen who lived through the attack with Bethany Funke heard several scuffles throughout the night and opened her door. Mortensen told police that she saw a suspect dressed in all black with a mask covering his face and heard one of her housemates say, 'there's someone here'. Dylan Mortensen, pictured, did not call the authorities until six hours after she spotted the masked killer in the property Many are questioning why it took her so long to raise the alarm, after hearing 'crying' and coming face to face with the killer. Pictured (L-R) Dylan Mortensen, Xana Kernodle, Bethany Funke, Kaylee Goncalves and Maddie Mogen She also heard the suspect say, 'it's ok, I'm here to help you' as he wandered the house committing the atrocity. Police confirmed that a 911 call was made by one of the surviving roommates at 11:58am who requested help for an unconscious person though it has not been confirmed who spoke to police. It has raised the question of why Mortensen didn't contact authorities sooner, with some arguing that she may have been 'frozen' by fear. The roommate did not contact authorities for six hours, despite hearing several of her roommates in distress as well as witnessing the killer. Mortensen 'stated she opened her door for the third time after she heard the crying and saw a figure clad in black clothing' The court documents show that she opened her bedroom door on several occasions throughout the night Mortensen told cops she was awoken at around 4am by what sounded like victim Kaylee Goncalves, 21, 'playing with her dog' in a third floor bedroom. She said she looked out of her room but didn't see anything, looking again on second occasion when she thought Xana Kernodle was crying. Mortensen 'stated she opened her door for the third time after she heard the crying and saw a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person's mouth and nose walking towards her. After the man moved towards her she said that she remained in a 'frozen shock phase' as he continued past her but let her survive. It is not clear why both Funke and Mortensen were allowed to live, with the latter coming face to face with her housemate's killer. It has raised the question of why Mortensen didn't contact authorities sooner, with some arguing that she may have been 'frozen' by fear Mortensen, left, called the authorities with Funke at 11.58am the following day - more than six hours after the attacks Why were the four students targeted? Kohberger is accused of staking out the student home on 1122 King Road in Moscow on at least twelve occasions before the murders. Cops details his every move on the day of the killings, helped by surveillance footage of his car and cell site data from his phone. However, both the manner in which the students met their deaths and why they were targeted have been omitted from the report. A coroner's report was redacted from the affidavit, with authorities previously confirming that all four had suffered severe wounds. Best friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, pictured, were both found in a single bed together in Mogens room. it is not clear why any of the students were targeted Cops details his every move on the day of the killings, helped by surveillance footage of his car and cell site data from his phone. Kohberger allegedly staked out the property on twelve occasions before the murders One of the questions that has not been answered is why Kohberger allegedly targeted the four students and left their two roommates to live. Kohberger was tracked to the area of the home in the months leading up to the deaths by his phone, but officials have yet to confirm how he became aware of the students in the first place. The affidavit states that police made 'efforts to determine if Kohberger stalked any of the victims' before the killings. It added that they looked into if he 'conducted surveillance on the King Road Residents and was in contact with any of the victim's associates before or after the alleged offence.' However, it does not elaborate how the students came to be on the radar of the Washington State University PhD student simply that he had stalked them for a period of time in the 'early morning and late evenings'. The affidavit states that police made 'efforts to determine if Kohberger stalked any of the victims' before the killings Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were also killed during the night, thought it is unclear if the suspect was expecting anyone other than the female residents Why did he spare a dog after allegedly killing four students? One of the biggest questions raised by the killings was why the dog that Kaylee Goncalves shared with her ex-boyfriend Jack DuCoeur - was allowed to live. All of the roommates regularly shared footage online of them having fun, with Murphy featured prominently on their social media. The pooch was confirmed by Mosco Police to have survived the attack, and is now being cared for by a 'responsible person'. Murphy has since been returned to the care of Goncalves ex-boyfriend, with the pair sharing custody of the dog. Dog Murphy was spared during the slayings, with officers finding him alone in Goncalves' room Jack DuCoeur and Kaylee Goncalves, pictured, shared custody of the dog after they split up The affidavit revealed that Mortensen heard what she thought was Goncalves 'playing' with Murphy during the night. But cops say that both Goncalves and Maddie Mogen were found dead in a bedroom, while Murphy was locked in a separate room. Kohberger is understood to have been a practicing vegan, and once made his family members throw out and purchase new pans which had never touched meat. It has been speculated that he may not have seen the dog while in the property, or the killing of an animal could be linked to his vegan beliefs. Murphy was discovered in Goncalves's room by Officer Nunes of Moscow Police when police initially responded. Kaylee with her dog Murphy. Idaho police have just confirmed that Murphy was in the house when she was brutally murdered Did cops wait eight days before appealing for help with Elantra to avoid spooking 'killer'? Another question raised by the affidavit is if police were concerned about spooking alleged killer Kohberger into fleeing after linking a vehicle seen at the crime scene to him. Police tracked down a white Hyundai Elantra which appeared to be fleeing the scene, with a Washington State University officer spotting the car when trawling through footage. According to the affidavit, officers became aware of the vehicle a few days after the killings and linked it back to Kohberger on November 29th. Initially, Moscow Police asked law enforcement to be on the lookout on November 25th, with Officer Tiengo locating Kohberger's vehicle. Moscow Police Department appealed for more information about the vehicle after they had linked it to Kohberger Police were on the hunt for Kohberger's white Hyundai Elantra, which officials began tracking in November after identifying that it was in the area of the killings However, officers did not issue an appeal to help trace the vehicle until December 7th, in which they asked for information relating to the 'occupants of a white 2011 to 2013 Hyundai Elantra'. Moscow Police added that they believed that the 'occupant(s) of this vehicle may have critical information to share regarding this case'. But they already had linked the car back to Kohberger, as one of the few vehicles matching the description in the area. The post added: 'At this time, no suspect has been identified and only vetted information that does not hinder the investigation will be released to the public.' It is also unclear if the use of the word 'occupant(s)' was deliberate in order to make Kohberger believe that they were unaware of how many people were in the vehicle. Police believe that Kohberger deliberately tried to hide his location during the murders Where is the murder weapon? Chief of Moscow Police James Fry confirmed when they announced they had arrested Kohberger in connection with the murders that they were still looking for the knife used. He appealed for information regarding the whereabouts of the murder weapon, which was not found despite a sheath being discovered at the scene. Kohberger's DNA was found on the snap button enclosure of a knife sheath found at the murder scene. The sheath is described as 'tan leather' with the USMC (United States Marines Corps) and 'KA-BAR' insignia stitched on its exterior. The documents describe a tan, leather knife sheath with a button snap and 'KA-BAR' and USMC' insignias being found at the scene Police investigating the murders were seen in a desperate conversation with garbage men who collected trash from the home It was discovered on a single bed next to the bodies of Mogen and Goncalves who had been stabbed multiple times. The location of the murder weapon is a question that has baffled cops since the murders took place in November. Police were seen collecting the contents of trash cans close to the slightly run-down gray-paneled home as part of the search for the 'edged weapon' they believe was used in the killings. The trash was taken to a local garbage depot where hazmat-suited cops were seen sifting through garbage bags in a screened-off shed. However, cops allowed a garbage truck filled with trash to collect a dumpster from the house where the four University of Idaho students were knifed to death before it had been searched. The error made the search for the knife used in the gruesome attack that much more difficult. Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show cops in a desperate conversation with garbage men from Inland North Waste which eventually resulted in hazmat-suited officers having to search the full contents of the truck. Moscow, Idaho, police allowed a trash can that was outside the murder scene to be collected before searching it, causing the contents to be mixed up with the neighbors' trash The trash was taken to a local garbage depot where hazmat-suited cops were seen sifting through garbage bags in a screened-off shed Did the killer work alone? Authorities are still appealing for anyone with information on the alleged killer or the quadruple murders to get in touch. Chief of Moscow Police James Fry refused to rule out that the killer had an accomplice, during a press conference when he confirmed Kohberger had been arrested. However, he added: 'We have an individual in custody who committed these horrible crimes.' When appealing for more information on the white Hyundai, police used the word 'occupant(s)' in an apparent bid to not rule out Kohberger working with another person. Officers also said in the days after the murders that there was 'no threat' to the wider community before backtracking on the comments. Police have consistently claimed that the attack appeared to have been targeted but have refused to say why or if they believe Kohberger had help. They were also quick to rule out other potential suspects but have never publicly said they think that only one person killed the four students. Details of motive and accomplice are expected to come out at trial - if Kohberger denies the allegations. Police have consistently claimed that the attack appeared to have been targeted but have refused to say why or if they believe Kohberger had help Bryan Kohberger has appeared in court in Moscow where he was formally charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students - less than an hour after explosive police case files revealed he visited the area around their home 12 times before the murder. Kohberger, 28, wore an orange jumpsuit emblazoned with 'Latah County' for the brief hearing and remained impassive as the charges - four counts of first degree murder and one of burglary - were read out. He spent most of the 10-minute hearing looking directly at Judge Megan Marshall as she read him his rights and the five counts and answered 'yes' when asked if he understood each count. Kohberger remained impassive throughout but briefly became agitated during the reading of the final count - the murder of Ethan Chapin for which he faces life imprisonment or the death penalty. He later smiled at his defense attorney. Bryan Kohberger, 28, wore an orange jumpsuit emblazoned with 'Latah County' for the brief hearing and remained impassive as the charges - four counts of first degree murder and one of burglary - were read out. He later smiled at his defense attorney Kohberger spent most of the 10-minute hearing looking directly at Judge Megan Marshall as she read him his rights and the five counts and answered 'yes' when asked if he understood each count The hearing concluded with Kohberger being denied bond and Judge Marshall setting a status conference for January 12 when a decision on whether to hold a rapid preliminary hearing will be made Kohberger, 28, is accused of murdering Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin on November 13 in the quiet, college town of Moscow, Idaho The family of Kaylee Goncalves were also in court, with her mother shaking her head and sobbing as the homicide charge related to her daughter was read out. The hearing concluded with Kohberger being denied bond and Judge Marshall setting a status conference for January 12 when a decision on whether to hold a rapid preliminary hearing will be made. Kohberger, who is now back in his cell at the Latah County Jail, was also banned from contacting the victims' families or the two surviving roommates. Speaking outside court, Shanon Gray, the attorney for the Goncalves family, said: 'It was an emotional moment for the family seeing the defendant for the first time and the family will be in this for the long haul.' The appearance came shortly after Latah County released an affidavit containing new details about the investigation - including Kohberger's frequent visits to the area around the murdered students home, that he was seen by a roommate and that his DNA was found on a brown leather sheath for a Ka-Bar knife left next to the bodies of victims Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21. The affidavit also notes that Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle, 20, were found on the second floor, with Xana discovered slumped over on the floor of her bedroom. According to the document, surviving roommates Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke did hear something of what happened, with Mortensen telling cops she heard Goncalves say 'there's someone here' at approximately 4am. Ten minutes later, she heard a thud and crying from Xana's room and a male voice saying 'it's ok, I'm going to help you'. At 4.17am, a dog was captured barking loudly on a neighbor's security camera. Around the same time, Mortensen said she opened her bedroom door again and saw a tall male with bushy eyebrows leaving through the sliding glass doors at the back of the home. She described how she had been 'frozen in shock' as the black-clad male walked towards her and said she locked herself in her room after he left. A shoe print was later found outside her door. The explosive police affidavit released today also reveals that Kohberger's white Hyundai Elantra was captured on camera repeatedly near the scene before being seen driving rapidly away from the home towards Pullman at approximately 4.20am. Pictured: The home in Moscow, Idaho where four University of Idaho students were killed The family of victim Kaylee Goncalves leave Latah County Court in Moscow Idaho after Bryan Kohberger was formally charged. Speaking outside court, Shanon Gray, the attorney for the Goncalves family, said: 'It was an emotional moment for the family seeing the defendant for the first time and the family will be in this for the long haul' The affidavit also reveals that Kohberger's white Hyundai Elantra was captured on camera repeatedly near the scene before being seen driving rapidly away from the home towards Pullman at approximately 4.20am. Police rapidly connected the vehicle to Kohberger and noted the similarity between his appearance and Mortensen's description of the intruder at the rental home. The dramatic new developments come less than a week after Kohberger was apprehended on December 30 at his family's home in the Poconos Mountains of Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, Kohberger agreed to be extradited to Idaho following a brief hearing and touched down at the Pullman-Moscow airport on Wednesday evening. The 28-year-old PhD criminology student made the lengthy journey in a Pilatus PC-12 turboprop plane accompanied by Pennsylvania State Police troopers - landing around 6.30pm local time. On Tuesday, Kohberger agreed to be extradited to Idaho following a brief hearing and touched down at the Pullman-Moscow airport on Wednesday evening. He is pictured in his mugshot after being booked in Idaho Kohberger was then taken in a police convoy to the Latah County Jail 15 minutes away and booked in to the facility at 6.44pm, according to the jail roster. A new mugshot accompanying the listing shows him seated inside the jail building, dressed in an orange top and sweatpants and staring impassively at the camera. Kohberger has insisted he had nothing to do with the savage knife slayings of students Madison, Kaylee, Xana and Ethan, and is expected to plead not guilty. The 28-year-old had previously told his lawyers in Pennsylvania he was 'surprised' to have been arrested and said he is 'looking forward to being exonerated' when the case goes to trial. Police have released a bombshell affidavit laying out their initial case against murder suspect Bryan Kohberger. The 28-year-old has been formally charged with the murders of Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin on November 13 in Moscow, Idaho. He has been held on bail and will reappear in court on January 12. In affidavit released on Thursday, it describes where the officer first on the scene found the bodies of the murder victims, and discovered a leather knife sheath on the bed of two of the victims. Kohberger's DNA was discovered on the button of the knife sheath, and genealogy experts matched it to samples from trash taken outside his parents' home in Pennsylvania. The affidavit also lays out how the 28-year-old PHD criminology student stalked the victims' home at least 12 times, and details his movement through cellphone pings on the night of the murders. Read the full affidavit: Republican Rep.-elect Dan Bishop of North Carolina accused opponents of 'grotesque, racist' rhetoric after a Democratic lawmaker called black Rep.-elect Byron Donalds a 'prop' by arch conservatives who are backing him for House speaker. Bishop tore into Democrats on the House floor on Thursday while making a nominating speech for Donalds, who burst into the limelight Wednesday after a group of GOP rebels fell behind him as their alternate candidate for speaker in their battle against Rep.-elect Kevin McCarthy. Democratic Rep.-elect Cori Bush of Missouri tweeted that Donalds was a 'prop' whose candidacy upholds 'white supremacy,' drawing rebukes from both Donalds and Bishop. 'I've spent a good bit of time with Mr. Donalds, especially lately. He ain't no prop!' Bishop said, to applause from Republicans who gathered to try once again to elect a speaker. Rep.-elect Dan Bishop (R-NC) said Rep.-elect Byron Donalds 'ain't no prop,' and blasted Rep.-elect Cori Bush, who suggested he was. A group of arch conservatives including Bishop have been voting for Donalds for speaker while resisting Kevin McCarthy's bid 'I know Byron... He's a man of personal conviction,' he said of the second-term lawmaker from Florida. Incoming House minority leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York avoided directly responding to a question about it during a press conference Thursday. Bishop had earlier made the same point on Fox News. 'Thats so unbecoming... it's time to get past some things that we have been doing for far too long and now is a great time to do it,' he said. Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida fired back at Democratic Rep. Cori Bush for suggesting he was a 'prop' in the speaker race because he supports white supremacy. Democrats cheered for Rep.-elect Hakeem Jeffries of New York when Bishop said the House 'could have nominated the first black speaker of the House of Representatives' There was a nod to racial politics in Bishop's earlier remarks. 'Yesterday, we could have nominated the first black speaker of the House of Representatives,' he began. That got Democrats on their feet and shouting out 'Hakeem!' as they rallied around their own leader, who is the first African American to lead either party in the House or Senate. Democrats have pointedly noted that Jeffries continues to get the highest vote totals for speaker amid the GOP split. Rep.-elect Chip Roy of Texas mentioned race when he nominated Donalds on the floor Wednesday, referencing Dr. Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech. 'We do not seek to judge people by the color of their skin, but rather the content of their character,' he said. The defense came after Donalds himself fired back at Bush for suggesting he was a 'prop.' The Florida congressman-elect said, 'nobody asked' the Squad member for her opinion, asked her for a policy debate and told her not to be a 'crab in a barrel.' When announcing the nomination in the first round, Roy noted the historic nature of having two black candidates for House Speaker. It came after Democrat Rep. Pete Aguilar of California nominated Jeffries for the gavel multiple times. It earned a standing ovation from both sides of the House chamber - but Bush was not moved. 'He is a prop,' Bush, who is also black, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon. Bush dismissed the enthusiasm around the historic nature of Rep. Byron Donalds' nomination for House Speaker Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida responds to Democratic Rep. Cori Bush's comments that he was a 'prop' for the Republicans 'Despite being Black, he supports a policy agenda intent on upholding and perpetuating white supremacy. His name being in the mix is not progressit's pathetic.' 'Nobody asked Cori Bush her opinion on the matter. Before you judge my agenda, let's have a debate over the policies and the outcomes. Until then, don't be a crab in a barrel!' Donalds responded. Donalds was also asked about Bush's comments during an appearance on Fox Business on Thursday morning and said: Man, that sucked, man, to be honest with you, man ... If you see a Black man rising, let the man rise, even if you don't agree with him.' Former GOP Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia slammed Bush's comments as racist. 'Congresswoman, this is racism, and you should be held accountable. It's disgraceful, disgusting, and dishonorable,' Collins replied to the post. Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee said, '[I]f you can't disagree with your colleague...without accusing him of racism, you might be part of the problem.' Asked by DailyMail.com about his reaction to Donald Trump supporting McCarthy, Donalds - a supporter of the ex-president himself - brushed off the high-profile backer. 'President Trump has been in that position for several months. Knowing President Trump, he doesn't change his mind,' Donalds began. 'That's all well and good, but the members are going to decide this process. And you know, that's, that's no disrespect at all to President Trump. That's just the reality of the House.' Donalds joined the GOP rebellion on the third round, by which point, McCarthy's critics had all coalesced around GOP Rep. Jim Jordan, who has repeatedly said he does not want the gavel. Then on Wednesday, Donalds was nominated by Texas Rep. Chip Roy in the first round and Boebert in the second round. He told reporters on Wednesday that he did not 'actually' desire the Speakership, adding, 'I really never came here to try to be in leadership.' House Republicans have been in disarray, and without a majority leader, since January 3 The lack of leadership has produced multiple heated moments on the House floor between GOP members for and against Rep. Kevin McCarthy 'But I also understand that, you know, part of my responsibility is to make sure that our conference gets to a point where we are doing the things in an effective and constructive way.' Unlike Jordan, however, who also said he did not want the role he was being nominated for on Tuesday - Donalds has voted for himself in all three rounds on Wednesday. Donalds originally supported McCarthy but has since called for more discussions and meetings for his party to work out a compromise. However, he told reporters that the fight may not be over yet for the current House GOP chief. 'I don't think we're there at this point,' he said when asked if McCarthy should step aside. 'I think there's a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all, you know, to a close.' 'But I'm not going to speak for Kevin, and that's something that he and his team got to figure out.' State Department Press Secretary Ned Price is seen speaking during a daily press briefing at the department in Washington on Jan. 4 in this captured image. Yonhap The United States is concerned about North Korea's disregard of a tension-reduction agreement it signed with South Korea in 2018, a state department official said Wednesday. "We are concerned about the DPRK's apparent disregard of the 2018 comprehensive military agreement, and we call on it to end its irresponsible and escalatory behavior," department press secretary Ned Price said during a daily press briefing. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered his aides to consider suspending the inter-Korean agreement on Wednesday (Seoul time), after North Korea sent five spy drones across the heavily-fortified inter-Korean border last week in what Seoul has called a clear violation of the 2018 agreement. Experts are airing concerns that deep-pocketed billionaires will soon be able to use their vast wealth to increase their lifespans - allowing them additional time to add to their billions. The scary hypothesis - which seems like something out of a science fiction novel - has been laid by an increasing amount of scientists in recent years, amid recent strides in anti-aging science. Long just a pipe dream, the concept of a modern-day Methuselah - the biblical grandfather of Noah who lived to 969 - is becoming more and more likely. That said, the concept of a driven mogul like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates being blessed with an ever-lasting lifespan is not so appealing to some. Included in that camp is bioethicist Christopher Wareham, who believes such advances could 'exacerbate all the kinds of existing inequalities that we have' already. Experts are airing concerns that deep-pocketed billionaires such as Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates will soon be able to use their vast wealth to increase their lifespans - allowing them additional time to add on to their billions Bioethicist Christopher Wareham, who studies aging at Utrecht University in the Netherlands warns that such advances could 'exacerbate all the kinds of existing inequalities that we have' Speaking to The Financial Times Monday, Wareham - a professor at Utrecht University in the Netherlands - stated that while scientists now have a better handle on what causes us to get old, solutions such as cell-flushing vaccines and pricey, cure-all pills will remain out reach for the everyman. 'Suppose, for example, we had a kind of vaccine for the pandemic of age,' Wareham, who studies the ethics of aging, told The Times. 'This is going to potentially exacerbate all the kinds of existing inequalities that we have. He warned that such advances could create further disparity in an already divided nation. 'The longer you're around, the more your wealth compounds,' Wareham said. 'And the wealthier you are, the more political influence you have.' Long just a dream, the concept of a modern-day Methuselah (pictured) - the biblical figure who lived to 969 - is becoming more and more likely as advances in anti-aging continue to be made Wareharm is not alone in his concerns - as figures such as Bezos, 58, Israeli entrepreneur Yuri Milner, and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin Funnel money into ventures meant to make deaths before 100 a thing of the past. Other, older funders include Gates, 67, Richard Branson, 67, and Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, 80, who have all provided prominent financial backup to companies investigating how to lengthen lives in recent years. Progress, however, has been somewhat slow until - that is, until relatively recently, where breakthroughs in understanding what causes the aging process, such as damage to our DNA and proteins that misbehave because of outside alterations, have been gleaned by scientists in their quest for the proverbial fountain of youth. Researchers in Cambridge, for instance, have successfully reprogrammed skin cells from people aged 38 and 53 - something scientists say could make them 'younger' by 30 years. Google co-founders (from left) Sergey Brin Funnel and Larry Page are among several billionaires to throw money at ventures meant to increase humans' life spans The method rewinds the ageing clock further than previous reprogramming methods without damaging the cells. Researchers say they are even able partly to restore functions that have been lost in older cells. While the research is still in its early stages, the findings could eventually revolutionize regenerative medicine, especially if it can be replicated in other cell types and other tissues in the body, the researchers claim. Another class treatments being billed as breakthrough by age scientists is 'senolytics,' which targets aged cells that biologists have tabbed as 'senescent cells' that seem to accumulate in our bodies as we age. Scientists have recently discovered that cells seem to drive the aging process - causing cancer and other disorders that become increasingly prevalent as we age. Another class treatments being billed as breakthrough by age scientists is 'senolytics,' which targets aged cells that biologists have tabbed as 'senescent cells' that seem to accumulate in our bodies as we age The method rewinds the ageing clock further than previous reprogramming methods without damaging the cells. This image, taken from an electron microscope, shows an individual cell In studies involving animals, the removal of these cells, scientist have found, seems to slow the process down - with some positing that it could perhaps even reverse it. Currently, there are more than two dozen companies looking for safe and effective ways to get rid of these cells in people - the biggest being Unity Biotechnology, which was founded by Mayo Clinic scientists who have successfully used the treatments on mice The company, which started only last year, has already raised hundreds of millions of high-profile investors including Bezos, one of its top backers. While promising, the treatment remains experimental and largely inaccessible to most, though scientists like Wareham and Nir Barzilai - the director of the Institute for Aging Research at New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine - are saying that thanks to advances over the past year, humans may be able to undergo the treatment by the end of the year. Other, older funders include Richard Branson, 67, and Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whom have all provided prominent financial backup to companies investigating how to lengthen lives 'We are done with hope and promise. We are at the point between having promise and realising it,' The Israeli-American scientist told The Financial Times this week, as other remain similarly hopeful. Andrew Steele, a computational biologist and author of a new book on longevity, told DailMail.com that there is no biological reason humans can't reach the age of 200. He believes the big breakthrough will come in the form of drugs that remove 'zombie cells' in the body, which are thought to be one of the main culprits of tissue and organ decay as we age. Pills that flush these cells out of the body are already in human trials in and could be on the market in as little as 10 years, according to Steele, who believes Americans could make it to 150 with the help of the drugs. Another field in particular that piques the interest of anti-aging scientists is the study of DNA of reptiles and other cold-blooded animals. Michigan State University experts have begun studying dozens different types of long-living reptiles and amphibians including crocodiles, salamanders and turtles that can live as long as 120 years. The team hope they will uncover 'traits' that can also be targeted in humans. Some experts, meanwhile, think that eradicating the big killers - cancer, dementia and heart disease - could be the true key to longevity. Others, such Warharm, have grappled with the ethical side of scientists' search for an answer to the age-old question of aging, with Chief Executive of longevity nonprofit Hevolution Foundation Mehmood Khan, for example, telling The Times that his organization is only funding products that can be 'democratized' and made available to the masses. 'If this is going to be a gazillion-dollars' worth of treatment for a handful of people, it is of no interest.' A man was crushed to death when he became stuck between the doors of a freight elevator in downtown Los Angeles. Authorities identified the man as Francisco Orduno Mota, 68, of Los Angeles. Mota was found dead by the second-floor elevator doors at the back of the six-story building just before noon on Wednesday. It remains unclear exactly when the accident occurred. The Los Angeles Fire Department said Mota was 'discovered deceased, trapped,' and that paramedics were called in to extricate him. He was an employee at the building, located on the 800 block of South Broadway. Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a member of the Democratic leadership, announced Thursday that she will not run for a fifth term in 2024, a surprise decision that opens up a seat in the key battleground state. Stabenow's impending retirement turns Michigan's next Senate race into one of the most competitive in the country as Democrats try to preserve their slim majority. 'Inspired by a new generation of leaders, I have decided to pass the torch in the U.S. Senate. I am announcing today that I will not seek reelection and will leave the U.S. Senate at the end of my term on January 3, 2025,' Stabenow said in a statement. Among the Democrats whose names began circulating after Stabenow's announcement are 40-year-old Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary who ran for president in 2020 and moved from Indiana to northern Michigan last year to be closer to his husband's family; 46-year-old Elissa Slotkin, a congresswoman first elected in 2018 and coming off a decisive victory in November in one of the country's most competitive House districts; and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, 36, who has seen her profile rise since going viral with a speech denouncing Republicans over 'grooming' accusations. Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a member of the Democratic leadership, announced Thursday that she will not run for a fifth term in 2024, a surprise decision that opens up a seat in the key battleground state Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (left) would be eligible to run for the seat as he relocated to Michigan from Indiana to be closer to husband Chasten's family, while Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin (right) is also being eyed for the seat The news shocked many Democrats in the state because the 72-year-old Stabenow had not previously indicated that she would not seek reelection. Democrats will face a test to find a candidate with Stabenow's broad support. On the GOP side, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which works to elect Republicans, said in a statement after Stabenow's announcement that it would 'aggressively target this seat in 2024.' While the current political climate in Michigan favors Democrats following a midterm election where they flipped the state House and Senate, the state is still expected to be one of the nation's premier battlegrounds in the 2024 presidential election. Only one Michigan Republican, has held a seat in the Senate in the past 40 years. Buttigieg said in a statement that he was 'fully focused' on his Cabinet post and was 'not seeking any other job.' State Sen. Mallory McMorrow has been mentioned by Democrats as a potential replacement for Sen. Debbie Stabenow Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has been mentioned as a possible future White House candidate and was just sworn in Sunday for a second term, issued a statement in which she ruled out a potential Senate run and reaffirmed that she would stay in office for the next four years. On the Republican side, names that surfaced include John James, who was elected to Congress in November after losing Senate races to Stabenow in 2018 and Democrat Gary Peters in 2020; Tom Barrett, a former state representative defeated by Slotkin last year; and former Rep. Fred Upton, the longest-serving member of the congressional delegation before he decided not to run in 2022 after voting to impeach then-President Donald Trump over the Capitol riot. Candice Miller, a former congresswoman and Michigan secretary of state, is 'seriously considering' a bid, according to former chief of staff Jamie Roe. Stabenow joined Congress in 1996 after serving in the Michigan Legislature. In 2000, she made history by becoming the first woman to be elected senator in Michigan, defeating one-term Republican Sen. Spence Abraham. She turned back GOP challenges in 2006 and 2012 and defeated James by 6.5 percentage points in her last election in 2018. Stabenow is the longest-serving member of the states congressional delegation. She is chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, making her the No. 3 ranking party leader, and heads the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. Stabenow most recently has been involved in bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing oversight of cryptocurrencies. She has also led efforts to expand and increase funding for mental health care both nationally and in Michigan. Praise for Stabenow began pouring in after her retirement announcement. Democratic Gary Peters, the state's junior senator who has served with Stabenow since 2015, said she would leave a legacy 'as a champion for children, women and families, workers, manufacturing and our auto industry, mental health care and the Great Lakes.' Buttigieg said Stabenow was 'a force in the Senate' while McMorrow called her a 'trailblazer.' 'No one has been more instrumental in building the infrastructure of the Michigan Democratic Party to this historic moment were in today,' McMorrow said. Britain, France and Germany are considering sending tanks and armoured vehicles to Ukraine as Russia and Vladimir Putin continue to wage war. Speaking at a press conference following a meeting with his German counterpart today, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly claimed tanks 'may well be part' of future support for Ukraine - though did not commit to a timeframe. France's Defence Ministry has also said it plans talks soon with its Ukrainian counterpart on delivering armoured combat vehicles to help Kyiv's troops beat back Russian forces, promising to send AMX-10 RC light tanks. It comes as the United States and Germany today announced yet another military aid package to support Kyiv in the face of Russian aggression. The US package is said to include up to 50 Bradley M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) - an armoured vehicle equipped with a powerful anti-tank gun. The Germans will also send Marder armored vehicles and a state-of-the-art Patriot missile air defence system, with each country offering training. Britain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, left, and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock attend a press conference after their first UK-Germany Strategic Dialogue meeting on January 5, 2023 in London, England U.S. soldiers on M2 Bradley armoured vehicles take part during the Warrior Strike VIII exercise at the Rodriguez Range on September 19, 2017 in Pocheon, South Korea. A new U.S. military aid package will see dozens of Bradleys sent to Ukraine World leaders condemn Russia's 'hypocritical' call for ceasefire as Biden accuses Vladimir of 'seeking oxygen': Click HERE to read more Vladimir Putin (pictured today) has ordered a temporary ceasefire in the war in Ukraine to allow people to mark Orthodox Christmas, Russian media has reported Advertisement Pushed on whether the UK would join other nations in sending armoured fighting vehicles to Ukraine, Mr Cleverly said: 'We have been providing the kind of military equipment that is able to put a decisive... punch against Russian targets at range. 'We will continue to speak with the Ukrainians about what they need for the next phase of their self-defence and we will continue working with our international partners about ensuring that we provide that. 'Tanks might well be part of that. Where they come from, which allies provide them, is something that of course we are working on in co-ordination with each other. 'The way we have supported the Ukrainians has evolved as the conflict has evolved, and we will continue to evolve our support to ensure that it is effective and we will continue to work with our allies to make sure that support is co-ordinated.' Mr Cleverly was speaking at a press conference at Lancaster House after a meeting with German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock. Mr Cleverly said he and Ms Baerbock 'recommitted ourselves to our unwavering support for Ukraine in their fight against Russia's illegal and barbaric invasion, and we committed to holding Russia accountable for its atrocities'. The U.S. meanwhile will send Ukraine nearly $3 billion in military aid in a massive new package that will for the first time include several dozen Bradley fighting vehicles, U.S. officials said Thursday. The United States today announced yet another multi-billion dollar military aid package to support Kyiv in the face of Russian aggression would be unveiled on Friday (U.S. President Joe Biden is pictured today, Jan 5) The Bradley fighting vehicles to be provided to Ukraine are medium-armored combat vehicles that can serve as a fortified troop carrier on the battlefield Biden's decision to send Bradley IFVs to Ukraine is one step short of delivering Abrams battle tanks, which have long been one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' most sought after pieces of hardware (U.S. Army M1A1 Abrams tank fires during NATO enhanced Forward Presence battle group military exercise Crystal Arrow 2021) Germany will also follow the United States in sending a state-of-the-art Patriot missile system to Ukraine to help ward off Russian air attacks (German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is pictured) The aid - totaling about $2.85 billion - is the largest in a series of packages of military equipment that the Pentagon has pulled from its stockpiles to send to Ukraine. It is aimed at getting as much to the Ukrainian forces as possible during the winter months, before spring sets in and an expected increase in fighting begins. An announcement is expected Friday, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the package have not been publicly announced. The Bradley fighting vehicles are medium-armored combat vehicles that can serve as a fortified troop carrier on the battlefield. Manufactured by BAE Systems, the Bradleys have been used as a staple by the U.S. Army to carry troops around battlefields since the mid-1980s. It has tracks rather than wheels, but is lighter and more agile than a tank. It can carry about 10 personnel, and is seen as a critical way to move troops safely into battle. While the armored vehicles being sent are not tanks, the Bradleys provide 'a level of firepower and armor that will bring advantages on the battlefield,' Pentagon spokesman General Pat Ryder said. 'It's not a tank, but it's a tank killer,' Ryder told reporters. 'We're confident that it will aid them on the battlefield,' he said. Germany will also follow the United States in sending a state-of-the-art Patriot missile system to Ukraine to help ward off Russian air attacks. Biden's move, however, is short of sending Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, which has long been one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' top requests. In this file photo taken on March 25, 2014 German soldiers stand to attention in front of a German Patriot missile launcher at the Gazi barracks in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey on March 25, 2014. - Germany will follow the US in providing a Patriot missile defence system to Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Joe Biden said in a joint statement following talks on January 5, 2023 Ukrainian servicemen ride a tank, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in the village of Torske, Donetsk region, Ukraine December 30, 2022 Emergency service workers extinguish a fire after shelling on the Bakhmut frontline in Ivanivske, Ukraine as Russia-Ukraine war continues on January 2 Also included in the aid package will be HUMVEES, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, or MRAPs, and a large amount of missiles and other ammunition. The aid comes on the heels of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's dramatic visit to Washington last month, when he slipped secretly out of his war-torn nation for the first time to thank America and predict that 2023 would be a 'turning point' in the conflict. In urging more support for his country's war effort, he told Congress, 'Your money is not charity,' and instead is 'an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.' Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials have pressed Western leaders to provide more advanced weapons, including armored vehicles and Patriot missile batteries. The $1.85 billion aid package last month included for the first time a Patriot battery, the most advanced surface-to-air missile system the West has provided to Ukraine in the war effort. It also provided an undisclosed number of Joint Direct Attack Munitions kits, to modify massive bombs by adding tail fins and precision navigation systems so they can be guided to a target. Surveillance video captured the terrifying moment when a child tumbled out of a moving car and landed in a split on a busy Iowa highway. The passenger, who authorities say is a minor, appeared to be trapped in the painful position as a semi-truck is seen slamming on breaks to avoiding hitting them. It happened around 11:20 a.m. Tuesday morning, on I-35 near Des Moines, Iowa, WHO13 reported. At the time of the incident, the youngster was seated in the backseat and had tried to exit the moving car for unknown reasons when they fell onto the payment, the Iowa Department of Transportation told The New York Post. Surveillance video captured the terrifying moment when a young passenger tumbled out of a moving car and landed in a split on a busy Iowa highway on Tuesday The passenger, whose name, age and gender has not been shared, was rushed to a local hospital where they were treated for minor injuries. The wild video shows as the car approached the exit from I-35 southbound to I-80/35 westbound, quickly slowed to a stop, as the passenger tumbled out. The driver got out to assist the passenger in the middle of the highway as vehicles, including a semi truck, screeched to a stop near the two people. Neither the driver or the passenger have been identified. It's unclear why the passenger tried to exit the vehicle. The passenger, who authorities say is a minor, appeared to be trapped in the painful position as a semi-truck is seen slamming on breaks to avoiding hitting them New York City faces an 'enormous public health calamity' as nurses at Mount Sinai hospitals plan strikes which could see gravely-ill babies moved elsewhere and ambulances turned away. Seven private hospitals - Montefiore, Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside and West, Maimonides, BronxCare, Richmond University Medical Center and Flushing Hospital Medical Center - are on notice for a potential strike that will start on January 9th if new contract agreements are not met. With the clock ticking the looming strike could put already crowded hospitals - that are already in the midst of a 'tridemic' - COVID-19, the flu, and RSV - into full crisis mode that could have a grave impact on patient care. As nurses demand safe staffing, fair wages, no cuts to their benefits, better health and safety precautions, and community benefits. Mount Sinai Health Systems outlined in a memo that they are canceling elective surgeries and discharging patients who are medically cleared. They will also divert a majority of ambulances from four of its facilities, and transfer the sick babies in the neonatal unit to a different facility if the walkout does happen. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) has as many as 12,000 members threatened to strike at seven hospitals where their contracts expired on December 31, 2022. Pictured are dozens of nurses who are demanding that a new deal be made including safe stating, fair wages, no cuts to benefit and better health and safety protections and community benefits Evan L. Flatow (pictured) is President of Mount Sinai West, one of the hospitals that faces having to severely curtail its services if strikes do go ahead New York State Nurses Association president Nancy Hagans said. ''Nurses feel abandoned and disrespected by their bosses,' she said. 'We held the hands of dying patients, set up last FaceTime calls so dying patients could say goodbye to their loved ones.' On Thursday, the union announced that a tentative deal was struck with Maimonides and Richmond, but negotiations with five other hospitals are still pending. A total of 10,000 nurses have given notice they will strike on Monday at those remaining hospitals if contract agreements are not reached. According to the NYSNA all contracts have different language regarding their care practices, wages, and staffing. On Thursday, the New York State Nurses Association released a joint statement with Maimonides on the tentative agreement reached for the 1,300 nurses on staff. 'We are pleased to reach a tentative agreement that recognizes the essential contributions of our indispensable nursing staff,' the statement read. 'We believe this agreement is fair and respects the needs of all parties while also helping us better serve our patients. We look forward to continuing our productive relationship so we can meet the needs of our patients, community, and staff here at Maimonides.' A memo that was sent to staff from hospital leadership and obtained by News 4 said that Mount Sinai Health System made note that most issues in the ongoing negotiations have been worked out, but not all, and time is of the essence. 'To do what is best for our patients, we have no choice but to proceed with our strike planning,' the memo said which outlined the steps that would be taken. This included diverting ambulances from Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai West, Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai Beth Israel Cancelling any elective surgeries, and scheduling only emergency surgeries at the main and Morningside facilities are also on the cards In addition to discharging 'as many patients as appropriate' and shifting services - inpatient care at the main and West facilities, and emergency and child psychiatry at the Morningside campus. A Mount Sinai source told the news outlet there were more than 50 NICU babies on site- that number was slightly below the maximum capacity of 64- as of Thursday morning. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) has as many as 12,000 members threatened to strike at seven hospitals where their contracts expired on December 31, 2022. Ten days ago, the union notified management of their strike. The union said members are upset about staffing ratios at the local hospitals, contract proposals that they feel dramatically worsen their own healthcare benefits. Nurses were also angered by Mayor Eric Adams' recent move to forcibly hospitalize psychiatric patients, New York 4 New previously reported. 'Instead of working with us for a fair contract that will attract and keep nurses at the bedside, our bosses have been fighting against us, engaging in unfair and unlawful behavior, trying to silence our voices on safe staffing, and interfering with our union rights,' according to an NYSNA statement. Ken Raske of the Greater New York Hospital Association previously told NBC New York that if the strike occurs 'it could be an enormous public health calamity.' Nancy Hagans, RN, CCRN (pictured) became the new president of the New York State Nurses Association, the oldest nurses' union and association in the nation representing more than 42,000 registered nurses across the state in July 2021 A photo of the entrance of Mount Sinai in Manhattan One of the nurses that is preparing to strike speaks about what is needed for a resolution A spokesperson for Mount Sinai said in a statement on Monday that their bargaining teams 'continue to make good-faith efforts to pursue a contract with NYSNA that is fair to our community and responsible with respect to the long-term financial health of our organization. Mount Sinai nurses deserve the best possible working environment, wages, and benefits, and we're tirelessly pursing these to all our employees' advantage.' The statement added that the hospital system is 'prepared for staffing changes, and we will do our best to ensure our patients' care is not disrupted and will do everything possible to minimize inconvenience to patients.' The average salary for nurses in New York is $93,000 and $98,000 in New York City, the nurses union and the GNYHA confirmed. There is a big disparity, however, between nurse pay in private versus public hospitals were salaries are almost $20,000 less. In 2020, in total compensation, NY-Presbyterian paid its top earners $68,604,386, including $11,928,405 to its CEO; and Montefiore Health System paid top earners $27,975,832, including $7,422,610 to its CEO, according to release by the NYSNA. 'Two-thirds of RNs across the country say they are planning to leave the profession in the next two years, with understaffing leaving caregivers burnt out and at their breaking point,' the release said. 'Nurses say that hospitals are not doing enough to keep them at the bedside from safe staffing ratios to competitive pay. 'Nurses have detailed how chronic understaffing in hospitals is unsafe for patients and nurses. Patients suffer and experience worse health outcomes when nursing care is rushed or delayed due to understaffing. They are urging hospitals to maintain safe staffing standards in all hospitals as a matter of health equity and quality care for all.' An Australian tourist has described a terrifying ferry journey between a popular Bali tourist spot and the mainland. Ian Cragg and his girlfriend Natalie boarded a ferry departing Gili Trawangan island off the northwest coast of Lombok last Friday. The Gold Coast tourists spent three nights on 'Gili T' and called the booking company in the morning to confirm their trip back to the port of Sanur, near Denpasar. Ian Cragg with his partner, Natalie Bogdanski the day before they departed for Gili T. Picture: Supplied Mr Cragg described the scenes at the jetty as mayhem, saying no one was in control of the operation. Picture: Supplied A friend of his had caught the same ferry the day before and said they had been 'floating at sea for one hour' with choppy waters making it impossible to keep moving without taking on water. After being told the first ferry of the day had been cancelled, he arrived at the port at 11am, only to wait another three hours for the boat to arrive. 'It's mayhem and confusing as hell down at the jetty, with no one taking control,' Mr Cragg said, describing the hundreds of people piling onto the tiny jetty. 'An absolute sh*t show.' He said when the boat finally arrived, its passengers looked 'gaunt and pale' with one Australian saying as they disembarked: 'That boat should never have gone.' But with no option to get back to the mainland, Mr Cragg boarded the ferry with around 60 other passengers - many of whom were Australians. 'It was fine at first, until we got to the main passageway - that's when things really started to get hairy,' he said. 'This big wave hit the side of the boat and the windows blew in, drenching the tourists. 'The windows must have been plastic because thankfully they didn't smash.' Mr Cragg said people were panicking and moving to the back of the boat as two crew members rushed to the window and began busily working to fit a piece of plywood in the window. A crew member sealing a broken window with plywood. Picture: Supplied Hundreds of people waited to board the ferry back to the mainland. Picture: Supplied 'I definitely felt in danger, but we were close enough to land to know that if the worst were to happen, hopefully help wouldn't be too far away,' he said. Mr Cragg said when they were back safe on the mainland, his taxi driver told him that 'it happens all the time' during the wet season. 'For most of the year, the water is fine, but it gets bad between December and February during the wet season,' Mr Cragg said. His comments come after multiple reports of wild boat rides to island destinations from Bali. Shocking video emerged earlier this week of a speed boat capsizing off the coast of Nusa Penida while transporting 28 passengers to the same port Mr Cragg was headed to. Choppy grey waves lapped at the Kebo Iwa Express ferry as multiple people wearing life jackets jumped into the water on Tuesday afternoon. Two Australian tourists were among the tourists forced to jump into the water, two nautical miles from the shore, the ABC reported. A boat capsized off the coast of Nusa Penida on Tuesday. Picture: Supplied One of the passengers said waves quickly overwhelmed the boat, causing it to sink. He said all passengers were now safe and there were no casualties. 'If I was going to go again, I would just pay the money to fly to Lombok instead,' Mr Cragg said. He said he would 'definitely go again' and even recommended visiting the island, which he said was 'so beautiful'. 'The locals there were amazing and so accommodating; they were so happy to be welcoming tourists back,' he said. 'They just need a better and safer ferry infrastructure in place between the islands.' 'I would say to avoid bringing kids on the ferries during times when bad weather is expected, keep in contact with your ferry provider before departing, sit as close to an exit as possible, have a fully charged phone and make sure you're a confident swimmer...' Moscow police put out a call for help finding the vehicle on November 25 Bryan Kohberger was first tied to the Idaho murders two weeks after the slayings because of two Washington State University campus cops who located the suspect's 2015 white Hyundai Elantra, an affidavit released today revealed. Investigators in Moscow observed a white sedan speeding away from the crime scene on November 13 toward Pullman, Washington, another small college town about 10 miles from Moscow, Idaho. On November 25, Moscow police put out a call for law enforcement to be on the lookout for the car and just a few days later, two campus cops came through. Washington State University campus police officer Daniel Tiengo conducted a search of white Hyundai Elantras registered at WSU and discovered one that was registered to Kohberger. Later that day, WSU Officer Curtis Whitman located the 2015 white Hyundai Elantra in the parking lot of Kohberger's apartment complex. He ran the tags which returned a match for Kohberger, according to the affidavit. After a months-long investigation, Kohberger was arrested and has been formally charged with the murders of Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin on November 13 in Moscow, Idaho. He is being held on bail and will reappear in court on January 12. Bryan Kohberger was first tied to the Idaho murders two weeks after the slayings because of two Washington State University campus cops, Daniel Tiengo (left) and Curtis Whitman (right) who located the suspect's white Hyundai Elantra, an affidavit released today revealed Kohberger has been formally charged with the murders of Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin on November 13 in Moscow, Idaho, and is being held on bail In affidavit released on Thursday, it describes where the officer first on the scene found the bodies of the murder victims, and discovered a leather knife sheath on the bed of two of the victims. Kohberger's DNA was discovered on the button of the knife sheath, and genealogy experts matched it to samples from trash taken outside his parents' home in Pennsylvania. For weeks after the killings, police and FBI kept tight-lipped about the evidence they accrued. But following his arrest and appearance in court, cops have revealed the steps they took to track down the suspect. After the November 13 murders, Kohberger and his father, Michael, drove 2,500 miles in a white Hyundai Elantra from Idaho to Pennsylvania. Police obtained surveillance footage where they observed the white Elantra in the vicinity of the crime, around the relevant time frame, but the absence of a front license plate made it harder for police to track down its owner. On November 29, police obtained surveillance footage from the parking lot of Kohberger's apartment building, some 10 miles from the murder scene, in Pullman, Washington State. Investigators in Moscow observed a white sedan speeding away from the crime scene toward Pullman, Washington, another small college town about 10 miles from Moscow, Idaho A police depiction of the route they believe Kohberger took on the night of the murders that was included in the case files Kohberger, 28, is accused of murdering Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin on November 13 in the quiet, college town of Moscow, Idaho Kohberger, a PhD student studying criminology, allegedly stalked the victims' homes at least 12 times before the murders Moscow Police officers visited the parking lot to obtain a license plate for the vehicle - as it matched the description of the car they saw on footage the night the students were killed. Police reviewed the 'driver license information and photograph' which 'shows that he has bushy eyebrows' and is six-feet tall. 'Kohberger's physical description is consistent with the description of the male [Mortensen] saw inside the King Road Residence on November 13th,' the affidavit says. They ran a search, and found multiple incidents in which the car and its owner - Bryan Kohberger - had been pulled over multiple times in the past. With Kohberger's name, police honed in on him and reviewed historic surveillance camera footage, along with phone records, going back several months. The house in Moscow, Idaho. Bombshell documents reveal how police were led to the suspect The suspect is believed to have driven some 2,300 miles from Moscow to Pennsylvania. He was attending college in nearby Washington State On December 27, an undercover team of police seized trash from Kohberger's family home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania Then following their initial suspicions, Kohberger was pulled over over twice as he passed through Indiana on December 15 - once for speeding and the other for following a car ahead too closely. It's believed that he was actually pulled over at the request of an FBI surveillance team tailing him to see if he had any injuries on his hands after brutal slayings. Kohberger, 28, was arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police at a home in Albrightsville, a small town in the heart of the Poconos Mountains on December 30 -more than 2,000 miles from where the gruesome killings took place. A woman in her 50s has been arrested in connection with the murder of an elderly husband and wife in their Florida retirement home - after she was found driving the couple's car. Darryl Getman, 83, and his wife Sharon, 80, were 'enjoying their golden years of retirement' at Waterman Village in Mount Dora when the senseless murder took place, police said. On December 31, a concerned neighbor saw the Getmans' garage door open and called security, according to police who added that when security responded they found the couple dead. Vickie Lynn Williams, 51, has since been taken into custody in Savannah, Georgia, on car theft charges, and is a person of interest in the homicide, ABC News reported. Darryl Getman, 83, and his wife Sharon, 80, were 'enjoying their golden years of retirement' at Waterman Village in Mount Dora, when they were murdered in what police have called a 'random crime' Police say a woman 'dressed in a particular way' was first seen at the retirement complex, 301 Lake Margaret Circle, at about 3pm on December 30 and was escorted out by security. The woman was then caught on security camera back at the complex just over an hour later, police said during a press conference on the matter. At about 10.58 pm, authorities said the woman entered the complex again and went to an apartment that did not belong to the Getmans, knocked on the door and asked the resident if she could take a shower. The tenant 'panicked' and hit her alarm button to alert security and police, Mount Dora Interim Police Chief Mike Gibson said. The woman asked the resident if she called 911, and when she responded yes, the woman 'took off,' and on her way out, allegedly grabbed keys to the tenant's car and mailbox, Gibson said. Officers responded but could not find the woman. At about 2.00 am on December 31, the Getmans' car was seen leaving the retirement facility. Vickie Lynn Williams, 51, has since been taken into custody in Savannah, Georgia, on car theft charges and has been named a person of interest in the homicide when she was found in the couple's car Police said they found the couple's car with the person of interest inside in another state - but would not elaborate on which state the vehicle and the woman were discovered in About 10 or 11 minutes later, the woman could be seen walking to the complex, but security wouldn't let her in. Security then followed her to the edge of property and then 'lost sight of her.' At around 4 pm that same day, the couple were discovered dead in their apartment, according to investigators. Gibson said that on Jan 2, law enforcement found the couple's car with the person of interest, Vickie Lynn Williams, inside in another state. He would not elaborate on which state the vehicle and the woman were discovered in. 'It appears it was a random crime,' Gibson said. 'I believe it was someone that was simply passing through and it's a once-in-a-lifetime event.' A person of interest was first seen at the retirement complex, 301 Lake Margaret Circle, at about 3 pm on Dec 30. The couple was found dead at 4pm the next day The Getmans' children said they had lived in Mount Dora for over 20 years and 'truly loved the area.' Police said the senseless murder appeared to be a 'random' crime The Getmans' children, Anthony and Brittany Getman, said in a statement released by the police department: 'We are stunned, devastated and heartbroken by the horrific murder of our parents.' 'Mom and Dad had been residents of Mount Dora for over 20 years and truly loved the area,' they said. 'They were enjoying their golden years staying active and spending time with their many friends.' The siblings added that they 'have every confidence' in the police and 'look forward to a successful resolution.' 'We are shocked and saddened by the recent deaths of our residents which are currently under investigation,' Waterman Village said in a statement Tuesday. 'We are cooperating fully with the law enforcement authorities and have additional police presence on property during this time.' A young boy from Sydney remains in a coma following the Gold Coast helicopter crash that killed four people earlier this week. Nicholas Tadros, aged 10, was in a helicopter taking off near Sea World when it collided with another chopper and plunged onto a sandbar after its rotor blades sheared off. Vanessa Tadros and 10-year-old son Nicholas before riding the helicopter. Credit: Nine News The helicopter crash killed four people including the pilot Ash Jenkinson His mother Vanessa Tadros, 36, Britons Ron and Diane Hughes, 65 and 57, and 40-year-old pilot Ashley Jenkinson died at the scene on Monday. A Queensland Health spokesperson confirmed on Thursday evening that Nicholas was still in a critical condition. There have been no further official updates but a cousin of Vanessa Tadros told News Corp that Nicholas's latest surgery to stop internal bleeding had been successful. Nine-year-old Leon de Silva, from Geelong, suffered brain trauma but woke up in Brisbane Children's Hospital on Thursday morning. Investigations are under way to discern what caused the fatal crash Authorities have said they want to know what happened inside the cockpits His mother Winnie, 33, was also awake and in a stable condition with two broken legs, a damaged left knee, broken right shoulder and broken collarbone. A Queensland Health spokesperson said three people from the other helicopter had all been discharged from hospital on Thursday. Four of the helicopter's five passengers and the pilot, 52-year-old Michael James, suffered shrapnel wounds when the cockpit's windshield was struck by the other aircraft's main rotor. A step-by-step run-through of how the crash that killed four is understood to have unfolded John Orr-Campbell, the director of Sea World Helicopters, which operated both aircraft, paid tribute to Mr Jenkinson, saying the company had 'lost a first-class pilot, a first-class man and a wonderful father, partner and friend'. 'We also mourn the loss of (Mr Jenkinson's) passengers and cannot imagine the terrible sadness their families and loved ones must be feeling,' Mr Orr-Campbell said. Mr Orr-Campbell said he wanted to commend the other pilot, Mr James, 'who heroically got the second aircraft to the ground safely'. Video shot by one of the passengers in that aircraft appears to show another passenger trying to warn the pilot that the other helicopter was fast approaching by tapping him on the shoulder. The passenger then squeezes the edge of the pilot's seat to brace as the cockpit is sprayed with broken glass after one of the other helicopter's rotor blades strikes the windshield. One of the passengers can be seen trying to alert the pilot. Credit: Channel 7 National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby speaks during the daily briefing in the James S Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., in this Aug. 2, 2022 file photo. AFP-Yonhap The United States will continue to enhance its joint defense readiness with South Korea and Japan by conducting additional joint military exercises against growing North Korean threats, a White House official said Wednesday. John Kirby, National Security Council (NSC) coordinator for strategic communications, also highlighted that the U.S. has devoted additional intelligence gathering and military capabilities to the region to that end. "You have seen in just recent weeks some bilateral exercises between the United States and Japan, specifically in response to the increased tensions by the regime in Pyongyang," the NSC official said in a virtual press briefing. "And you are going to see us continue to look for ways to not only improve our bilateral military cooperation, which is already quite extraordinary, but our trilateral military cooperation with Japan, South Korea and the United States together," he added. Pyongyang periodically criticizes the U.S.' joint military exercises in the region, accusing them of being aimed at invading the North. The joint military drills held late last year, however, came on the heels of an unprecedented number of North Korean ballistic missile launches that included eight intercontinental ballistic missile tests. North Korea fired some 70 ballistic missiles in 2022 alone, setting a new annual record that far exceeded the previous record of 25. Kirby reiterated the U.S.' commitment to engage in diplomacy with Pyongyang. North Korea fires a new type of the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Pyongyang International Airport, in this Nov. 18, 2022 file photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap Ms Raad will face court Friday just months after making her return to Australia Zahab was a prolific Islamic State recruiter who was killed in an airstrike in 2018 Ms Raad travelled to Syria in early 2014 to join her husband Muhammed Zahab An ISIS bride who returned to Australia less three months ago will face court today after she was charged with willingly entering Islamic State territory in Syria. Mariam Raad, 31, was arrested after search warrants were issued in the NSW country town of Young and the western Sydney suburb of Parklea on Thursday morning. Police will allege Ms Raad travelled to Syria in early 2014 to join her husband Muhammad Zahab, who had left Australia in 2013 to join Islamic State. She will front Wagga Wagga Local Court on Friday after she was charged with entering and remaining in parts of Syria, believed to be the city of Raqqa, that were under the control of the Islamic State terrorist organisation. Her court appearance comes just weeks after Ms Raad and several ISIS brides were flown back to Australia and resettled in western Sydney in October. Mariam Raad, 31, was arrested after search warrants were issued in the NSW country town of Young and the western Sydney suburb of Parklea on Thursday morning Police will allege Ms Raad travelled to Syria in early 2014 to join her husband Muhammad Zahab, who left Australia in 2013, to join the fight for Islamic State Ms Raad's husband, a former Sydney maths teacher, was a prolific Islamic State recruiter who lured dozens of his family members to Syria before he was killed in a targeted airstrike in 2018. Police allege Ms Raad knew of her husband's activities with Islamic State and claim that she joined him of her own free will. Ms Raad was in Al Roj Internally Displaced Persons camp in Syria before being repatriated back to Australia in October, 2022 with her four children. Ms Raad was arrested following a joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police and the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT). In a statement, the JCTT said 'newly obtained evidence' had led to Ms Raaad being charged. AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Command Sandra Booth said Australians returning from declared conflict areas will be investigated in order to ensure the public's safety. 'Individuals will be brought before the courts when evidence supports allegations that returned individuals have committed offences in conflict areas,' Acting Assistant Commissioner Booth said. In a statement, the JCTT said 'newly obtained evidence' had led to Ms Raad being charged (pictured, displaced Syrians get in a truck at the Internally Displaced Persons camp of al-Hol) Ms Raad will face Wagga Wagga Local court on Friday - if found guilty she could spend up to 10 years behind bars 'The JCTT will continue to target (alleged) criminal activity and does not target specific ideologies or beliefs.' NSW Police Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander, Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton, said the NSW JCTT will continue to protect the community from those they believe pose a threat. 'We have zero tolerance for Australians or anyone who seek to commit acts of violence or extremism, and those considering doing the wrong thing will come under our notice,' Assistant Commissioner Walton said. 'Our investigators methodically gather information and evidence, conduct surveillance and work tirelessly to target criminal activities which pose a threat to the Australian community.' If found guilty, Ms Raad could spend up to 10 years behind bars. She spent more than three years detained in al-Hol and al-Roj camps before being repatriated to Sydney. The mother of four previously told The Australian while in a refugee camp that she was ready to come home (pictured, stock image) The mother of four previously told The Australian while situated in a refugee camp that she posed no threat to Australians (pictured: al roj camp in northeast Syria) The mother of four previously told The Australian while in a refugee camp that she was ready to come home. 'I want to go back (to Australia),' Ms Raad said. 'I want my kids to have a chance at a real future. 'I'm stressed. It's not easy being a single mother with four children in a camp. The boys are growing older and I go to sleep every night imagining they will be taken away from me.' The group of repatriated women released a statement in October after landing in Australia. 'We are willing to do whatever is asked of us by government authorities to ensure the safety of our families and the Australian community and we will fully cooperate with all Australian law enforcement agencies,' the women said. Another 43 women and children are still at the Syrian refugee camp and are hoping to be repatriated back to Australia some time this year. He has been stood down from his teaching job as a result of the accusations A school principal has been accused of sending an explicit photo of his genitals to a police officer posing as a 14-year-old girl. Shayne Harris, 53, faced Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday, charged with exposing a child to an indecent matter and drug possession. Mr Harris is the principal of Aveley North Primary School, a role he took on last September, and has been working as an educator for more than 20 years. Veteran school principal Shayne Harris (pictured) allegedly sent a photo of his penis to someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl but was in fact a police officer The interaction allegedly occurred on New Year's Day, where Mr Harris allegedly engaged in conversation with someone he thought was a young girl, The West Australian reports. The court heard that the principal was texting the 'teen' using a fake ID before the pair conversed on Google Chats, where he used an email that contained his name. It is alleged the conversation between the pair became sexually charged on Google Chats before Mr Harris sent a photo of his penis. A cop posed as the young girl throughout the conversation, which was reportedly recorded. Officers often pose as children and young teens on the internet to catch out paedophiles. Police raided Mr Harris' home on Wednesday, where he was arrested and charged. Officers allegedly discovered cannabis and drug paraphernalia at his house. The school principal was kept behind bars overnight but was granted bail during his court appearance the following day. Mr Harris faced Perth Magistrates Court (pictured) charged with exposing a child to an indecent matter and drug possession. He was granted bail with strict conditions and will face court next month Mr Harris faced court on Thursday where prosecutors called for him to be kept in prison until his next court appearance due to the serious nature of the crime he has been accused of. But the principal's defence lawyer referred to Mr Harris's clean criminal record and extensive career as a principal and teacher in his counterargument. Mr Harris was given bail on the condition he surrendered his passport, did not leave the state and gave police access to check his internet devices. He will face court next month. He has been stood down from his role as school principal at Aveley North Primary School. The mother of a University of California Los Angeles student who was brutally murdered and incinerated in 2015 has revealed she experienced an eerie feeling of dread when her daughter first left for college. Leslie DelVesco said she was stuck by an overwhelming feeling something was going to go wrong when her daughter Andrea decided to attend UCLA instead of the University of Chicago. Those fears came true when her 21-year-old daughter's dorm room was discovered ablaze on a September morning in her senior year, and her charred body was discovered inside with 19 stab wounds. DelVesco revealed her eerie premonition in the upcoming ABC docuseries Death in the Dorms, which covers Andrea's and five other cases of murders on college campuses. The show premiered Wednesday, days after the suspect in the latest college murder - at the University of Idaho, Moscow - was arrested. Andrea DelVesco, 21, was stabbed to death and then her apartment was set on fire to cover up the murder in 2015 Leslie DelVesco said she was stuck by an overwhelming feeling that something was going to go wrong when her daughter Andrea decided to attend UCLA instead of the University of Chicago Andrea was murdered by 22-year-old Alberto Medina, a student at Fresno State University, when he broke into her dorm room and robbed it. Medina stabbed Andrea multiple times when he encountered her in the dorm, and with the help of an accomplice, 22-year-old UCLA student Eric Marquez, set fire to the apartment to burn away evidence. Andrea's dog was severely injured in the inferno, and later had to be put down. Medina was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison, while Marquez got only a few years after pleading guilty to burglary and accessory charges. Andrea's dog was severely injured in the inferno, and later had to be put down Andrea's dog was severely injured in the inferno, and later had to be put down DelVesco however said she thinks Marquez was more involved than he was charged with, and that Medina covered for him. 'Why would he choose to protect Medina?' she said, according to The US Sun. 'Wouldn't you just be in shock and want to do the right thing?' She also questioned Medina's motivations, and suggested he had gone out looking for blood that night instead of just out to commit a burglary. DelVesco noted that 19 stab wounds was an unusual number of times to attack a victim. Andrea was murdered by 22-year-old Alberto Medina, a student at Fresno State University, when he broke into her dorm room and robbed it Andrea's murder is explored in depth in the first episode of Death in the Dorms. The show can be streamed on Hulu, and each episode covers a different murder. Other killings examined in the show are the death of University of Florida Student Christian Aguilar in 2012, the murder of Yeardly Love at the University of Virginia in 2010, Michael Deng's 2013 hazing-related death at Baruch College, University of South Carolina student Samantha Johnson's 2019 when she climbed into a car she thought was her Uber, and the murder of Katie Autrie at the Western Kentucky University. Australia-China relations appear on the mend amid reports Beijing will allow coal imports to resume for the first time since 2020. It's the latest positive step between the two nations after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November and Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with her counterpart in Beijing last month. Australian coal exporters are becoming more confident it's more than just a rumour, despite similar reports last year that China was considering resuming purchases of Australian coal coming to nothing. The sector is encouraging China to move decisively and not risk missing out on its next round of purchase contracts. Australia China Business Council president David Olsson said it would pave the way for more business dealings in the future. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November and Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with her counterpart in Beijing last month. 'Now that high-level government-to-government meetings between Australia and China have recommenced, we have a better environment in which to address trade restrictions that are in place between the two countries,' he said. 'The resumption of high-level meetings sends a strong, positive signal to the Chinese system and business community about Australia's role as a business partner for China.' Australia-China Relations Institute research principal Roc Shi said while the economic impact of the resumption of the coal trade mightn't be huge, it would be a step forward. 'The change is more important politically than economically... This action signals China has made the first step towards mending the relationship,' he said. 'Technically, it is not difficult for the Chinese government as the ban has never been officially announced... however, the implication is significant as it indicates China's willingness to improve the bilateral relationship.' The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was aware of reports that Chinese importers may restart buying Australian coal this year. 'It has been the Australian government's consistent view that the resumption of normal trade across the board between Australia and China would be in both countries' best interests. That is true also of coal,' the department said. Meanwhile, any fallout from Australia imposing COVID-19 measures on travellers from China appears unlikely despite Beijing labelling them 'disproportionate and simply unacceptable'. Travellers from China must show they had a negative COVID test within 48 hours before flying to Australia. China has a similar measure for inbound travellers. Mr Olsson said China and Australia should work together for mutual benefit after a tricky time during the pandemic. 'Australia's public health response may not have been perfect over recent years, but it has delivered good outcomes... I'm sure there are areas of public health policy both sides can share for mutual advantage,' he said. 'The new waves of the virus (in China) are another issue to be addressed, but for those that have an eye on the long-term and who are prudent in managing risk, China remains a compelling market and business partner.' Beneath the deafening thud of rotor blades and jet engines, co-pilot Captain Henry Wales scanned Helmand Provinces dusty landscape for Taliban, or in his words, baddies to be eliminated. Sitting in the cramped front seat of a 45 million Apache, the officer known to the world as Prince Harry, was responsible for firing the helicopters 30mm cannon and Hellfire missiles. A responsibility that would weigh on anyones conscience given rounds fired from the cannon could eviscerate any human being in their path. The missiles, guided by Harrys on-board computer, could destroy any armoured vehicle or a small building. The barrel of Harrys cannon, positioned directly beneath the cockpit glided left then right. Enemies were identified and he opened fire, sending the chain-guns 23-inch barrel into a furious spin. Prince Harry, now 38, was responsible for firing the helicopters 30mm cannon and Hellfire missiles Harry told readers the 25 deaths were not a fact that filled me with satisfaction, but I was not ashamed either This moment of impact was captured on grainy footage recorded by a video camera on the AH-64s undercarriage. On his return to Camp Bastion, the UKs headquarters in southern Afghanistan, the numbers of enemy gunmen slain by Harry were tallied up. As Harry, 38, has chosen to divulge in his memoir, he was apparently responsible for ending the lives of 25 insurgents. They are said to have died on six engagements during his 2012-2013 tour of duty. Based on how he has described this period, the taking of life left him emotionally numb. As he tells readers, their deaths were not a fact that filled me with satisfaction, but I was not ashamed either. He credited this detachment from the killings to the military training he undertook beforehand He credits this detachment to the military training he undertook before taking to the skies over Helmand Province in such a lethal killing machine. He tells readers his instructors trained me to other them. Consequently, he considered his victims chess pieces to be taken off the board, rather than people. Why so? Because in Harrys words you cant kill people if you see them as people. Such is the nature of combat, most UK troops rarely if ever engaged the Taliban, because their roles did not require them to do so. Of those who did, few can say with surety they shot someone. Harry suggests aviators can count their kills, thanks to modern technology. Writing in Spare, he assures readers the era of Apaches and laptops allows him to share his kills with exactness. Last night, the Ministry of Defence said it did not comment on such operational details for security reasons. Seemingly Harry does not feel bound by the same constraints. Quite what his colleagues, in particular his brother officers, make of his admission remains to be seen. As Harry has chosen to divulge in his memoir Spare, he was apparently responsible for ending the lives of 25 insurgents While at the end of his stint as an Apache gunner Harry admitted that he had engaged the enemy, this is the first time he has been so specific about his activities. He has never previously discussed the numbers of Taliban he accounted for. Such a revelation may increase concerns about his personal safety. He has long been regarded as a terrorist threat, not only people of his royal status but also because of his service in Afghanistan, as a junior officer in a reconnaissance unit in 2007 and in 2012-13 as an Apache pilot. The irony is, he was never supposed to return to the warzone following his first tour - which was cut short after an Australian magazine broke a media embargo not to report his presence in Afghanistan. According to senior military sources, Harry was furious when top brass ordered he must come back to Britain. He also demanded to should be able to redeploy to Helmand Province. But military commanders thought the war against the Taliban was simply too dangerous for Harry, who at the time was third in line to the throne, to return. A source said: He couldnt go back with ground forces, air was the only option. Honestly nobody thought he would qualify as an Apache pilot or co-pilot, the course is so difficult and he did not have the science qualifications of most trainee pilots. So we threw him that option saying he could go back as Apache air crew, thinking it would never happen. But not only did he pass all the courses, he came top of his class. The rest is history. School districts in at least 12 states removed the book after parents complained The author of a book which was pulled from schools across the US over its description of a sex act between two 10-year-old boys has said it was never intended for young children. Lawn Boy, a 2018 novel by Jonathan Evison, drew national attention in 2021 after it was found in school libraries despite scenes that parents labeled 'pedophilic'. School districts in at least 12 states removed the book from libraries because of the controversial passages. The passages included descriptions of a sexual encounter between two fourth-grade boys at a church youth-group meeting. Evison told The Washington Post the book was never intended to be placed in school libraries. His comments appeared in a Post article which said schools banned the book because 'a mom wrongly said the book showed pedophilia'. The article referred to comments by a mother from Virginia who wrongly told a school board meeting the book depicts a sexual encounter between a man and a ten-year-old boy. Lawn Boy, a 2018 novel by Jonathan Evison, drew national attention in 2021 after it was found in school libraries despite scenes that parents labeled 'pedophilic' Author Jonathan Evison attends 'The Fundamentals Of Caring' premiere during the 2016 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles Center Theatre on January 29, 2016 in Park City, Utah The Post reported that the incorrect comment '[spawned] pedophilia claims in nearly a dozen school districts'. Many parents were nevertheless shocked by the lurid depiction of an encounter between two boys and some school districts pulled the book. Brandi Burkman, 43, told a school board meeting in Texas in September 2021: 'What sort of diversity are you intending to teach my child with material like this? Who normalizes sex acts between fourth-graders? 'I'll tell you who. Pedophiles.' Brandi Burkman, 43, addressed a school board meeting in Texas in September 2021: 'Who normalizes sex acts between fourth-graders? 'I'll tell you who. Pedophiles' Burkman complained about Lawn Boy in a meeting of the Leander Independent School District The Post reported that an analysis found Lawn Boy's use in libraries was challenges in at least 35 school districts. Districts in 12 states removed the book. Some 63 percent of those later returned the books to shelves, while at least four maintained the bans. Some school districts may have selected the book for their libraries after the American Library Association gave it an award in 2019 for its 'special appeal to young adults'. A synopsis of the book notes: 'Lawn Boy is an important, entertaining, and completely winning novel about social class distinctions, about overcoming cultural discrimination, and about standing up for oneself.' Evison has accepted it could be interpreted as 'too profane' but insisted the controversial passages were not intended to 'glorify the experience'. He questioned whether some parents who complained 'don't like a marginalized, non-white, non-cisgender character trying to be comfortable and find their place in the culture'. 'I think the end game of these people is they want to keep the status quo, and the best way to do that is not to have these stories told,' he said. Evison also said sales of the paperback edition in 2022 were double those for its first print run. The saga over Lawn Boy came amid fierce debate across the United States about books in school libraries that touch on themes like gender, critical race theory and sexuality. Lawn Boy was one of many to appear on 'banned books' lists. Bruce Friedman, president of the Florida chapter of No Left Turn in Education, confronted school board members about the content of books that are available in his son's school system Lawn boy was one of two books returned to library shelves in Virginia in November 2021 after removal following complaints by parents. The other was Gender Queer: A Memoir, which includes photos of sexual activity between a boy and a man. Fairfax County Public Schools leaders pulled the books for a formal review prompted by complaints that they contained obscene sexual material. But committees of administrators, librarians, parents and students who reviewed both determined them to be appropriate for high school readers. Last year, a father in Florida highlighted three books that were on the shelves of school libraries which he said were inappropriate, including Alice Sebold's 1999 memoir 'Lucky,' which documents her rape as a college freshman and how it affected her. The other two were 'A Court of Silver Flames' by Sarah J. Maas and 'Triangles' by Ellen Hopkins. 'A Court of Silver Flames' is a fantasy novel while 'Triangles' is about three different middle-aged women navigating their love lives. All three books contain graphic details of sexual encounters that vary in nature. Bruce Friedman, president of the Florida chapter of No Left Turn in Education, complained about the books. Buckingham Palace has remained silent tonight following an onslaught of explosive extracts from Prince Harry's autobiography Spare, which appear to have cast a negative light on almost every member of the Royal Family. The tell-all memoir of the Duke of Sussex was supposed to be released next week, but it was accidentally made available in Spain on Wednesday in an apparent PR disaster for publishers Penguin Random House. It led to the reporting of extraordinary passages which have laid bare the inner tensions that continue to plague the Royal Household. According to the Daily Mail, Palace aides are frantically digesting the contents of the 570-plus page diatribe. Perhaps the most damaging account is that of an alleged physical altercation between William and Harry, when they began arguing abut the latter's wife Meghan Markle on the eve of Megxit in 2019. Perhaps the most damaging account is that of an alleged physical altercation between William and Harry, (pictured together) when they began arguing abut the latter's wife Meghan Markle on the eve of Megxit in 2019 Harry has detailed shock revelations in his tell-all memoir Spare, that has been leaked days before it was due to be published (Pictured: A woman in Spain holds a copy of the book after it was accidentally released early in the country) William is said to have branded Meghan 'difficult', 'rude' and 'abrasive' and insisted he was trying to help his younger brother during a meeting about 'the whole rolling catastrophe' of their failing relationship and Harry's rows with the Press. Harry accused his brother of 'parroting the Press narrative' about his American wife before a screaming match ensued, ending in a physical altercation, the book claims. He says he gave the heir to the throne a glass of water and said: 'Willy, I can't speak to you when you're like this'. Describing what he claims happened next, and insisting he was scared, the former soldier said: 'He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. 'He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out'. Elsewhere, he appears to place part of the blame for his Nazi costume fiasco in 2005 on his brother and his now wife Kate, the Princess of Wales. The Duke of Sussex says in his new memoir that they both thought it was funny. Harry claims he was considering either the Nazi uniform or a pilot's outfit to a 'Native and Colonial' themed event and called his brother and sister-in-law for their opinion. Prince Harry also sensationally accuses Camilla of plotting to marry Charles to take the Crown and of leaking stories to the press. King Charles seen leaving Sandringham for the first time since excerpts from 'Spare' were leaked Harry pictured yesterday with his dog Pula hours before revelations from his book were leaked 'I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said,' Harry wrote, according to Page Six. It appears no member of the Firm has been left unscathed by the book, however the Palace is deciding, so far, to ignore its claims. Despite repeated requests for comment, it has refused to provide one. It follows a similar decision in response to Harry and Meghan's incendiary Netflix documentary last month. The Sussexes used their show to wound Prince William and King Charles and claimed that dark forces blocked the Queen from seeing them before Megxit. Harry also said his family were upset and jealous of Meghan's popularity so pursued a vendetta against her because she was 'doing the job better' and 'stealing the limelight' from 'those born to do it'. But despite the slew of claims in six hours of interviews and footage, Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace declined to comment on anything in the series. It comes as the King was pictured leaving Sandringham House in Norfolk on Thursday afternoon, where he has been staying for the festive period. His appearance came hours after revelations in Harry's book were reported - including claims he and William begged their father not to marry Camilla after Diana's death. Prince Harry also sensationally accuses Camilla of plotting to marry Charles to take the Crown and of leaking stories to the press. In an extraordinary passage the Duke of Sussex writes: 'Shortly after our private meetings with her, she began to develop her long-term strategy, a campaign directed at marriage and with time, the Crown (with the blessing of our father, we supposed). King Charles pleaded with his warring sons William and Harry not to make his 'final years a misery', the Duke of Sussex 's bombshell book has revealed 'News stories started appearing in all the newspapers about her conversations with Willy, stories which recounted lots of small details, none of which came from my brother, of course.' The Duke also claims that he and his brother William 'begged' the then-Prince of Wales not to remarry after Princess Diana's death, fearing that she would be their 'wicked stepmother'. Charles had tried to win over his sons before asking the public to accept Camilla, the book claims. Harry then astonishingly says that meeting the future Queen Consort for the first time was like an 'injection'. A copy of Spare - due to be published on January 10 - was obtained by the Guardian, before copies accidentally went on sale in Spain. The Duke of Sussex alleges in the autobiography that he and his brother would not stand in the way of the then-Prince of Wales's relationship but had asked him not to walk down the aisle for the second time, calling Camilla the 'Other Woman'. In another passage from Harry's highly anticipated autobiography, the duke recounts a meeting with his father and brother after Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021. In the tell-all memoir, he recalls Charles standing between himself and the heir 'looking up at our flushed faces'. Harry then quotes his father as saying: 'Please boys, don't make my final years a misery.' Prince Harry's publishers have been left red-faced by one of the biggest leaks in literary history. His bombshell autobiography Spare appeared in bookstores in Spain five days before its official release by Penguin Random House. Shoppers in Barcelona, including a Daily Mail journalist, lined up to grab copies of the long-awaited book which has been kept under wraps for months. Before it was pulled from shelves, En La Sombra, translated as In The Shadow, was selling for 21.90 (19.40) in the 'recommended' section of the Casa del Libro. His bombshell autobiography Spare appeared in bookstores in Spain five days before its official release by Penguin Random House Shoppers in Barcelona, including a Daily Mail journalist, lined up to grab copies of the long-awaited book which has been kept under wraps for months Tomorrow is King's Day in Spain, the day families traditionally exchange presents, and retailers were seeing a booming trade in last-minute purchases. A Barcelona shop assistant said last night: 'We just received this today. It was the only new book. 'There was no indication that we could not put it on sale until a certain date so we put it on sale today. It might be popular here in Spain.' An independent bookstore owner in southern Spain who had copies for sale yesterday said: 'It came with a big sign on it saying 'Not for sale until January 10' but who's going to find out and I need to make money anyway.' New York-based reporter Martin Pengelly also got hold of the duke's book, laying out in detail Harry's accusation that he was attacked by his brother William. The excerpt, first carried by The Guardian, said the pair clashed after a blazing row over the behaviour of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, with Harry claiming the Prince of Wales branded his wife 'difficult' and 'rude'. Mr Pengelly told the BBC: 'We carefully, obviously in reporting it, didn't call it a fight because Harry says he didn't fight back.' The British-born journalist, who admitted he did not approach Kensington Palace for comment, has a knack of uncovering the juiciest details from bestsellers ahead of their publication. MailOnline has found copies of the bombshell book on sale in Spain this morning He landed an advance look at Michael Wolff's Fire And Fury in 2018 that pulled back the curtain on the early days of Donald Trump's presidency. Copies of Spare were shipped at the last minute this week as part of the parent publisher's multi-million-pound strategy to stop spoilers appearing in the media. It has been likened to the complex security operation linked to the 2007 release of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows. An army of guards, satellite-tracking systems and legal contracts were deployed to protect the first ten million copies of JK Rowling's seventh Potter book. When that finished manuscript was taken by hand from London to New York, a lawyer for the American publisher sat on it during the entire flight. The leak of Harry's book echoes a September 2019 gaffe by Amazon after it sent out pre-ordered copies of Margaret Atwood's The Testaments, the follow-up to The Handmaid's Tale, to US customers a week early. In France, print workers in a sleepy Loire backwater were forced to agree to gagging orders and threatened with the sack if they leaked any details of the French version of Spare. It was produced at the Brodard and Taupin factory in La Fleche, where three sources said staff had signed confidentiality agreements. It is unclear whether similar demands were made of all the print workers worldwide helping to produce the foreign language versions. The town relies heavily on tourism and is highly popular with British holidaymakers and retirees. Bookshops in nearby Nantes, 90 miles to the southwest, told the Mail they had not yet received any stock of Prince Harry's memoir. Copies of the Duke of Sussex's book, which reaches 544 pages in French, have since been shipped out to secret warehouses across the country ahead of its worldwide publication on January 10. 'We've all had to sign non-disclosure agreements,' said one employee, who declined to be identified for fear of losing their job. Another staff member added: 'The whole project is top secret.' Workers said the books were kept under lock and key in a 'safe room', under the constant watch of security guards, before being dispatched to depots all over France. 'Usually, they are bound by secrecy,' fumed one senior executive when the Mail visited the site late yesterday. 'They could be fired for that. If you write anything about this, it will put us in a difficult position,' the source added. The Mail understands Brodard and Taupin, which is part of Europe-wide giant CPI Print, hopes to produce future works penned by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Harry and Meghan have reportedly signed a four-book deal, for which bidding began at 18million, with parent publisher Penguin Random House. The Brodard and Taupin site is widely known for printing blockbusters for a French-speaking readership. He paints a picture of the Kate, Princess of Wales, as cold and unfriendly The Duke of Sussex claims his brother assaulted him in a row over his wife Prince Harry's new memoir unleashes jaw-dropping attacks on his family, leaked copies revealed today. Attacks rain down in every chapter: from accusations that his brother assaulted him in a row over Meghan to claims that William and their father Charles confronted him after Prince Philip's funeral 'looking for a fight'. Harry also alleges that William and Kate his once adored sister-in-law who is now painted as cold and unfriendly urged him to wear his infamous Nazi fancy dress outfit. The prince, who quit as a working royal and moved to California with Meghan in a quest for greater privacy, recalls in excruciating detail dozens of family rows and intimate conversations. He reveals his father's medical ailments and the fact the King still carries around his favourite teddy bear. Harry claims his brother and his brother's wife encouraged him to wear his now-infamous Nazi fancy dress uniform King Charles III looks out as he leaves Sandringham on Thursday after the leaks of Harry's memoir began He is unceasing in his bitterness at being pigeon-holed as the 'Spare' to William's heir the title of his ghost-written memoir. He casts his brother as his 'arch-nemesis', Queen Consort Camilla as a 'wicked stepmother' and Charles as an emotionally-stunted and ineffectual 'old man'. In other astonishing revelations, Harry, 38: Spare was supposed to be published on Tuesday amid a huge secrecy operation by its publisher, Penguin Random House. But in a highly embarrassing blunder yesterday copies were put on sale in bookshops across Spain despite signs on the boxes reading 'not to be opened until January 10'. Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace declined to comment and were last night frantically digesting the contents of Harry's 570-plus page diatribe. While some expressed sympathy at the prince's clear ongoing emotional distress at the tragic loss of his adored mother, many will consider it a monstrous and possibly unforgivable betrayal of his family just four months after the late Queen's death. One source who knew Elizabeth well said last night that they felt 'almost comforted' that she wasn't alive to see what her grandson had done. 'Her Majesty would have been devastated,' they said. Harry's much-anticipated memoir is even more explosive than Buckingham Palace insiders had feared. He admits regularly taking cocaine at 17, but boasts about getting the palace to lie about it to a journalist. The prince also claims he was innocent of accusations of racism when he was caught on video using the word 'P***' to describe an Asian fellow Sandhurst cadet, saying he wasn't aware that it was a slur and thought it was like calling an American a 'Yankee'. But it is his discussion of relationships with family members that is most damaging. The book covers every aspect of his life, charting the disconnect with his elder sibling whom he calls 'Willy' that started from the moment he was born, when Charles allegedly declared that his duty was done. He accuses William, 40, of being immersed in his position as future heir to the throne, claims he ignored him when they were pupils at Eton College, and says he repeatedly put him in his place. In one paragraph Harry, who is affectionately called 'Harold' by his family, describes himself as feeling like he was born to be the 'spare kidney' for his elder brother. Harry also accuses his elder brother of being the aggressor during 'Megxit', claiming their relationship had become so strained and damaged that William would only 'scowl' at him. He describes several particularly awkward meetings between himself, Meghan, William and Kate, saying his brother and sister-in-law appeared uncomfortable at being hugged by his future wife. Prince William stands alongside his wife Kate, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex behind, at Queen Elizabeth II's Lying-in State The Duchess of Sussex sits behind the then-Duchess of Cambridge as they attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey The shock revelations come after copies of Harry's memoir, Spare, were released early in Spain on Thursday He also appears to accuse the Princess of Wales of over-reacting by demanding an apology from Meghan after she fell out with Kate over wedding plans. Kate was apparently offended that Meghan attributed forgetfulness to 'baby brain' after the birth of Prince Louis. Harry also reveals that the two couples even rowed over seating plans and whether William and Kate should be put together. He says when William confronted Meghan and defended his wife, Meghan snapped back at the prince, 'take your finger out of my face'. While Charles is spared more pain than many had expected, Harry paints him as an ineffectual father who wasn't even able to hug him when telling him of his mother's death in a car crash. He says that when he confided in Charles about suffering panic attacks as a grown man, the prince looked at his plate sadly and said he had failed him. However, in what are sure to be distressing passages for the King, Harry describes how when he returned to the UK to attend Prince Philip's funeral in 2021, a clearly distressed Charles wailed at his warring sons not to make his 'final years a misery'. Harry claims that he and William had an explosive row about Meghan, which resulted in his brother grabbing him by the collar, breaking his necklace and knocking him to the ground, breaking and injuring himself on a dog bowl. Afterward he first called not his wife, but his therapist, he says. And William, he claims, is his 'arch-nemesis' and 'polar opposite'. As for the Queen Consort, who comes off relatively lightly in the book, Harry says he and William begged their father not to marry the 'other woman', fearing she would be their 'wicked stepmother' but adds that they eventually came to tolerate her. The fifth in line to the throne does, however, accuse Camilla of leaking stories about him through a palace spin doctor. The loss of his mother, Princess Diana, is also a central theme of the memoir, to which Harry returns repeatedly. He dedicates the book to her along with Meghan and their two children. He repeatedly dreams his mother might come back, and once turned to a woman with 'powers' who passed him a message from Diana saying that he was 'living the life she couldn't'. The prince also writes in the book about drinking his first cocktail with the Queen Mother and teaching her to do an impression of the TV character Ali G. In interviews set up to promote the memoir further trailers of which have also been released an emotional Harry refuses to say whether he will go to his father's Coronation this spring but denies invading William and Charles's privacy by revealing intimate details in his book. Goading the royals, Harry says 'the ball is in their court' to resolve the fallout if he is to attend the event on May 6. Prince Harry, pictured here in Afghanistan in 2013, claimed he killed 25 Taliban fighters while in the Army It has been decades in the making, but the first ever orbital space launch on British soil could finally take place next week. Virgin Orbit has selected Monday, January 9 as a potential lift-off date more than 70 years after the British Space Programme was established in 1952. If the weather is favourable, and given that no gremlins are picked up in the lead up to Monday, one of Sir Richard Branson's modified Boeing 747's will take off from Spaceport Cornwall with a 70-foot-long rocket packed full of satellites. The space plane named Cosmic Girl will then be flown to high altitude, where the rocket will be dropped and ignited before flying into space. Ready for launch: Virgin Orbit has selected Monday, January 9 as a potential lift-off date for the first ever orbital launch on British soil. A modified Boeing 747 space plane will have a two-stage orbital rocket called LauncherOne tucked into its belly to fire into orbit Sir Richard Branson's modified Boeing 747 will take off from Spaceport Cornwall with a 70-foot-long rocket packed full of satellites MILESTONES IN BRITISH SPACE 1952: British space programme adopted 1962: First British-built satellite is launched (by NASA from Cape Canaveral, Florida) 1971: British rocket Black Arrow puts a single British satellite, Prospero, into orbit from a launch site in Australia 1975: 10 nations including the UK founds the European Space Agency 1985: British National Space Centre in Leicester is founded 1991: Sheffield-born chemist Helen Sharman becomes the first British person in space 2003: Beagle 2 British Mars lander launched 2004: Sir Richard Branson forms private company Virgin Galactic 2016: Tim Peake becomes the first British person to walk in space 2018: Space Industry Act paves the way for construction of UK spaceports 2022: Three UK spaceports - one in Cornwall and two in Scotland - are expected to become operational Advertisement Not only will the mission be the first of its kind from UK soil, it will also come 50 years after a British-made rocket, Black Arrow, last reached space following its lift-off from Australia. It follows months of delays, with Virgin Orbit citing technical and regulatory challenges in getting ready for the launch. Spaceport Cornwall will be the first such hub in the UK to enter service when the repurposed Newquay Airport hosts the space plane lift-off at night, after all the commercial flights have ended. It is sure to draw flocks of crowds as Branson's company launches two shoebox-sized satellites on behalf of the UK government on a rocket called LauncherOne. Once deployed, they will deliver high-tech imaging sensors, allowing the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to monitor Earth and its oceans. The mission, which will be the first commercial launch from Europe and the first international launch by Virgin Orbit, has been named Start Me Up in tribute to the iconic British band, the Rolling Stones. The Soviet Union was the first nation to carry out a successful space launch, with Sputnik 1 in October 1957, before the United States, Japan, France, China, India, Israel and Iran all followed. North Korea achieved the feat in 2012, along with South Korea earlier this year, so Britain would be the 11th nation to carry out a space launch on its own soil. The Cornwall horizontal launch site is one of three spaceports in the UK that aim to start satellite launches in 2022, but will beat its two Scottish rivals to seal the title as the host location of the first satellite launch from British soil. Getting the infrastructure and regulations in place to allow for lift-off from Newquay has taken considerable time, but while the airport and its 1.6 mile-long (2.7km) runway look the same, a new building will allow Virgin Orbit to load satellites into its rocket and then attach it to the wing of its plane. An on-site mission control will also be used to carry out the launch. Although Monday is when the window for lift-off opens, Virgin Orbit has back-up launch dates on January 13, 15, 18, 19 and 20. Melissa Thorpe, head of Spaceport Cornwall, said: 'It's time to Start Us Up! This is a huge moment for us all in Cornwall as the journey to UK space launch has officially begun. 'The mission name and patch reflect and embrace the incredible partnerships between our two countries and teams.' Spaceport Cornwall (pictured in an artist's impression) will be the first such hub in the UK to enter service when the repurposed Newquay Airport hosts the space plane lift-off at night, after all the commercial flights have ended The Virgin Orbit Launcher One rocket will be equipped with Ministry of Defence observation kit among other payloads WHY CORNWALL AS A SPACE LAUNCH SITE? Ian Jones, CEO of Goonhilly Earth Station, explains why Cornwall is the perfect place for the UK's first orbital space launch, and for further lift-offs in the future. 'We're on a peninsula, surrounded by the ocean with the ability to get into, and communicate, with space,' he said. 'It's like living on our own little spaceship here. 'Its also the sort of environment that makes our services exportable to the rest of the world. 'Like we exported mining over 200 years ago, were now exporting highly effective communications and that is the way forward.' Advertisement Virgin Orbit will send the UK government's two cubesats measuring about 12 inches long, 8 inches wide and 4 inches deep into space along with eight other payloads as part of a mission named Prometheus-2. Built by In-Space Missions Ltd, based in Hampshire, and designed with Airbus Defence and Space, Prometheus-2 is a collaboration between MoD and international partners, including the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Cubesat 1' and 'Cubesat 2' will provide a test platform for monitoring radio signals including GPS and sophisticated imaging. Cubesat 1 includes a laser detector, a GPS receiver and a hyperspectral imager which can capture multiple slivers of pictures over different wavelengths of light. Cubesat 2, meanwhile, includes two optical imaging cameras, a laser range finder, and a GPS receiver. The cubesats will allow MOD to better understand how the UK and its international partners can work together to create a 'more capable and flexible system' at a lower cost. Technology on board the cubesats will enable MOD to identify new techniques and algorithms for operating satellites and data processing, it said. The upcoming Cornwall launch will involve Virgin Orbit's carrier aircraft, a modified Boeing 747 called Cosmic Girl, and LauncherOne, a two-stage orbital launch vehicle tucked into Cosmic Girl's belly. Once Cosmic Girl is at a high enough altitude around 35,000 feet LauncherOne is unleashed. When at an orbital altitude, LauncherOne deploys the satellites, which will be catapulted into orbit at 8,000 miles per hour. Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit has already conducted three successful consecutive orbital missions with LauncherOne in 2021 and 2022, the last one in January last year There are three UK spaceports aiming to start operations this year. The one in Cornwall is a horizontal launch site, meaning it uses a carrier aircraft, such as a Boeing 747, for launches before deploying rockets when the aircraft is airborne. Meanwhile, Space Hub Sutherland and SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands are vertical spaceports, meaning they perform more conventional ground launches with a rocket Virgin Orbit has already conducted three successful consecutive orbital missions with LauncherOne in 2021 and 2022, the last one in January last year. Dan Hart, CEO of Virgin Orbit, said: 'What an incredible honour it is for us to be part of something as monumental as bringing Britain into the business of launch. 'Working with our partners across the UK government, we're starting up a new capability that will serve the people, the economy, and the security of the UK.' Sam O'Dwyer, managing Director of Cornwall Airport Newquay, said: 'We are incredibly proud to be involved in this innovative project to enable space launch from Cornwall Airport Newquay with Spaceport Cornwall and Virgin Orbit. 'The team effort that has gone into developing a fully licensed Spaceport facility which will deliver safe and secure space operations for the UK's first ever space launch has been simply inspiring and I'd like to say a massive well done to my team.' The first launch from Spaceport Cornwall is just the beginning, with vertical launch spaceports in Scotland expected to come online in 2023. In June last year, Mr Hart told MailOnline that Spaceport Cornwall could be used to send probes to Mars, Venus and the moon within the next three or four years . 'Lunar missions and smaller craft bound for Venus and Mars could be launched [from Spaceport Cornwall] within the next three or four years,' he said. 'We're not going to launch a Perseverance rover (currently being used by NASA to search for signs of ancient life on Mars ), for example, but smaller interplanetary probes that explore or carry out landing missions are a possibility.' However, despite there being talk the Cornish site could one day launch fee-paying space tourists on suborbital pleasure flights, the Virgin Orbit chief said human spaceflight was 'not currently part of the company's plans' for the facility. If you enjoyed this article... Check out this stunning global picture of Earth taken by a NASA satellite Stargazers will have a once-in-a-generation chance to see a new comet at the end of January And look up! The Quadrantid Meteor Shower will peak on January 4, 2023 By Kang Seung-woo South Korea is considering resuming psychological warfare operations, such as propaganda broadcasts or propaganda leaflets, against North Korea in the wake of the North's drone infiltration into South Korean airspace, according to a government official, Thursday. This photo shows one of the balloons containing 1 million anti-Pyongyang leaflets that Fighters for a Free North Korea, a Seoul-based organization of North Korean defectors, claimed it sent toward North Korea from the South Korean city of Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, April 25 and 26, 2022. Yonhap Unfortunately it does not work for other streaming services like Spotify It connects to your Apple Music, allowing you to stream songs on the app Retro Pod app transforms your iPhone screen into an iPod with the scroll wheel Gen Z are yearning for the noughties - first it was low rise jeans and cargo pants, but now it appears they are branching out to older tech. While most people opt for a new, sleek iPhone, some are trying to transform their phones to look like the iPod Classic. The iPod, which first launched 22 years ago, is still deemed one of Apple's most successful products, revolutionising how we listen to music. And while the product was discontinued last year, app creators are now trying to find ways to make sure we can still access the classic iPod home screen when we are feeling nostalgic. You can now download an app that makes your iPhone look like the classic iPod, fitted out with the scrolling screen Retro Pod is available in the App Store. Once it has converted to the iPhone classic it shows four options - random play, music, settings and now playing TikTokker EllyAwesomeTech took to the video sharing platform to inform her followers how they can make their iPhone look and work like an iPod when listening to music. The app, called Retro Pod, is available in the App Store, converting the screen into the iPod Classic homepage, with four options appearing on the home screen - random play, music, settings and now playing. It even has the classic scroll wheel, with tactile functions created by haptic feedback, so it feels bumpy as your scroll through your music options. Elly Bailey, from Australia, explained on her TikTok: 'Sweet nostalgia the iPod is back. You can download an app that makes your iPhone feel like an iPod. How to get the iPod look on your iPhone For those who use Apple Music, head to the app store and download the free Retro Pod app. Retro Pod will then ask whether it can access your Apple Music library. Once you agree, your music should be able to scroll through your music as if you were on an iPod. For Spotify users, type in iPod.js into your search bar. It will then ask to sync your Spotify or Apple Music to get the classic iPod experience. Advertisement 'You can adjust the volume with the clicky scroll wheel and it has that tactile, bumpy, vibratey feel.' The app describes itself as 'a simple and retro player.' 'This app works with your Apple Music library,' it explains on its App Store listing. 'It's easy to use and can invoke your old-day memories.' The catch is that it only works for those using Apple Music, and not other streaming services like Spotify. This isn't the first time younger generations have harked back to Apple products of the past. In 2022, on TikTok, younger generations were seen joking about what the iPod Shuffle was, questioning whether they were hair accessories. iPod Shuffles were the cheapest product of the range, starting at 82.29 ($99) when they were introduced in 2005. TikToker Celeste Tice, held up the iPhone Shuffle in one of her videos and joked: 'I found this old iPod, I don't know, hair clip thing.' She went on to joke the hair accessory was 'vintage'. Apple released its first screenless iPod in 2005, in the form of the iPod Shuffle, which started at just 82.29 ($99) Following the news that the iPods will no longer be sold, there was a huge surge of listings of iPods on eBay, with people offering more than 5,403 ($6,500) in some cases to purchase the item. When the iPod Classic first went on sale in 2001, it cost 331 ($399), shocking people who were used to using a CD player or Walkman. The iPod initially had space for 1,000 songs and had a 10-hours battery life. Apple continued to make seven generations of the iPod classic until 2008, when the likes of iPod Nanos, iPod Shuffles and iPod Touches took over. If you enjoyed this article ... How much is YOUR old iPod worth? Apple's retro gadgets are selling for THOUSANDS on eBay as the tech giant announces it's discontinuing the devices after 20 years Now you can buy SHARES of an iPod: First-generation gadget from 2001 which is still sealed in its box is being sold as 5,000 shares for $5 each on tech platform that offers rare collectibles to the masses The end of an era! Apple discontinues the iPod after 20 years - but insists its 'spirit lives on' in other devices It is a spectacular natural phenomenon that puts on a multi-coloured light show across the Arctic Circle. But tonight, lucky skywatchers in Britain might just have a chance of spotting the aurora borealis, as it creeps as far south as Edinburgh in Scotland. The Earth has just reached its closest point to the sun this year known as perihelion but in doing so it is set to be slammed by a huge solar storm that will reach us today and tomorrow. The Met Office's Space Weather arm said a sunspot region in the southwestern quadrant of the sun had 'led to a possible CME (coronal mass ejection)'. Look up! Tonight, lucky skywatchers in Britain might just have a chance of spotting the aurora borealis, as it creeps as far south as Edinburgh in Scotland The Met Office's Space Weather arm said a sunspot region in the southwestern quadrant of the sun had 'led to a possible CME (coronal mass ejection)' that could bring the Northern Lights further south and possibly visible across Scotland (pictured) WHAT ARE CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS? Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large clouds of plasma and magnetic field that erupt from the sun. These clouds can erupt in any direction, and then continue on in that direction, plowing through solar wind. These clouds only cause impacts to Earth when they're aimed at Earth. They tend to be much slower than solar flares, as they move a greater amount of matter. CMEs can be triggered when a storm on the surface of the sun causes a whirlwind to form at the base of plasma loops that project from the surface. These loops are called prominences and when they become unstable they can break, releasing the CME into space. Advertisement It added: 'The auroral oval will likely extend southwards during the next 24 hours, initially owing to the ongoing influence of a coronal mass ejection (CME), but then one or more coronal hole high speed streams connecting with the Earth. 'Both of these events are likely to lead to some enhancements to the auroral oval with overhead aurora possibly visible across Scotland and equivalent latitudes.' The Northern Lights are predominantly seen in high-latitude regions, so any glimpse across the UK is a rare treat for stargazers. But CMEs caused by intense solar activity can make it possible to spot the spectacle much further south. The problem, however, will be cloud cover. 'There is an area of low pressure that will be moving to the north of the UK that is going to bring cloud and some rain to the region,' a Met Office spokesperson said. 'There could be some clear spells overnight in Edinburgh at times but they won't last particularly long.' Sunspots are areas on the sun's surface where powerful magnetic fields, created by the flow of electrical charges, become tangled and eventually release a huge explosion of energy that results in a solar flare. Although our sun gives us life, it also frequently 'sneezes', ejecting billions of tonnes of hot plasma into space in colossal blobs of matter threaded with magnetic fields in other words, CMEs. It emits gigantic flares, bursts of powerful electromagnetic radiation x-rays, gamma rays and radio bursts accompanied by streams of highly energetic particles. CMEs usually take around 15 to 18 hours to reach Earth. The Northern Lights are predominantly seen in high-latitude regions, so any glimpse across the UK is a rare treat for stargazers The problem with seeing it across Scotland tonight will be cloud cover. 'There is an area of low pressure that will be moving to the north of the UK (pictured) that is going to bring cloud and some rain to the region,' a Met Office spokesperson said The Met Office said a possible one is expected to arrive today, with its effects set to continue into tomorrow (Friday). The aurora appears when atoms in Earth's high-altitude atmosphere collide with energetic charged particles from the sun, creating breathtaking colours of green with a hint of pink, red and violet. It is more often seen in winter when the nights are cold, long and dark. When a solar storm heads our way, some of the energy and small particles can travel down the magnetic field lines at the north and south poles into Earth's atmosphere. There, the particles interact with gases in our atmosphere resulting in beautiful displays of light in the sky the aurora, or Northern Lights. Oxygen gives off green and red light, while nitrogen glows blue and purple. The aurora can be seen near the poles of both the northern and southern hemispheres. In the north the display is known as the aurora borealis, and in the south it is called the aurora australis. The Northern Lights have fascinated people on Earth for centuries, but the science behind them has not always been understood. Our planet has an invisible forcefield, the magnetosphere, which protects us from dangerous charged particles from the sun. The magnetosphere is the area around Earth controlled by the planet's magnetic field. Dr Marty Jopson, who studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University, said: 'Whilst it shelters us, it also creates one of the most impressive phenomena on Earth the Northern Lights. 'When the deadly solar winds meet Earth's magnetosphere, some of the charged particles get trapped, and are propelled down the Earth's magnetic field lines straight towards the poles. 'And when they reach Earth, they strike atoms and molecules in our atmosphere, releasing energy in the form of light.' If you enjoyed this article... From meteor showers and solar eclipses to the crescent moon beside Saturn and Venus: The astronomical events you don't want to miss in 2023 In extra-terrestrial news, aliens could be discovered within 25 years when telescopes more powerful than James Webb are built to see distant solar systems And check out this stunning global picture of Earth taken by a NASA satellite Its makers say it reduces overstimulation and stress and increases 'mindfulness' A bizarre $500 'smartwatch' has a gemstone face instead of an interactive touchscreen display and it doesn't tell the time. Nowatch, described as an 'awareable' rather than a wearable, is the creation of a company of the same name based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. When strapped onto the wrist, Nowatch reads stress, temperature, heart rate, movement and sleep patterns but if you want to know the time it won't help you. However, it offers an alternative to smartwatch fans who can find themselves overstimulated and stressed out by bright screens with constant notifications. The Nowatch wearable device is displayed during CES Unveiled ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 3, 2023 What is Nowatch? Nowatch is a 'smartwatch' in the sense that it straps to the wrist - but it doesn't tell the time. Instead, it reads stress, temperature, heart rate, movement, sleep patterns and more. Nowatch is the first device on the market to monitor a person's cortisol levels, the primary stress hormone. Higher levels of cortisol are associated with concentration problems, weight gain, insomnia, and heart disease. Instead of a traditional clock display, the 'watch face' is a hand-carved gemstone. Advertisement Nowatch is just one of thousands of new gadgets on display at CES 2023 in Las Vegas, which shows off futuristic technology. Company CEO and co-founder Hylke Muntinga told Tech Crunch at CES that the watch was designed after he was diagnosed with a genetic disease in 2019. Pseudoxanthoma elasticum, or PXE, causes changes to connective tissue in some parts of the body and can make people lose their eyesight. 'Two and a half years ago, I found out that I'm going blind through a rare disease called PXE,' said Muntinga. 'That was a wake-up call not to get lost in distractions. I have to live right now.' He launched his company in 2020, and designed the Nowatch device along with his co-founder, Timothee Manschot, and Dutch corporation Philips. Nowatch does not tell users the time because its inventors believe a screen only adds to feelings of stress. Its 'watch face' is a hand-carved, 'ethically-sourced' gemstone, making it akin to a piece of jewellery while also having hidden body-tracking abilities. The gemstones are removable, so users can swap them out for another if they feel like a change for the day. Hylke Muntinga, CEO and co-founder of Nowatch, said the watch was designed after he was diagnosed with a genetic disease, pseudoxanthoma elasticum, or PXE Nowatch, described as an 'awareable' rather than a wearable, is the creation of a Dutch company of the same name Nowatch has interchangeable gemstones on the face to change the look, as well as biotechnology capabilities including a health tracker that measures stress, heart rate, sleep and movement CES 2023: Withings unveils a smart device that you wee on You can now stick a smart device in your toilet that will monitor your metabolic and reproductive health when you wee on it. Withings, known for its smartwatches, has branched out with its latest product, dubbed the U-Scan, unveiled at CES in Las Vegas this week. It's a 'miniaturized health lab' that sits within any toilet bowl', with the results being sent to an app on your phone. Read more Advertisement The tech can sense 'electrodermal activity' changes in the resistance of the skin to electrical current based on sweat gland activity, which can be a marker of stress. Electrodermal activity can change due to the state of our sweat glands, with even a tiny difference reflecting a change in our emotional state. An algorithm then analyses the data and alerts the wearer via a subtle vibration to warn them that they might need to relax. Nowatch is also the first device on the market to monitor a person's cortisol levels, the primary stress hormone. Cortisol and skin conductance are both direct results of stressors and are therefore related, although skin conductance is an immediate reaction while the effects of cortisol occur 25-60 minutes later. Such insights gained by the watch are displayed in real-time on an accompanying smartphone app for both iOS and Android. According to the World Health Organization, stress is the number one health challenge of the 21st century. The American Psychological Association also estimates stress related health problems cost the US $300 billion (249 billion) annually. The device's 'watch face' is a hand-carved, 'ethically-sourced' gemstone, making it akin to a piece of jewelry while also having its hidden body-tracking abilities. These gemstones are removable, so users can swap them out for another if they feel like a change Muntinga's company claims that its watch can help with 'mindfulness' paying more attention to the moment and offering a drug-free method of reducing stress. 'Nowatch allows users to tap into many of the benefits of mindfulness and chart their progression and physical health,' the firm says. 'We've replaced the traditional watch face with ancient stones, celebrating the belief that time is now. 'And inside, the world's most sophisticated bio-technology quietly tracks your mental and physical health and offers real time feedback on how to restore balance.' Nowatch goes on sale in the first half of 2023, starting at $499 or 499. Read more CES stories here... Withings unveils a smart device that you wee on to monitor health Sony unveils its electric vehicle prototype called Afeela Arnold Schwarzenegger takes to the stage for BMW keynote Stephen Hawking's wheelchair, PhD thesis and specially adapted glasses will go on display in Bradford in the first display outside the capital city. Hundreds of the Cambridge Professor's belongings, including a copy of his 1996 PhD thesis and specially-adapted spectacles which helped him to communicate, make up part of the exhibition Stephen Hawking at Work. The academic's personal effects are currently on display at the Science Museum in London, but will move up north next month. The display opens to the public at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford from February 9. It will be the first time the collection is being displayed outside of the capital. Stephen Hawking's PhD thesis will go on display in Bradford - alongside other items from the late genius's personal collection Hundreds of the Cambridge Professor's belongings, including a copy of his 1996 PhD thesis make up part of the exhibition Stephen Hawking at Work The exhibition will also give an insight into how the world-renowned physicist lived with motor neurone disease. When he was initially diagnosed he was given a two year prognosis - but went on to live alongside the disease for five years. Dr Juan-Andres Leon, Curator of Stephen Hawking at Work, said: 'On display for the first time outside of London, visitors to the National Science and Media Museum will be able to explore extraordinary objects from Professor Stephen Hawking's office. 'These notable items give a rare glimpse into Hawking's remarkable life as a world-renowned theoretical physicist to inspire the next generation of scientists and thinkers. The exhibition will also give an insight into how the world-renowned physicist lived with motor neurone disease The academic's personal effects are currently on display at the Science Museum in London, but will move up north next month 'The Science Museum Group acquired Hawking's most treasured possessions in May 2021 and now audiences from across the country will have the opportunity to see a selection of these fascinating objects up close.' The display contains one of only five known copies of the prof's PhD thesis which examined possible solutions to Einstein's equations of general relativity to demonstrate that the universe must have originated in a singularity, a single point of infinite density. Mr Hawking's daughter, Lucy, said: 'It's wonderful to see items from my father's office brought together at the National Science and Media Museum as part of a highlights display. 'Dad's office was such a unique and fascinating environment, and I hope this display might inspire some scientists of the future.' Glacial melting could cause an increase in avalanches and floods If we limit global warming to 2.7F (1.5C), this is reduced to 26 per cent This is the equivalent of 41 per cent of the planet's total glacier mass Scientists predict we could have lost 80 per cent of the world's glaciers by 2100 The number of glaciers on Earth could decrease by 80 per cent by the year 2100, a concering new model has predicted. Climate scientists at Carnegie Mellon University in the US have projected the ice loss the planet could face in different emissions scenarios. Their findings suggest that even if we are able to limit the increase in average global temperature to 2.7F (1.5C), nearly half of the planet's total glacier mass. This loss could negatively impact local hydrological cycles and result in an increase of glacier hazards like avalanches and floods. Climate scientists at Carnegie Mellon University have projected the ice loss the planet could face in different emissions scenarios. Pictured: Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina Glacial loss could negatively impact local hydrological cycles and result in an increase of glacier hazards like avalanches and floods. Pictured: An Arctic glacier in Canada Major glaciers will DISAPPEAR by 2050 due to global warming Some of the world's most famous glaciers will disappear by 2050 due to global warming, whatever the temperature rise scenario, according to a UNESCO report. This includes the Dolomites in Italy, the Yosemite and Yellowstone parks in the United States and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. UNESCO monitors some 18,600 glaciers across 50 of its World Heritage sites and said that a third of those are set to disappear by 2050. While the rest can be saved by keeping global temperature rise below 1.5C (2.7F) relative to pre-industrial levels, in a business-as-usual emissions scenario, about 50 per cent of these World Heritage glaciers could almost entirely disappear by 2100. Read more here Advertisement Many studies have shown that glaciers around the world are melting rapidly as a result of global warming. In November 2022, scientists described the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica as 'holding on by its fingernails', after discovering that it has retreated twice as fast as previously thought over the past 200 years. This could lead to global sea levels rising by 10 feet (3 m) alone, but other researchers have predicted the increase that would be generated by other large ice masses. For example, Antarctica's Pine Island Ice shelf could cause a rise of 1.6 feet (0.5 m), while the East Antarctica ice sheet may contribute a whopping 16 feet (4.9 m) by 2500. Sea level rises threaten cities like Shanghai and London, low-lying swathes of Florida and Bangladesh, and even entire nations such as the Maldives. In the UK, for instance, a rise of 6.7ft (2 metres) or more may cause areas such as Hull, Peterborough, Portsmouth and parts of east London and the Thames Estuary at risk of becoming submerged. Rising sea levels have also been linked to devastating coastal erosion, storm surges and wind-driven wave impacts. As well as playing a part in these environmental disasters, the loss of glaciers will also negatively impact tourism and cultural values in their regions. For the new study, published today in Science, the Pennsylvania-based team made predictions as to how many of Earth's 215,000 mountain glaciers will be lost if global temperatures were to continue to rise. Two thirds of Earth's glaciers make up 41 percent of its total glacier mass, as the majority of them are relatively small - less than one kilometre square. According to the study, these would all be lost were we continue investment into fossil fuels as we do currently. Pictured: Global glacier change in the 21st century They took into account large amounts of data tailored to different types of glaciers, including tidewater and debris-covered glaciers. Tidewater glaciers have a boundary in contact with the ocean, which exacerbates melting, while debris can have a positive or negative effect on glacial melt depending on its thickness. While these minute differences were not found to have an effect on global glacier projections, they did play a large role on the mass loss of individual glaciers. Two thirds of Earth's glaciers make up 41 percent of its total glacier mass, as the majority of them are relatively small - less than one kilometre square. According to the study, these would all be lost were we continue investment into fossil fuels as we do currently. '[E]very increase in temperature has significant consequences with respect to glacier contribution to sea level rise, the loss of glaciers around the world, and changes to hydrology, ecology, and natural hazards,' the authors said. For the new study, published today in Scinece, the Pennsylvania-based team made predictions as to how many glaciers will be lost if global temperatures are to continue to rise. Pictured: The Kangiata Nunata Sermia glacier undergoing submarine melting in southwest Greenland As glaciers take a long time to respond to changes in the climate, cutting back emissions will not suddenly stop all melting. Pictured: Outlets of SE Devon Ice Cap on Devon Island, Canada However, as glaciers take a long time to respond to changes in the climate, cutting back emissions will not suddenly stop all glacial melting. Dr David Rounce, who led the study, says that even if we ditch fossil fuels completely today it will still take up to 100 years to be reflected in glacier melt rates. If we are able to limit the global temperature increase to 2.7F (1.5C), as was set out in the Paris Agreement in 2015, we would still lose 26 per cent of global glacier mass. Central Europe, Western Canada and the US are home to smaller glaciers, which are at risk of disappearing completely if the world heats up by 5.4F (3C). Dr Rounce hopes his work will inform world leaders and policymakers to work towards a lower target and save the glaciers. The authors say: 'While issuing a stark warning about the consequences of insufficient action, achieve this framing with an important message: Although it is too late to avoid losing many glaciers, any effort to limit global mean temperature rise will have a direct effect on reducing how many glaciers will be lost.' Dr Rounce hopes his work will inform world leaders and policymakers to work towards a lower target and save the glaciers. Pictured: Lake Palcacocha, Peru If you found this article interesting, you might like... Find out about the mysterious river hidden under the Antarctic Ice Sheet that could be speeding up ice loss. Temperatures in Europe have increased by more than TWICE the global average since 1991, a report has revealed. And, will the next pandemic come from the Arctic? Ancient virus that has lain frozen in Siberian permafrost for 48,500 years has been revived. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) spotted galaxies similar to our Milky Way that formed when the universe was only 25 percent of its current age, with one dating back 11 billion years. These massive collections of gas, dust and stars are also the first to feature stellar bars - elongated features of stars stretching from the centers of galaxies into their outer disks - shortly after the big bang occurred 13.7 billion years ago. Stellar bars are present in our galaxy, but this is the first time scientists have seen them in the early universe - a discovery that 'will require astrophysicists to refine their theories of galaxy evolution.' Shardha Jogee, professor of astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin, said in a statement: 'This discovery of early bars means galaxy evolution models now have a new pathway via bars to accelerate the production of new stars at early epochs.' NASA's James Webb spotted galaxies similar to our Milky Way, which formed in the early universe. These galaxies feature stellar bars, which are elongated features of stars stretching from the centers of galaxies into their outer disks NASA's Hubble Space Telescope previously detected bars, but never at such young epochs. In a Hubble image, one galaxy, EGS-23205, is little more than a disk-shaped smudge, but in the corresponding JWST image taken this past summer, it's a beautiful spiral galaxy with a clear stellar bar. Never-before-seen galaxies sparkle in a new image of James Webb that 'looked back in time' 13.5 billion years to capture the dazzling cosmos James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured never-before-seen galaxies that appear like dazzling diamonds in the blackness of space. Advertisement 'I took one look at these data and said, 'We are dropping everything else!' said Jogee. 'The bars hardly visible in Hubble data just popped out in the JWST image, showing the tremendous power of JWST to see the underlying structure in galaxies.' The team identified six bar galaxies ranging from eight billion to 11 billion years old. Yuchen 'Kay' Guo, a graduate student who led the analysis, said: 'For this study, we are looking at a new regime where no one had used this kind of data or done this kind of quantitative analysis before, so everything is new. It's like going into a forest that nobody has ever gone into.' Bars are found in up to 65 percent of spiral galaxies and affect the motions of stars, dust and gas. Scientists believe that bars act like a funnel, pulling matter into the bulge from the disk and boosting star formation. Bars also help to grow supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies by channeling the gas part of the way. 'Bars solve the supply chain problem in galaxies,' Jogee said. 'Just like we need to bring raw material from the harbor to inland factories that make new products, a bar powerfully transports gas into the central region where the gas is rapidly converted into new stars at a rate typically 10 to 100 times faster than in the rest of the galaxy.' Astronomers have believed for many years that our galaxy is home to a stellar bar, though its presence has been inferred indirectly. According to the Spitzer space telescope team, the reason bars have not been confirmed in the Milky Way is likely due to our vantage point within the disk of the galaxy. This 'makes it difficult to accurately determine the size and shape of this bar and surrounding spiral arms,' the team shared. The team identified six bar galaxies ranging from eight billion to 11 billion years old The first study to 'find' a stellar bat at the center of our galaxy was released in 2005. The team of astronomers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison used NASA's Spitzer to survey more than 30 million stars in the center of the Milky Way. The orbiting infrared telescope allowed astronomers to see bright stars through clouds of interstellar dust to draw a vivid portrait of the center of the galaxy. Ed Churchwell, who was involved in the project, said: 'We're pretty certain of the extent and orientation of this bar because we got more data than anybody else that has ever brought to bear on the problem by a long shot.' If you enjoyed this article... NASA's James Webb telescope captures stunning image of a 'lonely' galaxy 3 million light-years from the Milky Way James Webb spots spiral galaxies from the early universe's 'cosmic noon' period more than 8 billion years ago - the farthest ever seen by human eyes James Webb discovers the oldest galaxy in the universe - a 13.5-billion-year-old system of stars formed 300 million years after the Big Bang It's a radical solution that could have come straight from a science-fiction blockbuster. But a robot could be brought into British care homes this year to help solve the staffing crisis. The fully autonomous Aeo android can do the rounds on its own, checking up on residents and bringing them their medicine. Human staff meanwhile can keep an eye on its progress remotely through an app, with a live video feed showing its progress in real time. Robots could be brought into British care homes this year to help solve the staffing crisis Aeolus Robotics said its droid has already been used to great success in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, where it has been employed by some of the countries biggest care providers. The firm told the Daily Mail it is looking to expand into the UK in 2023 and is in talks with distributors and partners. It is unveiling the android which is also used in Japan as a security guard in schools and offices at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. Staff shortages were recently identified to be a key problem in three-quarters of care homes who had their ratings cut to inadequate this summer by the regulator. It's already a key member of the team A wave of inspections revealed the issue was affecting thousands of vulnerable residents, with reports of some left in their rooms for 24 hours a day. Aeo however who resembles robot Eve from 2008 animated Pixar film Wall-E can take over the job of human staff. Onboard cameras and built-in infra-red sensors let it navigate autonomously through corridors at just over 2mph. Human staff meanwhile can keep an eye on its progress remotely through an app, with a live video feed showing its progress in real time Meanwhile, its two mechanical arms can be fitted with various tools, including a pincer to operate lifts, open doors, or close windows and pick things off shelves up to 7ft high. A tray can also be attached to deliver food or medicine, or it can be equipped with an ultraviolet light to disinfect door handles and other surfaces. Aeo is strong enough to lift a gallon of milk but gentle enough to hold a phone without dropping or crushing it. It is also built with sophisticated artificial intelligence that can alert nurses if residents posture looks to have changed, signalling they may have had a fall. The boss of one of Japans biggest care providers, Senior Life Central, has told how the robot is improving its patient services. General manager Kayo Kojima said: The robot is already one of our colleagues and a key member of our team. It takes on completing simple tasks that frees up our staff to have more time to interact with patients and staff. And Alexander Huang, of Aeolus Robotics, said: Our goal is to create robots that will enhance quality of life and advance the positive impact robots already have on society. But only if video or TV replays for decisions weren't available for umpires The 2022 ICC batsman of the year later admitted he would have trudged off Aussie batsman earnt a reprieve from third umpire during Third Test at SCG Marnus Labuschagne says if video replays were unavailable, he would have walked straight back to the pavilion after Simon Harmer's would-be catch on day one of the third Test against South Africa. Labuschagne was seemingly inexorable after lunch at the SCG on Wednesday, punishing Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj on his way to 70. But the Proteas appeared to have the breakthrough they were after when Labuschagne edged a Marco Jansen delivery to Harmer, who took a low grab in the slips. Labuschagne, 28, refused to budge though and umpire Paul Reiffel gave the soft signal of out as he sent the catch for review. Third umpire Richard Kettleborough examined several replays and was eventually satisfied there was enough evidence to overturn the soft signal, judging Labuschagne not out as the ball had touched the grass before Harmer caught it. Marnus Labuschagne has admitted if video replays weren't an option, he would have walked straight back to the pavilion at the SCG on Wednesday on day one of the Third Test Proteas players were seething at the decision, led by under pressure captain Dean Elgar (left) Recent changes to ICC protocols makes it easier for the third umpire to overturn the soft signal. After stumps, Labuschagne said he believed the third umpire made the right decision while adding that in another era, he would have copped Reiffel's call on the chin. 'If there's no TV (replays) then I'm walking,' he told reporters. 'But with the amount of slow-motion footage you see of the ball, you see his fingers push and split open. 'According to the technicalities, some of the ball is touching the grass, regardless of if his fingers are under it or not. 'It's hard because back in the day or even before we had this technology or camera work, they would just send you packing.' South African wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne made his feelings known on field to Labuschagne in heated scenes Labuschagne was adamant he wasn't out, and stood his ground, later earning a reprieve from the third umpire After the third umpire handed down his decision, Proteas captain Dean Elgar remonstrated with umpire Chris Gaffaney, clearly aware of the significance of the dangerous Labuschagne remaining in the middle at 1-130. Tongue-in-cheek, Anrich Nortje signalled that South Africa should use their DRS review on the third umpire's decision. 'If you look at the angles, to us it looks like fingers are underneath it,' Nortje said. 'Unfortunately we didn't get that one. I think it would've been a big one at that stage. We were convinced it was out.' Former Test umpire Simon Taufel told Channel 7 he sympathised with the South Africans. England captain Stokes believes that the ICC should look into getting rid of soft signals Ben Stokes has called for the ICC to scrap soft signals after a controversial call in Sydney 'It's a tough call,' he said. 'Richard really had a tough job with that one, particularly because the camber of the ground slopes away. 'I can understand why South Africa might feel a bit hard done by there.' Nortje eventually sent Labuschagne packing once-and-for-all after rain, poor light and tea all combined to force a two-and-a-half hour delay. Labuschagne (79) nicked him to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne on what turned out to be the last ball before bad light ended the action on day one. Wayne Rooney could reportedly get a second shot at becoming Everton manager should the Toffees sack Frank Lampard. The former Everton player revealed in January last year that he turned down the chance to replace Rafael Benitez in the dug-out while he was managing Derby County. It has now been reported by the Sun, that Rooney is on owner Farhad Moshiri's shortlist should they sack the D.C. United manager's former England team-mate Lampard after their recent poor run of form. Former Everton player Wayne Rooney could return to the club if Frank Lampard is sacked The Toffees are in the relegation zone with just 15 points out of their 18 Premier League games so far this season. Tuesday's heavy 4-1 defeat at home to Brighton piled the pressure on Lampard whose side have lost eight of their last 11 fixtures in all competitions. As previously reported, Lampard has been given a reprieve as he will take charge of their FA Cup tie with Manchester United on Friday - though his long-term future continues to be shrouded in doubt. Moshiri's list of potential candidates should he decide to sack Lampard also includes Sean Dyche and former Everton manager Roberto Martinez. Lampard's position has become increasingly under threat after Everton's 4-1 loss to Brighton Dyche has been out of work since he was sacked by Burnley in April, while Martinez - who recently left the Belgium job - was at Goodison Park from June 2013 to May 2016. Rooney is the surprising name on the shortlist, particularly after he turned his former side down last year. In a press conference while he was at Derby, Rooney admitted: 'They approached my agent and asked me to interview for the job which I turned down. D.C. United boss Rooney turned down the chance to get interviewed by Everton job last year 'I believe I will be a Premier League manager and that I'm ready for that, and if that's with Everton in future that would be great. 'It was a very difficult decision but I've got a job here at Derby which is important to me.' Rooney resigned as Derby manager in June after the club spent almost the entire 2021-22 season in administration, before joining D.C. United who he spent a brief time as a player with. Lord Sugar has blasted Gordon Ramsay by accusing the TV chef of 'ripping off' The Apprentice with his show Future Food Stars. The tycoon, 75, told MailOnline that Gordon, 56, should 'stick to his day job' after he launched the new series last year, which sees 12 entrepreneurs compete for a 150,000 investment of the restaurateur's own money to start a food business. He insists the format of Gordon's show that returns to BBC One with a second series later this year is a 'virtual rip-off' of The Apprentice and says he doesn't understand how lawyers allowed it to go ahead. Lord Sugar has blasted Gordon Ramsay by accusing the TV chef of 'ripping off' The Apprentice with his show Future Food Stars Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Lord Sugar said: 'I think broadcasters, Channel 4, Channel 5, and ITV have tried for many years at least for 17 years to try and replicate the elimination process of The Apprentice. I say this with great respect to them but they've failed. 'Last year, Gordon Ramsay had some cockamamie idea I like Gordon and I think he's very good and should stick to what he should do, cooking and all that stuff. 'He had some thing, which was like, I don't know how the lawyers allowed it because it was a virtual rip-off of The Apprentice. No disrespect to Gordon but stick to your day job mate that's all I would say.' Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars aired for the first time in 2022 on BBC One and the second series will begin later this year. The tycoon told MailOnline that Gordon should 'stick to his day job' after he launched the new series last year, which sees 12 entrepreneurs compete for a 150,000 investment of the restaurateur's own money to start a food business The show saw Gordon challenge cooking hopefuls with a series of tasks, explaining in episode one that his aim was to 'catapult someone to the next level and invest 150,000 of my own cash into their business.' Gordon stated that he 'handpicked' 12 of the UK's best up and coming food and drink entrepreneurs, with the show later being dubbed as 'The Apprentice of food.' Meanwhile, the seven-time Michelin star chef has another new show launching on ITV next Wednesday, Next Level Chef, which will see an array of hopefuls including home cooks, influencers, and professional chefs battle it out for a 100,000 prize and 12-month mentorship. The show will air 24 hours before the new series of The Apprentice continues on rival channel BBC One. MailOnline has contacted Gordon Ramsay for comment. Future Food Stars saw Gordon challenge cooking hopefuls with a series of tasks, explaining in episode one that his aim was to 'catapult someone to the next level and invest 150,000 of my own cash into their business' Lord Sugar's relationship with Gordon maybe in the balance but the Apprentice boss is on far better terms with online sparring partner Piers Morgan following a series of feuds. He even defended the TalkTV presenter's regular outbursts against Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle, saying: 'I can see where Piers is coming from and I know a lot of people tend not to like her for some reason. 'My only opinion is she joined the royal family and you have to say what do you expect? There's a certain protocol that you were joining and maybe she didn't understand the intensity of what is needed to be a member of a royal family.' Lord Sugar has once again brushed off accusations that The Apprentice is morphing into Love Island after last year's winner Harpreet Kaur is now in a relationship with former co-star Akshay Thakra. Lord Sugar has once again brushed off accusations that The Apprentice, which this year stars candidate Marnie Swindells (pictured) is morphing into Love Island Last year's Apprentice winner Harpreet Kaur is now in a relationship with her former co-star Akshay Thakra, who she competed against for Lord Sugar's 250,000 investment He joked that his right-hand man Claude Littner knows more about the ITV2 show than him and insisted comparisons are unfair given the influx of older contestants in recent years. Lord Sugar said: 'Let me tell you I have no clue what Love Island is about you're better off talking to Claude because he seems to be a fan. 'There was a couple of more mature candidates in the last series. It's not a deliberate thing. People enter the process through the merit of the auditions. There are no 'he is too old, she is too old, they're not coming in' no way, absolutely not.' The Apprentice returns on Thursday night at 9pm on BBC One and sees a new set of candidates meet Lord Sugar in the boardroom and attempt to impress him in the first task. Lord Sugar sends the 18 entrepreneurs to Antigua, where they are challenged with organising a day that tourists will remember, while earning the most amount of profit for their teams. In their attempt to secure the first win of the series, the boys put on a cultural and historical tour followed by rum tasting while the girls set sail on a boat trip with snorkelling, finishing off the day with a pottery class. The cast this year includes Online Antiques Marketplace owner Gregory Ebbs, Safari Guide Joseph Phillips, gold medal-winning boxer Marnie Swindells, and Rochelle Anthony, who runs a Hair Salon and Academy and claims she's the 'Kim K of business.' The Apprentice premieres TONIGHT at 9pm BBC One and iPlayer An attack helicopter flies during an anti-drone training exercise in Paju, a city near the inter-Korean border, Thursday. Yonhap By Jung Min-ho The North Korean drones that crossed into South Korea last week were not advanced ones: The glider type model, which appears to be an imitation of common Chinese commercial drones, probably cost less than 10 million won ($7,800), an expert says. Yet the drones were able to create an air of anxiety and insecurity in South Korea, where the military is now scrambling to improve its anti-drone defense system. After having seen how effective the unmanned aerial vehicles can be for heightening tensions, the North will likely repeat such provocations in the year ahead, according to analysts Thursday. "North Korea is expected to continue to use cost-effective methods for provocation such as a drone invasion," Oh Gyeong-seob, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), a think tank, said during a forum on North Korea's New Year messages. "What North Korea ultimately wants is to be recognized as a nuclear weapons state. To achieve that, it needs to keep stirring up tensions to move Washington but probably not to the point where South Korea and the U.S. would retaliate Drones can be one of the effective tools for this." This assessment comes the same day that South Korea's military shifted its previous stance to admit that one of the five North Korean drones entered the northern end of a no-fly zone surrounding the office of President Yoon Suk-yeol on Dec. 26. An Australian TikTok star has shocked his fans after making a bizarre discovery about Tracy Grimshaw. Tylah Hill explained he had previously heard Tracy's voice in DreamWorks animated film Shark Tale, but was unable to find it online or on streaming platforms. He then ordered a DVD from 2005 so that he could confirm with the original version, and discovered the TV presenter had made an appearance in the film. TikTok star Tylah Hill (pictured) left fans shocked as he made a bizarre discovery about Tracy Grimshaw @tylahhill a current affair gonna be different without aussie legend tracy grimshaw original sound - Tylah Hill 'In my last attempt to solve the Tracy Grimshaw mystery, I opened the DVD and confirmed it was a legitimate 2005 Australian release DVD,' he explained. 'All of the effort had paid off, I was finally able to witness Tracy Grimshaw as a fish in Shark Tale.' Tylah also played footage from the film that showed Tracy voicing reporter Katie Current. Tylah explained he had previously heard Tracy's (pictured) voice in DreamWorks animated film Shark Tale, but was unable to find it online or on streaming platforms Fans were left shocked by the discovery, with one person writing: 'I was literally so curious about this ever since I saw her name on IMDB.' 'It's only January 4th but I can confidently say this is the investigation of the year,' another said. A third agreed: 'Fantastic investigation. I always had a feeling she was!' He then ordered a DVD from 2005 so that he could confirm with the original version, and discovered the TV presenter had made an appearance in the film as reporter Katie Current 'I've known this for years and was so confused when I heard a different voice because she used to come up in the credits and everything,' another person said. 'How is Tracy's version not on Stan?...It's an Australian streaming company!' one questioned. Another commented: 'LMAOOO no way but this mystery resolved is so satisfying.' Sam Burgess attended a Peaky Blinders themed New Year's Eve party with his girlfriend Lucy Graham and their friends in Coffs Harbour on Saturday. In a series of photos posted to Instagram, the former NRL star, 34, was seen wearing a 1920s inspired ensemble as he celebrated the event with his new girlfriend. Sam looked stylish in beige pants, a white buttoned shirt and black suspenders as he posed alongside Lucy. Sam Burgess attended a Peaky Blinders themed New Year's Eve party with his girlfriend Lucy Graham and their friends in Coffs Harbour on Saturday Lucy showed off her pins in a long gold dress with a high slit and white gloves for the event. Sam's brother George and his wife Joanna also danced the night away at the party as they celebrated the new year. It comes after Burgess denied taking any illicit drugs after he allegedly failed a random roadside drug test on December 22. The former South Sydney Rabbitohs premiership star, who has a history of 35 previous traffic offences, was allegedly driving a BMWx5 when he was pulled over by police in Kingsford for a random test. In a series of photos posted to Instagram, the former NRL star, 34, donned a 1920s inspired ensemble as he celebrated the event with his new girlfriend Police allege registration checks revealed Burgess had a suspended licence. He allegedly returned a positive result for cocaine and was taken back to Maroubra Police Station for a second round of tests and was later released. Burgess has denied the allegations and later took a urine sample at an internationally accredited laboratory which he claimed showed no drugs in his system. 'He completely denies any suggestion that he was involved with any illicit drugs and we have obtained a urine sample from an internationally-accredited laboratory confirming that he has not consumed any illicit drugs,' his lawyer Brian Wrench said. Burgess released a statement to Daily Mail Australia, claiming he hasn't 'consumed, obtained, or possessed any illicit drugs'. Sam's brother George and his wife Joanna also danced the night away at the party as they celebrated the new year 'An initial roadside drug test was taken, which showed positive to cocaine,' Burgess said. 'A court date was issued for driving with a suspended licence.' 'After I was released from the police station, I immediately and voluntarily went to an independent, internationally accredited testing facility and undertook a urine test. The urine sample returned a negative result to all illicit drugs. 'I deny any suggestion that I have drugs in my system. I have not consumed, obtained, or possessed any illicit drugs. 'I have made positive improvements to my life and to my driving since my full licence was returned to me following a 10-month loss of licence. I have undertaken road safety courses and since then I have not incurred any demerit points or fines. It comes after Burgess denied taking any illicit drugs after he allegedly failed a random roadside drug test on December 22 'I am clean and sober from drugs, living a happy, healthy and balanced life.' Burgess was issued a court attendance notice for driving while suspended and will appear in Waverley Local Court on February 15. He has not yet been charged over the alleged positive drug test. 'Inquiries are continuing, and police will await the result of a secondary oral fluid analysis,' a NSW Police statement read. The results could take several weeks to come back. Before his latest arrest, Burgess had racked up 35 prior traffic offences since arriving in Australia from the UK in 2010. The former South Sydney Rabbitohs premiership star, who has a history of 35 previous traffic offences, was allegedly driving a BMWx5 when he was pulled over by police in Kingsford for a random test Most of the prior traffic offences were on his British licence. Most recently, he pleaded guilty to driving with cocaine in his system after highway patrol caught him behind the wheel of an unregistered car near Bowral in the Southern Highlands in February last year. He was on his way to visit his two young children when he was pulled over. Burgess was later fined, received a good behaviour bond, and ordered to take part in a traffic offender's program. No conviction was recorded. In March, the NRL fined Burgess $30,000 for using illicit drugs and threatening another player in 2018, and driving with traces of cocaine in his system in February 2021 while working at the Rabbitohs in an off-field role. Burgess was acquitted on appeal of intimidating his former father in law last year. He recently went public with new girlfriend Lucy Graham, his first serious girlfriend since separating from wife Phoebe Hooke in 2019. The former couple were married for four years and share two young children Poppy and Billy. Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa Giudice has been accused of wearing a fake designer swimsuit while vacationing in Tulum, Mexico. After sharing a sexy poolside picture of herself in a black two-piece with Chanel's double-C monogram on the top on Tuesday, the reality star, 50, got called out by the Instagram account, The Real Bad Fashions, run by Ben T., an accountant in Texas. In response to Ben's post, referring to her bathing suit as 'alleged designer inspired swimwear,' other internet sleuths began speculating about whether the bikini was authentic or a knockoff. Under fire: Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa Giudice has been accused of wearing a fake designer swimsuit while vacationing in Tulum, Mexico The comment section was flooded with social media users calling the fake designer swimsuit ' so embarrassing' while other pointed out that 'Chanel doesn't even make this bikini.' 'She ironed on that CC herself,' one commenter joked while another admitted to feeling 'shocked at how much fake stuff the housewives' have.' 'Does Chanel even make cheap bikinis like this? I highly doubt it,' a third person asked under the post. Knockoff? After sharing a sexy poolside picture of herself in a black two-piece with Chanel's double-C monogram on the top on Tuesday, the reality star, 50, got called out by the Instagram account, The Real Bad Fashions , run by Ben T., an accountant in Texas 'She ironed on that CC herself,' one commenter joked while another admitted to feeling 'shocked at how much fake stuff the housewives' have' Not real: The comment section was flooded with social media users calling the fake designer swimsuit ' so embarrassing' while other pointed out that 'Chanel doesn't even make this bikini' In December, Giudice's husband, Luis Ruelas, was accused by fans of gifting her four daughters, fake Cartier bracelets for Christmas. The Real Bad Fashions eventually reposted Giudice's daughter Gia's TikTok video along with a few separate posts, where the account user arose speculation and claimed that the bracelets possibly may not be authentic. One post contained close-up photos of the case Gia was holding as she gave her followers a glimpse of the jewelry piece alongside another Cartier case in an attempt to compare and contrast. 'Does Chanel even make cheap bikinis like this? I highly doubt it,' a third person asked under the post 'Why does she even bother it's so embarrassing,' another stated In another Instagram story post, the account creator had penned, 'Why is the Cartier logo off-center?' while zooming in to the logo on the inside of the box. Social media users in the comments offered their own opinions on the claims, with some agreeing with The Real Bad Fashions, while others defended the authenticity. 'Money talks... Wealth whispers... And these girls are screaming,' one follower had typed, while another penned, 'The box is clearly not real, nor the bracelet. Do you think they know?' However, one user commented, 'Just to be fair Images on the websites arent accurate all the time, specially packaging wise. I have padded and non padded boxes and both are authentic. I am not saying theirs are either or, Im just saying you cant base your whole point on the website photos lol.' More fakes? In December, Giudice's husband, Luis Ruelas, was accused by fans of gifting her four daughters, fake Cartier bracelets for Christmas; seen in 2022 Cate Blanchett traveled in style on Wednesday as she arrived at JFK Airport in New York City in a three-piece suit. The 53-year-old Australian actress looked chic and well-put-together as she added a pair of dark cat eye sunglasses. The Tar star layered the multi-piece look over a beige button-up shirt and black turtleneck. On the move: Cate Blanchett traveled in style on Wednesday as she arrived at JFK Airport in New York City in a three-piece suit The Golden Globe nominee's full look consisted of a vest, blazer, trousers, and understated black boots. The entertainer's blonde locks were arranged in a side part as she pulled them back into a casual, low updo. She skipped earrings and appeared to wear a light face of makeup as she wheeled around her gray and black luggage. Blanchett flashed a small smile as she breezed through the bustling transportation center by herself. Poised: The 53-year-old Australian actress looked chic and well-put-together as she added a pair of dark cat eye sunglasses In the upcoming Golden Globes ceremony, Cate has been nominated for Best Actress (Motion Picture Drama) for her lead role in Tar, competing against Viola Davis in The Woman King and Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. In the film, Cate plays iconic but troubled high-profile composter Lydia Tar, who is days away from recording the symphony that will elevate her career. When all elements seem to conspire against her, Lydia's adopted daughter Petra becomes an integral emotional support for her struggling mother. Keeping warm: The Tar star layered the multi-piece look over a beige button-up shirt and black turtleneck It was recently revealed that Cate was so desperate to be in Guillermo del Toro's film Pinocchio that she joked she would even 'play a pencil.' She jumped at the chance to star in the Netflix adaptation of the classic, even though the only part left was a monkey named Spazzatura, which is the Italian word for 'garbage.' Having already worked with del Toro in the drama Nightmare Alley, the director revealed Cate begged him for a part in the project. Golden Globes: Cate Blanchett was nominated for Best Actress (Motion Picture Drama) for her lead role in Tar In a behind-the-scenes video, Guillermo recalled: 'We were shooting Nightmare Alley. Cate Blanchett and I were having such a good time that she said, "You gotta give me a part on Pinocchio." 'I go, "The only part left is a monkey,"' before adding Cate replied: 'I would do anything. I would play a pencil in a movie for you.' After seeing drawings of the animated character, the Hollywood star told Guillermo: 'I think this is my spirit animal.' Cate went on to play the role of the squawking monkey, who doesn't have dialogue. Ireland Baldwin appeared to reveal she was expecting a baby girl as she slammed people who wanted to touch her bump in a virtual vent session on Wednesday. The model, 27, who announced she is expecting her first child with boyfriend RAC on Friday, referred to her unborn baby as a 'her' as she 'laid down the law' on her pregnancy in a series of videos posted to her Instagram Stories. 'If one more person asks me to send a picture of my bump to them, I'm going to lose my mind. Because I don't have one. My child is so deeply nestled in there, and I'm tall, and there's just a lot of room for her in there,' the mom-to-be said in her videos. 'There's just a lot of room for her': Ireland Baldwin appeared to reveal she was expecting a baby girl as she slammed people who wanted to touch her bump in a virtual vent session on Wednesday 'There's... I'm not, nothing. You wouldn't know. I look like I ate about 12 sub sandwiches, but other than that, you would never know. So love you, but please stop asking.' Ireland began her videos explaining she needed to do a little venting 'all in good fun' as she described the issues troubling her amidst her pregnancy. The star cautioned those hoping to touch her bump without permission, explaining such actions would not 'fly' with her. 'This one is pretty common - when and if I do start to show, I don't care if you are my best friend, I don't care if we're family, I don't care who you are, I don't discriminate, I don't care if you're elderly, do not touch me unless you ask. 'Do not touch me unless you ask': Ireland began her videos explaining she needed to do a little venting 'all in good fun' as she described the issues troubling her amidst her pregnancy 'I will fight you': Similar to her bump rule, she issued another stark warning for those who dare judge her for consuming deli meat during her pregnancy 'And you would be shocked, you would be shocked at how many people don't, not just with me, obviously 'cause I don't have much to put your hands on, but with friends that are pregnant, "Oh it's nonstop." 'That already is absolutely not going to fly with me. I already hate being touched not pregnant, so if you think for a second that I won't throw you over my shoulder, please keep your hands to yourself. Keep your hands inside of the vehicle.' She also revealed all she could currently consume was food from Jersey Mike's and grapefruit. Baby love! Baldwin announced she is expecting her first child with boyfriend RAC on New Year's Eve Similar to her bump rule, she issued another stark warning for those who dare judge her for eating deli meat during her pregnancy. 'All I can eat at this time is Jersey Mike's and grapefruits. If it's not Jersey Mike's, if it's not grapefruit, or grapefruit flavored, I'm not interested in it. 'So, with that being said, if you happen to be a bystander or a employee of a Jersey Mikes that I happen to come into when I'm very obviously pregnant, and you give me a dirty look or judge me in any way or give me any kind of unsolicited advice about cold cuts and turkey and listeria and all that while you're pregnant, I will fight you while I'm pregnant at a Jersey Mike's, and that's not a good look for me. 'I don't need that right now. But I will. Because I will die if I don't have my turkey provolone, Mike's way, extra, extra dressing.' Ireland announced her pregnancy on New Year's Eve, posting a photo of her sonogram and tagging her partner RAC, born Andre Allen Anjos, in the image. 'Happy New Year,' she captioned the image. The latest trailer for the action thriller Plane highlights star Gerard Butler's quest to keep his passengers safe after a commercial jet crash lands in a jungle. Butler stars as an airline pilot who takes charge of the situation once the survivors of the crash find themselves under assault by a deadly militia. But his character Brodie Torrance also has to contend with the convicted murder and fugitive Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), who was being transported on his flight before the crash. The final trailer for the film which will be released in US theaters on January 13 and in the UK on January 27 highlights the tense negotiations between passengers, crew members and the militia members who mean them harm. High-flying action: Gerard Butler stars as the airline pilot Brodie Torrance in the final trailer for the action thriller Plane, which was released on Wednesday The trailer opens up with an unpleasant surprise for Torrance, as a marshal informs him that his flight will be transporting a convicted murderer and recently captured fugitive (Colter). 'Is he dangerous? What did he do?' Torrance asks as the men try to board the flight. 'Homicide. Fifteen years ago,' says the agent. 'I don't want to scare the passengers,' Torrance says softly, but the agent says he is 'stuck with' them. Unwelcome guest: Torrance's flight is interrupted when a convicted murderer and fugitive named Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter) is being transported on his flight Serious: 'Is he dangerous? What did he do?' Torrance asks as the men try to board the flight. 'Homicide. Fifteen years ago,' says the agent Gaspare turns out not to be Torrance's biggest concern, as the aircraft is engulfed in dark storm clouds. The turbulence is extreme, and one flight attend who tried to make her way through the cabin is seen being slammed against the ceiling by a sudden drop in altitude. 'We just lost an engine! Losing altitude!' the pilot shouts as the plane plummets. Miraculously, Torrance manages to land on what looks like a dirt runway in the middle of a thick jungle, presumably saving many of the passengers' lives. Scary: Gaspare turns out not to be Torrance's biggest concern, as the aircraft is engulfed in dark storm clouds, with turbulence so extreme that a flight attendant is slammed against the ceiling Going down: 'We just lost an engine! Losing altitude!' the pilot shouts as the plane plummets Out of the frying pan and into the oven: Miraculously, Torrance manages to land on a dirt runway in the middle of a jungle, presumably saving many of the passengers' lives. But as soon as they deplane, a group of armed militia members arrive in Jeeps and SUVs with rifles drawn But as soon as they deplane, a group of armed militia members arrive in Jeeps and SUVs with rifles drawn. 'They're my passengers, and they're my responsibility!' Torrance says as he tries to hide from the armed men by the landing gear of the jet. 'I'm gonna need your help,' he says as he turns to the muscle-bound Gaspare to help rescue the passengers. He proves himself to be capable with a rifle as he leads an assault against the militia members. Leading the way: 'They're my passengers, and they're my responsibility!' Torrance says as he tries to hide from the armed men by the landing gear of the jet It takes two: 'I'm gonna need your help,' he says as he turns to the muscle-bound Gaspare to help rescue the passengers Attack mode: He proves himself to be capable with a rifle as he leads an assault against the militia members 'Why'd they lock you up?' Torrance asks in a less-chaotic scene. 'No one cares what really happened,' Gaspare replies, suggesting his conviction for murder may not have been clear cut. The trailer climaxes with the two men attacking the hostage takers and getting the hostages back aboard the jet as Torrance attempts to take off. Mystery: 'Why'd they lock you up?' Torrance asks in a less-chaotic scene. 'No one cares what really happened,' Gaspare replies, suggesting his conviction for murder may not have been clear cut Fighting back: The trailer climaxes with the two men attacking the hostage takers and getting the hostages back aboard the jet as Torrance attempts to take off Alicia Silverstone showed off her legs in a sexy bodysuit to talk about veganism for a nonprofit campaign on Wednesday. While wearing various chic looks for a photoshoot for Compassionate Living Magazine, the actress, 46, spoke about her journey into becoming vegan and her reasons for doing so. The star has long been involved in animal rights campaign work and even posed nude for the first time in her career to inspire people to wear vegan clothes in a PETA campaign last month. Chic campaign: Alicia Silverstone showed off her legs in a sexy bodysuit to talk about veganism for a nonprofit campaign on Wednesday In collaboration with Mercy for Animals, the Clueless star shared a video where she talked about her vegan lifestyle while sporting glamorous looks for the shoot. For one look, she donned a bodysuit with a corset-style bodice and sheer paneling around the ribbing to show off her hourglass figure. She paired the look a black-and-white patterned hooded cape and black pointed-toe heels. Outfit change: She dressed up in a black, long-sleeved gown featuring a plunging neckline and a voluminous tulle dress and, later, an off-white mermaid-style maxi dress with bell sleeves and ruffle detailing Later, she dressed up in a black, long-sleeved gown featuring a plunging neckline and a voluminous tulle dress. After that, she continued with the simple black-and-white theme and put on an off-white mermaid-style maxi dress with bell sleeves and ruffle detailing. When she sat down to speak about her animal rights activism and veganism journey, she pulled up her blonde hair in a casual updo and sported a simple, black turtleneck. Her journey: When she sat down to speak about her animal rights activism and veganism journey, she pulled up her blonde hair in a casual updo and sported a simple, black turtleneck; she explained that after the meeting, she had an epiphany take her animal rights activism to the next level and start eating vegan 'I was having a meeting with another animal organization and I'd done a lot of work with them from when I was 15 onwards pretty much,' she said. 'But I hadn't made the leap with the food.' She explained that after the meeting, she had an epiphany take her animal rights activism to the next level and start eating vegan. 'I was at this meeting, and I just was getting so riled up because they're telling me about the pigs and the cows,' she recalled. Wake-up call: 'That was a huge wakeup for me, but then it started to change my life in such a profound way,' the mother-of-one recounted 'But as I was driving home, it occurred to me the things that were happening to these animals to pigs, to cows I was responsible for,' she said. 'And that until I stopped consuming these animals, saying no, I'm boycotting this, that it was going to go on forever.' The Crush star continued: 'And that if I wanted it to stop, I had to take responsibility for that.' She recalled that day opening her eyes and what encouraged her to change her life. 'That was a huge wakeup for me, but then it started to change my life in such a profound way,' the mother-of-one recounted. She said: 'By making this choice to say no to something that I don't believe in is incredibly empowering and helped me have worth.' 'I know that my health is good because I'm vegan, but mostly I'm just so happy I can stand in my truth and do something that I believe in and help the animals,' she said. 'That's the whole point.' When asked what her favorite thing about being vegan is, the author said: 'I think just knowing that I'm choosing what I believe in. 'By making this choice to say no to something that I don't believe in is incredibly empowering and helped me have worth,' she added. 'It really changed my life in every single way, and I thank the animals.' Carol McGiffin has revealed the secret to a happy marriage is separate beds, as she prepares to celebrate her five year anniversary. The Loose Women star, 62, first met her toy boy husband Mark Cassidy, 40, back in 2008 when she was 48 and he was just 26 - before tying the knot in a secret Bangkok ceremony in 2008. Speaking to The Sun she said she believes lots of couples would agree with her theory, however they don't like to admit it. Secret: Carol McGiffin, 62, has revealed the secret to a happy marriage is separate beds, as she prepares to celebrate her four year anniversary 'Sometimes I snore a lot. I snore and Mark takes up too much room, so occasionally we would sleep in separate beds'. 'And I think a lot of people do it if they've got the room, but they just don't like to admit it'. Elsewhere in the chat she went on to tell the publication how the 22-year age gap resulted in people thinking they were mother and son. Lovebirds: The Loose Women star first met her toy boy husband Mark Cassidy, 40, back in 2008 when she was 48 and he was just 26 She joked: 'It doesn't happen very often any more because Mark is 40 now so he's getting on a bit so he needs to be traded in.' It comes after Carol branded her beau her 'absolute rock' during her battle with breast cancer. In a chat with OK! Magazine, Carol said of her cancer battle: 'I don't think I'd have made it through without him. Mark was my absolute rock.' The presenter revealed that she knew she had cancer in early 2014 when the couple were on holiday in Thailand. Coping together: It comes after Carol branded her beau her 'absolute rock' during her battle with breast cancer (Pictured in 2019) She said: 'I knew straight away what it was. As soon as I got home I got it checked out, I wouldn't let Mark come with me. 'I knew in my heart the diagnosis and I was fine hearing it.' After the doctors confirmed what she'd suspected, she and Mark went to the pub and got 'roaring drunk.' In terms of treatment, Carol explained how her mastectomy came first, before she had chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Discussing how she felt when her hair fell out, the presenter explained that at first she tried the 'cold cap,' but it was too uncomfortable. Carol soon decided to embrace the process, knowing her hair would 'grow back,' and said that as soon as her hair began falling out, Mark shaved it off for her. The couple met at a Loose Women wrap party, and Carol acknowledged that things 'moved pretty quickly' from that point. Mark revealed that although they met in August, they had moved in together by December - just four months later. The couple got engaged in 2008 but waited ten years to tie the knot, which they did in secret in Bangkok. Their 22-year age difference got a lot of people talking when they first went public with their romance, and Carol admitted: 'It's nice to prove everyone wrong.' An Australian beachside property owned by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Michael Balzary has hit the market for $3million. The musician, known as Flea, is selling his property in Moruya on NSW South Coast after almost 30 years. Flea purchased the property in 1994 and the band used it to write some of their best-selling songs. Red Hot Chili Peppers' secret Aussie hideout on the NSW South Coast has hit the market for $3million. Pictured Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Michael Balzary known as Flea The five-bedroom, two-storey 2946 sqm home is located just minutes away from Congo beach. It has a price guide of $3million, with its auction set to take place on January 29. Real estate agent James Hamilton from LJ Hooker Moruya told realestate.com.au, 'Flea has written a lot of music at the property and has had band members, jamming in what was the music room downstairs.' Flea purchased the property in 1994 and the band used it to write some of their best-selling songs The five-bedroom, two-storey 2946 sqm home is located just minutes away from Congo beach 'It has a contemporary Californian design that sprawls out towards the ocean with amazing views and really compliments the natural environment.' It comes as the Red Hot Chili Peppers prepare to begin their Australian tour with Post Malone on January 29. The tour will include performances in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Auckland and Dunedin. It has a price guide of $3million, with its auction set to take place on January 29 However, the group won't be heading to Adelaide, Hobart or Darwin. It has been four years since Post Malone last performed in Australia and Red Hot Chili Peppers hasn't toured Down Under since 2019. In April last year, the legendary alternative-rock band was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A plastic surgery-addicted social media star is ready to undergo one of her most extreme procedures to date by getting iris implants. Mexican-Canadian model Mary Magdalene, who found fame on Instagram and OnlyFans, has announced plans to change her eye colour via an iris implant procedure. The 30-year-old has already forked out over $100,000 on various surgeries, including butt implants and an operation to 'inflate' her vagina that almost killed her. Mexican-Canadian model Mary Magdalene, who found fame on Instagram and OnlyFans, has announced plans to change her eye colour via an iris implant procedure 'There are three ways to change your eye color...' Mary tweeted to her 100,000 followers. 'The laser lightning method, keratopigmentation and iris implant... Personally I think implant is safest *if you do monthly checkups* because you can remove it if something is wrong and it is also reversible in case you miss your real eyes.' Mary added: 'The problem is that when people get the iris implant they do not commit to going to get their eyes checked regularly and they are not willing to take them out when something is off because they get attached to their new eyes.' The 30-year-old told her fans that she believes the risky procedure is perfectly safe and that she hopes to get it done this year In 2014, American reality star Tameka 'Tiny' Harris travelled to Tunisia, Africa to get the procedure so she could change her eyes from a natural brown to an icy grey. Her surgeon, Dr. Menif Montasser, told Jezebel at the time: 'This surgery is done under local or general anesthesia with three incisions, one is 2 millimeters and the other two are 0.8 millimeters in the eye's peripheral. 'The implant is folded in to an injector, then it's injected in the eye after filling the eye with viscoelastic.' Montasser said the surgery, which is illegal in America, is perfectly safe but patients must follow strict instructions during the two to three month recovery period. In 2014, American reality star Tameka 'Tiny' Harris (pictured) travelled to Tunisia, Africa to get the procedure so she could change her eyes from a natural brown to an icy grey This type of cosmetic implant first surfaced about ten years ago and has been done in the Middle East, Panama and Africa. The implants are permanent unless a patient really needs them out, in which case a doctor can remove the implants with the same incision of 2 millimeters. Despite the Montasser's claims that the surgery is safe, many people have also been botched by it. A British woman, Shenise Farrell, who flew to Panama for the procedure in 2009 was almost left blind from it. Last year, Mary admitted that she may soon be wheelchair-bound due to all of her surgeries The implanted lens can cause irreparable internal damage that may require a cornea transplant and lead to sight loss. If Mary does undergo the risky procedure, it will be just one of many that she's had over the years to modify her looks. The heavily tattooed model had her first procedure done at the age of 21, when she was working as a stripper and escort. The Mexican-born beauty is pictured before and after her extreme surgery makeover Over the years, her surgeries have included a brow lift, fat transfers, multiple nose and boob jobs, veneers, liposuction, butt implants, porcelain veneers and more. Last year, she had a fourth nose job to create a 'Barbie nose', along with cat-eye surgery and eyebrow implants. Mary almost died on an operating table in Columbia during an operation to achieve 'the world's fattest vagina' back in 2018. Mary looks completely unrecognisable in throwback photos from before her surgery Over the years, her surgeries have included a brow lift, fat transfers, multiple nose and boob jobs, veneers, liposuction, butt implants, porcelain veneers and more 'I had to get two blood transfusions. The doctor said I was losing so much blood, and turning very pale. He thought I was going to die,' she previously told The Sun. She also had illegal 'under the table' silicone butt injections, which landed her in the emergency room when they started rotting and left her with an infection. Last year, Mary admitted that she may soon be wheelchair-bound due to all of her surgeries. Mary ended up in the emergency room last year after her illegal bottom injections started to rot 'My boobs are so heavy I want to buy a mobility scooter,' the 30-year-old told her fans. 'I am in pain when I walk,' she explained. 'But I think people will think I'm trying to get attention and being insensitive.' The star admitted she 'never' requests wheelchairs at the airport out of shame, even though she's left with excruciating pain from having to walk long distances through the terminal. 'My boobs and a** are so heavy that I no longer have ankles because my legs are always swollen.' Inbound travelers from China to Korea head to the COVID-19 testing center inside Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport, Thursday. Yonhap By Ko Dong-hwan Korea on Thursday launched a ramped-up measure against travelers inbound from China to quell the local spread of COVID-19 as the disease that is spreading uncontrollably in China may wreak further havoc here. Anyone flying to Korea from China regardless of nationality must take a PCR test before boarding their plane and present a negative test result upon arriving at their destination. The test should be taken within 48 hours of departure. A negative test result from a rapid antigen test for professional use taken within 24 hours of departure is also acceptable. There are exceptions. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), those visiting for "humanitarian" purposes, like attending funeral services, those traveling for government-related affairs, children under age six, as well as those who contracted the disease between 10 and 40 days before their flight are excluded. The measures came after the authority last Monday started enforcing the requirement for travelers inbound from China to take a PCR test when arriving at Korean airports. The measure still remains effective, allowing the Korean authorities to monitor those arriving from China via double screenings. The KDCA said Thursday they delayed introducing the latest measure because they needed more time to check how the Chinese government was inspecting outbound travelers. The measure from Monday also included limiting the issuing of a short-term travel visas to those arriving from China. Korean health inspectors screened out a sizable portion of infected patients among travelers inbound from China. At Incheon International Airport, 917 people took PCR tests from Monday to Wednesday at midnight and 239 tested positive to COVID-19 over 26 percent. On Wednesday alone, the KDCA tested 327 people out of 1,924 inbound travelers from China and 103 tested positive 31.5 percent. It remains to be seen whether the new measure kicking off Thursday will affect the contagion rate, but it is hoped that it will lower it. The KDCA said they will also subject those arriving at Korean airports from Macau and Hong Kong to the same regulation starting Saturday. The Korean health authorities have been trying to keep the number of potential COVID patients entering from China under control but various loopholes have resulted in multiple errors. A Chinese national infected with COVID-19 is taken from Seoul back to a hotel in Incheon, Thursday, where he had been ordered by the Korean health authority to quarantine himself two days ago. He had fled before being checked into the quarantine facility. Yonhap On Tuesday, a Chinese man in his 40s who tested positive upon arriving in Korea and was ordered to quarantine himself at a hotel in Yeongjong Island in Incheon fled when he was about to check in at the hotel. There were Korean officials monitoring the scene but they couldn't stop the man. He was caught at a Seoul hotel on Thursday and taken back to the Incheon hotel wearing a protective suit and a pair of protective gloves. When asked by reporters why he ran away and why he came to Korea, he remained silent. It was found he spent time outside the hotel in Seoul where he stayed. Lim Sook-young, a senior official from the KDCA, reminded people that there are penalties for violating the country's disease control regulations and urged travelers coming in from China to cooperate with local authorities. On Monday, an error at the KDCA's COVID-19 information management system left the agency unable to share the list of travelers arriving in Korea from China with local municipalities. Korean nationals or travelers from China staying in Korea long-term are required to take a PCR test at a health clinic close to where they are staying within 24 hours of arrival. The local authorities need the list to follow up on who did or didn't take the test. The KDCA on Thursday said that over 64,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 from the previous day, down 14,469 from the previous day's tally. Over 190 came from outside the country, up 22 from the previous day and the highest since the country lifted quarantine measures for inbound and outbound travelers last October. The Light In The Hall Rating: ** Our Flag Means Death Rating: **** We are now living in the golden era of True Crime. All the other genres are out-dated no one wants Great Detectives or Police Procedurals. Every murder has to be investigated for a podcast or a magazine feature by a young amateur secretly hoping the format will be bought for millions by an online giant. Since their sensational success in 2015 with Making A Murderer, about a gruesome killing at a U.S. scrap-yard, Netflix has commissioned dozens of True Crime docu-series. Titles include Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields; American Murder: The Family Next Door; Conversations With A Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes and The Sons Of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness. The second mistake is to pretend this story of a missing teenager in West Wales is a True Crime story when it isn't Clearly, it's not proper True Crime unless it has a colon in the middle of the title. That's the first mistake made by The Light In The Hall (C4) there's no colon. The second mistake is to pretend this story of a missing teenager in West Wales is a True Crime story when it isn't. Alexandra Roach plays a local reporter called Cat, whose editor encourages her to investigate the death of her schoolfriend after the man jailed for the murder is freed. In a bizarre voiceover at the start, like the opening of a podcast, Cat explains that as a journalist she always believed her job was to make up lies and betray trust. It took a True Crime case to teach her the meaning of 'truth'. That put my back right up. So did the improbable plot: if C4 are going to make a fictional True Crime drama, it ought at least to seem realistic. Iwan Rheon plays Joe, convicted of the killing of teenager Ela, though her body was never found. He says he can't remember harming her, and if there's any evidence that he's really guilty, no one has mentioned it. Joanna Scanlan, as Sharon, is the only reason to waste a minute watching this disjointed mess. With just the anguish in her eyes, she conveys a woman who cannot rest until she knows what happened to her daughter Despite his refusal to co-operate with police, Joe is let out of prison on condition that he goes nowhere near Ela's family. Yet the probation service houses him in a hostel just up the road from Ela's distraught mum, Sharon. Joanna Scanlan, as Sharon, is the only reason to waste a minute watching this disjointed mess. With just the anguish in her eyes, she conveys a woman who cannot rest until she knows what happened to her daughter. Ela seems to be constantly floating on the edge of her vision, preventing her from taking any pleasure from life, not even the approaching wedding of her other daughter, Greta. The script clumsily emphasises this burden of grief with a funeral service for Sharon's dead moggie. Even the pet gets a burial, which is more than her daughter ever had. But Scanlan makes the best of it, with a strong show of silent emotion. I will remember her performance long after I've forgotten the story. A classy cast is the best reason to stick with Our Flag Means Death (BBC2), Hollywood director Taika Waititi's hit-and-miss sitcom about a squeamish pirate captain on the high seas. Rhys Darby is the limp rag of an 18th- century aristocrat, bullied at school, who embarks on a manly life of pillage and looting. 'My name's Stede,' he announces to a puzzled fisherman, 'I'll be your robber today.' Desperate for his crew's friendship, he reads them bedtime stories. Naturally, they stage a mutiny. Rory Kinnear has a marvellous cameo as a British naval commander and pirate hunter, and Joel Fry is the ship's minstrel.Most of the gags splutter and misfire, but the basic idea has lots of potential, if the comedy gets some wind in its sails. Nifty trick of the night: In Austin, Texas, gray foxes were showing off their superpower on Dogs In The Wild: Meet The Family (BBC1). With their double-jointed front legs and retractable claws, they can climb trees. If only British pooches could do that, no squirrel would be safe again. Alex Jones referenced her own heartbreaking miscarriage as she detailed her experience of working in an IVF clinic as part of her new show, Alex Jones: Making Babies. The One Show presenter, 45, tragically lost her unborn child in 2017, with the baby having 'stopped developing' at nine weeks. And in an interview about her new show in which she works as a fertility assistant at King's Fertility, Alex touched on her baby loss as she put herself in the shoes of people who yearned for children. Open: Alex Jones referenced her own heartbreaking miscarriage as she detailed her experience of working in an IVF clinic as part of her new show, Alex Jones: Making Babies (pictured last month) Alex - who shares three children with husband Charlie Thompson - told The Mirror: 'I've never had IVF myself but I have experienced baby loss and I understand that instinct overrides everything. 'That feeling that you would do anything to have a baby.' Alex previously opened up about her loss, telling The Telegraph in 2019: 'The baby had stopped developing at about nine weeks. That was really hard. It hit us like a ton of bricks.' The BBC star, who'd discovered she was expecting while in New Zealand, elaborated: 'We learnt the baby didn't have a heartbeat. I was around 14 weeks, which is a decent amount of time. Tragic: The One Show presenter, 45, tragically lost her unborn child in 2017, with the baby having 'stopped developing' at nine weeks (pictured with husband Charlie Thompson in March) 'It's really odd. You're in that room looking for answers that you're never going to get. You're thinking, Have I done something wrong? What did I do differently? Was it because we flew a long way? Was I too stressed? Was I putting too much pressure on myself?' Elsewhere, during her training as a fertility assistant, Alex was tasked with jobs including taking bloods and scans and assisting with embryo transfers and egg collections. And the star told how she had a first-hand glimpse of the incredible work the medics do and the hope that give to wannabe parents, remarking that there's plenty of 'pressure' involved. Job: In an interview about her new show in which she works as a fertility assistant at King's Fertility, Alex touched on her baby loss as she put herself in the shoes of people who yearned for children Family: 'I've never had IVF myself but I have experienced baby loss and I understand that instinct overrides everything. That feeling that you would do anything to have a baby' (pictured in January 2020) She added: 'These doctors give people that last bit of hope. It's a huge pressure. So many people have everything riding on it... all their hopes and dreams, sometimes lots of money, their relationship potentially. 'It feels like a huge responsibility to be part of this team.' It comes after Alex admitted she was 'naive' about getting pregnant and later became 'obsessed' with having children. The TV star is the mother of Teddy, five, Kit, three and one-year-old Annie, whom she shares with husband Charlie. Alex didn't have her first child until she was 39 and suffered a miscarriage in 2017. 'Naive': It comes after Alex admitted she was 'naive' about getting pregnant and later became 'obsessed' with having children Speaking to The Sun, Alex explained that the road to conceiving is not always so smooth. She said: 'For all of us whove wanted a child, youre brought up through your twenties to, dont get pregnant, dont get pregnant, dont get pregnant. And then suddenly one day you sort of decide that I now want to have a baby, and it completely flips 360 degrees. 'Then you become obsessed by it. Its difficult when it happens naturally, and it can take a while. But this is a whole new and different level of wanting the disappointment and what it does to you as a couple.' Pregnancy issues: The presenter didn't have her first child until she was 39 and suffered a miscarriage in 2017. The TV star is the mother of Teddy, five, Kit, three and one-year-old Annie She confessed: 'But I was really naive. I hadnt thought about it. I thought, "well, there you are. Well try to have a baby and thatll be lovely, and then a baby will arrive". And, of course... how naive. You dont have any control over it. Alex has previously documented her struggle to conceive for a second time, as she told The Sun: 'I suppose Im older now, but we took it for granted that it would be OK. But you dont really know until you start trying how its going to go, do you? 'The majority of couples I know have had something, not always IVF, but some problem that needs to be sorted out. 'Suddenly you see someone pregnant or with a newborn and you dont really hark back to what happened before because everyones just delighted theres a baby.' Pregnant Keke Palmer dazzled while attending the 2023 New York Film Critics Circle Awards at TAO Downtown in New York City on Wednesday. The Nope star, 29 - who's expecting her first child with boyfriend Darius Jackson - shimmered in a plunging floor-length spaghetti strap silver gown and tenderly held her growing baby bump on the red carpet. Also at the event was Gifted star Jenny Slate, 40, who rocked a deconstructed suit with a cropped white shirt showing off a flash of her midriff. Chic gals: Pregnant Keke Palmer and Jenny Slate looked fabulous while attending the 2023 New York Film Critics Circle Awards at TAO Downtown in New York City on Wednesday Keke paired her glamorous look with a delicate necklace and wore her hair in long braids. As for glam, the star - who won the supporting actress honor for the role in Nope - rocked a bronze eyeshadow and dramatic lashes. Keke announced her surprise pregnancy while hosting Saturday Night Live last month in December. Shimmering: The Nope star, 29 shimmered in a plunging floor-length spaghetti strap silver gown and tenderly held her growing baby bump on the red carpet Proud mom-to-be: Keke proudly showed off her burgeoning baby bump for the shutterbugs Meanwhile Slate's look featured a pair of black shorts, knee-high socks as well as a blazer and black bowtie. She accessorized with a black handbag, and wore her shoulder-length tresses in light curls. Keke was also joined by her Nope director Jordan Peele, 43, who looked dapper in a black suit. Beauty: Keke is expecting her first child with boyfriend Darius Jackson Stunner: The beauty wore her hair in long braids. As for glam, the actress sported a bronze eyeshadow and dramatic lashes Co-stars: Keke was also joined by her Nope co-star Jordan Peele, 43, who looked dapper in a black suit Laughing it up: Peele accessorized with a pair of black-rimmed reading glasses and black dress shoes. The duo were seen laughing it up as they posed together Peele accessorized with a pair of black-rimmed reading glasses and black dress shoes. He rocked a silver and pepper beard for the night. The dynamic duo were seen laughing it up as they posed together. Cate Blanchett looked ultra chic while posing for photographers by wearing a black longline blazer with an asymmetrical hem over a classic white button-up. Chic: Cate Blanchett looked ultra chic while posing for photographers by wearing a black longline blazer with an asymmetrical hem over a classic white button-up Natural beauty: Her cropped blonde hair was worn straight and she kept her makeup to a minimum with just a pink stained lip and smudged eyeliner; seen with Stephen Colbert The Lord Of The Rings star highlighted her slender legs in black trousers and slipped her feet into a pair of sexy black leather boots. Her cropped blonde hair was worn straight and she kept her makeup to a minimum with just a pink stained lip and smudged eyeliner. Also present was American comedian Michelle Buteau, 45, who looked fashionable in a black pantsuit and rocked her dark tresses in voluminous curls. Volume! Also present was American comedian Michelle Buteau, 45, who looked fashionable in a black pantsuit and rocked her dark tresses in voluminous curls Edgy: Scottish film director Charlotte Wells, 36, showed off her edgy style in a black turtleneck and oversized navy suit Stylish ladies: Film producer Karin Chien looked chic in a navy dress, while American photographer Nan Goldin, 69, wore a red top underneath a black suit Dapper: Chilean cinematographer Claudio Miranda, 57, and and actor Danny Ramirez looked dapper in black suits Scottish film director Charlotte Wells, 36, showed off her edgy style in a black turtleneck and oversized navy suit. Film producer Karin Chien looked chic in a navy dress, while American photographer Nan Goldin, 69, wore a red top underneath a black suit. Chilean cinematographer Claudio Miranda, 57, and and actor Danny Ramirez looked dapper in black suits. Once inside the event, Keke delivered a speech Stephen Colbert presented Cate with one of the evening's honors Jerzy Skolimowski and Jim Jarmusch seen on stage The New York Film Critics Circle is comprised of more than 50 journalists from publications such as Time and Variety. The American film critic organization founded in 1935 by Wanda Hale from the New York Daily News. The annual event honors excellence in cinema for that given year. Watching her step: The beauty carefully navigated the rainy New York City streets Chris Noth was spotted on a rare outing in New York City on Wednesday, more than a year after he was accused of sexual assault by multiple women. The 68-year-old actor - who last summer said his marriage was intact - was seen on a walk, donning a long-sleeved green fleece zip-up sweater with black pants, and black and green sneakers as he was seen crossing the street. The Madison, Wisconsin-born actor, who shares two sons with wife Tara Wilson, 43 - Orion, 14, and Keats, two - is best known for playing the role of Mr. Big on And Just Like That... and Sex and the City. The latest: Chris Noth, 68, was spotted on a rare outing in New York City on Wednesday, more than a year after he was accused of sexual assault by multiple women Noth in December of 2021 was accused by two women of sexual assault in a story published by The Hollywood Reporter, in regards to incidents which occurred in 2004 and 2015. Three other women subsequently accused the actor of sexual assault in the wake of the initial story. The Good Wife actor subsequently issued a statement denying any wrongdoing, saying, 'The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false. 'These stories could've been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago - no always means no - that is a line I did not cross. The encounters were consensual.' Noth faced swift professional consequences in the wake of the allegations, as he was fired from his role on the CBS crime drama The Equalizer, scenes set to air on the finale of And Just Like That... were removed, and a Peleton commercial he was featured in was pulled from airwaves. The actor was seen on a walk, donning a long-sleeved green fleece zip-up sweater with black pants, and black and green sneakers as he was seen crossing the street Noth in December of 2021 was accused by five women of sexual assault No criminal charges or civil legal actions have been pursued amid the multiple allegations, sources told Page Six last month, and law enforcement officials have not contacted him since the allegations went public. Famed lawyer Gloria Allred, who is representing a woman named Lisa Gentile who says Noth was violent with her in 2002, told the outlet that she hasn't 'filed any civil case' against the actor. A source told the publication of Noth: 'Chris lost every job he was given, but he has never been served with a lawsuit and there has never been a criminal complaint filed. There have been no claims settled. Noth was snapped at the And Just Like That... premiere in NYC December 8, 2021, just prior to the allegations of misconduct going public He was pictured at the event with wife Tara Wilson, 43; the couple share two children 'If one of the women had gone to the police, [they] would have had an obligation to investigate regardless of the fact that the statute of limitations may have passed. But there was nothing. In general, the absence of a police report or civil lawsuit is not proof that accusations are false. There are many reasons that accusers do not file lawsuits, and do not wish to file a police report.' The source noted that with the Adult Survivors Act passed in New York, 'some accusers may decide to file a lawsuit in the future.' At the time the news broke, Noth's Sex and the City costars Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis said they were 'deeply saddened to hear the allegations against Chris Noth' in a joint statement they posted to their Instagram Stories accounts. 'We support the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences,' the group said. 'We know it much be a very difficult thing to do and we commend them for it.' Jules Robinson has been left in a state of shock after paying over $10 for two coffees at a service station during a road trip. The Married At First Sight star, who has been documenting her current journey from Sydney to Brisbane on Instagram, said she paid a whopping $12.50 for two regular size take-away coffees for her and husband Cam Merchant. Thrifty Jules first planned to get Golden Gaytime flavoured milk, which were priced at $4.95 each. Jules Robinson has been left in a state of shock after paying over $10 for two coffees at a service station during a road trip with her husband Cam Merchant But instead she opted for a caffeine hit that proved to extremely costly. 'Paid $12.50 for two coffees. What the actual,' she wrote. Jules and Cam recently revealed their Christmas wish - another baby. The Married At First Sight star, who has been documenting her current journey from Sydney to Brisbane on Instagram, said she paid a whopping $12.50 for two regular size take-away coffees The couple told Woman's Day magazine in December they would love their two-year-old son Ollie to have a little brother or sister in the future. 'We would love to have had an announcement, but it hasn't happened. But if there's a will, there's a way!' Jules, 40, told the magazine. 'We'll do everything in our power to have another baby. So, fingers crossed, we'll have an announcement next year.' Cam, 38, has a personal reason for wanting another boy or girl, as he is an only child himself and would have 'loved a sibling' growing up. Thrifty Jules first planned to get Golden Gaytime flavoured milk, which were priced at $4.95 each But Jules admitted the pressure she is already putting on herself to fall pregnant again has been 'exacerbated by fans' online. 'So many people write on my social media, "Time for a brother, time for a sister." I'm like, "Oh, my God, I've given it a good shot!"' she said. Jules and Cam fell in love on season six of MAFS, which aired in 2019. They tied the knot in November that year, and welcomed Oliver in September 2020. Jules and Cam recently revealed their Christmas wish - another baby In an interview with Stellar in March, Jules spoke about her hopes for a second child. 'For some time now, we've been manifesting a little girl, whom we named together all the way back in the final week of the Married At First Sight experiment [in 2019]. I hope to announce a pregnancy in 2022,' she said. 'I'm really busy, and [manifesting] was my formula last time - and it worked - so let's hope history repeats itself.' Amanda Bynes and boyfriend Paul Michael were spotted running errands together on Wednesday in Los Angeles. The former child star, 36, braved the chilly California weather in an oversized plaid jacket, a black top and leggings, after the Golden State declared a state of emergency over an incoming storm. Bynes and Michael, 31, broke off their engagement in July of 2022, but reportedly got back together in August. Now they are rumored to be living together again in Amanda's L.A. home. Out and about: Amanda Bynes and boyfriend Paul Michael were spotted running errands together on Wednesday in Los Angeles The She's the Man star rocked a pair of white Converse sneakers and black shades for the outing. She wore her black tresses pulled up into a messy bun. The California native was also seen toting a classic monogrammed Louis Vuitton backpack. Braving the storm: The former child actress, 36, braved the chilly California weather in an oversized plaid jacket, after the Golden State declared a state of emergency over a storm Meanwhile the law student wore a black button-up jacket over a white shirt and grey jeans, which he paired with Gucci sneakers. He finalized his look with a black Los Angeles Lakers hat and sported black-rimmed eyeglasses. The dynamic duo were seen stopping by a Citibank together as well as grabbing a few things from the CVS store. Casual: The She's the Man star sported a black top and leggings with white Converse sneakers and a Louis Vuitton backpack Though Bynes has reconciled with her ex-fiance, their engagement is reportedly not back on. Sources close to the star have told TMZ that the pair are only dating after calling off their engagement over the summer. Rumors of their latest reunion first arose earlier in October of 2022 when the Nickelodeon star shared a mysterious image of herself holding hands with Paul Michael who could be recognized by his distinctive tattoos on her Instagram Story. Back together, but not engaged: Though Bynes has reconciled with her ex-fiance, their engagement is reportedly not back on The initial hint: Bynes took to Instagram earlier in October 2022 and shared a photo of herself holding hands with Michael, who could be recognized by his distinctive tattoos The cozy photo came nearly two months after news first broke that the pair had ended their two-year engagement. The subtle hint of Amanda's photo featured Paul's tattooed grip holding on to her heavily manicured hand. Neither appeared to be wearing any rings on their hands following news on July 8 that they had ended their engagement 'sometime in 2021.' Living together... again: The on-and-off-again couple broke up over the summer and reportedly got back together in August. Now they are rumored to be living together again in Amanda's L.A. home 'They are still together as a couple,' an insider stressed to ET at the time of their supposed split. 'They are still in a committed relationship and take their relationship seriously.' Bynes and Michael famously got engaged on Valentine's Day 2020, mere months after staying at the same sober living facility. On April 28, the Easy A alum called 911 on the healthcare worker during a dispute over him relapsing. She accused him of vandalizing his mother's home, looking at MILF porn, and being off his meds. Aside from Amanda's busy love life, the star has also reportedly been developing a 'fragrance line' as she pursues another degree at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising after earning her associate's degree there in 2019. No more rings: Bynes and Michael famously got engaged on Valentine's Day 2020 mere months after staying at the same sober living facility In March of 2022, Bynes was freed of her nine-year legal conservatorship controlled by her mother Lynn. Amanda's conservatorship began in 2013 when she was involuntarily committed to a Pasadena psychiatric treatment facility following a public meltdown involving a string of bizarre run-ins with the law dating back to 2012. Among Bynes' offenses were two hit-and-runs and a DUI in 2012, as well as a 2013 arrest for throwing a bong out of a window of the 36th floor of her Manhattan apartment. Kate Bosworth filled her Instagram Story with more love-up pictures of her and boyfriend Justin Long on Wednesday, two days after he posted an epic tribute for her 40th birthday. The Blue Crush star and her 44-year-old funnyman have been posting a tidal wave of romantic pictures in recent days, flaunting their relationship for all to see. The pair first sparked relationship rumors in the spring of 2021, meeting on an unnamed film project in Arkansas and connecting from the very beginning. Loving Long: Kate Bosworth filled her Instagram Story with more love-up pictures of her and boyfriend Justin Long, 44, on Wednesday, two days after he posted an epic tribute for her 40th birthday Bosworth's new batch of candid moments between her and Long features them enjoying delicious food and the best of nature. Lobster rolls, cinnamon rolls, spring meadows and sunny beach trips make up her collection of images. If the Superman Returns actress and her Jeepers Creepers star aren't kissing, then they are either laughing, eating or gazing into each other's besotted eyes. Kate's Instagram Story comes on the heels of Justin gushing about her on Instagram. The Idiocracy star penned a long, heartfelt tribute to Bosworth in the caption of his birthday post to her, which featured numerous photos of the pair looking infatuated. Birthday bliss: The Blue Crush star and her funnyman have been posting a tidal wave of romantic pictures in recent days, flaunting their relationship for all to see Foodies: The pair frequently bond over their love of gourmet goodies Delicious! The couple beamed as they shared what appeared to be a delicious cinnamon roll 'She is 40!' trumpeted Long. 'She is also the best part of my day, every day even when we're not together.' Justin went on to describe The Horse Whisperer star as 'the most beautiful human being [he's] ever seen' who 'makes the best cookies.' The Zack and Miri Make a Porno star rhapsodized: 'She is deeply compassionate and can't hurt anyone, but she can be a rascal. She loves to tease. She has the best softest lips I've ever kissed.' Other highlights of Justin's post were declaring that Bosworth is 'going to write such a great inspiring book one day' and that she's 'the most fun to do everything with.' Infatuated: The Zack and Miri Make a Porno star rhapsodized about Bosworth in his birthday tribute to her. 'She is deeply compassionate and can't hurt anyone,' he gushed, 'but she can be a rascal. She loves to tease. She has the best softest lips I've ever kissed' Her favorite face: The Superman Returns actress posted numerous pictures of her man's besotted expressions After her beau's lengthy post, Kate returned the favor by sharing another post on Monday to thank him. Kate wrote: 'You are my love and my light, my peace, and my thrill. Thank you for holding my hand when we sleep.' 'Thank you for tying my shoelaces when you notice they are undone. Thank you for making me laugh so hard I have to leave the room. Thank you for showing me what love is and for making this the best birthday ever.' Bosworth was previously married to Michael Polish, with whom she tied the knot in 2013. The pair remained together for nearly a decade before they announced that they had separated last year, leading Bosworth to file for divorce in July. Long's list of Hollywood exes include A-listers like Amanda Seyfried and Drew Barrymore, who he gushed to about Bosworth in September. Blue Crush: 'She is 40!' trumpeted Long in his Instagram birthday tribute to Bosworth. 'She is also the best part of my day, every day even when we're not together' Nature lovers: Spring meadows and sunny beach trips were sprinkled in with Bosworth's collection of images Pretty good cookies: In his Instagram birthday tribute, Justin went on to describe The Horse Whisperer star as 'the most beautiful human being [he's] ever seen' who 'makes the best cookies' Shania Twain cradled one of her charming little dogs while dashing around New York City this Wednesday evening. The 57-year-old country star radiated a youthful exuberance as she headed over to tape an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Pooch in hand, Shania stopped graciously to sign autographs for a claque of fans who had gathered on the sidewalk to catch a glimpse of her. On the town: Shania Twain cradled one of her charming little dogs while dashing around New York City this Wednesday evening Shania was pop star chic in an asymmetric coat teamed with a white blouse that she tucked into her trendily acid-wash jeans. Her street style however was eminently casual compared to the skintight cocktail dress she slid into for her late-night talk-show appearance. The Man! I Feel Like A Woman hitmaker unleashed her animal instinct in a leopard print number fitted to emphasize her hourglass frame. Shania's appearance on Colbert came the night she dropped Giddy Up!, the new single from her incoming album Queen Of Me. Pooch in hand: Shania stopped graciously to sign autographs for a claque of fans who had gathered on the sidewalk to catch a glimpse of her Off she goes: The 57-year-old country star radiated a youthful exuberance as she headed over to tape an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Having whet her public's appetite, Shania will then release the entirety of her Queen Of Me, her sixth studio album, on February 3. The 'Queen Of Country Pop' recently drew praise for her sensational figure when she did a nude photo shoot slathered in mud for the album. 'I didn't do it when I was younger so Im going to do it now,' she told TalkShopLive. 'I'm going to feel and show that I feel comfortable in my own skin.' Said she: 'Queen of Me is all about being the boss of myself. And taking responsibility for what I put out there, what I project. And my truth, as I get older, which I wish I had this truth when I was younger, is just to feel more - less apologetic for how I am, how I look, less affected by other peoples criticism.' Contrast: Her street style however was eminently casual compared to the skintight cocktail dress she slid into for her late-night talk-show appearance Use it or lose it: The Man! I Feel Like A Woman hitmaker unleashed her animal instinct in a leopard print number fitted to emphasize her hourglass frame The Canadian songbird recalled: 'I was one of those teenagers that would never wear a bikini at the beach, for example. And now Im thinking what was I thinking when I had the young body and really what you wouldve consider what our bathing suit ads are now - its usually a very fit, slender, younger woman.' Shania declared: 'So Im saying well, the heck with that. I didnt do it when I was younger so Im going to do it now. Im going to feel and show that I feel comfortable in my own skin. So what I did was, I did a photo session naked with just mud.' She assured her interviewer that 'this took courage because I am so not an exhibitionist. But it wasnt - it was all about my own message to myself, and just saying, you know, its just time to feel comfortable in my own skin and share that with other people and just share those insecurities, shed that skin of insecurity.' Meghan King detailed a number of life changes she's focused on making in the new year on her blog Wednesday, revealing changes she plans to make on her approach to life, parenting and social media use. The Real Housewives of Orange County alum, 38, said in her blog that in 2022, her 'personal life was ravaged with more of the same' hardships, in the wake of her brief marriage to Cuffe Biden, and amid a rocky co-parenting relationship with ex-husband Jim Edmonds. 'The family court system is broken as hell and 2022 was another glaring reminder,' the St. Louis native said. 'But in 2023 things will change.' The latest: Meghan King, 38, detailed a number of life changes she's focused on making in the new year on her blog Wednesday, revealing changes she plans to make on her approach to life, parenting and social media use. Pictured in NYC last month King said she was focusing on 'living authentically this year,' has 'eliminated all antidepressants and hormonal supplements,' and will 'explore [her] sexuality' if she wants to. On the social media front, King said she would not accept any 'bad vibes' and wouldn't hesitate to hit the block button. 'I will delete trolls and negativity, you will come to my page with love or you will not come at all,' she said, adding she would not post 'photos of [her] childrens faces.' King, who shares three kids with Edmonds, Aspen, six, and twins Hart and Hayes, four, explained her rationale for her decision. King said she was focusing on 'living authentically this year,' has 'eliminated all antidepressants and hormonal supplements,' and will 'explore [her] sexuality' if she wants to. Pictured in Las Vegas in September The Real Housewives of Orange County alum said in her blog that in 2022, her 'personal life was ravaged with more of the same' hardships, in the wake of her brief marriage to Cuffe Biden, and amid a rocky co-parenting relationship with ex-husband Jim Edmonds 'Theyre just kids and they dont really understand what notoriety means so I am going to insulate them from it until they are old enough to be slowly ushered back in if they so choose,' she said. 'Poof. Bye bye Aspen, Hayes, and Harts faces from the public eye from this day forward.' She also referenced her rift with her ex-husband in the blog post. 'My childrens images were used against me as an intimidation tactic recently,' she said. 'The thought of using the images of my innocent children to attempt hurt their mother is I dont know if theres a word to describe the depth of the disgust that incites inside me.' On the social media front, King said she would not accept any 'bad vibes' and wouldn't hesitate to hit the block button King's declarations come more than a year after her split from Cuffe Biden Owens, 44, an attorney and relative of President Joe Biden She continued, 'But I am lucky here, I have complete legal control over the use of their images and Im putting an end to that.' King's declarations come more than a year after her split from Cuffe Biden Owens, 44, an attorney and relative of President Joe Biden. The former couple initially emerged publicly in September of 2021 and wed in October in Pennsylvania with the president and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden in attendance. King revealed in December of 2021 on social media that the relationship had ended. Selling Sunset alum Christine Quinn danced under the beach showers while holidaying in St Barts this week. The 34-year-old was every inch the blonde bombshell, showcasing her sculpted figure in a barely-there bright orange bikini. She threw her arms joyously up into the air, celebrating the dawn of a new year in style as the showers poured down on her. Looking fab: Selling Sunset alum Christine Quinn danced under the beach showers while holidaying in St Barts this week Christine accentuated her ensemble with a sleek pair of scarlet sunglasses and lent the look a touch of glitz by stringing on several necklaces. She shot to fame on the smash hit Netflix reality show Selling Sunset, where she quickly became known as the resident 'villain' for feuding with her co-stars. After getting death threats because of the show she told the Daily Star in 2020 that she acquired a tiger as part of her home security detail. In spite of her circumstances she said she was 'thankful to be in this position. Youre only hated if youve done something great. Thats how I like to look at it.' Hello, gorgeous: The 34-year-old was every inch the blonde bombshell, showcasing her sculpted figure in a barely-there bright orange bikini Adding to the pressure, just as Christine finished filming a season of Selling Sunset her water broke and she had an emergency cesarean. Christine is married to retired tech entrepreneur Christian Richard with whom she welcomed a baby son called Christian in May 2021. She later gave an interview to ET Canada where she frankly discussed having postpartum depression on the shoot of Selling Sunset. To make matters worse, the show was edited to hide her pregnancy and Christine had to cope with blowback from viewers as a result. Leggy lady: She threw her arms joyously up into the air, celebrating the dawn of a new year in style as the showers poured down on her They edited me from you know, the boobs up so I got a lot of backlash on social media saying: "I cant believe youre doing yoga two weeks after giving birth after having an emergency C-section,"' she said. Meanwhile she said she was treated in an 'extremely hurtful' way by her co-stars despite being 'absolutely' open with them and the producers about her troubles. 'They make fun of the fact of me being late in the show. "Oh, Christines late. Oh, Christines late,"' she told the outlet. 'And its because I was literally having panic attacks and I was worried about my pregnancy and something going wrong because every time I was working, I was walking into work. It was a lions den and these girls were pitted against me. And it was really, really difficult.' Sizzling sensation: Christine, who shot to fame as the 'villain' on Selling Sunset, is pictured last month outside the 'Le Raphia' Jacquemus show in Le Bourget The drama came to a head on the fifth season when Christine denied her co-star Emma Hernan's allegations that she bribed a client. 'Accusing someone of a criminal tort is not only defamatory - but you can't afford my lawyers,' Christine told People magazine. 'So it's not a funny thing to say. I would never bribe a client. I've never bribed a client. I don't need to bribe a client, because they'll work with me organically.' By a few months later, this August, a TMZ report had revealed that Christine had decided to leave the reality show that made her a star. Rep. Cho Kyung-tae, head of the South Korea-Taiwan inter-parliamentary friendship group / Yonhap The Chinese Embassy in Seoul on Thursday protested strongly against a South Korean parliamentary delegation's recent visit to Taiwan, calling it a "serious violation" of their bilateral joint agreement. According to Taiwan's foreign ministry, the delegation of the South Korea-Taiwan inter-parliamentary friendship group, led by Rep. Cho Kyung-tae of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), visited Taipei from Dec. 28-31. Other members included Rep. Chung Woo-taik, deputy speaker of the National Assembly, and Rep. Lee Dal-gon of the PPP. "This is a serious violation of the 'One China' policy and the spirit of the joint statement on diplomatic relations between China and Korea, and runs counter to the development of the friendly ties," an embassy spokesperson said in a statement. China expresses "firm opposition and strong protest" over the visit, the embassy added. It then urged Seoul to take "timely measures to alleviate the negative impact" of the visit and to refrain from engaging in any "official exchanges with the Taiwan region," saying it has already voiced its complaint to the South Korean government. During their trip, the delegates met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and Legislative Speaker You Si-kun, and also discussed the North Korea issue with the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's China-policy making body, according to the Taiwanese foreign ministry. Their low-key visit came after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan in August last year, which prompted strong objection and large-scale military exercises from China amid the growing rivalry between Washington and Beijing. (Yonhap) Allison Williams looked incredible while attending a special screening of her film M3GAN with fiance Alexander Dreymon on Wednesday in New York City. The Girls star, 34, shimmered in a sleeveless silver dress that showed off her toned arms, which she teamed with a pair of classy black pumps. It was the first red carpet outing for the couple since announcing their engagement in December, one year after quietly welcoming a son. Stylish pair: Allison Williams, 34, looked incredible while attending a special screening of her film M3GAN with fiance Alexander Dreymon, 39, on Wednesday in New York City The daughter of former NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams wore her brunette tresses parted on the side and flowing in gentle waves. The actress accessorized the look with a chunky bracelet and a number of rings on her fingers. As for glam, the star highlighted her cheeks with a touch of blush and wore red lipstick on her pout. First red carpet: It was the first red carpet outing for the couple since announcing their engagement in December, one year after quietly welcoming a son Meanwhile Dreymon, 39, looked dapper in a navy cardigan over a white button-up shirt and a black tie. Dreymon confirmed he had popped the question to Williams in a sweet Instagram post last month, when he called the beauty 'my fiancee'. Allison also revealed her sparkling diamond engagement ring as she hit the red carpet at another premiere of the film. Stunner: The Girls star, 34, shimmered in a sleeveless silver dress that showed off her toned arms, which she teamed with a pair of classy black pumps Beauty: The daughter of former NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams wore her brunette tresses parted on the side and flowing in gentle waves Allison and Alexander have reportedly been dating since the end of 2019, after meeting working on the 2020 film Horizon Line, a source told People. In April it was revealed they had secretly welcomed their first child together, a son named Arlo. Also at the screening of the film was actress Nicque Marina, who wore a ruffled black gown with a matching bowtie. Ruffles: Also at the screening was actress Nicque Marina, who wore a ruffled black gown with a matching bowtie Matching: Jillian Onorato was in attendance as well, and sported a baby doll dress and necktie that matched the doll on the poster Jillian Onorato was in attendance as well, and sported a baby doll dress and necktie that matched the doll on the poster. Alyssa Jaffe looked great in a black and white co-ord and leather jacket, as she posed with two M3GAN doll lookalikes. Molly Kavanaugh wore a lovely black dress with black combat boots, and also posed with the dolls. Nadya Martinez was chic in a white button up and a patterned skirt that showed off her toned legs. Creepy: Alyssa Jaffe looked great in a black and white co-ord and leather jacket, as she posed with two M3GAN doll lookalikes In black: Molly Kavanaugh wore a lovely black dress with black combat boots and also posed with the dolls Chic: Nadya Martinez was chic in a white button up and a patterned skirt that showed off her toned legs Inside the event Williams took to the stage with a microphone and addressed the crowd. A group of M3GAN dolls were also seen performing for the crowd. Williams must take down her own AI creation in the upcoming Blumhouse horror film, M3GAN. Fans got another look at the sinister doll, whose built to resemble a little girl, in a new trailer that dropped last month. In M3GAN, Williams stars as robotics engineer Gemma, who gains custody of her niece Katie, played by Violet McGraw. Chatting with the crowd: Inside the event Williams took to the stage with a microphone and addressed the crowd Unique show: A group of M3GAN dolls were also seen performing for the crowd Gemma attempts to lighten Katie's spirits by introducing her to an AI prototype called 'Model 3 Generative' or M3GAN. The doll is meant to 'protect Katie from harm both physical and emotional' but things take a dark turn. M3GAN is directed by Gerard Johnstone and stars Amie Donald, Williams, Kimberly Cross and Ronny Chieng. M3GAN is set for a wide release in the United States on January 6. Fern Britton broke down in tears as she revisited her childhood home and recalled memories of her late mother Ruth. The TV presenter, 65, paid a visit to the Buckinghamshire house where she lived from being a baby until the age of six as she appeared on new Channel 5 series No Place Like Home. In the episode, which aired on Wednesday night, Ferne became emotional as she stepped into her childhood room at the home, which is located in Chalfont St Peter. Emotional: Fern Britton broke down in tears as she revisited her childhood home and recalled memories of her late mother Ruth She recalled how she 'didn't know' that her parents, actor Tony Britton and Ruth, had split up when she was a young child, saying she just knew that her father 'didn't live here'. Ferne - who has an older sister Cherry and brother Jasper - explained: 'I didn't know what was going on in the family at that stage.' She continued: 'I just knew that it was me and my mum and my sister here and that my father didn't live here. 'It was odd. In those days, people didn't tell you things.' Tearful: The TV presenter, 65, paid a visit to the Buckinghamshire house where she lived from being a baby until the age of six as she appeared on new Channel 5 series No Place Like Home Ruth didn't know her father until her late teenage years and only found out about her brother Jasper, Tony's son from his second marriage to Eva Castle Britton, when she was around 15 years old. Recalling memories of her late mother Ruth, who died in 2018, Ferne described her as 'everything' as she spoke about her parents' split. Breaking down in tears, she said: 'My mother was, as you could imagine, everything. She was mother and father to me, which is why I can tell you lots of stories about her.' The emotional clip was broadcast on Loose Women ahead of the series airing on Wednesday, where Fern also promoted her series My Cornwall with Fern Britton. Gushing: Recalling memories of her late mother Ruth, who died in 2018, Ferne described her as 'everything' as she spoke about her parents' split Fern's mother Ruth passed away at the age of 94 in April 2018, with the former This Morning host taking to Twitter to pay tribute to her at the time. Sharing a picture of her mother at home, she wrote: 'My mum. Ruth. 'Both mother and father to me. Funny, ferocious, and a woman once met, you couldn't forget. 24.1.24 / 17.4.18.' Family: She recalled how she 'didn't know' that her parents, actor Tony Britton and Ruth, had split up when she was a young child, saying she just knew that her father 'didn't live here' Loss: Her actor father Tony sadly died in December 2019 and Ruth paid tribute to him at the time She added: 'So brave and uncomplaining. An army sergeant WW2, beauty queen, teacher, and all woman.' Her actor father Tony, who starred in classic British films including Operation Amsterdam and Sunday Bloody Sunday, sadly died the following year in December 2019. She said in a loving tribute at the time: 'Our father, Tony Britton, died early this morning. Great actor, director and charmer. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.' Geordie Shore star Sophie Kasaei is joining The Only Way Is Essex, in the first ever crossover between the reality shows. The TV personality, 33, who's in a relationship with TOWIE cast member Jordan Brooks, will star alongside her boyfriend in the show's upcoming series, which is being filmed overseas. An Essex insider told MailOnline that ITVBe producers are hoping Sophie, who was in the original cast of Geordie Shore and has over 2million Instagram followers, will help to resurrect the series, which has lost its popularity in recent years. New addition: The Only Wahey is Essex! Geordie Shore star Sophie Kasaei is joining The Only Way Is Essex, in the first ever crossover between the reality shows A source revealed: 'Sophie has been on reality TV for over 12 years, she knows what makes a good show. 'Producers are really excited that she's joining TOWIE and hopes she will bring some of her fiery Geordie energy to the cast. 'TOWIE is still in talks about Sophie's potential involvement but she can't wait to officially sign on the dotted line and join boyfriend Jordan on the show. 'There's sure to be some drama brewing between Sophie, Ella Rae Wise, and Chloe Brockett, too, who both dated Jordan last year.' MailOnline has contacted Sophie and TOWIE for comment. Love is in the air: The TV personality, who's in a relationship with TOWIE cast member Jordan Brooks, will star alongside her boyfriend in the show's upcoming series, which is being filmed overseas Sophie was an original Geordie Shore cast member when the show first launched in 2011 alongside the likes of Charlotte Crosby, Vicky Pattison, Gary Beadle, and Holly Hagan. While former Love Island contestants including Olivia Attwood, Georgia Harrison, and Cara De La Hyde and Nathan Massey have all joined TOWIE in the past, no one from Geordie Shore or Made In Chelsea has appeared on the ITVBe show. She left the MTV series for good in 2019 and has been in a relationship with TOWIE's Jordan since November. Sophie, who previously dated DJ Joel Corry and stripper Jay Bigz, has called Jordan the 'love of her life' on Instagram and dedicated a heartfelt post to their new romance. Family affair: Sophie spent the Christmas period celebrating with new boyfriend Jordan and her cousin Marnie Simpson and her fiance Casey Johnson (pictured) In December, she said: 'Just when I was about to give up on love you came into my life and showed me what a true gent and real love is. 'Thank you for making me the happiest girl in the world. My forever JB, I love you.' Last year, in scenes filmed for TOWIE, Jordan attempted to woo Ella and the couple went on several dates but ultimately, she wasn't interested. He also romanced Ella's ex-best friend Chloe, who accused him of only being interested in her during filming to increase his popularity. The new series of TOWIE is set to begin filming at the end of January after the annual Christmas special, The Only Way Is Essexmas, was axed. It is not known whether Amy Childs, who is expecting twins with boyfriend Billy Delbosq, will appear in the episodes filmed overseas, while she also has children Polly and Ritchie to look after. Former Celebs Go Dating star Chloe accused Jordan of only being interested in dating her during filming of TOWIE after he stopped replying to her messages once the series ended She is soaking up the sun on a glamorous Caribbean jaunt with her young family. And Shay Mitchell took a walk on the wild side as she hit the beach in St. Barts wearing a leopard print bikini in shots posted to her Instagram page on Wednesday. The actress, 35, looked glamorous in her retro-inspired high-waist swimwear a she enjoyed a relaxing day - eight months after welcoming her second daughter into the world. Wild thing: Shay Mitchell took a walk on the wild side as she hit the beach in St. Barts wearing a leopard print bikini in shots posted to her Instagram page on Wednesday The Pretty Little Liars star teamed her bikini with a large straw hat while walking along the beach. Shay styled her long dark tresses in waves while hiding behind a pair of dark sunglasses. The You star showcased her natural beauty by going makeup free while walking along the ocean shoreline. The beauty later changed into a white bikini top and a pair of high-waist Gucci-print shorts. Fun in the sun: The actress, 35, later changed into a white bikini top and a pair of high-waist Gucci-print shorts on her sun-soaked Caribbean jaunt Chic: Shay looked glamorous in her retro-inspired high-waist swimwear a she enjoyed a relaxing day - eight months after welcoming her second daughter into the world Hat's the way to do it: The Pretty Little Liars star teamed her bikini with a large straw hat while walking along the beach Shay covered her dark locks with a patterned bandana and accessorised with a gold chain necklace and chic black sunglasses. The TV star gave her 35.1 million followers a glimpse into her lavish Caribbean getaway as she dinned on corn on the cob and enjoyed cocktails. Earlier this week, Shay showed off her glowing tan in a neon green bikini as she soaked up the sun on the beach. The Pretty Little Liars star flashed her peachy behind to the camera while pulling on a pair of colourful patterned trousers. Glamorous: Shay styled her long dark tresses in waves as she posed up a storm Looking good: Shay covered her dark locks with a patterned bandana and accessorised with a gold chain necklace and chic black sunglasses Hot: The TV star gave her 35.1 million followers a glimpse into her lavish Caribbean getaway as she dinned on corn on the cob and enjoyed cocktails The mother-of-two toted her belongings in a black Prada tote, accessorising with white-rimmed sunglasses and a shell necklace. Shay seemed happy and relaxed as she reclined on a navy blue beach towel while reading her book. She later cooled off in the ocean as the sun set in another artistic social media snap. The You actress has been sharing a gallery of snaps of her luxury trip including in a plunging pink woven midi dress which she wore over a white bikini. Glowing: Earlier this week, Shay showed off her glowing tan in a neon green bikini as she soaked up the sun on the beach Sizzling: The mother-of-two showcased her toned figure in the eye catching number as she toted her belongings in a black Prada tote The beauty coordinated her tinted sunglasses with the number and added gold Louis Vuitton sliders as she crouched against a wall. Shay welcomed her second bundle of joy - a baby girl named Rome - with her long-time partner Matte Babel back at the end of May 2022. The couple, who have been together since 2017, also share two-year-old daughter Atlas Noa. Shay said after having her second baby: 'I feel awesome. I feel really, really good. It definitely takes a village. Looking good: The Pretty Little Liars star flashed her peachy behind to the camera while pulling on a pair of colourful patterned trousers Fun in the sun: Shay accessorised with white-rimmed sunglasses and a shell necklace Life's a beach: Shay seemed happy and relaxed as she reclined on a navy blue beach towel while reading her book 'I'm really lucky my parents are in town and everybody's been really helpful.' Noting that Atlas 'is loving being a big sister,' the actress added: 'She is so excited. She's been incredible. She helps me change diapers and it's good - she loves it.' Shay first announced she was expecting her second baby in February 2022 with an emotional Instagram post. Paradise: She later cooled off in the ocean as the sun set in another artistic social media snap The star detailed the difficult experience of celebrating having a baby on the way while mourning the loss of her grandmother at the same time. She said at the time: 'Saying goodbye to a loved one while simultaneously experiencing the joy of welcoming another into this world is the great cycle of life. It is also my most challenging season to date. 'Losing the most important person in my life in the same year I welcomed my second daughter has shifted everything for me, but one thing remains steady in my soul - I'm certain they spent time together and that brings me peace and joy. 'We're so happy you're here, Rome, named after my best friend, my soul mate, my 'person,' my Grandma Romaine.' She's just returned from a lavish getaway in Dubai with pal Millie Court. And Chloe Burrows has shared a slew of new glamorous photos next to a swimming pool from the trip on Instagram on Wednesday. However, the shots of the Love Island star reveal she nearly fell headfirst into the pool after attempting to balance on one leg. Dressed to impress: Chloe Burrows has shared a slew of new glamorous photos next to a swimming pool from the trip on Instagram on Wednesday Candid: Ever the voice of honesty, she admitted: 'Remind me to tan my whole back and never get too cocky posing on one leg by a pool :) x' Looking stunning in a pair of revealing black trousers with daring rips, Chloe posed with her back to the camera. Her perky bottom was on full display, and she sported a black string bikini underneath. Her blonde tresses were swept up in a high ponytail and she perched a pair of black sunglasses on her head. Oops: However, the shots of the Love Island star reveal she nearly fell headfirst into the pool after attempting to balance on one leg The reality star sported a full face of stunning makeup, including long false lashes and bronzed contour. But, the last photo showed Chloe's arms windmilling through the air as she tried to stop herself from falling into the water. Ever the voice of honesty, she admitted: 'Remind me to tan my whole back and never get too cocky posing on one leg by a pool :) x'. Peachy: Looking stunning in a pair of revealing black trousers with daring rips, Chloe posed with her back to the camera It comes after Millie defended Chloe after fans claimed she was being 'rude' by smashing plates in a restaurant in Dubai. In a Q&A with her followers on their flight home, Millie clarified that Chloe had been smashing plates at the swanky restaurant Opa, where the move is part of the eatery's traditional Greek experience. Asked about the funniest part of her trip, Millie replied by posting a video of Chloe smashing her plate while standing on her chair in the restaurant, but hit back at fans claiming that their behaviour was 'rude.' What's going on? Love Island star Millie Court has defended her pal Chloe Burrows after fans claimed she was being 'rude' by smashing plates in a restaurant in Dubai She wrote: 'Definitely Opa, we had the best night this night and for those who thought we were being rude just throwing plates. Everyone does it, it's part of the whole experience.' Both Millie and Chloe had openly documented their break on social media, after jetting to Dubai to ring in the New Year. Just hours earlier Millie revEaled that they were on their way home, posting a snap of lavish Emirates plane seat with the caption: 'Hair of the dog then konk out for 8 hours... Essex see you soon.' Good time? The reality star recently returned from a lavish girls' holiday to the UAE with her villa co-star, after openly documenting their trip on social media Wild! Asked about the funniest part of her trip, Millie replied by posting a video of Chloe smashing her plate while standing on her chair in the restaurant Explanation: Millie clarified that Chloe had been smashing plates at the swanky restaurant Opa, where the move is part of the eatery's traditional Greek experience Jetting off: Just hours earlier Millie revaled that they were on their way home, posting a snap of lavish Emirates plane seat Alex Jones has admitted that she was given a 'little surprise' when finding out she was pregnant with her third child Annie, 17 months. The One Show presenter, 45, welcomed the new arrival in August 2021 and has shared that while it was unexpected, she feels 'so incredibly lucky'. She also touched on the heartbreaking miscarriage she suffered back in 2017, shortly after giving birth to her eldest child Teddy. Alex Jones has admitted that her baby daughter Annie, 17 months, was 'a little surprise'... as she touches on her heartbreaking 2017 miscarriage Appearing on Thursday morning's episode of Lorraine, Alex discussed her journey with motherhood while looking forward to her new documentary, which focuses on fertility. For me, Annie was a little surprise. When we were due to start filming my new documentary, I found out I was pregnant and I didn't want to do it while pregnant because that's insensitive. so we waited until Annie was born,' began the presenter. Continuing: 'I know shes little but we are so incredibly lucky that we have the three kids. Alex also shares her son Teddy, five, and Kit, three, with husband of almost eight years, Charlie Thomson. Bundle of joy: Alex welcomed her third child, Annie, back in 2021, after an unexpected pregnancy She explained: For me, Annie was a little surprise. When we were due to start filming my new documentary, I found out I was pregnant and I didn't want to do it while pregnant because that's insensitive. so we waited until Annie was born' During the daytime TV appearance, she also touched on the miscarriage she suffered back in 2017, where her child 'stopped developing' - shortly after giving birth to Teddy. 'Between having the two boys, we had a loss then, quite late on - there were some complications,' explained the presenter. After experiencing troubles with motherhood herself and welcoming her children in her late thirties and early forties, Alex is now looking to tell the stories of others with her brand new documentary. Alex Jones: Making Babies sees the star get to work in an IVF clinic King's Fertility in London. Opening up: During the daytime TV appearance, she also touched on the miscarriage she suffered back in 2017 Mother of three: Alex also shares her son Teddy, five, and Kit, three, with husband of almost eight years, Charlie Thomson Speaking on why she wanted to create the new show, Alex explained: I dont think fertility has been covered at all as much as it should and I think its such a good thing to shed light on it and give people an opportunity to understand what others go through. 'I didnt want to go in there as a broadcaster or the girl off the tele, I wanted to be really involved. Finishing: 'I think it does show the highs and lows, there are some amazing highs and also some devastating blows and lows for couples who have been trying for years.' New venture: Alex appeared on the show to discuss her new documentary, Alex Jones: Making Babies Hugh Jackman reflected on his 'close' relationship with his father Christopher John Jackman and spoke about how filming The Son helped him grieve his death. The Australian actor, 54, and his brothers Ian and Ralph were raised by Christopher when his mother Grace McNeil left his family in Australia to return to the UK. His father sadly died on Australia's Father's Day in 2021 when he was filming The Son, a drama about a troubled relationship between a father and his teenage son. Family: Hugh Jackman reflected on his 'close' relationship with his father Christopher John Jackman and spoke about how filming The Son helped him grieve his death Speaking about his father, Hugh told The Guardian they had a 'close' relationship and said Christopher taught him a lot of 'great values'. He told the publication: 'My mother left when I was eight, so my father raised us, he taught me really great values. 'He was never really interested in things like fame and money, he was always encouraging about education and treating people well and keeping your word.' Hugh said his father watched everything he ever did and never said a bad word about any of his projects, adding: 'A lot of who I am today is because of him.' Single parent: The Australian actor, 54, and his brothers Ian and Ralph were raised by Christopher when his mother Grace McNeil left Australia to return to the UK The Wolverine star went on to speak about what it was like filming The Son, a movie which he said made him reflect on his upbringing and his own worries as a father. He shares two children - Oscar, 22, and Ava, 17, with his wife Deborra-Lee Furness - and admitted that he found filming The Son 'emotionally difficult'. Hugh, whose father Christopher died amid the project, said: 'It was emotionally difficult, and I just sort of let go a little bit, stuff from my upbringing was coming up, my worries as a father.' He explained that he started experiencing sleepless nights and said he was a 'hot mess' during the process of filming at the very emotional time. Loss: His father sadly died on Australia's Father's Day in 2021 when he was filming The Son (pictured), a drama about a troubled relationship between a father and his teenage son However, he also said the drama film made him less judgmental about people's mental health issues, particularly the difficulties experienced by some of his family. The Son, which is adapted from a play, sees Hugh play a father whose past mistakes with his son Nicholas (Zen McGrath) come back to haunt him. Laura Dern also stars as Kate, the ex of Jackman's character Peter. After his own father's death, Hugh didn't take any time off work to grieve and previously said this was because Christopher had never taken a day off. 'My father never missed a day of work,' he told Variety in October. Emotional: He shares two children - Oscar, 22, and Ava, 17, with his wife Deborra-Lee Furness - and admitted that he found filming The Son 'emotionally difficult' 'I could feel him. I knew if he could talk to me, he'd be like, "You've got to go to work! What are you talking about?" I felt his presence on the set.' Hugh shared the news of his father's death in September 2021, writing on Instagram: 'In the early hours of Father's Day, my dad peacefully passed away. 'And while there is deep sadness, I am filled with such gratitude and love. My dad was, in a word, extraordinary. He devoted his life to his family, his work and his faith. I pray he is now at peace with God.' Hugh often paid tribute to his father throughout his career, describing him as his 'rock' in an interview with 60 Minutes in 2012. Hugh was eight years old when his mother Grace left and moved back to the UK from Australia, which he has previously described as a 'traumatic' experience. 'It was traumatic,' Hugh told Who magazine. 'I thought she was probably going to come back. And then it sort of dragged on and on.' He said it wasn't until he was '12 or 13' that he realised his mother wouldn't return, and he saw her around 'once a year' after she left. 'I remember her being in a towel around her head and saying goodbye. [It] must have been the way she said goodbye,' he said. Difficulties: Hugh was eight years old when his mother Grace left and moved back to the UK from Australia, which he has previously described as a 'traumatic' experience 'As I went off to school, when I came back, there was no one there in the house.' He added: 'The next day there was a telegram from England. Mum was there. And then that was it. Dad used to pray every night that mum would come back.' However, Hugh has since reconciled with his mother Grace and has shared snaps of them together on social media. In 2011, he told The Sun: 'I am 43 now and we have definitely made our peace, which is important. 'I was always quite connected with my mum. I have a good relationship with her.' Pia Whitesell told the royal to 'stop' and branded him 'ridiculous' on Instagram Pia Whitesell has branded Prince Harry 'ridiculous' after he blamed Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton for his notorious appearance at a costume party wearing a Nazi uniform in 2005. The former Home & Away star, 39, took to Instagram to tell the Duke of Sussex to 'stop it' following recent comments in his new memoir. Spare, set to be released later this week, will detail his duties resigning from royal duties along with wife Meghan. Pia Whitesell has branded Prince Harry 'ridiculous' after he blamed Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton for his notorious appearance at a costume party wearing a Nazi uniform in 2005. The former Home & Away star, 39, took to Instagram to tell the Duke of Sussex to 'stop it' following recent comments in his new memoir Harry, 38, claims he was considering either the Nazi uniform or a pilot's outfit to a 'Native and Colonial'-themed event and called his brother and sister-in-law for their opinion. 'I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said,' Harry wrote, according to Page Six. 'They both howled. Worse than Willy's leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point.' The outfit became a huge scandal when Harry, then 20, was photographed wearing the Nazi regalia. Prince Harry partially blamed both his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton for his infamous appearance at a costume party wearing a Nazi uniform Chilean-born Pia, who grew up in Australia recently relocated to live in Los Angeles with her multimillionaire Hollywood agent husband Patrick last year. She was previously married to AFL-star Brad Miller. Harry's dressing as a Nazi made global headlines after an image Harry in the uniform featured on the front page of The Sun newspaper. The Duke of Sussex wore the Nazi uniform at a party thrown by Olympic show jumper Richard Meade. Harry - seen here with William at an unveiling of a statue dedicated to their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, in 2021 - asked Will and Kate for advice on whether to wear a Nazi uniform or a pilot uniform to the party Harry said of William and Kate, seen here in 2020: 'I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said,' Harry wrote, according to Page Six . 'They both howled. Worse than Willy's leotard outfit! Way more ridiculous! Which, again, was the point.' Harry wore the desert uniform of General Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps. Earlier in the evening he had worn an army-style jacket with a German flag on the arm. Harry had arrived with his elder brother Prince William, who reportedly dressed in a skin-tight black leotard with a leopard skin pattern and a matching leopard skin tail and paws. One guest told the Daily Mail afterwards: 'If this was his idea of a joke then it went down like a lead balloon.' Harry issued a groveling apology shortly after the image was published. He said: 'I am very sorry if I have caused any offence or embarrassment to anyone. It was a poor choice of costume and I apologise.' Harry had previously addressed the incident in his new Netflix series that dressing as a Nazi was one of the 'biggest mistakes' of his life. The Duke of Sussex expressed contrition for his 2005 gaffe, speaking in the third episode of his and his wife Meghan Markle's new Netflix show. Harry expressed his regret and said 'all I wanted to do was make it right.' He said he met with the Chief Rabbi and also spoke to a Holocaust survivor as part of efforts to repair the damage done by the gaffe. At the time, the Chief Rabbi was Jonathan Sacks, who passed away in 2020. Harry (pictured in 2004) issued a grovelling apology shortly after the image was published. He said: 'I am very sorry if I have caused any offence or embarrassment to anyone. It was a poor choice of costume and I apologise' Prince Harry has said in his new Netflix series that dressing as a Nazi was one of the 'biggest mistakes' of his life The Duke of Sussex said: 'It was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. 'I felt so ashamed afterwards. 'All I wanted to do was make it right. I sat down and spoke to the Chief Rabbi in London, which had a profound impact on me. 'I went to Berlin and spoke to a holocaust survivor. 'I could have got on and ignored it and made the same mistakes over and over in my life, but I learnt from that.' Spare tells Harry's story with 'raw, unflinching honesty', according to Penguin Random House. Publishing sources said arrangements for Harry's 'explosive' memoir's release were ultra-closely guarded and being managed in minute detail, with only a handful of senior executives aware of the exact details. Deliveries to bookshops are being scheduled to be last-minute to avoid unauthorised copies being leaked. Guarded sites across the world have been secured to house copies of the book prior to distribution. One likened the sophisticated security operation to the 2007 release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when JK Rowling was determined her young fans would not have the experience spoilt by learning of the boy wizard's fate before reading the seventh and final novel in the series. An army of guards, satellite tracking systems and legal contracts were all deployed to protect the 10 million first copies of the new Harry Potter book. When the finished manuscript was taken by hand from London to New York, a lawyer for the American publisher sat on it during the flight. Millie Court put on a glamorous display as she shared an array of stunning snaps from her recent Dubai getaway with her best pal Chloe Burrows. The 2021 Love Island winner, 26, showed off her sensational sense of style in a denim patchwork dress from Bershka as she posed at seafood restaurant Nammos. She added some height to her frame with a pair of black strapped heels and added a touch of glitz with a bejewelled Prada handbag. Wow! Millie Court put on a glamorous display as she shared an array of stunning snaps from her recent Dubai getaway with her best pal Chloe Burrows Millie accessorised her look with a pair of chunky silver earrings and slicked her golden tresses back into a tight bun. She accentuated her striking features with a high-glamour make-up palette as she lounged on a sofa during her lavish evening outing. Millie has not shied away from sharing an array of gorgeous pictures from her recent Dubai holiday with her former Love Island co-star Chloe. Elegant: The 2021 Love Island winner, 26, showed off her sensational sense of style in a denim patchwork dress from Bershka as she posed at seafood restaurant Nammos Stylish: She added some height to her frame with a pair of black strapped heels and added a touch of glitz with a bejewelled Prada handbag The best pals rang in the New Year in the popular tourist destination before jetting back to the UK earlier this week. Amid their trip to the UAE, Millie was forced to defend Chloe after fans claimed she was being 'rude' by smashing plates in a restaurant. In a Q&A with her followers on their flight home, Millie clarified that Chloe had been smashing plates at the swanky restaurant Opa, where the move is part of the eatery's traditional Greek experience. Seeing in 2023 in style: Millie and Chloe jetted out to Dubai to ring in the New Year, before jetting back to the UK earlier this week Asked about the funniest part of her trip, Millie replied by posting a video of Chloe smashing her plate while standing on her chair in the restaurant, but hit back at fans claiming that their behaviour was 'rude.' She wrote: 'Definitely Opa, we had the best night this night and for those who thought we were being rude just throwing plates. Everyone does it, it's part of the whole experience.' Just hours earlier, Millie revealed that they were on their way home, posting a snap of lavish Emirates plane seat with the caption: 'Hair of the dog then konk out for 8 hours... Essex see you soon.' Quavo has paid a tear-jerking tribute to the late Takeoff with the moving song Without You. His bandmate and uncle Quavo, 31, shared the emotional new track in his memory. He sings: 'I wish I had a time machine/ Just so you take a ride with me/ I miss just how you smile at me/ Unc and Phew until infinity.' The Migos star was tragically shot dead in November at the age of 28, following an altercation at a club in Houston. This comes just as Takeoff's alleged killer was released from a Texas prison on $1million bail, according to TMZ. The men behind the music: Quavo, left, has paid a tear-jerking tribute to the late Takeoff, right, with the moving song Without You. Seen in 2015 Quavo admitted he will 'miss' his nephew so much because they did everything together. He wrote on Instagram: 'It's so hard to tell you Ima miss you because you [were] always with me and we did everything together. Thought we were gonna be pro wrestlers. 'Nothing ever really bothered Take and he didn't bother anybody. He the most unbothered person in the world. 'He never go mad, he never raised his voice, and when he did, he silenced the room because what Take said was law and he wasn't changing his mind.' RIP: The Migos star was tragically shot dead in November at the age of 28, following an altercation at a club in Houston. Seen in 2019 The Open It Up star - whose real name is Quavious Keyate Marshall - admitted the pair were closer than uncle and nephew and hailed Takeoff 'our angel.' He said: 'This whole time I've been trying to figure what you really are to me because nephew wasn't it. 'We hated that word 'nephew' or when they said 'Unc and Phew' cuz we always knew we were closer than that and itmade me feel old too. But I knew you weren't my brother cuz you are my sister's son, so I couldn't say brother. Now I finally get it you are OUR angel.' The band: from left, Migos, Takeoff, Offset, and Quavo Migos and Lil Yachty in concert at O2 Academy Brixton, London in 2017 This comes just as the suspect charged with murdering Takeoff was released from jail. Patrick Xavier Clark posted $1million bond then exited Harris County Jail in Texas on Wednesday night. He will submit to house arrest, according to court documents seen by TMZ. In November Offset said he 'misses everything' about Takeoff. The tragic rap star - who was known for creating hits such as 'Versace' and 'Bad and Boujee' alongside his cousin Offset and his uncle Quavo as part of hip hop group Migos - was shot dead earlier this month at the age of 28 following an altercation at a club in Houston, Texas and now Offset has admitted that he wants to see him smile again. Thug life: Left to right, Quavo, Jack Harlow, and musical guest Takeoff pose together backstage in October He wrote on Instagram: 'Missing everything bout you specially that smile.'(sic) Earlier this month, the 'Slippery' hitmaker - who is married to fellow rap star Cardi B and has Kulture, four, and 14-month-old Wave with her- explained that he wanted to 'hug, laugh, smoke and perform' with his cousin one last time. He said: 'Dear Take, the pain you have left me with is unbearable. My heart is shattered and I have so many things to say, but I can't find the words. I've been going to sleep and waking up hoping that all of this is a dream, but it's reality, and reality feels like a nightmare. Every time you would see me, you didn't give me a dap you gave me a hug. I wish I could hug you one last time. 'Laugh one last time. Smoke one last time. Perform one last time. know someone with a soul like yours is in heaven now. I hope you can see how much we love you and miss you. You have left a hole in my heart that will never be filled. Give me strength, give your brothers strength, give your family strength. Even though I know you will always be with us. throw me a lil sign or a beautiful dream. I love you forever, 4L and after.' By Nam Hyun-woo Chinese Embassy in Korea in Myeongdong, Seoul / Courtesy of Chinese Embassy in Korea Fans of this morning were left in fits of laughter after Josie Gibson took part in a pilates segment wearing a leather mini skirt and skin-tight blouse. The Bristolian TV presenter, 37, looked gorgeous in her Thursday morning outfit as she co-hosted the ITV daytime programme alongside Dermot O'Leary. But it wasn't the best styling choice when trying to do a little bit of exercise after suffering a wardrobe malfunction while performing some floor stretches with instructor Bryony Deery. Hilarious! Fans of This Morning were left in fits of laughter after Josie Gibson took part in a pilates segment wearing a leather pencil skirt and skin-tight blouse The segment was being presented as one of the 'hottest' trends for 2023, Dermot and Josie joined Bryony on yoga mats in the middle of the studio. But Josie has to turn facing away from the camera, and as she puts her legs up to perform an abdominal crunch movement, her leather skirt folds over itself. More of her legs become exposed and she giggles at the slightly inappropriate outfit choice of the day. Her clothes contrasted that of fitness instructor Bryony, who wore a white crop top and charcoal grey leggings, while Dermot wore a long-sleeved sweater and a pair of brown straight-legged trousers. Not-so pilates ready! The Bristolian TV presenter, 37, looked gorgeous in her Thursday morning outfit as she co-hosted the ITV daytime programme alongside Dermot O'Leary Wardrobe malfunction! But it wasn't the best styling choice when trying to do a little bit of exercise after suffering a wardrobe malfunction while performing some floor stretches with instructor Bryony Deery Josie still tried her best and did planks, knee hovers and table tops, and luckily by being faced the other way, her modesty was protected. After the workout, Dermot jokingly said of Josie flashing her tights: 'I couldn't open my eyes as I was getting full-on Gibson. I wanted to be a gentleman about the whole thing!' Josie later apologised for the ordeal, and Dermot added: 'We didn't have the best choice of outfits - these trousers aren't the most flexible either.' Workout: The segment was being presented as one of the 'hottest' trends for 2023, Dermot and Josie joined Bryony on yoga mats in the middle of the studio Over on social media, fans praised Josie for her still taking part despite the wardrobe malfunction, with many thanking her for the laughter it gave them. One wrote: 'Josie Gibson doing Pilates on #ThisMorning is one of the funniest things I've seen on TV for quite some time. Go Josie!! #cramp.' A second said: 'Omg this was the funniest thing ever. Josie, you crack me up. Thank you for giving me a good old belly laugh. Hope This Morning keeps you forever.' Another said: 'Omg Josie, you are such a laugh. Dermot O'Leary got some sight that time. I love you both and keep practicing that pilates.' Not ideal! But Josie has to turn facing away from the camera, and as she puts her legs up to perform an abdominal crunch movement, her leather skirt folds over itself Someone else added: 'Took some painkillers and passed out on the sofa, woke up to #thismorning and Josie Gibson doing Pilates in a leather pencil skirt. That was a trip and a half.' A fifth said: 'Josie Gibson doing Pilates in a leather pencil skirt like a god dam Queen!!' Complimenting Josie directly, another fan wrote: '@Josiestweet is the funniest person on tv love this woman, only watch this morning when she's on she has me howling...' So funny: Over on social media, fans praised Josie for her still taking part despite the wardrobe malfunction, with many thanking her for the laughter it gave them Last month, Josie was left lost for words while chatting with a hunky yoga instructor via video link. The presenter, 37, got hot and flustered as she fawned over Finlay Wilson, who went shirtless to exhibit his muscular physique for the outdoor tutorial in the Scottish Highlands. She asked the fitness pro: 'How did you get into yoga? I can understand why you're so popular.' Hilarious: Josie Gibson was left lost for words while chatting with a hunky yoga instructor via video link last month After he responded, the former Big Brother star continued: 'And so yoga has helped you get that ripped, has it? Or are you... cos... you're... really lovely. Bursting into laugher, her co-star Andi Peters chimed in: 'You can't even speak!' Ignoring her advances, Finlay replied: 'What I have to remind people is I do this every single day, I teach classes every single day.' Josie showed off her slimmed-down frame in a red knitted dress as she stepped in for Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield, who are enjoying a Christmas break. Ooh la la! The presenter, 37, got hot and flustered as she interviewed Finlay Wilson Looking good: He went shirtless to exhibit his muscular physique for the outdoor tutorial in the Scottish Highlands with his friend Delighted: She asked the fitness pro: 'How did you get into yoga? I can understand why you're so popular' The gorgeous festive number accentuated her curves and showed off her weight loss, after she dropped from a size 18 to 14 earlier this year. Josie complemented the look with thigh-high leather boots and statement hoop earrings. The presenter also added a crescent moon necklace to her Christmassy outfit. She wore her blonde tresses straight and opted for a full face of make-up. Festive: Josie Gibson showed off her slimmed-down frame as she presented the ITV daytime show Last January, Josie vowed to transform her size 18 figure to a 12 after falling back into 'unhealthy habits' of overeating bread and chocolate. The presenter confessed at the time to overindulging on bread and chocolate and aimed to slim down before getting back on the dating scene. Josie, who last year became a new ambassador for weight loss brand WW, said: 'I can't wait to start feeling sexy again. I can't remember the last time I felt proper sexy. I just feel like a working mum. I don't feel sexy. 'I have obviously been big my whole life I have always been one of those people that's struggled with my weight. Weight loss: Josie is hosting the show with a glam new look this week while Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield are enjoying a break (Josie pictured left on Thursday, right in April) 'In 2013 I lost weight and then I started putting it on again when I had my son in 2019 and it's getting to a point now where I feel really, really uncomfortable. I feel uncomfortable with the size I am. I am a size 18. 'I would like to be a comfortable 12 or a 12-14. I would be so happy with that. I have been a size 8. I don't think it suits me and it's a lot of work to get there so I just need to find that happy medium. A size 12 would be ideal.' She told MailOnline at the time: 'I love how Alison Hammond looks right now. I think Alison looks absolutely sensational!' 'My NY resolution is to be more active with Reggie and try to get him fitness clubs as I think the key is keeping them busy when they're younger but with fitness. '2022 is the year I will enjoy the moment instead of thinking or worrying about what's coming.' She added: 'I never rule out naughty treats, I just make sure I eat them very occasionally. I love a cream tea for example and takeaway curry. I used to beat myself up when I ate foods like this that I love, but now I know I can enjoy them in moderation. Progress: Last January, Josie vowed to transform her size 18 figure to a 12 after becoming a Weight Watchers ambassador (pictured) 'I cook delicious meals from scratch. I've done lots of Thai cookery courses, so I cook a great Thai curry.' Josie has been open about her weight journey since hitting the spotlight 11 years ago, when she won Big Brother and later became an exercise guru. Last year, Josie celebrated when she put on her old size 14 jeans again. Josie said: 'Hello guys, I cannot tell you how happy I am. You know, all these lockdowns, the pandemic has been very stressful. Geordie Shore star Sophie Kasaei posted a busty bikini snap on Thursday as she revealed she had booked her first holiday of 2023. The reality star, 33, took to Instagram to share the image of her from a past trip and asked her followers what locations they were planning to go to. She posed up a storm in the racy pink and orange outfit, pairing the costume with orange sunglasses. Saucy: Geordie Shore star Sophie Kasaei set pulses racing in a sexy pink and orange bikini as she celebrated booking her first holiday of 2023 with a sexy Instagram snap on Thursday Sunshine break: She captioned her post: 'First holiday for 2023 booked. Where do you wanna go this year? Tell me' Sophie kept her brunette locks loose in the snap, posing beach side as she revealed her glowing tan. She captioned her post: 'First holiday for 2023 booked. Where do you wanna go this year? Tell me.' Friend and Geordie Shore co-star Chloe Ferry was quick to comment: 'Better be with me' while former Love Island contestant Kaz Crossley wrote: 'Fire.' Friends: Geordie Shore co-star Chloe Ferry was quick to comment: 'Better be with me' while former Love Island contestant wrote: 'Fire' Sophie's saucy post comes after it was revealed earlier on Thursday that she will join the cast of TOWIE, in the first ever crossover between the reality shows. The TV personality who's in a relationship with TOWIE cast member Jordan Brooks, will star alongside her boyfriend in the show's upcoming series, which is being filmed overseas. An Essex insider told MailOnline that ITVBe producers are hoping Sophie, who was in the original cast of Geordie Shore and has over 2million Instagram followers, will help to resurrect the series, which has lost its popularity in recent years. New addition: The Only Wahey is Essex! Geordie Shore star Sophie Kasaei is joining The Only Way Is Essex, in the first ever crossover between the reality shows A source revealed: 'Sophie has been on reality TV for over 12 years, she knows what makes a good show. 'Producers are really excited that she's joining TOWIE and hopes she will bring some of her fiery Geordie energy to the cast. 'TOWIE is still in talks about Sophie's potential involvement but she can't wait to officially sign on the dotted line and join boyfriend Jordan on the show. 'There's sure to be some drama brewing between Sophie, Ella Rae Wise, and Chloe Brockett, too, who both dated Jordan last year.' MailOnline has contacted Sophie and TOWIE for comment. Love is in the air: The TV personality, who's in a relationship with TOWIE cast member Jordan Brooks, will star alongside her boyfriend in the show's upcoming series Sophie was an original Geordie Shore cast member when the show first launched in 2011 alongside the likes of Charlotte Crosby, Vicky Pattison, Gary Beadle, and Holly Hagan. While former Love Island contestants including Olivia Attwood, Georgia Harrison, and Cara De La Hyde and Nathan Massey have all joined TOWIE in the past, no one from Geordie Shore or Made In Chelsea has appeared on the ITVBe show. She left the MTV series for good in 2019 and has been in a relationship with TOWIE's Jordan since November. Sophie, who previously dated DJ Joel Corry and stripper Jay Bigz, has called Jordan the 'love of her life' on Instagram and dedicated a heartfelt post to their new romance. Family affair: Sophie spent the Christmas period celebrating with new boyfriend Jordan and her cousin Marnie Simpson and her fiance Casey Johnson (pictured) In December, she said: 'Just when I was about to give up on love you came into my life and showed me what a true gent and real love is. 'Thank you for making me the happiest girl in the world. My forever JB, I love you.' Last year, in scenes filmed for TOWIE, Jordan attempted to woo Ella Wise and the couple went on several dates but ultimately, she wasn't interested. He also romanced Ella's ex-best friend Chloe, who accused him of only being interested in her during filming to increase his popularity. The new series of TOWIE is set to begin filming at the end of January after the annual Christmas special, The Only Way Is Essexmas, was axed. It is not known whether Amy Childs, who is expecting twins with boyfriend Billy Delbosq, will appear in the episodes filmed overseas, while she also has children Polly and Ritchie to look after. He left the BBC soap in an explosive Christmas storyline. And Danny Dyer was seen for the first time since his EastEnders exit during an outing with his son Artie, nine, in Essex on Thursday afternoon. The actor, 45, was sporting a baker boy cap with a navy jumper and a pair of blue jeans with white trainers after returning from a sun-soaked break in Australia. Out and about! Danny Dyer was seen for the first time since his EastEnders exit during an outing with his son Artie, nine, in Essex on Thursday afternoon Family outing: The actor, 45, was sporting a baker boy cap with a navy jumper and a pair of blue jeans with white trainers after returning from a sun-soaked break in Australia Danny was joined by his rarely-seen son Artie, who was sporting a kit Danny's team West Ham's colours, as they left a home near their Essex home. Danny shares his son with wife Joanne Mas. The couple are also parents to Sunnie, 15, and Love Island winner Dani, 26. Viewers said goodbye to Danny's character Mick Carter on Christmas Day when he was lost at sea during a tense festive special. Cute: Danny was joined by his rarely-seen son Artie, who was sporting a kit Danny's team West Ham's colours, as they left a home near their Essex home Cya! Viewers said goodbye to Danny's character Mick Carter on Christmas Day when he was lost at sea during a tense festive special The following day, Danny addressed his EastEnders exit with an expletive-laden explanation while lounging on a beach in a sun-soaked location, which was later revealed to be Australia. Danny, whose character was 'killed off' after he appeared to drown, joked it has been a 'c*** of a swim' as she shared a hilarious video with fans. Danny relaxed on the sand while smoking shisha and downing tequila as he assured fans he was 'sweet as a f***ing nut' following his exit from the soap. Parents: Danny shares his son with wife Joanne Mas. The couple are also parents to Sunnie, 15, and Love Island winner Dani, 26 Busy? Artie appeared engrossed with something on a phone He said: 'It was very emotional last night. It was a very nutty episode. But don't be concerned... because I f***ing made it! 'It was a c**t of a swim but let me tell you now, it was worth it. Mick needed a rest, it was time for him to move on, new chapter. 'I want to take this opportunity to thank all my castmates, every single one of you, I love you all very dearly, I'm very honoured to have worked with you for as long as I have and I'll relish those moments for the rest of my life. Ha! Danny addressed his EastEnders' character's exit with an expletive-laden explanation while lounging on a beach in a sun-soaked location Dramatic: Mick got lost at sea during Danny Dyer's explosive finale on Christmas Day 'I'm not going to name names, there's too many of you but of course my Carter family who mean everything to me - it's the end of an era. I'm very grateful and I really appreciate the years that I've had running the Queen Vic. 'So again, don't stress and especially the fans who have voted for me and invested in Mick and made him the character that he is. 'But he had to get away... Janine was driving him f**king mad! So, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and don't worry about Mick... [drinks tequila and smokes] because he's sweet as a f**king nut!' Made it! The actor, 45, whose character was 'killed off' after he appeared to drown at sea during Sunday's explosive Christmas special, joked it has been a 'c*** of a swim' as she shared a hilarious video with fans Kicking back: Danny relaxed on the sand while smoking shisha and downing tequila as he assured fans he was 'sweet as a f***ing nut' following his exit from the soap Danny's video received a quick response from his friends and fans. His daughter Dani, replied: 'So proud of you! Love you so much.' Meanwhile his co-star Bobby Brazier shared a series of laughing faces. Viewers were led to believe that Danny took his final breaths as character Mick. It appeared that his character was killed off in true soap style as he attempted to save ex-wife Linda's (Kellie Bright) life after she and Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) drove off a cliff and into the English Channel. His heroic act came after Mick learned the truth about wife Janine's framing of Linda and confessed his love for the latter, before dramatically exiting the show in a nail-biting finale which saw him lost at sea. And recently sharing some behind-the-scenes info on filming, Danny admitted that the dramatic scenes were actually filmed 'in a tank of vegetable juice'. Reaction: Danny's video received a quick response from his friends and fans Mick's exit came as he, Janine and Linda all came head-to-head in an explosive finale at the White Cliffs Of Dover - after learning that Janine was responsible for the car crash that Linda took the blame for in previous episodes. In a dramatic car chase, Janine attempted to escape her husband and his ex-wife as they tried to make her pay for her crimes, driving quickly away towards Dover. But not letting her get away, Linda jumped into the passenger seat and wrestled with Janine for the steering wheel - leading to them losing control of the car and rearing off the side of a cliff, into the English Channel. Following behind was Mick, who got out of his car and made a jump into the water to rescue them after realising what had happened. Drama: The character was killed off in true soap style as he attempted to save ex-wife Linda's (Kellie Bright) life after she and Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) drove off a cliff and into the English Channel Conflict: Mick's death came as he, Janine and Linda all came head-to-head in an explosive finale at the White Cliffs Of Dover - after learning that Janine was responsible for the car crash that Linda took the blame for in previous episodes The duo were submerged in water and trapped in Janine's car, before Mick managed to rescue Janine and take her back to land, before jumping back in for Linda. But unbeknownst to Mick, Linda was already out of the water and had made her way to land, leaving a struggling Mick nowhere to be seen in the water. Speaking on the filming process of the scenes, Danny recently told The Sun that to mirror the water, he was submerged in vegetable juice. Rescue: As Janine and Linda were stuck underneath the water, Mick managed to rescue Janine and take her back to land, before jumping back in for Linda Heartbroken: But as he jumped back in, Linda was revealed to be safe and sound on land too - leaving Mick nowhere to be seen and lost at sea, with Linda calling out for him My last scene, I was smothered in broccoli. The water tank, they fill it with broccoli juice to make it green. It is like a bath temperature. I was very tearful and I was all emotional but I smelt like broccoli. It softened the blow,' he shared. The drama began earlier in the episode when the trio were all at Christmas dinner together and Janine was outed by her daughter, Scarlett. Linda's life was left hanging in the balance earlier in the summer, following her involvement in a dramatic car crash with Janine. Truth revealed: The drama began earlier in the episode when the trio were all at Christmas dinner together and Janine was outed by her daughter, Scarlett, who revealed that she had framed Mick's ex-wife Linda earlier in the year It's over! After learning the truth, Mick was furious at Janine and ended their relationship She was lead to believe that it was her fault and she was driving the car under the influence, despite the fact that it was actually Janine's, who had moved her into the driving seat. And during the festive dinner, Scarlett outed her mum as the culprit, saying to Linda: 'She was driving your car when it crashed. She came to pick you up. Linda, you called the vic and talked to mum'. While Janine attempted to brush off the truth by claiming her daughter 'isn't well', but couldn't keep up with her own lies. Beginning to piece things together, Mick demanded to know whether Janine was in the car with Linda when she crashed - before discovering that she was, in fact, the one driving. Turning to Janine, Linda questioned: 'Did you move me? When they found me, I was in the drivers seat. She must've put me there to make it look like it was me. She then leaped at Janine in attack as things took a violent turn, leaving Mick in shock as he processed the situation. After the dramatic meal, Mick chatted with Linda in private and confessed his love for her despite being married to Janine. Turning to his ex-wife, he admitted: 'It's you, it's always been you. i've known it all along, I just couldn'tface it. Every single day I have tried to convince myself that I loved Janine but it's you. I've loved you all along. And now i'm married to her, please forgive me.' Over the moon with the news, Linda replied: 'Of course I forgive you, this is not your fault, I love you. Mick asked if he and Linda could try things again, with the latter replying: 'Yes, that's all I ever wanted, you're the love of my life, No one else has ever come close, no one.' Sharing a kiss, the pair then agreed: 'We're never gonna be apart again'. Back on: After the dramatic meal, Mick chatted with Linda in private and confessed his love for her despite being married to Janine The one: Mick asked if he and Linda could try things again, with the latter replying: 'Yes, that's all I ever wanted, you're the love of my life, No one else has ever come close, no one' Going back to reality from the sweet moment, it was time for Mick to tell Janine that their marriage was over as he decided to make her pay for her actions. Heading into their bedroom, Mick said to Janine: 'You lied to me. to me, your husband. You honestly think i want to be with you now? I was gonna give up everything for you and for what? I don't love you, I never loved you, i want you out of my sight. You disgust me.' Throwing a travel bag at her, the landlord insisted that she pack her things as Linda called the police, with Mick telling Janine: 'You're going to prison, do you understand me? You've made your bed, and now you're gonna lie in it.' Car chase: But things took a turn when Janine then took off with her passport to escape, as Mick and Linda set off to chase her Intense: Janine attempted to escape Mick and Linda, who were hoping to send her to prison for framing the latter But things took a turn when Janine then took off with her passport to escape, as Mick and Linda set off to chase her. Driving on a narrow road alongside Janine, Mick attempted to convince her to pull the car over before both cars came to a stop at a dead end. 'It's over, get out of the car,' he told his wife as Linda called the police from the remote location. Janine punched Mick in the head as he fell to the ground before she got into her car and drove away, with Linda jumping into the passenger seat to try and stop her. Intense: Following a framatic car chase which saw Janine attempt to flee, Linda jumped into her car to attempt to stop her - grappling the steering wheel Out of control: Losing control of the vehicle, the pair drove off of the cliff and went under the water - completely submerged The pair wrestled over the steering wheel as Janine attempted to drive away, losing control of the car as the whole vehicle falls off of the cliff's edge and into the sea. Underneath the water, Janine and Linda were then jammed in the car and submerged in water as they battled to get out - before Mick discovered that they had fallen in and jumps out to save them. Diving down, he manages to open the car and get Janine out of the car, saving her as he swims up and brings her onto land. But going back to look for Linda, a struggling Mick jumps back in to save her - without knowing that she has already managed to make her way out of the water alone. Linda joins Janine back on land and searches for Mick, screaming for him before breaking into fits of tears as he is nowhere to be seen. Actor Danny announced that he would be stepping down from his role as Mick Carter back in January after joining the show in 2013. And the exit certainly lived up to bosses' hints , which previously teased that the exit would be 'explosive'. Thor: Love and Thunder action star Chris Hemsworth flaunted his Adonis-like, muscular 6ft3in physique while surfing at a beach not far from his $7M Byron Bay home in his native Australia on Wednesday. The Melbourne-born 39-year-old - who celebrated the holidays with his family at a $30K/week resort in Fiji - showcased his chiseled chest and bulging biceps while clad in black star-spangled swim trunks. Chris opted to use a STCY-brand surfboard featuring a b&w spiral design of indigenous Australian art. Adonis! Thor: Love and Thunder action star Chris Hemsworth flaunted his muscular 6ft3in physique while surfing at a beach not far from his $7M Byron Bay home in his native Australia on Wednesday Hemsworth relies on fitness trainer Luke Zocchi, whom he met in elementary school and lives 'a five-minute drive' away from him. The Limitless With Chris Hemsworth producer-star also enlisted Luke to help him hone his 13-week exercise program for his health and wellness app, Centr. 'Normally for the Marvel movies and Thor, we have a three-month prep,' Zocchi told People last July. 'And we slowly, progressively increase the training . That's where the Centr Power program comes in. That advanced program is literally what I do with Chris [in preparation] for Thor - that's how this whole program came about.' Yankee doodling: The Melbourne-born 39-year-old - who celebrated the holidays with his family at a $30K/week resort in Fiji - showcased his chiseled chest and bulging biceps while clad in black star-spangled swim trunks Wave rider: Chris opted to use a STCY-brand surfboard featuring a b&w spiral design of indigenous Australian art Well preserved: Hemsworth relies on fitness trainer Luke Zocchi, whom he met in elementary school and lives 'a five-minute drive' away from him Strong back! The Limitless With Chris Hemsworth producer-star also enlisted Luke to help him hone his 13-week exercise program for his health and wellness app, Centr The Centr Power program offers a seven-day free trial and after that it costs $29/month or $10/month with a year-long subscription. Missing from Chris' side on Wednesday was his wife of 12 years - Poker Face actress Elsa Pataky - and their 10-year-old daughter India Rose and eight-year-old twin sons Sasha + Tristan. Hemsworth originally met the Spanish-born 46-year-old in 2010 through their agents. That same day, Netflix dropped a picture of the Spiderhead star reprising his role as Tyler Rake, a former SASR operator turned black ops mercenary, alongside Tinatin Dalakishvili in Extraction 2, which premieres in June on Netflix. Zocchi told People last July: 'Normally for the Marvel movies and Thor, we have a three-month prep. And we slowly, progressively increase the training . That's where the Centr Power program comes in. That advanced program is literally what I do with Chris [in preparation] for Thor - that's how this whole program came about' Strapping in: The Centr Power program offers a seven-day free trial and after that it costs $29/month or $10/month with a year-long subscription Headed home: Chris headed back to the car after his surfing session 'Bye Bye Tavarua!' Missing from Hemsworth's side on Wednesday was his wife of 12 years - Poker Face actress Elsa Pataky (R) - and their 10-year-old daughter India Rose and eight-year-old twin sons Sasha + Tristan Chris also produced Sam Hargrave's sequel - mostly set in a deadly prison - was based on Ande Parks and the Russo Brothers' 2014 graphic novel Ciudad. Hargrave's 2020 original film Extraction was streamed by 99M households in its first four weeks of release despite only scoring a 67% critic approval rating (out of 218 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes. On October 27, Hemsworth wrapped his mystery role in George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa - which doesn't hit theaters until May 24, 2024. Premieres in June on Netflix! That same day, Netflix dropped a picture of the Spiderhead star reprising his role as Tyler Rake, a former SASR operator turned black ops mercenary, alongside Tinatin Dalakishvili (R) in Extraction 2 Nicolas Cage is at his zaniest in the first trailer for the horror comedy Renfield, which was released on Thursday. The 58-year-old Oscar winner stars in the film as the legendary vampire Dracula, while Nicholas Hoult plays the title character, Dracula's long-suffering servant. In the video, which also features an appearance from Awkwafina, the tortured assistant resorts to visiting a group therapy meeting as he tries to work up the courage to leave his undead master's employ. 'I need to get out of a toxic relationship!' Renfield declares as he bursts into a gymnasium where the therapy session is being held at the start of the trailer. Blood sucker: Nicolas Cage is at his zaniest in the first trailer for the horror comedy Renfield, which was released on Thursday and stars him as the vampire Dracula 'Why don't you start by telling us what brought you here,' the clueless therapist urges him. 'My boss is... different,' Renfield says as he's seen dragging what looks like a body into the vampires lair. The grungy space is covered with candles and used blood bags. Underling: Nicholas Hoult stars as Renfield, his unhappy servant Helping hand: 'Why don't you start by telling us what brought you here,' a clueless therapist urges him after he stumbles into a group therapy meeting Dirty work: 'My boss is... different,' Renfield says as he's seen dragging what looks like a body into the vampires lair Dracula seems to have a special power over him. 'I need your assistance,' the vampire intones, and Renfield is then seen bursting through a door in a flurry of sparks as he shouts,' I'm coming, master!' But Renfield looks confused as one of the women at the therapy group says, 'Sounds familiar,' as she clearly doesn't understand the seriousness of his complaints. Then there's a closeup of Dracula's teeth, which are in rows of tiny little daggers, as he orders his servant to bring him 'innocent victims.' Total control: Dracula seems to have a special power over him. 'I need your assistance,' the vampire intones, and Renfield is then seen bursting through a door in a flurry of sparks as he shouts,' I'm coming, master!' Spooky: Then there's a closeup of Dracula's teeth, which are in rows of tiny little daggers, as he orders his servant to bring him 'innocent victims.' In a humorous moment, he requests a 'handful of nuns' and a 'busload of cheerleaders,' just as Renfield looks over to another table at a bar and sees four nuns, while a school bus filled with cheerleaders drives by the window. 'I just want a normal life again,' he says just as a group of armed people in wolf masks enter the bar and begin shooting wildly. 'This modern world is a dangerous place,' he adds in voiceover as Awkwafina is introduced. She appears to be playing a police officer who is ambushed by the gunmen. Intruders: 'I just want a normal life again,' Renfield says just as a group of armed people in wolf masks enter the bar and begin shooting wildly Showdown: 'This modern world is a dangerous place,' he adds in voiceover as Awkwafina is introduced. She appears to be playing a police officer who is ambushed by the gunmen Renfield sets out to save her by grabbing a spider that crawls out of a miniature coffin. The squirming arachnid seems to give him special powers and super strength, and a closeup shows his eyes gaining an amber glow. He begins to zoom around the bar, violently taking down the assassins. 'You saved my life. Did I watch you cut a guy with a decorative serving platter?' Awkwafina asks. 'It's all in the wrist,' Renfield jokes. Gross: Renfield sets out to save her by grabbing a spider that crawls out of a miniature coffin Turbo powered: The squirming arachnid seems to give him special powers and super strength, and a closeup shows his eyes gaining an amber glow Having a laugh: 'You saved my life. Did I watch you cut a guy with a decorative serving platter?' Awkwafina asks. 'It's all in the wrist,' Renfield jokes Renfield seems to strike up a relationship with her, and he explains that his deadly powers are a gift from Count Dracula, in return for him bringing the vampire 'people to eat.' 'You're like the guy who gets the villain's Postmates!' Awkwafina shouts. The trailer ends with Dracula making an unwelcome appearance at the therapy session as Renfield screams, 'No!' Super strong: Renfield seems to strike up a relationship with her, and he explains that his deadly powers are a gift from Count Dracula, in return for him bringing the vampire 'people to eat.' Unwelcome: The trailer ends with Dracula making an unwelcome appearance at the therapy session as Renfield screams, 'No!' The bad guy: The pale-skinned, sinister vampire floats above the ground as he menaces the attendees. 'Some call me the dark one. Others, the lord of death. To most, I am Dracula' he says The pale-skinned, sinister vampire floats above the ground as he menaces the attendees. 'Some call me the dark one. Others, the lord of death. To most, I am Dracula' he says. 'Now, let's eat!' he adds as he flashes his fangs. Renfield will debut in theaters on April 14. Alessandra Ambrosio shared several adorable photos with her daughter Anja while on their family vacation in Mexico. The 41-year-old former Victoria's Secret model posted the pictures doing fun poses with her 14-year-old daughter on Instagram. The mother-daughter duo both had on triangle bikinis, Anja in red and Alessandra in white. Mother-daughter duo: Alessandra Ambrosio shared several photos with her daughter Anja while on their family vacation in Mexico Spitting image: The pair had on triangle bikinis and had their brunette hair down In the photos, the pair struck different poses for the camera. They embraced in a hug and smiled in one shot; in another, they had their arms up and made scared faces. There were also two pictures where they took turns linking arms and lifting the other on their back while in the ocean. She captioned the post: 'Infinite love.' Alessandra visited the My Blue Hotel on the island of Holbox with her extended family to celebrate the New Year. Having fun: They took turns linking arms and lifting the other on their back while in the water Splashing around: Anja, 14, held her mom on her back as they both laughed while the photo was taken Accompanying her on the trip to Mexico was her parents, her sister and brother-in-law, her nephews, and her boyfriend, model Richard Lee. Also with them were her daughter and her 10-year-old son Noah. She shares them with her former partner, entrepreneur Jamie Mazur, 41. The couple had been together for 13 years before they split in 2018. The ale by Alessandra founder has been on several family vacations for the holidays in recent weeks and spent Christmas at Montage Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. Twins: Alessandra's family spent Christmas at Montage Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah Generational: The model spent the holidays with her parents, her sister and brother-in-law, her nephews, and her boyfriend As part of their trip, the family also ventured to the ice castles in Wasatch County, Utah, where the model bundled up in an oversized fuzzy coat and snow boots. Richard Lee, who the beauty has been dating since February 2021, joined her family on all of their holiday trips. Alessandra started modeling when she was 12, and since then she has appeared in advertising campaigns for brands like Gucci, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Fendi, and Giorgio Armani. Couple selfie: Alessandra's boyfriend Richard Lee joined her on her family vacations over the holidays. The two have been dating since February 2021 The beauty walked the catwalk for designers such as Prada, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, and Oscar de la Renta. In 2006, she was chosen to be the first spokesmodel for the Victoria's Secret Pink line, and in 2011 she was chosen to wear the heaviest wings ever made for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. The wings weighed 30lbs, and she carried them while she was pregnant with her second child. Harry Hamlin revealed his secret to maintaining a healthy marriage with his wife, Lisa Rinna, after they celebrated 25 years of marriage last year. The actor, 71, recently opened up about what he has learned in his lasting relationship with the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reality star, 59, and from previous marriages. Last August, the couple - who tied the knot in 1997 - toasted to their silver anniversary with a throwback photo of the day they wed. Their lasting marriage: Harry Hamlin, 71, revealed his secret to maintaining a healthy marriage with his wife, Lisa Rinna, 59, after they celebrated 25 years of marriage last year The Clash of the Titans actor proposed to the Days of Our Lives actress that year - about five years after they met in 1992. In an exclusive interview with People, the L.A. Law alum said: '"Happy wife, happy life" really is my mantra.' He added, 'And it works.' The marriage blessed him with two daughters - Delilah, 24, and Amelia, 21. 'We listen to each other, and we're not clingy. She does what she wants, so I can do what I want.' 25th wedding anniversary: Last August, the couple - who tied the knot in 1997 - toasted to their silver anniversary with a throwback photo of the day they wed He explained that commitment is important: 'I'm different from a lot of men in my generation because I did not play the field. 'The number of people with whom I've been intimate with is not very many,' he continued. 'I marry them, mostly.' Previously, he was married to Laura Johnson from 1985 to 1989 and Nicollette Sheridan from 1991 to 1992. The secret? The L.A. Law alum said, '"Happy wife, happy life" really is my mantra; seen in 1993 Hamlin is also a father to 42-year-old son Dimitri with former girlfriend Ursula Andress. He shared the lessons he learned from his previous marriages - as well has his degree in psychology - that he feels has benefited his marriage today. 'Probably the first couple [of marriages] were me trying to work stuff out because they had characteristics that were similar to my mother,' he observed. 'And it works': He said about his marriage which blessed him with two daughters - Delilah , 24, and Amelia , 21. 'We listen to each other, and we're not clingy. She does what she wants, so I can do what I want.' Hamlin graduated from Yale University with dual Bachelor's degrees in drama and psychology in 1974. (He also graduated from the American Conservatory Theater with a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting in 1976.) He referred to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a handbook used by healthcare professionals around the world: 'Having a degree in psychology allows me to go back and research from this book, which is very helpful when you're trying to figure out who the f*** you are.' He explained that he had to heal from past experiences and change his habits. Opposites attract: Nearly a year ago, Hamlin also told People and revealed: '[The secret is] being diametrically opposite.' 'I think a lot of people end up trying to work s*** out with their lovers,' he added. 'Breaking the cycle is not easy,' he said. 'Having not married my mother the third time, then comes the challenge: How do you make that friendship and relationship work both romantically and platonically?' Nearly a year ago, Hamlin also told People and revealed: '[The secret is] being diametrically opposite. 'I like going up to the mountains, and her idea of camping is anything below the 10th floor of the Four Seasons,' he said. Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams took to Instagram to celebrate the New Year with their followers as they enjoyed a snowy vacation with friends in Lake Tahoe. On Thursday, the 32-year-old Annie star shared a festive 10-image carousel giving fans a taste of how she is enjoying her mountain getaway. Sarah captioned the post, 'A blizzard, a blackout and a ghost named Elizabeth. Welcomed in 2023 with the whackiest adventures and the BEST people! I miss them already.' Loved up: Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams shared snaps from their snowy vacation in Lake Tahoe The Vampire Academy actress filled her Instagram with loved-up pictures of the newlyweds partying with their close friends in a large cabin. Dressed for the cold temperatures, the Modern Family alum wore a brown puffer jacket with a cream scarf around her neck and a matching beanie. She added skinny jeans and white high-tops as she played with her entourage outside and posed for snaps. Winter wonderland: Hyland celebrated the New Year with her husband Wells and their friends in the snow Tree hugger: Hyland wrapped her arms around the trunk of a huge tree Party time: The entire group of pals posed together with New Year's celebration-themed props One fun shot showed the Love Island US host as she donned a gold headband that read 'Happy New Year' with a pair of large hoop earrings as she sat around a large table with all her friends. Hyland showed how much she is loving the winter as she stood in the snow and wrapped her arms around the trunk of a huge tree. In other fun snaps, she laid on the floor with her girlfriends and dog piled on a shaggy rug inside the cabin. For some freezing fun, Sarah posed in the snow alongside Glee actor, Chord Overstreet, 33, in front of the cabin where they stayed. Freezing fun: Sarah laid in the snow alongside Glee actor, Chord Overstreet, 33, outside the cabin Another fun shot showed the group popping Champagne in a short video as happy couples in the group kissed at midnight. On Wednesday, the loved-up newlyweds shared their first New Year's kiss as a married couple as well as group photos with their pals. The brunette beauty tied her hair up in a ponytail and left her bangs in a perfectly imperfect style. Her other half looked dapper while dressed formally in a tie and suit. Dog pile: In other fun snap, friends dog piled on a shaggy rug inside the cabin Three's not a crowd! In one photo, the cheerful couple posed with the Overstreet near a fireplace and a homemade banner Later, the entire group of pals posed together with New Year's celebration-themed props. In one photo, she showed off her stunning wedding ring while posing with The Bachelorette alum. Wells was a contestant on the 12th season of The Bachelorette. He was eliminated in week 6 during his one-on-one date. He later appeared on the 3rd season of Bachelor in Paradise. Last summer, the pair tied the knot in August at their star-studded wedding ceremony held at a winery near Santa Barbara in California. The newlyweds first met on social media in 2017 and started dating shortly after. The couple got engaged during their vacation in Fiji in July 2019 and tied the knot in August 2022. Initially, the newlyweds had postponed their original wedding plans in 2020 due to the pandemic. Although their wedding was postponed, the couple still celebrated their would-be wedding date on August 9, 2020 with a photo of the pair at a vineyard on the special date. Doctor Who bosses considered casting a non-binary actor for the Fifteeth Time Lord, before casting Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa. In a new interview, Russell T. Davies spoke about the search to find Jodie Whittaker's replacement with actors from 'all backgrounds and genders' taking part in the audition process. The screenwriter, 59, reflected on the casting process and how both he and executive producer Phil Collinson had a rough vision that the new Doctor would be played by someone under 30. 'We saw all backgrounds, all genders': Doctor Who bosses considered casting a non-binary actor for the Time Lord, before casting Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa 'As ever, we turned to Andy Pryor [casting director] and said, ''Bring us the best in the land.'' We saw all backgrounds, all genders,' Russell told Radio Times' Doctor Who magazine. 'We saw men, we saw women, we saw one non-binary actor. 'I think, as a rule, we were looking for younger most of the people we saw were under 30 but not as a definite rule, and kind of new talent.' Casting: In a new interview, Russell T. Davies (pictured with Ncuti in May) spoke about the search to find Jodie Whittaker's replacement While Russell kept coy on which actors took part in the audition process, he admitted bosses nearly gave the role of Doctor Who to someone else, before Ncuti bagged the role. Doctor Who returns in November 2023 with three special episodes to coincide with the show's 60th anniversary, with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor. The Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti, 30, will then take control of the TARDIS, with his first episode airing over the festive period next year. In October, Jodie stepped down from her role as The Doctor, replaced by returning star David for the upcoming anniversary episodes. The Power of the Doctor was jam-packed with excitement as famous faces returned, Jodie bowed out after five years as the Time Lord, David made his return, and fans were given a first-look at Ncuti Gatwa as the 14th Doctor. Bowing out: In October, Jodie Whittaker stepped down from her role as The Doctor, replaced by returning star David for the upcoming anniversary episodes The Fifteenth Doctor: First look images show Ncuti in full costume alongside his sidekick Millie Gibson The feature length 60th celebration of the sci-fi series will also star Catherine Tate, reprising her role as companion Donna Noble. Jodie's finale episode ended with a short trailer for the anniversary episodes, which will hit screens in 2023. The trailer teased Ncuti's much-anticipated arrival as the star was seen asking: 'Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?' Everybody hates folding fitted sheets - including TV presenter Larry Emdur. But The Morning Show host believes he has found the ultimate hack on the internet. The former Price is Right star, 58, shared a hilarious video demonstration on how to fold the dreaded bed linen on his Instagram page on Thursday. TV host Larry Emdur had his fans in stitches as he shared his method to folding the dreaded fitted sheet With their elastic thread, this type of bedding is notoriously difficult to fold neatly. Larry started out his clip by saying that over the holidays he decided he wanted to be a 'better human being' and a 'better husband', so he has decided to more chores around the house for his stunning wife Sylvie. He said he went to TikTok to find all the hacks to fold a fitted sheet and finally found the answer. He then proceeded to fold two ends of a white sheet together before rolling it in a ball and throwing it in the drawer. The video had his fans in stitches, with many admitting that they too folded their fitted sheets exactly the same way. 'Game changer,' said one fan, while another added: 'That's pretty much what I do.' But many others believe the TV star should be 'cancelled' over his lack of domestic skill. 'Breaking: Emdur cancelled for being a crap husband,' wrote one irate follower wrote. The former Price is Right favourite shared a hilarious video demonstration on how to fold the dreaded bedding item on his Instagram page on Thursday He proceeded to fold two ends of a white sheet together before rolling it in a ball and throwing it in the drawer Another joked: 'I believe I will have another beer and make sure I dont look at my hubby whilst hes doing your tutorial on that subject ! Thanks Laz.' Larry and his wife Sylvie recently sold their investment property in Tamarama, in Sydney's eastern suburbs. The couple offloaded the Alexander Street residence for $1.8million, after buying the home for $387,500 in 1997, reports Realestate.com.au. The apartment, which was previously on the rental market for $1,075 a week, boasts two bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as impressive views of the coastline., as well as impressive views of the coastline. The Emdurs' son Jye handled the sale via the TRG real estate agency. Larry and Sylvie, who recently celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary, are now focusing on renovating their home in Berowra Waters. They are also moving into a swanky apartment in Darling Point. The video had his fans in stitches, with many admitting that they too folded their fitted sheets exactly the same way In this June 21, 2017 file photo, a North Korean drone is displayed at the defense ministry in Seoul after it was discovered in Inje, Gangwon Province, northeastern South Korea. Newsis A North Korean drone briefly entered a 3.7-kilometer-radius no-fly zone around the office of President Yoon Suk-yeol in Seoul last month, a military official belatedly confirmed Thursday, reversing the defense authorities' announcement that there was no such incident. The drone was among the five unmanned aerial vehicles that the North sent across the Military Demarcation Line separating the two Koreas on Dec. 26. The South Korean military failed to shoot them down, raising questions over its air defense posture. "It briefly flew into the northern edge of the zone, but it did not come close to key security facilities," the official told Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity, referring to the security area called "P-73." In a background briefing for reporters later in the day, another military official also said an object, presumed to be an enemy drone, appears to have flown through a part of the "northern tip" of the P-73 zone. Sharon Osbourne showed no signs of family drama as she was seen for the first time since revealing her newborn grandson's name - without daughter Kelly's permission. The television presenter, 70, was pictured leaving her London hotel through the back door on Thursday and cut a glamorous figure in an all black outfit. Sharon seemingly brushed off Kelly's furious social media statement about her mother after the X Factor judge announced on live TV she had given birth as well as her grandson's name. Whoops! Sharon Osbourne showed no signs of family drama as she was seen for the first time since revealing her newborn grandson's name - without daughter Kelly's permission Flashing a wide smile to the cameras, Sharon wrapped up in a black cape coat which she teamed with pinstripe trousers and heels. The TV star added a pearl necklace and wore her red locks in a voluminous blow-dry as she headed out in the city. Sharon looked back to her best after having to be hospitalised while filming in America with son Jack last month. Spilling the beans: Sharon seemingly brushed off Kelly's furious social media statement about her mother after the X Factor judge announced on live TV she had given birth Dressed up: The television presenter, 70, was pictured leaving her London hotel through the back door on Thursday and cut a glamorous figure in an all black outfit 'I am not ready to share him with the world. It is no one's place but mine to share any information about my baby,' penned Kelly, 38, in an Instagram Story post Glam: The TV star added a pearl necklace and wore her red locks in a voluminous blow-dry as she headed out in the city Looking good: Flashing a wide smile to the cameras, Sharon wrapped up in a black cape coat which she teamed with pinstripe trousers and heels The TV veteran passed out for 20 minutes and had to be taken to two hospitals and tested for two days, but doctors were unable to get to the cause. As Sharon returned to TV for the first time since her hospitalisation, she had plenty to update fans on - not only her health but her daughter Kelly giving birth. Sharon made the big reveal about her new grandson during an appearance on Talk TV. Back on her feet: Sharon looked back to her best after having to be hospitalised while filming in America with son Jack last month Health scare: The TV veteran passed out for 20 minutes and had to be taken to two hospitals and tested for two days, but doctors were unable to get to the cause Catch-up: As Sharon returned to TV for the first time since her hospitalisation earlier this week, she had plenty to update fans on - not only her health but her daughter Kelly giving birth Heading off: Sharon carried a large black bag as she headed to an awaiting taxi The X Factor judge confessed that Kelly and DJ Sid had decided on the name Sydney for their little boy. Co-host JJ Anisiobi asked Sharon if she helps to look after the newborn, to which Sharon replied: 'Yes'. She gushed: 'They're doing just so great. So great. She won't let a picture go out of him and I'm so proud of her.' Naughty! The X Factor judge confessed that Kelly and DJ Sid had decided on the name Sydney for their little boy But after the show, Kelly posted a stern statement about sharing information which she wasn't ready to reveal yet. 'I am not ready to share him with the world. It is no one's place but mine to share any information about my baby,' the TV star, 38, wrote in an Instagram Story post. Kelly welcomed her first child with rocker boyfriend Sid Wilson, aka DJ Sid, in November as she was pictured without a baby bump later that month. She had not officially confirmed the child's arrival herself until Wednesday, after Sharon spilled the news. Baby joy! Kelly revealed she was pregnant in May this year, announcing the news on social media Kelly revealed she was pregnant in May this year, announcing the news on social media. 'I know that I have been very quiet these past few months so I thought I would share with you all as to why,' she began at the time. 'I am over the moon to announce that I am going to be a Mumma. To say that I am happy does not quite cut it. I am ecstatic!' The reality star revealed the news with two images on her Instagram page showing her relaxing poolside while looking at her sonogram pictures. Kelly confirmed her new relationship with Sid in January, when the pair went Instagram official. FWRD creative director Kendall Jenner stepped in front of the camera to model for the luxury e-tailer's 'dress refresh' promotion. The 27-year-old Society Management Model - who's worked for FWRD for two years - donned a cream-colored Jil Sander 'Pom Pom Open-Stitch' dress, which is no longer available on the site. Tyrell Hampton photographed Kendall, who got glam courtesy of her longtime hairstylist Jen Atkin and make-up artist Mary Phillips. Careful with that strap! FWRD creative director Kendall Jenner stepped in front of the camera to model for the luxury e-tailer's 'dress refresh' promotion And while Jenner is considered a 'co-curator' for many FWRD collections, it was actually her stylist Dani Michelle who handpicked the Jil Sander dress. 'I love working with FWRD. We have a long relationship that has built us or led us to this point,' the Calabasas socialite said in a behind-the-scenes video last August. 'I've always been a creative being, and being in front of the camera is obviously... there's a certain creative expression there and it's super fun to collaborate with people and take feedback and learn so much. No longer available on the site: The 27-year-old Society Management Model - who's worked for FWRD for two years - donned a cream-colored Jil Sander 'Pom Pom Open-Stitch' dress '#kendallsedit': Tyrell Hampton photographed Kendall, who got glam courtesy of her longtime hairstylist Jen Atkin and make-up artist Mary Phillips Jenner said in a behind-the-scenes video last August: 'I've always been a creative being, and being in front of the camera is obviously... there's a certain creative expression there and it's super fun to collaborate with people and take feedback and learn so much. And I've done that, obviously, for a really long time. It's cool to be on the other side of it and have a little more control over, I guess, the atmosphere and be with an awesome team and learn from them' 'And I've done that, obviously, for a really long time. It's cool to be on the other side of it and have a little more control over, I guess, the atmosphere and be with an awesome team and learn from them. I feel honored.' On Thursday, Kendall donned a green Nautica jacket for a Hot Pilates class in West Hollywood's Sunset Plaza with Rhode founder Hailey Baldwin Bieber, who also happens to rely on stylist Dani Michelle. And on Wednesday night, Jenner - who boasts 327.1M social media followers - Instastoried a video of herself at fancy Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica. Rainy day: On Thursday, the Calabasas socialite donned a green Nautica jacket for a Hot Pilates class in West Hollywood's Sunset Plaza with Rhode founder Hailey Baldwin Bieber (R) Ready for her close-up! On Wednesday night, Kendall - who boasts 327.1M social media followers - Instastoried a video of herself at Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica 'We love u!' Jenner - who spent the holidays with her family in Aspen - was attending the 31st birthday bash of her friend, 'creative consultant' Lauren Perez (pictured) The 818 Tequila founder - who spent the holidays with her family in Aspen - was attending the 31st birthday bash of her friend, 'creative consultant' Lauren Perez. Kendall also keeps busy executive producing and starring in the 10-episode third season of Hulu's The Kardashians, which officially began production in September. On the personal front, Jenner has reportedly been dating Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker on/off since 2020. Viola Davis and husband Julius Tennon showed off their LA home in the latest issue of Architectural Digest. The award winning actress and Julius, who have lived in the home for five years, worked with designer Michaela Cadiz to transform the house into their home. Viola, 57, said of the serene abode: 'Our definition of a home is a sanctuary, and this is definitely a sanctuary. Stunning: Viola Davis and husband Julius Tennon showed off their LA home in the latest issue of Architectural Digest Viola and Julius, who wed in 2003, share daughter Genesis, 12. Julius, 69, has two children from previous relationships. Viola revealed their inspiration for their home came while they working in South Africa on The Woman King. 'We were working in South Africa, shooting The Woman King, while the renovation was unfolding, and we were inspired by the incredible color and culture there,' Viola said. 'I always want to go big and bold, but not too bold, not garish,' she added. Home tour: The award winning actress and Julius, who have lived in the home for five years, worked with designer Michaela Cadiz to transform the house into their home 'In our space, we want to feel like we're connected to our heritage,' Julius said. 'The pieces in and of themselves tell a story, like the Aboriginal dot art and the African-American art, which is very much rooted in the African-American folktale that our people can fly,' Viola said. One of the renovations included updating the previously monochromatic home with bold splashes of color, patterns and statement pieces that 'are a feast for the eyes and the spirit,' Michaela said. Incredible: 'We were working in South Africa, shooting The Woman King, while the renovation was unfolding, and we were inspired by the incredible color and culture there,' Viola said The gorgeous home, which features greenery all along the exterior, includes a massive swimming pool. The kitchen features a large island down the center with stainless steel appliances, and high ceilings. The stars opted to get a statement black and white patterned couch for their living room, which featured art above the fireplace and a statement light fixture. The How To Get Away With Murder actress' closest was enormous, featuring a large shoe shelf and plenty of space for her clothing and accessories. Perfect setup: The kitchen features a large island down the center with stainless steel appliances, and high ceilings Gorgeous: The stars opted to get a statement black and white patterned couch for their living room, which featured art above the fireplace and a statement light fixture Coleen Rooney paid a heartfelt tribute to her late sister Rosie on the tenth anniversary of her death. Rosie passed away in 2013 following her lifelong battle with Rett syndrome, a rare brain disorder that causes severe disabilities. The WAG, 36, who is married to Wayne Rooney, shared a sweet family photo to Instagram on Thursday with Rosie cuddled up in her mothers arms. 'We all love and miss you': Coleen Rooney paid a heartfelt tribute to her late sister Rosie by sharing a sweet family photo on the tenth anniversary of her death Coleen captioned the post: '10 years todayWe all love and miss you Rosie Mc', with her followers sharing their condolences in the comment section. Rosie bravely fought a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome a rare brain disorder that affects physical movement and can bring about many different symptoms in each individual case. Rosie was originally taken in as a foster child by Coleen's parents, bricklayer Tony and Colette, a former nursery nurse, when she was two. Although they were aware she was disabled they did not know the full extent of her condition, which has no cure. Coleen captioned the post: '10 years todayWe all love and miss you Rosie Mc', with her followers sharing their condolences in the comment section Sweet: Rosie was originally taken in as a foster child by Coleen's parents, bricklayer Tony and Colette (pictured), a former nursery nurse, when she was two In an exclusive article for The Mail on Sunday in 2006, Coleen wrote: 'When Rosie arrived she could crawl, and even though she couldn't use her hands that much she would handle toys on her play mat and she could eat. 'But over a period of time she stopped crawling and lost what use of her hands she had. Then she started having problems swallowing her food. 'It took pretty much a year for Rosie to be diagnosed and, looking back, I can see how much Mum pushed to find out what was wrong with her and to try to do what was best for her.' Coleen was said to idolise her adopted sister and chose Rosie as chief bridesmaid when she married Wayne in 2008. An honour: Coleen was said to idolise her adopted sister and chose Rosie as chief bridesmaid when she married Wayne in 2008 In a statement released shortly after her death, Tony and Colette wrote: 'Sadly our special angel Rosie, our much-loved daughter and sister, went to Heaven at 2.50 this morning at home where she was surrounded by her loving family. 'Rosie was just 14 years old and fought a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome. Throughout her life she brought so much love and happiness to all our family and everyone who knew and met her. 'She was such a strong little girl and an inspiration to us all. We shall cherish for ever the memories we have shared and the love she showed us each and every day of her life. As a family we are heartbroken but we are blessed to have had her in our lives.' Coleen had been on holiday in Barbados with her younger brothers, Joe and Anthony, but cut short the trip when she heard that Rosie's condition had deteriorated. 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Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The South Korean Navy's 3,200-ton Eulji Mundeok destroyer, first from right, and other vessels engage in live-fire drills in the Yellow Sea as part of the armed service's first exercise of the year, Jan. 4. Yonhap South Korea's Navy conducted its first live-fire drills of the year earlier this week, officials said Thursday, in a major display of naval might against evolving North Korean threats. Designed to check the Navy's combat readiness, the annual drills took place in waters off the country's eastern, western and southern coasts on Wednesday, involving flagship warships and personnel from the Navy's 1st, 2nd and 3rd Fleets. "We will build a firm readiness posture, with which we can sternly punish any enemy provocations," Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lee Jong-ho was quoted as saying as he oversaw the drills aboard the P-3C patrol aircraft. For the "high-intensity" drills, the Navy mobilized 13 vessels, including the 3,200-ton Eulji Mundeok destroyer, and four aircraft, with a focus on enhancing each fleet's mission capabilities to safeguard their areas of maritime operations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a ceremony to flag off Vande Bharat Express train connecting Howrah and New Jalpaiguri, and inaugurate other railway projects, via video conferencing, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (Photo: PTI) KOLKATA: After virtually flagging off the Vande Bharat Express from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri, Mr Modi asserted that the Union government is transforming the country's railway infrastructure by making record investments. The PM, who also launched four railway projects for West Bengal and laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of the New Jalpaiguri railway station, pointed out that railway stations, including New Jalpaiguri, are being developed along the lines of airports. In all, the PM inaugurated railway projects worth more than `5,000 crores for West Bengal. "Today's Vande Bharat train was launched from the land where 'Vande Mataram' slogan was coined. The launch date of December 30 is significant as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had hoisted the tricolour in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on this day in 1943," he said. Peeved with the sloganeering, an angry TMC supremo, as a mark of protest, took a seat beside the stage, ignoring pleas of Mr Bose and Mr Vaishnaw to join them and participated in the programme, which was attended by the PM virtually after performing the last rites of his mother Heeraben Modi in Gujarat. In her address, Ms Banerjee expressed her condolences to Mr Modi over his personal loss and sympathised with him. She also thanked the PM for inaugurating the projects, most of which she claimed were conceptualised during her last tenure as the railway minister. Earlier, when the CM and the governor reached the venue in the morning, the BJP supporters, who were also present in large numbers in the audience on the opposite side of the dais, started shouting Jai Shri Ram slogans. This left Ms Banerjee so irritated that she did not walk up to the dais and was seen standing with Mr Bose for some time. Mr Bose then spoke to Ms Banerjee to break the impasse. Mr Vaishnaw also tried to convince her, with folded hands, to take the stage. But Ms Banerjee remained firm in her stand. Union minister of state for education and Bankura BJP MP Subhas Sarkar asked the party supporters to maintain silence. He and Mr Vaishnaw later accompanied the governor to the dais. They were joined by Union minister of state (MOS) for home affairs Nisith Pramanik, MOS minority affairs John Barla and West Bengals Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who were earlier with the TMC. Ms Banerjee, along with her party MP from Howrah Prasun Banerjee, state chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi and state director general of police Manoj Malviya, sat on one side of the stage. Lashing out at the BJP over the fiasco, Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim said, "What they did with the CM was indecent. We show courtesy. But they are not worthy of it. What does it mean by shouting Jai Shri Ram in front of a CM who is a Hindu? It is nothing but an insult by the BJP to Lord Ram on the pretext of irritating the CM. If we had done the same with them, they would have tried to throttle us." Mr Vaishnaw, however, said: "The CM was invited to the event with affection and respect. There was no incident that left a room to get upset. We requested that she come to the dais. But it was her decision not to take the dais. It is also natural for the supporters to chant slogans." New Zealand's tourism to be greatly boosted with influx of Chinese tourists Xinhua) 14:41, January 05, 2023 WELLINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The orderly resumption of outbound travel for Chinese tourists will be "a major boon to New Zealand's tourism industry," said Lisa Li, a travel operator specialising in the Chinese market. It is great news that the Chinese market will now rebuild, said Li, managing director of New Zealand's largest travel agency, China Travel Service (NZ) Ltd., who also revealed that there were already more inquiries from Chinese tour groups. As with Li, New Zealand's Chinese tour guide Uncle Rong has been busy communicating with China's travel agencies and customizing the latest tour itineraries to prepare for Chinese tourists visiting New Zealand this summer. Nearly 36 million Chinese people are looking to New Zealand as a preferred vacation destination, showed a survey conducted by Tourism New Zealand at the end of 2019. "The New Zealand tourism industry is very excited about the upcoming arrival of Chinese tourists," Rong said. Grant Bradley, a senior reporter of NZ Herald, deems the re-opening of China crucial for New Zealand's tourism, saying the decision made by China could send a wave of Chinese tourists to destinations like New Zealand. Spending by international tourists increased 30.6 percent in the year ending March 2022, and New Zealand is looking forward to seeing another jump in the year ending March 2023, said Tourism Minister Stuart Nash on Monday. "Our regions have already seen a boost in tourism spending and this looks set to continue in the summer months," said the minister. The return of international tourists benefits employment and promotes the economy, Nash said, citing figures that tourism directly employed 145,032 people in the year to March 2022, up by 3,615 year on year. Chinese tourists not only travel to New Zealand during peak summer months, but also make a significant contribution to New Zealand's tourism in low seasons, helping maintain New Zealand's tourism workforce and improve the industry's overall hospitality capacity, Li said. The sound bilateral ties and New Zealand's good image in the international tourism market have made Chinese tourists consider the country as a tourist destination, she added. About 1,000 Chinese tourists arrived in New Zealand in the week early last month, a significant increase from three months earlier, according to the country's statistics agency Stats NZ. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, China was already New Zealand's second biggest tourism market after Australia, and spending by Chinese visitors hit 1.7 billion New Zealand dollars (1.07 billion U.S. dollars) in 2019, showed data from Stats NZ. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) In this provided photo taken on Nov. 10, 2022, the second prototype of South Korea's homegrown KF-21 fighter makes the maiden flight at the Air Force's 3rd Flying Training Wing in Sacheon, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Courtesy of Defense Acquisition Program Administration South Korea plans to conduct a test of its homegrown KF-21 fighter to achieve supersonic speeds this month should the weather permit, multiple sources said Thursday, in what would be a key milestone in the high-profile warplane development project. Securing the supersonic capability is a major part of the development efforts, led by its manufacturer, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI), as it means key functions, including avionics, work smoothly irrespective of flight speeds. "We plan to conduct the test (for supersonic speeds) sometime in January, but we cannot tell you the exact date as it could be pushed back due to weather conditions," the source told Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity. On Thursday, the third prototype of the fighter successfully conducted its maiden flight, signaling progress in the high-profile fighter project. The testing authorities plan to conduct some 2,000 flight tests through February 2026. Launched in 2015, the KF-21 project worth 8.8 trillion won (US$6.9 billion) seeks to develop the 4.5th-generation fighter to replace the country's aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 jets waiting to be decommissioned following decades of service. (Yonhap) Congress MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao was responsible for driving many sarpanchs to suicides as he was diverting funds meant for gram panchayats without their knowledge. Central government has released funds under 11thFinance Commission to gram panchayats. Around Rs 35,000 crore intended for GPs was diverted by the state government, he alleged, and demanded a white paper on the subject. (File Photo: DC) Hyderabad: Funds crunch is adversely affecting administration in gram panchayats across the state. Sarpanchs, the heads of gram panchayats, having lost patience because of erratic disbursement of funds from the Union and state governments, have decided to raise their voice against this apathy. The formation of Telangana saw for the first time tribal hamlets (thandas) getting upgraded as gram panchayats so as to get direct funds from the central and state governments. However, the fund flow is inadequate to carry out developmental works in villages. For the last one year, sarpanchs are facing severe financial problems and facing the ire of people. Unable to cope with the pressure being mounted by different sections, some sarpanchs have decided to resign from their posts while a few ended their lives. Telangana state sarpanches association woman president J. Dhanalaxmi said that the state government had given an ultimatum to sarpanchs to construct rythu vedika within 40 days after sanction of funds or face action. Unable to bear the pressure from the government, some of them spent from their pockets to take up construction works, she said. If the government fails to release funds to gram panchayats, who will come to the rescue of the already anguished sarpanchs, she bemoaned. There are 12,751 gram panchayats across the state and a majority of sarpanchs are associated with BRS. However, given the current crisis, cutting across party affiliations, sarpanchs have decided to join forces and launch agitations. According to some of them, the Union government contributed 14th and 15th Finance Commission funds while the state government deposited money proportionate to the population of villages. Under the new Panchayat Raj Act, stamp duty and mining cess recovered from the central pool were deposited in gram panchayats. Central government asked us to open different bank accounts for deposit of funds, but it released funds only in the last week of December, many of them rued. Meanwhile, Congress MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao was responsible for driving many sarpanchs to suicides as he was diverting funds meant for gram panchayats without their knowledge. Central government has released funds under 11th Finance Commission to gram panchayats. Around Rs 35,000 crore intended for GPs was diverted by the state government, he alleged, and demanded a white paper on the subject. Rayalaseema Parirakshana Samithi (RPS) founder and former MLA Byreddy Rajasekhara Reddy (Facebook) TIRUPATI: Rayalaseema Parirakshana Samithi (RPS) founder and former MLA Byreddy Rajasekhara Reddy has demanded that central government redesign its proposed bridge across River Krishna connecting Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Centre must instead construct a Bridge-cum-Barrage for benefitting agriculture, transport and tourism sectors in both Rayalaseema and Telangana, he underlined. Addressing a press conference at Tirupati Press Club on Wednesday along with Rayalaseema Porata Samithi convener P. Naveen Kumar Reddy, the RPS founder said as the bridge proposed by the centre would cost 1,200 crore, they want to ensure that it is constructed keeping in mind all the requirements. To drive home this point, Byreddy said they will be organising a Chalo Siddeswaram protest programme on January 28 in Siddeswaram and bring the matter to the attention of the central government. Incidentally, union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari recently tweeted that the centre has given its nod for construction of an iconic cable stayed-cum-suspension bridge across Krishna River between AP and TS at a cost of 1,082.56 crore and the construction will be completed in 30 months. Following this, RPS has been demanding that the bridge be redesigned. The RPS convenor said: "The iconic bridge across Krishna between Somasila and Siddeswaram will cut the distance between Hyderabad and Tirupati by 80 km. Instead of the suspension bridge, if a barrage-cum-bridge is erected, it will provide irrigation facilities to farmers of both Rayalaseema and Telangana. He said a delegation of Rayalaseema Parirakshana Samithi will soon meet Nitin Gadkari and chief ministers of both Telugu states for explaining to them the rationality behind their demand. Going into neglect of development in Rayalaseema, Byreddy alleged that successive governments have ignored the irrigation needs of the region despite availability of water in Krishna River from Srisailam reservoir. He accused various governments of showing no concern for Rayalaseema, even though it lacks water for irrigation and industries for employment and development. The region wants Water, Funds and Employment, the RPS founder emphasised. He pointed out that thousands of jobs are vacant in Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. These should be filled immediately with top priority being given to unemployed youth of Rayalaseema in the jobs. Byreddy lamented that political leaders of Chittoor district have destroyed agriculture in the region for their vested political interests. Now, they are even depriving dairy farmers by denying them support price for milk. He warned that Tirupati may become a drought area because 15 TMC of Telugu Ganga water is being released to Chennai, while only 2 TMC is available to Tirupati. The Chief Minister arrived at Yelamanchili town in Anakapalli district to console the family members of Visakha Dairy chairman Adari Tulasi Rao, who died in Hyderabad on Wednesday. His body was brought to his home town in the morning. (File Photo: DC) Visakhapatnam: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has offered immediate relief to two persons in need of financial help for their treatment after their families approached him for assistance. The Chief Minister arrived at Yelamanchili town in Anakapalli district to console the family members of Visakha Dairy chairman Adari Tulasi Rao, who died in Hyderabad on Wednesday. His body was brought to his home town in the morning. After consoling the family members, Jagan Mohan Reddy had brief interaction with some people there. A woman pleaded with the CM that her granddaughter Kondamanchili Vani, a hearing-impaired child, be provided governmental help for her treatment. The Chief Minister asked the collector of Anakapalli Ravi Pattan Setti to hand over a cheque for Rs 1 lakh for the purpose. Similarly, a family from Saitaropeta village of S Rayavaram mandal told the CM their son Kalaga Sivaji was confined to a wheelchair as his limbs became weak after a bike accident. In this case too, the Chief Minister granted a relief of Rs 1 lakh. The cheques of Rs 1 lakh were given to the beneficiaries later in the day by Anakapalli RDO A.G. Chinna Krishna at the tahsildars office. The protest followed the death of Payyavula Ramulu, who died by suicide fearing that his land would be taken over by the government. (Photo: Twitter) HYDERABAD: At a time when the Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS government is getting ready for the elections with the newly coined campaign slogan 'Ab ki baar kisan sarkar,' hundreds of farmers from various villages in Kamareddy banded together to oppose the proposed industrial zone after a farmer committed suicide. For the second day in a row, farmers from Adloor, Yellareddy, Ilchipur, and other villages staged dharnas at the Kamareddy railway station crossroad and marched to the Kamareddy district collectorate, demanding that the government withdraw the master plan, which would convert hundreds of acres of farmland into an industrial zone. The protest followed the death of Payyavula Ramulu, who died by suicide fearing that his land would be taken over by the government for the proposed industrial zone. The situation spiralled out of control at one point when enraged farmers attempted to breach police barricades and storm the collectorate. When police officials prevented the angry farmers from entering the collectorate building, there was a commotion, with farmers clashing with the cops, resulting in minor injuries to both farmers and police officers. Protesting outside the collectorate office, the enraged farmers asked that Kamareddy collector Jitesh V.Patil immediately give a word of assurance that the masterplan would be withdrawn, but the collector refused to leave the building for fear of a massive backlash from the farmers. Farmers attempted to attack Adloor Yellareddy village sarpanch Janardhan Reddy, who stepped forward to participate in the agitation, but the farmers demanded that he resign from his post first. Meanwhile, the upa sarpanch, ward members, and chairman and directors of the primary agriculture cooperative society resigned in solidarity with the agitating farmers, who have also mustered growing support from state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Dubbak MLA Raghunandan Rao, former MLA E. Ravinder Reddy and former zilla parishad chairman K.P.Venkaramana Reddy. Police blocked Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind from visiting the home of Ramulu, the farmer who committed suicide. While expressing the party's solidarity with the agitating farmers, Sanjay questioned how the Telangana government could forcibly take over farmers' fertile lands without their consent, while demanding that Kamareddy district officials hold discussions with the farmers and withdraw the proposed industrial zone. On the other hand, minister K.T. Rama Rao said that the plan was still in the draft stage and that the government would make changes to the plan and that any concerns raised by farmers would be considered if they approached the government. Telangana High Court (File Photo: PTI) HYDERABAD:Justice E. Venugopal of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the Telangana State Level Police Recruitment Board to provide another chance and conduct the height measurement test again by using an accurate manual height measuring machine. The judge made the order in a batch of writ pleas filed by Mulku Ramu and 17 others challenging the action of the board in conducting height measurement as part of physical measurement with an inaccurate digital machine that resulted in the disqualification of many candidates, including the petitioners, though they had qualified with more height in earlier recruitments. The judge further directed that the petitioners shall be given another opportunity in cases where 1.5cm as the error limit in the height difference. HC reserves orders in habeas corpus plea A division bench of Telangana High Court, comprising Justice A. Abhishek Reddy and Justice Namavarapu Rajeshwar Rao, on Wednesday reserved orders in a habeas corpus plea dealing with allegations of cross-border kidnapping. The petition has been filed by Vamshi Padakanla, through his general power of attorney, for the custody of his children. Counsel for the petitioner submitted that his client was married in 2006 and moved to Canada. The children were born in Canada and were enrolled in a school in the USA. His wife left for India in May this year and intimated the petitioner that she has decided to stay in India permanently along with children. He further contended that the Illinois court had asked the mother to hand over the children to the petitioner immediately but the orders are not complied with. After hearing the arguments, the court reserved the case for orders. Explain usefulness of part acquisition of land, govt told Justice M. Sudheer Kumar of Telangana High Court asked the state government to obtain instructions in a land acquisition case where acquisition of part land made the entire land useless. The writ petitioner Nagavelli Chandramouli of Jangedu village in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district has been aggrieved by the acquisition of only a part of his land. His counsel contended that the only one part of his land admeasuring 13 guntas was acquired by the government. The remaining extent of land cannot be put to proper use, he said. He argued that the right to fair compensation Act provides for granting compensation for loss where due to acquisition of part of the land, the remaining land was rendered useless. The government pleader argued that all procedures were duly followed and the petitioners have not brought the said grievance during the award enquiry. Subsequently, the court directed the government pleader to consider possible ways to acquire the remaining lands of the petitioners and pay compensation. HC sets aside PF tribunals order on Aligarh Lock House Justice K. Lakshman of Telangana High Court on Wednesday set aside an order of the Provident Fund Appellate Tribunal and remanded the case of Aligarh Lock House on applicability of employees provident fund & miscellaneous provisions Act. The judge allowed a writ petition filed by the regional PF commissioner questioning the appellate order by which a demand of `14,36,306 was set aside. The judge found that the appellate order lost sight that only a consequential order was challenged before it. Justice Lakshman also found that the notice was not served to all the companies involved. According to the assessing authority, Sheel Locks, Sheel Industries and Steel Security Services were sister concerns operating from the same unit and therefore liable to be clubbed and assessed together. The judge while remanding the matter observed that the appellate tribunal will consider the question of integration of parties and on the question of retrospective contribution of provident fund. HC's liberal punishment for 70-year-old Justice K. Surender of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday carved out an exception in the quantum of punishment to a septuagenarian. The judge was dealing with a revision petition filed by the accused challenging an order sentencing him to undergo imprisonment. The judge took note of the fact that the petitioner was 70 years old. He directed the petitioner to pay a compensation of Rs 4 lakh. The debt arose from a loan taken by the petitioner in 2002. He has been granted three months to make the payment or face three months jail. Top cop asked to explain about cross-gender parlour Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy of Telangana High Court called for a response from the police commissioner as to whether Royal Beauty Salon in Malkajgiri was running a cross-gender massage parlour. The judge was dealing with a writ petition questioning a notification issued in 2010 banning cross-gender massages. While the petitioner argued that they were not into any prohibited business, the police state that that on the pretext of running a spa, the organisers were carrying out a cross-gender massage facility. The judge posted the case to January 18. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (Photo: Twitter) HYDERABAD: Newly appointed Andhra Pradesh head of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Thota Chandrasekhar on Wednesday met Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao at the Pragathi Bhavan to discuss the developing political scene in AP and measures to strengthen the party in the state. Chintala Parthasarathi, who also joined the BRS, also attended the meeting. Party sources said that Rao and the AP leaders discussed the expansion of BRS activities in AP after Sankranthi. Also, names of leaders who were willing to join the BRS were discussed, they said. It was learnt that many leaders in YSRC, TD and Jana Sena were unhappy with their party leadership and were approaching them. Besides, several student committees, farmers organisations, BC bodies, and Dalit organisations in AP were extending support to the BRS. The AP leaders also invited the Chief Minister to attend the office inauguration programme in AP and address the leaders and workers, saying his visit will give the party more impetus in the state. The CM reportedly assured he would visit AP soon, asked them to focus on public issues, reach out to all sections and explain the ideology of BRS. TD chief Chandrababu Naidu and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (PTI file image) TIRUPATI: Telugu Desam president and former chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, in a fresh broadside against his political rival said, The entire state is now divided between its five crore people and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Naidu accused the YSR Congress government of failing on all fronts and dragging Andhra Pradesh into a state of backwardness worse than Bihar. AP is in an emergency-like scenario because the Jagan government is esorting to riots and filing bogus charges against the opposition parties out of a fear the public response is leaning towards us, Naidu told the media in Kuppam on Thursday. He said the police department should help protect democracy. False charges are levelled even against judges. Police officers who fail to safeguard law and order are essentially criminals in uniform. We would file private cases against the errant cops and ensure that their families too feel the pain of false cases," Naidu warned. The opposition leader said disenchantment against the Jagan government was growing rapidly in the ruling YSRC, particularly among its MLAs. They are coming out openly against the government. 'On the other hand, the TD public meetings are receiving tremendous response. This is the reason why frustration is growing in the chief minister,'' Naidu said. Continuing his tirade against state minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Naidu alleged that the latter was extorting money from granite quarries and frightening the owners with threats of hefty penalties. Naidu urged them not to be afraid of such intimidation tactics and avoid making any payments. The TD chief said the people would no longer accept Jagan's government. He plans to win all 175 seats by claiming to work for the welfare of the people, but he also happens to be the richest chief minister in India. He has fortunes more than the combined assets of all chief ministers. He has amassed thousands of crores through corruption, Naidu alleged. Earlier, interacting with the party cadre, Naidu said it has become a habit for Jagan to file cases against TD leaders. He advised his partymen to face them boldly and work hard to enable the party to capture power. Naidu suspected that a conspiracy was being hatched to intimidate TD activists in Kuppam. Meanwhile, the police lodged non-bailable cases against several TD supporters in connection with the disturbances during Naidu's visit in Kuppam assembly constituency on Wednesday. Some 50 party members have been booked. At least three FIRs were filed at Rallabuduguru police station. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief A. Revanth Reddy. (DC File Photo) HYDERABAD: A day after a 38-year-old farmer in Kamareddy district's Adloor Yellareddy died by suicide fearing that his agricultural land would be taken away for the proposed industrial zone, TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy demanded that the government rescind the move immediately and compensate the family's kin with Rs. 1 crore. In an open letter to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Revanth blamed the Telangana government for the farmer's suicide, accusing the Chief Minister of causing them distress due to the proposed industrial zone, which was leading to such suicides. The TPCC president demanded that the government pay `1 crore in compensation to the kin of farmer P. Ramulu, who committed suicide on Wednesday, while urging the CM to intervene immediately and alleviate the situation. The deceased farmer Ramulu's wife and others attempted to stage a demonstration in front of the Kamareddy municipal office on Wednesday, but were stopped by police. The agitating farmers later staged a dharna on the old National Highway 44 near the Kamareddy bus terminal. "While the farmers are distressed and worried that their lands will be taken over by the government for the proposed industrial zone, the CM seems to be mum on the issue without offering a word of assurance to the farmers. Farmers with small farm land are suffering, and CM and his son K.T. Rama Rao must assume full responsibility for the current situation in Kamareddy," he remarked. The TPCC chief questioned why the opinions of all stakeholders were not taken into account when proposing to build an industrial zone in Adloor Yellareddy village in Kamareddy, and also accused that KCR's silence only reflected the government's attitude toward the farming community. "The government has absolutely failed in handling the situation and failure of giving appointments to agitating farmers by the collector exposes the authoritarian regime of the current political dispensation in Telangana. There is an urgent need for a discourse on the proposed industrial zone. Our party is completely in support of the agitating farmers," Revanth Reddy said. A virtual meeting of booth committee members with Nadda will be held on January 7 during which Nadda is expected to provide direction and have some conversations with the party workers at the ground level. This outreach by the BJP president is part of a series of activities the party is taking up in the New Year as it prepares itself, and its cadres for the elections towards the end of 2023 in the state. (File Photo: DC) Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party president J.P. Nadda will add some early muscle to the partys preparations for the 2023 Assembly elections in Telangana by joining the partys polling booth-level workers for online interaction in the first week of January. A virtual meeting of booth committee members with Nadda will be held on January 7 during which Nadda is expected to provide direction and have some conversations with the party workers at the ground level. This outreach by the BJP president is part of a series of activities the party is taking up in the New Year as it prepares itself, and its cadres for the elections towards the end of 2023 in the state. An opportunity to interact with our party president directly will give a big morale boost to our ground level workers, a senior party leader said on Saturday. The party had announced that it will hold 10,000 village meetings, continue with its Praja Gosa-BJP Bharosa two-wheeler rallies, Assembly constituency and district level meetings between January and March to be followed by a large public meeting, likely in Hyderabad, where it will release a charge sheet on the BRS government in Telangana. Among one of the early activities is the time to be spent by party leaders appointed as Palaks, who will coordinate with those at different levels in the party in each Assembly constituency. Some of these Palaks, including partys official spokesperson N.V. Subhash appointed as the Palak for Malkajgiri constituencies, are already in their designated constituencies holding meetings. News Like most other countries of the non-European world, India missed the industrial revolution, and when its benefits arrived under a colonial, imperial regime, it took the shape of an exploitative curse rather than a benign gift. Independent India showed great resolve in implementing the green and white revolutions, but this they did more out of desperation and as a way out of extreme poverty and misery, with its back pushed to the wall. Not too different was the story when it came to our acceptance of other disruptive mass technologies including radio and the TV. Even in the race for economic liberalisation, or the adoption of the policy of leviathan urbanisation or making telecom ubiquitous, India was slower than others such as China and South Korea. Only in a liberalised India, could we adopt the Internet and mobile technologies, making software and other services a buoyant industry capable of becoming economic engines that could fuel overall growth, generate mass employment and transform the lives of millions. The Central governments decision to launch the National Green Hydrogen Mission, with the objective of making India a global hub for green hydrogen, and its derivatives, and take the lead in its production, utilisation and exports, is one of Indias first attempts to be on an early curve of a new revolution. India must also urgently add research and development to its armoury so that the highest value creation in this nascent energy sub-segment, with its potential for green and clean energy, is created in our country. Hydrogen, with its limitless and extremely low cost supply, can become a powerhouse for Indias next generation transformation, and for the first time in our history, we are not going to be missing the bus but being a pioneer instead. National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun takes an oath at the start of a parliamentary hearing into the Itaewon tragedy held at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Jan. 4. Yonhap Rival political parties agreed Thursday to extend the parliamentary investigation into the Itaewon crowd crush by 10 days amid criticism the probe has been delayed due to the National Assembly's handling of the state budget plan for this year. Floor leaders of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea(DPK) made the joint announcement and said the plan will be approved at the Assembly's plenary session on Friday. The 45-day investigation into the Oct. 29 tragedy, which killed 159 people, was scheduled to end Saturday but is now set to be extended until Jan. 17. The special committee for the investigation held its first hearing to question key police officials Wednesday and plans to hold its second hearing Friday to question key government officials. The rival parties need to continue to discuss the details of the third hearing, DPK floor leader Park Hong-geun said. (Yonhap) Eight people including five children were found dead from gunshot wounds in a southern Utah home Wednesday. (Representational image) SALT LAKE CITY: Eight people including five children were found dead from gunshot wounds in a southern Utah home Wednesday, according to authorities who did not provide more details or a potential motive for the killings. The victims were found when police did a welfare check at the residence, according to a statement by city officials in Enoch, a city of about 8,000 people located 245 miles (394 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. Police said they did not detect any threat to the public. Iron County School District officials said in a letter sent to parents that the five children attended schools in the district. Enoch City Manager Rob Dotson said the community was sent reeling by news of the eight bodies and that the deceased all members of one family were well known in the southern Utah town. Many of us have served with them in church, in the community and gone to school with these individuals, Dotson said in a video statement Wednesday night. This community at this time is hurting. Theyre feeling loss, theyre feeling pain and they have a lot of questions, Dotson added, noting that officials planned on releasing more information as it becomes available and the police investigation progresses. Welfare checks based on calls to the police department like the one that led them to the residence where the bodies were found are routine when individuals are not seen for extended periods of time, Dotson said. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox offered condolences in a tweet Wednesday night. Eight people were killed and seven arrested following raids on hideouts of the Islamic State militant group in Afghanistan, a Taliban spokesperson said on Thursday. "These members had a main role in the attack on the Chinese hotel and paved the way for foreign ISKP members to come to Afghanistan," the spokesperson, Zabiullah Mujahid, said on Twitter, describing Wednesday's raids. "Lots of weapons and explosives have fallen into the hands of the security forces," he added. Afghanistan's Taliban-led administration is to sign a contract with a Chinese company to extract oil from the Amu Darya basin in the country's north, the acting mining minister said on Thursday. The contract would be signed with Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Co (CAPEIC), officials told a news conference in Kabul. It will be the first major public commodities extraction deal the Taliban administration has signed with an foreign company since taking power in 2021. It also underscores neighbouring China's economic involvement in the region even though the Islamic State militant group has targeted its citizens in Afghanistan. Also Read | Afghanistan raids on Islamic State hideouts leave 8 dead: Taliban "The Amu Darya oil contract is an important project between China and Afghanistan," China's ambassador, Wang Yu, told the news conference. China has not formally recognised the Taliban administration but it has significant interests in a country at the centre of a region important for its Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. The Chinese company will invest $150 million a year in Afghanistan under the contract, the spokesperson for the Taliban-run administration, Zabihullah Mujahid, said on Twitter. Its investment would increase to $540 million in three years for the 25-year contract, he said. The Taliban-run administration will have a 20 per cent partnership in the project, which can be increased to 75 per cent, he added. The announcement came a day after the Taliban administration said its forces had killed eight Islamic State members in raids, including some who were behind an attack last month on a hotel catering to Chinese businessmen in the capital, Kabul. China's state-owned company National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) signed a contract with Afghanistan's previous, U.S.-backed government in 2012 to extract oil at the Amu Darya basin in the northern provinces of Faryab and Sar-e Pul. At the time, up to 87 million barrels of crude were estimated to be in Amu Darya. Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Baradar told the news conference that another Chinese company, which he did not identify, had not continued extraction after the fall of the previous government so the deal had been struck with CAPEIC. "We ask the company to continue the procedure according to international standards, also we ask them to provide for the interest of the people of Sar-e Pul," he said. The mining minister said a condition of the deal was that the oil be processed in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is estimated to be sitting on untapped resources of more than $1 trillion, which has attracted the interest of some foreign investors though decades of turmoil has prevented any significant exploitation. A Chinese state-owned company is also in talks with the Taliban-led administration over the operation of a copper mine in eastern Logar province, another deal that was first signed under the previous government. A group of writers and activists is hosting a literary festival in Bengaluru on Sunday to protest against discrimination at the big All-India Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in Haveri. The Kannada Sahitya Parishat is organising the 86th Sammelana from January 6 to 8. For over a century, its marquee literary event has brought together the tallest figures of literature, art, culture and music in Karnataka. Jana Sahitya Sammelana, the Bengaluru meet, was mooted recently when the Parishat announced the list of speakers. It lacked diversity, says Kavya Achuth from the organising team. The Bengaluru meet is designed to be inclusive of all communities. It features a cartoon and poster exhibition called Lines of Rebellion, panel discussions, including one on authority and pluralism, a session devoted to poetry reading, street theatre, among others. We will also discuss how to take this movement forward, says Purushothama Bilimale, well-known writer and former professor of Kannada, who will be speaking at the inaugural session at the Bengaluru meet. We plan to organise similar conferences in various districts, he says. Bilimale was among those who first objected to the line-up on social media. Of the 86 speakers, barely a few were from marginalised communities, and powerful writers were lacking, both Kavya and Bilimale told Metrolife. But the Sahitya Parishat has updated the list with a few new names since the objections were raised, they say. The Kannada Sahitya Parishat has been a major force in promoting the spirit of Kannada, Karnataka and Kannadiga since its inception in 1915, but it has abandoned its liberal ethos and is now furthering the narrow agenda of the ruling party, Bilimale alleges. Kannada poet Chand Pasha N S says he was among the only three Muslim speakers invited to the Sammelana. The lack of Dalit voices also bothered him. He has withdrawn his participation as a mark of protest. Nobody from the Sahitya Parishat has called me to ask why, he says. He describes the line-up as discriminatory. Just like Muslim vendors are not being allowed to put up stalls during Hindu festivals and outside temples, Muslim writers are being kept out (of events). Even last year, our representation was low. But this year, it dipped further, says the PhD scholar from Bangalore University, who will be reading poems at the city meet. Even Kannada poet and writer H R Sujatha, who was to chair a poetry session, has withdrawn her participation from the Sammelana. In a letter to the Parishat, she has described the curation as discriminatory and embarrassing. It did not feature writers from the Beary Muslim community and important voices, she wrote further. In the next 10 years, Kannada writing will be dominated by Muslim writers, Bilimale says, reiterating the call for inclusion. * Jana Sahitya Sammelana, on January 8, 9 am to 7.30 pm, at UVCE Alumni Association premises, K R Circle. Entry free Eleven Omicron sub-variants were found among the 124 international travellers who tested positive for Covid-19 between December 24 and January 3 and the presence of all these variants was earlier reported in India, official sources said on Thursday. They said 19,227 international travellers were tested at airports, sea ports and land ports in the said period, 124 of them were found Covid positive and put in isolation. The sources said of the 124 positive samples, the genome-sequencing results of 40 were received, of which XBB was found in 14 samples and BF 7.4.1 in one sample. Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya urged citizens not to panic unnecessarily but remain alert, follow the directives issued by the government and not get carried away by misleading reports related to Covid. The government has made random Covid tests mandatory for two per cent of the passengers arriving on each international flight, irrespective of their port of departure, since December 24. Besides, passengers arriving in India from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand are being mandatorily required to provide Covid-negative reports from January 1. The test has to be conducted not more than 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey to India and the negative report from the RT-PCR test has to be uploaded on the Air Suvidha portal before departure. This will also apply to the passengers transiting through the six countries, irrespective of their originating nations, before arriving at any Indian airport. India Political Highlights: BJP, Modi govt have truly worked towards social justice, says JP Nadda in Karnataka's Chitradurga India is expected to host the foreign ministers of G20 countries in the first week of March and they are set to deliberate on ways to deal with pressing global challenges including the Ukraine conflict, people familiar with the development said on Thursday. India assumed the presidency of the influential bloc G20 at its annual summit in Bali in November with a promise of striving to ensure that the grouping acts as a global prime mover to envision new ideas and accelerate collective action to deal with pressing challenges. Also Read | Indias G20 Presidency 'very big deal', says EAM Jaishankar The people cited above said India is looking at March 1 and 2 for the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi. However, the dates are yet to be locked. India is hosting a series of events and meetings ahead of the G20 summit later this year. "India is taking charge of the G-20 at a time when the world is simultaneously grappling with geopolitical tensions, economic slowdown, rising food and energy prices, and the long-term ill-effects of the pandemic," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the Bali summit. "At such a time, the world is looking at the G-20 with hope. Today, I want to assure that India's G-20 presidency will be inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented," he said. India officially assumed the G20 presidency on December 1. A pet dog's frantic barks alerting its guardians minutes before a terror attack on their home in the Dhangri hamlet of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district saved at least three families in the neighbourhood from being wiped out. Four minority community members were killed and six injured in indiscriminate firing by terrorists on four houses in the Upper Dangri village on Sunday, officials said. The family of Nirmal Devi, however, can thank their pet -- Micheal -- for saving their lives. The dog's yelps and high-pitched barks alerted Nirmal Devi and her granddaughter, who went outside to find out if anything was wrong. Also Read | J&K: 15 companies of CRPF deployed in Rajouri, Poonch to secure minority areas They soon heard the rattle of AK-rifles as the terrorists who had entered the premises to kill the family fired off a volley of rounds. "Me and my granddaughter were in the kitchen when our pet dog started to bark at a high pitch. My granddaughter told me that Michael never barks at a high pitch unless there is some danger," Nirmal Devi said. Michael, who was tied near the main gate to Nirmal Devi's home, ostensibly noticed the terrorists moving towards the premises and barked and yelped to warn the family of the impending danger. Also Read | Terror has no place in civilised society: Kharge on Rajouri attacks "I got concerned and ran towards the room where my husband was sleeping. I bolted the room from outside and then rushed to lock the main gate. "But by then, the terrorists had entered through the gate and were on the premises," Nirmal Devi added. She said the terrorists fired at Michael but he escaped unhurt. Bullet marks are still visible at the place where he was tied. "After Michael stopped barking, the two terrorists entered a room, fired at the television and escaped," she said. Nirmal Devi said Michael's alertness saved her family. "It gave a feeling to the terrorists that there was no one inside and they did not enter the room," she said. Nirmal Devi added that Michael's bark also alerted two families living next door and they also bolted the gates to their houses from inside. "I think many other people in the area are alive due to the alarm raised by the dog and we can say that he saved many lives," she said. India on Thursday reminded Chinas new Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, that his nation must adhere to the bilateral agreements and refrain from unilaterally trying to change the status quo along the disputed boundary for overall development of the relations between the two nations. You are aware of Indias long-standing position that ensuring peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the development of our relationship, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs, said, adding, So too is the observance of bilateral agreements and refraining from unilateral attempts to change the status quo of the boundary. Read | Sri Lanka to restart trade deal talks with India, China and Thailand, says official Bagchi was replying to a question on New Delhis reaction to an article written by Qin, who recently replaced Wang Yi as the foreign minister of China. Qin was Beijings envoy to Washington DC till recently. He wrote an op-ed article in a magazine published in the United States just before returning to Beijing and taking up his new assignment. He subtly made an attempt to redefine the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) the de facto boundary between the two nations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi on his 89th birthday. He tweeted, "Birthday wishes to Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi ji. A fine scholar and distinguished statesman, his passion towards service, education and preserving Indian culture is exemplary. His role in strengthening BJP is monumental. Praying for his long and healthy life." Birthday wishes to Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi Ji. A fine scholar and distinguished statesman, his passion towards service, education and preserving Indian culture is exemplary. His role in strengthening BJP is monumental. Praying for his long and healthy life. @drmmjoshibjp Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 5, 2023 Besides former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in whose government he served as a Union minister, and former deputy prime minister L K Advani, Joshi was a prominent face of the party for decades. Seniors who live alone and homeless people sit together and eat lunch at "House of Thomas," a soup kitchen in Yeongdeungpo District of southwestern Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of House of Thomas By Lee Hae-rin People wearing thick winter clothes are packed inside a soup kitchen called House of Thomas in Seoul. Sitting back to back in the 72 square meter facility equipped with a small kitchen and tables with 30 seats, the senior citizens eat rice and three side dishes. Some ask the volunteers for a refill after finishing their meals a request they will grant on an unlimited basis. Outside House of Thomas located in the shanty southwestern district of Yeongdeungpo, dozens of other elderly locals and some who have traveled from other areas wait in line for a meal amid the freezing weather conditions experienced on Monday. Opening for three hours from 11 a.m., House of Thomas serves free meals for those in need. Some of the two dozen volunteers and nuns from the Convent of Missionaries of Charity try to engage with the people who come and make small talk with them while serving up hot meals. The menu of the day is rice, galbi-tang (short rib broth) with ginseng, stir-fried spicy pork, boiled sausages and green onion kimchi all freshly cooked there by the volunteers since the early morning. People line up for a free meal service around the corner by the House of Thomas in this photo taken on Dec. 26, 2022. Courtesy of House of Thomas "It feels like today is my birthday. The broth is amazing!" exclaimed one regular who is in his 80s and wished to remain anonymous. "This must be as good as an herbal tonic!" He said that coming to eat in the kitchen is the happiest time of his day and then asked for more soup. Many come for the meals. But some, who appear to be lonely elderly people in need of social interaction, said they visit for a chance to talk with the volunteers. Another anonymous visitor in his 70s shared his appreciation for the service after finishing his meal. "People like us (elderly and living alone), we don't get to have such good meals anywhere. Life is so lonely with all my family gone now. But when I come here, they (volunteers) give us a warm greeting and amazing food. I really appreciate that," he said while sipping a warm cup of coffee served after the meal. A vital new project has been launched by North West Migrants Forum that will help forge new relationships between majority and minoritised communities, and equip a new generation with leadership skills so that both newcomers and their communities can thrive. The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded a 500,000 grant over five years to support the project. The 2021 census indicates that 2% of the population of Derry now come from Black and Minoritised Backgrounds. Around 500 International students and 100 people seeking safety are also now living in Derry. Director of Programmes Lilian Seenoi-Barr, highlighted the importance of this project and of the NWMF forum itself, This is a very exciting time for us. We are extremely grateful for the continuous support we are receiving from the National Lottery Community fund to provide vital services to the members of our community here. Its a great boost for the organisation, for members, service users and the wider community. "The last few years, we have seen a growing number of international students and people seeking safety coming to Derry. "Whether you are a student, or a person fleeing persecution or someone coming for work, choosing to leave home is not an easy decision and especially if you are moving to a new environment with completely different cultures or a different language and a very complex system where you need to register to access essential day to day services. "If you are a person with no recourse to public funds or with limited rights, this can be even more difficult. "But knowing that you have someone who understands you or somewhere you can rely on to steer you in the right direction, can make all the difference between having a sense of belonging and feelings of exclusion." Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director of The National Lottery Community Fund said: We are delighted to support this project through a 500,000 National Lottery grant over five years, which will make a significant difference to the lives of international students, migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers living in the North West. "We look forward to seeing the impact that North West Migrants Forum will achieve through this grant. Well done to everyone involved. Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, the five-year project is built around three key areas of activities. Firstly, Information and Orientation Support for New Arrivals including language lessons, social connection activities and practical support. Secondly, mental health and wellness programmes, helping with the challenges specific to newcomers around loneliness, trauma and racism. Thirdly, racial literacy, intercultural dialogue and anti-Racism education. Launching the project, Derry based activist and nurse Beverly Simpson outlined some of the exciting new activities beginning immediately. Not only will NWMF open a unique Social Connection Cafe that would meet weekly to offer support, there will also be outdoor activities and arts-based creative therapies. The project would also provide for an annual residential to help break down social and cultural barriers and to educate about racial equality. Also speaking at the launch, new NWMF Board Member Mr. Idris Mahmud Mohammed shared his own experiences of coming to Derry as a person seeking protection. With a high level of education, in Ethiopia Idris was a teacher at Addis Ababa University and managed their ICT Department. Too often, such skills and experience are disregarded when people arrive in Northern Ireland. Idris highlighted the fundamental role that support from committed and knowledgeable organisations like NWMF play in enabling people to settle and thrive. When I first arrived in Derry, I was stressed until I met NWMF. They brought us a solicitor after we had been looking for a month. "Through activities, such as social cafes, tours, cultural nights, art and access to a free gym for 3 months, they made us feel at home and they made us feel that someone cared. "They showed us how we could access really important documents such as membership IDs from public libraries. From that point forward, I became motivated to volunteer." The project has been co-created with newcomer communities and people seeking protection so that it is based on their needs and experiences. As Beverly Simpson explained: This is truly a people led project, designed and developed by a group of people with lived experiences like myself. Moving to a new place can be a daunting experience for many. "During the development phase of this project, many people shared their experiences and how the journey to NI impacted on their mental health and well-being which will help us ensure that the project really reflects their interests and priorities. A detailed programme of activities is available on the NWMF website and through all social media outlets. For more information about the New Beginnings project please contact: info@nwmf.org.uk There was widespread shock across the North West and far beyond as news broke of the sudden death of journalist, Brian Hutton (46). Mr Hutton, who was originally from Derry and late of Harold's Cross, passed away on December 31 suddenly, but peacefully, at Letterkenny University Hospital, surrounded by his loving family. His death notice said: "Brian was much loved and will be sadly missed by his daughter Issy, her mum Aideen McLoughlin, parents Damian and Eileen, brothers Kevin and Sean, sister Mairead, partner Emer Cosgrove, mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family and a large circle of friends. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam." Mr Hutton's wake took place at his family home, Aberfoyle Crescent, Derry on Wednesday, January 4 and Thursday, January 5. His removal will take place tomorrow (Friday) at 11.20am for Funeral Mass at 12:00noon followed by burial in St. Muras Cemetery, Fahan. Brian Hutton was deputy news editor of the Press Association (PA) news agency for more than a decade and was based in its Dublin office until 2017. He also wrote extensively for The Irish Times as a freelance journalist over the past five years. In addition, Brian Hutton was a founding co-director of independent radio production company Old Yard Productions. Documentaries and programmes made by the company included the New York International Radio Awards finalist The Carberrys: Running in the Family, and Van Morrison: Belfast Cowboy, for ABC Australia. As part of the Irish Times tribute to Mr Hutton, written by Seanin Graham, the papers Northern Correspondent, the former Ireland editor of the PA, Deric Henderson described him as hugely gifted. Deric Henderson said: He went about his business quietly, free of drama or any fuss, and never failed to meet a deadline, no matter how tight. He had a lovely manner and thats probably why he was so good at his job. He got on well with people. They liked him. Brian Hutton was educated at St Columbs College in Derry. He began his career at the Belfast Telegraph in 2003. He did freelance stringer work for the Daily Mirror, providing northwest coverage until 2004. President Michael D Higgins said Mr Hutton was a fine journalist and known as a brilliant colleague with a reputation for reliability and a sensitive nature. He will be missed by so many, Mr Higgins said in a statement. The editor of The Irish Times, Ruadhan Mac Cormaic, said Mr Hutton was a superb journalist whose sharp news instinct, observational skill and natural curiosity meant his byline invariably appeared on the biggest and most important stories. He was also great company: warm, open, interested in other people. Mr Hutton was involved in The Irish Times Lives Lost initiative during the Covid pandemic, and in a separate project last summer that chronicled all violent deaths of women in Ireland over the past 25 years. The northern editor of The Irish Times, Freya McClements, said he was the best of journalists, the best of friends and the best of men: She added: In the last week alone Brian featured prominently in reports of the release of the State papers and it is fitting that his byline was above another article in the paper on the day he died. McClements singled out the role played by Mr Hutton in coverage of the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in May and the explosion in Creeslough, Co Donegal, which killed 10 people in October. As a journalist, Brian was curious, quick-witted and with a keen news sense; he was also warm and genuine. Above all, he was a devoted father to his daughter Issy. Brian Huttons excellent article of December 1, 2022, resonated with many people in Derry and the wider North West. It was written in response to the announcement by BBC NI it was proposing to axe Radio Foyles Breakfast Show and hourly news bulletins. Titled: Radio Foyle cuts blamed on Belfast-centric arrogance Mr Hutton included a contribution from Ana Leddy, who ran the station for eight years. Ms Leddy believed the axing of the breakfast show and news bulletins would be a killer blow to the station. In Brian Huttons article, Anna Leddy said: There is a different psyche in Derry. It is not just that it is, obviously, predominantly Catholic or nationalist, but its natural hinterland runs north and west into Donegal, adding deeper complexity to an existing divergence in the North between the east and west of the river Bann. So many families are intertwined, living and working across the Border. People carry two wallets, two purses, with euro and pounds. It is a state of mind. You wouldnt have it anywhere else. It is a complexity Leddy negotiated to steer the station towards countless awards, including beating BBC behemoths Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live to win the Sony overall UK best radio breakfast show. A local radio station should hold a mirror up to its audience, but also be a window to the world, she says. Foyle has done that by really knowing its audience. It has been strong enough and courageous enough to do that in a unique situation in Northern Ireland, at an even smaller level in Derry and the northwest in an era where society has emerged from the Troubles, and we all know how fragile that can be, she says. Giving a voice for debate in these times is as important as its ever been. Foyle is an important place from that point of view. Derry Magistrate's Court heard today how a man who was being sought by police after he didn't answer his compassionate bail was found hiding in a dog kennel in Great James Street in the city. Daniel Greer (25) of no fixed abode appeared charged with breaching his bail on December 23. The court heard that Greer was released on compassionate bail to attend the Housing Executive in order to get an address. He did so and was given an address in Portstewart but according to the landlord there he never stayed at the property. Greer did not return to prison after his period of bail. Part of his bail conditions on the original charge was that he does not enter the city of Derry. The court heard that police attended an address in Great James Street in Derry and did not find the defendant there but found him hiding in a dog kennel. The defendant appeared to be under the influence of some substance as there was no smell of alcohol. Bail was opposed due to the risk of re-offending and a police officer said that Greer had actively avoided police. District Judge Barney McElholm said that there wasn't 'a lot to be said' about someone who gets released to get an address but doesn't return to prison. Defence counsel Brendan Kearney said his client accepted that he was in Derry but denied being under the influence of anything. He said that Greer claimed he had been sent to a hostel in Belfast by the Housing Executive. Judge McElholm said if he had been sent to a hostel in Belfast what was he doing hiding in a dog kennel in Derry. He said there was 'too high a risk' of re-offending and refused bail. Greer was remanded in custody to appear again on January 12. Seven people have been charged in Lebanon over the death of Private Sean Rooney. Three of the men arrested are now believed to be in the custody of Lebanese authorities, with a manhunt underway to track down the other four. A Lebanese military tribunal, under military judge Fadi Akiki, charged the seven suspects. A brief statement said that the case had been passed to the 'appropriate judiciary'. Private Rooney, a 24-year-old peacekeeper, was killed last month when the vehicle he was driving came under fire. Private Rooney was killed by a gunshot and three of his colleagues, who were in the armoured utility vehicle (AUV), including Trooper Shane Kearney, who has been flown home and is undergoing medical treatment at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. Lebanon officials are attempting to figure out whether the remaining suspects are still in the country. The charges proffered on the accused men include murder, attempted murder and damaging vehicles. One man was in custody since late December after being handed over by Hezbollah. While the Iranian-linked Shia militia group has denied involvement, the suspects are believed to be supporters. If convicted, the suspects could face the death penalty. Private Rooney, a Dundalk native who lived in Newtowncunningham, was driving a UN-marked armoured utility vehicle, which came under attack in the Al-Aqbieh area of south Lebanon after becoming separated from an accompanying vehicle. Private Rooney was serving with the 121st Infantry Battalion of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Private Rooney, described by his mother Natasha McCloskey as a 'national hero', was buried with full military honours in Newtowncunningham on December 22. The last six months of cancer waiting times are the worst on record in Northern Ireland, a leading cancer charity has said. The latest quarterly figures released by the Department of Health on Thursday showed targets were continuing to be missed. During the quarter ending September 2022, 88.2% of patients (2,373) started treatment within the target 31 days, compared with 86.2% in the quarter ending June 2022 and 90% in the quarter ending September 2021. Cancer waiting times statistics for the period July September 2022 have been published today by @healthdpt.https://t.co/kXaBN7S12Q NISRA (@NISRA) January 5, 2023 In the same quarter, just 39.5% of patients (527) started treatment within the target 62 days, compared with 37.7% in the quarter ending June 2022 and 46.1% in the quarter ending September 2021. Cancer Research UK described the latest quarter as the second worst performing on record in terms of the 62 day target for patients starting treatment for cancer following an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer. The charity said the latest figure, compared to 2008 when the target was introduced, shows a deterioration in waiting times. Margaret Carr, Cancer Research UKs public affairs manager in Northern Ireland, said all should be deeply concerned that the last six months are the worst on record for cancer waiting times targets in Northern Ireland. Delays with diagnosis and starting treatment may make it more difficult to treat cancer successfully and can cause significant anxiety for patients, she said. Ms Carr paid tribute to the tireless efforts of healthcare workers, but said patients are waiting too long for treatment due to years of underinvestment in cancer services. She also criticised the continuing collapse of devolved government at Stormont, saying it has effectively put Northern Irelands cancer strategy on hold. Cancer is Northern Irelands biggest killer and year on year, more people are being diagnosed with the disease, she said. Northern Irelands cancer strategy includes actions to deal with increased demand, but it is effectively on hold due to the absence of an Executive. Inaction is putting increased pressure on health professionals and ultimately putting cancer patients lives at risk. The implementation of the strategy and the agreed budget to do so is critical if we are to have any chance of improving diagnosis, treatment and care for the thousands of people diagnosed with cancer in Northern Ireland every year. A vigil at Stormont for murder victim Natalie McNally heard a call for an end to violence against women and girls. Ms McNally, 32, who was 15 weeks pregnant, was killed in her home in Lurgan, Co Armagh last month. Police have so far made two arrests but no-one has been charged. Her three brothers were among those who attended a vigil on the steps of Parliament Buildings in her memory on Thursday afternoon. The brothers held on to each other as a minute of silence was held outside the landmark building in Belfast. Natalie McNallys three brothers attended a vigil in her memory at Stormont this afternoon. Ms McNally, who was pregnant, was murdered at her home in Lurgan in December. pic.twitter.com/JtB305X4J6 Rebecca Black (@RBlackPA) January 5, 2023 The silence was observed for Ms McNally as well as Bruna Fonesca, who was found dead in an apartment in Cork on New Years Day. Pictures of both women were displayed as a crowd including MLAs from all parties and relatives of other women who were murdered attended. Declan McNally thanked all who have supported his family as they seek justice for his sister. Whatever differences of opinions there are in this country we know there is no difference of opinion and everybody wants to see an end to violence against women and girls, he said. And everybody in society has to redouble our efforts to end violence against women and girls in memory of our sister Natalie. Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill organised the vigil at Stormont. We are very conscious today that we need to remember all victims of gender-based violence, all those who have lost their lives, she told the gathering. A sombre vigil today to remember Natalie McNally, Bruna Fonseca and all victims of gender based violence. We send our full support to all who loved and cherished them. Together we must unite and say enough is enough. Violence against women and girls must end now. pic.twitter.com/Pkl8ijdCzq Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) January 5, 2023 Ms ONeill added: We have a problem in our society with misogyny and we need to tackle it and I know this is the strong message that we are here today to send to the families of all those who have lost loved ones to show them that support and say enough is enough and that were not going to tolerate this in our society. The Sinn Fein Stormont leader visited Ms McNallys parents at the family home on Wednesday evening. What they crucially want today is that we actually make that direct appeal, a universal appeal from all of us again to the public that anybody that has the slightest bit of information, no matter how insignificant you may think it is, please bring it forward because it so important that they get justice for Natalie and the family are allowed the opportunity to be able to grieve in knowing what actually happened to her, she said. So today we want to reinforce that strong message please come forward, if anybody has information please get in touch with police or Crimestoppers. The relatives of other women who have died in violent circumstances who attended included Claire Doran, whose sister Jennifer Doran, 30, was killed at her home in west Belfast in 2019, and Joanne Dorrian, whose sister Lisa has been missing since 2005 and is believed to have been murdered. For Immediate Release DHS Urges Wisconsinites to Test Their Homes for Radon Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer overall and leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers During National Radon Action Month, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is encouraging residents and business owners to test their homes and buildings for radon. Exposure to radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer nationally, and easy-to-use tests are widely available. Radon is an environmental health issue in our state. Approximately one in 10 homes have elevated radon levels across Wisconsin, said Paula Tran, State Health Officer. Reducing radon exposure and radon-induced lung cancer in Wisconsin depends on encouraging and supporting all Wisconsinites, including property owners and tenants, to be proactive about testing for radon. Radon, an odorless, radioactive gas naturally present in the ground, enters buildings through their foundations. Radon causes more lung cancer among non-smokers than secondhand tobacco smoke. An estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year among non-smokers are caused by radon, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Surgeon General, and approximately 962 of these deaths are in Wisconsin. Fortunately, this cause of lung cancer is largely preventable, and the first step is to test your house or apartment for radon. Radon is found all over the state of Wisconsin and the only way to know if your house or apartment has elevated levels is to test, said Jessica Maloney, State Radon Program Manager for DHS. "Reduced-cost test kits are available through Radon Information Centers (RIC) in Wisconsin and test kit promotions are happening throughout January." The US Environmental Protection Agency recommends that when a test result is at 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher, a mitigation system should be installed to prevent the gas from entering the residence. The cost of mitigation can be a barrier for some families, and Wisconsin residents can visit lowradon.org to find their RIC or speak with local public health department radon experts by calling 1-888 LOW-RADON to discuss available options. Test kits are also available from hardware stores and local public health agencies. There are more than 100 radon mitigation contractors in Wisconsin that are nationally certified to install radon mitigation systems if elevated radon levels are found. Both old and newer homes can be prone to radon. Apartments can also be at risk. Landlords have a responsibility to provide safe living conditions to all their renters. About one third of the nations housing units are occupied by renters. The first step landlords can take is to understand what radon is, how to test for it, and what needs to be done to fix it if it does exist. Landlords should work with a certified radon testing and mitigation service to get started on addressing the issue for their tenants. Effective March 1, 2023, all licensed family child care and group child care centers in Wisconsin will be required to test for radon and mitigate if levels are at or above 4 pCi/L. It is not required for licensed day camps. More information can be found at lowradon.org. Indian online gaming regulation against youth game addiction and to tighten the reins on gaming companies. We recently did a story about the Indian government regulating online games among children. So, heres a follow-up to that piece wherein we discuss why we think the centre is proposing a regulatory framework like this and what the Indian gaming industry thinks about it. First, the why. How is India planning to regulate online gaming? Image source: Unsplash The ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) has set a panel that is tasked with framing regulations against prohibited gaming formats" and mandatory KYC (Know Your Customer) norms for players, among other things. These are reportedly part of a 108-page report drafted on August 31, 2022, and could go into effect by February 2023. An ET report quotes a government official related to the matter saying, Addiction (to games) has to be dealt with whether we do it partly in the IT Rules and partly in the DIA (Digital India Act), it is going to be done. He also mentioned that since this is a novel issue, it calls for innovative solutions and consultation with all the stakeholders such as parents, schools, gaming companies, parents, and adult gamers. Here are some of the checks and balances suggested: Disclosing the time players have spent on each app through usage charts (duration per session). This should be done in a way that doesnt encourage the young players to play more. KYC form or other means to verify the age and other details of the players. Gaming companies should host, display, upload, publish, transmit or share an online game with respect to Indian laws. Games that decide betting and gambling based on the outcome are likely to be prohibited soon. So, the regulations could try to keep such games off-limits for children. In Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of India, Rajeev Chandrasekhars words, these games are a no-go. In case, players have any issues, there should be a grievance officer, a chief compliance officer and a nodal contact person who will be a point of contact with law enforcement agencies. The regulatory body is planning to design a protective framework for women gamers too. Why is India planning to regulate online gaming? Image source: Unsplash Broadly speaking, these are some of the concerns around online gaming that seeks regulation: Cyberattacks: As per a ToI report, out of 703 Indian gamers surveyed in 2021, four out of five players have reportedly lost money to the tune of about 7,800. Around 35% of the respondents claimed to have got infected by malicious programs on their gaming devices. A common vector of cyberattacks is phishing. Addiction: An Indian study has found that about 3.5% of Indian adolescents suffer from Internet gaming disorder. This is a driving cause of anxiety and depression among young minds. Loss of money: The above two factors could drain the players wallet. Even fraud and a service shutting down can lead to the loss of real money. Now, one of the problems dragging down the regulation could be the way different Indian states have conflicting rules about games, specifically betting and gambling. There is no clear consensus about whether a game is chance or skill-based. Also, some of the off-shore players in the space are apparently able to evade tax because of the confused state of affairs. While we are discussing this topic, the Chinese regulation of online games comes to our mind. For the uninitiated, heres what happened: China reining in online gaming Culturally, China considers online games as "spiritual opium" that distracts young minds from focusing on productive activities. In line with that sentiment, the first set of rules was passed in 2019 whereby any minor players below 18 years old were permitted to play only 90 minutes of gaming on weekdays and three hours per day during weekends. Owing to alleged pressure from concerned parents, the Chinese government increased the restrictions that limited the allowed gameplay hour to 8 - 9 PM on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. China's game regulator continues to implement targeted regulations aimed at curbing game addiction among minors New policy states that minors can only play games for one hour on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 8pm to 9pm. An extremely restrictive policy. pic.twitter.com/kkbh9PGsND Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) August 30, 2021 This year, CNG, the countrys premier research and data provider came forward with the claim that the new regulations have brought about remarkable results in curbing online game addiction. It seems like India must have drawn some inspiration from the recent Chinese clampdown on the online gaming industry in the country. In any case, lets see what the various stakeholders in the Indian context think. Indian gaming industrys reaction to online game regulation Salone Sehgal (Left), Parth Chadha (Middle), and Roland Landers (Right) Heres what the Indian Gaming Industry has to say in the new regulatory discussion: Salone Sehgal, Founding General Partner, Lumikai shares her companys support for the new regulations as she says Lumikai is heartened to see our research and recommendations assist in shaping policy and regulation. Parth Chadha, CEO and Co-Founder, STAN also lauded the new rules, as steps to uplift these sectors (gaming and eSports with increased regulatory clarity. Roland Landers, CEO of All India Gaming Federation, in an interview with News18 Tech, talks about the tax implication around this matter. He comments, if taxes are done rationally, it will be a big boost to the industry - also curbing the grey market is vital for the betterment of the sector. His reasoning is that there is a grey market in the online gaming space as well, which consists of people (brands) who are off-shore, and they do not pay taxes. In a different statement, he added the regulations hopefully reduce the State-wise regulatory fragmentation that was a big challenge for the industry. Well, its too early to comment on how the new gaming regulations would play out and what difference would they bring about. In time, we will. Microsoft plans to update its search engine Bing with ChatGPT of OpenAI, reportedly. This will result in more detailed information instead of just links to searches. Microsoft could be gearing up to really compete with Google with this update. The Bing update is likely to be rolled out by March. There is no further information on how Bing will operate with OpenAIs software. Microsoft had invested $1 billion in OpenAI and now this is the time when Microsoft will expect a return on its investment. The current partnership between Microsoft and OpenAI Microsoft is currently using tools from OpenAI like cloud services that let users create text, code, and imagery using straightforward instructions and much more Microsoft introduced Copilot which uses OpenAIs tools to assist software engineers automatically. Microsoft also uses OpenAIs technology in some consumer apps. Open AI launched GPT-3 in 2021 and Dall-E2 a year later, both are used by Microsoft to enterprise customers in its Azure server and compute-power renting business. However, there is further information about how Bing is gonna integrate with Open AIs ChatGPT. The new Bing engine will also deliver search results in the users natural language because GPT has the ability to reply in a human manner. Even AI-friendly Google has been sceptical about introducing a chatbot like ChatGPT while Microsoft is confident in including ChatGPT in Bing. However, the question about consumer trust and reputation is still yet to be answered. Microsoft hasn't revealed too many details about how it will be avoiding potential mistakes with objectionable content which it had to deal with its Tay chatbot in 2016. What's worth noting is that OpenAI wishes to charge a price in the future for ChatGPT to create text-generating bots. This means that Bing might be the only free access point to this trending GPT. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. Back in July, WhatsApp had rolled out an update that allowed people to move chats to iOS from Android using an app known as the Move to iOS app. This meant that users could easily switch their smartphones without worrying about losing their older chats. Whatsapp is continually evolving to improve user experience, and according to WaBetaInfo, a new chat transfer option is currently under development that will let you move the entire chat history to Android devices. What is WhatsApps new chat transfer feature? The new feature will help users transfer their chat history from one Android device to another one without having to first create a backup of the same on Google Drive. The new chat transfer option can be found within WhatsApp Settings > Chats in the future. All you need to do is enable the option to be able to use the feature. It is important to note that even with this feature, it does make sense to update your chats on Google Drive so that your data doesnt disappear due to a mishap. When will WhatsApps new chat transfer feature rollout? The new chat transfer feature is said to be intended for a future update of the app. At this point, it is not clear when the update will be rolled out to the masses. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. This closed-circuit TV image, provided by a hotel in Incheon, west of Seoul, shows a 41-year-old Chinese man, in the red circle, escaping the hotel, Jan. 3. Yonhap A Chinese man who escaped a government-designated quarantine facility for foreigners two days ago after testing positive for COVID-19 upon entering Korea was apprehended in Seoul on Thursday, police said. Police said they caught the 41-year-old man hiding in a Seoul hotel at 12:55 p.m. The Chinese national had refused to enter a hotel designated by health authorities as a temporary foreign quarantine accommodation in Incheon, west of Seoul, before going missing at 10:04 p.m. Tuesday. Sony introduced a whole new type of controller at CES 2023 in Las Vegas called Project Leonardo. Project Leonardo is a first-party controller made for disabled people with the help of accessibility experts, game developers and the disabled community. Sony said that Project Leonardo controllers are customised in a way that will help disabled people play games more comfortably and for a long period. The controller is compatible with PS5 only. Gaming for disabled people is not very easy and Sony introduced Project Leonard to break that barrier. Project Leonardo will help disabled people in many ways, giving them a valid way of playing new games, helping with motor control, and customising the placement of buttons and triggers. Users can customise the controller entirely according to themselves. They can customise the shape and sizes of every stick and button. The design of Project Leonardo is split and it has been kept this way to help disabled people operate it easily because the standard controller was difficult to operate for some users. It has two 3.5mm AUX ports for different accessories. In an interview with WIRED, the CEO and President of PlayStation Jim Ryan said Our aim for Project Leonardo is that it enables many more players to enjoy the remarkable games that PlayStation Studios and our development community are creating for PS5. The controller can be used as a stand-alone controller and can be paired with another Project Leonardo controller and Dual Sense controller. The controller can even be paired with third-party buttons and switches. Disabled people can now also be a part of the expanding gaming world now with the help of Project Leonard, which not just gives players access to playing every trendy game on the PS5 but also can be customised according to users to help them easily operate the controller. Sony has confirmed that the shortage of PS5 consoles in the global market is now over and that fans of the console should be able to get their hands on it easily. According to Sony, the shortage of PlayStation 5 is over. Jim Ryan announced during the CES presentation that Everyone who wants a PS5 should have a much easier time finding one at retailers globally, starting from this point forward, Sony also announced that the company has sold at least 30 million consoles, which represents an increase by 5 million since November. PS5 shortages made it hard for consumers to buy the console The PlayStation 5 had hit markets in November 2020, and it took till August 2022 for customers to start finding it slightly easier to get their hands on the product. The shortage had made it hard for people to buy the console, and many had to wait for drops or be willing to pay high MRPs at chain stores. In fact, in America, the easiest way to purchase the PS5 was by purchasing the $550 bundle, which included the PS5 with a disk drive along with a game. This, of course, is a markup when compared to the $399.99 price tag for the digital console. Sony thanks fans for keeping the demand up During the CES presentation, Ryan also thanked fans for being patient during the last two years, as they managed unprecedented demand amid global challenges over the past two years. Microsoft has announced that it will no longer be providing support for its Windows 8.1 OS starting January 10, 2023. This means that the company will not be offering software updates or technical assistance for this OS. The end of the Extended Security Update (ESU) for Windows 8.1 OS Microsoft has also confirmed that it will no longer offer an Extended Security Update (ESU) for Windows 8.1 OS. The ESU is typically used by customers who want to use legacy Microsoft products after the end of official support. The program offers important security updates that can last for at least 3 years after the end of the support date. The result of this is that if you use the Windows 8.1 OS, you will no longer get critical security updates that can help safeguard your device from cyber threats. Microsoft will not be offering an Extended Security Update (ESU) program for Windows 8.1. Continuing to use Windows 8.1 after January 10, 2023, may increase an organizations exposure to security risks or impact its ability to meet compliance obligations, wrote Microsoft on the companys support page. Support also ends for Windows 7 Along with withdrawing support for Windows 8.1, Microsoft will also stop supporting Windows 7 starting January 10. Microsoft had stopped the support officially on January 14, 2020, however, it will now stop the ESU program as well starting January 10, 2023. According to Microsoft, the best approach would be to upgrade your system to Windows 11, as using the older OSs without security can leave you susceptible to cyber threats. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. Amazon is back with another crazy deal on smartphones and is offering the Samsung Galaxy S22 for just 39,500. Originally, the price of the base variant of the Samsung Galaxy S22 was 85,999 but Amazon is offering a 36% discount on the flagship phone which makes it 54,700. Here is how you can claim this offer. On Amazon, the base variant of Galaxy S22 is priced at 60,999 which comes under the Style Name category with offer and this one is only 29% off but you have to select the without offer variant where it will give you a straight 36% off on the S22 which will put it at 54,700. Now, you have one more option which will make the phone cheaper by up to 15,200. After receiving an exchange offer of 15,200, the phone will cost you only 39,500. More than that, there are also bank offers such as HSBC giving a 5% instant discount on its credit card up to 250. The Samsung Galaxy S22 is one of the biggest flagship phones in the market. Specifications of Samsung Galaxy S22: It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. It features a 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 120Hz refresh rate support. It is packed with a 3700 mAH battery with 25W of wired fast charging and 15W wireless. The S22 has a triple camera setup with a 50-megapixel primary camera, 10-megapixel telephoto lens and 12-megapixel ultrawide lens. The phone Comes in two storage options; 8GB 128GB and 8GB 256GB. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. A launch event for the Redmi Note 12 Series 5G in India marked the international debut of the new smartphone series. The series includes the Redmi Note 12, Redmi Note 12 Pro, and Redmi Note 12 Pro+, and these are said to be identical to the smartphones released in China. Redmi Note 12 specifications and price The Redmi Note 12 has a 6.67-inch AMOLED display that has a 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone runs on the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 chipset. The Redmi Note 12 is available in two models, one with a 4/128 GB configuration and the other with a 6/128 GB configuration. The former costs 15,499 while the latter costs 17,499. The smartphone is available in black and green. Redmi Note 12 Pro specifications and price The Redmi Note 12 Pro is slightly smaller than the Redmi Note 12, but has the same overall design. The smartphone has a Dimensity 1080 chipset along with a 5,000 mAh battery that can support 67W fast charging. It also has a 50MP primary camera. The base variant of the smartphone has a 6/128 GB configuration, and costs 24,999, the mid-tier model has an 8/128 GB configuration and costs 26,999 while the top model has an 8.256 GB configuration and it costs 27,999. The smartphone is available in three colours, black, blue and pink. Redmi Note 12 Pro+ specifications and price The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ has an OLED panel is the top variant of the series. It comes with Samsungs ISOCELL HPX sensor for the 200MP camera along with a 5,000 mAh battery with support for 120W fast charging. The base variant of the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ has a configuration of 8/265 GB and costs 25,999, while the top model has a 12/256 GB configuration and costs 28,999. It comes in black, blue and white. It is important to note that the Redmi Note 12 Discover which has a 4,300 mAh battery and 210W fast charging support will only be available in Chinese markets. The same goes for the Redmi Note 12 Pro Speed (so far). When can you buy the Redmi Note 12 series smartphones? The Redmi Note 12 will be available for sale starting January 11, and can be purchased on the brands website as well as Amazon and select third-party retailers. Similarly, the Redmi Note 12 Pro and Pro+ will also be available for sale starting January 11, and can be bought on brands website as well as Flipkart and select third-party retailers For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. Google has released the spatial audio support for Google Pixel. The feature will sample audio from apps which offer 5.1 surround sound audio. Google Pixel has added a new spatial audio feature with its January update for Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 7 and 7 Pro. The Verge has confirmed that a toggle for this feature has appeared in the settings menu of the Google Pixel 6 Pro. This update will roll out soon to other Pixel devices as well. The Google support page states that it will be able to support audio from apps with 5.1 surround sound. Google has also confirmed that the feature will work with any connected headsets, which even includes wired earphones. The supported Pixel devices will soon offer two kinds of spatial audio support. The January update will bring the lesser advanced version of the two. It will not allow you to automatically adjust the audio according to your head movement. If you move your head to the left, the sound experience will give you the sensation that the centre channel speaker has also moved to your left. Another upcoming feature will be exclusively available to the Pixel Buds Pro and will come via a firmware update. The content will be marked as Dolby Audio or 5.1 and will allow you to be able to move your head while the virtual speakers stay in a fixed position. Apple and Samsung have already rolled out this feature for their users for their own headphones and handsets. Microsoft and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) on January 5th to empower space-tech startups in India. Microsoft will provide technical tools and mentoring support to space-tech startups across the country under this agreement. The space-tech startups marked by ISRO will be onboarded to Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub platform, which supports startup ideas at every stage from start to end. In the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub platform, the founders will have free access to the technical tools of Microsoft like GitHub Enterprise, Visual Studio Enterprise, and Microsoft 365, and access to smart analytics with Power BI and Dynamics 365. Microsoft and ISRO join hands to help space-tech startups in India Microsoft will also be providing mentor support to founders such as cloud technologies, product and design, fundraising and sales and marketing. Last but not least the founders will also have access to Microsoft Learn which helps you in learning technical skills. Anant Maheshwari, the president of Microsoft India said, Space-tech startups in India are playing a significant role in advancing the countrys space capabilities with the power of technology. We are pleased to collaborate with ISRO to accelerate this transformation of whats possible in space. Through our technology tools, platforms and mentorship opportunities, we are deeply committed to empowering space-tech startups in the country to drive cutting-edge innovation and accelerate scientific discovery. ISROs collaboration with Microsoft will greatly benefit space tech startups in their analysis and processing of vast amounts of satellite data for various applications, using cutting-edge methods like AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning. The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is a useful platform for bringing together startups and providers of technology solutions to support the national space technology ecosystem. We are pleased to work together to assist and support entrepreneurs, to in turn benefit the Indian economy as a whole said the Chairman of ISRO, Shri S Somnath. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. Na Kyung-won, chief of the presidential committee on Aging Society and Population Policy, speaks during a press conference held at Korea Press Center in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of presidential committee on Aging Society and Population Policy By Lee Hyo-jin The government will take drastic measures to tackle Korea's demographic crisis of its falling birthrate and rapidly aging society, said Na Kyung-won, head of the presidential committee on Aging Society and Population Policy, who floated the idea of writing off loans for married couples who give birth to children. "Now is the absolute last chance to take action on the imminent demographic crisis. Responding and adapting to the demographic change is a matter of the nation's survival and sustainability," Na, a four-term lawmaker, said during a press conference held in Seoul, Thursday. Korea is expected to become an ultra-aged society by 2025, in which 20 percent of the population is aged 65 and over. The country's fertility rate, which has been the lowest in the world for several years, is showing no signs of rebound with the latest figure standing at 0.79. Na told reporters that her committee has recently come up with a set of measures to encourage marriage among the young generations, focusing on increasing financial and housing support. "Recent surveys show that economic instability and housing issues are the main reasons why young people are reluctant to get married," she said. "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is offering low-interest loans and housing benefits for newlyweds, but that's not enough. So we are looking at whether we can provide bolder support such as writing off some amount of loans. We will continue discussions with the land ministry." The presidential committee is closely looking at what is called the "baby expecting loan" carried out by the government of Victor Orban in Hungary, a preferential loan offered to heterosexual married couples. The government offers a 10-million-forint ($26,800) loan, and for couples that have one child in a five-year period, the interest on their loan is suspended forever and monthly repayments are halted for three years. The birth of a second child allows them a further three-year pause on repayments and the loan is written off upon the birth of a third child Na also stressed that the government will ease regulations in regards to immigration policies so as to attract more foreign workers to the country. The Ministry of Justice will create a new visa under the E-7 category called the E-7-S visa to allow foreign nationals to apply for jobs that are not designated by the E-7 visa. The ministry will also offer more employment options for international students. During Thursday's conference, Na declined to give a direct response as to whether she will run for the ruling People Power Party (PPP) leadership contest in March. The political heavyweight has been leading polls conducted among party supports. Amid growing anticipation that she will make a decision by the end of this month as candidate registration begins in early February, Na said, "If I declare my bid, I would have to leave my current position. But I believe I will still be able to provide support in carrying out demographic policies." President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a joint policy briefing by the culture and education ministries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Jan. 5. Yonhap President Yoon Suk-yeol called Thursday for increasing diversity in education, saying the standardized educational programs of the past no longer serve the nation. Yoon made the remark during a joint New Year's policy briefing by the education and culture ministries while discussing one of his administration's top three reform projects along with pensions and labor. "I believe education is difficult if it is simply about standardized systems that employ standardized contents or a particular standardized type of school, even if the state or the government takes the lead and provides support," he said during the meeting held at the former presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae. "If we want to respect freedom and creativity, and raise our society's growth potential and competitiveness through education, the most important thing is educational diversity," he added. Yoon compared education to a type of service offered by markets, saying a competitive market structure is needed to ensure reasonable prices and goods that satisfy consumers. "If we stick to the unilateral, state-monopoly type of educational programs that we used back when we needed to solve the people's illiteracy and provide basic education, so that we could turn them into industrial warriors and recruit them into the military, I don't think that kind of education will survive now in a society witnessing the fourth industrial revolution," he said. Referring to the culture ministry, Yoon discussed the importance of K-contents not only as its own industry but as a tool to enhance Korea's image. "This is something that has an intuitive impact on all other industries, including infrastructure and arms, by improving the Republic of Korea's image," he said. "So it's important to not only export K-contents, but from now on, I expect the contents industry to become the most important area in strengthening our capabilities and increasing our export power." (Yonhap) Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Moscows armed forces to observe a 36-hour ceasefire in Ukraine this weekend for the Russian Orthodox Christmas holiday, the first such sweeping truce move in the nearly 11-month-old war. Mr Putin did not appear to make his ceasefire order conditional on a Ukrainian agreement to follow suit, and it was not clear whether hostilities would actually halt on the 1,100-kilometre (684-mile) front line. Ukrainian officials have previously dismissed Russian peace moves as playing for time to regroup their forces and prepare for additional attacks. At various points during the war that started on February 24, Mr Putin has ordered limited and local truces to allow evacuations of civilians or other humanitarian purposes. Thursdays order was the first time Mr Putin directed his troops to observe a ceasefire throughout Ukraine. Based on the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the combat areas, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and give them the opportunity to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on the Day of the Nativity of Christ, according to Mr Putins order, addressed to defence minister Sergei Shoigu and published on the Kremlins website. Mr Putin acted at the suggestion of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, who proposed a truce from noon on Friday through to midnight on Saturday local time. The Russian Orthodox Church, which uses the ancient Julian calendar, celebrates Christmas on January 7 later than the Gregorian calendar although some Christians in Ukraine also mark the holiday on that date. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Patriarch Kirills call as a cynical trap and an element of propaganda. President Volodymyr Zelensky had proposed a Russian troop withdrawal earlier, before December 25, but Russia rejected it. Patriarch Kirill has previously justified the war as part of Russias metaphysical struggle to prevent a liberal ideological encroachment from the West. Mr Putin spoke by phone with Turkeys president on Thursday and the Kremlin said he reaffirmed Russias openness to a serious dialogue with Ukrainian authorities. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Mr Putin to implement a unilateral ceasefire, according to a statement from the Turkish presidents office. Mr Erdogan also told Mr Zelensky later by telephone that Turkey was ready to mediate a lasting peace. He has made such an offer frequently. It has already helped broker a deal allowing Ukraine to export millions of tons of grain, and it has facilitated a prisoner swap. Russias professed readiness came with the usual preconditions: that Kyiv authorities fulfil the well-known and repeatedly stated demands and recognise new territorial realities, the Kremlin said, referring to Moscows insistence that Ukraine recognise Crimea as part of Russia and acknowledge other illegal territorial gains. Previous attempts at peace talks have fallen at that hurdle, as Ukraine demands that Russia withdraws from occupied areas at the very least. Elsewhere, the head of Nato said he detected no change in Moscows stance on Ukraine, insisting that the Kremlin wants a Europe where they can control a neighbouring country. We have no indications that President Putin has changed his plans, his goals for Ukraine, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said in Oslo. Ukraines western allies have renewed a vow to keep supporting Kyiv for as long as it takes to defeat Russia. In the latest pledge of military help, the French Defence Ministry said it plans talks soon with its Ukrainian counterpart on delivering armoured combat vehicles. Frances presidency says it will be the first time this type of western-made wheeled tank destroyer is sent to Ukraines military. Also, US President Joe Biden said Bradley Fighting Vehicles, a medium armoured combat vehicle that can serve as a troop carrier, could be sent to Ukraine. The fighting in Ukraine has increasingly become a war of attrition in recent weeks, as winter sets in. Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office, said on Thursday at least five civilians were killed and eight wounded across the country by Russian shelling in the previous 24 hours. The ongoing intense battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut has left 60% of the city in ruins, Donetsk governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said. Ukrainian defenders were holding the Russians back, but the Kremlins forces have pummelled the city with months of relentless shelling. Taking the city in the Donbas region, an expansive industrial area bordering Russia, would not only give Mr Putin a major battlefield gain after months of setbacks, but it would also rupture Ukraines supply lines and open the way for Moscows forces to press on towards key Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk. An incident where cow dung was thrown at two Galway TDs represents a chipping away at democracy in Ireland, one of the TDs involved has said. Minister of State for Disability and Galway TD Anne Rabbitte and Fine Gael TD Ciaran Cannon were attending a public meeting on Wednesday evening about local opposition to permission being granted to build a biogas plant. A man who spoke at the meeting then threw excrement at the two politicians, in an incident which has been roundly condemned by politicians. So an idiot goes to the bother of putting excrement (human or animal, yet unknown) into two bags and throws one at me and one at Anne. All part of the job you might say, but I can understand why fewer people want this job. #politics https://t.co/3XS9EvL98y Ciaran Cannon (@ciarancannon) January 4, 2023 An Garda Siochana confirmed they were investigating all the circumstances relating to the incident. Mr Cannon, a former minister, said the attack was unprecedented in how premeditated it had been, with items prepared to throw at public representatives. There was one gentleman at the very beginning of the meeting took it upon himself to launch into a tirade, essentially accusing minister Anne Rabbitte and I of being culpable in granting this planning permission, he told RTE Radios News At One. And then proceeded to take two bags of what I now know was cow dung out from his pocket, walked over to me, threw one at me, then as he returned to his place in the room, threw the other at minister Anne Rabbitte. And then he left the meeting, and then returned shortly thereafter to stand in quite close proximity to minister Rabbitte for the remainder of the meeting. Those attending were stunned into silence, Mr Cannon said. He added that the incident had given him cause for concern for the whole profession of politics. There is no other profession be it teaching, carpentry, accounting or engineering, whatever whereby the very fact that you chose a career or profession in politics, that somehow this becomes the norm and this becomes acceptable within society as a whole, he said. While last night wasnt a particularly serious incident, it is part of a cumulative chipping away at our democracy at, I would argue, a very precious part of Irish democracy, whereby our public representatives, our ministers, our Taoiseach, our Tanaiste, can move safely and freely about our towns and our villages, and I think thats under threat. Mr Cannon said that while the meeting had continued following the interruption, many people had approached Ms Rabbitte after the meeting to share their concern and solidarity with her. Mr Cannon also said there was a level of toxicity and aggression towards politicians on social media which could spread. So it almost legitimises that the gentleman felt last night he would do nothing unusual or indeed unacceptable in making his feelings known in that nature, he added. Ms Rabbitte said the incident had left her fearing for her safety. She told Galway Bay FM: The legs were taken right from under me as far as I was concerned and I actually had dry mouth. I could not put words together at that point. I tweeted as I felt I had to ventilate my anger at what was unfolding personally to me and how I felt. I didnt feel good about it. She said she had worried for her personal safety as she left the room on Wednesday night. Emma Browne is the first contestant to be fired by Lord Sugar in the new series of The Apprentice. The senior account executive found herself on the losing team after the candidates jetted off to the Caribbean following the lifting of all Covid-19 restrictions. In the first episode of the 17th series of the BBC reality show, 18 candidates were tasked with creating and selling excursions to tourists in Antigua as they were split into two groups men and women. Browne, from County Kildare in the Republic of Ireland, said she had an outstanding and profitable business idea and did not think she could have done anything differently, after she was sent home in a taxi. She added: I got the most sales. I was accurate in saying the beach wasnt a good location. I brought a lot of energy to the girls team, which I think was seen as well and highlighted. I am a very positive person, and I remained positive throughout. Browne also said there were clashes on the show but no hard feelings. She added: Im not going to be a sore loser. I put myself forward and someone had to go. Im not painful about it. I spent so much time doing a business plan that I probably wouldnt have spent as much time doing if it wasnt for The Apprentice. Asked who she most admired out of the advisers on the show, Browne said Lord Sugar even though he fired me. She added: If he had been there during the task, his opinion could have been completely different, but I suppose that hes made his decision from other peoples judgments. The remaining candidates are fighting to win a life-changing investment of 250,000 from Lord Sugar. Browne said she would like to see Dani Donovan, the owner of a hair salon in Hertfordshire, or Megan Hornby, the owner of a sweet shop and cafe from East Yorkshire, take home the prize. They were very nice girls who I got on with really well, she said. But not just because we got on well I think, from what Ive seen, they would be deserving. Browne said she hopes to have her business up and running by next year and is looking for investment. The Apprentice airs Thursdays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. By Michael Bergmann "Ex-president Lee Myung-bak returns home from the hospital after a special presidential pardon." With this news, Korea marked the turn of the year. Hospitals and prisons may have some common characteristics, including the involvement of medical or legal experts in determining the date of release. There are, however, significant differences, not least of which, are the circumstances of premature departures. In the case of prisons, conditional freedom, "further home treatment" so to speak, is often granted when, for example, some 10 years of a 17-year sentence have passed, if the convict shows good prospects for social reintegration and if, especially, additional monetary fines have been fully paid. Very rarely, prisoners are set free after a retrial has been granted, which found them innocent or even more exceptionally, at the mercy of a head of state. In the case of hospitals, inmates might be strongly advised to follow medical schedules, but they remain formally free to leave the institution's full-time care at a time of their choosing. Impatient patients may be warned of the risks, but certainly don't have to wait for a presidential pardon. The recommendation, in contrast, to safely complete the recovery in a private home or, alternatively, in a public prison should always come from a doctor. It should be noted, additionally, that the public facility has even certain advantages for further supervision, including medical care. Or do I simply misunderstand the logic of Korean politics as well as the authority of "independent" judicial decisions? Ex-presidents are almost expected to be put on trial when the opposite party takes over, to be sentenced to decades in prison after long legal battles, to then quickly fall seriously ill, and then, to finally be pardoned soon after their own camp returns to power. The saga then usually ends with the former leader's visible recovery, including a standardized "apology," typical of Korean politicians, expressing "regret for causing public concern." It even seems to me that this tragicomedy needs to be perpetually replayed in order not to lose its "inevitability." When "all are corrupt" and no verdict can be trusted, all relative moral distinctions become meaningless. Is this why, according to media reports, a staggering 90 prosecutors are currently looking into the political and private life of the recently retired president Moon Jae-in? Could Lee not have been found "fit for discharge" at least a certain grace period before or after the anticipated pardon? He could then either have returned home from prison, grateful for the clemency, or celebrate twice separately according to the different nature of the respective "release." No one expects perfect honesty in this world, but a little courtesy could still make the embarrassment more bearable for all involved. Michael Bergmann (bergmann2473@yahoo.de) is a teacher in Seoul. Latin America is China's biggest import market for beef The largest beef import market for China is Latin America, with the volume of imports rising quickly, meeting a growing demand from Chinese consumers, Xinhua News reported. The first half of 2022 saw a 26% increase in China's beef imports from Uruguay, according to Uruguay's commerce ministry. Since 2015, China has received more than half of Uruguay's annual beef exports. The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor's opening is credited for the rapid expansion of Latin American beef exports to China. The trade and logistics corridor launched in 2017 was jointly constructed by western Chinese provinces and ASEAN nations. It is one of the major initiatives included in China's Belt and Road Initiative. The trade corridor, with Chongqing as its operational hub and other western provinces as important nodes, speeds up the flow of goods into and out of western China using a variety of transportation means, including waterways, railroads, and highways. Along with other goods from Belt and Road partner nations, the presence of foreign food products such as beef from Latin America in China's western cities has increased as a result of the trade corridor. Zhang Xinhao, manager of Chongqing Jinshangxu International Trade, one of the biggest importers of Latin American beef in China, said the biggest growth in consumer demand for Latin American beef is in China's western regions. Some of the company's beef products are shipped to China's western regions via the new trade route, which is supported by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Zhang said the corridor has cut the logistics time for Latin American beef to reach western China by more than 20 days, saving each container about CNY 15,000 (~US$2,154; CNY 1 = US$0.15). Since the beginning of 2022, the expansion of the corridor has been accelerated, providing more effective trade routes for China's inland cities and provinces like Chongqing, Gansu, and Hunan, despite obstacles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic headwinds. Data from the Coordination Center for Logistics and Operation of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor showed that the number of new logistics routes launched in 2022 was 78, the highest in the past five years. The volume of goods transported through Chongqing on the corridor increased by 29% from a year earlier to 105,000 TEUs, and the value increased by 46% to CNY 19.1 billion (~US$2.7 billion) in the first three quarters of 2022. China's General Administration of Customs said during the same time period, China's trade with nations along the Belt and Road reached CNY 10.04 trillion (~US$1.4 trillion), an increase of 20.7 percent from the previous year. Imports increased in value by 20% to CNY 4.34 trillion (~US$631 billion). Zhang said his business will continue to expand the market in western China and supply customers with more premium beef from Latin America. He said that the ongoing improvement of domestic epidemic prevention and control measures has given him more confidence about the future. - Xinhua News By Mark Peterson I'll leave the political forecasts to others, but I want to focus on social issues. Let's look at social trends and predict where things might go in 2023. And good riddance to 2022, a really awful year the third year of the COVID pandemic. Maybe I need to admit that this view of 2022 is highly subjective the fact that it is perhaps the final year of the pandemic is a positive thing if, indeed, it turns out to be the final year of the pandemic. There is hope, at this point, that 2023 will be a better year. So let's look ahead to 2023. This is not going to be hard to do the trends in Korea society are very clear. Some of these trends are easily judged as good developments, but others are clearly problematic. On the positive side first, there is obvious progress on the gender front. Some may disagree, but I see the advancement of women continuing apace in the new year. We see families are preferring daughters at the birth of a child now, in contrast to the traditional "son preference." We see the trend in taking civil service and foreign service exams 70 percent of those successful in taking the foreign service exam are women. Women continue to find success in medicine, education and now law and diplomacy. I think these trends are part of a positive movement in Korea that can be seen as moving away from "patrilineality" a concept much clearer in Korean than in English. The term "bu-gye-sa hoe" conveys clearly a society dominated by males, particularly the male lines of ascent and descent in the extended family. The English term "patriarchy" is often misused but it conveys a similar meaning. Most Koreans these days agree that society has left the male-dominated aspects of society behind that we are in a new era where women are not to be treated as lesser in any way. Most agree that the "bu-gye" society is in the rear-view mirror. Daughters are preferred over sons. The household registers can now be headed up by a woman. Women are asserting equal rights in many areas of society. In this regard, to this point, I am a "voice in the wilderness" crying that the whole approach to family will become radically changed. Changed from one of recognizing the male relatives as "chin" (intimate and real), and the female relatives as "oe" (outsiders, alien). I think Korean society will dismantle the structures of the patrilineal family and reconstruct family relationships with equal intimacy for the mother's line as well as the father's line. No longer will it be imperative to go to the "keunjip" ("big house" that of the patrilineal eldest son) for ceremonies. In fact, we are already seeing the ceremonies diminishing in importance and elaborateness. This will continue, and mother's lines mother's ancestors will gradually become more recognized and more important. The physical representation of the family, the jokbo, once the list of all the male relatives, will gradually be replaced by bilateral reckoning of kinship, and Korea will look at all relatives, male and female, with equal importance. Korea did this once up until the end of the 17th century when the "family tree" looked like a family tree, literally, with branches for all ascending lines, male and female. Korea called it the "pal gojo-do" a chart of the eight great-great-grandfathers. In other words, exactly like a pedigree chart commonly used in America and Europe. Korea will continue to lay blame, improperly in my view, at the feet of Confucianism, as they criticize the male-dominated practices of the past. They will continue to lessen their performance of ancestor ceremonies, and they will criticize things seen as "Confucian" including many good things, such as the role of the "seonbi" (scholar) in Korea historically. Criticizing Confucianism for all the things wrong with Korea is a trend that will continue in spite of the fact that Confucianism for over a thousand years flourished in Korea within a balanced, non-patrilineal society. It has only been the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries where Korean Confucianism became Chinese-style Confucianism and Korea lost its balance. On the negative side, the "anti-family" elements in Korea will continue to grow. Chief among these is the two-pronged problem of (1) not marrying, and (2) not having children. I was concerned, greatly, for Korean society, in the late 1990s when Korea lost its balance in the rampant practice of selective abortions of females. But Korean society found its way to quit the practice for very practical reasons shortages of brides and mothers. And Korea even swung away from "son preference" that had been so dominant a feature of Korean society, to actually preferring to have a daughter. Now, will Korea find its way again? And start to marry and reproduce at a reasonable rate? I hope so. But I don't see it happening soon. I'll write about this again next year and see if we have made any progress. Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is a professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah. Requisition meeting about promenade kiosk By Emma Draper - Local Democracy Reporter A requisition meeting about the changes to the promenade public shelter is being held this evening. The meeting has been called by Stephen Carter, Captain of the Paris of Lonan after 12 people requested it. It follows a dispute between the owners of the Laxey Beach Cafe, situated inside the public shelter, and the commissioners. Its being held at the Laxey Working Mens Institute on New Road at 7pm but doors will open at 6.30pm. An LG Display employee presents the company's OLED TV panels made in various sizes ranging from 97 to 27 inches at its booth during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Las Vegas, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul By Baek Byung-yeul LAS VEGAS LG Display unveiled its third-generation OLED TV panel that is brighter with a wider viewing angle and consumes less energy than its predecessor, the display maker said during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Wednesday. The company said its third-generation product has dramatically improved its brightness by 60 percent and viewing angle by 30 percent compared to the previous one by applying what it calls Meta Technology. The company elaborated that Meta Technology improves energy efficiency by about 22 percent by combining ultra-fine lenses that maximize light emissions of organic materials and luminance enhancement algorithms. Compared to the previous generation, the third-generation OLED TV panel significantly increases the maximum brightness from 1,300 nits to 2,100 nits. A nit is a unit measuring the brightness of a surface or object. Lenovo turns to 'AI' to optimize its 2023 gaming laptops Marketing gimmicks are alive and well in the new year. Lenovo believes artificial intelligence will help differentiate its 2023 gaming laptops. Four new models at CES 2023 include the Lenovo LA AI chip, which the company says can dynamically adjust frame rates, increase the maximum heat threshold and boost overall performance. Additionally, its launching new gaming desktops across different price points. The LA AI chip is in the new Legion Pro 7, 7i, 5 and 5i (the i suffix denotes Intel variants) gaming laptops. Lenovo's AI Engine+ software uses the chip to deploy a machine learning algorithm to tune system performance optimally. The company says FPS monitoring, higher thermal design power (TDP) and other tweaks boost performance and efficiency over previous generations. Although until we get some hands-on time, its unclear how big of a significant difference that will make. The Intel-powered Legion Pro 7i is the highest-end model, starting at $2,000. (Its AMD equivalent, the Legion Pro 7, wont be available in North America.) The maxed-out versions of the 7i run on the latest 13th Gen Intel Core processors with NVIDIAs GeForce RTX Next-Gen series Laptop GPUs. The notebook has a 16-inch QHD (2,560 x 1,600) display with a 240Hz refresh rate. NVIDIA versions use Lenovos ColdFront 5.0 thermal management system, including an extra-wide vapor chamber covering the processor and graphics card. (Lower-tier models use a dedicated CPU vapor chamber with hybrid heat piping instead.) Lenovo says the more advanced cooling system leads to zero throttling while totaling 235W of thermal design power. Additionally, a tricked-out version uses a 99.99Whr battery, the largest allowed on flights, that also supports quick charging. Lenovo The Legion Pro 5 and 5i are slightly cheaper, starting at $1,460 for the AMD version (with a Risen 7000 Series CPU) and $1,480 for Intel (13th-gen Intel Core). Lenovo pitches this tier as equally suitable for gaming or work, and the machines include the new AI chip and ColdFront 5.0 system. The Pro 5 series also maxes out with the latest NVIDIA laptop cards for graphics, and its display is a 16-inch WQXGA panel with up to a 240Hz refresh rate. Subscribe to the Engadget Deals Newsletter Great deals on consumer electronics delivered straight to your inbox, curated by Engadgets editorial team. See latest Subscribe Please enter a valid email address Please select a newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy. Lenovo also updated its gaming desktops. The Legion Tower 7i is the highest-end model, starting at $2,480. The PC uses 13th-gen Intel processors, NVIDIA graphics and up to 64GB of 5600Mhz DDR5 RAM in the top-shelf versions. The company offers plenty of cooling options for the premium machine, including a bigger VRM heatsink, up to six ARGB fans and a liquid cooling system (adding up to a 260W TDP). The Tower 7i comes in configurations of up to 6TB storage (three 2TB SSDs) and 1,200W PSU. Meanwhile, the Tower 5i ($1,200) and Tower 5 ($1,300) are the companys less expensive desktop machines. The i variant runs 13th-gen Intel Core chips and next-gen NVIDIA graphics, while the standard Pro 5 sticks with an AMD Risen 7000 series processor and either NVIDIA or Radeon RX 7000 graphics. Both machines ship with up to 32GB 5600Mhz DDR5 RAM and up to two 1TB SSDs. Lenovos new gaming hardware is scheduled to ship around springtime. The Legion Pro 7i laptop kicks things off in March, with the Pro 5i/5 laptops and Tower 7i and 5i desktops following in April. Finally, the Tower 5 desktop will launch slightly later in May. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing. After 30 years of ThinkPads, Lenovo decided it's time for a ThinkPhone It's targeting IT departments for the security-focused handset. Believe it or not, ThinkPad business-oriented laptops have been around for 30 years, and Lenovo is celebrating by adding a new mobile companion: the ThinkPhone. Designed for IT pros to pair seamlessly with ThinkPad PCs, the handset launches in the coming months. Accentuating its IT-related security features, the phone has a discrete processor core for isolating sensitive data like PINs, passwords and crypto keys. It supports Lenovos ThinkShield security suite, another business-focused carryover from the PC world, and Moto Secure, a hub for security and privacy features. Additionally, IT admins can use tools like Moto OEMConfig or Moto Device Manager to customize lock screen settings, network alerts or pin layout scrambling. The ThinkPhones specs are no slouch, running Android 13 with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 system-on-chip. It has a 6.6-inch pOLED display with 2400 x 1080 resolution (394 ppi). The 5G phone also supports WiFi 6E and lasts an estimated 36 hours per charge. It has a 50MP Ultra Pixel camera and offers storage tiers in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB (and 8GB or 12GB of RAM). Its IP68-rated, meaning it can withstand five feet of submersion for 30 minutes. Lenovo On the phones side is a customizable button that the company suggests programming to launch business apps or trigger PC/mobile syncing features. In a partnership with Microsoft, Lenovo is also working on adding push-to-talk for Microsoft Teams through the side button. The two partners also collaborated to ship the phone with Microsoft 365, Outlook and Teams apps preinstalled. Subscribe to the Engadget Deals Newsletter Great deals on consumer electronics delivered straight to your inbox, curated by Engadgets editorial team. See latest Subscribe Please enter a valid email address Please select a newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy. The phones build is military standard (MIL-STD 810H) certified using a lightweight aramid fiber thats stronger than steel and aircraft-grade aluminum. Its front panel is Gorilla Glass Victus. Lenovo hasnt announced pricing for the handset, which will be available in the US, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia and select countries across Asia. Instead, it points IT departments to contact their local customer representatives ahead of its launch in early 2023. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing. New York State sues former Celsius CEO over alleged cryptocurrency fraud Alex Mashinsky is accused of cheating people out of 'billions of dollars.' Crypto lender Celsius Network is still facing the consequences of its tumultuous 2022 long after it declared bankruptcy. New York State Attorney General Letitia James has sued former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky for allegedly defrauding investors out of "billions of dollars" in cryptocurrency. The executive purportedly misled customers about Celsius' worsening financial health, and didn't register either as a salesperson or as a commodities and securities dealer. The Attorney General's office claims Mashinsky falsely boasted of low-risk investments and reliable lending partners while "routinely" exposing investors to high-risk approaches that resulted in losses the company chief hid from customers. He also made untrue statements about safety, strategies and user numbers, according to the lawsuit. Celsius' ex-chief supposedly deceived hundreds of thousands of investors (over 26,000 in the state), some of which James says suffered "financial ruin." New York hopes to ban Mashinsky from doing business in the state. It also wants him to pay damages and otherwise compensate investors. In a statement to Engadget, Celsius would only reiterate that Mashinsky resigned as CEO in September and is "no longer involved" in managing the firm. Celsius is one of the more prominent casualties of last year's crypto crash. Its token's value plunged from $7 in 2021 to just $3 last spring. That was particularly damaging to a company that offered loans with little collateral and promised yields as high as 18.6 percent it didn't have the resources needed to endure the crisis. It tried freezing withdrawals last June to stabilize its assets, but opted for bankruptcy the following month to restructure and otherwise give it a better chance to regroup. Subscribe to the Engadget Deals Newsletter Great deals on consumer electronics delivered straight to your inbox, curated by Engadgets editorial team. See latest Subscribe Please enter a valid email address Please select a newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy. The lawsuit isn't likely to be the end of the fallout. Several states are investigating Celsius' practices, and the Securities and Exchange Commission has been in touch. Celsius isn't alone in dealing with legal repercussions. Just this week, the crypto exchange Coinbase reached a $100 million settlement with New York over alleged financial rule violations. However, it's notable that the state is going after Mashinsky directly, not just the business he once ran. Last year, Apple introduced Emergency SOS, which allows the iPhone 14 to connect to satellites to send emergency texts. Now, Qualcomm has unveiled its own satellite messaging features for Android phones. Its called Snapdragon Satellite, and it will allow devices equipped with the companys X70 modems to connect to satellites in order to send messages when no cellular signal is available. The feature, which is expected to be available on phones beginning in the second half of 2023, is the result of a partnership with longtime satellite phone maker Iridium. Thanks to the partnership, Android phones equipped with the X70 modem and Qualcomms SOC will be able to connect to Iridium's satellite network for off-grid texting in both emergency and non-emergency situations. As with much of Qualcomms tech, exactly how these features will look and feel will largely be determined by the individual phone makers. Device makers will have considerable flexibility in terms of how they implement satellite messaging, particularly for person-to-person texts. But while we dont know exactly how it will look when it launches, Qualcomm offered an early look at the technology at CES, which provided a pretty good idea of what to expect in terms of functionality. Karissa Bell / Engadget As with Apples Emergency SOS, youll need to be outside with a clear view of the sky in order to use satellite messaging. When enabled, an on-screen message will offer guidance for where to point your device in order to connect to a satellite. Subscribe to the Engadget Deals Newsletter Great deals on consumer electronics delivered straight to your inbox, curated by Engadgets editorial team. See latest Subscribe Please enter a valid email address Please select a newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy. The demo we saw wasnt exactly an off-grid location. The desert campground about 30 minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip may have looked the part, but it had full 5G service during our visit. However, Qualcomm reps demonstrated the process for connecting to satellites and it only took a few seconds to move the phone into position. And they claimed connecting in a true off-grid environment should be nearly as seamless. Once connected to a satellite, the demo devices were able to send text messages to a preset whitelist of contacts. Qualcomm says that feature will remain in place to ensure spam texts won't clog up the satellite networks. However, the company noted that OEMs could make the messaging feel more like a traditional messaging app than the demo interface we previewed. There are a few other limitations compared with standard messaging apps. Satellite messages are limited to 140 bytes or about 160 characters, making them more like an old-school SMS than what youd expect with modern apps. And you cant send photos or videos via satellite. Karissa Bell / Engadget Its also worth noting that unlike Apples Emergency SOS, Qualcomm intends Snapdragon Satellite to be used for non-emergency messaging as well. That could make the Android version a little more useful as you could use satellite messaging to stay in touch with family and friends in areas where youd normally be out of reach. However, there will likely be additional charges associated with non-emergency texts so youll probably still want to moderate your usage of the feature. (Qualcomm declined to speculate on how much these messages might cost, but it seems safe to assume these messages will be costlier than a typical SMS.) Snapdragon Satellite only allows for emergency texts, not calls. For truly urgent situations, the company has partnered with Garmin, which makes a satellite-based emergency communication device of its own called inReach. That means emergency texts will be routed to the same team that handles SOS calls from inReach devices. That's a slightly different approach than Apple, which in some cases will place calls to first responders on behalf of the person who sent the emergency message. Unfortunately, we didnt get a lot of specifics about when well see phones with Snapdragon Satellite hit shelves, or how many devices could have these capabilities. For now, Samsung says it expects to see satellite-ready phones from multiple OEMs starting in the second half of 2023. At the same time, that doesnt mean the features are guaranteed for all Android phones with an X70 modem and Qualcomm SOC. According to Qualcomm, thats because X70-equipped phones launching before the second half of the year dont have all the necessary hardware to support Snapdragon Satellite connectivity. But, now that we know the hardware requirements, in the coming months we should begin to get a better idea of which devices will have the satellite messaging capabilities. Update: This has been updated to clarify that Apple's Emergency SOS feature only enables messaging with emergency services. Sony's Project Leonardo is a controller kit to help people with disabilities play PS5 Project Leonardo is an accessibility-focused system with no release date. Sony is building a better PlayStation 5 controller with Project Leonardo, a kit that promises to make games easier to play for people with limited motor control. In initial images, Project Leonardo is a set of circular gamepads lined with buttons and directional input methods, all of it customizable. Sony says the system will work "out of the box" with the PS5, allowing players to craft their ideal gamepad by mapping buttons, swapping out hardware bits and creating distinct profiles. Project Leonardo can be used on its own or paired with DualSense controllers up to two Leonardos and one DualSense can be read as one gamepad by the PS5. This grants players flexibility and also allows other people to help control games. Sony The hardware includes four 3.5mm AUX ports to accommodate a variety of existing accessibility accessories and switches. The controller itself lies flat on a table or can be mounted on a tripod; it doesn't need to be held. Sony partnered with a handful of organizations, including AbleGamers, SpecialEffect and Stack Up, while designing Project Leonardo. With Project Leonardo, Sony is taking clear cues from Microsoft, which has been a leader in accessibility tech, particularly in the gaming space. Microsoft released the Xbox Adaptive Controller in 2018 and it had many of the same selling points as Sony's new endeavor, but in a longer and flatter package. Microsoft has a new laboratory focused on building inclusive hardware and a five-year plan to improve the technology landscape for people with disabilities. Subscribe to the Engadget Deals Newsletter Great deals on consumer electronics delivered straight to your inbox, curated by Engadgets editorial team. See latest Subscribe Please enter a valid email address Please select a newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy. One of the major draws of the Xbox Adaptive Controller is its price, which was also designed to be accessible: $100. There's no word on how much Project Leonardo will cost; there's also no release window. On the PlayStation Blog, Sony designer So Morimoto described Project Leondardo as follows: "Our team tested over a dozen designs with accessibility experts, looking for approaches that would help address key challenges to effective controller use. We finally settled on a split controller design that allows near free-form left/right thumbstick repositionability, can be used without needing to be held, and features very flexible button and stick cap swapping." There was more positive news for the PS5 out of Sony's CES press conference today PlayStation head Jim Ryan declared an official end to the PS5 shortage, saying, "Everyone who wants a PS5 should have a much easier time finding one at retailers globally starting from this point forward." That should is doing a lot of heavy lifting, of course. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing. The Morning After: A wireless 55-inch OLED TV that sticks to the wall It has an active vacuum to keep it in place. One of the fun things about CES is a completely different approach to established tech norms. Displaces 55-inch OLED TV not only runs on batteries and has a pop-out camera but also attaches itself with a vacuum seal to most walls and windows. There are even handles on the frame. Is this the end of wall mounts? Probably not. It apparently keeps itself in place through multiple vacuum loops on the back. When the display detects a surface, the vacuums kick in, sucking the device to the surface of your choice. Displace TV can also do without a power cord because it doesn't do much image processing onboard. It's basically streaming media from a base station that performs the rendering. So no wires and no ports on the OLED TV itself. There are more quirks. You could watch roughly six hours of content before swapping out batteries, and theres no remote, so youll have to suffer the erratic method of hand gestures which I don't think anyone truly likes. At $3,000, though, the Displace TV is predictably pricey. Only 100 units are available for pre-order at the moment, and the company said shipping starts in December. And if you get four of them, apparently you can put them together to create a 110-inch 8K TV. Mat Smith Subscribe to the Engadget Deals Newsletter Great deals on consumer electronics delivered straight to your inbox, curated by Engadgets editorial team. See latest Subscribe Please enter a valid email address Please select a newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy. The Morning After isnt just a newsletter its also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here. The biggest stories you might have missed The Vision-S 02 is now the Afeela. In March 2022, Honda and Sony announced they were teaming up to build a battery-electric SUV. By June, the project was its own company. Less than a year after being announced, Sony Honda Mobility took to the CES 2023 stage to officially unveil its first prototype, the Afeela. Sony executives shared a few details about the upcoming vehicle: It has 14 exterior cameras 45 in total and a grille-mounted Media Bar to display vehicle information. Expect more details when the show floor opens later today and we get to take a closer look. Continue reading. The Roku TV Select and Premium Series lines range from 24 to 75 inches. At CES 2023, the streaming device company announced it'll build its own smart TVs for the first time. When the Roku TV program debuted in 2014, the company was cramming its streaming software into TVs built by partners like TCL and Hisense. The TVs will range from $119 to $999, so dont expect OLED panels or insane brightness levels. Roku also announced an OLED Roku TV reference design for its TV partners. So, theres not going to be any shortage of options if you want a TV with Rokus streaming capabilities. Continue reading. Too light to be classified as SUVs and too expensive to qualify as cars. Certain variants of Tesla's Model Y may not qualify for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit based on the IRS's latest guidelines, in a situation Elon Musk called "messed up." It looks as though the five-seat Long Range version of the hatchback is too expensive as a car and not considered an SUV, so it falls outside the current guidelines. Only the seven-seat variants of the Model Y qualify as SUVs in the category up to $80,000, while the five-seat vehicles (Long Range, AWD and Performance) should be in the $55,000 section. However, all the five-seaters exceed that price, so they don't qualify. Continue reading. PornHub is already on it. A new Louisiana state law went into effect on January 1st, requiring websites containing "a substantial portion" of "material harmful to minors" to ask users to prove they're 18 or older. "Substantial portion," according to the new law, is more than 33.3 percent of a website's content. Websites that host adult content have to implement "reasonable age verification methods," including asking users to present a government-issued ID or a digitized form of it. Major sites including PornHub, YouPorn and RedTube ask visitors to prove their age by using their LA Wallet app, which is the state's digital wallet app for drivers licenses. Continue reading. The new model won't cost more than the current version. Engadget A new version of Embers heated travel mug, dubbed the Travel Mug 2+, is on the way, with an upgrade that makes it appear in Apple's Find My app. The Travel Mug 2+ also has a speaker, so if you lose it, you can make it play a sound as you would for lost AirPods. Ember's current model, the Travel Mug 2, with a 12-ounce capacity, is available for $199.95 and keeps beverages hot for up to three hours. The company says this upgraded version will stay at this price and eventually replace the Travel Mug 2. Continue reading. Powerful laptops are incoming. AMD is confronting Intel's powerful HX laptop CPUs head-on and, once again, they're called "HX." That wont be confusing. The company's new Ryzen 9 7945HX processor is its premium mobile offering, with 16 cores and 32 threads, as well as speeds between 2.5GHz and 5.4GHz. The Ryzen HX CPUs will run at 55 watts and above (also like Intel's), meaning they'll focus more on raw power than battery life. AMD claims the 7945HX is 78 percent faster than the previous top-end Ryzen chip in Cinebench's multithreaded benchmark, and 18 percent faster in the single-threaded test. Compared to Intel's 12900HX, its high-end chip from last year, the 7945HX is 169 percent faster in Handbrake encoding and 75 percent faster with Blender rendering. Continue reading. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing. HD Hyundai President Chung Ki-sun, center, poses with Palantir Technologies Chief Operating Officer Shyam Sankar, left, and GE Renewable Energy's Offshore Wind CEO Jan Kjaersgaard at Mandalay Bay South Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, after a press conference for CES 2023, Wednesday (local time). Joint Press Corps By Park Jae-hyuk LAS VEGAS HD Hyundai is set to join hands with the world's leading companies at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas again this year, so as to continue upgrading its businesses of building autonomous ships and producing green energy, the company's president said Wednesday (local time). "We've established a big data platform for the shipbuilding business with Palantir and pushed ahead with setting up a joint venture with the U.S. firm, as a result of our efforts to seek partnerships with various global companies at last year's CES," HD Hyundai President Chung Ki-sun told Korean reporters the day before the grand opening of the world's most influential tech show to be held in Las Vegas from Thursday to Sunday. "We will take a close look at the global tech trends this year and seek cooperation with the world's best companies," he said, indicating his company's particular interest in artificial intelligence, robotics and eco-friendly technologies. This is the second time for the HD Hyundai heir to take part in the world's most influential tech show, following his attendance at the event last year. The grandson of late Hyundai founder Chung Ju-yung also said his company will show the direction it intends to go for humanity's sustainable future, through its participation in this year's event. HD Hyundai President Chung Ki-sun speaks during a press conference for Korean media covering CES 2023 at Mandalay Bay South Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, Wednesday (local time). Courtesy of HD Hyundai He made the remarks just after the nation's largest shipbuilding group announced its "Ocean Transformation" vision, during a press conference for the global media covering this year's CES. HD Hyundai vowed at the press conference fundamentally to reframe its perspective and approach on ocean utilization with a focus on sustainability. "We must find 'new frontiers' of our own, new domains for the continued growth of humanity," Chung said in his opening remarks for the press conference. "For the current generations, we believe that there remains plenty of uncharted areas on this planet in fact, 70 percent of it. Our oceans will be the new, blue frontier of our generation, those vast seas of untapped opportunities which present a whole new world of potential for our future." The HD Hyundai president emphasized that the new vision contains a wholly new approach of interacting with the ocean, which embodies its goal of being a "future builder" an initiative it announced at last year's CES. He added that HD Hyundai will lead the efforts to transform the ocean into a renewable energy source, by using its shipbuilding, oil refining and machinery manufacturing units to produce eco-friendly energies and transport them safely. Experts from HD Hyundai's subsidiaries also announced the four key visions and goals for the Ocean Transformation vision Ocean Mobility, OceanWise, Ocean Life and Ocean Energy. Kim Sung-joon, chief technology officer of Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) Advanced Research Center, came up with the idea of eco-friendly, next-generation digital ships as an answer to ocean sustainability. Hyundai Global Service managers Shim Ji-ae and John Baeck introduced HD Hyundai's marine data solution using artificial intelligence and big data technologies. Avikus Vice President Carl Johansson shared the blueprints for a safer and freer sea enabled by self-navigating technologies. Kim Yoo-ri, senior researcher of KSOE Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Lab, unveiled the vision for an ocean energy ecosystem envisaged by HD Hyundai. Palantir Technologies Chief Operating Officer Shyam Sankar and GE Renewable Energy's Offshore Wind CEO Jan Kjaersgaard also participated in the press conference as speakers to affirm their commitment to supporting HD Hyundai's efforts to tap the oceans' potential. The digital media and marketing is increasingly ruling the roost. A recent report TheCMOSurvey says that marketers currently spend 17 per cent of their marketing budget on social media and this is predicted to increase to 20.3 per cent within a year, and 26.4 per cent in five years. A number of experts in the industry too are batting for a synergy between creative and digital marketing methods and believe it is the key to growing brands now. The majority say that it isnt a single digital or creative solution that makes for a great marketing campaign but an integration between them that works. However, with a dozen of technology solutions available in the market Generative AI, Augmented Reality and many more the question now is how do you stand apart and keep a balance between creativity and technology? Integration between social media & creative world According to Hareesh Tibrewala, Joint CEO of Mirum India, I dont think creative and digital sit on the opposite side of the spectrum. Creative is building a compelling story around the brand that addresses either a consumer aspiration or a pain point. Digital is a channel that is used to communicate this story to the audience. Sharing an example of a media campaign that has successfully integrated both the solutions, Tibrewala says: AMFI is a brilliant example of a great advertising campaign (Mutual Fund Sahi Hai), which has helped to create category confidence with a potential investor. And using a series of focused digital videos and blogs, this narrative has been bought to life, to address very specific investor queries and concerns. This is a great example of an umbrella narrative being bought to life by digital. As for Karan Anand, SVP Strategy, Interactive Avenues, influencer marketing and social media have helped in balancing the creative and digital marketing world. Social media platforms, influencer marketing, and emerging technologies have significantly impacted the balance between creative and digital marketing techniques. These elements have provided new and innovative ways for brands to reach their target audience and convey their brand story. In order to leverage these elements, brands need to keep up with the ever-evolving digital landscape. Anand further says that emerging technologies such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the metaverse can be used by brands to create immersive virtual experiences. For instance, Patron Spirits created a virtual pop-up event in the metaverse for a summer campaign that allowed users to visit three pop-up events dedicated to the brands three summer cocktails. This strategy not only helped to promote the brand, but also created a memorable experience for customers. Partnering with influencers is another way to leverage social media platforms for innovative advertising experiences, Anand added. Influencer marketing has proven to be effective in driving brand awareness and sales, particularly when working with influencers that align with the brand's values and target audience, he said illustrating with an example: Dunkin Donuts partnered with Charli DAmelio, the #1 most followed TikTok creator, for a long-term sponsorship to promote their products through TikTok content. Creative use of data Viren Razdan, Managing director at Brand-nomics, explains how marketers can take data and use it in creative marketing campaigns. Data-driven insights are a goldmine to tap into behavioral patterns that could trigger conversations and conversions. The challenge is to weave the brand-idea down to these digital bites of engagement. Take Coca-Cola, an idea while at an overall platform could be about happiness, moments and occasions build the timing of fun moments with friends or food, simplistically put. So, a fintech brand can have an overarching philosophy to put the wind in your sails but closer to conversions the conversations have to be about real-time needs and simplicity. The insights begin to take sharper tones and pitch. Neeraj Bassi, Chief Growth Officer, Cheil India, says data alone cant bring the ROI but it needs a creative insight for it to become a powerful tool for advertisers. Today, we have access to a number of data points across the customer journey, including post purchase interaction. And we use tools to do deep analysis of these data points to generate insights the story behind the numbers. It has been my belief across the 25+ years that I have been in the industry, that it is not the data per se, but the story behind the data that leads to great communication. Data can tell us that more women are coming to test drive a certain brand of car, but unless we understand why they are and use it in an interesting way to weave a connect with that audience, that data is just good to know information. In sum, data is a great resource to cull insights, not just for campaign development, but also to optimize elements in the campaign. What we need to focus on is creative layering on top of the data to convert insights into engaging stories, which we will then tell in the most engaging way on platforms that are relevant to contemporary consumers. Striking the balance Karan Anand tells us what brands can do to create an impact through the balance between digital and creative ways of marketing. To create engaging and memorable advertising campaigns, brands need to integrate storytelling, creative content, and data-driven insights in a balanced way. However, there is no set formula to achieve this balance. The most important ingredient for brands is simplicity. Brands often end up with a complex approach, using all the data, tech, and creativity. To overcome this challenge, brands should break down complex structures and simplify the execution for consumers. Brands need to make the most powerful personalized experiences for consumers while keeping it simple. Sharing another example, Razdan says: Once in a while comes a CRED and breaks clutter with its disruptive creativity and ammo on air, creating a buzz about the brandand then? An idea must work like an umbrella opening up with multiple tech-points as seek one-on-one relevance. Digital mediums help trigger activating the idea, bring sharper nuances into connecting with our audiences. Take the example of a food brand - it would have multiple consumer segments with their respective triggers of consumption and media habits. Influencers would work at one level while the other aspects would demand attention in their own right. We have to acknowledge the rise of individualism in consumption and the power of interactivity. The drivers of demand have altered remarkably and an idea must have the power to traverse across mediums fluidly, Razdan asserted. https://vimeo.com/732175641 New York officials are being urged by a top doctors' organization to address burnout among physicians amid broader health care shortages across the state. The push from the Medical Society of the State of New York comes as hospitals and health care networks have been strained by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as well as the additional challenges this winter of a rise in flu and RSV cases around the state. Remainder of the article https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/ny-state-of-politics/2023/01/03/doctors--group-urges-new-york-officials-to-address-burnout #suicideprevention #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #depression #anxiety #mentalhealthmatters #suicide #suicideawarness Farmers will receive higher rates of payments through the government's new Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMS), it has been confirmed. More money will be paid out to encourage farmers to sign up to the post-Brexit system of support, the government announced today following rumours of an overhaul. Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), Farming Minister Mark Spencer said there would be more money for the Countryside Stewardship (CS) and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). He explained that the increase in payments would provide more support to the industry and drive uptake at a time of rising costs for farmers. The Defra minister also confirmed an expanded range of actions under the schemes, which farmers could be paid for, to be published soon. The new changes mean farmers could receive up to a further 1,000 per year for taking nature-friendly action through the SFI. This new 'management payment' will be made for the first 50 hectares of farm (20/ha) in an SFI agreement, to cover the administrative costs of participation and to attract smaller businesses. And farmers with a CS agreement will see an average increase of 10% to their revenue payment rates covering activity such as habitat management. Defra is also updating capital payment rates, which cover one-off projects such as hedgerow creation, with an average increase of 48%. Meanwhile, capital and annual maintenance payments for the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) and Tree Health Pilot (THP) will also be updated this year, Mr Spencer confirmed. My challenge to our great industry is simple - this year, take another look at the Environmental Land Management schemes and think about what options and grants will help support your farm," he said at the OFC. "We are increasing payment rates to ensure farmers are not out of pocket for doing the right thing by the environment. By increasing the investment in these schemes, I want farmers to see this stacks up for business whatever the size of your holding. Responding to the announcement, the NFU said that while some of the changes were welcome, it risked being 'too little too late' as farmers needed more clarity on ELMS and available options. The union warned this was happening against the backdrop of current economic challenges and the rapid erosion of direct payments. NFU vice president, David Exwood said: It is hugely frustrating that nearly five years on from Defras Health and Harmony consultation, which set farming in England on a path towards public goods for public payments, we still only have three standards available for the SFI. "Its a sad reflection of the schemes progress and development that NFU members know more about what they will lose in direct payments than what they will gain from taking part in these new schemes." Mr Exwood said in order for the ELMS to be a success, it needed to provide more certainty to farmers, as well as to fairy reward businesses taking part. "This means schemes that are inclusive and available to every farm business - whether upland or lowland, tenant or owner-occupied - with a range of practical and profitable options available through a foundation SFI standard to ensure the high uptake needed so these schemes have the desired impact. "Ministers must also demonstrate transparently how direct payments have been redirected to the ELM programme." The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) added that while the government was 'listening to the concerns of farmers', things were 'moving too slowly'. "We have had many promises of improvements in the future," said Mark Tufnell, the group's president. "What we desperately need are details of payment rates and standards for 2023, particularly for the Sustainable Farming Incentive. "We believe governments policy on ELMS to be potentially world-leading, but we need a world-leading government operation to underpin it." Jonathan Armitage, head of farming at Strutt & Parker said: It seems unlikely that a 10% increase in CSS management payments or the extra 1,000 on offer through the SFI will deliver a step change in uptake given the costs of delivery. The increases in capital payment rates under CSS are more significant, which may encourage more standalone capital grant applications. The hedgerow creation payment, for example, has almost doubled from 11.60 per metre to 22.97 per metre. We also note that Defra has again decided not to increase payment rates for Environmental Stewardship agreements, which seems unfair to those stuck in old ELS/HLS agreements. A GB register of feed materials will be published, providing the industry with an online platform for the notification of new feed materials. It follows consultation with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the major trade associations representing the UK feed industry. Within the EU this legal requirement is achieved by registering all feed materials onto the EU feed register, creating a single point of reference for all feed materials that are not listed in the EU Catalogue of feed materials. Following Brexit, this register was not recognised within UK legislation and the feed industry associations have chosen to develop the country's own register. The industry has now established a working group tasked with reviewing the content of the GB register with a view to publishing the it in early 2023. James McCulloch, head of feed at AIC, said it was a significant step forward in ensuring the industry complied with the legal requirement to notify new feed materials to industry representatives. This will benefit those UK businesses wishing to place new feed materials on the market in GB (NI still follows EU regulations) and those feed manufacturers who might be looking for new materials to use. "We are grateful for the significant co-operation shown by all associations in reaching this agreement," Mr McCulloch said. The GB register will consist of the English language entries that were listed on the EU Register of Feed Materials as at 1 January 2021. It will not be published immediately as industry partners and regulators have agreed that the contents should be reviewed prior to publication. Applications are now open for young sheep farmers with an interest in agricultural policy to join a visit to parliament next month. The National Sheep Association's (NSA) opportunity will allow a group of up to 12 young farmers to go behind the scenes to learn more about agricultural policy. It includes a visit to both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as a meeting with major dignitaries and Defra representatives. The trip will provide a chance for young farmers to pose questions to the people in power on key issues affecting the next generation. The visit will take place on 7 to 8 February, and will include an overnight stay in London, as well as a visit and talk with Marks and Spencers agricultural buying team. NSA policy manager, Emma Bradbury, said the event was an opportunity for sheep producers to understand how agricultural laws are formed and passed. "NSA Next Generation is very encouraging of younger people in the industry becoming involved in work to help form agricultural policy," she said. "We hope to attract young sheep farmers to join us for this inspiring trip. It really is a great opportunity to view behind the scenes of where the decisions affecting them happen. The trip has been arranged through sponsorship of the visit to Westminster by NSA President Lord Inglewood, who is an active member of the House of Lords. Applications are now open for farmers aged 18 to 35, with NSA members and non-members invited to join. The competition will close on 26 January and successful applicants will be contacted on 30 January. Optimized COVID response speeds up recovery of China's industrial economy Xinhua) 14:44, January 05, 2023 BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- With production lines humming and machines running in full swing, factories across China have resumed busy operations after the country's latest optimization of COVID-19 response and a series of measures to accelerate production resumption. To better coordinate anti-virus efforts and economic development, China has been optimizing its COVID-19 response policies dynamically. On Dec. 7, 2022, China adjusted its virus prevention and control policies with 10 new measures, shifting the policy focus from infection prevention to severe cases prevention. In its latest move, the country announced it will downgrade the management of COVID-19 from Class A to Class B starting from Jan. 8 this year. Targeted and efficient policy adjustments have pressed the fast-forward button for the resumption of industrial production, with factories nationwide racing against the clock to make up for COVID-induced disruptions. SUFFICIENT MEDICAL SUPPLIES Facing rising demand for key medicines and medical supplies, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and relevant departments have established emergency collaboration mechanisms with local authorities and rolled out medicine-specific plans to help pharmaceutical enterprises expand their capacity. "Relevant companies and key supporting firms have all been incorporated on a 'white list' to get support and achieve cooperation in production factors," said Zhou Jian, an official with the ministry. In a production base of Buchang Pharmaceuticals, a company based in east China's Shandong Province that makes three types of COVID-related medicines, eight production lines are operating around the clock to make tablets. To help enterprises run at full capacity, local authorities across the country have rolled out a slew of measures to boost the output of medical supplies, including ensuring the supply of raw materials and energy, establishing new production lines and smoothening logistics. Hubei Biocause Heilen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a pharmaceutical company based in central China's Hubei Province, said all its production lines for ibuprofen, a fever and pain reliever, have reached the maximum possible output, with the daily output of raw material for ibuprofen hitting 10 to 13 tonnes. As China strives to expand its anti-COVID medical supply, the country's daily production capacity of ibuprofen and paracetamol has exceeded 200 million tablets, with the daily output reaching 190 million tablets. The daily output of the two medicines had increased by more than four times in late December compared with early December, Wang Jiangping, vice minister of the ministry, said at a press conference last week. The daily production capacity of COVID-19 antigen test kits had expanded from about 60 million in early December to some 110 million, and that of finger-clip pulse oximeters has more than doubled since early December, reaching over 250,000 units in late December. On Tuesday, a State Council executive meeting underscored that supplies of medical and anti-epidemic goods should be scaled up with all efforts possible, urging efforts to address difficulties in the supply of raw and auxiliary materials, labor and funds to ensure uninterrupted production and supply of businesses. ACCELERATED PRODUCTION To restore bustling activities in factories, local governments have rolled out various measures to support industrial production. For instance, Beijing established a "white list" for personnel at key posts of enterprises to ensure their timely attendance at work. Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality introduced 16 measures to boost financial support for key industries, including encouraging banks and financial institutions to increase credit loan issuance for enterprises to support their full-capacity production. Northwest China's Gansu Province is also on the move to get rid of supply-chain bottlenecks in order to help enterprises resume operations at full capacity. Gong Hongquan, manager of a chemical enterprise in Gansu, said positive changes have taken place in the company's operation since the release of the 10 new measures in December. "The efficiency of logistics has enhanced, and marked improvements were seen in the company's production and sales," he said. Surging logistics and transportation demand also mirror the rapid recovery of China's industrial sector. Data from the on-demand delivery service provider Lalamove, also known as Huolala, showed that from Dec. 7 to 25, orders for freight transportation in two of Beijing's wholesale markets surged 50 percent and 21 percent, respectively, compared with the same period last month. Over the past year, the country's industrial sector has continued to serve as the "ballast stone" of its economy. In the first 11 months of 2022, the total output of major industrial enterprises rose 3.8 percent, with that of high-tech manufacturing climbing 8 percent from a year ago. Despite the current difficulties with operations, China's industrial economy's advantages of a complete industrial system and strong domestic demand are still prominent, Jin Zhuanglong, minister of the MIIT, said in an interview with Xinhua. He said the optimized COVID-19 response, combined with existing and incremental policies, will boost market confidence, with the vitality of market entities, consumption potential, and the driving force of industrial upgrading effectively released. "We have the confidence, conditions and capability to promote a stable recovery of the industrial economy," Jin said. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman and CEO Han Jong-hee speaks at a press conference in Las Vegas on Jan. 4, one day before the official opening of CES 2023. Samsung Electronics on Wednesday brought attention to its efforts to make connected and sustainable homes a future way of life. During a press conference held a day before the official opening of the annual CES in Las Vegas, the Korean tech giant shared its vision to create a future where all home gadgets are connected and seamlessly communicate with each other to make people's lives easier and more convenient. "We recognize our vision is a big one," Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman and CEO Han Jong-hee said at the event. "It's about solving real challenges today and understanding consumers' future needs and aspirations," he said. Connecting each and every home appliance is not an easy task as electronic devices should support the technologies for connectivity and compatibility after all. Acknowledging the difficulties, Han said: "It will take time, innovation and cooperation with partners worldwide. But we are committed to achieving it and already getting started." Samsung has been serious in the realization of the vision over the past few years: It has gradually improved its SmartThings platform and been working with other companies to endorse the new smart home standard Matter. At the event, Samsung announced the launch of the smart home hub SmartThings Station, the first Samsung product with a built-in feature to support Matter. Samsung said the hub offers "simple, interoperable and dependable ways to connect a more significant number of devices" and "quick setup and compatibility with a range of smart home products including Matter devices." And the hub will help save energy and reduce climate impact, with features powered by artificial intelligence, such as SmartThings Energy and the AI Energy Mode, it said. "Having a smarter home shouldn't be complicated or expensive. So we wanted to create the SmartThings Station as a simple, reliable and expandable smart home hub," said Jung Jae-yeon, executive vice president and head of the SmartThings, Device Platform Center at Samsung Electronics. "The number of devices in a connected home continues to grow, especially in light of the recent Matter standard launch. We're proud to play a role in making it easier to embrace this exciting technology," Jung said. As part of the efforts to realize its smart home vision sooner, Samsung has been pushing to make all of its home appliances Wi-Fi enabled and allow home devices from 13 different brands that belong to the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA) to be connected and controlled by the end of this year. Samsung is a founding member of HCA, alongside domestic rival LG Electronics, GE Appliances and the Electrolux Group. The alliance was established in 2021 with the mission of providing consumers with more options within a safe, secure and interoperable connected home ecosystem. Samsung said it plans to launch the SmartThings Station in the United States next month. (Yonhap) Chinese company SSH (BD) Sustainable Fashion Co Ltd is going to invest $24.05 million to set up a high-end garments factory in the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority Economic Zone (BEPZA EZ). BEPZA inked the deal with the company at BEPZA Complex, Dhaka on January 4, 2023. Including SSH (BD), BEPZA has signed agreements with a total 16 enterprises to establish industries in BEPZA EZ for an investment of $387.7 million. The company will produce annually 36 million pieces of different types of high-end garments including jackets, blazers, coats, suits, pants, trousers, jeans, shirts, shorts, long cargo pants, underwear, jerseys, T-shirts, knit-bottoms, baby bumpers, swimsuits, sheath dresses, hoodies, uniforms, etc. The project is expected to provide employment opportunities for 2,062 Bangladeshi nationals. Moreover, SSH (BD) has more than 11 factories in other countriesMyanmar, Cambodia, and China. Chinese company SSH (BD) Sustainable Fashion Co Ltd will be investing $24.05 million to build a high-end garments factory in BEPZA EZ. BEPZA inked the deal with the company at BEPZA Complex, Dhaka on January 4, 2023. Including SSH (BD), BEPZA has signed agreements with a total 16 enterprises to establish industries for an investment of $387.7 million. Ali Reza Mazid, member (investment promotion) of BEPZA and Sun Ge, managing director of SSH (BD) Sustainable Fashion Co Ltd signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB) Cambodia exported goods worth $5.671 billion to members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in the first eleven months last yeara year on year (YoY) rise of 5 per cent, according to data from the ministry of commerce. The countrys export to members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) amounted to $2,921 milliona YoY increase of 10 per cent. The countrys top three export RCEP destinations were China, Vietnam and Japan with shipped products worth $1,109 million, $1,894 million and $1,069 million respectively. China ranks top among the sources for imported goods with a total of $9,470 million, followed by Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore with $3,617 million, $3,542 million and $3,169 million respectively, Cambodian media outlets reported. Cambodia exported goods worth $5.671 billion to members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in the first eleven months last yeara year-on-year (YoY) rise of 5 per cent, ministry of commerce data showed. The country's export to members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations amounted to $2,921 milliona YoY increase of 10 per cent. The country expects to see export growth between 9.4 per cent and 18 per cent, which will contribute to the national economic growth between 2 per cent and 3.8 per cent, the commerce ministry said. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) China has released its first five-year plan to modernise the countrys logistics sector through 2025, according to the general office of the state council. The plan highlights the need to promote the digital transformation of the logistics sector, improve the quality and efficiency of services, and enhance the competitiveness of businesses. According to the five-year plan, China will promote the use of green packaging materials, prioritise the development of cold chain logistics, and further reduce energy use and emissions in the logistics sector. China has released its first five-year plan to modernise the country's logistics sector through 2025, according to the general office of the state council. The plan highlights the need to promote the digital transformation of the logistics sector, improve the quality and efficiency of services, and enhance the competitiveness of businesses. Other key measures in the plan include improving modern logistics systems by taking steps such as accelerating the digital and smart upgrading of the transportation, delivery, storage, and packaging sectors and strengthening weak links in rural areas and cold chain logistics. China, which has the world's largest logistics sector, leads all countries in terms of cargo transport volume and number of shipments. The total revenue of the logistics sector reached 12 trillion yuan ($1.74 trillion) in 2021, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Chinas logistics sector is facing challenges, including disparities between eastern and western regions and urban and rural areas in terms of infrastructure and services offered, as well as a relatively small number of logistics businesses that compete globally, Zhang Jiangbo, deputy head of the department of trade at the NDRC, said during a press conference last week. Another key area of the plan is to lower the cost of logistics services in general by means such as implementing tax and fee cuts and resolving gridlocks troubling the sector. The significance of the sector's role in stabilising the national job market is also emphasised in the plan, as over 50 million people are now employed in logistics-related industries, Zhang added. Zhang also emphasised that the government will strengthen support for the rise of new business models in the sector and encourage job creation. Also, more steps will be taken to protect the legitimate interests of workers. The five-year plan also highlights the need to ramp up the development of international logistics networks, including improving the organisation of China-Europe freight train services, moving forward with the development of overseas warehousing and encouraging major logistics providers to improve their global service networks. According to the plans document, China will work towards achieving better alignment in standards for quarantine, certification, inspection, and customs clearance with other countries in order to boost international logistics services. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP) Despite economic uncertainty, giving via corporate programs grew in 2022 compared to 2021 CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 04, 2023, the leading provider of global corporate purpose software, announced a record $122.2 million was donated through its platform on Giving Tuesday 2022, on the 10th anniversary of this day of giving. Giving increased 9% year over year, setting a record for the highest amount of single day donations on its platform. "We saw double the number of Giving Tuesday campaigns run by our clients on Benevity's platform this year compared with last year, showing that companies continue to embrace their role as catalysts of social impact and engagement, despite the current economic landscape," said Kelly Schmitt, Benevity's CEO. "These tremendous results reveal the impact individuals and businesses around the world can have when we come together to address the social issues facing society and build awareness of how we can collectively help solve them. We're very proud to be a small part of enabling this goodness at scale." This year, 564 companies took part in Giving Tuesday campaigns through Benevity's platform, an increase of 13% year over year. And even though the average donation per user dropped by 10% compared to last year-likely a result of the looming recession-there was a 22% increase in the number of people participating, with 139,000 individuals supporting over 50,000 nonprofits in 107 countries. In addition, over 194,000 volunteer hours were logged-an increase of 18% over 2021. Overall, 428,000 Acts of Goodness were tracked through the Benevity platform on Giving Tuesday, including donations, volunteer hours, positive social and environmental actions and grants. "Even with employees, businesses and nonprofits feeling the pinch this year, this global day of goodness provided an outlet for businesses and their employees to create deeper connections with their companies, colleagues and communities through a shared focus on positive impact," said Sona Khosla, Benevity's Chief Impact Officer. "While 2020 and its ripple effects fade into the rearview mirror, this year's Giving Tuesday reminded us that our essential goodness still eclipses our divisions, and of the powerful role business can play in sparking collective action." To learn more about Benevity and its approach to corporate purpose and employee engagement, please visit benevity.com. About Benevity? Benevity , a certified B Corporation, is the leader in global corporate purpose software, providing the only integrated suite of community investment and employee, customer and nonprofit engagement solutions. Recognized as one of Fortune's Impact 20, Benevity offers cloud solutions that power purpose for many iconic brands in ways that better attract, retain and engage today's diverse workforce, embed social action into their customer experiences and positively impact their communities. With software that is available in 22 languages, Benevity has processed more than $10 billion in donations and 46 million hours of volunteering time to support 326,000 nonprofits worldwide. The company's solutions have also facilitated 770,000 positive actions and awarded 1.2 million grants worth $12 billion. For more information, visit benevity.com . MEDIA CONTACT Maggie Crouch Walker Sands, for Benevity benevity-pr@walkersands.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e8a8c0c7-15f4-4d19-9ef7-3e61e663e308 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 4, 2023 / Glenn Family Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to improve life outcomes for children, youth, and families in the Mississippi Delta by erasing health inequities, recently hosted its 8th annual I-HEAL Community Wellness Day. The event provides community members with healthy food, an opportunity to learn skills such as hands-only CPR, and flu shots and health screenings at no cost. Quest Diagnostics, as part of the Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) initiative, provided no-cost Blueprint for Wellness testing to approximately 80 local community members during the event. This comprehensive health screening is designed to empower people with the knowledge they need to take more control of their health, providing a clinical set of laboratory tests and measurements that are completed to highlight personal health strengths and risks. Q4HE's Stacey Ingram participated in the event, assisting event attendees by sharing information about Blueprint for Wellness and helping them access the testing provided onsite. "I was proud to join the Glenn Family Foundation and participate in the I-HEAL Community Wellness Day on behalf of Quest Diagnostics and Quest for Health Equity," said Stacey. "The large number of people that Quest was able to serve during just a few short hours is a testament to the solid reputation and trust that the Glenn Family Foundation has built within their community." Over 700 participants from across the Mississippi Delta region attended this year's event and were given access to fresh fruits and vegetables, flu shots, COVID-19 at-home tests and vaccinations, blood pressure screenings, and other health assessments, along with helpful information on available community resources. Additional funds from Quest also supported the purchase of nutritious food boxes shared with event participants. "We are so grateful to Quest for Health Equity for providing comprehensive wellness panels and a donation to support the purchase of nutritious food boxes for participants at our I-HEAL Community Wellness Day," said Dr. Clyde Glenn, President, Glenn Family Foundation. "We cannot thank Quest enough for making these resources available at no cost to residents in the Mississippi Delta. Several attendees stated that the wellness panels were easy to read and understand. Great collaborators like Quest help activate our mission to improve life outcomes for children, youth, and families in the region" The Glenn Family Foundation has provided meals to over 7,000 food-insecure children during the Foundation's Summer Lunch Meal Program, given over 43,500 pounds of food to needy families, hosted free COVID-19 testing, provided over 3,500 community members with face masks and sanitizer, and provided 600+ flu shots, and facilitated blood pressure checks, cancer screening, and vision and dental assessments for several hundred families and individuals. In 2020, it also launched a trauma-informed intergenerational health literacy initiative, the Integrated Health Empowerment Awareness and Literacy (I-HEAL) program. The program hosts monthly workshops with teachers, parents, and students to inform participants about healthy lifestyle habits, SMART goal setting, and the implementation of positive lifestyle changes. To learn more about the Glenn Family Foundation and its work, visit https://glennfamilyfoundationms.org/. Q4HE's Stacey Ingram (left) provided information and assisted event attendees with access to no-cost Blueprint for Wellness testing at the Glenn Family Foundation's 8th annual I-HEAL Community Wellness Day. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Quest Diagnostics on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Quest Diagnostics Website: http://threeblpro.prod.acquia-sites.com/profiles/quest-diagnostics Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Quest Diagnostics View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734028/Quest-Provides-No-Cost-Testing-During-Community-Wellness-Day-in-Mississippi-Delta-Region NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 4, 2023 / Edison International Energized by Edison By Shulie Tornel ENERGIZED by Edison Writer As the year comes to an end, you may be thinking about a "new year, new you." Southern California Edison encourages you to consider a "new future, new world" by including sustainable New Year's resolutions to help lower your carbon footprint. There are both simple and advanced ways to make the clean energy future a reality. The most practical changes include turning off lights when you leave a room, using power strips to turn off electronic devices, and combining online orders to reduce air pollution from shipping. While these simple actions may seem small, they can help make a difference in rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Residential customers on a Time-of-Use (TOU) rate plan help the environment when they shift their electricity usage to Off-Peak hours (before 4 p.m. and after 9 p.m.). By doing so, they lessen the need to use primarily fossil fuel sources to generate energy during this time. During daytime hours before 4 p.m., cleaner renewable energy is abundant on California's electric grid. California's transportation sector accounts for about 50% of the state's carbon emissions. By switching to an electric vehicle, you help California reach its ambitious goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. SCE helps customers make the switch with a $1,000 rebate for pre-owned EVs - $4,000 for income-qualified customers - and expanded availability of charging stations. You also can significantly reduce your carbon footprint by switching to an electric lawn mower because running a gas-powered lawn mower for just an hour creates the same amount of pollution as driving 300 miles. A clean energy future is attainable when we all work together to achieve it. Make energy efficiency and sustainability a priority by incorporating these tips into your day-to-day life in the new year. For more information on what you can do and SCE's commitment to clean energy, visit edison.com/clean-energy. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Edison International on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Edison International Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/edison-international Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Edison International View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734066/10-Sustainable-New-Years-Resolutions Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong. Korea Times file Internet City, Dubai--(Newsfile Corp. - January 4, 2023) - LBank Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform, will list iTeller (ITLR) on January 5, 2023. For all users of LBank Exchange, the ITLR/USDT trading pair will be officially available for trading at 8:00 UTC on January 5, 2023. ITLR Listing Banner To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8831/150137_485646dca426597c_001full.jpg Aiming to open a new era of finance, iTeller (ITLR) transforms the way people perceive and use the conventional banking system with its innovative and exciting features. Its native token ITLR will be listed on LBank Exchange at 8:00 UTC on January 5, 2023, to further expand its global reach and help it achieve its vision. Introducing iTeller iTeller Pty Ltd is a company established by a group of entrepreneurs and financial experts to transform the entire economic landscape. The team members are in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Dubai, and London, and remotely worldwide. Their sole aim is to revolutionize the banking and financial industry and enable all individuals across the world to enjoy financial independence. Simply speaking, its motto is to allow users to manage and control their money without relying on any intermediary. To achieve its vision, iTeller strives to expedite transaction processing; therefore, people no longer need to wait a while to send and receive their money. Furthermore, its team is putting the best of its efforts into making cryptocurrency easily accessible to the masses. iTeller continues developing its products to provide its users with myriad options to easily remit money to their loved ones living in another country without paying exorbitant fees. With iTeller cryptocurrency, a person can pay in Sydney in the Australian dollar to his friend living in Dubai who can receive the same amount in AED Dirhams in a few minutes. Additionally, in its endeavor to allow a wide range of people to access iTeller token, the team will deploy ATMs all across Australia, London, Dubai, and other regions. Supporting fast and secure transactions, iTeller ATMs will be easier to use compared to traditional bank ATMs. Customers can remit funds to any country with their ATM and can exchange crypto with fiat money in real-time. The iTeller team comprises of former finance manager, experts in private fund management, company founders, lawyers, accountants, tax experts, marketing experts, business development programmers, the team of front-end, back-end, and network architects, well-known network security and cloud practitioner, dedicated team for social network and customer service. Its technical team has years of experience in various fields such as finance, money exchange, and cryptocurrency. In the pursuit of their efforts to make money exchange more accessible than ever before, they've laid down the foundation of iTeller cryptocurrency. iTeller is the epitome of financial independence. With its innovative and exciting features, users can enjoy financial independence and experience the perks of a disrupted traditional banking system. The mission of iTeller is to revolutionize both the banking and financial industry to let its users enjoy the perks of financial freedom. About ITLR Token ITLR Token is a cryptocurrency whose value is derived from the market and is an entirely decentralized open-source digital currency. Users can use ITLR token just like a currency to pay less charge overseas payments. Its state-of-the-art operational structure is audited under a CertiK license. Based on BEP-20, ITLR has a total supply of 10 billion (i.e., 10,000,000,000) tokens. It will be listed on LBank Exchange at 8:00 UTC on January 5, 2023, investors who are interested in the iTeller investment can easily buy and sell ITLR token on LBank Exchange by then. Learn More about ITLR Token: Official Website: https://www.iteller.io Twitter: https://twitter.com/iTeller_au Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iteller.io/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iteller.io/ About LBank LBank is one of the top crypto exchanges, established in 2015. It offers specialized financial derivatives, expert asset management services, and safe crypto trading to its users. The platform holds over 7 million users from more than 210 regions across the world. LBank is a cutting-edge growing platform that ensures the integrity of users' funds and aims to contribute the global adoption of cryptocurrencies. Start Trading Now: lbank.com Community & Social Media: l Telegram l Twitter l Facebook l LinkedIn l Instagram l YouTube Contact Details: LBK Blockchain Co. Limited LBank Exchange marketing@lbank.info business@lbank.info To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/150137 PARIS, France, January 5th, 2023, 08:30 am CET - Pharnext SA (FR001400BV89 - ALPHA) (the "Company"), an advanced late-clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases with high unmet medical need, today announces it is in discussions with the investment research firm Edison to update its research note and the valuation of the Company's assets. As announced on December 28th, 2022[1], the Company considers it has reached a sufficient degree of maturity to develop its assets and commercial potential. This valuation could be done in the context of a capital transaction that could eventually lead to a takeover of the Company. Pharnext currently favors an agreement with a player in the pharmaceutical industry. In this context, Pharnext has undertaken to carry out an independent financial analysis by a recognized investment research firm to determine the intrinsic value and the target share price. Edison Investment Research is familiar with the Company and has been monitoring and analyzing its financial performance since 2020. In its previous publication, dated October 19th, 2022[2], Edison wrote that the "total valuation (of Pharnext) remains largely unchanged at 268.9m"[3]. Hugo Brugiere, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pharnext, commented: "Pharnext is today one of the few independent French biotech companies in P hase III development for a drug candidate that addresses an unmet medical need. I am convinced that this advanced stage represents considerable intrinsic value. I look forward to the outcome of the research note from the Edison team with whom we have engaged in a constructive dialogue. Their latest analysis which values the company at almost 270m already gives an idea of the very strong potential upside compared with the current market cap valuation. " Edison is planning to publish an updated version of the financial analysis note by the end of Q1 2023. Research notes are available on the Pharnext and Edison websites. About Pharnext Pharnext is an advanced clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases that currently lack curative and/or disease-modifying treatments. Pharnext has two lead products in clinical development. PXT3003 completed an international Phase III trial with positive topline results for the treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A ('CMT1A') and benefits from orphan drug status in Europe and the United States. An international pivotal Phase III study of PXT3003 in CMT1A, the PREMIER trial, is currently ongoing. PXT864 has generated encouraging Phase II results in Alzheimer's disease and will be advanced through partnerships. Both of Pharnext's lead assets originated from the Pleotherapy R&D approach. Pharnext draws the attention of investors to the financial and other risk factors detailed in its financial reports. More information can be found at www.pharnext.com. Pharnext is listed on the Euronext Growth Stock Exchange in Paris (ISIN code: FR001400BV89). Contacts Media Relations (International) Consilium Strategic Communications Mary-Jane Elliott Sukaina Virji Alexandra Harrison pharnext@consilium-comms.com Financial Communication (Europe) ACTUS finance & communication Jerome Fabreguettes Leib pharnext@actus.fr +33 (0)1 53 67 36 78 Media Relations (France) Ulysse Communication Bruno Arabian barabian@ulysse-communication.com +33 (0)6 87 88 47 26 +33 (0)1 81 70 96 30 [1] Pharnext strengthens its ties with Neovacs to secure the next steps in its development [2] Funding headroom to support PXT3003 progress [3] Any opinions, assessments or forecasts made by analysts regarding PHARNEXT should not be construed as opinions, projections or forecasts of PHARNEXT or its management, and are the sole responsibility of such analysts. References to research notes listed by PHARNEXT and the information, conclusions or recommendations contained therein do not imply endorsement by PHARNEXT. To obtain copies of these analysis reports, contact the analyst or his/her institution. ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: nGmflpiZkpiamZ5pZsaamZSZbJpommeXbGGbx2VoZpmVa21imGiSbp2bZnBonW5m - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-77890-pharnext_valorisation_edison_en_final.pdf Newly appointed CMO with more than 25 years' experience in vaccine development Fast Track status granted by US Food and Drug Administration Completion of enrolment of its 2nd phase II clinical trial in pregnant women COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MinervaX ApS, a privately held Danish biotechnology company developing a novel vaccine against Group B Streptococcus (GBS), today announces the appointment of Lidia Oostvogels as Chief Medical Officer and provides an update on its novel GBS vaccine. Lidia Oostvogels brings a wealth of experience in vaccine development with more than 25 years' experience in clinical development. Prior to joining MinervaX, she was Senior Vice President, Area Head, Infectious Diseases and Senior Vice President, Clinical Development, for Prophylactic Vaccines CureVac AG. Oostvogels worked for GSK plc for more than 12 years, where she was Director of Vaccine Discovery and Development, Clinical, focused on Influenza and Zoster. Prior to GSK, she spent nine years Boehringer Ingelheim in a clinical development role. She gained her medical doctor qualification from Ghent University in Belgium. Oostvogels' experience will be instrumental as MinervaX progresses its GBS vaccine towards phase III clinical development. MinervaX completed enrolment of its 2nd phase II clinical trial of its novel GBS vaccine in pregnant women across Denmark, the UK and South Africa. The randomized, multicenter trial will evaluate the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of one and two doses of its GBS vaccine at different dosing regimens in healthy pregnant women. Details of MinervaX's clinical trials can be found at clinicaltrials.gov under the identifiers NCT04596878, NCT05154578 and NCT05005247. MinervaX's GBS vaccine has been granted Fast Track regulatory status by the US Food and Drug Administration. The process is designed to facilitate the development of investigational treatments that demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs in serious or life-threatening conditions. Programs with Fast Track designation can benefit from early and frequent communication with the FDA throughout the entire drug development and review process and marketing application. This follows the European Medicines Agency's decision to award Priority Medicine (PRIME) status to the vaccine in September, an initiative that optimizes development and evaluation of medicines targeting an unmet medical need. Per Fischer, Chief Executive Officer of MinervaX, said: "I am delighted to welcome Lidia Oostvogels to the leadership team. Her extensive track record in vaccine development will be invaluable as we continue to make significant progress with our novel GBS vaccine. We are looking forward to an exciting and pivotal year of development milestones in 2023 as we continue to advance our vaccine for the prevention of the large unmet medical need, Group B Streptococcal infections." Lidia Oostvogels, Chief Medical Officer of MinervaX, said: "I am hugely excited to join MinervaX and look forward to contributing to the further development of its GBS vaccine. There is a major need for more options to prevent this disease and I am delighted to be working with the experienced team at MinervaX to bring this important vaccine to populations at risk." About MinervaX MinervaX is a Danish biotechnology company, established in 2010 to develop a prophylactic vaccine against Group B Streptococcus (GBS), based on research from Lund University. MinervaX is developing a GBS vaccine for maternal immunization, likely to have superior characteristics compared with other GBS vaccine candidates in development. The latter are based on traditional capsular polysaccharide (CPS) conjugate technology. By contrast, MinervaX's vaccine is a protein-only vaccine based on fusions of highly immunogenic and protective protein domains from selected surface proteins of GBS (the Alpha-like protein family). Given the broad distribution of proteins contained in the vaccine on GBS strains globally, it is expected that MinervaX's vaccine will confer protection against virtually 100% of all GBS isolates. www.minervax.com About Group B Streptococcus (GBS) GBS is responsible for nearly 50% of all life-threatening infections in newborns. At any given time, some 15-25% of women are spontaneously colonized with GBS, and they run the risk of transmitting the bacteria to their child in the womb, during birth and/or during the first months of life. GBS colonization may lead to late abortions, premature delivery, or stillbirth and, in the newborn child, may result in sepsis, pneumonia or meningitis, all of which carry a significant risk of severe morbidity, long- term disability or death. Currently, the only preventative strategy available involves the use of intravenously delivered prophylactic antibiotics which do not comprehensively prevent GBS infection in utero or protect against late-onset infection in newborns. Not only is this approach expensive and logistically challenging, it fails to cover all, including the most severe cases in the US and Europe, and is rarely available in resource- limited settings. The development of a GBS vaccine is also endorsed by Group B Strep Support and Group B Strep International, and GBS has been prioritized by a number of public health organizations. Both increased uptake of immunization among pregnant women and greater awareness of the implications of GBS suggest that a safe and effective vaccine targeting GBS would be well suited to address this unmet need. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/minervax-appoints-lidia-oostvogels-as-chief-medical-officer-and-provides-clinical-and-regulatory-update-on-its-novel-gbs-vaccine-301713287.html Updated clinical data demonstrates a prolonged and sustained favorable safety profile for roginolisib (IOA-244) Clinical data shows a comparable safety profile in both solid and hematologic malignancies Clinical responses seen in both solid and hematologic malignancies US FDA grants Orphan Drug Designation for IOA-244 in uveal melanoma GENEVA and AMSTERDAM, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- iOnctura, a clinical-stage biotech developing selective cancer therapies against targets that play critical roles in multiple tumor survival pathways, today provides an update on IOA-244, its lead cancer drug, which is in development for solid and hematologic malignancies including uveal melanoma, a rare cancer arising within the uveal tract of the eye. After assessing the novel chemical and biological properties of IOA-244, and the promising signals of clinical activity seen to date in patients with uveal melanoma, the US FDA granted Orphan Drug Status for IOA-244. This grants certain benefits during development and commercialization. Uveal melanoma is a disease in which cancer originates in the tissues of the eye, causing symptoms such as blurred vision or a dark spot on the iris. When the cancer metastases, which it does in approximately 50% of patients, there are limited treatment options and projected overall survival is only a year. A PI3Kd inhibitor, IOA-244 recently received the proposed name roginolisib and is being investigated in the DIONE-01 trial, a two-part, first-in-human Phase I study (ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04328844). Part A of the study investigated the safety and pharmacokinetics of continuous daily dosing of IOA-244 at 10, 20, 40 and 80mg. Part B is an ongoing cohort-expansion of the biologically-effective dose (BED) of 80mg in solid and hematologic malignancies including a recently opened non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cohort. As of December 2022, 38 patients (including 23 with metastatic uveal melanoma and eight patients with follicular lymphoma) have been treated with IOA-244. Across all patients treated to date, roginolisib given at the BED showed less than 5% Grade 3 or Grade 4 toxicities, with these toxicities being transient in nature. There have been no dose-limiting drug reductions or interruptions and long-term (over six months) administration of IOA-244 is well tolerated. Clinical activity, including partial and complete responses, are being seen in patients with both solid and hematologic malignancies. Further details on clinical responses will be released at a future international clinical conference in 2023. Fourteen of 38 patients (including 11 of 23 uveal melanoma patients) are still on treatment, with two patients having been on treatment for more than two years. The one-year OS rate is currently 70%; median OS has not been reached. Catherine Pickering, Chief Executive Officer of iOnctura, said: "We are delighted to provide these positive updates on IOA-244, our lead clinical program. These important new data, taken together with previous findings, show a drug with a game-changing clinical safety and activity profile. These data demonstrate for the first time that a semi-allosteric inhibitor of PI3Kd can be given to patients safely for long durations with no serious adverse events. We are excited to take IOA-244 forwards into a monotherapy registration study in uveal melanoma and to further explore its potential both in lymphoma and solid tumors such as NSCLC." About iOnctura iOnctura is a clinical-stage biotech developing selective cancer therapies against targets that play critical roles in multiple tumor survival pathways such as cellular proliferation; escape from immune detection; and drug resistance. iOnctura's pioneering approach to drug development is expected to offer significant clinical benefits over the traditional approach of targeting a single pathway alone. iOnctura has progressed two therapeutic candidates into mid-stage clinical development: IOA-244, a first-in-class semi-allosteric inhibitor of PI3Kd; and IOA-289, a highly-selective, non-competitive autotaxin (ATX) inhibitor. iOnctura is backed by specialist institutional investors including M Ventures, Inkef Capital, VI Partners, Schroders Capital, and 3B Future Health Fund. iOnctura BV is headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands with its wholly owned Swiss subsidiary, iOnctura SA, located in Geneva, Switzerland. About IOA-244 IOA-244 is a first-in-class semi-allosteric, non-ATP competitive, small molecule PI3Kd inhibitor. Its unique structural and selectivity features drive a unique way of inhibiting PI3Kd which translates into a highly beneficial tolerability and clinical benefit profile. PI3Kd over-expression stimulates multiple cancer mechanisms and has an oncogenic role in many tumor types. IOA-244 has a multi-modal effect on cancer; directly preventing cancer cell proliferation, harnessing an anti-tumor immune response via an effect on regulatory T-cells and cytotoxic T cells and potentiating the effect of immunotherapy. IOA-244 is currently in the cohort expansion phase of the DIONE-01 trial, a two-part, first-in-human dose study evaluating IOA-244 in advanced cancers and as a combination partner for conventional and immune- therapies (NCT04328844). Uveal melanoma Uveal melanoma (UM) is a rare malignancy arising within the uveal tract of the eye. There are approximately 7,000 newly diagnosed cases of uveal melanoma each year (around 2,000 in the United States). Over 50% of patients will progress to metastatic disease. Median overall survival for metastatic patients refractory to immunotherapy, the population included in the DIONE-01 trial, is approximately seven months. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ionctura-provides-development-update-on-first-in-class-semi-allosteric-pi3k-inhibitor-program-301714119.html Press Release Nokia appoints Rolf Werner as its Head of Europe 5 January 2023 Espoo, Finland - Nokia today announced that Rolf Werner has joined the company as the Senior Vice President of its European region, reporting directly to Chief Customer Experience Officer, Ricky Corker. Bringing more than 25 years' business and industry experience, Rolf joins Nokia from Cognizant Technology Solutions, where he was the CEO of Germany, with responsibility for the DACH region. DACH is a top three region for Cognizant Technology, and under his leadership, the company delivered double-digit growth for the region, including the acquisition of ESG Mobility. During his career, Rolf has held senior positions at Fujitsu, Global Logic, and T-Systems, where he led the turnaround of T-Systems' French organization, across the whole organizational framework. Heading Nokia's Europe Region, Rolf will help drive Nokia's already significant growth and market share. In addition, he will deepen Nokia's relationships with key European customers and support the company's growth ambitions into new market segments. Nokia will continue to support Europe's ambitions to be a powerhouse of innovation, globally, and Rolf's team will guide CSPs and Enterprises as they deploy 5G, fiber broadband and private wireless. Ricky Corker, Chief Customer Experience Officer of Nokia, said: "I am thrilled to welcome Rolf to the company. Having a broad experience across the industry, gained in software, service providers and in many other areas, means that Rolf will be able to help guide Nokia's European organization through the next stage of our corporate development." Rolf Werner, Senior Vice President Europe at Nokia, said: "This is an excellent time to join Nokia. It is clear that Nokia has an excellent opportunity to seize the market as one of very few companies that can offer solutions to its customers across the full range of technologies available in the industry." Nokia is supplying 5G and many other technologies across its portfolio to major service providers and leading operators, as well as hyperscalers, enterprises and government organizations throughout Europe. Nokia provides the critical networks that European governments and service providers depend on, relying on the decades of experience and investment that Nokia has across European infrastructure. Nokia has an unrivalled track record of innovation in Europe, including hosting nine Nokia Bell Labs research centers. Bell Labs pioneered many of the fundamental technologies that are being used to develop 5G and fiber broadband standards. About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. As a trusted partner for critical networks, we are committed to innovation and technology leadership across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. We create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs. Adhering to the highest standards of integrity and security, we help build the capabilities needed for a more productive, sustainable and inclusive world. Media Inquiries: Nokia Communications Email: press.services@nokia.com COMMERZBANK AG (London Branch) - Pre Stabilisation - E.ON SE Dual EUR 5yr & Green 12yr Pre-Stabilisation Notice January 05, 2023 Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. E.ON SE EUR Benchmark Fixed Rate Notes due 12 January 2028 EUR Benchmark Green Fixed Rate Notes due 12 January 2035 Launched pursuant to the Issuer's Debt Issuance Programme Commerzbank AG (contact: Ian Turner; telephone: +44-207-7475-1817) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014). The security to be stabilised: Issuer: E.ON SE Guarantor (if any): none Aggregate nominal amount: 5yr: EUR Benchmark 12yr: EUR Green Benchmark Description: 5yr: EUR Benchmark Fixed Rate Notes due 12 January 2028 12yr: EUR Green Benchmark Fixed Rate Notes due 12 January 2035 Offer price: tbc Other offer terms: Debt Issuance Programme, denoms 1k/1k, listing Luxembourg Stock Exchange Stabilisation: Stabilisation Coordinator: Stabilising Managers: Commerzbank AG J.P. Morgan SE Morgan Stanley Europe SE MUFG Securities (Europe) NV Stabilisation period expected to start on: January 05, 2023 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Luxembourg Stock Exchange In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilising Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities during the stabilisation period at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilisation may not necessarily occur and any stabilisation action, if begun, may cease at any time Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. END Sofinnova Partners ("Sofinnova"), a leading European life sciences venture capital firm based in Paris, London, and Milan, announced the appointment of Manohar (Mano) Iyer, a serial entrepreneur with longstanding ties to Sofinnova, as Venture Partner. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005045/en/ Mano Iyer (Photo: Business Wire) Mr. Iyer will investigate global medical device investment opportunities across the Sofinnova Partners platform of strategies, with a particular focus on helping the firm's in-house medtech accelerator, Sofinnova MD Start, incubate world-class companies. Mr. Iyer has more than 25 years of experience in the medical device industry. In 2008, he was a founding member of the original MD Start team that incubated companies including CorWave and LimFlow. He also advised CoreValve, a Sofinnova Capital Strategy portfolio company, which was subsequently purchased by Medtronic for $800 million. Mr. Iyer founded ReCor Medical during his time as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Sofinnova Partners in 2009. ReCor, another Sofinnova Partners investment, which is developing an ultrasound renal denervation system to treat high blood pressure, was successfully sold to Otsuka Medical Devices in 2018. Mr. Iyer left Sofinnova in 2013 to work full-time as the Chief Operating Officer of ReCor. Antoine Papiernik, Chairman and Managing Partner of Sofinnova Partners, said: "We are delighted to have Mano back in the fold at Sofinnova Partners. He is an experienced company builder and a respected figure in the medical device community who has shown an uncanny ability to start successful companies no matter what condition the global economy is in." Anne Osdoit, Partner at Sofinnova Partners, said: "Mano joins us as MD Start is really hitting its stride. Several of our companies are maturing exceptionally well and we have a healthy flow of promising disruptive medtech projects. Mano brings a deep understanding of the sector thanks to his experience and network in the US and Europe. He also knows our medtech acceleration model inside out, having pioneered it with ReCor. We are thrilled to be working with him." Mr. Iyer said: "Sofinnova has realized something truly impressive in developing a first-class medtech ecosystem based out of Europe. The firm is recognized globally as an influential player in the space and I'm excited and proud to be back." Mr. Iyer started his career in medical devices as an engineer at Arrow International. While at Arrow, he met Tim Lenihan. In 2001, he co-founded Contract Medical International (CMI) with Mr. Lenihan, and ran operations and engineering. CMI specialized in the development and custom manufacturing of minimally invasive medical device systems. It was acquired by Heraeus Group in 2020. After earning an MBA from Stanford, he joined Sofinnova Partners thanks to an introduction from Gerard Hascoet, whom he had also met while at Arrow. The trio (Hascoet, Lenihan, Iyer) joined forces with Antoine Papiernik and, with the backing of Sofinnova Partners, founded MD Start to create and incubate innovative medical device companies. Now in its third iteration, MD Start is fully integrated into the Sofinnova platform of strategies. About Sofinnova Partners Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm in life sciences, specializing in healthcare and sustainability. Based in Paris, London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of professionals from all over the world with strong scientific, medical and business expertise. Sofinnova Partners is a hands-on company builder across the entire value chain of life sciences investments, from seed to later-stage. The firm actively partners with ambitious entrepreneurs as a lead or cornerstone investor to develop transformative innovations that have the potential to positively impact our collective future. Founded in 1972, Sofinnova Partners is a deeply established venture capital firm in Europe, with 50 years of experience backing over 500 companies and creating market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over 2.5 billion under management. For more information, please visit: sofinnovapartners.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005045/en/ Contacts: Bommy Lee Head of Communications Sofinnova Partners blee@sofinnovapartners.com +33 (0) 6 47 71 38 11 North America RooneyPartners LLC Kate Barrette kbarrette@rooneypartners.com +1 212 223 0561 France StrategiesImage Anne Rein anne.rein@strategiesimage.com +33 (0) 6 03 35 92 05 FICO event on 8 February will gather industry experts to discuss what must be done across the payments ecosystem to stem losses from fraud scams In 2021, UK losses to authorised push payment (APP) scams reached 583.2 million. This 39 percent year-on-year increase in losses shows how inventive and active scammers can be. FICO is hosting a round table on 8 February 2023 at The Shangri-La in The Shard, London, to discuss what can be done to tackle this threat to financial stability. "When the Covid pandemic pushed an even higher number of transactions online, fraudsters saw an opportunity and reacted," explained Naomi Palmer, senior consultant for fraud at FICO. "The payments industry has already taken great strides in improving detection and prevention tactics, but this is not an area where the sector can take its eye off the ball. The best way to push back at fraudsters is with a considered and collaborative effort everyone in the payments ecosystem must be on the same page." FICO's round table is designed to provide a non-competitive and collaborative forum to share learnings and discuss new strategies. As well as a number of representatives from the financial sector, industry experts will join the discussion, including: Jonathan Williams, Payments Specialist, Payments Systems Regulator Dianne Doodnath, Principal, Remote Payment Channels at UK Finance Gareth Williams, Naomi Palmer and Alex Berriman, Fraud Consulting at FICO "We will all benefit from this gathering of industry leaders, experts and regulators," concluded Palmer. "The opportunity to discuss key issues and develop a plan is an important step in protecting consumers' finances." About FICO FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in nearly 120 countries do everything from protecting 2.6 billion payment cards from fraud, to helping people get credit, to ensuring that millions of airplanes and rental cars are in the right place at the right time. Learn more at https://www.fico.com FICO is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005069/en/ Contacts: FICO PR Team Wendy Harrison/Parm Heer/Matthew Enderby ficoteam@harrisonsadler.com 0208 977 9132 Campfire London will include presentations and panels by industry leaders and a keynote by award-winning author, entrepreneur, and Olympic champion Col. Dame Kelly Holmes. Affinity, the relationship intelligence platform for dealmakers, today announced it will host London's first ever relationship intelligence conference, Campfire London. This event is taking place in the heart of London on February 8, 2023. "Our inaugural Campfire event in California was a huge success, bringing together hundreds of U.S. investors both in-person and virtually," said Shubham Goel, Affinity's co-founder and co-CEO. "We look forward to bringing this event to our European customers and providing them the opportunity to meet with their peers and learn how they are using technology to fuel growth, manage pipelines, and effectively spend their time on relationships that drive deals in 2023." A recent survey revealed that investors are split on what this year will bring in terms of deal volume: 31% expect an increase, 36% expect a decrease, and 33% remain unsure. Affinity's platform data, representing the largest dataset of pre-close dealflow in the world, shows a marked increase in the volume of potential investments being sourced. From November 2021 to November 2022, deal volume increased by more than 69%. One thing is certain, investors remain focused on sourcing new deals with 39% reporting that they plan to spend most of their time on prospecting this year. With 50% of deals still coming from outbound sourcing, investors are working hard to build out their network in new areas and invest in their current networks to ensure they have the right deals in their pipeline. Campfire London will occur at a unique time for the private capital industry, with a historic drop in investments but with indications that investors are ramping up their dealflow for a different model in 2023. The relationship intelligence conference will include presentations and panels by investors and founders, like ABACON Capital, Notion Capital, and Isomer Capital. They will share how dealmakers can use technology to fuel growth, manage pipelines, and focus on what matters as the market continues to shift. The featured guest speaker, Olympic medalist and award-winning author Col. Dame Kelly Holmes, will join the conference for a fireside chat to discuss her career highs and lows, and the importance of having a winner's mindset. "The private capital industry has experienced exponential growth, which we witnessed in European venture over the last 15 years. Maintaining a good grasp of the ecosystem has become more and more challenging," said Thomas Schneider, Partner at Isomer Capital. "We are excited to attend Campfire London and to connect and strategize with other industry leaders as we navigate an increasingly competitive market." Register today to join Affinity's Campfire London in-person or virtually at https://www.affinitycampfire.com/london. About Affinity Affinity is a relationship intelligence platform that empowers dealmakers in relationship-driven industries to find, manage, and close more deals. With the most automated relationship intelligence insights and technology, Affinity enables leaders to drive deals, free themselves from data drudgery, and ensure their teams can take action with confidence, knowing the context and history of every relationship. The Affinity platform, including Affinity CRM, is used by over 2,700 relationship-driven organizations worldwide. Founded in 2014, Affinity is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by leading investors, including Menlo Ventures, Advance Venture Partners, 8VC, and MassMutual Ventures. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005308/en/ Contacts: Cara Proszek cara.proszek@affinity.co Gravitricity, an Edinburgh-based storage specialist, aims to develop the first full-scale demonstration of its underground hydrogen storage solution by working with structural engineering contractor VSL Systems UK.Gravitricity, a Scottish energy storage specialist, has signed a memorandum of understanding with structural engineering contractor VSL Systems UK to develop its first full-scale demonstration project in the United Kingdom for the underground storage of hydrogen. The company told pv magazine that initial use cases for its purpose-built storage systems will include industrial uses and ... Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Patients are treated with intravenous infusion in a community healthcare institution in east China's Shanghai, Jan. 4. Xinhua-Yonhap The World Health Organization criticized China's "very narrow" definition of COVID deaths on Wednesday, warning that official statistics were not showing the true impact of the outbreak. There is growing concern over China's steep rise in COVID infections since Beijing last month abruptly lifted years of hardline restrictions, with hospitals and crematoriums quickly overwhelmed. "We still do not have complete data," WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan told reporters. "We believe that the current numbers being published from China under-represent the true impact of the disease in terms of hospital admissions, in terms of ICU admissions, and particularly in terms of deaths." China has only recorded 22 COVID deaths since December and has dramatically narrowed the criteria for classifying such fatalities meaning that Beijing's own statistics about the unprecedented wave are now widely seen as not reflecting reality. Ryan pointed out that the definition Beijing is using "requires a respiratory failure" associated with a COVID infection for a fatality to be registered as a COVID death. "That is a very narrow definition," he said. Medical personnel wait for passengers coming with an Air China flight from Guangzhou, China, in a COVID-19 testing area set at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci international airport in Fiumicino, after Italy made coronavirus tests mandatory for all airline passengers arriving from China, in this Dec. 29, 2022 file photo. AP-Yonhap Testing travelers 'understandable' EU countries have also echoed the WHO's concern that Chinese data on COVID infections was insufficient. As countries grapple with the best response to the surge in cases, a crisis meeting of European Union experts said Wednesday that EU countries were "strongly encouraged" to demand COVID tests from passengers coming from China. The meeting was held to coordinate a joint EU response to the sudden inflow of visitors as Beijing lifts its "zero-COVID" policy which had largely closed the country off to international travel. The experts also recommended that passengers to and from China wear face masks, that EU countries conduct random tests on arrivals and test wastewater from flights from China, according to a statement issued by the Swedish presidency of the EU. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had earlier told reporters that the organization's officials had held high-level talks in recent weeks with counterparts in China. "We continue to ask China for more rapid, regular, reliable data on hospitalization and deaths, as well as more comprehensive, real-time viral sequencing," Tedros said. He reiterated that the UN health agency understood why some countries were introducing fresh COVID curbs on visitors from China. "With circulation in China so high and comprehensive data not forthcoming... it is understandable that some countries are taking steps they believe will protect their own citizens," he said. The United States which will require negative tests from most travelers from China starting Thursday praised the role of the WHO and said Washington's own precautions were due to the lack of transparency from Beijing. The UN body is "in the best position to make an assessment" due to its contact with Chinese officials, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. A pharmacist gives medicines to a patient's relative in the fever clinic of a community healthcare institution in Jiuting Town of Songjiang District, east China's Shanghai, Jan. 4. Xinhua-Yonhap UPPSALA, Sweden, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- IAR Systems, the world leader in software and services for embedded development, and GigaDevice, a leading supplier of semiconductor devices, jointly announce the extended support of the latest release of IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm 9.32.1 for GigaDevice's GD32 MCU series. This includes the latest released GD32A503 family, GigaDevice's automotive-grade microcontrollers based on the Cortex-M33 core. The GD32A503 MCUs adopt an advanced automotive electronics process technology platform, which follows the design concept and production standards of automotive applications. The microcontroller family meets the high reliability and stability requirements of vehicles and can be widely used in various automotive applications including body control modules, automotive lighting systems, smart cockpit systems, and many other motor or power applications. The GD32A503 devices are also suitable for several advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). The GD32A503 series is in the same line as industrial products in terms of development tools and supporting software, achieving maximum compatibility and reuse, which can effectively save development time and reduce development difficulty. Software developers can realize automotive-grade projects by using the existing rich MCU ecosystem, which will continue to leverage the advantages of Arm technology and promote the popularization in the field of automotive electronics. IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm is a complete development toolchain for GD32 MCU, including a highly optimizing compiler and advanced debugging functions. With the help of code analysis tools C-STAT and C-RUN, developers can find potential problems in the code earlier and improve code quality. IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm is also available in a functional safety version certified by TUV SUD and complies with the requirements of ISO 26262. To meet growing customer demand, the latest version 9.32.1 of IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm also provides developers with Visual Studio Code build and debug extensions which can be downloaded by Visual Studio Code Marketplace. Eric Jin, Product Marketing Director at GigaDevice, said: "We are very pleased to continue strengthening our cooperation with IAR Systems. With a diverse product portfolio and an extensive development ecosystem, GigaDevice's GD32 MCUs are serving industry-leading customers worldwide. This new version of IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm added comprehensive support for the GD32A503 series, enabling automotive software developers to efficiently and easily optimize and debug their code, to create more competitive products and solutions for automotive applications." Kiyo Uemura, Area Vice President APAC of IAR Systems, said: "IAR Systems and GigaDevice have a long history of cooperation and now we are taking a further step forward together in a new direction. The global automotive industry is going through a revolution and the MCU has become a driving factor for the intelligent innovation of automotive electronics. IAR Systems will continue to work with partners to enhance our industrial influence and finally benefits end-users." For more information about GigaDevice's GD32A503 MCU series, please go to www.GD32MCU.com/en. For more information about IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm, please go to www.iar.com/arm. ### Ends Editor's Note: IAR Systems, IAR Embedded Workbench, Embedded Trust, C-Trust, C-SPY, C-RUN, C-STAT, IAR Visual State, I-jet, I-jet Trace, IAR Academy, IAR, and the logotype of IAR Systems are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by IAR Systems AB. All other product names are trademarks of their respective owners. IAR Systems Contacts Rafael Taubinger, Senior Product Marketing Manager, IAR Systems Tel: +4618167800 Email: rafael.taubinger@iar.com The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/386/3693268/1764050.pdf IAR Systems fully supports GigaDevice's automotive-grade MCU_final https://news.cision.com/iar-systems/i/gigadevice-iar-image,c3130736 GigaDevice IAR image View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/iar-systems-fully-support-gigadevices-automotive-grade-mcus-301714332.html BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Estonia's industrial production declined further in November, amid a fall in manufacturing, electricity, and mining output, data from Statistics Estonia showed on Thursday. Industrial production slumped 12.2 percent year-on-year in November. Manufacturing output decreased 13.1 percent annually in November, following a 6.21 percent fall in the prior month. Production in mining and electricity declined by 3.6 percent and 11.1 percent, respectively. 'In November, there was a widespread decline in the volume of industrial production across manufacturing activities,' Helle Bunder, an analyst at Statistics Estonia, said. Among the activities with larger shares, the manufacture of wood decreased the most by 22.4 percent, which contributes a fifth of total manufacturing production, Bunder added. Data showed that export sales in the manufacturing sector remained unchanged annually in November and domestic sales grew 4.0 percent. On a seasonally adjusted basis, industrial production decreased by 3.8 percent monthly in November. Manufacturing output fell 5.1 percent. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. HELSINKI (dpa-AFX) - Finland's trade balance swung to a surplus in November as exports increased faster than imports, preliminary figures from the Finnish Customs showed on Thursday. The trade balance logged a surplus of EUR 420 million in November versus a deficit of EUR 405 million in the same month last year. In October, the trade deficit was EUR 960 million. Exports gained 21.5 percent year-on-year in November and imports grew 8.5 percent. Shipments to the EU countries rose 0.8 percent in November and imports from those nations advanced 9.9 percent. Exports to countries outside the EU surged 49.8 percent in November and imports from those countries rose 6.7 percent. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Altona is a mining exploration company focused on the evaluation, development and extraction of Rare Earth Element (REE) metals in Africa. It owns a REE mining project in Mozambique; the Monte Muambe Project, a significant Light REE mining project in the northwest of the country. Monte Muambe is an ancient sub-volcanic carbonatite intrusion with a 4km diameter, held under Prospecting Licence 7573L by Monte Muambe Mining Lda. The Company is in the process of investigating other REE opportunities in Africa. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. John Tong, HKTDC Toys Advisory Committee Chairman, Sophia Chong, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director and Judy Cheung, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, attended the press conference to share highlights and innovative products. Exhibitors at the Toys & Games Fair displays an AR Animal Revival - Lion toy. By scanning the link on the lion's body, it shows a lion in vivid detail, enabling children to learn about the animal's habits and habitat and capture a photo with the lion by smartphone. The Pandas' Bamboo House from a Hong Kong exhibitor is made of wood and eco-friendly, renewable materials to nurture children's imagination and creativity while raising their awareness about the environment. HONG KONG, Jan 5, 2023 - (ACN Newswire) - The 49th HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, the 14th HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and 21st Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair will return to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 9 to 12 January 2023. The Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair and Hong Kong Baby Products Fair are organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), while the Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair is jointly organised by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd.The pandemic and disruption on cross-border trade flows between Mainland China and Hong Kong has affected Hong Kong's export. However, the resumption of cross-border land transportation between the Mainland and Hong Kong will help strengthen the momentum of Hong Kong's export growth to the Mainland. Although total exports of last year have not been announced, it is expected to fall 6%. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's tight regional supply chain with some Asian markets led to double-digit export growth. In the first 11 months of 2022, Hong Kong's exports to ASEAN grew by 9.9% year-on-year, while they surged 11.6% and 11.2% to Taiwan and Korea, respectively.Looking ahead to 2023, while trade frictions between the US and China persist and the geopolitical situation between Russia and Ukraine remains tense, cross-border land transport between Hong Kong and the Mainland is expected to return to normal in February to March this year. Coupled with exports to the ASEAN markets, the HKTDC forecasts a 5% increase in Hong Kong's total exports in 2023.Sophia Chong, the Deputy Executive Director of HKTDC, said, "With the theme of Play To Bond - Family and Beyond, the three fairs will feature more than 1,000 exhibitors from 17 countries and regions, including diverse group pavilions. The Toys & Games Fair's Mainland China pavilion will showcase over 250 exhibitors. Supported by the Guangdong Province's Department of Commerce's Cantonese Business Go Global, over 120 Guangdong exhibitors will participate in the Fair. In response to the imminent border reopening and resumption of quarantine-free travel between Mainland China and Hong Kong, the HKTDC will welcome over 1,000 Guangdong enterprises representatives."Ms. Chong continued, "The Baby Products Fair will once again have a Korean pavilion, showcasing high-quality Korean baby products. The HKTDC has invited many local and overseas entities to visit the three fairs, including importers, department stores, specialty shops, retail chains and etailers."Innovative products by over 120 international brandsThe Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair and Hong Kong Baby Products Fair will offer a number of themed zones for easy sourcing.The Brand Name Gallery at both fairs will feature unique and innovative products by over 120 internationally renowned brands, including Eastcolight, Hape, KEEPPLEY, Rastar, Welly, Marcus & Marcus and more.The Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair's Kidult World will features products for grown-ups, such as classic comic book character models and Hong Kong Softee Car Building Blocks, while the Smart-Tech Toys zone will showcase toys and games using innovative technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR). Green toys, currently the industry's must-haves, will also be on view.With the support of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and the Hong Kong Children, Babies, Maternity Industries Association, the Hong Kong Baby Products Fair will again feature two pavilions, offering a wide range of baby products to buyers. The popular Korea Pavilion will have on display baby fashion, health and bath products, maternity products and more, while the Strollers and Gear zone will showcase a range of strollers, car seats and bassinets. Other zones include Baby Bedding Items and Furniture as well as Feeding and Nursery Products.Jointly organised by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, the Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair will feature the latest in creative art supplies, gift stationery, and school and office supplies. The organisers continue to cooperate with renowned industry associations in different regions, including the Malaysia Stationery Importers and Exporters Association, the Federation of Stationers and Booksellers Association of Malaysia, the Taiwan Association of Stationery Industries and the Thai Stationeries and Office Supplies Association, to promote the fair to their respective members.A series of exciting events to network and stay informedOne of the flagship events, the Hong Kong Toy Industry Conference 2023, will be held on 10 January. On the theme of The Future of Play, a representative from Euromonitor International will analyse key trends in the toy industry in 2023. Industry experts from Animoca Brands, Medialink Group and Eastcolight will talk about the key to success in brand development while representatives from iClick Interactive, AlipayHK and Toy2R Group will share how e-commerce is shaping the way for the toyindustry. In addition, there will be seminars on smart toys and electronic games, an overview of baby products market trends, the latest toy safety regulations, testing and certification and other topics.The Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair will run under the EXHIBITION+ hybrid model, which comprises four key exhibition elements, including HKTDC-organised physical fairs, HKTDC's smart business-matching platform Click2Match, online-to-offline seminars under the Intelligence Hub and the hktdc.com Sourcing platform.This extends face-to-face interactions from physical exhibitions to an online smart business matching platform to help enterprises connect with business partners proactively. EXHIBITION+ provides round-the-clock services that boost the flexibility and effectiveness of business promotion for SMEs and offer benefits such as extended fair periods, expanded platforms and enhanced opportunities.The HKTDC encourages exhibitors and buyers to make full use of the Click2Match platform, while participating in the physical exhibitions to explore more business opportunities. The Click2Match platform for the three fairs will be accessible until 19 January, which is equivalent to extending the exhibition period by one week.The Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair (10-11 January) and the Asia Financial Forum (11-12 January) will be held concurrently with the three fairs, to kick off the trade sourcing cycle in 2023.Fair Websites- HKTDC Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair: http://hktoyfair.hktdc.com/- HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair: http://hkbabyfair.hktdc.com/- Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair: http://hkstationeryfair.com/- Photo download: https://bit.ly/3Gj6rbDAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn.Media enquiriesHKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:Clayton Lauw, Tel: +852 2584 4472, Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.orgKate Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4239, Email: kate.hy.chan@hktdc.orgAgnes Wat, Tel: +852 2584 4554, Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.orgSource: HKTDCCopyright 2023 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. LONDON, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hexaware Technologies, a global technology consulting and solutions company, today announced the launch of a ServiceNow Experience Center and Innovation Lab at its facility in Noida, India. The new lab was officially inaugurated by Erica Volini, Senior Vice President of Global Alliances & Channel Ecosystem and Partner Go-To-Market Operations at ServiceNow. The center is designed to offer enterprise customers firsthand experience of Hexaware's ServiceNow Solution Suite and provide an environment to demonstrate innovative solutions, drive pilot projects, and access proofs of concepts. With the new ServiceNow Experience Center and Innovation Lab, clients and visitors can explore technology solutions, share knowledge, brainstorm ideas, and strategize plans with our team of ServiceNow thought leaders and transformation experts. Hexaware's ServiceNow team will work with leading enterprises to help them realize the true power of digital transformation by automating and digitizing workflows using the ServiceNow Platform. As an Elite Partner in the ServiceNow Partner Program, Hexaware helps businesses break down siloed processes, unify and consolidate platforms, create seamless experiences, and accelerate innovation at scale in a digital-first world. Hemant Vijh, Executive Vice President at Hexaware said, "With Hexaware's deep technology expertise and ServiceNow's platform capabilities, the center will co-create innovative solutions for clients that enable them to be future ready. We are looking forward to growing the relationship to greater heights." "We would like to congratulate Hexaware's leadership for setting up the new ServiceNow Experience Center and Innovation Lab," said Erica Volini. "This new initiative with Hexaware will allow our joint customers even more exposure to ServiceNow to help with some of their biggest digital transformation needs. We look forward to working with Hexaware on additional endeavors in the future." About Hexaware Hexaware is a global IT, BPS and consulting services company empowering businesses worldwide to realize digital transformation at scale and speed. Learn more about Hexaware at http://www.hexaware.com. Take an immersive 360 virtual tour of our campuses worldwide at https://www.hexawareimmersive.com ServiceNow, the ServiceNow logo, Now, Now Platform, and other ServiceNow marks are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ServiceNow, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/530945/Hexaware.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hexaware-inaugurates-a-servicenow-experience-center-and-innovation-lab-301714203.html Sudbury, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 5, 2023) - Magna Mining Inc. (TSXV: NICU) ("Magna" or the "Company") is pleased to announce additional assays received from the November 2022 drill program at Crean Hill. Drillhole MCR-22-005 was designed to follow up on previously announced high grade nickel mineralization intersected in the 101 Footwall ("FW") Zone in drillhole MCR-22-003 (see news release dated December 12th, 2022). Hole MCR-22-005 intersected mineralization grading 4.0 % Ni, 0.7 % Cu, 0.7 g/t Pt+Pd+Au over 31.1 metres, including two massive sulphide intervals grading 6.5 % Ni, 1.0 % Cu, 0.5 g/t Pt+Pd+Au over 5.0 metres, and 5.7 % Ni, 0.7 % Cu, 0.8 g/t Pt+Pd+Au over 16.1 metres. Diamond drilling for the 2023 drill program at Crean Hill is scheduled to resume January 9, 2023, with 15,000 metres of drilling currently budgeted for the full year. Highlights: Drillhole MCR-22-005, intersected 4.0 % Ni, 0.7 % Cu, 0.7 g/t Pt+Pd+Au over 31.1 metres, Including 6.5 % Ni, 1.0 % Cu, 0.5 g/t Pt+Pd+Au over 5.0 metres, and 5.7 % Ni, 0.7 % Cu, 0.8 g/t Pt+Pd+Au over 16.1 metres in the 101 FW Zone The 101 FW Zone represents an area of high grade, massive sulphide mineralization over significant widths that was un-mined by prior operators 101 FW Zone mineralization is hosted within an approximately 70 metre wide footwall breccia package which remains open for exploration down-dip and along strike David King, Senior Vice President for Magna, commented, "We are excited to announce additional assay results from our current drilling at Crean Hill. These assay results from drillhole MCR-22-005 are the second set of assay results received from the 101 FW Zone, and they demonstrate the continuity of high grade, massive sulphide mineralization within the footwall breccia zone. The 2022 drilling has improved our geological understanding of the 101 FW Zone mineralization and these results will enable Magna to effectively explore along strike and down-dip of the known mineralization, as well as explore for additional, similar mineralization within the footwall environment at Crean Hill. Additional assay results are expected over the coming weeks and will be announced shortly thereafter." In 2022, four drillholes, MCR-22-003 to MCR-22-006, targeted the 101 FW zone below historical mining. This area was not a focus of previous Lonmin Canada Inc. ("Loncan") drilling as it is not considered a low-sulphide, high PGE system. The 101 FW Zone consists of disseminated to locally massive sulphide, hosted within a footwall breccia system, extending southwest into the footwall of the Intermediate Zone (Figure 3 and 4). Sudbury footwall orebodies are commonly hosted within breccia systems, and often are elevated in Ni, Cu and PGE mineralization, relative to typical Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC) contact mineralization. Drillhole MCR-22-005 was targeted above previously released drillhole MCR-22-003, and intersected significant massive sulphide intervals of high grade nickel mineralization. A zone of lower sulphide mineralization with increased precious metals, grading 0.2 % Ni, 0.2% Cu, 1.3 g/t Pt+Pd+Au was also intersected below the massive suphide zone. The 101 FW Zone breccia system remains open for exploration and expansion to the southwest and down-dip of the historical mining. Table 1 Summary of Assay Results Received to Date Drillhole Zone From (m) To (m) Length (m) Ni % Cu % Co % Pt g/t Pd g/t Au g/t TPM g/t NiEq MCR-22-001 Assays Pending MCR-22-002 Assays Pending MCR-22-003 Intermediate 75.83 105.06 30.23 0.68 0.43 0.02 0.36 0.13 0.11 0.60 0.99 including 95.55 105.06 10.51 1.11 0.61 0.03 0.86 0.31 0.20 1.37 1.63 101 FW 154.53 157.20 2.67 2.57 0.40 0.07 0.94 0.67 0.17 1.78 3.15 101 FW 168.12 178.90 10.78 3.75 1.74 0.09 0.20 0.22 0.04 0.46 4.69 including 168.12 169.78 1.66 3.24 8.30 0.08 0.07 0.24 0.21 0.52 7.65 and 173.10 178.90 5.80 6.01 0.33 0.14 0.35 0.33 0.02 0.70 6.47 101 FW 192.27 195.47 3.20 0.80 3.76 0.06 1.00 2.52 0.67 4.19 3.31 101 FW 215.75 222.00 6.25 0.19 0.71 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.08 0.13 0.52 MCR-22-004 Assays Pending MCR-22-005 Intermediate 75.27 98.09 22.82 0.50 0.48 0.01 0.18 0.06 0.07 0.31 0.77 including 88.17 92.23 4.06 0.88 0.97 0.02 0.45 0.16 0.14 0.75 1.44 101 FW 138.39 169.44 31.06 4.04 0.69 0.10 0.36 0.25 0.07 0.67 4.58 including 138.39 143.42 5.03 6.50 1.03 0.17 0.28 0.17 0.03 0.48 7.26 and 153.08 169.44 16.07 5.68 0.69 0.13 0.43 0.29 0.05 0.78 6.29 101 FW 178.70 184.74 6.04 0.19 0.22 0.01 0.38 0.54 0.42 1.33 0.55 MCR-22-006 Assays Pending MCR-22-007 Assays Pending MCR-22-008 Assays Pending MCR-22-009 Assays Pending MCR-22-010 Assays Pending All lengths are downhole length. True width is estimated at 60-80% of downhole length. NiEq % = ( (Ni% x 2204 x Ni Price $/lb) + (Cu% x Cu Recovery% x 2204 x Cu Price $/lb) + (Co% x Co Recovery % x 2204 x Co Price $/lb) + (Pt gpt x Pt Recovery % / 31.1035 x Pt $/oz) +(dt gpt x Pd Recovery % / 31.1035 x Pd $/oz) + (Au gpt x Au Recovery % / 31.1035 x Au $/oz))/2204 x Ni $/lb Figure 1 Crean Hill Mine Oblique Longitudinal Showing Area of Figure 2 and Magna Drilling Completed to date (See Figure 2) To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8002/150368_7f414b2ca408a86e_003full.jpg Figure 2 Magna 2022 Diamond Drilling Locations To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8002/150368_7f414b2ca408a86e_004full.jpg Figure 3 Schematic Plan View of the 350 ft Level, Illustrating the relationship of Contact Ni-Cu mineralization at the Base of the SIC, and the Footwall Mineralization Hosted Within Breccia Units Extending Into the Footwall of the SIC. To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8002/150368_7f414b2ca408a86e_005full.jpg Figure 4 Schematic Section of the 101 FW Zone Showing Location of MCR-22-003 To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8002/150368_7f414b2ca408a86e_006full.jpg Qualified Person The technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by David King, M.Sc., P.Geo. Mr. King is the Senior Vice President, Technical Services for Magna Mining Inc. and is a qualified person under Canadian National Instrument 43-101. QA/QC Sample QA/QC procedures for Magna have been designed to meet or exceed industry standards. Drill core is collected from the diamond drill and placed in sealed core trays for transport to Magna's core facilities. The core is then logged, and samples marked in intervals of up to 1.5m and cut with a diamond saw. Samples are then bagged in plastic bags with 10 bagged samples being placed into rice bags for transport to AGAT Laboratories. Samples are submitted in batches of 50 with 5 QA/QC samples including, 2 certified reference material standards, 2 samples of blank material and 1 duplicate. About Magna Mining Inc. Magna Mining is an exploration and development company focused on nickel, copper and PGM projects in the Sudbury Region of Ontario, Canada. The Company's flagship assets are the past producing Shakespeare and Crean Hill Mines. The Shakespeare Mine is a feasibility stage project which has major permits for the construction of a 4,500 tonne per day open pit mine, processing plant and tailings storage facility and is surrounded by a contiguous 180km2 prospective land package. Crean Hill is a past producing nickel, copper and PGM mine with an updated technical report dated August 2022. Additional information about the Company is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on the Company's website (www.magnamining.com). For further information, please contact: Jason Jessup Chief Executive Officer or Paul Fowler, CFA Senior Vice President Email: info@magnamining.com Cautionary Statement This press release contains certain forward-looking information or forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts and are subject to several risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control, including statements regarding the production at the Shakespeare and Crean HIll Mines, the economic and operational potential of the Shakespeare and Crean Hill Mines, potential acquisitions, plans to complete exploration programs, potential mineralization, exploration results and statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions of the Company. Resource exploration and development is highly speculative, characterized by several significant risks, which even a combination of careful evaluation, experience and knowledge may not eliminate. All forward-looking statements herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/150368 Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 5, 2023) - Green River Gold Corp. (CSE: CCR) (OTC Pink: CCRRF) (the "Company" or "Green River") is pleased to provide the following assay results and updated drilling results for Zone 2 of the Quesnel Nickel Project. The Company has received assay results for hole WK-22-06 drilled to a depth of 128 meters in Zone 2 of the Deep Purple target. The drill hole is the deepest hole drilled on the project to date and it ended in mineralization. The hole was drilled using a portable Winkie drill and the drill reached its capacity at 128 meters. The assay results received are presented in Table 1 below. Another 6 drill holes are planned for this Winter. Table 1. Assaying Results from Lab Hole Number Meters Drilled Nickel Average % Chromium Average % Cobalt Average % Magnesium Average % WK-22-06 128 0.188 0.139 0.01 21.3 Kyle Townsend, Mine Manager of Green River Gold Corp. comments, "While winter drilling poses challenges, I am pleased to see our program advancing with excellent results. Pushing our drilling program through the winter advances the Quesnel Nickel Project an entire year ahead of schedule as we work towards completing a Preliminary Economic Assessment." Perry Little, President and CEO of Green River Gold Corp. comments, "We are very pleased to see the continuation and consistency of the metal grades at greater depths on Zone 2. Green River has now drilled 42 holes combined on Zone 1 and Zone 2. The Company has encountered nickel, chromium, cobalt, and magnesium beginning at the surface of the bedrock in all 42 holes. Given the fourteen kilometer length of the Deep Purple magnetic anomaly and the consistency of the drill results thus far, we continue to be encouraged by the potential scale of the project." Zone 2 is located approximately 8 kilometers southeast of Zone 1, which was drilled by Green River in the Winter of 2021 and Spring of 2022. Both zones are extensive bedrock exposures that are located within the Deep Purple magnetic anomaly consisting of nickel, chromium, cobalt, magnesium, and talc mineralization. The entire Deep Purple magnetic anomaly has a linear length of 14 kilometers with an approximate area of 6.63 square kilometers (Figure 1). The entire project is located within a one hour drive of Green River's shop and office in the City of Quesnel, B.C. Figure 1. Zone 1 and Zone 2 in The Deep Purple Target To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7403/150381_044fcef7b404595b_002full.jpg Previous assay results for Zone 2 are presented below in Table 2. Table 2. Previous Assay Results From Zone 2 Hole Number Meters Drilled Nickel Average % Chromium Average % Cobalt Average % Magnesium Average % FCD-22-01 From 0 to 5.9 0.174 0.174 0.011 20.5 FCD-22-02 From 0 to 2.0 0.191 0.252 0.011 21.8 FCD-22-03 From 0 to 3.0 0.177 0.196 0.010 21.4 FCD-22-04 From 0 to 5.3 0.174 0.190 0.010 19.3 FCD-22-07 From 0 to 5.9 0.190 0.171 0.011 22.1 FCD-22-12 From 0 to 3.9 0.180 0.215 0.010 21.0 FCD-22-14 From 0 to 4.4 0.174 0.168 0.011 21.2 FCD-22-16 From 0 to 7.0 0.188 0.195 0.011 21.5 FCD-22-17 From 0 to 4.5 0.194 0.162 0.011 21.4 WK-22-01 From 0 to 50,0 0.179 0.130 0.009 19.6 WK-22-02 From 0 to 79.0 0.177 0.138 0.009 20.1 Weighted Average 170.9 Total Meters 0.179 0.148 0.010 20.2 XRF results for the most recent drill hole WK-22-07are presented below in Table 3. The drill core was delivered to the Company's facility in Quesnel and was scanned with an XRF analyzer. Drill hole WK-22-07 was scanned to a depth of 93.3 meters. Table 3. Winkie Drill Hole 07 XRF Results Hole Number Meters Drilled and Tested with XRF Scanner Nickel Average % Chromium Average % WK-22-07 From 0 to 93.3 0.191 0.133 Note: The XRF data is taken as point values and will not represent the true grade of the samples assayed. The elemental data is highly dependent on the location of which the beam intersects the rock. The device used to take the data points is an Olympus Vanta C Series handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and produces a beam spot diameter of up to 3mm. It is designed to achieve laboratory-quality results in the field and provides rapid and accurate elemental analysis and testing. Figure 2. Zone 2 Drill Hole Locations To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7403/150381_044fcef7b404595b_003full.jpg Hole WK-22-03 was drilled vertically from the same drill collar as hole WK-22-02. The drill core from WK-22-03 has been sent to Base Metallurgical Laboratory in Kamloops for a scoping level metallurgical analysis involving hardness and grindability along with assessing the metallurgical performance of samples using conventional flotation processes. This data will be used to help guide the selection of metallurgical testing to develop a viable recovery process. Nickel on the Property is hosted in ultramafic rocks, mainly black phaneritic peridotite, belonging to the Slide Mountain Terrane (Crooked Amphibolite). The peridotite exhibits intense serpentine alteration and strong brecciation. Sulfides in the core are made up of disseminated pyrite, pyrrhotite, and pentlandite. The Slide Mountain Terrane overlies metasediments (limestone and sandstone) belonging to the Ramos Succession of the Barkerville Terrane. The Ramos Succession was intersected at 75.0 meters in hole WK-22-03. Hole WK-22-06 was drilled on the east side of the drilling pattern, with a -60 degree dip for 129.2 meters. Hole WK-22-06 did not intersect the Ramos Succession. Quality Assurance, Quality Control: An AQTK or 35.5 mm (1 3/8 in) diameter core barrel was used for the 2022 Winkie diamond drill program at the Quesnel Nickel and Talc Property. The drill stem dip and azimuth were orientated at each collar location by a qualified geologist prior to drilling. Core samples were generally selected between 0.5 and 1.5-meter intervals, depending on identified lithology and mineralization style. The core was cut in half with a diamond core saw, with half of the core placed in sample bags and the remaining half securely retained in core boxes at the Green River's office in Quesnel. Standard samples and blanks (CDN-BL-10) were systematically inserted into each batch of samples at regular intervals. The standard samples include high-grade (CDN-ME-2001) and low-grade (CDN-PGMS-29) nickel samples purchased from CDN Resource Laboratories in Langley, British Columbia. The core samples placed in sealed bags were shipped directly to Activation Laboratories Ltd. (Actlabs) in Kamloops, British Columbia. The Actlabs preparation procedure included crushing the entire sample to 80% passing 2 millimeters, riffle splitting 250 grams, and pulverizing the split to 95% passing 105 micrometers. Base metal analyses are determined using the four-acid digestion method with an ICP-OES finish. Analytical results are verified with the application of industry-standard Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) Procedures. Activation Laboratories Ltd. has an ISO 17025 certificate. Qualified Person: Stephen P. Kocsis is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and he has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release. About Green River Gold Corp. Green River Gold Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on its wholly owned Fontaine Gold Project, Quesnel Nickel/Magnesium/Talc Project, and Kymar Silver Project which are located in renowned mining districts in British Columbia. The Fontaine and Quesnel properties straddle an 18 km length of the Barkerville and Quesnel Terranes and are contiguous to Osisko Development Corp.'s mineral claim group containing a proposed mine location at its Cariboo Gold Project. The properties are located less than a one hour drive from Green River's shop and office in the City of Quesnel, British Columbia. The Kymar Silver Project is located in southeast BC, approximately 28 kilometers west of the town of Invermere in the Golden Mining Division. The property is made up of two mineral tenures, totaling 1,625 hectares, along the southeast flank of Mount Catherine. For more information contact: Green River Gold Corp. Mr. Perry Little - President and Chief Executive Officer perry.little@greenrivergold.ca 780-993-2193 Additional information about Green River Gold Corp. can be found by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward Looking Information: This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Expressions such as "anticipates", "expects", "believes", "estimates", "could", "intends", "may", "plans", "predicts", "projects", "will", "would" and other similar expressions, or the negative of these terms, are generally indicative of forward-looking information. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. In addition, the forward- looking information contained in this release is based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as it is inherently uncertain, and no assurance can be given that the expectations reflected in such information will prove to be correct. The forward-looking information in this release is made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances. The securities of the Company have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This release is issued for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Canadian Securities Exchange (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/150381 Safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic endpoints successfully met Follow-on clinical trials to be initiated in 2023 Mission Therapeutics ("Mission"), a drug discovery and development company focused on protein homeostasis by selectively inhibiting deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs), today announced the successful completion of its first Phase I clinical assessment for lead USP30 DUB inhibitor, MTX652. The Phase I First Time In Human (FTIH) study commenced in May 2022, following clinical trial approval in March. Involving over 80 healthy volunteers, the study was led by Principal Investigator Dr Annelize Koch, Senior Medical Director at Simbec-Orion. The trial successfully achieved its key goals of demonstrating the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of MTX652, given as single- and multiple-ascending doses of oral solution or suspension to the healthy subjects. MTX652 was shown to be well tolerated and safe up to a single dose of 200mg and multiple doses of 100mg once daily for 14 days. It also demonstrated an excellent pharmacokinetic profile with dose proportionality, and time independent exposure. Following the successful completion of the single and multiple ascending dose cohorts, Mission is moving forward with further assessment of MTX652 in elderly subjects and using other dose forms. The Company is also preparing plans to initiate further clinical trials later this year to demonstrate the beneficial effects of MTX652 in patients with muscular, cardiac and kidney pathologies. Dr Suhail Nurbhai, CMO of Mission Therapeutics commented "We are delighted with the successful completion of our first Phase I clinical assessment. These MTX652 results represent a major milestone for Mission and, coupled with the results from our broad translational pharmacology program, give us a great deal of optimism that we may eventually be able to help patients with a range of poorly-treated diseases. Importantly, it also helps to validate our unique discovery platform. "We are now in the process of planning for our next stage of clinical development and are looking forward to MTX652 entering further clinical trials later this year." About Mitochondria and USP30 Mitochondria are essential for energy production and cellular health, and when they become dysfunctional or damaged, they are labelled with ubiquitin, marking them for degradation. USP30, a specific mitochondrial-associated DUB, removes this ubiquitin, thereby inhibiting the degradation of damaged mitochondria, which could affect cellular health and eventually lead to the development of various medical conditions. Mission's MTX652 potently and specifically inhibits USP30 with the aim of enabling appropriate degradation of dysfunctional mitochondria to preserve overall mitochondrial quality and improve cellular health. Mitochondrial dysfunction is increasingly implicated in many poorly treated pathologic conditions including muscular dystrophy, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, kidney diseases, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, rare mitochondrial diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's Disease. Inhibition of USP30 is therefore a promising therapeutic approach for treatment of these conditions and Mission is investigating its USP30 inhibitor compounds as potential therapeutic interventions for a breadth of diseases. - ENDS - NOTES TO EDITORS: About MissionTherapeutics Mission Therapeutics is an early-stage drug development company targeting the ubiquitin pathway for the treatment of kidney disease, neurodegenerative disease, rare mitochondrial diseases andfibrosis. The Company has built a leading platform for the discovery and development of first-in-class, small molecule drugs that selectively target deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) an emerging drug class that is attracting significant commercial interest in the area of protein homeostasis. Mission has strong links with key academic and research centers, including Prof. Steve Jackson's Cancer Research UK Laboratories at the University of Cambridge Gurdon Institute, and leading UK centres in neurodegenerative diseases. The Company also has secured major industry partnerships, including its collaboration with AbbVie in November 2018, for the research and preclinical development of specified DUB inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. The Company is managed by a team with broad international, commercial and clinical-science experience. To date the Company has received $103 million in funding and its investors comprise blue chip institutional and corporate investors including: Pfizer Venture Investments, Sofinnova Partners, Roche Venture Fund, SR One, IP Group and Rosetta Capital. Mission Therapeutics was founded in 2011 and is based at the Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK. For more information, please visit our website, www.missiontherapeutics.com, or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005553/en/ Contacts: Mission Therapeutics Ltd Anker Lundemose MD PhD Chief Executive Officer Tel: +44 (0)1223 607 340 Instinctif Partners Melanie Toyne-Sewell Agnes Stephens Jonjo Cordey Email: missiontherapeutics@instinctif.com Tel: +44 (0) 207 457 2002 Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Medical personnel wait for passengers coming with an Air China flight from Guangzhou, China, in a COVID-19 testing area set at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci international airport in Fiumicino, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022 after Italy made coronavirus tests mandatory for all airline passengers arriving from China. AP-Yonhap The European Union on Wednesday ''strongly encouraged'' its member states to impose pre-departure COVID-19 testing of passengers from China, in a move that is likely to upset Beijing and has already been criticized by the global airline industry. Following a week of talks between EU health experts, the bloc stopped short of fully imposing on all 27 member states such a travel restriction that members like Italy, France and Spain had already implemented. China has already vehemently rejected such actions, warning of ''countermeasures'' if such policies were to be imposed across the bloc. Even though the EU presidency said in a statement that the member states ''agreed on a coordinated precautionary approach,'' part of the approach fell short of full agreement. In the most crucial part of the statement, it said that ''the Member States are strongly encouraged to introduce, for all passengers departing from China to Member States, the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test.'' Medical personnel wait for passengers coming with an Air China flight from Guangzhou, China, in a COVID-19 testing area set at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci international airport in Fiumicino, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022 after Italy made coronavirus tests mandatory for all airline passengers arriving from China. AP-Yonhap WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (ZBH) has reached an agreement to acquire Embody, Inc., a privately-held medical device company focused on soft tissue healing, for $155 million at closing and up to an additional $120 million subject to achieving future milestones over a three year period. The acquisition includes Embody's complete portfolio of collagen-based biointegrative solutions - including the TAPESTRY biointegrative implant for tendon healing and TAPESTRY RC. Zimmer Biomet expects the acquisition to be accretive to overall revenue growth and slightly dilutive to adjusted earnings per share in 2023. For More Such Health News, visit rttnews.com. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. ATLANTA (dpa-AFX) - Southern Company announced that, effective March 31, 2023, Chris Womack has been appointed president and elected as a member of the Board. Womack also has been appointed CEO effective immediately following the conclusion of Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The size of the Board has been increased from 13 to 14. Thomas Fanning, the current chairman of the Board, CEO and president of Southern Company, will relinquish the role of president upon Womack's assumption of the role in March. He will assume the role of Executive Chairman of the Board upon Womack's assumption of the role of CEO. Effective as of March 31, 2023, Kimberly Greene has been named chair of the Board of Directors, CEO and president of Georgia Power. Effective immediately, Jeff Peoples, has been named chairman of the Board, CEO and president of Alabama Power. Effective as of March 31, 2023, James Kerr II has been named chairman of the Board, CEO and president of Southern Company Gas. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Germany's exports unexpectedly declined in November on weak global demand, signaling that the economy is sliding into a mild recession. Exports decreased 0.3 percent on a monthly basis, reversing a 0.8 percent rise in October, Destatis reported Thursday. The fall was in contrast to the 0.2 percent rise expected by economists. The monthly fall in imports deepened to 3.3 percent from 2.4 percent a month ago. Economists had forecast a moderate 0.5 percent drop for November. Reflecting the sharper decrease in imports, the trade surplus advanced to a seasonally adjusted EUR 10.8 billion from EUR 6.8 billion in October. The surplus was also above the expected level of EUR 7.5 billion. Shipments posted an annual growth of 13.3 percent in November, which was bigger than October's 11.4 percent increase. Meanwhile, growth in imports slowed to around 14.8 percent from 19.4 percent. Compared to the same period last year, the surplus remained unchanged in November. Most German exports went to the United States in November. However, shipments to the US decreased 1.5 percent and imports slid 1.4 percent. Exports to China fell 1.5 percent and imports from China were down 7.8 percent. Meanwhile, shipments to the UK advanced 16.1 percent and imports grew 7.0 percent. Earlier, a survey conducted by the ifo Institute showed that confidence among German exporters improved slightly in December, as they expect better demand conditions for the automotive and electrical sectors. The ifo Export Expectations index had climbed to a 6-month high of 1.6 points. Nonetheless, the largest euro area economy is widely expected to enter a mild recession in the winter before recovering by the spring. In the third quarter of 2022, the economy had expanded 0.4 percent. The Purchasing Manages' survey results on Thursday showed that the downturn in Germany's construction sector extended into the final month of the year. The construction Purchasing Managers' Index rose slightly to 41.7 from 41.5 in November. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - More than 950 people have been arrested in connection with the Capitol Hill riots, Attorney General Merrick Garland said ahead of the second anniversary of the incident. Friday will mark 24 months since the attack on the Capitol that disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that had convened to certify the election victory of Joe Biden. Addressing a rally on January 6, 2021, former President Donald Trump demanded that the presidential election be overturned alleging widespread fraud, and called on his supporters to march to the Capitol building. Hundreds of Trump-supporters stormed the Capitol and disrupted the Congressional proceedings. Five people, including one woman shot by police, died in the rampage, apparently instigated by Trump. Approximately 140 police officers were attacked, according to the Justice Department. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Garland said the Justice Department remains committed to ensuring accountability for those criminally responsible for the January 6 assault. In what he described as 'one of the largest, most complex, and most resource-intensive investigations' in its history, the Justice Department charged more than 284 defendants with assaulting officers or employees. 99 of them have been charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer. 484 individuals have pleaded guilty to a variety of federal charges. Many of them have been sentenced to prison, while the rest are awaiting sentencing. 351 federal defendants have had their cases adjudicated and received sentences for their criminal activity. David Sundberg, Assistant Director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office that has been leading the federal probe, indicated the investigation could take years. A nine-member House select committee investigating the Capitol Hill attack said in its report that Trump had knowledge about the riot in advance, and that he engaged in a 'multi-part plan' to overturn the result. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Leading European and U.S. Life Science Communications Agencies Combine Forces to Deliver Integrated International Market Access CG Life, an integrated digital marketing and public relations agency supporting life science and healthcare companies, and MC Services AG, a major European public relations and investor relations firm with a similar life sciences focus, announced today a strategic partnership between the agencies. The two companies have created an integrated service platform for biotech and pharmaceutical companies to extend their reach and access more easily to capital, talent, and business audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. Both firms will remain fully and legally independent. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005125/en/ For MC Services, this partnership provides an industry-respected gateway for accessing marketing, branding, digital marketing, public relations, and advertising capabilities in the U.S. And as CG Life's clients increasingly request global capabilities across PR, branding, paid media, and more, CG Life will be able to activate a highly experienced communications and investor relations team in Europe and in Germany, in particular-the largest European healthcare market. "Accessing the U.S. market is vital for the European biopharma sector, and we have worked for many years to better connect our clients to the life science ecosystem in the States," said Raimund Gabriel, Managing Partner of MC Services. "We are excited to continue that mission by establishing a strategic alliance with CG Life, a like-minded agency in the U.S. with a global view that is equally committed to quality and performance." "Through extensive discussion, analysis, and reflection, both agency teams recognized that we share very similar cultural values, commitment to our clients and science, and an emphasis on providing business solutions rather than just delivering services," said CG Life Managing Partner Erik Clausen. "We couldn't be happier that we found a partner in MC Services that has the experience, skill and mindset, and relationships to collaborate with us and our clients." About MC Services AG MC Services AG is an international public relations and investor relations firm specializing in communications for the life sciences and healthcare sectors. A strong team of science, finance, media, and communication experts, with extensive industry experience, positions MC Services as a leading life sciences agency in Europe. MC Services' long-standing clients include international public and private companies, as well as venture capitalists and investment firms. Established for many years as a link between the healthcare industry and the financial markets, MC Services provides comprehensive services in investor relations, public relations, and financial transactions. MC Services is based in Munich, Dusseldorf, Berlin, London, and Boston. www.mc-services.eu About CG Life Propelled by science since 2003, CG Life's mission is to celebrate scientific discoveries and medical innovations through personal and impactful brand experiences. The team integrates smart strategies, inspirational creativity, insightful content, clever communications, and digital platforms to create and elevate leading and disruptive science and healthcare brands. CG Life supports emerging science and technology organizations through The Market Element, a CG Life Agency. Connect with CG Life on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005125/en/ Contacts: Raimund Gabriel MC Services AG Phone: +49 89 210 228 0 Email: raimund.gabriel@mc-services.eu Erik Clausen CG Life Phone: +1 781-608-7091 Email: eclausen@cglife.com Chakar to lead next stage of growth as Securrency accelerates commercialization of compliance-driven digital asset technology for global financial institutions WASHINGTON, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Securrency, a leading developer of institutional-grade, blockchain-based financial and regulatory technology, today announced that Nadine Chakar will join the company and assume the role of Chief Executive Officer effective January 9th, 2023. Ms. Chakar's leadership will combine her deep financial services, technology, and market experience with Securrency's groundbreaking technology to deploy market-leading solutions on a global scale. She has been recognized as one of the most powerful women in finance and is a vocal champion for using technology to revolutionize financial services. Ms. Chakar brings over 30 years of experience in global wealth and asset management to Securrency. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President and Head of State Street Digital, where she built and led the team that is helping State Street, institutional investors, and regulators successfully navigate the bank's transition into a modern digital economy. Ms. Chakar also led State Street Global Markets, where she oversaw its trading, product, and operations platform, helping to drive successful client solutions. Prior to State Street, she served as global head of operations for Manulife's Global Wealth and Asset Management Division and led the Global Asset Servicing teams for BNY Mellon. In addition to her leadership at State Street Digital, Ms. Chakar has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Securrency since 2021. Her appointment as the CEO of Securrency highlights the growing importance of compliance aware tokenization, interoperability, and institutional DeFi to the future of global finance. Ms. Chakar's appointment will allow Dan Doney, Securrency's founder, who has served as the company's CEO and lead architect since its inception, to focus on innovation, technology delivery, and commercialization by continuing to serve as the Chief Technology Officer of Securrency. Mr. Doney is recognized as one of the preeminent thought leaders in the blockchain and decentralized finance space. This focus will accelerate the growth of Securrency's blockchain-enabled financial services infrastructure market share. Nadine Chakar, incoming CEO of Securrency said: "The financial services industry is at a critical tipping point as it tokenizes regulated real-world assets and automates legacy financial processes using the power of blockchain technology. The Securrency team has done a remarkable job of developing the most robust technology on the market. As the new CEO, my priority is to accelerate the commercialization of what is in essence the digital asset intelligence and interoperability foundation for major financial institutions and the global ecosystem. Dan Doney is a true visionary and innovator in the industry, and I look forward to working closely with him and the team to create the global digital assets marketplaces of the future." Dan Doney, Co-founder, and Chief Technology Officer of Securrency, said: "Nadine is an exceptional leader and Securrency has been fortunate to leverage her extensive financial industry expertise as a board member and now as incoming CEO. She knows capital market operations inside and out. Nadine shares my passion for innovation, and we are united in our determination to make financial markets more accessible and efficient. She has a razor-sharp view of where reform is needed and how our technology can help. I am excited to work with Nadine as we focus on evolving our solution to bridge traditional and decentralized finance." Jonathan Steinberg, CEO of WisdomTree, said: "The future of finance relies on regulation-forward and compliance-driven digital development and Nadine has long been a driver of this evolution. Working with Nadine as a client and industry leader, I have witnessed not only her tremendous expertise in the integration of RegTech and digital assets, but her steadfast belief that Securrency's technology will pave the way for institutional DeFi. I congratulate Nadine, Dan, and the entire Securrency team on this bold move for the company." About Securrency: Securrency is a financial and regulatory technology company that is harnessing the power of blockchain to deliver institutional-grade digital assets infrastructure to create marketplaces and stimulate global liquidity. Securrency is driving change at the core of financial services via a fully interoperable and patented Compliance Aware Token Framework that interconnects traditional financial platforms and next generation blockchain networks. The company's strategic clients and investors include WisdomTree (NYSE: WT), State Street (NYSE: STT), US Bank (NYSE: USB), Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners (ADCP), and DisruptAD, ADQ's venture platform. To learn more, visit http://securrency.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter . Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1977089/Securrency_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/nadine-chakar-joins-leading-fintech-innovator-securrency-as-ceo-301714349.html CHICAGO, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Private LTE Market size is projected to grow from USD 5.0 billion in 2022 to USD 8.3 billion by 2027, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.6% during the forecast period according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The need for greater data connectivity with higher security, privacy and control will drive the market. Browse in-depth TOC on "Private LTE Market" 497 - Tables 53 - Figures 367 - Pages Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=64117901 RAN segment to hold the highest market share during the forecast period Over the years, the RAN architecture has undergone a rapid transformation to cope with the current network demands and meet the performance criteria of today's generation network. Also, the need to support connectivity to the wide range of IoT devices and reduced operation cost is expected to drive market growth. Managed services segment to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period Managed services in the Private LTE Market outsource a complete network or a part of it on a proactive management basis to improve the network operations and reduce several organizational expenses. The need for enterprises maximizes the operators' network infrastructure performance so that they can deliver the best quality of experience to their customers and keep the CAPEX under control. Asia Pacific (APAC) region to record the highest growth rate in the Private LTE Market in 2022 Asia Pacific is an emerging region in the Private LTE Market. China, Japan, and Australia are the major countries contributing to the growth in the Asia Pacific. The Asia Pacific also constitutes major economies, such as Singapore, South Korea, and India. Japan, China, and Australia are essential for this region's Private LTE Market growth. Japan and China are the largest manufacturing economies producing automobiles, IT, and electronic products. The manufacturing paradigm has changed considerably, with the industry seeking advanced technologies such as robotics and big data analytics becoming popular among them. China has witnessed immense industrial growth and is the world's manufacturing capital. Similarly, countries such as India, Australia, and Japan are also taking several initiatives to implement private LTE solutions. New opportunities, startups, and established enterprises are helping businesses overcome networking and complex connectivity challenges. Manufacturing facilities are increasingly using/exploring Request Sample Pages @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=64117901 Key and innovative vendors in the Private LTE Market include Nokia( Finland), Ericsson (Sweden), Huawei (China), ZTE(China), NEC(Japan), Aviat Networks, Samsung (South Korea) Affirmed Networks(US), Athonet (Italy), Airspan (US), ASOCS (US), Boingo Wireless (US), Casa Systems (US), Cisco (US), Comba (China), CommScope (US), Druid Software (Ireland), ExteNet Systems, Fujitsu (Japan), Lemko (US), Mavenir (US), Quortus (UK), Star Solutions (Canada), Tecore (US), Telrad Networks (Israel), Wireless Excellence (UK), Accelleran (Belgium), Altiostar (US), Amarisoft (France), Baicells Technologies (US), Celona (US), IPLOOK (Hong Kong), JMA Wireless (US), Parallel Wireless (US), Phluido (US), NetNumber (US), JI Technology (Japan), Verizon (US), Sierra Wireless (Canada), Future Technologies (US), Ambra Solutions (Canada), URSYS (Australia), Geoverse (US), Cradlepoint (US). These vendors have adopted many organic as well as inorganic growth strategies, such as new product launches, and partnerships and collaborations, to expand their offerings and market shares in the Private LTE Market. Browse Adjacent Markets: Mobility & Telecom Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: China Smart City Market- Global Forecast to 2023 Product Lifecycle Management Market- Global Forecast to 2024 Video on Demand Market- Global Forecast to 2024 Bot Services Market- Global Forecast to 2027 Sensitive Data Discovery Market- Global Forecast to 2027 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/private-lte-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/private-lte.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/private-lte-market-worth-8-3-billion-by-2027--exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-301714191.html TIRAT HACARMEL, Israel, Jan. 05, 2023, a clinical-stage company focused on developing novel Mitochondrial Augmentation Technology (MAT) to fight mitochondrial diseases, has announced a Board appointment. Maha Radhakrishnan, M.D., joins the board at a time in which the company advances clinical programs in primary mitochondrial diseases and hematological disorders associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. As a trained physician, Maha is a senior leader with extensive pharmaceutical and biotech experience covering clinical development, post-marketing regulatory activities, medical affairs, safety, and reimbursement requirements. Maha is the Chief Medical Officer of Biogen, and in her previous roles, she served as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Medical, Primary Care Business Unit at Sanofi, Senior Vice President and Head of Worldwide Medical at Bioverativ Therapeutics Inc., and Head of Europe & Canada Medical and US Medical at Biogen. She has also worked at Bristol Myers Squibb, Cephalon, and United Health Group before first joining Biogen in early 2013. Maha has significant experience across a broad range of therapeutic areas and disciplines, including the central nervous system (neurology and psychiatry), rheumatology and immunology, rare blood disorders, ophthalmology, cardiology, diabetes, and internal medicine. Natalie Yivgi Ohana, Co-Founder and CEO Minovia Therapeutics, said, "Mitochondrial diseases are often fatal and currently viewed as untreatable, something we are working relentlessly to change. So far twelve patients suffering Primary Mitochondrial Diseases were dosed with our Mitochondrial Augmentation Technology, both through compassionate use program and a Phase 1/2 trial in Israel. Minovia Invested greatly in research and development in the last two years, establishing strong scientific and GMP foundations, which will enable us to seek approval for Pearson Syndrome and expand to other disease areas. As board member at Minovia, we will be able to draw on Maha's considerable medical, regulatory and drug development expertise and experience in bringing successful treatments to patients with primary and secondary mitochondrial diseases." Maha added: "Minovia is changing the way we look at mitochondrial therapies. They are on the precipice of meaningfully and measurably improving the lives of patients in need. I look forward to providing oversight and helping Minovia achieve its goals to approve their novel mitochondrial cell therapies in multiple disease areas." The appointment of Maha as a board member follows on from Minovia's recent partnership with Astellas Pharma to develop novel Mitochondrial Cell Therapies, as well as the initial data publication in Science Translational Medicine). Contact Info@minoviatx.com About Minovia Therapeutics Minovia Therapeutics is a clinical stage company and the first to use a cell therapy approach to treat patients affected with mitochondrial diseases through its Mitochondrial Augmentation Technology (MAT) platform. MAT is being developed as a robust and scalable therapeutic platform targeting the root cause of diseases generated by mitochondrial dysfunction. The lead product, MNV-201 is composed of autologous hematopoietic stem cells enriched with healthy allogeneic mitochondria. Minovia's initial clinical focus is on rare mitochondrial diseases for which there are no approved treatments in the United States and the unmet medical need is immense. After completing an IND enabled phase I/II clinical trial in Pearson Syndrome, a fatal pediatric disease, Minovia is planning to accelerate the clinical development for Pearson Syndrome and expand the pipeline to other Hematological/Mitochondrial-related diseases. Harnessing the power of mitochondria, Minovia is committed to exploring the full potential of its proprietary platform to address mitochondrial diseases ranging from orphan indications to more common and age-related diseases. Perspectum, a precision health company which develops medical imaging tools to improve the diagnoses of metabolic diseases and cancer, has completed the first close of its Series C funding round. The new $36 million investment was led by Oppenheimer Holdings. The Series C funding brings the total amount raised since inception to circa $120 million. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005214/en/ An AI-powered reconstruction of a patient's biliary tree and pancreatic duct, cleared by the FDA for medical use and now with premium US hospital reimbursement. (Graphic: Business Wire) Since the beginning of 2021, 77 million US adults covered by Medicare and commercial plans have had access to LiverMultiScan, the company's flagship diagnostic tool to assess and monitor chronic liver disease. The coverage and established reimbursement codes have fueled LiverMultiScan's adoption by several major US hospitals. Perspectum is working to expand its footprint across the country and grow its customer base. They announced a collaboration with Nuance, a Microsoft company, in December 2022. "We are excited to have Oppenheimer and British Patient Capital join our mission to create safer and more accurate imaging technologies that will help clinicians shorten patients' diagnostic and treatment journeys," said Rajarshi Banerjee, MD, PhD, CEO of Perspectum. "This new funding will help us to continue innovating new products that will make healthcare safer by providing non-invasive alternatives to biopsy, totally changing how and when we can see and treat many diseases." Perspectum's software products enhance the capabilities of a standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, enabling it to capture multiparametric mapping data which allows its AI-driven software to measure organ inflammation with greater precision, aiding diagnosis and the monitoring of patients with chronic diseases. "Perspectum is a truly disruptive company with medical imaging software that can dramatically improve the standard of care for millions of patients, as well as provide a higher level of decision support for physicians," added Robert Lowenthal, President of Oppenheimer Holdings. "We anticipate Perspectum will continue to lead the field of AI-enhanced imaging for years to come." In addition to scaling up its US operations, Perspectum will use the new funding to accelerate its product pipeline for multiorgan inflammatory conditions and oncology. "Life sciences and deep tech are two bright spots within the UK's innovation economy, and Perspectum is bringing the two together as they pioneer technological developments that are revolutionizing the patient experience. Through our Future Fund: Breakthrough programme, we are excited to work with an industry-leading team at Perspectum and support their global growth ambitions," concluded Catherine Lewis La Torre, CEO of British Patient Capital. About Perspectum Perspectum, a global medical technology company with offices in the US, the UK, Portugal, and Singapore, delivers leading digital technologies that help clinicians provide better care for patients with chronic metabolic diseases, multi-organ pathology, and cancer. With a strong focus on precision medicine using advanced imaging and genetics, our vision is to empower patients and clinicians through quantitative assessments of health enabling early detection, diagnosis, and targeted treatment. With a diverse team of physicians, biomedical scientists, engineers, and technologists, Perspectum offers a way to manage complex health problems at scale. For additional information, please visit: Perspectum.com and LinkedIn View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005214/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Nellie Wild VP Corporate Affairs Perspectum nellie.wild@perspectum.com Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., leaves the House floor after the House voted to adjourn for the evening as the House met for a second day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 4. AP-Yonhap The new Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives was engulfed in crisis for a second day running Wednesday as a fresh round of voting failed to produce a winner in the race for speaker. The lower chamber of Congress had limped to an adjournment Tuesday after conservative hardliners blocked establishment favorite Kevin McCarthy in a humiliating trio of votes. The Californian Republican was defeated a fourth time Wednesday by the small but emboldened faction of around 20 right-wingers who have made history by pushing a speakership race past the first ballot for the first time in a century. The debacle left the chamber unable to swear in members, fill vital committee roles, adopt rules for passing legislation, and with no plan for a path through the paralysis. President Joe Biden called the Republicans' struggles "embarrassing," telling reporters the "rest of the world" was watching. McCarthy's allies have been preparing for a drawn-out fight. The 57-year-old who has raised millions of dollars to elect right-wing lawmakers dragged his party back to a narrow House majority in last year's midterms after four years in the wilderness. He has long coveted the opportunity to replace Democrat Nancy Pelosi, something of an icon in U.S. politics who held the gavel in the last Congress. But McCarthy's speaker bid has opened a bitter rift within the House Republicans, with centrists referring to the hard-right faction leading the charge against him as the "Taliban 20." Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., fifth from right, returns to the House floor as the House meets for a second day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 4. AP-Yonhap 'Close the deal' Tuesday's vote results sparked frantic behind-the-scenes negotiations as McCarthy's allies tried to cut a deal with his conservative detractors that could also win the approval of moderates. He told reporters in Congress he planned to stay in the race and had spoken to his biggest VIP backer, Donald Trump, who was still supporting his candidacy. The former president duly called Wednesday for an end to the McCarthy blockade and implored House Republicans to "close the deal and take victory." "Republicans, do not turn a great triumph into a giant and embarrassing defeat," he posted on his Truth Social platform, in comments that didn't move the needle at all on the House floor. No House business can take place without a speaker, meaning the chamber has to continue voting until someone wins a majority. But there was little sign that any deal could be struck to end the deadlock as members prepared to go back to the floor for a fifth round. McCarthy, who has been bleeding support and has lost every round so far to Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, will be under pressure to quickly reverse the momentum if he stays in the race. Should he decide it's too steep a hill to climb, the two parties are likely to start casting around for a "unity" candidate a consensus Republican who commits to being as bipartisan as possible. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., center, talks with Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in the House chamber as the House meets for a second day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 4. AP-Yonhap $30 million convertible note financing co-led by ARCH Venture Partners, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and Westlake Village BioPartners expands investor base to include leading US life science venture capital firms Clinical-stage NG-350A and NG-641 tumor gene therapies demonstrating consistent safety tolerability profiles, as well as preliminary evidence of clinical activity in Phase 1 studies providing support for planned clinical PoC generation in future expansion cohorts Relaunch represents critical next step in the ongoing corporate transformation which builds on Q3 2022 appointment of Howard Davis, Ph.D., as CEO and Q4 2022 establishment of US offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts Akamis Bio (formerly PsiOxus Therapeutics), a clinical-stage oncology company leveraging its Tumor-Specific Immuno-Gene Therapy (T-SIGn) platform to positively impact the lives of people living with cancer, today announced a $30 million convertible note financing co-led by a group of leading US life science investors. In addition, the company provided a progress update on its clinical pipeline programs, NG-350A and NG-641, while announcing a relaunch of the company as Akamis Bio building upon its ongoing corporate transformation. In conjunction with the corporate name change, the company has launched a new website at www.akamisbio.com. The $30 million convertible note financing was co-led by new US investors ARCH Venture Partners, the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and Westlake Village BioPartners. It will further fund development activities for the clinical stage NG-350A and NG-641 programs, as well as general corporate purposes. "Over the last several years, we have undergone an incredible transformation as a company, and our new name reinforces this evolution and our focused commitment to oncology drug development. The $30 million financing will enable the continued advancement of our clinical pipeline of T-SIGn therapeutics and further establishes our US footprint," said Howard Davis, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Akamis Bio. "As we relaunch the company today, we thank our existing and new investors for their support and shared commitment to leveraging our groundbreaking solid-tumor targeted T-SIGn therapeutics to turn the tide in the battle against cancer." Akamis Bio, formerly PsiOxus Therapeutics, was founded and has grown with the support of leading global and European investors including SROne, IP Group, Hambro Perks, Lundbeckfonden, Sedgwick Yard, Mercia Asset Management, and Rosetta Capital Limited. "We are excited to support the talented team at Akamis Bio in their efforts to bring a set of powerful new immuno-oncology therapeutics to people living with cancer," said Robert Nelsen, Co-founder and Managing Director of ARCH Venture Partners. "We are delighted to partner with Akamis Bio's existing investors as the company advances its current clinical programs and continues to expand its pipeline of T-SIGn therapeutics." Clinical Progress Update NG-350A NG-641 Akamis Bio's T-SIGn therapeutics are viral vector-based, tumor gene therapies which have demonstrated the ability to specifically home to and replicate within primary and metastatic solid tumor tissue following intravenous delivery. Once at the tumor site, T-SIGn therapeutics can drive intratumoral expression of multiple immunologically active biomolecules and therapeutic proteins to remodel the tumor microenvironment and trigger robust antitumor immune responses. Akamis Bio's clinical pipeline of T-SIGn therapeutics is anchored by two Phase 1 programs: NG-350A, an immuno-stimulatory tumor gene therapy driving intratumoral expression of a CD40 agonist monoclonal antibody; and NG-641, a stromal-targeted tumor gene therapy driving intratumoral expression of a FAP-CD3 bispecific antibody, CXCL-9, CXCL-10, and interferon alpha. Across more than 200 patients with epithelial-derived solid tumors who have been treated in Akamis Bio's clinical trials to date, T-SIGn therapeutics have been well-tolerated and demonstrated a consistent safety profile. In clinical studies, NG-350A and NG-641 have shown promising preliminary evidence of clinical activity including dose-dependent elevation of systemic immune response cytokines and dose-dependent increases in CD8+ immune cell infiltrates within the targeted solid tumor tissue. As the ongoing clinical studies for NG-350A (FORTITUDE and FORTIFY) and NG-641 (STAR, NEBULA, and MOAT) advance in 2023, Akamis Bio will continue to assess safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy in both monotherapy and combination (with checkpoint inhibitors) settings, as well as the potential benefits of multiple cycles of T-SIGn therapeutic dosing. Akamis Bio anticipates the initiation of a set of expansion cohort studies for NG-350A and NG-641 in early 2024 to demonstrate clinical proof-of-concept in patient populations with a single type of epithelial-derived solid tumor. Akamis Bio Corporate Relaunch The company's new name is derived from "Akamas," one of the warriors who was inside of the mythical Trojan Horse which facilitated the successful Greek attack on Troy from inside the city's otherwise impenetrable walls. The name is a nod toward the "Trojan Horse" mechanism of action of its T-SIGn therapeutics which enter solid tumor cells and turn them into "drug factories" to facilitate the immune system's attack on the tumor from the inside. The company's relaunch builds on the ongoing corporate transformation which has included the Q3 2022 hiring of a new US-based CEO in Howard Davis, Ph.D., as well as the company's Q4 2022 establishment of its hub of US operations in Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In conjunction with the corporate name change, the company has launched a new website (www.akamisbio.com). About T-SIGn Akamis Bio's Tumor-Specific Immuno-Gene (T-SIGn) therapeutics are chimeric group B adenoviral vector-based, tumor gene therapies which are capable of homing specifically to primary and metastatic solid tumors following intravenous delivery. Once at the tumor site, T-SIGn therapeutics can drive intratumoral expression of multiple immunologically active biomolecules and therapeutic proteins encoded by the vector to remodel the tumor microenvironment and trigger robust antitumor immune responses. T-SIGn therapeutics have potential for use in the treatment of solid tumors as monotherapy, as well as in combination with other immuno-oncology agents (e.g., checkpoint inhibitors, antibody drug conjugates, bispecific T-cell engagers, and cell therapies) to enable and/or enhance the efficacy of those modalities in the solid tumor setting. Akamis Bio has an extensive and growing body of clinical experience with T-SIGn therapeutics with more than 200 patients treated across both the monotherapy setting, as well as in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. Across clinical studies, T-SIGn therapeutics have demonstrated a consistent safety and tolerability profile, as well as promising preliminary evidence of clinical activity. About Akamis Bio Akamis Bio is a clinical-stage oncology company whose mission is to leverage its groundbreaking Tumor-Specific Immuno-Gene Therapy (T-SIGn) platform to positively impact the lives of people living with cancer. To achieve that mission, the company is developing a portfolio of solid tumor-targeted T-SIGn therapeutics which aim to enable a patient's own immune system to recognize, attack, and clear their cancer. Akamis Bio has a growing pipeline of T-SIGn therapeutics anchored by its two clinical-stage programs, NG-350A (an immuno-stimulatory tumor gene therapy driving intratumoral expression of a CD40 agonist monoclonal antibody) and NG-641 (a stromal-targeted tumor gene therapy leveraging a viral vector encoding a FAP-CD3 bispecific antibody, CXCL-9, CXCL-10 interferon alpha). NG-350A and NG-641 are both being investigated in ongoing Phase 1 clinical studies in patients with metastatic or advanced epithelial tumors. In addition to internal pipeline development efforts, Akamis Bio has a number of T-SIGn platform-focused collaborations with leaders in the immuno-oncology field including BMS, Merck, and the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI). To learn more, please visit www.akamisbio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005227/en/ Contacts: Company: Kate Wright Akamis Bio +44 (0)1235 835328 PublicRelations@akamisbio.com Media: Mike Beyer Sam Brown Inc. Healthcare Communications +1 (312) 961-2502 mikebeyer@sambrown.com Investor: Chelcie Lister THRUST Strategic Communications chelcie@thrustsc.com LONDON, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Nebulizer Market is anticipated to amass a valuation of USD 1578.74 million by 2028 from USD 1034.14 million in 2021, registering a CAGR of 6.90% over the forecast duration of 2022-2028. Nebulizer is described as a kind of medical device powered with the capacity to change liquid medicine into mist so that it can be directly inhaled by a patient using a mask or mouthpiece. It is used to treat a wide range of respiratory ailments including cystic fibrosis, COPD, and asthma, among others. A patient requires to take the device and breath through it for nearly 10-15 minutes with the help of the attached mouthpiece. This facilitates direct medicine delivery into the lungs and provides instant relieve. Most of these devices are compact and easily portable in nature. Get Sample of Report@ https://brandessenceresearch.com/downloadSample/PostId/252 Global Nebulizer Market Outlook (2022-2029) The growing pervasiveness of respiratory disorders, surge in the geriatric population base, and influx of advanced technologies in the field are primarily augmenting the outlook of this business vertical. Furthermore, rising R&D investments in this vertical, growing health awareness among the masses, coupled with the rapidly evolving healthcare infrastructure are adding momentum to the progression of this industry sphere. Also, increasing healthcare expenditure, escalating demand for home healthcare, and rising trends of unhealthy lifestyle among the masses are creating lucrative opportunities for this market to prosper. Moreover, rising focus of key players to develop and launch effective nebulizers, increase adoption of jet nebulizers, growing occurrence of respiratory ailments among children, and emergence of new players in the market are stimulating the overall dynamics of the Global Nebulizer Market. On the flipside, high costs and associated side effects are hindering the remuneration scope of this business sphere. Competitive Hierarchy The prominent players characterizing the competitive terrain of this business vertical are DeVillbiss Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Becton Dickinson, Philips Healthcare, Omron Healthcare Inc., PARI Respiratory Equipment, Allied Healthcare Products, Aerogen, Medtronics PLC, Briggs Healthcare, GF HEALTH PRODUCTS INC., Trudell Medical International, and Teleflex Medical Inc. These companies are emphasizing towards the diversification of their product portfolio. They are partaking in mergers & acquisition deals, collaborations, partnerships, along with R&D activities to survive in this highly competitive market. Segmental Outlook By Product Type Pneumatic Nebulizer Ultrasonic Nebulizer Mesh Nebulizer By End-User Home Hospital Physician/Clinic Get Methodology @ https://brandessenceresearch.com/requestMethodology/PostId/252 Region-Wise Outlook Which is the top performing region in this market? North America is reckoned to generate substantial returns over the estimated timeframe owing to the increase in the elderly population base, growing prevalence of target diseases, rising health cognizance, and technological advances. How is Middle East & Africa faring in this industry? Middle East & Africa is anticipated to capture a significant revenue share over 2022-2028. This is attributable to the growing prevalence of respiratory ailments, increase in the geriatric population, and rising healthcare expenditure in the country. Further, with rapid economic developments, there have widespread evolutions in the medical infrastructure of the region. Alongside, the presence of top market players, rising life expectancy, growing disposable income levels, along with surge in the number of government-led projects to bring robust transformation in the MEA healthcare dynamics. Besides, rising R&D activities in this sector, technological innovations, along with escalating demand for home healthcare solutions are adding momentum to the growth of this region. Category-Wise Outlook Which is the fastest growing product type segment in the Global Nebulizer Market? The mesh nebulizer segment has emerged as one of the most rapidly evolving segments. This is credited to the wide array of advantages offered by mesh technologies which in turn is escalating the adoption of these nebulizers across the globe. Which end user segment is anticipated to witness remarkable growth over 2022-2028? The home segment is projected to showcase lucrative expansion trends over the estimated timeline. This is ascribed to the increasing popularity of home healthcare owing to its high degree of convenience and affordability. Comparing the historical outlook and ongoing trends of this market This business sphere has been garnering significant returns over the estimated timeline due to the positive influence of various expansion propellants. There has been a growing prevalence of respiratory disorders across the globe. This is attributable to the increase in the ageing population base, rising pollution levels, unhealthy lifestyle trends, and genetic factors. Due to rising stress levels people have started adopting smoking habits which in turn is making them highly prone to respiratory and cardiovascular disorders. This has escalated the demand for early disease diagnosis and treatment. In the wake of this, nebulization devices are gaining massive traction across the globe. These factors together are stimulating the overall dynamics of this industry vertical. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has positively swayed the dynamics of Global Nebulizer Market. Coronavirus is known to attack our respiratory systems which in turn escalated the demand for respiratory devices. Moreover, due to rising patient pool several countries faced a shortage of meter dose inhalers and ventilators. Therefore, healthcare professionals started adopting alternative devices such as oxygen concentrators, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, and nebulizers to treat the patients. This in turn added traction to the development of this business sphere. Growing popularity of home healthcare is further increasing the adoption of these devices worldwide. People diagnosed to chronic respiratory diseases require long term healthcare. But regular visits to healthcare centers cost them a fortune and is also time consuming in nature. Therefore, they are adopting breathable devices like nebulizers which can be used with the intervention of any medical professional. On Special Requirement Nebulizer Market Report is also available for below region: North America U.S, Canada Europe Germany , France , U.K., Italy , Spain , Sweden , Netherland, Turkey , Switzerland , Belgium , Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific South Korea , Japan , China , India , Australia , Philippines , Singapore , Malaysia , Thailand , Indonesia , Rest Of APAC Latin America Mexico , Colombia , Brazil , Argentina , Peru , Rest of Latin America Middle East and Africa Saudi Arabia , UAE, Egypt , South Africa , Rest Of MEA Major Developments In July 2020, OMRON Healthcare Inc. unveiled its new portable nebulizer range named OMRON NE C106. 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Brandessence Market Research publishes market research reports & business insights produced by highly qualified and experienced industry analysts. Our research reports are available in a wide range of industry verticals including aviation, food & beverage, healthcare, ICT, Construction, Chemicals and lot more. Brand Essence Market Research report will be best fit for senior executives, business development managers, marketing managers, consultants, CEOs, CIOs, COOs, and Directors, governments, agencies, organizations and Ph.D. Students. We have a delivery center in?Pune, India?and our sales office is in?London. Follow Us:?Linkedin ? Blog:What is Market Research? What is Market Sizing? How to Measure Your TAM, SAM, and SOM Contact: Mr.?Vishal Sawant? Email:?vishal@brandessenceresearch.com? Email:?Sales@brandessenceresearch.com? Corporate Sales:?+44-2038074155? Asia Office:?+917447409162 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1392316/BEMR_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-nebulizer-market-size-surpass-usd-1578-74-mn-by-2028--at-6-90-cagr-says-brandessence-market-research-301714571.html FAIRFIELD, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / Bergio International, Inc. ("Bergio," or the "Company") ( OTC PINK:BRGO ), an American holding corporation and global leader in fine and fashion jewelry announces Jonathan Foltz will be taking a new role at Bergio International, heading up the new technology, WEB3, and app division. It's been about 22 months since Aphrodite's was acquired in a cash and BRGO stock deal to take Bergio International to a new digital level. Since the Aphrodite's deal, Bergio has also acquired Print-On-Demand and SAAS brand Gearbubble. It is looking to grow its holding company with additions of newly acquired talent in the technology and marketing space. Jonathan Foltz is one of them, former President and Co-Founder of Aphrodite's, who is known for building, growing, and scaling companies quickly - with more than a dozen companies under his belt. He is now looking to take on a new role in the public company and will be stepping down from the helm of Aphrodite's. He is taking on an advisor role at Aphrodite's and stepping into a new role to create a new research, innovation, apps, and technology division of Bergio International. Jonathan is passing the temporary President helm to his long-time business partner and co-founder of Aphrodite's, Umer Hadeed. This was an easy choice and natural progression of leadership because of their past in building companies together. Jonathan Foltz states, "It's been a fun, wild, and experiential journey with Aphrodite's since 2016. After 6 years at the helm of the company, I am ready to step down and follow my passion and inspiration in the app, WEB3, A.I., and exponential technology space. I believe we are at an important crossroads and there is a grand acceleration with technology like we have never seen before, and I can better serve by being at the forefront of this new technology." He added, "After all the restructuring and vertical integration of Aphrodite's since being acquired, new leadership is required and it will be a big boost after all the new changes that have been applied. I am very thankful for the opportunities, the fun times, and the lessons that came along the way. I wish the best of luck to Aphrodite's team and new management. I will continue to work closely with some of the team members, as they will be part of the new arm of BRGO, and I will continue to advise the company." After the acquisition, a lot of changes were created to set a new foundation for Aphrodite's to fit into the public company. Vertically integrating to get direct jewelry production, leaning the company in and out, adding new data analytics tools after the IOS14 changes, laying down the proper financial measuring tools, and changing internal shipments to a 3PL company to concentrate on what Aphrodite's does best: Marketing & Product Development. Umer Hadeed, the new President of Aphrodite's states, "I am both honored and excited to take on the role of President of Aphrodite's. I am grateful to my predecessor, Jonathan Foltz, for his leadership and guidance. I know these are big shoes to fill as we embark on this new chapter, and I would like to reaffirm my commitment to our values and our mission. I am committed to leveraging emerging technologies to drive innovation and to serve our customers, employees, and community in the best way possible. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to achieve great things as a team." Berge Abajian, CEO of Bergio, comments on the new arm and the transition of new leadership for Aphrodite's, "I would like to congratulate Umer Hadeed on taking the position as the President of Aphrodite's. This was an easy decision. Umer has been the Co-Founder and Vice-President since inception and is familiar with all aspects of the company." He added, "We need to be on the forefront of technology, adding the new arm with the leadership of Jonathan is essential to have the edge in space. Jonathan is a visionary and the perfect candidate to lead the new division." Bergio International sees the rising tides and is looking to stay ahead of the new changes in technology and is excited to announce the new arm of BRGO. The Bergio team also understands that technology is moving quicker than ever before and is making sure that they are at the forefront of this. Applications and SAAS will comprise mainly of e-commerce apps and will transition further into Artificial Intelligence, WEB3, Blockchain, and Exponential Technologies. About Aphrodite's Aphrodite's is a global direct-to-consumer (DTC) fashion jewelry, marketing, and technology company best known for its unique and meaningful gifting experiences with custom-designed boxes and heartfelt cards. It grossed over $30 million in sales in 3.5 years with $10 million of this generated during the 2020 pandemic year. The brand features jewelry, sunglasses, and watches showcasing an array of necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, and anklets. For more information on Aphrodite's, please visit www.aphrodites.com . About Bergio International, Inc. The Bergio brand, the primary portfolio asset, is associated with high-quality, handcrafted, and individually designed pieces with a European sensibility, Italian craftsmanship, and a bold flair for the unexpected. Established in 1995, Bergio's signature innovative design, coupled with extraordinary diamonds and precious stones, earned the company recognition as a highly sought-after purveyor of rare and exquisite treasures from around the globe. With family jewelry roots reaching back to the 1930s, founder, CEO, and designer Berge Abajian is a third-generation jeweler, blending superior knowledge in design and manufacturing to create unparalleled collections in craftsmanship and style. The Bergio brand features fine jewelry, silver fashion jewelry, bridal, couture, and leather accessories, ranging in price from $50 to $250,000. For further information, please visit www.bergio.com . This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding our business strategy and plans as well as expectations of future growth, all of which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are not historical in nature and include those related to future financial and operating results, benefits, and synergies of the combined companies, statements concerning the Company's outlook, pricing trends, and forces within the industry, the completion dates of capital projects, expected sales growth, cost reduction strategies, and their results, long-term goals of the Company and other statements of expectations, beliefs, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends, and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual results due to a variety of factors, including changes in the general economy; changes in demand for the Company's products or in the cost and availability of its raw materials; the actions of its competitors; the success of our customers; technological change; changes in employee relations; government regulations; litigation, including its inherent uncertainty; difficulties in plant operations and materials; transportation, environmental matters; and other unforeseen circumstances. A number of these factors are discussed in the Company's previous filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including those detailed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the SEC. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act") protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act. Investor Relations John Guercio jpguercio@aol.com (845) 216-3100 SOURCE: Bergio International, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734095/Jonathan-Foltz-To-Lead-New-Technology-and-App-Division-of-Bergio-International WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - PPL Corp. (PPL) announced Thursday it has promoted Francis Sullivan to executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective January 1, 2023. Sullivan succeeds Gregory Dudkin, who is on extended medical leave and not expected to return to PPL. Dudkin will remain executive vice president while on medical leave. In his new position, Sullivan will report to PPL President and Chief Executive Officer Vincent Sorgi and oversee PPL's regulated utility operations, with the presidents of PPL's Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island utility companies reporting to him. Sullivan brings more than four decades of energy industry experience to his new role. He joined PPL as vice president-Operations Performance in October 2021. Prior to PPL, he served as senior operations advisor for Kindle Energy LLC for more than two years and as an independent consultant to the power sector since 2018. From 2008 to 2018, Sullivan served as NRG Energy's senior vice president of operations. Prior to that, he served for more than a decade in a variety of leadership roles with Public Service Enterprise Group. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Oxford, Ohio and Denver, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - January 5, 2023) - PsyBio Therapeutics Corp. (TSXV: PSYB) (OTCQB: PSYBF) ("PsyBio" or the "Company"), an intellectual property driven biotechnology company focused upon discovery and development of novel psycho-targeted therapeutics being designed to improve mental health and neurological conditions, is pleased to announce that the Company has completed the first tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement offering of units of the Company (the "Units") consisting of 12,665,612 Units at a price of C$0.05 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of C$633,281 (the "Offering"). Each Unit is comprised of one subordinate voting share (a "Share") in the capital of the Company and one subordinate voting share purchase warrant (a "Warrant") exercisable at C$0.10 per Share for a period of 24 months following the closing date of the Offering. The expiry date of the Warrants may be accelerated by the Company at any time and upon 30 days' notice, if the closing price of the Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") is greater than C$0.20 for any 10 non-consecutive trading days following the date that is four months and one day after the date of issuance and prior to the expiry date of the Warrants. The Company will use the net the proceeds of the Offering for Current Good Manufacturing Practices ("cGMP") regulations to scale its biosynthetic drug candidates in its own facility, clinical trial preparation and general corporate and working capital purposes. "As investors, entrepreneurs and executives, our analytical team continues to perform extensive due diligence on the emerging psychedelic medicine industry and, from our vantage point, we believe that PsyBio has the most extensive, advanced and functional technology in the industry," stated Evan Levine, PsyBio's Chief Executive Officer. "Our entire senior management team and each member of the board of directors (the "Board") are participating in this round which will further cGMP manufacturing of not only biosynthetic psilocybin but our extensive portfolio of pharmaceutical candidates." "Our highly adaptable technology, using genetically modified bacteria, facilitates the production of target molecules far more efficiently than either chemical synthesis or agricultural production including both non-natural targets and natural targets without sufficient natural abundance which are practically impossible to extract or efficiently synthesize," stated Dr. Michael Spigarelli, PsyBio's Chief Medical and Scientific Officer. "Over the past several years, PsyBio has been perfecting the biosynthetic processes, has scaled to commercial levels and has had a successful pre-Investigational New Drug ("IND") meeting with the United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA")." As consideration for certain services provided to the Company in connection with the Offering, the Company paid an aggregate of C$700 and issued 14,000 compensation options exercisable to acquire one Share at a price of C$0.05 per Share for a period of 24 months following the closing date of the Offering, as finders' fees to certain persons. All of the securities issuable in connection with the Offering are subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day after the date of issuance in accordance with Canadian securities laws. The Offering is subject to the final approval of the TSXV and to all regulatory approvals. To demonstrate continued support of the Company's growth plans, all of the directors and executive officers of the Company participated in the Offering in an aggregate amount of C$496,290. Such participation is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The related party transaction is exempt from minority approval, information circular, and formal valuation requirements pursuant to the exemptions contained in Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as neither the fair market value of the gross securities issued nor the consideration paid exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The securities being offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any U.S. state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an available exemption from the registration requirement of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, such securities being offered pursuant to the Offering in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Company also announces its intention to increase the size of the Offering by up to an additional C$1,000,000 (the "Additional Offering") for potential aggregate gross proceeds of C$2,000,000 when taking into account the amount previously announced on in the Company's December 1, 2022 news release. The Company is proposing to complete the Additional Offering on a non-brokered basis on identical terms to the Offering, as more fully described in the Company's December 1, 2022 press release, on or before February 3, 2023. The Additional Offering is subject to approval by the TSXV. The Company further announces that Mr. Nitin Kaushal has resigned from the Board for personal reasons, and the Board has accepted his resignation. The Company thanks Mr. Kaushal for his valuable contributions and wishes him every success in his future endeavours. The Board now consists of Messrs. Evan Levine, Noah Davis, Ross Carmel and Bob Oliver. About PsyBio Therapeutics Corp. PsyBio Therapeutics is an intellectual property driven biotechnology company developing novel psycho-targeted therapeutics to being designed to improve mental health and neurological conditions. The team has extensive experience in drug discovery based on synthetic biology and metabolic engineering as well as clinical and regulatory expertise progressing drugs through human studies and regulatory protocols. Research and development is currently ongoing for naturally occurring psychoactive tryptamines originally discovered in different varieties of hallucinogenic mushrooms, other tryptamines and phenethylamines and combinations thereof. The Company utilizes a bio-medicinal chemistry approach to therapeutic development, in which psychoactive compounds can be utilized as a template upon which to develop precursors and analogs, both naturally and non-naturally occurring. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" ("forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information. Forward looking-statements in this press release include statements regarding: the ability of PsyBio to develop novel formulations to potentially treat neurologic and psychologic conditions and other disorders; the ability of PsyBio to launch clinical trials; the ability of PsyBio to build and protect its intellectual property portfolio of novel drug candidates; the ability to achieve cost competitive synthesis with reduced environmental impact over current production methods; the ability of PsyBio to move target candidates into scaled commercial manufacturing and regulatory application; the Additional Offering; the ability of the Company to close the Offering and/or the Additional Offering on the terms described herein, if at all; TSXV approval of the Offering or Additional Offering; and the Company's anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering or Additional Offering. In disclosing the forward-looking information contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions, including that: PsyBio will be successful in protecting its intellectual property; PsyBio will be successful in discovering new valuable target molecules; PsyBio will file one or more IND Applications with the FDA; PsyBio will be successful in obtaining all necessary approvals for clinical trials; PsyBio will be successful in launching clinical trials; the results of preclinical safety and efficacy testing will be favourable; PsyBio's technology will be safe and effective; a confirmed signal will be identified in PsyBio's selected indications; and that drug development involves long lead times, is very expensive and involves many variables of uncertainty. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking information will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: compliance with extensive government regulations; domestic and foreign laws and regulations adversely affecting PsyBio's business and results of operations; decreases in the prevailing process for psilocybin and nutraceutical products in the markets in which PsyBio operates; the impact of COVID-19; and general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking information or otherwise. PsyBio makes no medical, treatment or health benefit claims about PsyBio's proposed products. The FDA or other similar regulatory authorities have not evaluated claims regarding psilocybin and other next generation psychoactive compounds. The efficacy of such products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. There is no assurance that the use of psilocybin and other psychoactive compounds can diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. Vigorous scientific research and clinical trials are needed. PsyBio has not conducted clinical trials for the use of its intellectual property. Any references to quality, consistency, efficacy and safety of potential products do not imply that PsyBio verified such in clinical trials or that PsyBio will complete such trials. If PsyBio cannot obtain the approvals or research necessary to commercialize its business, it may have a material adverse effect on the PsyBio's performance and operations. The TSXV has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE PsyBio Therapeutics Corp. For further information, please contact: Evan Levine CEO, PsyBio Therapeutics Corp. t: 513.449.9585 e: ir@psybiolife.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/150390 Islamabad, Pakistan--(Newsfile Corp. - January 5, 2023) - Nutrifactor, Pakistan's leading natural supplements & vitamin brand expands its business to the global market, giving international consumers easier access to its products. Nutrifactor has been providing premium quality healthcare products to South Asian consumers for over 10 years, playing a notable role in global efforts to improve the nutritional status of this region. Natural ingredients, innovation and diverse range of products have made Nutrifactor a popular and reliable healthcare brand. "We are thrilled to introduce our brand in the international markets," said Amjad Ali CEO of Nutrifactor. "Our products are receiving excellent feedback and we want to ensure that everyone has access to our quality products, regardless of the geographical restrictions." In addition to this expansion to global markets, Nutrifactor is introducing a new range of products including skincare and protein supplements to cater needs of consumers in these regions. Nutrifactor also offers customized formulations in different dosage forms i.e., tablets, soft gels, capsules, chewable, gummies, syrups and powders, offering one of the widest varieties of dosage forms. Expanding its business to over 30+ countries across the globe in 6 different continents, Nutrifactor is on its way to becoming a globally renowned brand. Over the years, Nutrifactor has actively displayed its presence at multiple cross-border exhibitions. Nutrifactor is committed to providing the highest quality products to its consumers across the world. With their expansion to international markets, they are confident that they will be able to meet the needs of international consumers. Media Contact Name: Navid Bukhari Email: business@nutrifactor.com Website: https://www.nutrifactor.com.pk/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/150253 Historic Mining District Greenwood BC VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / GGX Gold Corp. (TSX-V:GGX)(OTCQB:GGXXF)(FRA:3SR2) (the "Company" or "GGX") is pleased to provide an update on the Company's 100% owned Gold Drop property in the Greenwood Mining Camp in British Columbia, Canada. GGX has initiated a review of targets at the Gold Drop Property to focus on tellurium enriched gold veins, considering the growing interest in Critical Minerals as outlined in the Government's release of its Critical Minerals Strategy. Tellurium is on Canada's list of 31 critical minerals, with applications in solar power and thermoelectric devices. Map of Gold Drop Property showing exploration areas. Barry Brown, chief executive officer of GGX Gold, stated: "Critical minerals are essential to powering the clean energy transition to a low-carbon and digitalized economy. Current projections for significantly increased demand of critical minerals are far overwhelming current supply. Canada has made it a priority to foster domestic critical mineral exploration, and GGX Gold Corp. will endeavour to take full advantage of the opportunity that lies ahead with a focus on tellurium as well as gold." A review of previous analytical results shows that elevated tellurium is associated with high gold concentrations in the COD, Perky, and Ken veins. However, data are limited because tellurium (Te) analyses were not routinely performed prior to 2018. As such, Te values remain unknown over much of the property and could be present in significant amounts in other known gold-rich veins. The tellurium is suspected to be contained in gold-telluride minerals such as Sylvanite (AuAgTe4). Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au g/t Ag g/t Te ppm Vein PKY20-08 1.73 2.87 1.14 158.2 675.5 444.5 PERKY COD19-46 32.52 33.5 0.98 63.0 600.0 507.0 COD COD19-23 25.12 26.62 1.50 71.5 775.3 363.7 COD COD18-67 23.19 30.47 7.28 141.9 1263.3 902.1 COD COD18-70 22.57 29.47 6.90 183.3 1384.1 993.7 COD Sample ID Easting UTM Northing UTM Sample Width (m) Au g/t Ag g/t Te ppm Vein 112759 381007 5447025 0.4 m channel 21.7 >100 149.0 COD 112753 381071 5447117 Grab 15.45 >100 114.5 COD 844796 384066 5447148 Grab 297 1290 >500 KEN Table showing elevated tellurium results in drill holes (top) and rock samples (bottom) A comprehensive review of Te results is underway and a plan for re-sampling is being laid out to quantify the Te concentrations. The area surrounding the gold-tellurium enriched COD, Perky and Everest veins is of particular interest because several lineaments have been identified recently on the digital elevation model (DEM) that strike parallel to the COD vein (see map). These lineaments are interpreted as fractures and faults that could host parallel gold-tellurium bearing veins. The lineaments are being targeted for detailed surface evaluation in 2023, using focused geochemical surveys. Drilling targets are now being re-evaluated for 2023. The source of the tellurium at Gold Drop is unknown. However, tellurium is associated with gold mineralization world-wide in deposits associated with alkaline to subalkaline igneous host rocks. Deposit examples include Kirkland Lake Ontario, Cripple Creek Colorado, Emperor in Fiji, Porgera and Lihir in Papua New Guinea, and in China where Te is the main commodity (Dashuigou and Majiagou deposits, USGS PP1802-R). In the Gold Drop area, the veins are hosted in rocks that are intruded by syenite dikes and intrusions of the alkaline Coryell suite, suggesting a possible genetic association between the gold mineralization and alkaline magmatism. Map showing DEM and veins (red), lineaments (blue and white dashed lines) and Te and Au results of rock samples (yellow dots). Analyses disclosed in this release were conducted by ALS Global - Geochemistry Analytical Lab in North Vancouver, BC, Canada. ALS is an independent, fully accredited commercial laboratory. All mineralized vein samples were analyzed by the metallics sieve method (ALS Code Au-SCR24) with gold determination by fire assay. For other samples, gold was determined by the fire assay method using a 50-gram sample weight and AA finish. Other metals were analyzed as part of a 48-element package using a four-acid digestion and determination by ICP-MS. Over-limit results for tellurium were re-analyzed by four acid ICP-AES. Quality control was monitored from the results of blank and certified reference standard samples that were inserted into the submissions at a frequency of one each in 20 samples. The Company also announces that it has granted 1,000,000 stock options at an exercise price of $0.10 to its directors, officers, employees, and consultants. The options are exercisable for five years and will be cancelled 30 days after cessation of acting as director, officer, employee, or consultant of the Company. The stock options are not transferable and will be subject to a four-month hold period from the date of grant and any applicable regulatory acceptance. The technical information in this release was approved by Dr. Mathew Ball, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and consultant to the Company. Readers are cautioned that historical records referred to in this News Release have been examined but not verified by a Qualified Person. Further work is required to verify that historical records referred to in this News Release are accurate. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Barry Brown, CEO 604-488-3900 Office@GGXgold.com Investor Relations: IR@GGXgold.com Forward Looking Statement This News Release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the acquisition of certain mineral claims. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements and Revolver undertakes no obligation to update such statements, except as required by law. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the industry and markets in which the Company operates, including that: the current price of and demand for minerals being targeted by the Company will be sustained or will improve; the Company will be able to obtain required exploration licences and other permits; general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner; financing will be available if and when needed on reasonable terms; the Company will not experience any material accident; and the Company will be able to identify and acquire additional mineral interests on reasonable terms or at all. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including: that resource exploration and development is a speculative business; that environmental laws and regulations may become more onerous; that the Company may not be able to raise additional funds when necessary; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; fluctuating prices of commodities; operating hazards and risks; competition; potential inability to find suitable acquisition opportunities and/or complete the same; and other risks and uncertainties listed in the Company's public filings. These risks, as well as others, could cause actual results and events to vary significantly. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: GGX Gold Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734125/GGX-Gold-Reviewing-Critical-Mineral-Status-Tellurium-Gold-Veins Also at Davos, Lee will participate in the multilateral meeting on Operational Collaboration Against Cybercrime, and help guide the dialogue around cybersecurity, cyber resilience, and digital trust during the Meeting for the Centre of Cybersecurity. Lee is an active contributor to the World Economic Forum and returning Davos speaker. He previously spoke on Cyber Security of Critical Infrastructure at the Davos Annual Meeting 2022 during the Global Cybersecurity Outlook. Lee is a member of the WEF Cybersecurity Leadership Community and the WEF Subcommittee on Cyber Resilience for the Oil and Gas and Electricity Communities. He contributed to the WEF white paper for Cyber Resilience in the Oil and Gas Industry, "Advancing Supply Chain Security in Oil and Gas: An Industry Analysis" and published the WEF article, "Cybersecurity has much to learn from industrial safety planning." The World Economic Forum had previously selected Dragos as a "2020 Technology Pioneer," an annual distinction that recognizes the 100 most innovative early to growth-stage companies from across the globe that are poised to have a significant impact on business and society. Dragos was the first industrial cybersecurity company to receive this recognition. WEF subsequently named Dragos as a Global Innovator. Specialist audiobooks, including classics and Buddhist recordings, to be added to RBmedia's global distribution network LANDOVER, Md., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- RBmedia, the largest audiobook publisher in the world, today announced the acquisition of Ukemi Audiobooks and Dharma Audiobooks. Through this acquisition, the company will acquire both audiobook publishing businesses and their full catalog of titles. Ukemi Audiobooks will continue as an imprint under W. F. Howes, an RBmedia international publishing brand, and Dharma Audiobooks will be a sub-imprint under Ukemi Audiobooks. Since its inception in 2015, Ukemi Audiobooks has produced previously unavailable fiction and nonfiction classics, ranging from ancient Greek, Roman, and Latin texts to principal works by philosophers Nietzsche and Schopenhauer and psychologists Freud and Jung, as well as 20th-century classics, including Thomas Mann's literary masterpieces and the early novels of Samuel Beckett. Notable Ukemi Audiobooks titles include: Plato's "The Socratic Dialogues" complete, in dialogue format "Buddenbrooks" by Thomas Mann "The Good Soldier Svejk" by Jaroslav Hasek "History of the Russian Revolution" by Leon Trotsky "The World as Will and Idea, Volume 1-3" by Arthur Schopenhauer "The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money" by John Maynard Keynes "The Rig Veda" translated by Ralph T Griffith, revised for this recording Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas, complete in 5 volumes Dharma Audiobooks specializes in Buddhist recordings of all kinds-biographies, histories, talks, suttas and sutras, commentaries, and classic literature. The recordings draw on all the main traditions-Theravada, Mahayana, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, Western Buddhist-and feature some of the leading teachers and writers. Notable Dharma Audiobooks titles include: The five Nikayas of the "Sutta Pi?aka" (Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, Sa?yutta Nikaya, A?guttara Nikaya, and Khuddaka Nikaya) "The Lotus Sutra" and "The Vimalakirti Sutra" Steve Hagen's "Buddhism Plain and Simple" "Buddhism Plain and Simple" "What the Buddha Taught" by Walpola Sri Rahula "Shobogenzo" by Eihei Dogen Nicolas Soames, founder and managing director of Ukemi Audiobooks and Dharma Audiobooks, said, "I started Ukemi Audiobooks and Dharma Audiobooks in 2015 to provide highly specialist titles, most of which were not otherwise available. Seven years later, it's clear that both labels would really benefit from the much larger international distribution and marketing that W. F. Howes and RBmedia can provide. I was encouraged and pleased to find that such a large organization was genuinely interested in these specialist corners of the audiobook community and know that these two labels are in capable hands." Miles Stevens-Hoare, Managing Director for RBmedia International, said, "Ukemi Audiobooks and Dharma Audiobooks titles have generated worldwide interest since their inception in 2015. We look forward to significantly expanding distribution of the existing catalog through RBmedia's powerful global distribution network, while also publishing new audiobook titles under our W. F. Howes brand." About RBmedia RBmedia is the largest audiobook publisher in the world. With more than 60,000 exclusive titles, our audiobooks continually dominate key literary awards and bestseller lists. The company's powerful digital retail and library distribution network reaches millions of listeners around the globe-at home, in the car, and everywhere their mobile devices go. Our titles are available on leading audio platforms, including Audible, Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, Audiobooks.com, OverDrive, Hoopla, and many more. RBmedia is owned by KKR, a leading global investment firm. Find out more at rbmediaglobal.com. About W. F. Howes W. F. Howes Ltd is the UK's leading audiobook and large-print publisher, distributing its content through all leading consumer and library vendors. The company is known for publishing bestselling authors such as Danielle Steel, Val McDermid, Dan Jones, and V. E. Schwab. W. F. Howes is the UK subsidiary of RBmedia. For more information, visit www.wfhowes.co.uk or email info@wfhowes.co.uk. About Ukemi Audiobooks Ukemi Audiobooks is a digital label for the spoken word founded by Nicolas Soames. It presents fiction and non-fiction titles which are either unavailable as downloads or which need fresh, clear, and authoritative recordings. They range from C. G. Jung's important autobiography "Memories, Dreams, Reflections" and Seneca's "The Moral Epistles," to Thomas Mann's "Buddenbrooks" and Samuel Beckett's "Murphy." For details of all releases, click on the CATALOGUE tab. About Dharma Audiobooks Dharma Audiobooks is an audiobook label with a clear brief: to present Buddhist recordings of all kinds-biographies, histories, talks, suttas and sutras from all traditions, commentaries, and classic literature by Western Buddhists-in informed and professional productions. The recordings draw on all the main traditions-Theravada, Mahayana, Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese-as well as the rapidly increasing Western Buddhist tradition and feature some of the leading teachers and writers. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1977179/RBmedia_Ukemi_Dharma.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/rbmedia-continues-expansion-with-acquisition-of-ukemi-audiobooks-and-dharma-audiobooks-301713748.html Focused on bucking the database industry trends of the last 30 years, this virtual conference will feature insights from data leaders and practitioners who are doing data differently BOSTON, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Starburst , the analytics anywhere company, today announced it will host its third annual Datanova conference on February 8th & 9th, 2023. Focused on highlighting how innovative data leaders are adapting to rapid change and approaching data-driven strategies in 2023 and beyond, this two-day virtual event will feature talks and sessions from the individuals re-shaping the future of data management and analytics. Designed for those who seek to not just 'do data' incrementally better, but differently, the conference will be headlined by an out-of-this-world keynote where Kara Swisher, host of the Pivot Podcast , will interview Tara Ruttley, Space Station Chief Scientist at Blue Origin . Their discussion will seek to uncover the motives behind space tourism, why Silicon Valley is so obsessed with this idea, why the government is not, and the role data plays in making it a reality. Conference sessions will feature some of the biggest names from the data analytics industry discussing, debating and explaining topics from Data Mesh and data engineering to data myths. You can find the full agenda here , but a sample of Datanova sessions includes: The Data Lies (and Truths) --Starburst Co-founder and CEO Justin Borgman will debunk common data myths, including his perspective on why companies have continued the pursuit of a single source of truth. --Starburst Co-founder and CEO will debunk common data myths, including his perspective on why companies have continued the pursuit of a single source of truth. Data Disrupted --A fireside chat with Borgman; Martin Casado , software engineer and partner at Andreessen Horowitz; Zhamak Dehghani, Data Mesh founder and Director of Next Tech Incubation at Thoughtworks; and Teresa Tung , Cloud First Chief Technologist at Accenture. The group will discuss how to build a modern data strategy, evolve data teams and skills, and actually realize the proverbial 'business value' of analyzing data faster. --A fireside chat with Borgman; , software engineer and partner at Andreessen Horowitz; Zhamak Dehghani, Data Mesh founder and Director of Next Tech Incubation at Thoughtworks; and , Cloud First Chief Technologist at Accenture. The group will discuss how to build a modern data strategy, evolve data teams and skills, and actually realize the proverbial 'business value' of analyzing data faster. Tech Talk: Is Data Mesh the End of Data Engineering? -- Joe Reis , Best Selling Co-author of Fundamentals of Data Engineering, joins Starburst's Andy Mott and Colleen Tartow for a fun and lively Oxford style debate on whether the adoption of Data Mesh creates opportunity or spells doom for the field of Data Engineering. -- , Best Selling Co-author of Fundamentals of Data Engineering, joins Starburst's and Colleen Tartow for a fun and lively Oxford style debate on whether the adoption of Data Mesh creates opportunity or spells doom for the field of Data Engineering. Data Mesh 2033: What happened? --Panel discussion between Bryan Aller , Director of Software Development & Engineering at Comcast; Dileep Pournami, Head of Data Engineering Technology, NatWest Group; and Sachin Menon , Senior Director of Data & Marketing Technology, Priceline. While each panel member company has begun their data mesh journeys, the discussion will focus on their "Why" for data mesh, "Where" they are today, and "What" the next 10 years might look like. --Panel discussion between , Director of Software Development & Engineering at Comcast; Dileep Pournami, Head of Data Engineering Technology, NatWest Group; and , Senior Director of Data & Marketing Technology, Priceline. While each panel member company has begun their data mesh journeys, the discussion will focus on their "Why" for data mesh, "Where" they are today, and "What" the next 10 years might look like. The future of data: A BCG study -- Pranay Ahlawat , Partner and Associate Director, Enterprise Software & Cloud at Boston Consulting Group will present their landmark research study on how companies can derive the most value from an organization's single most important asset: Data. Pranay will be joined by Steven Huels , Senior Director, AI Product Management and Strategy at Red Hat, and Adrian Estala , Field Chief Data Officer at Starburst. -- , Partner and Associate Director, Enterprise Software & Cloud at Boston Consulting Group will present their landmark research study on how companies can derive the most value from an organization's single most important asset: Data. Pranay will be joined by , Senior Director, AI Product Management and Strategy at Red Hat, and , Field Chief Data Officer at Starburst. Workshops and Product Vision--The conference will feature workshops using Starburst Data Products to demonstrate a quick and easy process for setting up and running a data mesh in your organization. Starburst will also provide a glimpse into its 2023 product roadmap, highlighting how its technology platforms are supporting the next generation of analytics anywhere and empowering customers to be more curious. Additionally at Datanova, Starburst will unveil its inaugural Data Rebel Awards 2023! Celebrating the best customers, partners, and leaders that embody the spirit of a true "Data Rebel" - those that dare to push the boundaries of what's possible to shape the future of data. Nominations are still open for the Customer Data Rebel Awards until January 10th, 2023. Visit the landing page here for more information on submitting. "In just three years, Datanova has become a can't miss event for the data community," said Starburst CMO, Jess Iandiorio. "At this year's conference data leaders and practitioners will push the boundaries of how data has historically been managed, and showcase new ideas to get the most out of your data. Whether it's delivering data products, navigating people and process change to support a true Data Mesh, or implementing a data lakehouse, Datanova will help attendees determine the strategy that will serve as the foundation for their data-driven future." Datanova is open to all data professionals who are interested in building business value through data management and analytics. To register and see more information, visit the landing page here . About Starburst Starburst is the analytics engine for all your data. We provide the fastest, most efficient analytics engine for your data warehouse, data lake, or data mesh. We unlock the value of distributed data by making it fast and easy to access, no matter where it lives. Starburst queries data across any database, making it instantly actionable for data-driven organizations. With Starburst, teams can lower the total cost of their infrastructure and analytics investments, prevent vendor lock-in, and use the existing tools that work for their business. Trusted by companies like Apache Corporation, Comcast, Doordash, FINRA, Marks and Spencer, and VMware, Starburst helps companies make better decisions faster on all data. For more information, press only: Tucker Hallowell Inkhouse starburst@inkhouse.com 339-368-2290 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/starburst-hosts-third-annual-datanova-conference-keynoted-by-kara-swisher-and-tara-ruttley-301714201.html Britain's Prince Harry, left, reacts as he walks with his best man, Prince William the Duke of Cambridge, as they arrive for the the wedding ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, near London, England, Saturday, in this May 19, 2018 file photo. AP-Yonhap Britain's Prince Harry recounts in his new book how he was physically "attacked" by his older brother Prince William during an argument in 2019, the Guardian reported Wednesday. According to the newspaper, the story of the incident appears in Harry's new memoir "Spare," which is due to be released later this month amid an ongoing row within the British royal family. Harry, 38, writes that during a disagreement in the kitchen of his London home, William called his wife Meghan Markle "difficult," "rude" and "abrasive," before tackling him to the ground as the pair continued to argue, the Guardian said. "He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me," the Guardian quotes Harry's book as saying. Harry's new memoir "Spare" / Courtesy of Amazon CHICAGO, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global thermal management market was valued at USD 10.7 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 19.3 billion by 2028, registering a CAGR of 9.7% during the forecast period according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The rise in demand for thermal management is attributed to the increasing need for advanced heat dissipation solutions and thermal management components in consumer electronics and the growing use of miniature electronic devices. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=155049228 Browse in-depth TOC on "Thermal Management Market" 250 - Tables 50 - Figures 228 - Pages By Material: Non-adhesive materials segment to propel market growth The non-adhesive materials segment accounted for the largest market share of ~73% in 2028. This growth is attributed to the wide use of non-adhesive materials, such as thermal pads, gap fillers, and grease, in consumer electronics such as computers, laptops, and other handheld devices, for example, tablets. These materials are significantly less vulnerable to high electrical currents and are highly efficient in controlling and regulating the temperature of the electronics in which they are used. The non-adhesive materials are also proficient in handling mechanical shocks and absorption, providing more security and reliability to users. By Device: Convection cooling devices segment to capture largest share of thermal management market in 2028 The convection cooling devices segment accounted for the largest market share of ~45% in 2028. This growth is attributed to the increasing use of convection cooling devices in electronic components, circuits, and printed circuit boards (PCBs). Convection cooling involves the transfer of heat from a card into the ambient air using airflow. Convection cooling techniques can be applied in two ways: through natural airflow and by forced air flow via fans or blowers. The convection medium can be air or any other suitable thermal liquid. Thus, natural convection and forced air convection cooling are two types of convection cooling methods. Natural convection cooling devices do not require external sources, whereas forced air cooling devices require external sources such as pumps, fans, and suction devices for heat transfer. Heat sinks are attached to cooling devices in convection cooling to increase their dissipation area. This allows a large amount of heat to be transferred from devices to heat sinks and then to the ambient air. By Service: In 2028, optimization & post-sales support segment to hold largest share of thermal management market The optimization & post-sales support segment is expected to account for the largest market share of ~62% in 2028. Optimization & post-sales support services are provided for critical quality control in servers and data centers as high temperatures can damage them and result in the loss of vital information. Post-sales services typically lead to higher customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, word-of-mouth marketing, and even repeat sales. Optimization & post-sales support services include maintenance and service offerings to reduce downtime of systems, elevate their overall performance levels, and maximize their operational life. They also include flexible service plans that can be customized according to customer requirements, extended product warranties, and comprehensive maintenance and repair plans. These are some key factors contributing to the rising demand for optimization & post-sales support services. By End-user Industry: Automotive industry to hold largest share of thermal management market in 2028 The automotive industry is likely to account for the largest market share of ~29% in 2028. The increasing use of electric vehicles (EVs), which enable e-mobility and compliance with CO2 emission regulations, is driving the growth of the automotive segment. In the automotive industry, the thermal management of HVAC systems, instrument panels, infotainment systems, satellite navigation systems, head-up displays, and engine and brake management systems is essential. The automotive industry is among the leading consumers of thermal management solutions and systems due to the increasing demand for cables and insulating jackets, chassis suspension systems, automotive hoses, and automotive connectors for effective thermal management in vehicles. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=155049228 Asia Pacific likely to hold largest share of global thermal management market in 2028 Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest share of ~41% of the thermal management market in 2028. Flourishing chip manufacturing companies in countries such as China and South Korea are contributing to the growth of the thermal management market in Asia Pacific. The thermal management market in Asia Pacific is rapidly growing owing to the increasing demand for these services in countries such as China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Rest of Asia Pacific. The region has become a global focal point for large investments and business expansion opportunities. The thermal management market is dominated by a few globally established players, such as Henkel (Germany), Honeywell International Inc. (US), Vertiv Co (US), Delta Electronics, Inc. (Taiwan), Parker Chomerics (US), TAT Technologies Ltd. (Israel), Autoneum Holding AG (Switzerland), Boyd (US), European Thermodynamics Ltd. (UK), and Laird Thermal Systems (US). Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=155049228 Browse Adjacent Market: Semiconductor and Electronics Market Research Reports &Consulting Related Reports: Thermal Interface Pads & Material Market by Type (Phase Change Material, Thermal Grease, Thermal Pads), Products (MOSFET, Thyristor, IGBT), Application (Consumer Electronics, Telecom Equipment, Power Supply Units) - Forecast to 2020 Electronics Conformal Coating Market by Material (Acrylic, Silicone, Parylene, Urethane/Polyurethane, Epoxy), Equipment (Curing, Coating), Method (Brush Coating, Dipping), Application and Geography - Global Forecasts to 2020 EMC Shielding and Test Equipment Market by Type (EMC Shielding, EMC Test Equipment), Vertical (Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT, Automotive, Healthcare, Aerospace, and Others), Application, and Geography (2020-2025) EMC Testing Market by Offering (Hardware & Software and services), End-Use Application (Consumer Appliances & Electronics, Automotive, Military & Aerospace, IT & Telecommunications, Medical, Industrial), and Geography - Global Forecast 2024 UV Curing System Market by Technology (UV LED, Mercury Lamp), Type (Spot Cure, Flood and Focused Beam, Conveyor), Pressure Type (High, Medium, Low), Application, Vertical and Geography (2021-2026) About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/thermal-management-market.asp Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/thermal-management.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/thermal-management-market-worth-19-3-billion-by-2028---exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-301714238.html Total potential deal value up to $2 billion plus tiered royalties on commercial sales plus tiered royalties on commercial sales Synaffix to provide Amgen access to its proprietary antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technologies AMSTERDAM, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Synaffix B.V., a biotechnology company focused on commercializing its clinical-stage platform technology for the development of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), today announced the signing of a licensing agreement with Amgen to develop next generation ADCs. Amgen will gain access to Synaffix's antibody conjugation technology platforms comprising GlycoConnect, HydraSpace and select toxSYN linker-payloads for one ADC program with the option to exercise exclusive research and commercial licenses for an additional four programs at a later date. Under the terms of the agreement, Synaffix will be eligible to receive up to $2 billion in payments spanning signature, program nomination and milestone payments, plus tiered royalties on commercial sales which are consistent with the financials of the recently signed licenses of Synaffix ADC technology platform. Amgen will be responsible for the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of the ADCs and Synaffix will continue to be responsible for the manufacturing of components that are specifically related to its proprietary technologies. Peter van de Sande, Chief Executive Officer of Synaffix, said: "Synaffix is pleased to partner with Amgen, a world-leading biotechnology company, to enable novel ADC product development that will aid in the transformation of cancer treatment. Synaffix is extremely proud to contribute its ADC-technology and manufacturing expertise to Amgen's renowned drug development capabilities. This is our 12th licensing agreement to date, which further builds on our achievements from 2022, where we were also very proud to receive multiple awards including Best ADC Technology Platform, Biotech Company of the Year and Business Development Team of the Year." About Synaffix B.V. Synaffix B.V. is a biotechnology company that enables ADC product candidates using its clinical-stage, site-specific ADC technology platform based on GlycoConnect, HydraSpace and toxSYN, that together enable any company with an antibody to develop proprietary best-in-class ADC products under a single license from Synaffix. The Synaffix award winning platform enables a rapid timeline to clinic due to the established supply chain of technology components. Granted patents covering Synaffix' technology provide end-to-end protection of the manufacturing technology as well as the resulting products through at least 2035. The business model of Synaffix is target-specific technology out-licensing, as exemplified through its existing deals with ADC Therapeutics, Mersana Therapeutics, Shanghai Miracogen, Innovent Biologics, ProfoundBio, Kyowa Kirin, Genmab, Macrogenics and Emergence Therapeutics. Synaffix is backed by a top tier, life science-focused investor syndicate that includes Aravis, BioGeneration Ventures, BOM Capital and M Ventures. In 2022, Synaffix was awarded 'Best ADC Technology Platform' at the World ADC Awards, 'Biotech Company of the Year' at the LSX European Lifestars Awards and 'Business Development Team of the Year' at the Scrip Awards. For more information, please visit the website at www.synaffix.com. About The Synaffix ADC Platform Technology Synaffix' proprietary ADC technology platform consists of GlycoConnect, HydraSpace and toxSYN technologies. These technologies are aimed at enabling best-in-class ADCs from any antibody, with significantly enhanced efficacy and tolerability. GlycoConnect is a clinical-stage conjugation technology that exploits the native antibody glycan for site-specific and stable payload attachment and is tunable to DAR1, DAR2 or DAR4 formats. HydraSpace is a clinical-stage compact and highly polar spacer technology that is designed to further enhance therapeutic index, particularly with hydrophobic payloads. toxSYN is a linker-payload platform that spans key, validated MOAs for ADC product development, including SYNtecan E and SYNeamicin G, among other linker-payloads. The combination of these three technologies provides developers with a "one stop" and easy-to-use ADC technology platform, allowing any antibody developer to develop its own proprietary ADC and any ADC developer to expand its pipeline further and increase its competitive position. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/synaffix-enters-license-agreement-with-amgen-to-build-next-generation-adcs-301714416.html WPP (NYSE: WPP) today announces the acquisition of Fenom Digital, one of the fastest growing digital transformation agencies in North America. Founded by Dylan Runne three years ago in New York, Fenom Digital specializes in delivering enterprise commerce, order management systems, supply chain, marketing, and customer experience solutions to retailers and brands across North America. The company calls upon over 190 highly skilled technologists to deliver solutions that drive more than $5 billion of digital sales for clients annually, including Basset Furniture, Casper, Crocs, David Yurman, GNC, PacSun and Snipes. In 2022, Fenom Digital achieved Salesforce Crest Partner status and won Salesforce Commerce Cloud Partner of the Year for "Best Up and Coming Partner." Fenom Digital will join WPP's world-class, global commerce capability within Wunderman Thompson, which drives over $30 billion in GMV for brands such as Nestle, Bosch and Microsoft. This acquisition is part of Wunderman Thompson's strategy to help clients drive growth across all major digital routes to market in all major markets and will complement the 3500 commerce experts within the Wunderman Thompson group. The announcement follows other recent Wunderman Thompson acquisitions in the commerce space including Diff and Newcraft. These further strengthened WPP's overall digital commerce capabilities and reflect the company's ongoing investment into its commerce offer for clients as consumer needs continue to change. It is aligned with WPP's accelerated growth strategy, building on existing capabilities in the areas of commerce and technology. Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: "Expanding our business in high-growth commerce areas continues to be a high priority for WPP as we enter 2023. The Fenom team brings a proven track record of success paired with deep industry expertise and I'm delighted to welcome them to WPP." Neil Stewart, CEO of Wunderman Thompson Commerce Technology, said: "We have been highly impressed at the sales growth Dylan and the Fenom Digital team have achieved for their clients. Their expertise complements and strengthens the world-class Salesforce capability that we already have in North America. We are looking forward to bringing our combined expertise to service clients across multiple Salesforce clouds." Dylan Runne, CEO, Fenom Digital, said: "We couldn't be happier to be joining the Wunderman Thompson family and bringing our best-in-class commerce solutions to the world's leading digital agency. Wunderman Thompson's commerce focus and breadth of capabilities and experience open the door for Fenom to accelerate growth and continue executing on the vision of being the leading global Salesforce Digital Transformation Agency." About WPP WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. For more information, visit www.wpp.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230104005788/en/ Contacts: Alex Davis-Isaac, WPP +1 646-531-7724 Alex.DavisIsaac@wpp.com BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - The World Health Organization, or WHO, has criticized China for 'under-representing' the severe nature of the Covid outbreak in that country. The WHO's Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution, which met on Wednesday to discuss the pandemic situation in China, urged te government to share more data regarding the out of proportion spread of Covid in the country. 'We continue to ask China for more rapid, regular, reliable data on hospitalizations and deaths, as well as more comprehensive, real-time viral sequencing,' WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news conference following the meeting in Geneva. 'WHO is concerned about the risk to life in China and has reiterated the importance of vaccination, including booster doses, to protect against hospitalization, severe disease, and death,' he told reporters. According to WHO Executive Director for Health Emergencies Mike Ryan, the Covid metrics released by China such as the number of casualties and patients admitted in hospitals 'under-represent the true impact of the disease'. China is reportedly concealing the actual numbers even as the country's urban areas are passing through an explosive spread of the disease after restrictions were abruptly relaxed last month. During the Geneva meeting, scientists from the China CDC presented genomic data from what they described as imported as well as locally-acquired cases of Covid infections. The China CDC analysis showed a predominance of Omicron lineages BA.5.2 and BF.7, which together accounted for 97.5 percent of all local infections. The Technical Advisory Group reiterated the critical need for additional analysis as well as sharing of sequence data to understand the evolution of Covid and the emergence of concerning mutations or variants. WHO urged China to rapidly and regularly provide data into publicly accessible databases. WHO said it will continue to closely monitor the situation in China and globally. It urged all countries to continue to be vigilant, to monitor and report sequences, as well as to conduct independent and comparative analyses of the different Omicron sublineages, including on the severity of disease they cause. The UN health ageny said it is also currently evaluating the rapidly increasing proportion of the latest Omicron variant XBB.1.5 in the United States and other countries. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX IREX Provides Leading Artificial Intelligence and Video Searchveillance Capabilities for Ethical AI and Public Safety FAIRFAX, VA / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / Visium Technologies, Inc, ("Visium" or the "Company") (OTC PINK:VISM) a provider of world-class real-time cybersecurity, context-focused analysis, and predictive visualization technologies deployed for cyber security, announced today that it has an upcoming webcast scheduled for January 10, 2023 at 2PM EST . Calvin Yadav, the chief executive officer of IREX AI, will be participating in the webcast to present the IREX AI video searchveillance technology platform and how it supports public safety and law enforcement efforts. You can register in advance for the webinar scheduled for January 10 th at the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bkNFTz98RpuEJaNbxadeVQ After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The webcast will feature an overview of the IREX Ethical artificial intelligence platform and how this technology works together with Visium's TruContextTM graph technology. "ELI is the future that Smart Cities and Smart Governments are adopting all over the World. IREX could not have asked for a better technology partner than Visium. The global traction ELI has received, is a direct result of the market gap in Ethical AI" - Calvin Yadav, IREX CEO. "With the sophisticated and pervasive cyber threats that every enterprise faces today, it is critical that a cybersecurity strategy include advanced analytics and visualization capabilities that can add context to the data in real time, enabling confident decisions and for remediations to be applied at speed. TruContextTM is the most advanced context overlay solution available, delivering our unique overlay technology and enabling context to be applied to any data-set, to include composites of many data-sets fused together that deliver a true end-to-end contextualized picture. "There is no other technology quite like it in the marketplace, and no cyber defense strategy can achieve maximum effectiveness without analytics and visualization capabilities," - Mark Lucky, Visium's CEO. TruContext is intuitive, allowing analysts and managers of all levels to easily understand rendered results. Interested investors can sign up for upcoming news and industry updates by going to https://www.visiumtechnologies.com/contact/. About IREX AI IREX is the #1 Ethical AI for Public Safety and Smart Government. IREX allows cities to adapt to ever-changing threats, using Ethical AI technology to combat 21st-century problems such as pandemics, overcrowding, missing children, mass shootings, rising crime rates, and much more. IREX's mission is to mold cities of the future: safe, comfortable, and sustainable. To fulfill its mission, IREX empowers city governments, public safety organizations, transportation authorities, and service providers with an Ethical AI and Big Data platform. IREX connects cameras and sensors to a secure private cloud, analyzing data in real-time and providing vital, proactive opportunities to prevent security and safety incidents. Contact: Calvin Yadav, Chief Executive Officer www.irex.ai Corporate Office: 29970 Technology Drive Murrieta, California 92563 Phone: 3301-392-7621 About Visium Technologies, Inc. Visium Technologies, Inc. (OTC PINK:VISM) is a Florida corporation based in Fairfax, Virginia, focused on providing context enabling global cybersecurity clarity, using machine learning and advanced algorithms to support enterprises in protecting their most valuable assets - their data, business applications, and IoT on their networks and in the cloud. For more information please visit www.visiumtechnologies.com and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/results'search_query=visium+analytics Safe Harbor Statement: Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements that reflect management's current views with respect to future events and performance. These forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and information currently available. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "project" and similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters identify forward-looking statements. Investors should be cautious in relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, whether the reverse stock split will be beneficial to the Company and its shareholders, any inability to meet the NYSE American continued listing standards in the future for any reason, and those other factors described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any responsibility to update forward-looking statements is expressly disclaimed. CONTACT: Visium Technologies, Inc. Corporate: Mark Lucky, Chief Executive Officer mlucky@visiumtechnologies.com Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Twitter | Instagram Corporate Office: 4094 Majestic Lane Suite 360 Fairfax, VA 22033 Phone: 703-273-0383 SOURCE: Visium Technologies, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734137/Visium-Technologies-Invites-Public-to-Attend-Webcast-with-Technology-Partner-IREX-AI-on-January-10th SAN DIEGO CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / Live Current Media, Inc. ("Live Current" or the "Company" - OTCQB:LIVC) announces that it has finalized the acquisition of GoFamer Oy ("GoFamer") of Finland in an all stock transaction. GoFamer's end-to-end influencer optimization engine modernizes social influence, providing deep analytical insight into the value of influencers as brand accelerators. Brands can use GoFamer to identify the optimal mix of influencers for a program or campaign and then utilize the company's patent-pending dynamic ranking metric to assess all of their influencers on a level playing field. Influencers and creators can use GoFamer to manage and optimize all of their social media channels in one place. This combination of access and insight makes GoFamer an ideal synergy driver and addition to the Live Current Media Portfolio of properties and technologies. "GoFamer adds a critical element to our growing platform, providing measurable, valuable insight and control that our creators can use to drive value, and brands can use to manage and optimize results," said Live Current CEO Mark Ollila. "It brings both proprietary technology and solid operating history to Live Current and will play a key role as we integrate our companies." "This acquisition made total sense for GoFamer from day one," said GoFamer founder and CEO Jere Virtanen, who will be staying on with Live Current. "I see so much synergy with the existing Live Current Companies and we are already in discussions about how to grow together." The GoFamer acquisition completes 2022 with a five company run from Live Current's CEO, Mark Ollila and team. "The social influencer landscape is maturing, and we have set a goal to bring together new technologies that change the face of the creator economy'" continued Ollila. "We have really hit our stride in 2022 and we expect even more exciting news in 2023, as it will be the year when it all comes together." The creator economy, valued at $104 Billion has traditionally been dominated by sponsorships for professional influencers. However, according to CB Insights, the market is shifting towards new monetization methods such as merchandise, virtual tickets, digital gifting and subscriptions. There are over 250 million "Independent Creators" with less than 100,000 followers, comprising around 83% of creators worldwide, looking for a platform to grow and monetize their content. Live Current Media is committed to providing that home and community where they can thrive. About Live Current Media Inc. Live Current Media Inc. has created an integrated "Exosystem" to power the Independent Creator. The Company acquires and integrates technologies that automate key processes in content and community creation, bringing together innovative businesses and technologies to provide an end-to-end resource for the hundreds of millions of creators who don't have a significant presence in the creator economy. The Live Current platform offers a range of growing creative tools and community building technologies that include video community creation, AR/VR discovery, social media amplification, personal and business brand management and sponsorship and alternative revenue creation for the global creative community in addition to providing community and experiential solutions for businesses seeking to become more creative in the way they reach their current customers. The Live Current Exosystem assists Independent Creators in managing the four key pillars of independent creativity: Creation, Amplification, Participation and Monetization. On behalf of the board of directors of Live Current Media Inc. Mark Ollila, CEO & Director For more information please contact: David Jeffs david@livecurrent.com www.livecurrent.com www.kast.gg All statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including any projections of growth, earnings, revenue, cash or other financial items, any statements of the plans, strategies, objectives and goals of management for future operations, any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance, statements of belief and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These statements are based on expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions particularly as they relate to demand for our products and services; competitive factors; changes in operating expenses; our ability to raise capital as and when we need it and other factors. Live Current Media, Inc. assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or actual outcomes and does not intend to do so. SOURCE: Live Current Media Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734106/Live-Current-Media-Inc-Completes-Acquisition-of-Influencer-Marketing-Technology-Company-GoFamer-Oy COLORADO SPRINGS, CO / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / Fortitude Gold Corp. (OTCQB:FTCO) (the "Company") declares its monthly dividend of $0.04 per common share payable on January 31, 2023 to shareholders of record as of January 19, 2023. Fortitude Gold is a gold producer, developer, and explorer with operations in Nevada, U.S.A. offering investors exposure to both gold production and dividend yield. Dividends may vary in amount and consistency or be discontinued at the Board of Directors' discretion depending on variables including but not limited to operational cash flows, Company development requirements and strategies, construction, spot gold and silver prices, taxation, general market conditions and other factors described in the Company's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. About Fortitude Gold Corp.: Fortitude Gold is a U.S. based gold producer targeting projects with low operating costs, high margins, and strong returns on capital. The Company's strategy is to grow organically, remain debt-free and distribute substantial dividends. The Company's Nevada Mining Unit consists of five high-grade gold properties located in the Walker Lane Mineral Belt and a sixth high-grade gold property in west central Nevada. The Isabella Pearl gold mine, located on the Isabella Pearl mineralized trend, is currently in production. Nevada, U.S.A. is among the world's premier mining friendly jurisdictions. Cautionary Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. If you are risk-averse you should NOT buy shares in Fortitude Gold Corp. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding the Company's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to the Company on the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. In particular, the scope, duration, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mining operations, Company employees, and supply chains as well as the scope, duration and impact of government action aimed at mitigating the pandemic may cause future actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Also, there can be no assurance that production will continue at any specific rate. Contact: Greg Patterson 719-717-9825 greg.patterson@fortitudegold.com www.Fortitudegold.com SOURCE: Fortitude Gold Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734103/Fortitude-Gold-Declares-January-Monthly-Dividend RALEIGH, NC / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / ACCESSWIRE , a newswire service standout that provides regional, national and global news to thousands of clients worldwide, is proud to announce its Platinum sponsorship of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) North Carolina Chapter . PRSA is the nation's largest association of public relations professionals and for nearly 60 years and counting, the North Carolina chapter (NCPRSA) has set the standard for excellence in all aspects of the profession. With the tagline, "Advancing the Profession and the Professional." it was a natural fit for ACCESSWIRE, an industry standout, to be a PRSA sponsor. At the NCPRSA Holiday Mixer and Annual Meeting in December 2022, Kiersten Wolf Williams, immediate-past president of the chapter, announced ACCESSWIRE's Platinum sponsorship for 2023. "We've proudly been a PRSA sponsor since 2019 and I'm excited to take our involvement to the next level with our Platinum sponsorship," said Brian Balbirnie, President and Chief Executive Officer at ACCESSWIRE. "As a leader in the public relations industry, we understand how important it is to support the local community and communication professionals and our involvement with the PRSA North Carolina chapter brings our commitment to life." NCPRSA provides leadership, counsel, networking and educational growth opportunities to more than 220 public relations, communication, and marketing professionals from the Triad region to the North Carolina Coast. "Our NCPRSA chapter and ACCESSWIRE continue to be aligned on a single mission: to serve public relations and communication professionals in ways that support the important work of this profession," said Wolf Williams. As a Platinum Sponsor, ACCESSWIRE will have the opportunity to create exclusive thought leadership content for the NCPRSA monthly newsletter, share job postings and more. "This Platinum Annual Chapter sponsorship is an expanded partnership and a significant commitment to our local PR industry," Wolf Williams continued. "These resources will help our chapter continue to raise the bar for our members by offering meaningful programs and impactful networking opportunities to people at every level of our local PR, communication, and marketing profession." Please visit https://www.accesswire.com/contact schedule a demo. ### About Issuer Direct Corporation Issuer Direct is an industry-leading communications company focusing on the needs of Public Relations and Investor Relations Professionals for over 15 years. Offering a comprehensive suite of communications products, Issuer Direct connects thousands of private and public organizations with journalists, investors, and shareholders, ensuring their most important moments are reaching their audiences. For more information, please visit www.issuerdirect.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") (which Sections were adopted as part of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "prospects," "outlook," and similar words or expressions, or future or conditional verbs, such as "will," "should," "would," "may," and "could," are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated results, performance, or achievements for many reasons including the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The Company disclaims any intention to, and undertakes no obligation to, revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, a future event, or otherwise. For additional risks and uncertainties that could impact the Company's forward-looking statements, please see the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, including but not limited to the discussion under "Risk Factors" therein, which the Company filed with the SEC and which may be viewed at http://www.sec.gov/ . Issuer Direct Corporation Media Contacts: Brian R. Balbirnie +1 919-481-4000 brian.balbirnie@issuerdirect.com James Carbonara 1+ (646)-755-7412 james@haydenir.com SOURCE: ACCESSWIRE View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734143/ACCESSWIRE-Announces-Platinum-Sponsorship-of-the-PRSA-North-Carolina-Chapter Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 5, 2023) - Coloured Ties Capital Inc. (TSXV: TIE) ("CTI" or the "Company") reminds shareholders that the previously announced substantial issuer bid (the "Offer") under which the Company will offer to purchase for cancellation up to $3,375,000 of its outstanding common shares (the "Shares") will expire on January 17, 2023, unless extended, varied or withdrawn. Shareholders who wish to tender their shares are urged to tender their shares in advance of the deadline to ensure efficient processing time. The Offer is being made by way of a "modified Dutch auction", which will allow shareholders who choose to participate in the Offer to individually select the price, with a range of not less than $0.55 per Share and not more than $0.65 per Share (in increments of $0.01 per Share), at which they are willing to sell their Shares. Upon expiry of the Offer, the Company will determine the lowest purchase price (which will not be more than $0.65 per Share and not less than $0.55 per Share) (the "Purchase Price") that will allow it to purchase the maximum number of Shares tendered to the Offer, and not withdrawn, having an aggregate purchase price not exceeding $3,375,000. Shareholders who wish to participate in the Offer will be able to do so through (i) auction tenders in which they specify the number of Shares being tendered at a specific price per Share, or (ii) purchase price tenders in which they agree to have a specified number of Shares purchased at the purchase price to be determined pursuant to the auction and have their Shares considered as having been tendered at the minimum price of $0.55 for the purposes of determining the purchase price. Shareholders who validly deposit Shares without specifying the method in which they are tendering their Shares will be deemed to have made a purchase price tender. If the Offer would result in an aggregate purchase price of more than $3,375,000, the Company will purchase a pro-rated portion of the Shares so tendered pursuant to auction tenders at or below the Purchase Price and purchase price tenders (after giving preferential treatment to "odd lot" holders). The Offer is optional for all shareholders, who are free to choose whether to participate, how many Shares to tender and, in the case of auction tenders, at what price to tender within the specified range. Any shareholders who do not deposit their Shares (or whose Shares are not repurchased under the Offer) will realize a proportionate increase in their equity interest in the Company, to the extent that Shares are purchased under the Offer. The Offer will not be conditional upon any minimum number of Shares being tendered. The Offer will, however, be subject to other conditions and the Company reserves the right, subject to applicable laws, to withdraw or amend the Offer, if, at any time prior to the payment of deposited Shares, certain events occur. The formal offer to purchase and issuer bid circular, letter of transmittal and notice of guaranteed delivery (collectively, the "Offer Documents") containing the terms and conditions of the Offer and instructions for tendering Shares have been filed with the applicable securities regulators and mailed to registered shareholders. The Offer Documents are available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Neither the Company nor its board of directors makes any recommendation to shareholders as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering any or all of their Shares to the Offer. This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any Shares. The solicitation and the offer to purchase Shares by the Company is being made only pursuant to the Offer Documents. Shareholders of the Company are urged to read the Offer Documents carefully and to consult with their own financial, tax and legal advisors prior to making any decision with respect to the Offer. For further information please contact: Coloured Ties Capital Inc. Kal Malhi Chief Executive Officer kal@bullruncapital.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which reflects the Company's current expectations regarding future events, including regarding the timing and completion of the Offer. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, nor guarantees or assurances of future performance but instead represent management's current beliefs, expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events and operating performance. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent management's discussion and analysis. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/150382 Combined capabilities empower organizations to improve customer satisfaction, lower costs and drive greater efficiencies FRISCO, Texas, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Redwood Software, the industry leader in full stack automation, today announced its acquisition of Tidal Software, a leading enterprise workload automation provider. The acquisition adds increased depth and breadth to Redwood's already extensive suite of automation solutions, which includes RunMyJobs, ActiveBatch and JSCAPE. By joining forces, it also builds on Redwood and Tidal's shared commitment to being laser-focused on automation, innovation and customer success. "Our acquisition of Tidal is another significant milestone in Redwood's journey to unleash human potential through the power of automation," said Redwood Software CEO Kevin Greene. "Together, we will create a more transformative partner and automation leader capable of empowering organizations to automate their mission-critical business processes." With the collective strength of both companies, no other provider comes close to the full stack automation solutions that Redwood delivers. Tidal's modern platform, 60+ integrations and rapid implementation capabilities add to Redwood's already unrivaled set of intuitive, developer-grade integration and automation capabilities. And, like Redwood, Tidal is 100% focused on enterprise automation. "Tidal's leading enterprise automation solutions are excellent additions to Redwood's robust end-to-end automation portfolio," said Chase Sorgel, a Turn/River operating partner and member of the Redwood Board of Directors. "While most automation providers are challenged to serve both business and IT teams, Redwood is uniquely positioned to ensure every one of its customers can achieve transformative business outcomes with complete confidence and control. The Turn/River team is thrilled to partner with Tidal and Redwood by providing growth capital and go-to-market support for the continued expansion of the platform." Redwood relentlessly invests in delivering innovative automation solutions to transform customer and employee experiences. As one company, Redwood and Tidal will bring new technology and services to market even faster. And, by combining Tidal's CustomerFIRST approach with Redwood's global customer success team, organizations will be better supported than ever. "Redwood and Tidal coming together is a win for our customers, partners and employees," said Tidal Software CEO Rick McNees. "Our companies are built around putting customers first and we share a common vision for unleashing the power of automation. We are excited to join the Redwood family and get to work accelerating the pace of innovation in the enterprise automation market." To learn more about Redwood's full stack automation portfolio and unwavering commitment to customer success, visit www.redwood.com. KPMG Corporate Finance served as exclusive investment banking advisor and Much Shelist served as exclusive legal advisor to Tidal on the transaction. Turn/River was advised by Lincoln International and Orrick. About Redwood Software Redwood Software is the leader in full stack automation for mission-critical business processes. With the first SaaS-based composable automation platform specifically built for ERP, we believe in the transformative power of automation. Our unparalleled solutions empower you to orchestrate, manage and monitor your workflows across any application, service or server - in the cloud or on premise - with confidence and control. Redwood's global team of automation experts and customer success engineers provide solutions and world-class support designed to give you the freedom and time to imagine and define your future. Get out of the weeds and see the forest, with Redwood Software. www.redwood.com About Tidal Software Tidal Software is a leading provider of enterprise workload automation solutions that orchestrate the execution of complex workflows across systems, applications and IT environments. With a comprehensive portfolio of products and services, Tidal optimizes business-critical processes, increases operational efficiencies and satisfies audit requirements for regulatory compliance. Enterprises around the world count on Tidal for modernizing their workload automation and driving their digital transformation. About Turn/River Capital Turn/River specializes in growth capital investments, founder liquidity, buyouts, spin-outs, and recapitalizations of technology, web, and SaaS companies. Its strategy is to combine rigorous, iterative marketing, sales, and operational execution with flexible capital to help companies double and triple their growth and build value for everyone. Turn/River Capital is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, please visit www.turnriver.com. RunMyJobs, ActiveBatch and JSCAPE are registered trademarks of Redwood Software, Inc. All other trademarks listed herein are owned by their respective companies. Media Inquiries globalpr@redwood.com Government staff in January last year investigate COVID transmission from hamsters at a pet shop. SCMP Hong Kong is lifting an import ban on hamsters around mid-January, nearly one year after more than 2,000 of the small mammals were culled in an attempt to contain animal-to-human transmission of the coronavirus. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department confirmed in a statement on Wednesday it was preparing to resume commercial import of the pets this month. "Our staff will arrange to collect samples from hamsters and other small mammals for COVID-19 testing. They can only be sold if the test results are negative," the department said, assuring it will maintain communication with industry members. More than 2,000 hamsters have been culled in Hong Kong since last January. SCMP Pet trade representatives recently called for resumption of hamster imports. On Tuesday, Professor Leo Poon Lit-man of the University of Hong Kong told a radio program that testing the hamsters before putting them on sale could ensure they were free from the coronavirus as it remained unclear how the Omicron variant might change if it circulated among the small mammals. More than 2,300 hamsters, including over 100 surrendered by pet owners, had been culled since last January as a precaution against animal-to-human transmission of the coronavirus, according to the department. The move came after a pet shop employee, a customer and her husband tested positive for the Delta subvariant at a time when Omicron was the dominant strain. Hamsters in the pet shop had tested positive for COVID-19, and a scientific study led by Poon later also proved Syrian hamsters could be a secondary reservoir for the coronavirus. Pet owners had surrendered their hamsters to authorities last year amid a mass culling that sparked controversy. SCMP This operation of 70 million dollars represents the largest transaction in the forestry sector in the last 30 years in Argentina. BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / Central Puerto (NYSE:CEPU), the leading company in the production of electricity at a national level, acquired forestry assets from Grupo Masisa in Argentina, a forestry business company. This operation of 70 million dollars represents the largest transaction in the forestry sector in the last 30 years in the country. Central Puerto is a national capital company that has a track record of more than 100 years in the energy industry. Based on the impulse of its main shareholders - Guillermo Reca, the Miguens-Bemberg family and Eduardo Escassany - it diversified its businesses and acquired Masisa's forestry assets in the country. In this way, Central Puerto becomes the main Argentine company in the forestry sector, a market in which foreign capital companies mostly operate. "At Central Puerto we have made the strategic decision to invest in all those industries in which the country has clear comparative advantages. Thus, we are pleased to announce the acquisition of Masisa's forestry assets in Argentina", affirmed Fernando Bonnet, general manager of Central Puerto. The company continues to take steps to strengthen its presence in Argentina. In this sense, Bonnet added: "We are analyzing investment alternatives aligned with the global trend of developing innovative projects that increase the environmental performance of companies and contribute to global decarbonization objectives." The acquisition of the forest assets of Masisa Argentina implies the incorporation of more than 72,000 hectares of fields with forest potential, distributed between the provinces of Entre Rios and Corrientes, of which approximately 43,000 hectares are planted with eucalyptus and pine. Argentina has one of the highest growth rates not only in the region, but in the world: trees grow about ten times faster than in the northern hemisphere. That is why the forestry sector in which Central Puerto enters provides one of the businesses with the greatest competitive advantages and the greatest growth potential as a generator of foreign currency in Argentina. It can also mean a source of future business opportunities linked to carbon credits and energy generation with biomass. About Central Puerto SA: Central Puerto is a leading company in the production of electrical energy in Argentina that has 13 generation plants of various technologies, +800 employees and reaches a 10.3% market share thanks to its operational excellence and profitability. Its mission is to produce electricity efficiently, sustainably and in harmony with the environment. In turn, it seeks to contribute to supplying demand, managing businesses in such a way that they create value not only for the company, but also for society. Currently, it has an installed generation capacity of 4,809 MW. https://www.centralpuerto.com SOURCE: Central Puerto View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734157/Central-Puerto-Acquires-Forestry-Assets-from-Masisa-Group-in-Argentina C3 AI welcomes former British Armed Forces senior leader C3 AI (NYSE: AI), the Enterprise AI application software company, today announced the addition of Royal Marines General Sir Gordon Messenger KCB DSO* OBE to its advisory board. General Messenger recently retired and had served as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff of the British Armed Forces from 2016 to 2019. Since joining the Royal Marines in 1983, General Messenger has held numerous commands including operational deployments to Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. From 2010 to 2012, he served as Chief of Staff (Operations) at the Permanent Joint Headquarters where he oversaw conduct and capability of UK overseas operations. In 2013, he was named Deputy Commander of NATO's Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey and in 2014 he became Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, Military Strategy and Operations. "We are privileged to welcome General Messenger to the C3 AI advisory board," said Thomas M. Siebel, Chairman and CEO of C3 AI. "General Messenger brings first-hand insights and invaluable experience from his impressive career to C3 AI. His knowledge will aid our defence business as we advance the rapid deployment of enterprise AI across defence and intelligence organizations in the UK and NATO member countries." "This is a critical time for the defence and intelligence sectors and I am eager to work with C3 AI," said General Messenger. "C3 AI is an industry leader in enterprise AI and has worked with many agencies in the U.S. Department of Defense. The company's leadership understand what it takes to advance defence capabilities for the modern age." "General Messenger has been a recognized leader throughout his distinguished career with the British Armed Forces," said Aamer Sarfraz, The Lord Sarfraz, a Member of the House of Lords, the upper house of United Kingdom Parliament, and a fellow member of the C3 AI advisory board. "He will undoubtedly be an indispensable resource to C3 AI and its customers and partners globally. I congratulate General Messenger on this appointment." About C3.ai, Inc. C3 AI is the Enterprise AI application software company. C3 AI delivers a family of fully integrated products including the C3 AI Platform, an end-to-end platform for developing, deploying, and operating enterprise AI applications and C3 AI applications, a portfolio of industry-specific SaaS enterprise AI applications that enable the digital transformation of organizations globally. Learn more at: www.c3.ai. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005007/en/ Contacts: C3 AI Public Relations Edelman Lisa Kennedy 415-914-8336 pr@c3.ai Investor Relations IR@C3.ai The "Next-Generation Lithography Materials Market A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Application, Material, and Region Analysis and Forecast, 2022-2031" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global next-generation lithography materials market is projected to reach $1,005.3 million by 2031 from $85.7 million in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 29.46% during the forecast period 2022-2031. Companies Mentioned Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd (TOK) JSR Corporation DuPont de Nemours, Inc. Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd Fujifilm Corporation. Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. Allresist GmbH micro resist technology GmbH DJ MicroLaminates, Inc. Merck KGaA Dongjin Semichem Co. Ltd. Brewer Science, Inc. SACHEM, INC. Kayaku Advanced Materials, Inc. Avantor Performance Materials Inc. Irresistible Materials Ltd Weifang Startech Microelectronic Materials Co., Ltd. KemLab Inc. Jiangsu Nanda Photoelectric Materials Co., Ltd Shenzhen Didao Microelectronics Technology Co., Ltd Demand Drivers and Limitations The following are the demand drivers for the next-generation lithography materials market: Rising Proliferation of Feature Phones, and Tablets Increasing R&D Activities on Next-Generation Lithography Materials The market is expected to face some limitations due to the following challenges: High Cost of Raw Materials Limited Number of Players Offering Next-Generation Lithography Machinery The next-generation lithography materials market is expected to grow at a healthy growth rate, owing to the growing demand for cutting-edge microchips and semiconductors in smartphones and wearable technology. According to International Data Corporation, smartphone shipments increased by 7.7% in 2021 compared to 2020. Smartphone players are implementing several technologies to reduce the weight and increase the features of smartphones to gain a strong foothold in the industry, creating a demand for next-generation lithography materials and technologies. In addition, technological advancements, and increased investment in nanotechnology and nanodevices are driving the demand for nanolithography by creating a need for making structures on the nanometre scale, which in turn is complementing next-generation lithography materials' demand. Furthermore, the U.S. government is making effective investments in nanotechnology through the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), a U.S. government R&D initiative that brings together federal departments and agencies with interests in nanomaterials research, development, and commercialization. Therefore, the aforementioned factors complement the NGL materials market growth. Next-generation lithography is a process that transfers patterns from a photomask to a photoresist (light-sensitive chemical) on a substrate using light sources with wavelengths less than 193nm. The photoresist is either inherently sensitive to radiation or is formulated with a photosensitive compound that produces a reactive species when exposed to light. Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL), which uses a wavelength of 13.5 nm, is currently the most widely used next-generation lithography technique. Other next-generation lithography techniques include electron beam lithography, nanoimprint lithography, focused ion beam lithography, x-ray lithography, and others. Next-generation lithography technologies are gaining popularity. However, the high cost of next-generation lithography scanners and materials is a major barrier to its widespread adoption in several countries. Currently, Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography (ASML) is the only company providing EUV lithography machinery. However, with additional players entering the ecosystem in the coming years, the next-generation lithography materials industry is expected to expand significantly. Market Segmentation Segmentation 1: by Application Automotive Consumer Electronics IT Telecommunications Others In 2021, the consumer electronics sector segment dominated the overall next-generation lithography materials market in terms of value and volume, and it is expected to continue dominating the market till 2031. Segmentation 2: by Material Photoresist Material Ancillary Material The global next-generation lithography materials market is estimated to be led by photoresist material. Segmentation 3: by Region North America U.S., Canada, and Mexico Europe Germany, France, Sweden, Spain, and Rest-of-Europe China U.K. Asia-Pacific and Japan Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India and Rest-of-Asia-Pacific Rest-of-the-World Asia Pacific and Japan led the next-generation lithography materials market in 2021 and is anticipated to uphold its dominance throughout the forecast period (2022-2031), owing to the presence of significant semiconductor players such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC), Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Recent Developments in the Global Next-Generation Lithography Materials Market In August 2022, JSR Corporation signed an investment agreement with the Lingang Special Area Government to establish a subsidiary in Shanghai. This is expected to expand JSR Group's business activities in the Chinese market relating to semiconductor materials. It is tentatively scheduled to begin operations in December 2022. In January 2021, Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and DuPont de Nemours, Inc. established a semiconductor materials laboratory in Hsinchu, Taiwan. DuPont is expected to conduct semiconductor material research, development, and enhancement in collaboration with ITRI, as well as accelerate pilot testing and commercial viability to support DuPont's customers as they seek the next generation of semiconductors in Taiwan. In October 2020, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. invested around $278 million (30 billion) in photoresist manufacturing facilities in Japan and Taiwan. Shin-Etsu is expected to continue making facility investments to meet the rising demand for photoresists, which are critical in cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing, as well as technological advancements. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/rrqua3 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005769/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T. Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Trailblazing Former Microsoft and AWS Leader Brings 25 Years of Global Experience to Drive Growth and Innovation at Flexport SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Flexport, a global leader in supply chain technology, announced today the appointment of former Microsoft and Amazon executive Teresa Carlson as President and Chief Commercial Officer. As a member of the Flexport executive leadership team, she will report to Dave Clark, Co-Chief Executive Officer at Flexport. Carlson brings more than 25 years of innovation and leadership experience building global technology businesses in public and private sectors to drive Flexport's ambitious growth roadmap. Carlson will oversee Flexport's sales, marketing and communications, as well as its impact arm Flexport.org. She will also spearhead the company's expansion in new global markets, verticals, and strategic partnerships. "Teresa has an impressive track record of scaling businesses globally, and I have seen first-hand her dedication to delivering best-in-class technology solutions for customers around the world," said Dave Clark, co-CEO of Flexport. "As Flexport looks to its next phase of growth, we believe Teresa's leadership will help us forge new partnerships at a global scale and seize the incredible opportunity to digitally transform the supply chain for multiple industries." Most recently, Carlson was Corporate Vice President and Executive-in-Residence at Microsoft. Prior to that, she was President and Chief Growth Officer at Splunk, where she oversaw 70% year-over-year cloud revenue growth. Before joining Splunk, Carlson served as Vice President, Amazon Web Services (AWS), where she founded and led the Worldwide Public Sector business for more than a decade and became a global leader in the cloud computing field. Additionally, in 2020, she spearheaded AWS' expansion in financial services, energy, telecommunications, healthcare, and aerospace industries. Prior to AWS, Carlson spent more than nine years at Microsoft, where she oversaw the company's US federal government business. "Flexport has changed the way businesses view supply chain and logistics, and their technology-enabled platform has the power to make a huge impact for so many industries across the globe," said Carlson. "I'm excited to join the talented Flexport team to grow the business globally and empower current and new customers with our full suite of innovative technology solutions." As part of her new role at Flexport, Carlson will leverage her deep expertise in the non-profit sector to lead the company's humanitarian aid and sustainability arm Flexport.org and broaden its global impact. Flexport.org enables public and private organizations to deliver aid and meet their sustainability goals with greater ease and lower costs. To date, Flexport.org has helped deliver aid to 84 countries and supported more than 600 organizations with logistics and shipping, including raising over $30 million and shipping 13.2 million pounds of critical aid to help those impacted by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Flexport.org's sustainability programs also reduced more than 300,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Carlson has long been a strong advocate for empowering women in the tech industry . While at AWS, she founded the company's diversity and inclusion initiative, "We Power Tech," to increase the number of underrepresented technologists in the innovation economy. On the non-profit and philanthropic front, Carlson currently serves as an officer for The Economic Club of Washington, D.C. and the Vice Chair of the White House Historical Association. She also serves on boards of the Atlantic Council and the Pentagon Memorial Fund. About Flexport We believe trade can move the human race forward. That's why it's our mission to make global trade easy for everyone. Flexport is the technology platform for global logistics - empowering buyers, sellers, and their logistics partners with the technology and services to grow and innovate. Companies of all sizes - from emerging brands to Fortune 500s - used Flexport technology to move nearly $19 billion of merchandise across 112 countries in 2021. In 2022, Flexport was named #1 on CNBC's Disruptor 50 List as well as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies. About Flexport.org Flexport.org is the sustainability and impact team within Flexport that enables organizations to deliver aid and meet their sustainability goals with greater ease and lower costs. Flexport.org creates value-added services for Flexport users to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, bringing sustainability into their business roadmap. Flexport.org also provides critically needed visibility and expertise to nonprofits and NGOs, governments, and social enterprises, helping deliver aid and development shipments where they are needed most. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1977809/Teresa_Carlson_Headshot.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/teresa-carlson-joins-flexport-as-president-and-chief-commercial-officer-301714268.html Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 5, 2023) - Xigem Technologies Corporation (CSE: XIGM) (FSE: VZ6) ("Xigem" or the "Company"), a technology provider for the emerging remote economy, today announced that the Company has granted 1,820,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") pursuant to its Stock Option Plan. Each Option entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.09 for a period of five years from the date of grant and will vest immediately. The Options include 490,000 Options for officers of the Company, 750,000 Options for directors of the Company, 475,000 Options for consultants to the Company and 105,000 Options for members of the Company's Advisory Board. The Options were granted on January 5, 2023, by Xigem's Board of Directors. About Xigem Technologies Corporation Established in Toronto, Ontario, Xigem is positioned to become a leading technology provider for the emerging near trillion-dollar remote economy, with software capable of improving the capacity, productivity, and overall remote operations for businesses, consumers, and other organizations. iAgent, the Company's patented technology, and FOOi, its proprietary peer-to-peer mobile payments app, are intended to provide organizations, businesses, and consumers with the tools necessary to thrive in a vast array of remote working, learning and treatment environments, while the Company looks to aggregate a portfolio of innovative technologies capable of disrupting traditional business models. www.xigemtechnologies.com Instagram: @xigemtechnologies Twitter: @XigemTech Facebook: @xigemtechnologies LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/xigem-technologies Further Information This news release may contain certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All information contained herein that is not historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Xigem undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of Xigem, its securities, or financial or operating results (as applicable). Although Xigem believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, such forward-looking statement has been based on expectations, factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Xigem's control. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company disclaims any intention, undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Xigem Technologies Corporation On behalf of the Company: Brian Kalish, Chief Executive Officer For further information: Phone: (647) 250-9824 ext.4 Investors: investors@xigemtechnologies.com Media: media@xigemtechnologies.com Instagram: @xigemtechnologies Twitter: @XigemTech Facebook: @xigemtechnologies LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/xigem-technologies www.xigemtechnologies.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/150411 Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares For immediate release 5 January 2023 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announces that it has today purchased 100,000 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 854.67 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company. The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 9 February 2022. Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 11,561,092; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 213,430,211. The figure of 213,430,211 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. For and on behalf of Frostrow Capital LLP Company Secretary For further information, please contact: Victoria Hale Frostrow Capital LLP Tel: 020 3 170 8732 Lyon, France - Austin, Texas, United States - 5 January 2023 - 6.00 pm CET - Theranexus, a biopharmaceutical company innovating in the treatment of neurological diseases and pioneer in the development of drug candidates modulating the interaction between neurons and glial cells, and the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF), have today announced the initial results of their Phase I/II clinical trial for juvenile Batten disease (CLN3). After a 9-week course of Batten-1 with the maximum dose of 600 mg/day, the first results of the Phase I/II trial enrolling six patients with juvenile Batten disease (CLN3) aged 17 and over showed good patient safety and tolerability, and a pharmacokinetic profile in line with expectations. Craig Benson, Chair of the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation, explained: "We are delighted that Batten-1 showed good safety and tolerability for our patients suffering from Batten disease. The trial results are highly encouraging and offer tremendous hope for all those families living with this neurodegenerative disease for which there is currently no available treatment." In conclusion, Theranexus' Chief Medical Officer Marie Sebille added: "We have achieved an important milestone with these Phase I/II results in CLN3 patients, enabling us to prepare the protocol of the Phase III trial to launch our pivotal clinical trial involving a pediatric cohort during 2023." As a reminder, for the Sachs Associates 6th Annual Neuroscience Innovation Forum, to be held in San Francisco on 8 January 2023, Theranexus[1] will be presenting its latest advances on the Batten-1 program and also be participating in a roundtable discussion on the theme "Rare and orphan diseases new modalities panel." In addition, the company will be exhibiting at Biotech Showcase and at the same time participating in the 41st annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference bringing together key healthcare leaders. About Batten-1 Batten-1 is a novel and exclusive proprietary drug containing the active ingredient miglustat. The mechanism of action of this substance blocks the accumulation of glycosphingolipids and neuroinflammation. For patients over 17 years of age in the Phase I/II trial, the product is administered in solid form. In the Phase III trial, it will be administered in a liquid form better suited to pediatric patients. Phase I/II trial design: this is an open-label trial involving 6 patients over 17 years of age with CLN3 Batten disease, treated with miglustat up to 600 mg/day for a 2-year period. The primary endpoint is patient safety and tolerability, assessed using reports of adverse effects, biological tests and ECG, as well as the pharmacokinetics of miglustat. The secondary endpoints include efficacy monitoring: Unified Batten Disease Rating Scale, visual acuity, and brain MRI and optical coherence tomography scans. Administration of Batten-1 in escalating doses with a maximum of 600 mg/day was well tolerated, with no severe side effects observed causing treatment discontinuation. The most commonly reported adverse events are reversible gastrointestinal effects of often light to moderate severity, thus demonstrating the good tolerability profile of Batten-1 in this population. Batten-1 will continue to be assessed in these patients treated over a 24-month period. Further information about the trial is available on https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05174039. About Batten disease Juvenile Batten disease, also known as Spielmeyer-Vogt or CLN3 disease, is a rare, fatal, inherited disorder of the nervous system for which there is no treatment or cure. Juvenile Batten disease belongs to a group of disorders referred to as neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs). Over 400 different errors in 13 genes have been attributed to various forms of NCL, which differ from one another primarily by when symptoms first appear. The first symptom in the juvenile form, progressive vision loss, appears between the ages of 4 and 6 which is followed by personality changes, behavioral problems, and slowed learning. Seizures commonly appear within 2-4 years of the onset of disease. Over time, patients continue to decline mentally and physically. Eventually, those affected become wheelchair-bound, are bedridden, and die prematurely. Psychiatric symptoms or psychosis can appear at any time. Juvenile Batten disease is always fatal; usually by the late teens to early 20s. In the United States and Europe, the juvenile form is the most common of the NCLs, which together, affect nearly 3,000 patients[2]. In pathophysiological terms, interactions between neurons and glial cells play key roles in the emergence and progression of all the NCLs. About Beyond Batten Disease Foundation Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF) is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to funding research for a treatment and cure for juvenile (CLN3) Batten disease. Since its inception in 2008, over $35 million has been invested in research by leveraging donations, co-funding and strategic partnerships. BBDF is spearheading a unique, cohesive strategy, incorporating independent scientific resources and collaboration with related organizations to drive research in juvenile Batten Disease[3]. Today there is a treatment in sight. BBDF funded research has discovered a drug - Batten-1 - that slows the progression of the disease in Batten models. More information can be found at www.beyondbatten.org. About Theranexus Theranexus is an innovative biopharmaceutical company that emerged from the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). It specializes in the treatment of central nervous system disorders and is a pioneer in the development of drug candidates targeting both neurons and glial cells. The company has a unique platform for the identification and characterization of advanced therapy drug candidates targeting rare neurological disorders and an initial drug candidate in clinical development for Batten disease. Theranexus is listed on the Euronext Growth market in Paris (FR0013286259- ALTHX). Next financial publication: 18 January 2023: Cash position as at December 31th 2021 More information at http://www.theranexus.com Click and follow us on Twitter and Linkedln Contacts THERANEXUS Thierry Lambert Chief Financial Officer contact@theranexus.com NEWCAP Theo Martin/Pierre Laurent Investor Relations +33 (0)1 44 71 94 97 theranexus@newcap.eu FP2COM Florence Portejoie Media Relations + 33 (0)6 07 76 82 83 fportejoie@fp2com.fr Disclaimer This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Theranexus and its business, including its prospects and product candidate development. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Theranexus considers to be reasonable. However, there can be no assurance that the estimates contained in such forward-looking statements will be verified, which estimates are subject to numerous risks including the risks set forth in the universal registration document of Theranexus filed with the AMF on 28 April 2021 under number D.21-0379 (a copy of which is available on www.theranexus.com) and to the development of economic conditions, financial markets and the markets in which Theranexus operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Theranexus or not currently considered material by Theranexus. The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause actual results, financial conditions, performance or achievements of Theranexus to be materially different from such forward-looking statements. Theranexus expressly declines any obligation to update such forward-looking statements. [1] https://www.theranexus.com/images/pdf/Theranexus_CP_Conference_JP_Morgan_FR.pdf [2] National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)/Orphanet [3] Settembre et al, TFEB links autophagy to lysosomal biogenesis, Science 2011 ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: mm9sZZlqYm6bxpxvlsqWl2WXaGliyGOcZ2qZnGqal8qXnJ9pnWhoaZzKZnBonmZm - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-77910-theranexus_pr_batten-1_program_vdef.pdf All-electric strategy: High-power charging network supports going all electric by end of decade by ensuring effortless and rapid charging Global reach: Establishment of more than 10,000 high-power chargers worldwide across North America, Europe, China and other main markets Mercedes-Benz customers can pre-book a charging station from their car, but network will be open and accessible to all brands to encourage rapid uptake of electric vehicles Sustainable operation: Focus on renewable energy, green charging via Mercedes me Charge Focused investment: Leveraging capital, development and site management proficiency of partners, including support in North America by MN8 Energy, a leading renewable energy and battery storage owner-operator in the US Technology partners: In North America Mercedes-Benz partners with expert partners such as ChargePoint, a leading specialist in charging network design and provision Mercedes-Benz announces far-reaching plans to launch a global high-power charging network across North America, Europe, China and other key markets. It will begin to be built this year in the US and Canada, followed by other regions around the globe. The aim is to have the full network in place before the end of the decade, when Mercedes-Benz intends to go all-electric wherever market conditions allow. The Mercedes-Benz high-power charging network will greatly enhance customers' charging experience, accelerate the journey towards the all-electric future and create a global infrastructure asset with future value-creation potential. The Mercedes-Benz charging hubs will be located in key cities and urban population centers, close to major arteries, convenient retail and service destinations, including participating Mercedes-Benz dealership sites. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005406/en/ Mercedes-Benz to launch global branded high-power charging network, starting in North America (Photo: Business Wire) The company believes this strategic move will significantly enhance the usability and convenience of its new generation of electric vehicles, differentiate the Mercedes-Benz ownership experience and accelerate the EV transformation. The charging network will focus first and foremost on Mercedes-Benz customers, who will enjoy preferential access via a reservation function and other benefits. However, it will also be open to drivers of all other brands with compatible technology. This comprehensive initiative, alongside ongoing support for shared networks such as IONITY, also aims to drive global adoption of electric mobility. Mercedes-Benz kicks off charging rollout in North America At CES 2023 in Las Vegas, Mercedes-Benz announced that the rollout of its high-power charging network will start this year in North America. The collaboration partners here include MN8 Energy, one of the largest solar energy and battery storage owners and operators in the US, and ChargePoint, a leading EV charging network technology company. By 2027, a network totaling more than 400 hubs across North America with more than 2,500 high-power chargers is planned to offer a premium, sustainable and reliable charging experience. "Mercedes-Benz already offers what we believe to be the finest EVs in the market. But to accelerate the electric transformation, we need to ensure that the charging experience keeps pace as well. Our customers deserve a compelling charging experience that makes electric vehicle ownership and long-distance travel effortless. We won't take a wait-and-see approach for this to be built. That's why we are launching a global high-end charging network. It's designed to become another differentiator of Mercedes-Benz ownership for our customers and an asset with value creation potential for our company. We are excited to start right here in North America with strong and experienced partners like MN8 Energy and ChargePoint." Ola Kallenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. An elevated charging experience the Mercedes-Benz way seamless and secure For those traveling long distances, Mercedes-Benz Electric Intelligence navigation makes life easy by automatically optimizing route planning, incorporating the best charging points and reserving spaces in advance. The system knows the capacity utilization at the respective locations and ensures customers can gain immediate access to the reserved charging point at the required time. This means no waiting for Mercedes-Benz customers. The seamless experience will be further enhanced by the easy and convenient "Plug Charge" function. The charging station communicates directly with the vehicle via the charging cable. Manual authentication via card, app or head unit will not be required but possible. Mercedes-Benz customers can use this function via the Mercedes me connect service Mercedes me Charge. All other customers will have straightforward access to a wide array of payment functions. After a smooth, fast and relaxing charging experience, users will be able to continue effortlessly on their way. Depending on region and location, the hubs will offer 4 to 12, and ultimately as many as 30, high-power chargers (HPC) with up to 350 kW of charging power. Intelligent charge-load management will allow each vehicle to charge at its maximum capacity keeping waiting times to an absolute minimum. The optimized station layout will ensure plenty of space around the vehicle as well as unhindered charging from either side. Where feasible, charging points will be covered for protection from the weather. The locations and surroundings of the Mercedes-Benz charging hubs will be carefully selected with wider customer needs in mind. Our best possible charging experience will therefore come with food outlets and restrooms situated nearby. Facilities will also be equipped with surveillance cameras and other measures to provide a safe and secure charging environment. More sustainable with green charging In line with its sustainable "Ambition 2039" business strategy, Mercedes-Benz strives to enable its customers to charge with green energy at its own charging network. Preferably ensured via green electricity supply contracts or by using renewable energy certificates from an accredited supplier. Selected Mercedes-Benz charging hubs will also be equipped with photovoltaic systems to provide electricity for lighting and video surveillance, for example. Focused capital spending, paced over the remainder of the decade The total investment cost for the North American network will be just over 1 billion Euros, deployed over the next 6-7 years. The capital for this will be provided by Mercedes and MN8 in a roughly 50:50 split. The setup of the stations itself is favored by the high degree of commonality in the network and a modular, scalable site design. The company believes the global reach and prime locations of its charging network means it is also likely to become an asset in its own right. This has the potential to create additional value for the company's shareholders. The Mercedes-Benz high-power charging network is the next essential step forward in the company's electrification strategy. All business linked to its charging ecosystem will be bundled within Mercedes-Benz Mobility. Accelerating the expansion of the Mercedes-Benz high-power charging network with strong partners By selecting MN8 Energy and ChargePoint as partners in North America, Mercedes-Benz is working with two of the leaders in their respective fields. MN8 Energy is one of the largest solar energy and battery storage owners and operators in the US. By providing comprehensive, end-to-end project development, energy management, and exceptional maintenance and operations support to the Mercedes-Benz branded high-power charging network in the US, the company continues to focus on accelerating the transition to sustainable mobility. MN8 Energy is strategically well-aligned with the Mercedes-Benz "Ambition 2039," and MN8 Energy supports Mercedes-Benz's aim to maximize access to green charging for its customers throughout the US. "MN8 Energy is on a mission to provide enterprise customers, such as Mercedes-Benz, with renewable energy and related solutions on their journey to an electrified, decarbonized world. Supporting the development of this exceptional charging experience helps address one of the most significant barriers to EV adoption-range anxiety. With each party playing to their strengths, we are thrilled to embark on this collaboration to expand charging access with Mercedes-Benz and ChargePoint." Jon Yoder, President Chief Executive Officer, MN8 Energy ChargePoint has powered approximately five billion electric miles so far. By leveraging ChargePoint's expertise, Mercedes-Benz, a long standing shareholder, aims to deliver first-class convenience and reliability for its customers. ChargePoint already serves as the Mercedes-Benz backend provider in the US for Mercedes me Charge and has demonstrated a strong track record in software stability and hardware provision. "Automotive leaders like Mercedes-Benz continue to lead the transition to electric mobility by bringing new EVs to market, and ChargePoint remains committed to enabling charging for all drivers whenever and wherever they want. With this partnership, we are expanding upon our existing relationships with Mercedes-Benz and MN8 to deliver a seamless charging experience for drivers, and turnkey charging solutions at no upfront cost to site hosts. By establishing charging hubs in convenient locations across the U.S. and Canada, we're able to provide a superior experience for more drivers who want to charge quickly and easily." Pasquale Romano, CEO, ChargePoint The establishment of the Mercedes-Benz high-power charging network marks an expansion of existing charging offers. Through Mercedes me Charge, the company already offers its customers access to around one million charging points worldwide, including the pan-European fast charging network IONITY, which is operated by Mercedes-Benz and other OEMs. About Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Atlanta, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States. MBUSA offers drivers the most diverse lineup in the luxury segment with 15 model lines ranging from the sporty GLA SUV to the flagship S-Class and the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series. MBUSA is also responsible for Mercedes-Benz Vans in the U.S. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com and www.mbvans.com. Accredited journalists can visit our media site at www.media.mbusa.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005406/en/ Contacts: Michael Minielly michael.minielly@mbusa.com Andrea Berg andrea.a.berg@mercedes-benz.com Cathleen Decker cathleen.decker@mbusa.com NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / Bayer Seed products produced through plant breeding are safe and well studied. Regulatory authorities around the globe hold seed developers accountable for the safety of all new plant varieties placed on the market. This is true regardless of the technology used in the product's development, including use of a wide range of plant breeding tools and methods. Regulators have long understood and trusted the safety of new varieties improved by plant breeding, which involves a rigorous selection process to deliver new crop varieties that are safe to grow and consume. /// From Field to Market Safety of New Food Crops The scrutiny that plant breeders routinely apply to the development of new varieties through plant breeding is the foundation for our safe, nutritious and diverse food supply. When plant scientists select which varieties to cross to develop new lines (or offspring), they make those choices based on a great deal of information about each plant's background, including its longstanding safety records. Additionally, this process must also consider the individual regulations of every country involved, especially as these standards may vary greatly from one market to another. /// Case Study Food Safety in the United StatesSupporting Farmers-and Consumers Plant scientists rigorously test new varieties for a broad range of characteristics and quality attributes throughout the product development process (which can take 8-10 years or more). To benefit consumers, breeders consider taste, color, texture and nutritional characteristics. Therefore, when breeding crops like watermelon, breeders look for quality features desired by consumers such as fruits without seeds. For farmers, plant scientists focus on improving a crop's yield, pest resistance and climate resilience. For example, when breeding corn, plant scientists look for certain agronomic traits (e.g., drought tolerance) in their selection criteria. This also means ensuring that crops perform across a wide variety of different fields or growing environments. These specific varieties are identified by conducting extensive product testing in fields and greenhouses across multiple, varying geographical locations. "Just as we value safety as consumers, all partners in the agricultural food chain have a shared responsibility to produce safe food that has minimal impact on the environment." - International Seed Federation Only the Best Make the Cut New plant varieties are typically also evaluated in multiple environments over several years to ensure consistent performance. This step helps to establish safety of the crop variety as scientists use stringent selection criteria throughout the development process. Over seven years, plant breeders will evaluate around 150,000 individual plants in order to select fewer than 10. That means only 0.1% of trial plants meet our stringent selection criteria. More importantly, general food safety principles are recognized and embodied in national food laws around the world. Building on generations of knowledge and safe consumption, modern selective breeding techniques are enhanced by robust industry standards and governmental oversight to ensure the safety of new crop varieties brought to the market. View original content here View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Bayer on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Bayer Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/bayer Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Bayer View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734129/Bayer-Plant-Breeding-Safety CHARLOTTE, NC / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / Discovery Education and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are now offering educators new digital resources to address the dangers of counterfeit drugs. The new array of science-based lesson plan and videos equip students in grades 9-12 with an understanding of what counterfeit drugs are and why they are so harmful to individuals and communities. The resources join other powerful anti-drug resources available through Operation Prevention, a collaboration between DEA and Discovery Education. Designed to help prevent substance misuse in schools nationwide, Operation Prevention educates students about the science behind addiction, and its impact on the brain and body. The latest content also supports the One Pill Can Kill initiative from DEA, which raises awareness about fake pills that are falsely marketed as legitimate prescription pills. Research by UCLA Health shows that in 2020, the teen death rate due to drug overdose doubled and grew by another 20% in 2021. The sharp increase is, in part, attributed to teens purchasing via distributors on social media platforms what they believe to be prescription drugs but instead are counterfeit drugs laced with fentanyl. DEA reports that in 2022 more than 9.5 million fake pills were seized, more than the previous two years combined. The new lessons now available, which include a detailed accompanying educator guide, explore the importance of community connections in counteracting the rising trend of counterfeit drug use. During the lesson, students will consider how an individual's decisions can impact an entire community, investigate real-world data, and learn how to create an effective community awareness campaign. In addition, the resources, which include a four-part video series, show students the consequences of counterfeit drugs on people and communities through insights from diverse subject matter experts, including leaders from Native communities. These resources complement Operation Prevention's "Good Medicine Bundle," which was created with the assistance of the National Indian Education Association. A set of hands-on, standards-aligned resources for elementary and middle school students, the Good Medicine Bundle addresses the nation's opioid crisis through a culturally responsive lens and encourages resiliency through a Native approach to balance and wellness. "Native communities still experience the impact of historical traumas and are disproportionately impacted by substance misuse. These lessons are critical for all students as a response to the crises in our nation," said Diana Cournoyer, Executive Director of the National Indian Education Association (NIEA). "Education and intervention at a young age are critical to preventing substance misuse and misunderstandings," said Amy Nakamoto, General Manager of Social Impact at Discovery Education. "Educators play a critical role in students' lives, and we are proud to partner with the DEA to equip high school teachers across the United States with new, high-quality resources to help overcome the counterfeit drug crisis facing our teens." Learn more about the new counterfeit drug educational resources and Operation Prevention at OperationPrevention.com and on the Discovery Education K-12 learning platform. For more information about Discovery Education's award-winning digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn. ### About the Drug Enforcement Administration The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the United States; and to recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and international markets. The DEA encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEA's interactive websites at justthinktwice.com, getsmartaboutdrugs.com and dea.gov. About NIEA The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) advances comprehensive, culture-based educational opportunities for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. NIEA was formed in 1970 by Native educators who were eager to find solutions to improve the education system for Native children. NIEA adheres to the organization's founding principles: 1) to bring Native educators together to explore ways to improve schools and the schooling of native children; 2) to promote the maintenance and continued development of Native languages and cultures; and 3) to develop and implement strategies for influencing local, state, and federal policy and policy makers. NIEA is the leading advocate on issues impacting Native education. NIEA provides membership with information on scholarships, opportunities, events, policy, and federal and state news stories. About Discovery Education Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com. Contacts DEA National Media Affairs Email: DEA.Public.Affairs@dea.gov Grace Maliska Discovery Education Email: gmaliska@discoveryed.com View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Discovery Education on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Discovery Education Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/discovery-education Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Discovery Education View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734201/Drug-Enforcement-Administration-and-Discovery-Education-Announce-New-Resources-Addressing-Counterfeit-Drug-Crisis Regulatory News: MedinCell (Paris:MEDCL): The study conducted in 399 participants met its primary efficacy endpoint with a reduction of 72% of COVID-19 infection in the group treated with daily oral administration of ivermectin compared to the placebo group Ivermectin administered for 28 days demonstrated acceptable safety and tolerability without any unexpected safety signals The SAIVE study was conducted to support mdc-TTG program, whose objective is to provide prevention of Covid-19 infection for weeks or months with a single injection of a long-acting formulation of ivermectin based on MedinCell's proprietary technology, BEPO Note: this publication is not a recommendation to use ivermectin against Covid-19. The SAIVE Trial (NCT 05305560) is a Phase 2, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical study, evaluating the safety and efficacy of ivermectin tablets taken orally for 28 days, under the oversight of a U.S. based independent Data Monitoring Committee. The study was conducted in Bulgaria between March and November 2022. All participants were unvaccinated adults and had been exposed to the virus within 5 days of screening after documented close contact with a person who had a PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Participants randomized to ivermectin group showed a highly statistically significant reduction (72%) of laboratory-confirmed infections between baseline and Day 28 (30/200) versus placebo (105/199), the study's primary endpoint, with p<0,0001. No safety signals related to daily intake of ivermectin, 200 microgram/kg on Day 1 then 100 microgram/kg daily from Day 2 to Day 28 were identified during the study. The company plans to share the final analysis of the study in a peer-reviewed publication at a later date. "The SAIVE study provides encouraging data demonstrating efficacy and safety of ivermectin in prevention of Covid-19 infection in a post-exposure situation. It supports the development of a long-acting injectable, said Christophe Douat, CEO of MedinCell. Such a long-acting injectable would provide a complementary tool against Covid-19. Several candidate formulations of ivermectin are ready for clinical batch manufacturing to start regulatory preclinical and clinical development. We will be reviewing the strategy for this asset based on this top line result and the upcoming comprehensive analysis of the study." About MedinCell MedinCell is a pharmaceutical technology company that develops a portfolio of long-acting injectable products in various therapeutic areas by combining its proprietary BEPO technology with active ingredients already known and marketed. U.S. FDA approval for the first product using BEPO technology for patients with schizophrenia is expected in H1 2023. Two other products are in clinical Phase 3. In addition, several programs should reach the clinic in 2023 and 2024, including two Global Health initiatives in woman health (contraception) and malaria, supported by the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation and Unitaid respectively. Through the controlled and extended release of the active pharmaceutical ingredient, MedinCell makes medical treatments more efficient, particularly thanks to improved compliance, and to a reduction in the quantity of medication required. The BEPO technology makes it possible to control and guarantee the regular delivery of a drug at the optimal therapeutic dose for several days, weeks or months, depending on the product, starting from the subcutaneous or local injection of a simple deposit of a few millimeters, fully bioresorbable. BEPO biocompatible polymers, the key components of each MedinCell formulation, are produced and scaled-up at GMP quality level, and already producible at commercial stage through MedinCell's joint-venture with Corbion (Euronext CRBN). MedinCell collaborates with tier one pharmaceuticals companies and foundations to improve Global Health through innovative therapeutic options. Based in Montpellier, MedinCell is a public company (Euronext, MEDCL), currently employing 150 people from over 30 different nationalities. www.medincell.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005896/en/ Contacts: MedinCell David Heuze Head of Communications david.heuze@medincell.com +33 (0)6 83 25 21 86 NewCap Louis-Victor Delouvrier/Alban Dufumier Investor Relations medincell@newcap.eu +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 NewCap Nicolas Merigeau Media Relations medincell@newcap.eu +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil prices climbed higher on Thursday, rebounding from recent losses, after data showed gasoline and distillate stockpiles dropped in the week ended December 30th. Crude inventories in the U.S., however, rose by 1.7 million barrels last week, as against an expected increase of 1.2 million barrels, data from Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for February ended higher by $0.83 or about 1.1% at $73.67 a barrel. WTI Oil futures shed about 9% in the first two session of the new year, the biggest two-day drop at the start of a year in about three decades. Brent crude futures were up $0.94 or 1.2% at $78.78 a barrel a little while ago. The EIA data showed gasoline stocks in the U.S. dropped by 346,000 barrels last week, compared with an expected drop of 486,000 barrels. Meanwhile, distillate stockpiles fell 1.4 million barrels in the week, as against expectations for a drop of 396,000 barrels. Edward Moya, Senior Market Analyst at OANDA, said, 'Oil is trying to rally but demand concerns are keeping the gains small. The Saudis are slashing prices as the short-term crude demand outlook seems like it won't quite get a major boost from a robust China reopening.' 'It's been a few decades since oil had this bad of a start [to a new year] and energy traders jumped all over the news that the Colonial Pipeline had to halt operations after a leak occurred,' Moya said. 'The shutdown should be over on Saturday, but the unexpected disruption helped oil prices stabilize,' he added. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / Acre Written by Acre's Ian Povey-Hall for Investment Week, published on 07.12.22, original source: Could the reallocation of human capital be a key solution to today's climate crisis? Following the UN's recent report announcing there is "no credible pathway to 1.5C in place", taking action to operationalise the Paris Agreement has never been more urgent. The reality is that, despite the window dressing that says otherwise, the transition will only take place if long-term capital is funnelled into unequivocally credible decarbonisation-focused solutions. The problem lies not in the fact that the market lacks these solutions, but in the startling truth that people without the necessary understanding, experience and skills have been tasked with orchestrating change quickly. Facing pressure to respond to the way that ESG has burst into the mainstream, many organisations quickly reshuffled a few desks to tick a box. 'The great reclassification' strikes Article 9 funds as second SFDR phase approaches Although these individuals from established fund and asset managers are generally doing their best to create change, it is often incremental at best, with their training and prior experience in some ways works to their disadvantage, limiting their ability to drive impact at scale. When it comes to ESG, we have the data to prove that we cannot continue our course without modifying our approach and outlook. A fundamental rewiring of the financial system, specifically how capital is allocated within it, needs to happen and that begins with a change to organisational structures and the way that teams are put together. In order to have effective last-mile integration of sustainability principles within a financial institution there needs to the combination of deep thematic expertise alongside knowledge of how these highly complex organisations and processes work in reality. While there are individuals who have both, there are not enough to drive transition at scale in the timescales required. Let us not be too quick to buy into the belief that there is an absence of suitable talent to progress the climate transition. At the moment, companies are often simply looking in the wrong places for answers. Rather than exclusively turning to what they know, i.e. individuals with extensive experience of financial services and some recent experience in ESG, companies need to integrate alternative perspectives, diverse backgrounds, and new skills to create value for investors and society beyond financial returns. The key to meaningful change is hybrid teams that leverage sustainability experts with experience running, for example, climate risk mitigation and restoration projects and traditional investment professionals. Deep Dive: Renewables key to 'plug the chasm' in energy transition This sustainability talent can come in all shapes and sizes and from a range of sectors, depending on the nature of the project in question. These individuals have the subject matter expertise driven from years deep in the detail of how these previously 'non-financial' factors are impacting the global economy. This enables them to bring the broader perspectives and systemwide thinking to bear that is essential to develop investment solutions that deliver sustainable outcomes as a function of scale. The result of such hybrid teams is a fruitful cohabitation of diverse perspectives. Working together in this way also effectively upskills the existing resources of financial institutions, so that those from more mainstream backgrounds better understand sustainability and those from outside financial services gain insight into investment fundamentals. This, in turn, facilitates the transition, equipping the industry with well-rounded individuals. As companies are beginning to understand the role of recruitment and team composition within the transition, we are also seeing a trend away from large, centralised teams and towards smaller, high-quality teams working at enterprise level who can deliver the data, tools, insights and frameworks for core business units to more fully integrate sustainability themes. Greater value can be derived from a smaller, tighter-knit group who have the intellectual dexterity to constantly be looking into the future of how these themes will impact the financial system and are experts in how to communicate and embed these principles into the day-to-day execution of financial services. Ian manages Acre's London team and leads commercial development globally for Acre's sustainable finance and impact investing practice. His particular focus is on executive search projects, investment team lifts and advisory work to facilitate strategic partnerships and acquisition opportunities. Prior to joining Acre, Ian spent seven years delivering on mandates for a selection of the world's leading banks and investment management groups. He also founded the London Impact Investing Network & Climate Finance ExPress Program. About Acre At Acre, we work with the most aspirational businesses with potential to make real change; from those who are just starting out to those who are well on the journey to crafting a legacy. Our 18 years' experience in sustainability recruitment, combined with our extensive global network, enables us to provide talent solutions that are designed to deliver this change. Through our unique behavioural assessment technology, we understand the types of people, skills and behaviours required to create impact. We can develop these qualities within your existing teams too. We find talented people and develop their skills to ensure they make a true impact in ambitious, progressive organisations. Acre. Making companies ready for tomorrow. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Acre on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Acre Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/acre Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Acre View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734236/Could-the-Reallocation-of-Human-Capital-Be-a-Key-Solution-to-Todays-Climate-Crisis World-renowned residential private tutoring specialists, Tutors International, announces its latest tutoring job vacancy: to home school three siblings, aged 13, 11 and 5, based in Spain OXFORD, England, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tutors International is a world leader in full-time private tuition. They specialise in sourcing the perfect tutor for each of their clients by conducting a completely personalised global recruitment process that accommodates the exact requirements of each client. This ensures that Tutors International finds not only a world-class tutor but one who perfectly aligns with the lifestyle, attitudes, values and ideas of each family and their child(ren). Tutors International has recently launched the custom recruitment process for their latest tutoring job based in Spain (Ref. SPA 1222). They are looking for a resourceful, dynamic and highly professional teacher to home school three siblings, aged 13, 11 and 5. The role will commence in September 2023 and will take place mainly in Spain with regular European travel. The position will last for one academic year in the first instance. The 5 year old is still young and just starting his schooling, but he will benefit from starting work on the first year of the primary curriculum including early language and number acquisition skills. Since he will not be attending kindergarten with his peers, it will be important to help think through opportunities for building social skills. He would also benefit from joining in with the older children's projects where possible and appropriate. The children and their parents are hoping to learn Spanish during this year abroad. ROLE OF THE TUTOR This role will be first and foremost, to work with the children's current school and deliver the content that their peers in the USA are covering. Therefore, knowledge of US educational practice and curricula is necessary. The family plan to travel from their main location, outside Spain, for one to two weeks at least five times during their stay, in addition to travel within Spain. The Tutor will be expected to help with organization as well as suggesting possible excursions that would be of educational benefit to the children. The Tutor will need to be highly organized, resourceful and plan to incorporate the locations and experiences into the children's lessons in preparation for these trips. It is expected that the Tutor will join the family on some of these trips and perhaps even go ahead to prepare for the family's arrival on others. Clearly then, the Tutor will need to be flexible, creative, and accommodating, and able to make their time with the children vibrant and interesting to gain the most benefit from their involvement. The Tutor's responsibilities are to help develop and maintain a general love of learning, so that this change from regular schooling is turned into an opportunity. The Tutor will lead the children in developing their wider interests, along with providing structure to keep up with lessons, homework and a functional routine. In addition, the Tutor should help the children "stretch" in their learning and challenge them throughout the academic year so that they return to their schools, not just performing at grade level, but perhaps a little above. The children will continue to improve their Spanish and it is also expected that the parents will want to learn and practice Spanish with the Tutor as well. As such, the Tutor will ideally be a native (or native level) Spanish speaker. Experience with dyslexia and dysgraphia will also be essential to the role. The Tutor must be OG trained to help the eldest with his learning needs. A Tutor who plays a musical instrument and can encourage the young lady's musical skills would also be beneficial. The Tutor will be mindful in their approach and do their utmost to create a coordinated, yet unperturbed atmosphere. A good sense of humour and ability to make lessons entertaining and memorable would be gratefully received. Above all, the Tutor must be a consummate professional and uphold the family's values. They will be expected to adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and keep their personal views and opinions on potentially contentious subjects, such as religion and politics, to themselves. HOURS, HOLIDAYS, ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL The Tutor should expect an average of 40 hours of contact time per a week, with preparation in addition. This will be a combination of individual lessons with each child and project-based group work that will be differentiated appropriately. The Tutor will be entitled to two consecutive days off per week, normally at the weekend, but it is essential that they understand the need to be flexible regarding the family's travel plans and other commitments. The Tutor will have a minimum of 9 weeks off per annum, to be taken at times agreed upon with the family. The Tutor will be flexible with respect to any changes in schedule, be they travel-related or otherwise and will adapt accordingly. The Client will strive to give up to two weeks' notice of any planned alterations. The Client will provide an accommodation allowance and the Tutor will need to arrange their own accommodation - this will not be done for them by the Client. The Client will not provide a vehicle for the Tutor to use in Spain but will cover the cost of travel on public transport. The Tutor will likely be required to accompany the family on some, if not all, of their trips abroad from Spain. The Client will ensure that the Tutor stays in private accommodation when travelling. When travelling, expenses will be covered by the Client except for the Tutor's personal phone bill and personal fuel use. MISCELLANEOUS The successful candidate will be able to offer more than the minimum requirements of this position and must have been raised in a socially appropriate background. He or she will not only be an excellent educator, but also a good role model: educated and polished, with excellent manners and personal values. The Tutor will be physically fit and healthy, a non-smoker. CONTRACTUAL DETAILS Start: 1st September 2023 Duration: 1 year initially Hours: 40 hours average per week, plus preparation Salary: $144,000 USD per annum per annum Accommodation: Housing stipend provided Car: Not provided Vacation: Minimum of 9 weeks per year CONTACT US NOW If you are interested in applying for this position, contact us now by clicking on this link. To find out more about Tutors International and the elite services it provides visit www.tutors-international.com. About Tutors International Tutors International provides an unparalleled private tutoring service that matches the right private home tutor with the right child, in order for the student to fully reach their personal potential and academic excellence. Delivering an international private tuition service for children of all ages at different points in their educational journeys, Tutors International is founded on a commitment to finding the perfect tutor to realise the specific goals and aspirations of each student. Tutors are available for residential full-time positions, after-school assistance, and home-schooling. Founded in 1999 by Adam Caller, Tutors International is a private company based in Oxford, a city renowned for academic excellence. Our select clientele receives a personally tailored service, with discretion and confidentiality guaranteed. Contact Details Web: www.tutors-international.com Email: marketing@tutors-international.com Phone: +44 (0) 1865 435 135 Tutors International Prama House 267 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7HT UK Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1978138/Tutors_International.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/699064/Tutors_International_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/tutors-international-announces-new-vacancy-for-highly-professional-private-tutor-based-in-spain-commencing-september-2023-301714975.html NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / International Paper's efforts to fight period poverty won a 2022 AF&PA Sustainability Award in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In 2021, 13 International Paper facilities hosted volunteer packing events with employees to provide nearly 5,000 period care kits to their communities. This year, they're set to distribute 5 times that number with support from 45 facilities across the U.S. and around the world. "I am continually in awe of the care and enthusiasm of our employees around the globe to give back to their communities. Their generosity of spirit inspires me," said Dr. Shaw. Continue reading here About International Paper International Paper (NYSE:IP) is a leading global supplier of renewable fiber-based products. We produce corrugated packaging products that protect and promote goods, and enable worldwide commerce, and pulp for diapers, tissue and other personal care products that promote health and wellness. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 38,000 colleagues globally. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe. Net sales for 2021 were $19.4 billion. See how we're building a better future for people, the planet, and our company at internationalpaper.com/Vision-2030. Image courtesy of American Forest & Paper Association View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from International Paper Company on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: International Paper Company Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/international-paper-company Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: International Paper Company View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734242/International-Paper-Taking-Action-to-Address-Period-Poverty NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / Antea Group When cold weather blows in, new Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) concerns follow thanks to the changing weather landscape. Are you prepared for wintery conditions when you're on the job? Here are five things to keep in mind as we enter the coldest months of the year. 1. Drive with Care It's no secret that winter weather brings a whole host of new challenges to your everyday life, including your work life. Much of the country sees snow, freezing temperatures, and icy conditions for months at a time. Snowstorms can appear quickly, and they can rapidly change as they move east. You may see a forecast for a light dusting of snow, only to walk out and find several inches of snow on your vehicle. That's why it's so important to be prepared for winter hazards and conditions. Remember that the roads will be icier and less safe than usual. Even on a perfectly dry day, patches of black ice can catch you unaware. The best thing you can do when driving is stay alert, go slow, and be careful. Accelerate and decelerate slowly and leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you. Winter also brings low light conditions with the sun setting much earlier than it does in the summer. This can decrease visibility, bring on more headlight glare, and leave you feeling more tired than usual, slowing your reaction time. During the winter months, drive slower, assume other drivers can't see you, and stay alert. Don't drive when you're tired if you can avoid it. If you're working outside in the afternoon and it's getting dark, consider wearing reflective clothing and bringing a flashlight with you. Speaking of bringing supplies with you, AAA recommends packing a bundle of cold-weather gear in your car during the wintertime. That way, if you get stuck somewhere, you have extra supplies. A cold weather kit can include things such as extra food and water, a flashlight, warm clothing like gloves, boots, and hats, a blanket, a shovel, a glass scraper for your car, and more. 2. Keep Yourself Safe and Warm Cold weather shouldn't be taken lightly. Bundle up with several layers of loose clothing for insulation, choose waterproof gear, ensure you wear a hat or insulated hard-hat liner outside to reduce loss of body heat and make sure your work boots are insulated and waterproof. Also, wear boots with good tread and use ice cleats for ice-covered or snow-packed surfaces. Your work gloves should be fitted to keep the cold and wet out without restricting your hand movements; also consider hand and foot warmers for extreme cold. When working outdoors, it's good practice to keep a change of clothing in your vehicle in case you get wet. Without proper gear, frostbite can set in fast. Frostbite happens when a part of your skin and the underlying tissues freeze, and it can cause permanent damage if you're not aware and careful. That's why covering areas of your body that are most prone to freezing such as your nose, toes, fingers, ears, and more is so crucial. If a worker displays symptoms of frostbite, move them into a warm room as soon as possible. Don't allow the worker to keep walking on frostbitten feet or toes, as that can cause more damage. Use warm (not hot) water at around 100-105 degree Fahrenheit to rewarm the parts of the body that are affected. The best way to take care of frostbite is to prevent it from happening in the first place with proper gear and going inside when it's too cold. Hypothermia is another condition winter can bring, and again, prevention is important. However, if a worker gets too cold too quickly and is outside in cold temperatures for a prolonged period of time, it's time to take action. Get them out of the cold, wet weather, and into a warm room or vehicle. To prevent hypothermia, use the right gear and watch for warning signs in your coworkers and yourself such as impaired speech, lack of coordination, and uncontrollable shivering. Again, bundle up, because preventing hypothermia is easier than curing it. 3. Use Extra Caution on a Job Site Schedule work to accommodate the weather conditions, including taking note of incoming storms. Plan your travel to and from the site and plan your activities at the worksite. Evaluate whether walking or driving is the safer way to traverse the site. Use salt, ice melt, or sand to improve your traction as you move around. Also, be sure to use the buddy system when possible so you can monitor each other for signs of cold stress. Take breaks in a warm, dry location, even if it's just your vehicle. Always evaluate the weather conditions. Is it safe to work? If conditions change and you feel it is no longer safe, Use Stop Work Authority and notify your manager. 4. Slips and Falls In the winter, it's important to watch out for ice, snow-covered ice, black ice, and uneven surfaces. All of these things can cause you to slip and fall, which can lead to injury on the job. Always scan the area ahead of you as you walk, and consciously decide the best path to take that avoids most of these hazards. Also, be sure your path is clear of obstacles. Defense walking is your best bet to avoid slipping or falling. As your last line of defense, you can do the Penguin Shuffle on icy surfaces. Here's a quick rundown of how to do the Penguin Shuffle: Point your feet out like a penguin and spread them out slightly while walking to stabilize your center of gravity. Bend slightly and walk flat-footed with your center of gravity over the front leg as much as possible. Keep your hands out of your pockets and keep your arms at your sides to maintain balance. Take short steps or shuffle for stability. Try to shorten your stride and walk slowly to navigate the ice. Remember, defensive walking and the Penguin shuffle can help you stay safe and injury free this winter. Always be conscious and cautious while walking outside. 5. CO Hazards Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning can be fatal, and incidents of CO exposure go up during the wintertime thanks to running vehicles inside or in partially ventilated areas. In fact, the CDC reports that approximately 50,000 people in the US visit the emergency room each year due to accidental CO poisoning. That's why it's so important to take steps to ensure you and your team aren't putting yourself in danger of CO poisoning. For example, don't warm up any vehicle in a closed garage or building space. Also, when using fuel-burning equipment, be sure it's in a well-ventilated area with effective ventilation systems in place if you have to use this equipment inside. You can also utilize CO detectors to help keep you safe where CO hazards exist. Finally, be sure you and your coworkers avoid using any fuel-burning equipment in an enclosed or partially enclosed space. What About the Rest of the US? Okay, what if you don't live in an area that sees snow, ice, and winter temperatures? Unfortunately, winter doesn't mean you can let your guard down. Late season tornados and strong storms are becoming more common due to the warming of the planet from climate change. It's important to always have an evacuation or shelter-in-place plan updated and available for your whole team to see, and to go over that procedure with your team so that you all know what to do in the event of a late season tornado. Of course, another thing to be aware of is that temperatures will naturally be colder. So, while you probably won't have to deal with freezing temperatures, you still should dress in loose layers to stay warm. Your body won't be used to the colder temperatures right away. If it warms up throughout the day, you can easily shed some layers to stay comfortable. Winter also can bring more rainfall to parts of the US that don't see snow, so being aware of the weather should still be part of your daily routine. Hello, Winter Winter weather brings on all sorts of potential threats. But, you can also view it as an opportunity to drive EHS renewal at your organization. Whether it's cold temperatures, icy roads, or anything in between, staying alert and safe is key for everyone. Need help improving your EHS culture? Learn more about our health and safety consulting services. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Antea Group on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Antea Group Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/antea-group Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Antea Group View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734253/Winter-Workplace-Safety-5-Tips-To-Stay-Safe-and-Warm NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2023 / IBM Originally published by Austin Chamber Austin's job market growth is outpacing the rest of the U.S. According to Workforce Solutions Capital Area, 172,194 new jobs were added to the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown metro area between 2016 and 2021, representing a 16.0% job growth increase and far surpassing the U.S.'s 1.8% increase during the same period. In the five-year period from 2021 to 2026, our region is forecasted to grow an additional 12.5%, nearly three times more than what the U.S. is expected to grow. Failing to meet this demand for qualified local candidates could hinder our region's continued development. All employers worldwide are having difficulty finding skilled workers to fit their needs for the in-demand digital jobs of tomorrow. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), in 2021 alone, the number of available jobs in the technology sector nearly doubled; however, the pool of available applicants shrank by nearly 25%. As a result, the WEF says companies estimate that 50% of all employees will need reskilling. Closing this digital skills gap could add $11.5 trillion to global GDP by 2028. This skills gap poses a hurdle to global economic growth, and inevitably, growth in Austin as well. One way to close the skills gap is by prioritizing education and training initiatives that reflect the evolving demands of labor markets that are frequently challenged by technological disruption. However, today, there is no system in place that encourages job applicants and employers to validate credentials earned outside traditional academic institutions, making it difficult for companies to weigh credentials equally with degrees. As a result, many qualified candidates are often overlooked. We need a modernized system where learners' credentials are verifiable and adopt frameworks that would make them valued by employers. Skills-building, like innovation, is a team sport. As companies scramble to hire qualified employees, particularly from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, IBM and its partners are investing in the future of work. Here's how: to help close this gap, we have adopted an ecosystem approach that helps solve the credentials dilemma and create a more diverse pipeline of candidates for technology-related jobs. We created a clear ecosystem roadmap with academic and industry partnerships and are leveraging existing programs and career-building platforms. Our inclusive skills-first approach helps reduce systemic issues and makes the learning-to-earning journey more attainable for underrepresented communities. Solving the Credentials Dilemma In October 2021, IBM announced its commitment to skill 30 million people globally by 2030 to create equitable and economic opportunities while also addressing a STEM job skills shortage impacting the business community. IBM has also reduced the percentage of U.S. job postings that require a four-year degree to 50%, resulting in more inclusive opportunities and a more diverse range of candidates. This is particularly critical in Texas where 54% of jobs require skills training beyond high school but not necessarily a four-year degree, according to the National Skills Coalition. A major component of IBM's skills-first approach is delivered through our education program, IBM SkillsBuild, offering access to more than 1,000 online, self-paced courses in 19 languages. Learners can gain knowledge of crucial professional workplace skills like design thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving, in addition to learning about technical disciplines, such as data analytics, cybersecurity, and cloud computing - all free of cost. Participants can earn IBM-branded digital credentials to certify their newly attained skills, and a global network of partners, including some here, in Austin, help connect these learners with local job opportunities. Mobilizing the Austin Ecosystem IBM's efforts mobilize the private sector across the globe to expand opportunities for underrepresented and historically disadvantaged communities. Some examples in the Austin region include: Workforce Solutions Capital Area, which for decades has connected local job seekers to local in-demand jobs, recently announced it received a grant to launch a pilot and implement IBM SkillsBuild as a resource to open access to training programs that are typically not financially accessible to low-income residents. In November, Transition Overwatch announced the launch of its Unconventional Apprenticeship Program to help military members transition from active-duty service members into new-collar careers by providing them access to IBM SkillsBuild. Transition Overwatch is launching the initiative in four regional hubs, including Austin, and is a military-supporting training provider for Workforce Solutions Capital Area. Over the summer, IBM teamed up with The University of Texas Women in STEM (WiSTEM) program to help close the gender gap in STEM and create an inspired and diverse community of confident leaders. IBM Austin hosted a WiSTEM Summer Externship with 591 students participating in the program and earning 884 credential badges with over 4,264 hours of learning completed. As a result, an overwhelming 92% of participants said they feel confident they can overcome any setbacks they may face in the STEM field. Inclusivity Foundation Additionally, recently IBM announced its collaboration with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation to help Hispanic learners gain the much-needed skills for career opportunities in STEM jobs. While Hispanics are one of the fastest-growing populations in the U.S., they make up 17% of the U.S. workforce and only represent 8% of those working in STEM. In May, IBM announced initiatives with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Specialisterne Foundation, and six HBCUs to provide no-cost STEM job training to U.S. military veterans, neurodivergent learners worldwide, and university students from underrepresented communities in the U.S. All these initiatives are aimed at successfully upskilling, reskilling, and best preparing today's workforce for the future of work. The credentials dilemma will not be easy to solve, but we can do this by creating stronger partnerships locally, and nationally, and continuing to build a robust system to validate credentials and hire qualified candidates for the jobs they deserve. Let's continue to work together to close the STEM job skills gap. It is up to us to leverage our networks in the Austin business community to help build ecosystems that tackle systemic issues while creating more equitable opportunities, and most importantly, appropriately train all job seekers in our region for the in-demand jobs of tomorrow. About the Author Jason Kelley, General Manager, IBM Global Strategic Partners, is responsible for the strategy, organization and business performance of IBM strategic alliances. In addition to his executive responsibilities, Jason is also the IBM Texas Senior State Executive, where he represents IBM in education and government relations advocacy and creates constituent relationships with key state and community leaders. Jason is also a U.S. Army Airborne Ranger veteran, serves on a number of boards, is co-chair of the National Security Innovation Council, leads the community of black employees and mentors (BEAM) globally for the IBM Services View original content here View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from IBM on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: IBM Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/ibm Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: IBM View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/734240/Upskilling-Austins-Vibrant-Workforce-for-the-In-Demand-Jobs-of-Tomorrow Swiss performance sportswear brand On (NYSE: ONON) announced today that the Company will participate in the 2023 ICR Conference. The Company's management will participate in a fireside chat on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 09:30 am US Eastern Time (03:30 pm CET on January 10, 2023). A live webcast of the fireside chat will be available on the Company's investor relations website and under the following Link. Following the conclusion of the fireside chat, a replay will be available on the Company's website. About On On was born in the Swiss Alps with one goal: to revolutionize the sensation of running by empowering all to run on clouds. Thirteen years after market launch, On delivers industry-disrupting innovation in premium footwear, apparel, and accessories for high-performance running, outdoor, and all-day activities. Fueled by customer-recommendation, On's award-winning CloudTec innovation, purposeful design and groundbreaking strides in sportswear's circular economy have attracted a fast-growing global fanbase inspiring humans to explore, discover and dream on. On is present in more than 60 countries globally and engages with a digital community on www.on-running.com. Source: On Category: Corporate View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105005603/en/ Contacts: Investor Contact: On Holding AG Jerrit Peter investorrelations@on-running.com or ICR, Inc. Brendon Frey brendon.frey@icrinc.com Media Contact: On Holding AG Vesna Stimac press@on-running.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 5, 2023) - Cybeats Technologies Corp. (CSE: CYBT) ("Cybeats' or the "Company") is pleased to provide an overview of its SBOM Studio product, a solution to the pressing issue of cybersecurity vulnerabilities across the global software supply chain. With the increasing frequency of high-profile cyber attacks and new regulations around the world, it is more important than ever for organizations to prioritize the protection of themselves and their customers. SBOM Studio provides a comprehensive solution to this problem, enabling companies to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve compliance while improving visibility and security of the software supply chain. "Our recent industry and customer recognition is a testament to the industry-leading capabilities of our SBOM Studio platform and demonstrates our ability to win over some of the largest enterprises in the world," said Yoav Raiter, CEO, Cybeats. "SBOM adoption is accelerating around the world, in-part by advancing government regulations, and our SBOM Studio is leading the way forward as organizations increasingly look to implement SBOMs to protect their software supply chains." "SBOM Studio is defining and pioneering the future of autonomous SBOM management, helping organizations proactively improve visibility and security across the software supply chain," said Dmitry Raidman, CTO, Cybeats. "SBOM Studio was purposefully designed to empower organizations of all sizes and industries to easily and efficiently implement SBOMs, accelerate vulnerability management, and reduce the cost of protecting their software supply chain." Background To remain competitive in today's market, organizations rely on previously developed software or proprietary third party software components known as "open source software" (OSS) to meet the demands of frequent software releases in a cost-effective and timely manner. In fact, 99% all software today contains open source components.1 The use of OSS carries inherent risks with studies showing that 75% of open source software contains vulnerabilities that pose cybersecurity threats2. With the widespread use of OSS in modern software development, it is crucial for organizations to have a system in place to manage and mitigate these risks. The threat of cyberattacks that exploit vulnerabilities in open source software (OSS) is increasing rapidly, with a growth rate of 700% per year3. Many organizations may not be aware that they are using OSS, making it crucial for them to take steps to protect themselves against these threats. The log4j4 and SolarWinds5 events serve as examples of the potential damage caused by attacks that exploit OSS vulnerabilities, affecting 18,000 customers including government agencies and critical infrastructure providers. To mitigate OSS risks, creating and continuously monitoring a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) is becoming a must. Introducing SBOMs Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs) are lists of the ingredients and their versions that make up a particular piece of software, similar to the nutritional facts or ingredient list found on food labels such as for dairy, cookies or juice. SBOMs provide important information about software, including any open source components, which can help companies and governments determine if the software is safe to use. SBOMs are used across a variety of industries and are becoming required by government regulators, such as the FDA's recent mandate requiring SBOMs for medical device submissions. Many companies are already generating SBOMs as part of their software development process, following recent industry standards for SBOM generation. However, implementing SBOM practices can be challenging due to the scale of the change and the manual work involved. As organizations seek to improve the security and reliability of their software in the face of evolving threats and regulatory requirements, the adoption of SBOMs is becoming increasingly important. By using SBOMs, companies can better manage their software supply chain risks and improve the overall quality of their software. SBOM Studio - Managing the Lifecycle of your SBOMs To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3927/150445_b89330fe04eff949_001full.jpg Cybeats' SBOM Studio is a comprehensive solution designed to manage and distribute software bill of materials (SBOMs) in a single platform. It provides organizations with a centralized view of cybersecurity vulnerabilities, enabling them to improve the visibility and security of their software supply chain. SBOM Studio is useful for organizations of all sizes and industries, as it helps them to improve their vulnerability management processes, reduce the cost of protection, and enhance compliance. SBOM Studio is also agnostic to SBOM generation tools, meaning it can work with any tool to validate and correct imported SBOMs, improving the accuracy of SBOMs. In addition, it simplifies the implementation process, speeds up the fixing of vulnerabilities, and automates SBOM management, ultimately improving the return on investment of SBOM adoption in an organization. After generating software bill of materials (SBOMs) using any SBOM generation tool, clients who upload their SBOMs to Cybeats' SBOM Studio can gain valuable insights into their software supply chain with the following features: Automated SBOM Management During the import of SBOMs, SBOM Studio will validate the SBOM to ensure correct formatting according to the specification of the SBOM standards validate the SBOM to ensure correct formatting according to the specification of the SBOM standards SBOMs that are not accurately formatted will either be auto-corrected for recoverable errors or rejected with meaningful information describing the root cause of the misalignment SBOM Studio enriches SBOMs as part of the import process, populating them with key information and details about the software supply chain intelligence data Accelerated Vulnerability Management Continuous process of monitoring SBOMs, autonomous scanning for new vulnerabilities. SBOMs are living and breathing in SBOM Studio Categorizes and filters vulnerabilities by level of criticality to inform decision making Search for and identify specific SBOMs rapidly, and confidently and securely identify compromised components across the organization Improved Workflow for Security Operations Prompts cyber teams with the recommended actions to optimally fix vulnerabilities and reduce cyber risk Display and categorizes vulnerabilities by level of criticality for prioritization of security workflow In leveraging a robust data lake, accurately determine how vulnerabilities affect the organization's security posture Native plug-ins and other integrations that allow for seamless workflow User-intuitive interface is easy to learn and understand SBOM Sharing and Exchange Capabilities Securely share SBOMs with regulatory agencies, internal and external customers Share product SBOMs, while keeping the IP protected Ability to redact and hide specific parts of an SBOM before they are shared externally SBOM language agnostic with acceptance of all SBOMs, and easy conversion between SBOM languages Data-Driven Business Decisions Report generation and visually appealing dashboard, for use by leadership, to bridge gaps between vulnerability status and the budgeting, forecasting, risk-mitigation, prioritization strategies Offers 'Governor View' vantage that allows enhanced visibility into all the layers and subsidiaries of the core business, giving development, cyber teams and leadership more information to better prioritize and evaluate the risks and associated costs across the organization Regulatory Compliance and Licence Infringement Satisfy Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) requirements by showing best practices and good cyber hygiene by having an SBOM for all software, and for any 3rd-party products used by the enterprise License Infringement Notifications, when software that is used without permissions or licenses that can have associated legal risk and cost SBOM Studio is Sector Agnostic, Key Market Verticals Include: Industrial Controls and Critical Infrastructure Healthcare and Medical Enterprise Automotive and Aerospace SBOM Regulation With the widespread proliferation and adoption of SBOM following the Whitehouse Executive Order in May of 2021, which announced the new SBOM standard to be implemented in the United States6, policymakers are recognizing the importance of SBOM standards. Cybeats SBOM management solution provides proactive compliance with anticipated Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC) requirements, demonstrating best practices by having an SBOM for all software, and for any 3rd-party products used by enterprises. From the US Executive Order to the recent EU Cyber Resilience Act7, the value and imperative to use SBOMs around the world has been further cemented. Cybeats recently applauded the $1.7 Trillion Omnibus Appropriations Bill which would require medical device manufacturers to submit a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) to the FDA that includes all standard, open source, and critical software components used by the devices. Upcoming Events Come meet Cybeats at CES 20238 at booth 6653! The 'most influential tech event in the world' is in Las Vegas from January 5 - 8, 2023. To register, please visit: https://registration.experientevent.com/ShowCES231 Join us at the CISO Forum Canada in Toronto, Ontario from January 30 to 31 as Cybeats leads a panel discussion on Software Supply Chain Security with cybersecurity leaders from CN Rail, Craft Ventures and SAP: https://www.siberx.org/event/ciso-forum-canada-2023/ Join us at the Fira Gran Via, Barcelona from 27 February - 2 March, 2023 at MWC Barcelona9, the world's most influential exhibition for the device connectivity and security industry: https://www.mwcbarcelona.com/ Come meet us at S4x23 in Miami February 13-16! Discover new ideas and come up with innovative ways to use these new ideas to deploy secure and resilient industrial control systems10: https://s4xevents.com/ About SBOM Studio Cybeats' SBOM Studio enables organizations to efficiently manage, distribute, and view their software bill of materials (SBOMs) in a single interface. By doing so, they can easily identify and address cybersecurity vulnerabilities, reduce the cost of protection, and improve compliance. SBOM Studio is specifically designed to support software producers and consumers who use open source and 3rd party software components and who are transitioning to more transparent software development practices. The tool is compatible with various SBOM generation tools and can validate and correct imported SBOMs to improve their accuracy. About Cybeats Cybeats is a cybersecurity company providing SBOM management and software supply chain intelligence technology, helping organizations to manage risk, meet compliance requirements, and secure their software from procurement to development and operation. Our platform gives customers comprehensive visibility and transparency into their software supply chain, enabling them to improve operational efficiency and increase revenue. Cybeats. Software Made Certain. Website: https://cybeats.com SUBSCRIBE: For more information, or to subscribe to the Company's mail list, visit: https://www.cybeats.com/investors Contact: James Van Staveren Corporate Development Phone: 1-888-713-SBOM (7266) Email: ir @cybeats.com Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for the technology described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Company filings are available at sedar.com. 1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_software 2 https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/92368-synopsys-study-shows-91-of-commercial-applications-contain-outdated-or-abandoned-open-source-components 3https://www.sonatype.com/press-releases/sonatype-finds-700-average-increase-in-open-source-supply-chain-attacks 4 https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/log4j-vulnerability-what-everyone-needs-to-know 5 https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/SolarWinds-hack-explained-Everything-you-need-to-know 6 https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/M-22-18.pdf 7 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/cyber-resilience-act 8 https://www.ces.tech/ 9 https://www.mwcbarcelona.com/ 10 https://s4xevents.com/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/150445 AVS, a Boston, MA-based early-stage medical device company, raised $20M in Series B funding. The round was led by BioStar Capital. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate clinical trial timelines for its device for peripheral application in pulsatile intravascular lithotripsy (PIVL) cases and advance development and preclinical work on a PIVL device for coronary cases. Founded in 2018 by Hitinder Gurm, M.D., and Robert Chisena, Ph.D., Chief Technical Officer, and led by Mark Toland, Executive Chairman/CEO, AVS is an early-stage medical device company focused on safely and effectively treating severely calcified arterial disease. Its novel balloon-based platform, the PULSE IVL System shatters calcium with pressure waves in frequent bursts and expands calcified arteries, all with a single device. In September 2022, the company announced enrollment, treatment, and positive 30-day follow-up data of the first patients in its POWER PAD I clinical trial, a first-in-human study. Jon George, MD, MBA an interventional cardiologist at the University of Pennsylvania Health System and medical advisor to AVS, assisted in trial cases in the Dominican Republic. FinSMEs 05/01/2023 Rachel Liverman, CEO and Founder of Glowbar Glowbar, a New York-based skincare brand, raised $10M in Growth funding. The round was led by Peterson Partners. The company intends to use the funds to expand headcount across the organization, including senior leadership, and to further invest in training for its 100+ licensed estheticians. Led by CEO and Founder Rachel Liverman, Glowbar is a skincare brand whose services include Dermaplaning, Chemical peels, Extractions, LED, Microcurrent, or High Frequency. Launched in 2019, the brand delivers custom, clinical-grade facials in 30 minutes. Using a proprietary system, licensed estheticians design and deliver treatment plans tailored to customer needs and goals. The brand currently owns and operates 6 studios in New York and Connecticut. FinSMEs 05/11/2023 5 January 2023, Beijing 1. At the invitation of H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, H.E. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines, undertook a state visit to China from 03 to 05 January 2023. The visit is an expression of sincerity and friendship of President Marcos towards China and the Chinese people as well as his strong confidence in the future development of China-Philippines relations at the auspicious start of the new year. 2. During the visit, President Xi Jinping and President Marcos held a friendly and productive bilateral meeting, wherein they recalled the development of China-Philippines relations, rooted in a history marked by high-level exchanges and enriched by strong economic and people-to-people ties. The two leaders reached important consensus to enhance the bilateral relations, building on their discussions on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November 2022. President Marcos also met with H.E. Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council, and H.E. Chairman Li Zhanshu of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. 3. The Philippines congratulated China on the success of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which will advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. China expressed best wishes for the national development of the Philippines under the leadership of President Marcos. The two leaders agreed to render stronger support to each others national development goals, and advance modernization through joint efforts so as to create more benefits for the two peoples. 4. President Marcos noted the pivotal role of his father, the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, in the establishment of China-Philippines relations. President Marcos vowed to build on the legacy of his late father, working towards bringing China-Philippines relations to a higher level. 5. The two leaders underscored the importance of maintaining the good momentum of the bilateral relations, agreed to further strengthen the China-Philippines relationship of Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation under the new circumstances, as close neighbors, kin and partners that help and understand each other towards win-win results through mutually beneficial cooperation, so as to bring the bilateral relations to new heights. 6. The two leaders reaffirmed the principles contained in the 1975 China-Philippines Joint Communique and other documents, whose principles include, among others, the peaceful settlement of all disputes, mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and non-interference in each others internal affairs. The Philippines reaffirmed its adherence to the One-China Policy. 7. Both sides committed to conduct cooperation in the four key priority areas of agriculture, infrastructure, energy and people-to-people exchanges, and pursue additional avenues of cooperation in the areas of defense and security, science and technology, trade and investments. 8. The Philippines expressed appreciation for China's offer of grants, among other forms of financial support, to fund economic and technical projects in support of the Philippines' socio-economic agenda. 9. Both sides agreed to further increase trade between the two countries, to return and even surpass the pre-pandemic bilateral trade volume. The two leaders highlighted the importance of promoting more balanced trade between the two countries by facilitating greater market access for Philippine exports into China. Both sides welcomed the updating of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Philippine Stock Exchange, further expanding the areas of capital market cooperation between the two countries. Both sides welcomed the signing of numerous agreements between the business sectors, contributing to economic growth and development for both countries. Both sides will continue to promote sustainable and inclusive trade bilaterally and regionally, enhance cooperation in the areas of digital economy and green development. 10. Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in agriculture development. The two leaders witnessed the signing of several agreements on agriculture: the Action Plan on Agriculture and Fisheries Cooperation (2023-2025) ,the handover certificate of Sino-Philippine Center for Agricultural Technology-Technical Cooperation Program Phase III, and the Protocol Agreeing on the Phytosanitary Requirements for Philippine Fresh Durian Exports to China. The Philippines extended appreciation to the Chinese Government for providing urgently needed agricultural inputs. 11. Both sides attached great importance to infrastructure development and agreed to carry forward high-quality projects under the synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative and the "Build, Better, More" infrastructure program to spur economic growth. Both sides signed an updated Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Framework Agreement on Priority Bridges Crossing Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway Bridges Construction Project, and two (2) handover certificates on Chinese-funded Philippine infrastructure projects that have been successfully completed. They also discussed loan agreements that would support Philippine infrastructure development. Both sides will further strengthen infrastructure cooperation with big projects such as Davao-Samal Island Bridge. Both sides will explore means to further strengthen cooperation, at the locations to be mutually agreed, with the purpose for promoting innovative economic development and maintaining stability in production and supply chains. 12. On oil and gas cooperation, both sides agreed to bear in mind the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Oil and Gas Development between the Government of the Peoples Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Philippines signed in 2018, and agreed to resume discussions on oil and gas development at an early date, building upon the outcomes of the previous talks, with a view of benefiting the two countries and their peoples. The two sides also agreed to explore cooperation in such areas as solar-power, wind energy, electric vehicles, and nuclear energy for electricity generation. 13. The two leaders had an in-depth and candid exchange of views on the situation in the South China Sea, emphasized that maritime issues do not comprise the sum-total of relations between the two countries and agreed to appropriately manage differences through peaceful means. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace and stability in the region and the freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea, and reached consensus on the peaceful resolution of disputes on the basis of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). 14. The two leaders concurred that confidence-building measures would contribute to improving mutual trust and affirmed the importance of the Foreign Ministry Consultations and the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea. The two sides decided to establish a direct communication mechanism between the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines. 15. Both sides acknowledged the usefulness of practical cooperation between their coast guards, noted the importance of convening the 4th Meeting of the Joint Coast Guard Committee and agreed to convene it at an early date. Both sides agreed to convene the Annual Defense Security Talks at a mutually convenient time. 16. Both sides agreed to further strengthen maritime cooperation in such areas as environmental protection and maritime economy. Both sides agreed to collaborate closely on the mitigation of marine debris emanating from various sources, and micro plastics, towards the establishment of a cooperative partnership between coastal model cities of the two countries. 17. The leaders reaffirmed the importance of continued and strengthened cooperation on education, building upon the consensus to usher in greater understanding between the Chinese and Filipino youth and professionals. Both sides agreed to work towards the possibility of signing the Memorandum of Understanding on Joint Cooperation to Carry out Chinese Language Education Program in the Basic Education Program of the Philippines, the Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Agricultural Technical Education Cooperation, and the Mutual Cooperation Memorandum(MCM) on Higher Education. Both sides agreed to enhance communication and cooperation on policy making and regulation to ensure quality development of each other's higher education system. 18. Both sides acknowledged that people-to-people exchanges are crucial in promoting understanding between the two states, welcomed the newly signed Implementation Program of the MOU on Tourism Cooperation, and committed to pursuing pre-pandemic levels of tourist arrivals, as well as direct flights between China and the Philippines, in particular Beijing and Manila, among other cities. The two sides agreed to further strengthen local cooperation, promote practical cooperation and conduct friendly exchanges among sisterhood provinces and cities of the two countries. 19. Both sides highlighted the importance of scientific and technological innovation (STI) and exchanged views on priority areas for partnerships to enhance China-ASEAN STI cooperation. Both sides agreed to explore potential cooperation in such areas as meteorology, space tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C). Both sides expressed willingness to establish an information notification system on rocket launches and work on procedures for the retrieval and return of space debris. 20. Both sides noted positively their cooperation related to addressing COVID-19, especially in the procurement of vaccines, and agreed to further promote public health cooperation in such areas as vaccine research and production. Both sides expressed support for the ASEAN Center for Public Health Emergency and Emergency Diseases. 21. The two leaders welcomed the strengthening of China-ASEAN cooperation under the current Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and will continue to implement the consensus reached at the China-ASEAN Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations. In this regard, the Philippines took note of Chinas initiative to build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful, and amicable home in the region. Both sides looked forward to expanding regional cooperation through this framework, with focus on increased economic and social connectivity and development, centering around trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, new-type industrialization, digitization, low-carbon development and agricultural modernization. 22. The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, and recalled the Joint Statement on the 20th Anniversary of the DOC, adopted in Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia on 11 November 2022. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the full and effective implementation of the DOC in its entirety, and encouraged further progress towards the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) that is in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, within a mutually agreed timeline. 23. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture in the Asia-Pacific region, and support for ASEAN integration and Community building. 24. Both sides will continue to strengthen cooperation at such multilateral fora as the United Nations, and make joint efforts to safeguard the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. Both sides agreed to continue the close communication and consultation on human rights issues. 25. China welcomed the Philippines joining the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and stood ready to strengthen cooperation to implement the GDI at the bilateral and regional levels in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Both sides agreed on the need and importance of robust consultations and communication as well as to explore possible cooperation for mutual benefit regarding the Global Security Initiative (GSI). 26. Both sides will practice open regionalism and strengthen multilateralism, so as to safeguard the common interests of developing countries as well as global fairness and justice, contributing to building a community with a shared future for all mankind. 27. Both sides renewed their commitment towards pursuing stronger political, economic, science and technology, and people-to-people ties, especially leading up to the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations in 2025. 28. President Marcos expressed his deep appreciation for the warm hospitality by President Xi Jinping, the Chinese Government and people, and extended an invitation to President Xi Jinping to visit the Philippines again at a mutually-convenient time. Annex List of Signed Cooperation Documents 1.Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines on Cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative 2.Arrangement on the Establishment of A Communication Mechanism on Maritime Issues between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines 3.Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Information and Communications Technology of the Republic of the Philippines on Digital and Information and Communications Technology Cooperation 4.Joint Action Plan on Agricultural and Fisheries Cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines (2023 -2025) 5.Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Trade and Industry of the Republic of the Philippines on Electronic Commerce Cooperation 6.The Handover Certificate of Sino-Philippine Center for Agricultural Technology-Technical Cooperation Program Phase Philscat-TCP between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines 7.Handover Certificate Two China-Aid Bridges Project In Manila, Philippines (Binondo-Intramuros Bridge and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge) between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines 8.Implementation Program of the Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Tourism of the Republic of the Philippines (2023-2028) 9.Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Fresh Durians From the Philippines to China between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines 10.Mutual Recognition Arrangement between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Bureau of Customs of the Republic of the Philippines on Authorized Economic Operator Program 11.Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines 12.Memorandum of Understanding between China International Development Cooperation Agency of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the National Economic and Development Authority of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines on Development Cooperation Plan (2023-2025) 13.Framework Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines on the Provision of Concessional Loan by China to the Philippines 14.Four (4) Loan Agreements for the Mixed-Credit (US Dollar and Renminbi) Financing on Three Priority Bridges Crossing Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway Bridges Construction Project On January 4, 2023, Ambassador Qin Gang, Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, published an article on The Washington Post. The full text is as follows: The end, wrote the poet T.S. Eliot, is where we start from. As I leave the United States this week to start a new journey, memorable scenes from my time in this country keep flashing back in my mind. I visited 22 states and discovered a country different from what I know in Washington, D.C. In the spring, I visited the Kimberley Farm in Iowa, which President Xi Jinping visited in 2012. I tried my hand at driving a John Deere tractor and tasted the local produce. In the fall, I visited a corn and soybean farm in Missouri and was deeply moved by my hosts sincerity and hospitality. I saw with my own eyes how Chinese-American agricultural cooperation benefited both countries and contributed to both the global food supply and the fight against climate change. In Minneapolis, I taught a class to kids in a Chinese language immersion school, and one of the students there just won the Chinese Bridge language competition. I visited Chinese-owned factories in Ohio and California, as American workers explained that Chinese investments helped to put food on their tables. At the ports of Boston and Long Beach, I saw huge stacks of containers shipped from and to China, a testament to the high degree of economic interdependence between our two countries and a reminder that decoupling serves no ones interest. At Busch Stadium in St. Louis, I threw out the first pitch at a Cardinals game to celebrate the 43rd anniversary of Nanjing-St. Louis sister-city relations, our two countries oldest such pairing. I celebrated, together with American friends, the 50th anniversary of the giant pandas arrival in the United States. These are, for me, important memories about this country, and I will hold them in my heart. My posting in the United States will provide unfailing strength for me as a diplomat. Going forward, the development of China-U.S. relations will remain an important mission of mine in my new position. I became ambassador to the United States at a complex and difficult time for China-U.S. relations. Almost all of the dialogue and exchange mechanisms were suspended. Chinese enterprises were unfairly sanctioned. Compounded by the pandemic, people-to-people exchanges were severely impacted. China was often described as Americas most serious competitor. As ambassador, I took it as my mission to promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and work for the stability, improvement and development of China-U.S. relations. Improving relations takes work by both sides. I had candid dialogue and built sound working relations with U.S. government officials to properly handle thorny issues, such as the Taiwan question, and to advance cooperation in important areas. I met with more than 80 members of Congress, including some well-known China hawks, to explain Chinas positions and concerns, while lending an ear to theirs as well. I explored with think tanks on how to rebuild a stable, predictable and constructive framework for bilateral relations. I was encouraged by the business communitys confidence in the Chinese market and its strong desire for continued cooperation. I visited many American universities, and helped U.S. students who were kept from going to China because of the pandemic return to their Chinese campuses. I did many interviews with American media. Though we did not always see eye to eye, I appreciated their readiness to listen to the Chinese perspective. I leave the United States more convinced that the door to China-U.S. relations will remain open and cannot be closed. I am also more convinced that Americans, just like the Chinese people, are broad-minded, friendly and hard-working. The future of both our peoples indeed, the future of the entire planet depends on a healthy and stable China-U.S. relationship. My time here also reminds me that China-U.S. relations should not be a zero-sum game in which one side out-competes the other or one nation thrives at the expense of the other. The world is wide enough for China and the United States to both develop and prosper. The successes of our two countries are shared opportunities, not winner-take-all challenges. We must not allow prejudice or misperception to ignite confrontation or conflict between two great peoples. We should follow the strategic guidance of our presidents and find the right way to get along for the well-being of the world. This will not be, as Americans sometimes say, a walk in the park. It requires the persistent efforts of everyone. However, history will prove that what we have begun is essential and worthwhile. I will take all these memories with me when I go back. The poet Eliot also wrote, To make an end is to make a beginning. I believe that the relations between our countries will follow that path. The chocolate and cocoa giant has appointed Peter Feld as its new chief executive after its current CEO, Peter Boone, steps down due to personal reasons. It has also... Read More EGR, P0404 and FORScan Help Needed My EGR problems have been going on for a while. Two years ago, (106000 miles) my check engine light went on when I was in Lake Havasu City. Took it to a diesel shop and the mechanic cleaned my EGR valve and it corrected the problem. Ironically, my degas bottle was cracked, so he also replaced it. That seemed to resolve my issues for awhile. Fast forward a year, (123,000 miles) and after replacing a few other parts, my check engine light goes on again and a diesel mechanic in Corpus Christi determined that the EGR was bad, so he replaced it with a genuine Ford EGR. (I know it is a Ford part). Mechanic told me if the light came back on to change the MAF. Sure enough, pulling my 5th wheel from Corpus to Denver, the light came back on around Amarillo. I purchased an aftermarket MAF Sensor. I would drive the truck for a few hundred miles, then the light comes back on. I have run two different MAF Sensors and Ford replaced the EGR valve, and the light keeps coming back on. I now am at 129,000 miles after getting the 6.0 studded and I keep getting P0404 and P1335 codes. I recently pulled the almost new EGR and it didnt have a bunch of carbon. I replaced the O rings and gasket on the EGR, but the P0404 wont go away. I downloaded the FORScan software and USB adapter, and now I am only getting P0404. I dont know how to use the FORScan to gather more information, so instead of chasing my tail without getting some ideas and guidance on pulling more data from the FORScan to better diagnose the issue. True China: US vlogger shows Wuhan's Chinese New Year atmosphere CGTN) 15:37, January 05, 2023 Marissa is an American vlogger living in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province. Over the past three years, she has experienced the continuous adjustment of the country's COVID-19 prevention and control policies. After the most recent optimization, she visited parks and supermarkets in Wuhan to feel the bright, lively atmosphere ahead of the Chinese New Year. She mentions that Wuhan's streets are full of happiness and she's looking forward to traveling to more places in 2023. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) At a meeting of the National Board of PSOL (Party of Socialism and Liberty), on Saturday 17 December, resolutions were discussed and passed drawing a balance sheet of the partys 2022 election campaign, and on the relationship between the party and its parliamentary faction with the new Lula government. Read original in Portuguese | On 22 November, Esquerda Marxista (Marxist Left, the Brazilian section of the IMT) published an open letter to the National Leadership of PSOL. In it, we characterised the decision of the majority of the partys National Executive to take part in the transitional government as a mistake. We called on the national leadership of PSOL to correct this mistake, and for the non-participation of PSOL in the Lula-Alckmin government, which is in fact a government of national unity with the bourgeoisie. Rather, we argued it must preserve its independence so as to become a fighting pole of attraction for the workers and youth in their resistance against the inevitable attacks that the future government will launch, while also forming a united front to fight the attacks that the government faces from extreme right wing coup-plotters (read the open letter in Portuguese here). The largest of the blocs comprising the leadership of the party is called PSOL Popular, and it is in turn composed of the tendencies Primavera Socialista (Socialist Spring, to which the current president of the party, Juliano Medeiros, belongs) and Revolucao Solidaria (Solidarity Revolution, to which leading PSOL politician, Guilherme Boulos, belongs). These groups defend the total entrance of PSOL into the Lula-Alckmin government. Another bloc, PSOL Semente, composed of the organisations Resistencia, Insurgencia and Subverta,initially opposed the partys entry into the government. By combining its votes with those of other opposition currents, a majority existed in the party leadership blocking the entrance of PSOL into the Lula-Alckmin government. Leading PSOL politicians such as Guilherme Boulos defend the total entrance of PSOL into the Lula-Alckmin government / Image: Radis Comunicacao e Saude Facing defeat, PSOL Popular used verbal trickery, and presented a resolution titled, PSOL with Lula against Bolsonarism and for the rights of the Brazilian people (the full resolution can be read in Portuguese here). In practice, this resolution allows for the entry of party members into the Lula-Alckmin government, up to the point of taking ministries, while simultaneously saying that PSOL will not have positions in the incoming administration. This manoeuvre gave PSOL Semente sufficient room to retreat. PSOL Popular then joined them in defending and voting on this resolution, which does not, in fact, guarantee the independence of the PSOL from the Lula-Alckmin government quite the contrary. In the course of his election campaign, Lula promised to create a Ministry of Native Peoples, and he has already given indication that he intends for this Ministry to be occupied by a PSOL representative in the new government. The same resolution of the National Board of PSOL stating that the party will not take up positions in the new government, goes on to say: Still, we understand that the appointment of Sonia Guajajara, as a leader of the indigenous movement, to the ministry of indigenous peoples is an extremely important achievement for a struggle so attacked by Bolsonaro, and must be respected by the party. Therefore, we are told, the position of Sonia Guajajara federal deputy of PSOL elected in Sao Paulo, and PSOL vice-presidential candidate in 2018 is an exception that must be respected. The National Board resolution continues: We emphasise that PSOL preserves its organisational autonomy and, therefore, members who, when invited, choose to occupy positions in the federal government, must resign from positions of party leadership. Any presence in these positions does not represent participation of the PSOL. In theory, PSOL does not appoint militants to positions in the government, but its members can be invited... With this ambiguous resolution, the bloc led by Boulos and Juliano Medeiros managed to get a text passed allowing PSOL members to participate in the government, albeit they will no longer represent the party, despite not having a majority for PSOLs participation in the government. But they intend to go further. In defence of the resolution, Juliano Medeiros admitted: I must first point out our position, the position of the PSOL Popular, of Primavera Socialista, of the Revolucao Solidaria, of leaders like Toninho Vespoli, Gianazzi and other comrades who defend the position of entering the government. We know that this position is not a majority one, and that is why we retreated in the name of the unity of PSOL. We are aware that this is not the majority position of PSOL, but I need to register a fundamental difference, we do not think that the entrance of the PSOL in the government would represent a risk to PSOL. Those who think this mistrust the qualities of PSOL. We are not afraid to govern. PSOL Popular will continue to govern, to govern with PSOL governors, and to govern in unity with the left whenever possible. And further on, he informs us: But this is a dispute that we are going to face, there is Congress next year and we will wage a struggle over this conception of PSOL. At the meeting of the national leadership, a resolution against this one was presented, which positioned itself for the independence of PSOL and against any participation of party affiliates in the Lula-Alckmin government. This resolution received six votes from members of the leadership (from the Luta Socialista, Comuna and APS currents). Federal Deputy Glauber Braga and the Esquerda Marxista supported this resolution too. In the resolution approved by the majority, with 53 votes, an amendment was put forth proposing that members holding positions in the government must not only resign from the leadership, but also from the party itself. The amendment received 29 votes, against 32 votes for maintaining the original text. A resolution against any participation of party affiliates in the Lula-Alckmin government was also presented / Image: PSB Nacional 40 From PSOL Semente, members of Insurgencia voted together with the left of the Leadership Board, whilst the other two components of PSOL Semente, Resistencia and Subverta, cast their votes to give a majority to PSOL Popular. Indeed, the Resistencia tendency were the ones who actively came to the defence of maintaining the original text. The National Board also approved by a majority (of 31 against 26, with 4 abstentions), a resolution on the relationship of PSOLs parliamentary bench with the future government. According to the text of the resolution: [The strength of Bolsonarismo in the institutions and on the streets] requires the party to publicly place itself in support of the Lula government in the National Congress (see the full resolution in Portuguese here). This time Insurgencia voted together with the PSOL Popular, whilst the four abstentions came from the Resistencia. In our open letter to the national leadership of PSOL, we explained: We must learn from the lessons of history. In Italy, after the mass party of the working class, the old Communist Party, was transformed into the Democratic Party, those who resisted this capitulation launched Rifondazione Comunista (PRC), which was proportionally larger than PSOL is in Brazil today. But the leadership of the PRC made the mistake of participating in the government headed by the Democratic Party in coalition with the bourgeoisie. The result was the total demoralisation of this party, which today is not even capable of electing deputies. PSOL is no longer able to attract young militants to join it because of its adaptation to the institutions of bourgeois rule, its class collaboration, and its reformist politics. It took a step towards erasing its class character as a party by forming a federation with the Rede, a petty-bourgeois party, which applies bourgeois politics. It ceased presenting itself as a revolutionary leftist alternative to Bolsonarismo by failing to launch its own candidate in the elections, instead supporting Lula from round one. The decisions of this meeting of the national leadership of PSOL in practice will mean that the party will be perceived as part of the Lula-Alckmin government by young people and workers, even if the resolution elsewhere says otherwise. PSOL has taken another step towards burying the possibility of being an instrument for the reorganisation of the Brazilian working class. But this fight will still be had at the PSOL Congress next year. Until then, each bill against the interests of the working class that the government bench will be called to vote for will be placed before the parliamentarians of PSOL. They will be faced with the responsibility of voting against these bills, whilst the ranks of the party take to the streets against the government. When faced with attacks on the government from the extreme right, it is obvious that PSOL must stand in a united front against them. But at this moment, it is the right wing inside the government that is best placed to attack the working class. It is against this right wing that PSOL must help the workers and the youth in their fight even when Lula himself is the one launching the attack. It will be developments within this equation that will define the directions of the PSOL. The Esquerda Marxista will continue its fight for the class independence of the party in the run up to the party congress of 2023. The unity of all those who defend a PSOL independent of the bourgeoisie, and the government coalition with the bourgeoisie, is now necessary in the struggle to ensure the party congress does not approve the entrance of PSOL into the Lula-Alckmin government. A house fire in Lebanon has displaced two residents, according to a Lebanon Fire District news release. At around 3:48 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, the fire district responded to the 400 block of West D Street for a report of structure fire. The first responding officer reported heavy smoke from a single-story, single-family residence, according to the news release. Both occupants of the home escaped, and a neighbor helped them before the Red Cross assisted. Medics assessed one of the occupants for smoke inhalation, but the occupant declined to be transported to a hospital. Incident command upgraded the fire to a second alarm due to "rapidly changing conditions from the excessive fire load in the structure." Lebanon fire crews requested aid from surrounding agencies to extinguish the fire. Crews contained the fire by around 4:50 a.m., the news release said, and personnel stayed on scene completing mop-up until 7 a.m. Investigators determined the cause of the fire to an overloaded power strip. Lebanon fire responded with nine apparatus and 19 personnel. The Brownsville Fire District, Albany Fire Department and the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District all assisted. Today, 4 January 2023, marks the centenary of Lenins dictation of his postscript to his Letter to the Congress, also known as his Testament. In it, Lenin took up the struggle against the bureaucratisation of the Soviet state, which was threatening to derail all the gains of the revolution. Suppressed for decades by Stalin, this Testament dispels the slander that Stalinism was the continuation of Leninism. In conjunction with his last articles and letters, Lenins Testament gives evidence of the importance that he attached to the danger of the growing bureaucracy. In his letter and postscript, Lenin explicitly calls for the removal of Stalin as general secretary of the Communist Party, and contrasts him to Trotsky, who he described as the most capable man on the present CC. Yet Lenins letter was not read out to the congress of the Communist Party, and was suppressed by the Stalinists for decades. We are therefore taking this opportunity to republish an extract from the book Lenin and Trotsky: What they really stood for, by Alan Woods and Ted Grant, that deals in detail with Lenins Testament, and his struggle against Stalin and the bureaucracy. Lenin and Trotsky: What they really stood for is available to purchase in print and ebook editions from wellred-books.com. Lenins Struggle Against Bureaucracy By Alan Woods and Ted Grant [The Marxist method] explains bureaucracy as a social phenomenon, which arises for definite reasons. Lenin, approaching the question as a Marxist, explained the rise of bureaucracy as a parasitic, capitalist growth on the organism of the workers state, which arose out of the isolation of the revolution in a backward, illiterate peasant country. In one of his last articles, Better Fewer, But Better, Lenin wrote: Our state apparatus is so deplorable, not to say wretched, that we must first think very carefully how to combat its defects, bearing in mind that these defects are rooted in the past, which, although it has been overthrown, has not yet been overcome, not yet reached the stage of a culture that has receded into the past. (Works, vol. 33, p. 487) The October revolution had overthrown the old order, ruthlessly suppressed and purged the Tsarist state; but in conditions of chronic economic and cultural backwardness, the elements of the old order were everywhere creeping back into positions of privilege and power in the measure that the revolutionary wave ebbed back with the defeats of the international revolution. Red Guards in 1917. The working class that made the October Revolution in 1917 was to a large extent destroyed in the Civil War: dispersed within the Red Army or declassed as industry decayed / Image: Viktor Bulla Engels explained that in every society where art, science and government are the exclusive of a privileged minority, then that minority will always use and abuse its positions in its own interests. And this state of affairs is inevitable, so long as the vast majority of the people are forced to toil for long hours in industry and agriculture for the bare necessities of life. After the revolution, with the ruined condition of industry, the working day was not reduced, but lengthened. Workers toiled ten, twelve hours and more a day on subsistence rations; many worked weekends without pay voluntarily. But, as Trotsky explained, the masses can only sacrifice their today for their tomorrow up to a very definite limit. Inevitably, the strain of war, of revolution, of four years of bloody Civil War, of a famine in which five million perished, all served to undermine the working class in terms of both numbers and morale. The NEP stabilised the economy, but created new dangers by encouraging the growth of small capitalism, especially in the countryside where the rich kulaks gained ground at the expense of the poor peasants. Industry revived, but, being tied to the demand of the peasantry, especially the rich peasants, the revival was confined almost entirely to light industry (consumer goods). Heavy industry, the key to socialist construction, stagnated. By 1922, there were two million unemployed in the towns. At the Ninth Congress of Soviets in December 1921, Lenin remarked: Excuse me, but what do you describe as the proletariat? That class of labourers which is employed by large-scale industry. But where is this large-scale industry? What sort of proletariat is this? Where is your industry? Why is it idle? (Works, vol. 33, p. 174) In a speech at the Eleventh Party Congress in March, 1922, Lenin pointed out that the class nature of many who worked in the factories at this time was non-proletarian; that many were dodgers from military service, peasants and declassed elements: During the war people who were by no means proletarians went into the factories; they went into the factories to dodge war. And are the social and economic conditions in our country today such as to induce real proletarians to go into the factories? No. It would be true according to Marx; but Marx did not write about Russia; he wrote about capitalism as a whole, beginning with the fifteenth century. It held true over a period of six hundred years, but it is not true for present-day Russia. Very often those who go into the factories are not proletarians; they are casual elements of every description. (Works, vol. 33, p. 299) The disintegration of the working class, the loss of many of the most advanced elements in the Civil War, the influx of backward elements from the countryside, and the demoralisation and exhaustion of the masses was one side of the picture. On the other side, the forces of reaction, those petty bourgeois and bourgeois elements who had been temporarily demoralised and driven underground by the success of the revolution in Russia and internationally, everywhere began to recover their nerve, thrust themselves to the fore, taking advantage of the situation to insinuate themselves into every nook and cranny of the ruling bodies of industry, of the state and even of the Party. Immediately after the seizure of power, the only political party which was suppressed by the Bolsheviks was the fascist Black Hundreds. Even the bourgeois Cadet Party was not immediately illegalised. The government itself was a coalition of Bolsheviks and Left Social Revolutionaries. But, under the pressure of the Civil War, a sharp polarisation of class forces took place in which the Mensheviks, SRs and Left SRs came out on the side of the counter-revolution. Contrary to their own intention, the Bolsheviks were forced to introduce a monopoly of political power. This monopoly, which was regarded as an extraordinary and temporary state of affairs, created enormous dangers in the situation where the proletarian vanguard was coming under increasing pressure from alien classes. In February 1917, the Bolshevik Party had no more than 23,000 members in the whole of Russia. At the height of the Civil War, when party membership involved personal risk, the ranks were thrown open to the workers, who pushed the membership to 200,000. But as the war grew to a close, the party membership actually trebled, reflecting an influx of careerists and elements from hostile classes and parties. Lenin at this time repeatedly emphasised the danger of the Party succumbing to the pressures and moods of the petty-bourgeois masses; that the main enemy of the revolution was: everyday economics in a small-peasant country with a ruined large industry. He is the petty-bourgeois element which surrounds us like the air, and penetrates deep into the ranks of the proletariat. And the proletariat is de-classed, i.e. dislodged from its class groove. The factories and mills are idle the proletariat is weak, scattered, enfeebled. On the other hand the petty-bourgeois element within the country is backed by the whole international bourgeoisie, which retains its power throughout the world. (Works, vol. 33, p. 23) The purge initiated by Lenin in 1921 had nothing in common with the monstrous frame-up trials of Stalin; there was no police, no trials, no prison-camps; merely the ruthless weeding out of petty-bourgeois and Menshevik elements from the ranks of the Party, in order to preserve the ideas and traditions of October from the poisonous effects of petty-bourgeois reaction. By early 1922, some 200,000 members (one-third of the membership) had been expelled. Lenins correspondence and writings of this period, when illness was increasingly preventing him from intervening in the struggle, clearly indicate his alarm at the encroachment of the Soviet bureaucracy, the insolent parvenus in every corner of the state apparatus. Thus, in a letter to Sheinman in February, 1922: At present the State Bank is a bureaucratic power game. There is the truth for you, if you want to hear not the sweet communist-official lies (with which everyone feeds you as a high mandarin), but the truth. And if you do not want to look at this truth with open eyes, through all the communist lying, you are a man who has perished in the prime of life in a swamp of official lying. Now that is an unpleasant truth, but it is the truth. (Works, vol. 36, p. 567) Contrast this fearless honesty of Lenin with all the saccharine falsehoods with which all the Communist Party leaders and theoreticians fed the international communist movement about the Soviet Union for generations, and judge for yourself the depths of degradation in which the self-styled Friends of the Soviet Union have plunged the ideas and traditions of Lenin! Again, in a letter dated April 12, 1922: The more such work is done, the deeper we go into living practice, distracting the attention of both ourselves and our readers from the stinking bureaucratic and stinking intellectual Moscow (and, in general, Soviet bourgeois) atmospheres, the greater will be our success in improving both our press and all our constructive work. (Works, vol. 36, p. 579) At the Eleventh Congress, Lenin placed before the Party a searing indictment of bureaucratisation of the state apparatus: If we take Moscow, he said, with its 4,700 Communists in responsible positions, and if we take the huge bureaucratic machine, that gigantic heap, we must ask: who is directing whom? I doubt very much whether it can be truthfully said that the Communists are directing that heap. To tell the truth, they are not directing, they are being directed. (Works, vol. 33, p. 288, our emphasis) To carry out the work of weeding bureaucrats and careerists out of the state and party apparatus, Lenin initiated the setting up of RABKRIN (the Workers and Peasants Inspectorate) with Stalin in charge. Lenin saw the need for a strong organiser to see that this work was carried out thoroughly; Stalins record as a party organiser appeared to qualify him for the post. Within a few years, Stalin occupied a number of organisational posts in the Party: head of RABKRIN, member of the Central Committee and Politburo, Orgburo and Secretariat. But his narrow, organisational outlook and personal ambition led Stalin to occupy the post, in a short space of time, as the chief spokesman of bureaucracy in the party leadership, not as its opponent. As early as 1920, Trotsky criticised the working of RABKRIN, which from a tool in the struggle against bureaucracy was becoming itself a hotbed of bureaucracy. Initially, Lenin defended RABKRIN against Trotsky. His illness prevented him from realising what was going on behind his back in the state and party. Stalin used his position, which enabled him to select personnel to leading posts in the state and party to quietly gather round himself a bloc of allies and yes-men, political nonentities who were grateful to him for their advancement. In his hands, RABKRIN became an instrument for building up his own position and eliminating his political rivals. Stalin and his allies, Ordzhonikidze and Mikoyan. Lenin initially adopted a cautious approach in his struggle within the party against Stalin. But upon witnessing the coup conducted by Stalin and his henchmen in Georgia, Lenin became alarmed and went on the offensive / Image: public domain Lenin only became aware of the terrible situation when he discovered the truth about Stalins handling of relations with Georgia. Without the knowledge of Lenin or the Politburo, Stalin, together with his henchmen Dzerzhinsky and Ordzhonikidze, had carried out a coup detat in Georgia. The finest cadres of Georgian Bolshevism were purged, and the party leaders denied access to Lenin, who was fed a string of lies by Stalin. When he finally found out what was happening, Lenin was furious. From his sick-bed late in 1922, he dictated a series of notes to his stenographer on the notorious questions of autonomisation, which, it appears, is officially called the question of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Lenins notes are a crushing indictment of the bureaucratic and chauvinist arrogance of Stalin and his clique. But Lenin does not treat this incident as an accidental phenomenon a regrettable mistake, like the invasion of Czechoslovakia, or a tragedy, like the crushing of the Hungarian workers commune, but the expression of the rotten, reactionary nationalism of the Soviet bureaucracy. It is worth quoting Lenins words on the state apparatus at length. It is said that a united state apparatus was needed. Where did that assurance come from? Did it not come from the same Russian apparatus, which, as I pointed out in one of the preceding sections of my diary, we took over from Tsarism and slightly anointed with Soviet oil? There is no doubt that that measure should have been delayed until we could say, that we vouched for our apparatus as our own. But now, we must, in all conscience, admit the contrary; the state apparatus we call ours is, in fact, still quite alien to us; it is a bourgeois and Tsarist hotchpotch and there has been no possibility of getting rid of it in the past five years without the help of other countries and because we have been busy most of the time with military engagements and the fight against famine. It is quite natural that in such circumstances the freedom to secede from the union by which we justify ourselves will be a mere scrap of paper, unable to defend the non-Russians from the onslaught of that really Russian man, the Great-Russian chauvinist, in substance a rascal and a tyrant, such as the typical Russian bureaucrat is. There is no doubt that the infinitesimal percentage of Soviet and sovietised workers will drown in that tide of chauvinistic Great-Russian riff-raff like a fly in milk. (Works, vol. 36, p. 605, our emphasis) After the Georgian affair, Lenin threw the whole weight of his authority behind the struggle to remove Stalin from the post of General Secretary of the party which he occupied in 1922, after the death of Sverdlov. However, Lenins main fear now more than ever was that an open split in the leadership, under prevailing conditions, might lead to the break-up of the party along class lines. He therefore attempted to keep the struggle confined to the leadership, and the notes and other material were not made public. Lenin wrote secretly to the Georgian Bolshevik-Leninists (sending copies to Trotsky and Kamenev) taking up their cause against Stalin with all my heart. As he was unable to pursue the affair in person, he wrote to Trotsky requesting him to undertake the defence of the Georgians in the Central Committee. Needless to say, the documentary evidence of Lenins last fight against Stalin and the bureaucracy has been suppressed for decades. Lenins last writings were hidden from the Communist Party rank-and-file in Russia and internationally. Lenins last letter to the Party Congress, despite the protests of his widow, was not read out at the Congress and remained under lock and key until 1956 when Khruschev and Co. published it, along with a few other items (including the letters on Georgia) as part of their campaign to throw the blame for all that had happened in the past thirty years on to Stalins shoulders. [...] Towards the end of his life, Lenin formed a bloc with Trotsky, the only man on the Bolshevik Party CC whom he could trust / Image: public domain Lenin warns of the danger of a split in the Party, because our party rests upon two classes, and for that reason its instability is possible Lenin did not see the disagreement between Trotsky and Stalin as accidental, or flowing from personalities (although he gives a series of penetrating sketches of the personal characteristics of the leading members of the Party). Lenins last letter must be seen in the context of his other writings of the previous few months, his attacks on bureaucracy and the bloc which he formed with Trotsky against Stalin. Lenin worded his letter very cautiously (he had originally intended to be present at the Congress for which according to his stenographer Fotieva, he had prepared a bombshell for Stalin). For each of the leading members, he gives both the positive and negative features of their character: in Trotskys case, he refers to his exceptional abilities (the most able man on the Central Committee at the present time) but criticises him for his far-reaching self-confidence and a tendency to be too much attracted by the purely administrative side of affairs faults which, however serious they may be in themselves, have nothing whatsoever to do with the Permanent Revolution, Socialism in one Country, or any of the other canards invented by the Stalinists. In relation to Stalin, Lenin writes that Comrade Stalin having become General Secretary, has concentrated enormous power in his hands, and I am not sure that he always knows how to use that power with sufficient caution. That is already a political question, and linked up with Lenins struggle against the bureaucracy in the Party. In Better Fewer, But Better, written shortly before, Lenin commented: Let it be said in parentheses that we have bureaucrats in our Party offices as well as in Soviet offices. In the same work, he launched a sharp attack on RABKRIN, which was clearly meant for Stalin: Let us say frankly that the Peoples Commissariat of the Workers and Peasants Inspection does not at present enjoy the slightest authority. Everybody knows that no other institutions are worse organised than those of our Workers and Peasants Inspection and that under present conditions nothing can be expected from this Peoples Commissariat. (Works, vol. 33, p. 490) In a postscript to his letter [written on 4 January 1923], Lenin advocated the removal of Stalin from the post of General Secretary, ostensibly on grounds of rudeness but advocating his replacement with a man who in all respects differs from Stalin only in superiority namely, more loyal, more polite and more attentive to comrades, less capricious, etc. The diplomatic mode of expression does not conceal the indirect accusation, very clear in the light of the Georgian events, of Stalins rudeness, capriciousness and disloyalty. In presenting Lenins Testament as a document merely concerned with the personalities of the leaders, the Communist Party theoreticians fall into a completely vulgar misrepresentation of Lenin. Even if the Testament leaves room for ambiguity (it does not, except for slovenly minds) the whole body of Lenins last writings provide a clear programmatic statement of his position, which cannot be distorted. Repeatedly, Lenin characterised the bureaucracy as a parasitic, bourgeois growth on the workers state, and an expression of the petty-bourgeois outlook which penetrated the State and even the Party. The petty-bourgeois reaction against October was all the more difficult to combat because of the exhausted state of the proletariat, sections of which were also becoming demoralised. Nonetheless, Lenin and Trotsky saw the working class as the only basis for a struggle against bureaucracy, and the maintenance of a healthy workers democracy as the only check on it. Thus, in one article Purging the Party Lenin wrote: Naturally, we shall not submit to everything the masses say because the masses, too, sometimes particularly in time of exceptional weariness and exhaustion resulting from excessive hardship and suffering yield to sentiments that are in no way advanced. But in appraising persons, in the negative attitude to those who have attached themselves to us for selfish motives, to those who have become puffed-up commissars and bureaucrats, the suggestions of the non-Party proletarian masses and, in many cases, of the non-Party peasant masses, are extremely valuable. (Works, vol. 33, p. 39) The rise of bureaucracy was understood by Lenin as the product of economic and cultural backwardness which was the result of the isolation of the revolution. The means of combating this were linked, on the one hand, with the struggle for economic progress and the gradual elimination of illiteracy, which was linked inseparably with the struggle to involve the working masses in the running of industry and the state. Lenin and Trotsky always relied upon the masses in the fight against the puffed-up commissars. Only by the conscious self-activity of the working people themselves could the transition to socialism be assured. On the other hand, Lenin repeatedly explained that the terrible strains imposed upon the working class by the isolation of the revolution in a backward country put immense difficulties in the way of the creation of a really cultured, and harmonious, classless society. Time and again Lenin stressed the problems that arose from the isolation of the revolution. [...] Lenin resolutely explained that the difficulties of the revolution: the problems of backwardness, of illiteracy, of bureaucracy could only finally be overcome by the victory of the socialist revolution in one or several advanced countries. This perspective, which was hammered home by Lenin hundreds of times from 1904-5 onwards, was accepted as a truism by the entire Bolshevik Party up to 1924. In the last months of his life, Lenin never lost sight of this fact. Among his last writings are a series of notes which made his position abundantly clear: We have created a Soviet type of state, he wrote, and by that we have ushered in a new era in world history, the era of the political rule of the proletariat, which is to supersede the era of bourgeois rule. Nobody can deprive us of this, either, although the Soviet type of state will have the finishing touches put to it only with the aid of the practical experience of the working class of several countries. But we have not finished building even the foundations of socialist economy and the hostile power of moribund capitalism can still deprive us of that. We must clearly appreciate this and frankly admit it; for there is nothing more dangerous than illusions (and vertigo, particularly at high altitudes). And there is absolutely nothing terrible, nothing that should give legitimate grounds for the slightest despondency, in admitting this bitter truth; we have always urged and reiterated the elementary truth of Marxism that the joint efforts of the workers of several advanced countries are needed for the victory of socialism. (Works, vol. 33, p. 206, our emphasis) In these lines of Lenin there is not an ounce of pessimism or of underestimation of the creative capacities of the Soviet working class. In all the writings of Lenin, and especially of this period, there is at once a burning faith in the ability of the working people to change society and a fearless honesty in dealing with difficulties. The difference in the attitudes of Stalinism and Leninism towards the working class lies precisely in this: that the former seeks to deceive the masses with official lies and smug illusions about the building of Socialism in One Country in order to lull them into passive acceptance of the leadership of the bureaucracy, while the latter strives to develop the consciousness of the working class, never patronising it with lies and fairy-stories, but always revealing unpalatable truths, in the full confidence that the working class will understand and accept the need for the greatest sacrifices, provided the reasons for them are explained honestly and truthfully. The arguments of Lenin were designed, not to stupefy the Soviet workers with socialist opium, but to steel them for the struggles ahead for the struggle against backwardness and bureaucracy in Russia and for the struggle against capitalism and for the socialist revolution on a world scale. It was the sympathy of the working people of the world, Lenin explained, that prevented the imperialists from strangling the Russian Revolution in 1917-20. But the only real safeguard for the future of the Soviet Republic was the extension of the Revolution to the capitalist countries of the West. At the Eleventh Congress of the Russian Communist Party the last which Lenin attended he emphasised repeatedly the dangers to the State and Party arising out of the pressures of backwardness and bureaucracy. Commenting on the direction of the State, Lenin warned: Well, we have lived through a year, the state is in our hands, but has it operated the New Economic Policy in the way we wanted in the past year? No. But we refuse to admit that it did not operate in the way we wanted. How did it operate? The machine refused to obey the hand that guided it. It was like a car that was going not in the direction the driver desired but in the direction someone else desired; as if it were being driven by some mysterious, lawless hand, God knows whose, perhaps of a profiteer, or of a private capitalist, or of both. Be that as it may, the car is not going quite in the direction the man at the wheel imagines, and often it goes in an altogether different direction. (Works, vol. 33, p. 179, our emphasis) At the same Congress Lenin explained, in a very clear and unambiguous language, the possibility of the degeneration of the revolution as a result of the pressure of alien classes. Already the most farsighted sections of the emigre bourgeoisie, the Smena Vekh group of Ustryalov, were openly placing their hopes upon the bureaucratic-bourgeois tendencies manifesting themselves in Soviet society, as a step in the direction of capitalist restoration. The same group was later to applaud and encourage the Stalinists in their struggle against Trotskyism. The Smena Vekh group, which Lenin gave credit for its class insight, correctly understood the struggle of Stalin against Trotsky, not in terms of personalities but as a class question, as a step away from the revolutionary traditions of October. The machine no longer obeyed the driver the State was no longer under the control of the Communists, of the workers, but was increasingly raising itself above society. Referring to the views of Smena Vekh, Lenin said: We must say frankly that the things Ustryalov speaks about are possible, history knows all sorts of metamorphoses. Relying on firmness of convictions, loyalty, and other splendid moral qualities is anything but a serious attitude in politics. A few people may be endowed with splendid moral qualities, but historical issues are decided by vast masses, which, if the few do not suit them, may at times treat them none too politely. (Works, vol. 33, p. 287) In these words of Lenin we find the defeat of the Left Opposition explained in advance with a million times more clarity than in all the pretentious theorising of the intellectuals about the relative psychological, moral and personal attributes of Trotsky and Stalin. The State power was slipping out of the hands of the Communists, not because of their personal failings or psychological peculiarities, but because of the enormous pressures of backwardness, of bureaucracy, of alien class forces, which weighed down upon the tiny handful of advanced, socialist workers and crushed them. Lenin likened the relationship of the Soviet workers and their advanced guard to the bureaucracy and the petty-bourgeois and capitalist elements to that of a conquering and conquered nation. History has shown repeatedly that for one nation to defeat another by force of arms is not of itself, a sufficient guarantee of victory. In the event of the cultural level of the victors being lower than that of the vanquished, the latter will impose its culture upon the conquerors. Given the low level of culture of the weak Soviet working class, surrounded by a sea of small property owners, the pressures were enormous. They reflected themselves not only in the State, but inevitably in the Party itself, which became the centre of the struggle of conflicting class interests. Only in the light of all this can we understand Lenins position in the struggle against bureaucracy, his attitude to Stalin, and the contents of his Suppressed Testament. That document expresses his conviction that the struggle between Trotsky and Stalin is not a detail, or is a detail which can acquire a decisive significance, in the light of the fact that Our party is based upon two classes. In a letter written shortly before the Eleventh Party Congress, Lenin explained the significance of conflicts and splits in the leadership in these words: If we do not close our eyes to reality we must admit that at the present time the proletarian policy of the Party is not determined by the character of its membership, but by the enormous undivided prestige enjoyed by the small group which might be called the Old Guard of the Party. A slight conflict within this group will be enough, if not to destroy this prestige, at all events to weaken the group to such a degree as to rob it of its power to determine policy. (Works, vol. 33, p. 257) What determined Lenins bitter struggle against Stalin was not his personal foibles (rudeness) but the role he played in introducing the methods and ideology of alien social classes and strata into the very Party leadership which should have been a bulwark against those things. In the last months of his life, weakened by illness, Lenin turned more and more frequently to Trotsky, for support in his struggle against the bureaucracy and its creature, Stalin. On the question of the monopoly of foreign trade, on the question of Georgia, and finally, in the struggle to oust Stalin from the leadership, Lenin formed a bloc with Trotsky, the only man in the leadership he could trust. Throughout this entire last period of his life, in numerous articles, speeches, and above all letters, Lenin repeatedly expressed his solidarity with Trotsky. On all the important issues we have mentioned, it was Trotsky whom he singled out to defend his point of view in the leading bodies of the party. Lenins appraisal of Trotsky in the Suppressed Testament can only be understood in the light of these facts. Needless to say, all the evidence for the existence of this bloc between Lenin and Trotsky against the Stalin clique was kept under lock and key, for many years. But truth will out. The letters to Trotsky published in Volume 54, of the latest Russian edition of Lenins Collected Works, although even now not complete, are irrefutable proof of the bloc that existed between Lenin and Trotsky. Idaho officials have unsealed the arrest affidavit for Bryan Kohberger, which outlines the evidence used to obtain a warrant against him in the killings of four University of Idaho students. You can read the document below: https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/23564652-idaho-murders-court-document-unsealed/?embed=1&responsive=1&title=1 More on our coverage of Bryan Kohberger: Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger affidavit: Housemate, frozen in shock, saw masked man in residence after hearing voices, crying Key takeaways from the Bryan Kohberger affidavit: DNA evidence, cell phone records help build case against him in Idaho murders Bryan Kohberger arrives to face charges in murders of Idaho college students Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger knowingly and voluntarily waives extradition in Poconos courtroom; state police release additional details of arrest Who is Bryan Kohberger, the Idaho murder suspect from Poconos? What we know so far DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A recently published study by FMI expects the global common warts market to augment at a 3.6% CAGR from 2023 to 2033. By the end of the said assessment period, a valuation of US$ 1,100 Million is expected for the market. The increase in pharmaceutical R&D activity for efficient and focused treatment of common warts is propelling market rise. A number of clinical studies for therapy approaches such as intra-lesional vitamin D3 are being investigated. Moreover, the recurrence of the illness after surgery and therapy can be exploited to build a permanent treatment for warts. Furthermore, the market is impacted by a high number of acquisition strategies and firm alliances for developing novel therapies, as well as a rise in investment for R&D. Each form of wart is connected with a separate and specific HPV, which may be created by identifying and creating a tailored vaccination against the virus. Because of the introduction of novel treatment alternatives, the North American market is predicted to account for the greatest revenue share over the projection period. Request Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-16204 Additionally, higher healthcare spending, as well as the availability of treatment options, would serve to accelerate the speed of market development in this field. Furthermore, increased illness awareness has caused the industry to expand. These factors are projected to fuel revenue growth in the region's common warts market throughout the forecast period. Key Takeaways from the Market Study FMI projects the global Common Warts market to expand at a 3.6% value CAGR by 2033 The global Common Warts market is estimated at a market value of US$ 770 Million The global Common Warts market is expected to garner a market value of US$ 1100 Million As per Future Market Insights, the Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3% in the assessment period 2023-2033. North America is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.5% in the assessment period 2023-2033. Europe is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.3% in the assessment period 2023-2033. The Salicylic Acid segment is expected to hold the largest market share for common warts in the forecast period 2023-2033. In 2021, North America held the biggest market share of the global Common Warts market. During the predicted period, this tendency is likely to continue. The increased knowledge of numerous treatment options, as well as the introduction of new medicines in this area, is expected to drive the growth of the Common Warts market in North America, says an analyst at FMI Request Customization@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-16204 Market Competition Key players in the common warts market are Nielsen BioSciences, Verrica Pharmaceutical, Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc., KinoPharma, Inc., pHion Therapeutics, Orgenesis, Novan, Cassopeia Pharmaceuticals, Innovax and Torii Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. In March 2020, Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced a cooperation and licence agreement to develop and sell product candidates, including VP-102, for a topical formulation of cantharidin for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum and common warts in Japan. More Insights Available Future Market Insights, in its new offering, presents an unbiased analysis of the global automotive axle market, presenting historical analysis from 2017 to 2022 and forecast statistics for the period of 2023-2033. The study reveals essential insights on the basis of Diagnosis (Biopsy and Excision), Drug Type (Imiquimod, Silver Nitrate, Glutaraldehyde, Salicylic Acid, Formaldehydel and Aminolevulinic Acid), Medication Class (Topical Retinoids and Oral Retinoids), across five major regions (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa). About the Healthcare at Future Market Insights The healthcare team at Future Market Insights offers expert analysis, time efficient research, and strategic recommendations with an objective to provide authentic insights and accurate results to help clients worldwide. With a repertoire of over 100+ reports and 1 million+ data points, the team has been analyzing the industry lucidly in 50+ countries for over a decade. The team provides a brief analysis on key trends including competitive landscape, profit margin, and research development efforts. Request Discount@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/request-discount/rep-gb-16204 Key Segments Profiled in the Common Warts Industry Survey Common Warts Market by Diagnosis: Biopsy Excision Common Warts Market by Drug Type: Imiquimod Silver Nitrate Glutaraldehyde Salicylic Acid Formaldehydel Aminolevulinic Acid Common Warts Market by Medication Class: Topical Retinoids Oral Retinoids View Full Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/common-warts-market Table of Content 1. Executive Summary 1.1. Global Market Outlook 1.2. Demand-side Trends 1.3. Supply-side Trends 1.4. Technology Roadmap Analysis 1.5. Analysis and Recommendations 2. Market Overview 2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy 2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations 3. Market Background 3.1. Market Dynamics 3.1.1. Drivers 3.1.2. Restraints 3.1.3. Opportunity 3.1.4. Trends Click Here for Common Warts Market 290 pages TOC Report More Trending Reports by Future Market Insights: Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) Market Size: The global Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) market size is expected to be valued at US$ 151.07 Million in 2023. Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) Market Growth: The global non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) market is expected to garner a market value of US$ 8.25 Billion in 2023 Pancreatic Cancer Market Trends: The global pancreatic cancer market will be valued at around US$ 2,125.57 Million in 2023. Market of Pancreatic Cancer are projected to accelerate at a CAGR of 13.5% to top US$ 7,541.09 Million by 2033. Kinase Inhibitor in Autoimmune Diseases Market Outlook: The global kinase inhibitor in autoimmune diseases market is expected to be valued at US$ 47,430 Million in 2023 Rare NGR1 Fusion Market Forecast: The global rare NGR1 fusion market is expected to surpass an impressive valuation of US$ 9.49 Billion in 2023 and is projected to reach US$ 20 Billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 7.73%. About Us : Future Market Insights, Inc. is an ESOMAR-certified business consulting & market research firm, a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and is headquartered in Delaware, USA. A recipient of Clutch Leaders Award 2022 on account of high client score (4.9/5), we have been collaborating with global enterprises in their business transformation journey and helping them deliver on their business ambitions. 80% of the largest Forbes 1000 enterprises are our clients. We serve global clients across all leading & niche market segments across all major industries. Contact Us: Future Market Insights Inc. Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA T: +1-845-579-5705 LinkedIn| Twitter| Blogs | YouTube For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Dublin, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "RNA-Targeted Novel Drug Modalities Based on RNA Editing, Epitranscriptomics, Direct RNA Targeting, Splicing Modulation, Translation Regulation, lncRNA & regRNA Targeting & More: a Landscape Analysis of Technologies, Targets, Business and Financing from An Industry Perspective" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report provides you with a landscape description and analysis of discovery and development of novel drug modalities targeting RNA from an industry perspective. The report evaluates the partnering deals of pharmaceutical companies with RNA-targeted drug discovery companies regarding scope of the agreement and economic terms which allows to identify preferences of major pharmaceutical companies for RNA-targeted novel drug modalities. Over the past several years, the pharmaceutical industry has increased its efforts to identify novel drug targets outside of the usual G protein-coupled receptors, ion channels, and enzymes of multiple families, including kinases, in order to provide a greater variety of therapeutic options for patient populations across a number of disease states. In this context, recent attention has turned to looking for regulators of RNA function, including small molecules and biologics. Previously considered "difficult to drug" on a structural and selectivity basis, considerable efforts in academia and industry are now being focused on targeting RNA as a therapeutic modality. These efforts are driven based on both the biological significance of RNAs, as well as a growing number of studies implicating aberrant RNA biology in many human diseases. RNAs mediate cellular processes such as the regulation of gene transcription, splicing and the enhancement or inhibition of protein activity. Not surprisingly, based on the myriad important functions of cellular RNAs, their dysregulation is often associated with disease phenotypes and RNA molecules are increasingly recognized as potential targets for drug development efforts. Small-molecule- and oligonucleotide-based therapies are being pursued toward the goal of targeting RNA biology. This broad range of approaches, which also includes the targeting of RNAs and RNA-binding proteins and RNA-modifying enzymes, is in line with the known complexity of RNA biology and regulation. Although it is now recognized that many RNAs can adopt complex tertiary structures akin to proteins, classically, RNA has been targeted in a sequence-based manner rather than structure-based manner. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) remain a powerful class of biologics for targeting RNA based on sequence. Each approach is presented in a separate chapter based on individual company profiles, technology profiles and drug or drug candidate profiles. Technology company profiles address the following aspects: General overview (founders, foundation year, technology source, location, number of employees), main business activities Funding history and financial situation Technology overview Partnering Targets and pipeline RNA-Targeted Drug Modalities covered by this report are: mRNA Translation Regulation RNA Splicing Modification RNA Trans-Splicing RNA Editing Epitranscriptomics lncRNA & regRNA Direct RNA Targeting The report addresses for each approach to target RNA with novel treatment modalities: Stakeholders in the field, i.e. technology companies, pharmaceutical partners and investors Technologies of RNA target discovery and discovery of drugs targeting RNA RNA targets selected for drug discovery and the associated clinical indications or therapeutic areas Preclinical and/or clinical experience with RNA-targeted novel drug modalities Financing history and financial situation of RNA technology companies Partnering deals (discovery and/or development collaborations, licensing, acquisitions) Comparative assessment of technology companies based on technology validation by data, partnering and investors What will you find in the report? Profiles of pure-play and diversified RNA-targeted drug technology companies Description of Major Pharma's role in the field (partnering, acquisition and investing) Comprehensive description and analysis of emerging RNA target discovery and drugging technologies RNA drugging technology selection and preferences of major pharma Pharmacologic profiles of RNA-targeted novel drugs and drug candidates Target selection, pipeline analysis and competition of drug candidates Description and analysis of financing rounds (capital raised, investors) Economic terms of collaboration and licensing deals Sources of financing Who will benefit from the report? Venture capital, private equity and investment managers Managers of Big Pharma venture capital firms Financial analysts Business development and licensing (BDL) specialists CEO, COO and managing directors Corporate strategy analysts and managers Chief Technology Officer R&D Portfolio, Technology and Strategy Management Clinical and preclinical development specialists RNA target and drug discovery scientists Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Overview & Methodology 3 mRNA Translation Regulation 3.1 Overview 3.1.1 Companies 3.1.2 Technologies 3.1.3 Targets 3.1.4 Preclinical and Clinical Experience 3.1.5 Financing 3.1.6 Partnering 3.1.7 Comparative Assessment 3.2 Company Profiles 3.2.1 Anima Biotech 3.2.2 Ceptur Therapeutics 3.2.3 eFFECTOR Therapeutics 3.2.4 Eloxx Pharmaceuticals 3.2.5 PIC Therapeutics 3.2.6 Transine Therapeutics 3.3. Selected Technology Profile 3.3.1 mRNA Lightning Technology 3.3.2 SINEUP Technology 3.3.3 STRI (Selective Translation Regulation Inhibitor) Platform 3.3.4 TURBO-ZM Technology 3.4 Drug and Drug Candidate Profiles 3.4.1 eIF4E STRI 3.4.2 ELX-02 3.4.3 Tomivosertib 3.4.4 Translarna 3.4.5 ZKN-013 3.4.6 Zotatifin 4 RNA Splicing Modification 4.1 Overview 4.1.1 Companies 4.1.2 Technologies 4.1.3 Targets 4.1.4 Preclinical and Clinical Experience 4.1.5 Financing 4.1.6 Partnering 4.1.7 Comparative Assessment 4.2 Company Profiles 4.2.1 Chordia Therapeutics 4.2.2 Envisagenics 4.2.3 Hemavant Sciences 4.2.4 Panorama Medicine 4.2.5 PTC Therapeutics 4.2.6 Reborna Biosciences 4.2.7 Rgenta Therapeutics 4.2.8 Skyhawk Therapeutics 4.2.9 Stoke Therapeutics 4.3 Selected Technology Profile 4.3.1 PAN-ACEA Platform 4.3.2 SkySTAR Technology 4.3.3 SpliceCore Technology 4.3.4 TANGO Technology 4.4 Drug and Drug Candidate Profiles 4.4.1 Branaplam 4.4.2 CTX-712 4.4.3 Evrysdi 4.4.4 PTC518 4.4.5 RVT-2001 4.4.6 STK-001 4.4.7 TEC-1 4.4.8 WVE-N531 5 RNA Trans-Splicing 5.1 Overview 5.1.1 Companies 5.1.2 Technologies 5.1.3 Targets 5.1.4 Preclinical and Clinical Experience 5.1.5 Financing 5.1.6 Comparative Assessment 5.2 Company Profiles 5.2.1 Ascidian Therapeutics 5.2.2 Rznomics 5.2.3 ViGeneron 5.3 Technology Profiles 5.3.1 Pre-mRNA Exon Editing Technology 5.3.2 Trans-Splicing Ribozyme Technology 5.4 Drug Candidate Profiles 5.4.1 ABCA4 Retinopathy 5.4.2 RZ001 5.4.3 RZ004 6 RNA Editing 6.1 Overview 6.1.1 Companies 6.1.2 Technologies 6.1.3 Targets & Preclinical Experience 6.1.4 Financing 6.1.5 Partnering 6.1.6 Comparative Assessment 6.2 Company Profiles 6.2.1 ADARx Pharmaceuticals 6.2.2 Beam Therapeutics 6.2.3 Creyon Bio 6.2.4 EdiGene 6.2.5 EditForce 6.2.6 KorroBio 6.2.7 Locanabio 6.2.8 ProQR Therapeutics 6.2.9 Shape Therapeutics 6.2.10 VICO Therapeutics 6.2.11 Wave Life Sciences 6.3 Technology Profiles 6.3.1 AIMer Technology 6.3.2 Axiomer Technology 6.3.3 CORRECTx Technology 6.3.4 LEAPER Technology 6.3.5 OPERA Technology 6.3.6 PPR Editing Platform 6.3.7 RNAfix Technology 6.4 Drug Candidate Profile 6.4.1 WVE-006 7 Epitranscriptomics 7.1 Overview 7.1.1 Companies 7.1.2 Targets 7.1.3 Financing 7.1.4 Partnering and 7.1.5 Comparative Assessment 7.2 Company Profiles 7.2.1 858 Therapeutics 7.2.2 Accent Therapeutics 7.2.3 EPICS Therapeutics 7.2.4 STORM Therapeutics 7.2.5 Twentyeight-Seven Therapeutics 7.3 Drug Candidate Profile 7.3.1 STC-15 8 lncRNA & regRNA 8.1 Overview 8.1.1 Companies 8.1.2 Technologies 8.1.3 Targets 8.1.4 Financing 8.1.5 Comparative Assessment 8.2 Company Profiles 8.2.1 CAMP4 Therapeutics 8.2.2 Flamingo Therapeutics 8.2.3 HAYA Therapeutics 8.2.4 NextRNA Therapeutics 8.2.5 Saverna Therapeutics 8.2.6 TargetRNA 8.3 Technology Profile 8.3.1 RAP Platform 8.4 Drug Candidate Profile 8.4.1 CMP-SCN 9 Direct RNA Targeting 9.1 Overview 9.1.1 Companies 9.1.2 Technologies 9.1.3 Targets and Indications 9.1.4 Financing 9.1.5 Partnering 9.1.6 Comparative Assessment 9.2 Company Profiles 9.2.1 Arrakis Therapeutics 9.2.2 Expansion Therapeutics 9.2.3 Ladder Therapeutics 9.2.4 Molecure 9.2.5 Novation Pharmaceuticals 9.2.6 Nymirum 9.2.7 Remix Therapeutics 9.2.8 ReVir Therapeutics 9.2.9 Ribometrix 9.3 Technology Profiles 9.3.1 DART Platform 9.3.2 REMaster Technology 9.3.3 rSM Platform 9.3.4 SMiRNA Technology 10 Opportunities 10.1 Overview 10.2 Company Profiles 10.2.1 AbbiVax 10.2.2 Biosplice Therapeutics 10.2.3 Kinnate 10.2.4 Syros Pharmaceuticals 10.3 Drug Candidate Profiles 10.3.1 Cirtuvivint 10.3.2 CRD-1968099 10.3.3 CTX-439 10.3.4 Lorecivivint 10.3.5 Obefazimod 11 Major Pharmaceutical Companies as Stakeholders in RNA-Targeted Novel Drug Modality R&D 11.1 Overview 11.2 Companies 11.2.1 Acadia Pharmaceuticals 11.2.2 Amgen 11.2.3 AstraZeneca 11.2.4 Biogen 11.2.5 Bristol Myers Squibb 11.2.6 Eli Lilly 11.2.7 Exelixis 11.2.8 Ipsen 11.2.9 Janssen 11.2.10 Lundbeck 11.2.11 Merck 11.2.12 Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma 11.2.13 Novartis 11.2.14 Pfizer 11.2.15 Roche 11.2.16 Sanofi 11.2.17 Servier 11.2.18 Solasia Pharma 11.2.19 Takeda Pharmaceutical Co 11.2.20 Vertex Pharmaceuticals 12 References For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fesegk Dublin, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Global Market Report 2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global bed monitoring system & baby monitoring system market. The global bed monitoring system & baby monitoring system market is expected to grow from $1.50 billion in 2021 to $1.64 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4%. The bed monitoring system & baby monitoring system market is expected to grow to $2.20 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 7.5%. Reasons to Purchase Gain a truly global perspective with the most comprehensive report available on this market covering 12+ geographies. Understand how the market is being affected by the coronavirus and how it is likely to emerge and grow as the impact of the virus abates. Create regional and country strategies on the basis of local data and analysis. Identify growth segments for investment. Outperform competitors using forecast data and the drivers and trends shaping the market. Understand customers based on the latest market research findings. Benchmark performance against key competitors. Utilize the relationships between key data sets for superior strategizing. Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high quality data and analysis Major players in the bed monitoring system & baby monitoring system market are Wellsens Inc., XSENSOR Technology Corporation, SensorCare Systems Ltd, Smart Caregiver Corporation, Eight Sleep, Infant Optics, Lenovo Group Limited, PhilipsKoninklijke Philips N.V, VTech Communications, Inc., Nanit, iBaby Labs, Withings, Hisense Ltd, Motorola Mobility LLC, and Capsule Technologies Inc. The bed monitoring system & baby monitoring system market consists of the sales of bed monitoring system and baby monitoring system products and related services by entities (organizations, partnerships, and sole proprietors) that are used for tracking the activities of babies. These systems use various sensors to track the activities of the patients and the babies and notify the caregivers or parents if there is any deviation in their normal behavior to make sure to check on them in case of an emergency. A sensor is designed to be placed under the mattress of a bed, near the bed frame, and is completely sealed against contamination, eliminating the need to discard the sensor after a patient is discharged. Ribbon switches are placed between stiff Plexiglas plates in the assembly of the sensor. The main types of bed monitoring system & baby monitoring systems include bedsore monitoring solutions, baby monitoring solutions, elderly monitoring solutions, and sleep monitoring solutions. The bedsore monitoring solutions are used to monitor the areas suffering pressure sores or bed sores. When the skin and soft tissue are pressed against a harder surface for an extended period of time, such as a bed or chair, a pressure ulcer can form. The different end-users include homecare settings, hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. North America was the largest region in the bed monitoring system and baby monitoring system market in 2021. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the bed monitoring system & baby monitoring system market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The growing investment in healthcare infrastructural development is expected to propel the growth of the bed monitoring system & baby monitoring system market going forward. Governments across the globe are launching several hospital infrastructure investment initiatives to boost healthcare development in impoverished areas, which would create the demand for bed monitoring systems and baby monitoring systems. For instance, according to the Commonwealth Fund Commission of the United States, the US government introduced the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) which would invest more than $2 billion in basic public health infrastructure and increase the ability of the healthcare system to respond to infectious and chronic diseases and environmental threats. The BBBA is expected to include $100 million in 2022, $150 million in 2023, and $500 million in 2024-2026 for public health efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Therefore, the growing investment in healthcare infrastructural development is driving the growth of the bed monitoring system & baby monitoring system market. Technological advancements have emerged as the key trend gaining popularity in the bed monitoring system & baby monitoring system market. Major companies operating in the bed monitoring system and baby monitoring system sector are focused on introducing technological innovations to reinforce their position. The countries covered in the bed monitoring system & baby monitoring system market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA. Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 175 Forecast Period 2022 - 2026 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $1.64 billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2026 $2.2 billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 7.6% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Market Characteristics 3. Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Market Trends And Strategies 4. Impact Of COVID-19 On Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System 5. Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Market Size And Growth 5.1. Global Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Historic Market, 2016-2021, $ Billion 5.1.1. Drivers Of The Market 5.1.2. Restraints On The Market 5.2. Global Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Forecast Market, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion 5.2.1. Drivers Of The Market 5.2.2. Restraints On the Market 6. Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Market Segmentation 6.1. Global Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Market, Segmentation By Type, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion Bedsore Monitoring Solutions Baby Monitoring Solutions Elderly Monitoring Solutions Sleep Monitoring Solutions 6.2. Global Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Market, Segmentation By End-User, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion Homecare Settings Hospitals Nursing Home Assisted Living Facilities 7. Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Market Regional And Country Analysis 7.1. Global Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Market, Split By Region, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion 7.2. Global Bed Monitoring System & Baby Monitoring System Market, Split By Country, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6vw1p4 Attachment Elite private tutoring company, Tutors International sheds lights on the importance of developing social intelligence and how a private tutor can nurture your childs understanding of their own, and others, actions. OXFORD, UK: Adam Caller , the CEO and Founder of Tutors International , the world-leader in the provision of high-quality, bespoke private tuition for its UHNW Clients , has always ensured that his company remains ahead of the curve in terms of reviewing the latest academic research and the subsequent shifts in educational focus that ensue. The last few decades have seen considerable focus on how our emotions and social relationships are at the centre of all human behaviour and specifically on emotional intelligence (EI): how our children understand and manage their emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathise with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict. The emphasis now, however, is shifting to developing childrens social intelligence, (SI), a term used to describe the capacity to communicate and form relationships with empathy and assertiveness. The Difference Between Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence The term emotional intelligence was first coined in 1990 by two researchers, Peter Salavoy and John Mayer in their article, Emotional Intelligence and was later popularised by Daniel Goleman in his 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence. Goleman defined EI as the capacity for recognising our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships. EI is believed to be a determining factor in academic success and gainful employment. School curricula have encouraged children to develop their emotional intelligence in the areas of self-awareness, emotional control and the ability to empathise with others in an attempt to enhance their relationship skills. In his book, Social Intelligence, (2006), Goleman describes SI as being intelligent not just about our relationships but also in them. Goleman refers to empathic accuracy the ability to put yourself in someone elses shoes and in having the capacity to understand yourself and others in social contexts. Crucially, SI focuses not only on the childs ability to empathise with others, but more on their ability to assess social situations and interactions, on how to develop their interpersonal relationships through understanding how to interpret what people are thinking and feeling, and why. SI works on the premise that if you want to respond appropriately, it is a precondition that the child first knows how to interpret what others are thinking and feeling. Can Children Learn Social Intelligence? Like most skills, social intelligence can be improved through learning and with practice. Social interaction and experience in dealing with people in social settings, along with learning from their successes and failures, will inevitably improve a childs resilience and also their ability to participate in positive and productive relationships with others. Adam Caller explains how mainstream education can often stifle the individuality of the child, leaving no room for creativity or the development of interpersonal skills and why employing a private tutor can facilitate this learning: We at Tutors International are experts at providing high-quality personalised tuition , and we have extensive global experience placing superb private tutors in full-time positions. A perfect tutor should provide and nurture academic brilliance, align with the familys values, and complement their lifestyle. In private tutoring, we see time after time how focusing on a child's individual interests and talents, and adapting teaching styles and lesson planning to compliment them, results in a child who is more interested and eager to learn. Mr Caller goes on to explain how the close relationship between the student and tutor accelerates the learning of social intelligence: Children taught within our educational system necessarily have to follow the same academic curriculum and their success is ultimately measured by how well they perform in public examinations. However, not every child will thrive in an environment that focuses on measuring success through academic grading. Mainstream classrooms mean every child is taught the same content in the same way, despite the fact that every student has individual learning styles. A bespoke private tutor enables the student to interact on a one-to-one basis with their tutor; they are able to form a symbiotic relationship that allows the student to feel confident to ask questions, answer questions and ask for support when needed. The tutor will enhance the learning experience by providing feedback, encouraging and motivating the student by asking more challenging questions, by giving examples or by prompting. The depth and intensity of this customised learning experience allows the child to learn how to deal with social relationships effectively. They learn to follow the example of their tutor who is modelling interpersonal awareness and collaboration whilst participating in a caring social interaction. The Worlds Best Tutors Mr Caller is keen to point out that his company employs only exceptional educators : Our tutors are usually graduates from top universities where their social and conversational skills have been enriched by their education. The ability to converse with others and listen effectively is crucial when attempting to build a relationship. It enables our students to grow in confidence and learn how to nurture and sustain friendships and relationships for themselves. The demands of managing the educational needs of a large number of students in a classroom setting means that this is something that teachers in mainstream education seldom have time to do. Our success can be attributed to employing world-class educators. Tutors International finds the best tutors by conducting specialist global searches for each Clients specific needs, meaning the tutor who gets the job is undoubtedly the most qualified and the best fit for the student. We find not just the world's best tutors, but the world's best tutor for each specific child. According to Mr Caller, Tutors Internationals students thrive in a non-traditional learning environment, often achieving exceptional results. Mr Caller attributes this to the one-to-one attention and individualised curriculum which allows students to work at their own pace, in a comfortable environment, whilst offering them the ability to explore and focus on their own academic interests without the pressures of the classroom: More families every year are choosing to educate their children outside of the traditional classroom environment for a variety of different reasons, from special educational needs to family, work, and travel commitments. Tutors International operates all over the world to provide families with exceptional private tutors , who are perfectly matched to their individual needs. Our tutors are hand-picked and a customised global search is conducted for each and every Client enquiry. Only the best candidates who meet every requirement get shortlisted. These are then interviewed and the final decision is made by the Client. Contact Us Now Tutors International places exceptional tutors with families based on their individual needs and circumstances. For more information and advice about private tutoring, wherever you are in the world, visit tutors-international.com or make a preliminary enquiry by clicking here . Tutors can browse the latest vacancies and submit an application by visiting tutors-international.net. About Tutors International Tutors International provides an unparalleled private tutoring service that matches the right private home tutor with the right child, in order for the student to fully reach their personal potential and academic excellence. Delivering an international private tuition service for children of all ages at different points in their educational journeys, Tutors International is founded on a commitment to finding the perfect tutor to realise the specific goals and aspirations of each student. Tutors are available for residential full-time positions, after-school assistance, and home-schooling . Founded in 1999 by Adam Caller, Tutors International is a private company based in Oxford, a city renowned for academic excellence. Our select clientele receives a personally tailored service , with discretion and confidentiality guaranteed. Contact Details Web: www.tutors-international.com Email: marketing@tutors-international.com Phone: +44 (0) 1865 435 135 Tutors International Prama House 267 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7HT UK Attachment 5 January 2023 LEI: 2138003QW2ZAYZODBU23 LSE Code: 3NGL WISDOMTREE MULTI ASSET ISSUER PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY (a public company incorporated with limited liability in Ireland) WISDOMTREE NATURAL GAS 3X DAILY LEVERAGED SECURITIES ISIN: IE00BLRPRG98 PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE AFFECTED SECURITIES ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING OF THE ETP SECURITYHOLDERS THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. If you are in any doubt about what action you should take, you are recommended to consult your independent financial adviser. If you have sold or transferred all of your WisdomTree Natural Gas 3x Daily Leveraged Securities (the Affected Securities) of WisdomTree Multi Asset Issuer Public Limited Company (the Issuer), please send this document, together with the accompanying form of proxy, at once to the purchaser or transferee or stockbroker, banker or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was made, for onward transmission to the purchaser or transferee. The Issuer wishes to announce that the Meeting of the holders of the Affected Securities scheduled for Thursday 5 January 2023, at 11:00 a.m. (the Original Meeting) has been adjourned, in accordance with paragraph 20 of Schedule 7 of the Trust Deed, for lack of a quorum. The adjourned meeting will be reconvened on 11:00 a.m. on Friday 27 January 2023, being a date not more than 30 days after the Original Meeting, and will be held at the offices of Apex IFS Limited at 2nd Floor, Block 5, Irish Life Centre, Abbey Street Lower, Dublin 1, D01P767, Ireland (the Adjourned Meeting). The Adjourned Meeting is being held to consider certain amendments to documentation, made under the powers set out in clause 2 of schedule 7 of the master trust deed of the Affected Securities, required to effect a reduction in the principal amount of the Affected Securities from USD 10.136 to USD 01.0136. This follows the price of the Affected Securities falling below 500 per cent. of its current principal amount on 5 December 2022 and is designed to maintain the normal trading and operations of the Affected Securities. Full details of the Proposal and Extraordinary Resolution are set out in the notice dated 8 December 2022. Under article 11.5 of the Issuers Articles of Association, no further notification is required for the Adjourned Meeting. Holders of the Affected Securities are therefore directed to the original notification, including the circular dated 8 December 2022, and also a revised form of proxy for the Adjourned Meeting, which are available on the website of the Issuer at https://www.wisdomtree.eu/en-gb/resource-library/prospectus-and-regulatory-reports#tab-2A942D42-5AA1-4008-9080-3C2DADB050A7 . Holders of the Affected Securities should note that a duly completed voting instructions already made in respect of the Original Meeting will NOT continue to be valid for the Adjourned Meeting. Holders of the Affected Securities should therefore not rely on any voting instructions already made in respect of the Original Meeting and should therefore make arrangements to vote again on the matters being considered, in order to participate in the Adjourned Meeting. Holders of the Affected Securities are advised to check with any bank, securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold their Affected Securities when such intermediary would need to receive instructions from a holder of Affected Securities in order for such holder of Affected Securities to participate in the Adjourned Meeting by the deadlines specified in this circular. The deadlines set by any such intermediary and each ICSD for the submission instructions will be earlier than the relevant deadlines specified in the circular. In relation to the delivery instructions or obtaining voting certificates or otherwise making arrangements for the giving of voting instructions, in each case through the ICSDs, holders of the Affected Securities should note the particular practice and policy of the relevant ICSDs, including any earlier deadlines set by such ICSD. The deadlines set by any intermediary or by the ICSDs will be earlier than the deadlines set out in the circular. In accordance with normal practice, The Law Debenture Trust Corporation p.l.c., as trustee, expresses no opinion as to the merits of the Proposal, the terms of which were not negotiated by it. It has however authorised it to be stated that, on the basis of the information contained in the original circular and in this document (which it advises holders of Affected Securities to read carefully) it has no objection to the form in which the Proposal and Notice of Meeting are presented to holders of Affected Securities for their consideration. Holders of the Affected Securities will be notified of the outcome of the Adjourned Meeting shortly thereafter. Dublin, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Luxury Hair Care Products Global Market Report 2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global luxury hair care products market. The global luxury hair care market is expected to grow from $19.27 billion in 2021 to $20.62 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1%. The luxury hair care market is expected to grow to $27.22 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2%. Reasons to Purchase Gain a truly global perspective with the most comprehensive report available on this market covering 12+ geographies. Understand how the market is being affected by the coronavirus and how it is likely to emerge and grow as the impact of the virus abates. Create regional and country strategies on the basis of local data and analysis. Identify growth segments for investment. Outperform competitors using forecast data and the drivers and trends shaping the market. Understand customers based on the latest market research findings. Benchmark performance against key competitors. Utilize the relationships between key data sets for superior strategizing. Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high quality data and analysis Major players in the luxury hair care market are L'Oreal S.A., The Estee Lauder Companies inc, Seven LLC, Alcora Corporation, Kao Corporation, Jose Eber Hair, Kerastase Paris, Kose Corporation, Oribe, Rahua, Unilever plc, Aesop, The Procter & Gamble Company, Sisley Paris, Shiseido Company Limited, and Johnson & Johnson Pvt. Ltd. The luxury haircare market consists of sales of luxury haircare products by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used by individuals for the overall health of the hair. These products generally refer to high-end hair care products that are sold at a premium price to the consumer. Luxury hair care products contain highly concentrated ingredients compared to regular or generic brands. The main types covered in the luxury hair care market include shampoos, conditioners, hair coloring products, hair styling products, hair oil, and other product types. Shampoo refers to cleansing special soap used to wash the hair. The luxury hair care products are sold through different distribution channels including supermarkets and hypermarkets, departmental stores, specialty stores, e-commerce, and other distribution channels. Asia Pacific was the largest region in the luxury hair care market in 2021. The regions covered in the luxury hair care market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The luxury haircare market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides luxury haircare market statistics, including luxury haircare industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a luxury haircare market share, detailed luxury haircare market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the luxury haircare industry. These luxury haircare market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry. Increasing penetration of e-commerce platforms is expected to propel the growth of the luxury hair care market going forward. The E-commerce retail market refers to buying of goods using the internet, and the transfer of money and data to execute these transactions. The E-commerce retail market helps the luxury hair care market with easy transactions, selling items and services directly to clients, and delivering products to the home. For instance, according to the study published in Digital360, an Italy-based provider of digital branding, e-commerce across the globe increased from $3.46 trillion in 2019 to $4.29 trillion in 2020, at a current penetration rate of 20.2%. Therefore, the growing penetration of e-commerce platforms is expected to boost demand for luxury hair care during the forecast period. Product innovation is a key trend gaining popularity in the luxury hair care market. Many companies operating in the luxury hair care sector are looking for new product innovations to strengthen their position in the luxury hair care market. For instance, in May 2022, Medimix, an India-based manufacturer of cosmetic products including skin care and hair care, launched organic total care shampoo in its hair care portfolio. Medimix's total care shampoo consists of wheat protein and other nine natural herbs such as tea tree oil, rosemary oil, neem, wild ginger, and others in a unique formula, which will help in minimizing hair loss, act as anti-dandruff, and conditioning hair. The countries covered in the luxury hair care market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, and USA. Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 175 Forecast Period 2022 - 2026 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $20.62 billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2026 $27.22 billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 7.2% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Luxury Hair Care Market Characteristics 3. Luxury Hair Care Market Trends And Strategies 4. Impact Of COVID-19 On Luxury Hair Care 5. Luxury Hair Care Market Size And Growth 5.1. Global Luxury Hair Care Historic Market, 2016-2021, $ Billion 5.1.1. Drivers Of The Market 5.1.2. Restraints On The Market 5.2. Global Luxury Hair Care Forecast Market, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion 5.2.1. Drivers Of The Market 5.2.2. Restraints On the Market 6. Luxury Hair Care Market Segmentation 6.1. Global Luxury Hair Care Market, Segmentation By Product Type, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion Shampoos Conditioners Hair Coloring Products Hair Styling Products Hair Oil Other Product Types 6.2. Global Luxury Hair Care Market, Segmentation By Distribution Channel, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion Supermarkets and Hypermarkets Departmental Stores Specialty Stores E-commerce Other Distribution Channels 7. Luxury Hair Care Market Regional And Country Analysis 7.1. Global Luxury Hair Care Market, Split By Region, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion 7.2. Global Luxury Hair Care Market, Split By Country, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fyytr1 Attachment BOISE, Idaho The man accused in the November slayings of four University of Idaho students was extradited to Idaho, where hes charged with four counts of first-degree murder and felony burglary and was scheduled to appear in court Thursday. Bryan Kohbergers arrival in the state also means sealed documents that could answer key questions in the closely watched case will soon be released publicly. Kohberger, a 28-year-old doctoral student at Washington State University, was flown by Pennsylvania State Police to a small regional airport near the Idaho border and handed over to local authorities Wednesday evening. Uniformed law enforcement officers were waiting on the tarmac for the plane to land and then escorted the handcuffed Kohberger to a caravan of five vehicles for the short drive from Washington across the Idaho border. He was due to appear at 12:30 p.m. Eastern time Thursday in Latah County District Court, which is in Moscow, the college town where the attack happened. The public release of court documents could shed some light on Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompsons reasons for accusing Kohburger in the Nov. 13 stabbing deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin and answer key questions about how authorities built a case against him. Kohberger was arrested at his parents home in eastern Pennsylvania last week and agreed to be extradited to Idaho. His attorney in Pennsylvania, Monroe County chief public defender Jason LaBar, said Kohberger was eager to be exonerated and described him as an ordinary guy. He said Kohberger would be represented by the chief public defender in Idahos Kootenai County once in the state. This image provided by the Latah County Jail shows Bryan Kohberger. The man accused in the November slayings of four University of Idaho students is back in Idaho, where hes charged with four counts of first-degree murder. Authorities are expected to move quickly on a first court appearance, possibly as early as Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. (Latah County Jail via AP) Police have released few details about the investigation and a magistrate judge has issued a sweeping gag order barring attorneys, law enforcement agencies and other officials from discussing the case. The nighttime attack the home near the University of Idaho campus spread fear in Moscow and the surrounding area, as authorities seemed stumped by the brutal stabbings. Investigators appeared to make a breakthrough, however, after searching for a white sedan that was seen around the time of the killings and analyzing DNA evidence collected from the crime scene. Investigators have said they were still searching for a motive and the weapon used in the attack. The bodies of Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho; Mogen, 21, of Coeur dAlene, Idaho; Kernodle, 20, of Post Falls, Idaho; and Chapin, 20, of Conway, Washington, were found Nov. 13 at the rental home where the women lived. Kernodle and Chapin were dating, and he had been visiting the house that night. Latah County prosecutors have said they believe Kohberger broke into the victims home intending to commit murder. Although Moscow police have been tightlipped about the investigation, authorities last month asked the public for help finding a white sedan that was seen near the scene of the crime specifically, a 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra. Tips poured in and investigators soon announced they were sifting through a pool of around 20,000 potential vehicles. Meanwhile, Kohberger apparently stayed in Pullman, Washington, through the end of the semester at WSU. Then he drove across country to his parents home in Pennsylvania, accompanied by his father. They were in a white Elantra. While driving through Indiana, Kohberger was pulled over twice on the same day first by a Hancock County Sheriffs deputy and a few minutes later by an Indiana state trooper. Body camera video of the first stop released by the Hancock County Sheriffs Office shows Kohberger behind the wheel and his father in the passenger seat on Dec. 15. Both men told the law enforcement officer that they were traveling from WSU before the officer sent them on their way with a warning for following too closely. The Indiana State Police released bodycam footage of the second stop. The agency said that at the time, there was no information available to the trooper that would have identified Kohberger as a suspect in the killings. Kohberger was again given a warning for following too closely. Associated Press writers Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Manuel Valdes in Seattle contributed to this story. Toronto, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Compass Gold Corp. (TSX-V: CVB) (Compass or the Company) announced today that it has completed its previously announced private placement financing and is preparing to launch a follow-up drilling program to test previously identified mineralized sections at depth along the Tarabala Trend on its Sikasso Property in Southern Mali (Figure 1). Highlights Closed previously announced private placement financing for gross proceeds of $700,000 Field teams to be mobilized to prepare drill pads for follow-up deeper drilling at the Tarabala prospect, including where metallic screen fire assaying reported 7 m at 14.13 g/t Au Drilling will include 2,000 m reverse circulation (RC) and 600 m diamond core drilling Focused on tracing the down-dip extension of wide zones of gold mineralization identified by earlier drilling campaigns and verifying the gold content using metallic screen fire assay Compass CEO, Larry Phillips, commented, With the closing of our recent financing, we are initiating our planned follow-up drilling program at Tarabala. Previous drilling indicated gold mineralization in a wide zone extending over a strike length of 1,600 metres at shallow depths. However, as weve also noted, re-assaying of previous RC and core samples demonstrated that simple fire assay testing had under-reported the gold content of the samples primarily due to the presence of the nugget effect from coarse gold. Once the new drill pads are prepared, and a drilling contract is finalized, we expect to begin drilling in early February. Compass Exploration Manager, Dr. Madani Diallo, added, The upcoming drilling at our highly-prospective Tarabala prospect will provide important new information on the nature and grade of the gold mineralization. The new drill holes will be deeper than the previous drilling and we will use metallic screen fire assay to ensure the coarse (nuggety) gold content is recorded. Drilling will establish the width and orientation of the veins, mineralogy, as well as the continuity of grade along strike and down dip. While we know gold mineralization extends over 4 km along the Tarabala fault between the Tarabala and Massala West prospects, we also need to determine the depth potential. Figure 1 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/526a1dee-ebd7-4794-9fb7-55ea37d61ef1 Next Steps A 2,000-m RC drilling program at the Tarabala prospect (Figure 2) is planned to begin in early February, 2023. Drilling will focus on determining the nature of the gold-bearing quartz veins (width, grade, orientation, and mineralogy) at depths of up to 200 m from surface. Based on previous drilling results from the prospect (see Compass news releases dated January 20, May 18, and December 6, 2021) and initial results from the new RC drilling (e.g., presence of quartz veining), an additional 600 m of diamond drilling will take place in March 2023. Results of the RC drilling should be available in March. This information will be used to plan a potential resource definitional drilling program in Q2 2023, with the objective of defining a maiden resource. Figure 2 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f89a7d6d-8876-4387-83b1-19935b05cfa4 Results from Previous Drilling Air Core (AC) drilling on the Tarabala Trend first identified bedrock gold at the Tarabala prospect in April 2020. Subsequent drilling identified shallow gold mineralization at Massala West, a distance of 4 km (Figure 1). To date, a total of 106 AC holes (5,547 m), 5 RC holes (530 m), and five diamond hole (563.6 m) have been drilled at Tarabala over a distance of 1.5 km, and 102 AC holes (6,035 m) and 11 RC holes (1,056 m) at Massala West over 3 km. AC results at Tarabala included wide intervals up to 16 m @ 1.51 g/t Au (from 16 m; SAAC02) and 17 m @ 0.73 g/t Au (from 18 m; SAAC109). They also included higher grade sub-intervals such as 4 m @ 5.20 g/t Au (from 26 m; SAAC02) and 1 m @ 12.99 g/t Au (from 33 m; SAAC36). Follow-up RC drilling at Tarabala in December 2020 and February 2021 indicated that the mineralization continued at depth, but it was not tested deeper than 60 m from surface. The widest intercepts from the RC drilling were 26 m @ 0.47 g/t Au (from 45 m; SARC001) and 25 m @ 0.58 g/t Au (from 67 m; SARC003). Diamond drilling results (see Compass press release Dec 6, 2021) confirmed the presence of narrow quartz veins over broad intervals (e.g., 32 m @ 0.33 g/t Au, SADD003) and narrower, higher-grade zones such as 17 m @ 0.96 g/t Au (including 3 m @ 3.36 g/t, SADD004). The best mineralization was identified in a 1-km section of the 2.2-km-long mineralized Tarabala Fault. Recent re-analysis of some of the diamond drill core (see Compass release December 22, 2022) using metallic screen fire assay showed that earlier analysis had underreported gold content in many samples due to the nugget effect. For example, exceptionally high gold grades were recorded in diamond drill hole SADD001 from 109 to 116 m: 7 m @ 14.13 g/t Au (metallic screen fire assays) versus 7m @0.424 g/t Au (original fire assay). The new assaying was highly influenced by one sample that contained 97.34 g/t Au. To ensure the most reliable assay results, the new drilling at Tarabala will be analyzed using metallic screen fire assay. At Massala West, two kilometers further north, AC drilling identified two discrete mineralized zones greater than 550 m. The northernmost zone contained the widest mineralized interval and the highest grade. Drill hole SAAC123 returned 24 m @ 2.35 g/t Au (from 18 m), which included 1 m @ 26.80 g/t Au (from 35 m). RC drilling in the two zones identified several mineralized intervals, including 6 m @ 1.02 g/t Au (from 43 m; SARC010). If deeper drilling at Tarabala continues to be as encouraging, additional drilling will be performed. Closing of Private Placement Financing The Company has issued a total of 10,000,000 common shares of the Company, at a price of $0.07 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $700,000 pursuant to the closing of its previously announced private placement (the "Offering") (see Compass news release dated November 18, 2022). In connection with the Offering, the Company has paid a cash finders fee of 3% on a portion of the Offering, totalling $6,000 in aggregate subject to compliance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities legislation. Insiders of the Company purchased an aggregate of 2,782,285 shares under the Offering, for aggregate consideration of $194,760. Such participation is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). Participation by insiders in the Offering was exempt from: (i) the valuation requirements of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, as the Company is listed only on the TSX Venture Exchange; and (ii) the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as at the time the Offering was agreed to, neither the fair market value of the subject matter, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the Offering, insofar as it involved interested parties, exceeded 25% of the market capitalization of the Company. All shares issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day after the date of issuance. The Offering is subject to final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange. The securities offered pursuant to the Offering have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. This release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities in the United States. About Compass Gold Corp. Compass, a public company having been incorporated into Ontario, is a Tier 2 issuer on the TSX- V. Through the 2017 acquisition of MGE and Malian subsidiaries, Compass holds gold exploration permits located in Mali that comprise the Sikasso Property. The exploration permits are located in three sites in southern Mali with a combined land holding of 1,143 sq. km. The Sikasso Property is located in the same region as several multi-million-ounce gold projects, including Morila, Syama, Kalana and Komana. The Companys Mali-based technical team, led in the field by Dr. Madani Diallo and under the supervision of Dr. Sandy Archibald, P.Geo., is conducting the current exploration program. They are examining numerous anomalies first noted in Dr. Archibalds August 2017 National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on the Sikasso Property, Southern Mali. Qualified Person This news release has been reviewed and approved by EurGeol. Dr. Sandy Archibald, P.Geo, Compasss Technical Director, who is the Qualified Person for the technical information in this news release under National Instrument 43-101 standards. ForwardLooking Information This news release contains "forwardlooking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the Companys planned exploration work and use of proceeds of the Offering. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forwardlooking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by such information. The statements in this news release are made as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forwardlooking information except as required by applicable law. For further information please contact: Compass Gold Corporation Compass Gold Corporation Larry Phillips Pres. & CEO Greg Taylor Dir. Investor Relations & Corporate Communications lphillips@compassgoldcorp.com gtaylor@compassgoldcorp.com T: +1 416-596-0996 X 302 T: +1 416-596-0996 X 301 Website: www.compassgoldcorp.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Dublin, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Production Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Process, By Workflow (Cell Culture), By Product, By Application (Regenerative Medicine), By End-user, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global induced pluripotent stem cells production market size is estimated to reach USD 2.8 billion by 2030. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2022 to 2030. The increase in demand for induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in comparison to Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs) has offered a significant drive to the market. Advantages such as no stem cell-related ethical issues, personalized treatment, and flexibility during cell-based research have created a favorable scenario for market growth. In addition, the prevalence of chronic disorders is also driving the growth of the induced pluripotent stem cells production market, as conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and many more can be treated by utilizing iPSCs-mediated therapy. For example, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), 537 million people are already living with diabetes in 2021. The rising research activities during COVID-19 pandemic have positively impacted the market. The pandemic fueled research in many fields as the SARS CoV-2 infection resulted in many diseases in the patients. For instance, in April 2021, researchers from USA stated that up to 25% of COVID-19 patients suffered cardiac dysfunction. Through their research article, they demonstrated the pathogenesis via exposure of iPSCs-derived cardiac cells to SARS CoV-2, and similar alterations were confirmed from human autopsy specimens of the patients. Such insights allow the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) as drug or therapy development platforms and their utilization in the management of the long-term effects of COVID-19. Induced pluripotent stem cells are cells that are derived from adult somatic cells and then further reprogrammed to obtain the pluripotency as that of ESCs. These iPSCs are proving to be an ethically uncomplicated alternative for research that involves ESCs. The derivation of the ESCs is associated with the destruction of an embryo at the blastocyte stage, which has led to a maximum number of ethical debates. However, induced pluripotent stem cells have solved the ethical issue over the destruction of human embryos in research by involving only the genetic reprogramming of somatic cells. This has propelled the market growth and resulted in numerous applications including drug discovery, disease modeling, toxicology testing, and many others. For instance, in August 2021, Fate Therapeutics announced the treatment of the first patient with FT819 during clinical trials. FT819 is an engineered CAR-T cell therapy that is derived from iPSCs. Also, the rising focus of the research community on exploring applications of induced pluripotent stem cells in regenerative medicine due to their unique characteristics such as differential potential, self-renewable, immunomodulatory properties, and others; is set to drive the market expansion. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Production Market Report Highlights By process, the manual iPSCs production process held the highest market share in 2021. The multiple stages involved during the manufacturing process and key companies providing the expertise for induced pluripotent stem cell production attributes to the growth By workflow, in 2021, the cell culture was the highest revenue-generating segment. As cell culture is a pivotal step in the production process and the associated costs during numerous steps drive the market growth of this segment By product, the consumables & kits segment held the largest market in 2021. The continuous use of these iPSCs products during various applications such as toxicology testing is propelling the segment's growth By application, drug development and discovery dominated the induced pluripotent stem cells production marketspace in 2021. The prevalence of chronic diseases is driving the increase in innovative drug platforms for development & discovery by utilizing iPSCs as diseased models By end-user, the biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies generated the highest revenue in the marketplace during 2021. The rising number of strategic initiatives, new product launches, and robust iPSCs product pipeline is attributing to the generation of revenue North America region contributes to the largest share in 2021 for iPSCs production marketplace. The key factors driving the revenue growth are the developed healthcare infrastructure, the prevalence of chronic diseases, the presence of strategic business models and funds by supportive government Market Dynamics Market Drivers Increase In Demand For IPSCs Over Embryonic Stem Cells Rise In The Integration Of Automation In Ipsc Production Expanding Exploitation Of Ipscs In Research Market Restraints Lack Of Standardized & Regulated Delivery Of Stem Cells Therapy Scalable Manufacturing Of Ipscs Market Opportunities Robust Pipeline For IPSCs Use Of IPSCs In Regenerative Medicine Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 200 Forecast Period 2022 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $1367.6 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $2800 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.2% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Methodology And Scope Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Market Variables, Trends, & Scope Chapter 4 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (Ipscs) Production Market: Process Business Analysis Chapter 5 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (Ipscs) Production Market: Workflow Business Analysis Chapter 6 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (Ipscs) Production Market: Product Business Analysis Chapter 7 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (Ipscs) Production Market: Application Business Analysis Chapter 8 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (Ipscs) Production Market: End-User Business Analysis Chapter 9 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (Ipscs) Production Market: Regional Business Analysis Chapter 10 Company Profile Companies Mentioned Lonza Axol Biosciences Ltd. Evotec Se Hitachi Ltd. Reprocells Inc. Fate Therapeutics. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. Merck Kgaa Stemcellsfactory Iii Osiris Therapeutics Inc. Applied Stemcells Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pyzl0b About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment GRAND JUNCTION, Colo., Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProStar Holdings Inc. ("ProStar" or "the Company") (TSXV: MAPS) (OTCQX: MAPPF) (FSE: 5D00), a world leader in Precision Mapping Solutions, is pleased to announce that multinational gold mining company, IAMGOLD Corporation (TSX: IMG) (NYSE: IAG) (IAMGOLD), has adopted ProStars flagship software application, PointMan to improve its safety operations. We take great pride in taking every measure possible to ensure the safety of our employees and the environment. Safety is at the forefront of all our mining operations, stated Philippe Gaultier, Vice President of Development Projects at IAMGOLD. By adopting PointMan, we feel confident that we are implementing a world-class utility mapping solution that will provide us the ability to identify any utility infrastructure that is buried in the ground, which can be a serious concern in terms of worker and environmental safety as well as operational costs. IAMGOLD employs approximately 5,000 people globally and is committed to maintaining its culture of accountable mining through high standards of Environmental, Social, and Governance ("ESG") practices, including its commitment to Zero Harm, in every aspect of its business. Having a global mining company like IAMGOLD adopt PointMan into their mining operations is a major milestone for us, stated Page Tucker, CEO of ProStar. Not only does it open the door to another global industry, but it also proves that PointMan addresses the growing concern of not knowing where buried utilities are located, a problem that adversely impacts the safety of the public, the worker, and the environment in a multitude of industries. ABOUT IAMGOLD IAMGOLD is a mid-tier gold mining company operating in North America, South America and West Africa. The Company has three operating mines: Essakane (Burkina Faso), Rosebel (Suriname) and Westwood (Canada), and is building the large-scale, long life Cote Gold project (Canada) which is expected to commence production in early 2024. In addition, the Company has a robust development and exploration portfolio within high-potential mining districts in the Americas and West Africa. IAMGOLD is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IAG) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: IMG) and is one of the companies on the Jantzi Social Index ("JSI"), a socially screened market capitalization-weighted consisting of companies which pass a set of broadly based environmental, social and governance rating criteria. To learn more about IAMGOLD, visit: www.iamgold.com About ProStar: ProStar is a world leader in Precision Mapping Solutions and is creating a digital world by leveraging the most modern GPS, cloud, and mobile technologies. ProStar is a software development company specializing in developing patented cloud and mobile precision mapping solutions focused on the critical infrastructure industry. ProStars flagship product, PointMan, is designed to significantly improve the workflow processes and business practices associated with the lifecycle management of critical infrastructure assets both above and below the Earths surface. ProStars PointMan is offered as a Software as a Service (SaaS) and seamlessly connects the field with the office and provides the ability to precisely capture, record, display, and manage critical infrastructure, including roads, railways, pipelines, and utilities. Some of the largest entities in North America have adopted ProStars solutions, including Fortune 500 construction firms, Subsurface Utilities Engineering (SUE) firms, utility owners, and government agencies. ProStar has strategic business partnerships with the worlds leading geospatial technology providers, data collection equipment manufacturers, and dealer networks. The Company has made a significant investment in creating a vast intellectual property portfolio that includes 20 issued patents in the United States and Canada. The patents protect the methods and systems required to digitally capture, record, organize, manage, distribute, and display the precise location of critical infrastructure, including buried utilities and pipelines. ProStars Executive management team has extensive experience in the management of both early-stage and Fortune 500 technology companies in the private and public sectors. For more information about ProStar, please visit www.prostarcorp.com . On behalf of the Company, Page Tucker on sales / corporate news releases, CEO and Director Contact: Joel Sutherland Investor Relations 970-822-4792 Investorrelations@prostarcorp.com Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Such information includes, without limitation, information regarding the terms and conditions of the Companys future plans. Although the Company believes that such information is reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. New York, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Solvent Based Adhesives Market Research Report by Chemistry, End-Use Industry, Distribution Channel, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06299687/?utm_source=GNW 92 million by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across 7 major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2018 and 2020 are considered as historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered as the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Solvent Based Adhesives to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Chemistry, the market was studied across Acrylic, Chloroprene Rubber, Natural Rubber, Nitrile Rubber, Polyamide, Polyurethane, PVC Copolymers, Synthesized Rubber, and Vinyl Acetate. Based on End-Use Industry, the market was studied across Aerospace, Automotive, Building & Construction, Leather & Footwear, Medical, Paper & Packaging, and Woodworking. Based on Distribution Channel, the market was studied across Direct Sales and Distributor. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Solvent Based Adhesives market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Solvent Based Adhesives Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Solvent Based Adhesives Market, including Alfa International Corporation, Arkema Group, Ashland Inc, Avery Dennison Corp, COIM Group, DuPont de Nemours, Inc., Dymax Corporation, Everad Adhesives SAS, Flint Group, Franklin International, H.B. Fuller Company, Henkel AG, Huntsman Corporation, Illinois Tool Works Inc., Jowat AG, LORD Corp., Morchem, Permabond LLC, Sika AG, and The 3M Company. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Solvent Based Adhesives Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Solvent Based Adhesives Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Solvent Based Adhesives Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Solvent Based Adhesives Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Solvent Based Adhesives Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Solvent Based Adhesives Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Solvent Based Adhesives Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06299687/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ LOS ANGELES, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles , a Japanese cultural destination in the heart of Hollywood, announces its upcoming exhibition Designing with Disaster: Stories from Seven Regenerative Cities on display from January 27 April 2, 2023. The exhibition introduces the concept of Regenerative Urbanism anticipatory urban design that explores the optimistic possibility of symbioses between humans and the natural and constructed worlds, embracing inevitable disasters and creating disaster-resilient environments. The exhibition also features illuminated Regenerative City Wells (Wells) with an immersive physical, video, and audio experience envisioning seven hypothetical regenerative cities. Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Reduction was held in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, the closest major city to the earthquakes epicenter in the Tohoku region. As a result, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 outlined targets and priorities to prevent new disasters, while reducing existing disaster risks worldwide. Inspired by this framework, UCLA xLAB (University of California, Los Angeles) and Tohoku Universitys IRIDeS (International Research Institute of Disaster Science) collaborated with 11 Pacific Rim universities on a new initiative named ArcDR3 (Architecture and Urban Design for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience). Design studios linked to research at each university have been exploring ways to respond to disasters and build new disaster-resilient environments around the world. The Designing with Disaster exhibition presents exciting proposals for Seven Regenerative Cities inspired by that exploration. Were pleased to share this forward-thinking collection of urban design strategies in partnership with an international coalition of scholars, architects, and designers, said Yuko Kaifu, president, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles. These efforts, inspired by the resiliency of the Tohoku people, highlight positive ideas that can evolve from the aftermath of a natural disaster. We hope this work becomes a valuable guide for the global community and helps mitigate the unique disaster potential that exist wherever our visitors reside. By looking into the Wells in the gallery space, visitors will be able to experience the seven Regenerative Cities through plans, animations, and interviews discussing the concepts. The experience will traverse imagery, data, and urban proposals to explore possible scenarios of living with disasters, while examining a global perspective on the future of urban environments. In addition to the illuminated Wells, Designing with Disaster contains three other main components: An Introductory Wall, the Pillars, and the Cloud (projection). The Introductory Wall describes the ArcDR3 Initiative, highlighting the concept of Regenerative Urbanism, and responding to the question: What can we do to nurture a culture of living with disasters and build a city that is resilient and regenerative? The Pillars encompass an area for visitors to contemplate their relationship with the Earth and use statistical data to better understand and care for areas in crisis. An immense projection expands over the wells in the exhibition gallery like a cloud, with images and data describing humanitys need to coexist with environmental risks. In conjunction with the upcoming exhibition, the UCLA Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies and JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles will co-host the Global Japan Forum 2023: Designing with Disaster to be held on January 28, 2023 from 2 p.m. 5 p.m. at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles. This years forum invites renowned architects, academics, and environmental researchers from both Los Angeles and abroad to discuss the lessons learned from past environmental disasters and how to create disaster-resilient environments to safeguard our futures. The exhibition Designing with Disaster is one part of the ArcDR3 project and was created and curated by Professor Hitoshi Abe of UCLA and his team at xLAB in collaboration with IRIDeS at Tohoku University in Japan. Sponsored by Mitsui Fudosan, it was presented in Tokyo from April 9-24, 2022, in conjunction with a symposium attended by architects and other scholars from around the world. Participating Universities include UC Berkeley (USA), University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong), University of Melbourne (Australia), National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan), National University of Singapore (Singapore), Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (Chile), University of Tokyo (Japan), Tohoku University (Japan), Tsinghua University (China), University of Washington (USA) and UCLA (USA). Admission to the exhibition is free. Walk-ins are invited and the gallery is open daily from 11 a.m. 7 p.m. (Mon. Sun.). Media Sponsor: LAist For more information, visit the JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles website and social channels: Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , YouTube and LinkedIn . ABOUT JAPAN HOUSE JAPAN HOUSE is an innovative, worldwide project with three hubs London, Los Angeles and Sao Paulo conceived by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. It seeks to nurture a deeper understanding and appreciation of Japan in the international community. Occupying two floors at Ovation Hollywood (formerly Hollywood & Highland), JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles offers a place of new discovery that transcends physical and conceptual boundaries creating experiences that reflect the best of Japan through its spaces and diverse programs. Location: 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 Website: www.japanhousela.com Media Contacts: Nerissa Silao | 310-874-9230 | nerissas@ca.rr.com Lisa Nakanouchi | 323-904-9298 | lnakanouchi@japanhousela.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/79981909-bec4-4ea1-8f73-4ecc4801aa10 LOS ANGELES, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises Avaya Holdings Corp. (Avaya or the Company) (NYSE: AVYA) investors that a class action has been filed on behalf of investors. Abbott investors with losses on their investment are encouraged to contact Lesley Portnoy, Esq. Please contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy , by phone 844-767-8529 or email : lesley@portnoylaw.com, to discuss their legal rights, or click here to join the case via www.portnoylaw.com . The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors options for pursuing claims to recover their losses. On July 28, 2022, Avaya announced the termination of its Chief Executive Officer. The Company also announced that preliminary financial results for its third quarter 2022 fell below previously given guidance and withdrew its fiscal 2022 guidance. On this news, Avayas stock price fell $1.19, or 57%, to close at $0.90 per share on July 29, 2022, thereby injuring investors. Then on August 9, 2022, Avaya disclosed that there was substantial doubt about the Companys ability to continue as a going concern. The Company also announced that its audit committee was investigating a whistleblower letter as well as the circumstances surrounding its recent earnings report. Avaya also stated that it would not timely file its financial statements for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. On this news, Avayas stock price fell $0.51, or 45.5%, to close at $0.61 per share on August 9, 2022, thereby injuring investors further. Then, on November 20, 2022, Avaya disclosed that there were material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting. Specifically, the Company did not maintain effective controls to ensure effective communication between certain functions and did not maintain effective controls over the ethics and compliance program. On this news, Avayas stock price fell $0.16, or 14.3%, to close at $0.96 per share on November 30, 2022. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Companys business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) the Company's internal control over financial reporting ("ICFR") was deficient in several areas; (2) as a result of these deficiencies, the Company had failed to design and maintain effective controls over its whistleblower policies and its ethics and compliance program; (3) the Company's deteriorating financial condition was likely to raise substantial doubt as to its ability to continue as a going concern; and (4) as a result, Defendants positive statements about the Companys business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. Please visit our website to review more information and submit your transaction information. The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims against caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firms founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Rockville, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Fact.MR, a market research and competitive intelligence provider, the global NdFeB magnets market is anticipated to reach US$ 4.3 billion by 2033, advancing at a high-value 7.9% CAGR from 2023 to 2033. Neodymium-iron-boron magnets, also known as NdFeB magnets, are the toughest rare earth magnets which are also the most economical and cost-effective. NdFeB magnets have the strongest magnetic field strength and magnetic stability despite having a lower curie temperature. As a result, they find use in electric motors, power tools, and other goods that require compact, strong, and permanent magnets. NdFeB magnets are commonly used in various end use industries such as automotive, consumer electronics, oil & gas, aerospace & defense, and healthcare. The automobile industry uses NdFeB magnets to power a vehicle's electrical system. NdFeB magnets will continue to be utilized in automobiles because they outperform SmCo and Alnico magnets, which are extensively employed in the industry. Moreover, NdFeB magnets are crucial parts of electric motors, which are utilized in electric vehicles (EVs). The growing emphasis on alternative energy has increased demand for EVs, which is driving the growth of the global NdFeB magnets market. Download a Free Sample Copy of this Report - https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=8185 NdFeB magnets are also employed in consumer electronics and can be found in anything from CRT screens to LCDs. The demand for NdFeB magnets is increasing due to the introduction of digital appliances as well as the demand for more efficient and cost-effective electronic equipment. Moreover, the growing popularity of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind is expected to boost the global NdFeB magnets market throughout the forecast period. NdFeB magnets are currently employed in wind turbine generators to increase efficiency. NdFeB magnets are increasingly being utilized in wind turbines due to advantages such as enhanced dependability and lower maintenance costs. Key Takeaways from Market Study The global NdFeB magnets market is valued at US$ 2 billion in 2023. The market is likely to reach a valuation of US$ 4.3 billion by 2033. Global demand for NdFeB magnets is projected to surge at a CAGR of 7.9% from 2023 to 2033. Asia Pacific accounted for 76% share of the global market in 2022. The automotive segment is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period. Increasing applications of NdFeB magnets in various fields such as automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, and others are expected to drive the global market forward during the forecast period, says a Fact.MR analyst Key Segments of NdFeB Magnets Industry Research By End Use : Consumer Electronics Automotive Oil & Gas Aerospace & Defense Other End Uses By Region : North America Latin America Europe APAC MEA Get Customization on this Report for Specific Research Solutions - https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RC&rep_id=8185 Regional Analysis Asia Pacific is set to lead the global NdFeB magnets market during the study period. The region is a global manufacturing hub. Electronic and automotive manufacturing are important components of the region's manufacturing industry. Japan and South Korea are assisting market growth in Asia Pacific. Japan is the world's second-largest market for NdFeB magnets. Japan and South Korea have emerged as hotspots for the production of computer hardware components such as computer chips, hard disks, and microprocessors. This has contributed to an increase in the demand for NdFeB magnets, which are widely used by electronics and hardware manufacturers. Key Companies Profiled Arnold Magnetic Technologies Lynas Corporation Ltd Electron Energy Corporation Daido Steel Co., Ltd Hitachi Metals Ltd Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd Explore Our Safe & Secure Payment Options for Quick Buy https://www.factmr.com/checkout/8185 More Valuable Insights on Offer Fact.MR, in its new offering, presents an unbiased analysis of the global NdFeB magnets market, presenting historical demand data (2018-2022) and forecast statistics for the period of 2023-2033. The study divulges essential insights on the market on the basis of end use (consumer electronics, automotive, oil & gas, aerospace & defense, other end uses), across five major regions (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and MEA). Check out more related studies published by Fact.MR Research: Demagnetizers Market: The global demagnetizers market is predicted to rise to a valuation of US$ 1.12 billion by the end of 2032, up from its current size of US$ 673.2 million, expanding a CAGR of 5.2% over the same ten years. Magnetic Induction Heating Devices Market: Worldwide sales of magnetic induction heating devices are projected to increase at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2022 to 2032. As of 2022, the global magnetic induction heating devices market accounts for a revenue of US$ 518 million and is anticipated to reach US$ 781.6 million by the end of 2032. Magnetic Shielding Sheets Market: Magnetic Shielding is generally referred as a procedure to shield and avoid unwanted interference for a product from nearby electronic gadgets. Magnetic shielding is completely different from radiofrequency shielding, which is an attempt to avoid interpretation of noise and radio frequencies in the desired cases. Magnetic Sweepers Market: The major application of the magnetic sweepers is for the cleaning of hazardous metal scraps which includes iron chips, nuts, nails, bot, staples pins etc. from clean, rough and sandy surfaces. It is used to sweep at the places such as sand where it is very difficult to find the metal or iron pieces. As per the research report published by Fact.MR, magnetic sweepers market is poised to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% deucing the forecast period 2021-31. Permanent Magnets Market: A new forecast by Fact.MR estimates that permanent magnets revenues will more than double between 2021 and 2031, reaching US$ 78 Bn at a CAGR of 8.5%. The market is poised to gain traction on the back of growing demand from the consumer electronics industry. Furthermore, traction is provided by the smart homes industry, prompting the market to surpass US$ 34 Bn by 2021. About Us: We are a trusted research partner of 80% of fortune 1000 companies across the globe. We are consistently growing in the field of market research with more than 1000 reports published every year. The dedicated team of 400-plus analysts and consultants is committed to achieving the utmost level of our clients satisfaction. Specialties: Competition Tracking, Customized Research, Syndicated Research, Investment Research, Social Media Research, Business Intelligence, Industry Analysis, Thought Leadership. Contact: US Sales Office: 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: sales@factmr.com Tel: +1 (628) 251-1583 TUCSON, AZ, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Liberty Star Minerals ( Liberty Star or the Company ) ( OTCMarkets : LBSR ) is pleased to announce the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) has issued renewal notifications for 21 MEPs covering Liberty Stars wholly owned Hay Mountain Project including the Red Rock Canyon Gold Project (RRC). Additionally, the Company has received a new Mineral Exploration Permit (MEP) comprising 80 acres as part of the Companys ongoing 240 acres claim area over the Robbers Roost Project (RRP), approximately 5.89 miles west of the Hay Mountain Project. The Company is current on all MEP requirements through 2023 renewal dates. The Red Rock Canyon Gold and Robbers Roost Projects may possess commercially important metals associated with porphyry copper-gold-moly geologic structures, well represented in the area from central Arizona to northern Mexico. Liberty Star has been interested in the Robbers Roost area for years, and we are not alone, comments Company CEO Brett Gross. Several entities hold MEPs and other mining associated claims in the immediate area. We have geoscientific data, including historical drilling information (by others), that indicate a high potential for mineralization. We remain diligent and optimistic about our progress at Red Rock Canyon as well. The renewals demonstrate our support for the exploration work to date. We believe 2023 presents encouraging opportunities to move the RRC project forward to the overall benefit of the Company, Hay Mountain and our shareholders. Brett I. Gross Brett I. Gross CEO/President Liberty Star Minerals Visit lbsr.us for more about Liberty Star Minerals, the Red Rock Canyon Gold Project & the Hay Mountain Project, including images, maps and technical reports About Liberty Star Liberty Star Uranium & Metals Corp. (LBSR: OTCQB), d/b/a Liberty Star Minerals, is an Arizona-based mineral exploration company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Arizona and the southwest USA. Currently the company controls properties which are located over what management considers some of North Americas richest mineralized regions for copper, gold, silver, molybdenum (moly), and associated metals. The Companys premiere property is the Hay Mountain Project (exploration stage) for porphyry copper, gold, moly and other commercially important minerals. Specific targets have been selected to explore for near surface and deep-seated ore bodies, of which there are numerous analogs nearby. Contiguous with the primary Hay Mountain porphyry exploration target, and part of the overall Hay Mountain Project, is an increasingly attractive area of exploration stage gold mineralization denominated Red Rock Canyon. Red Rock Canyon exhibits what we believe are extensive, promising hydrothermal associated gold-bearing structures that are documented in historical public and Company records (see associated press and social media releases for more information). The Hay Mountain Project is in Cochise County (southeast) Arizona, USA. Forward Looking Statements Certain information contained in public release may contain forward-looking statements, as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended. All statements contained herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which are unforeseeable and beyond the Companys or managements control, that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements may include but not be limited to the business strategies for the Company, assumptions of management, pending or future transactions, future estimated mineral resources or grades, investments, asset valuations, anticipated permits and approvals and other information that may be based on forecasts of future exploration, operational or financial results or estimates of matters not yet determinable. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance using words or phrases like the following may be forward-looking statements: estimate, intend, believe, expect, anticipate, plan, potential, continue may, might, could, would or similar words or expressions. Important factors that could differ materially from the expectations of the Company and management include, among other things, risks related to unsuccessful exploration results, metals prices, fluctuations in currency prices, international markets, conclusions of economic evaluations and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined as well as changes in the availability of funding for mineral exploration and development and general economic conditions. Additional information about these factors, risks and uncertainties on which forward-looking statements are based is discussed in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2022, as updated from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company is not responsible for updating the information contained in this public release beyond the presentation date or published date, or for changes made to this document by wire services or Internet services. Risk factors for the company are set out in the 10-K and other periodic filings made with the SEC on EDGAR (ref. Liberty Star Uranium & Metals, Corp.). Regulation S-K 1300 Matters On October 31, 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission adopted Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K ("Regulation SK-1300") to modernize the property disclosure requirements for mining registrants, and related guidance, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All registrants are required to comply with Regulation SK-1300 for fiscal years ending after January 1, 2021. Accordingly, the Company must comply with Regulation SK-1300 for its fiscal year ending January 31, 2022. Regulation SK-1300 uses the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards ("CRIRSCO") based classification scheme for mineral resources and mineral reserves, that includes definitions for inferred, indicated, and measured mineral resources. Liberty Star is an Exploration Stage Issuer as defined in Subpart 1300. It currently has no exploration results, mineral resources or mineral reserves to report, accordingly, no information, opinions or data included in the website or in any public releases includes any information or disclosures regarding exploration results, mineral resources or mineral reserves as defined in Regulation SK-1300. As a result, the Company is not required, at this time, to obtain or provide a Technical Report Summary as defined in Regulation SK-1300. U.S. Investors are cautioned not to rely upon or assume for any purpose that any part of the mineralized real property of the Company in these categories will ever be converted into inferred, indicated, and measured mineral resources or probable or proven mineral reserves within the meaning of Regulation S-K 1300. UNLESS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY STATED ON THE FACE OF ANY SUCH INFORMATION, NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS PUBLIC RELEASE IS, NOR DOES IT PURPORT TO BE, A TECHNICAL REPORT SUMMARY PREPARED BY A QUALIFIED PERSON PURSUANT TO AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBPART 1300 OF SECURITIES EXCHANGE COMMISSION REGULATION S-K. Follow Liberty Star Minerals on Facebook , LinkedIn & Twitter@LibertyStarLBSR NR# 224 Contact: Liberty Star Minerals Tracy Myers, Investor Relations 520-425-1433 info@lbsr.us MIAMI, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PennantPark Investment Corporation (the "Company") (NYSE: PNNT) announced that it will report results for the first fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2022 on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 after the close of the financial markets. The Company will also host a conference call at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Thursday, February 9, 2023 to discuss its financial results. All interested parties are welcome to participate. You can access the conference call by dialing toll-free (888) 394-8218 approximately 5-10 minutes prior to the call. International callers should dial (646) 828-8193. All callers should reference conference ID #1078579 or PennantPark Investment Corporation. An archived replay will also be available on a webcast link located on the Quarterly Earnings page in the Investor section of PennantParks website. ABOUT PENNANTPARK INVESTMENT CORPORATION PennantPark Investment Corporation is a business development company which principally invests in U.S. middle-market private companies in the form of first lien secured debt, second lien secured debt, subordinated debt and equity investments. PennantPark Investment Corporation is managed by PennantPark Investment Advisers, LLC. ABOUT PENNANTPARK INVESTMENT ADVISERS, LLC PennantPark Investment Advisers, LLC is a leading middle market credit platform, managing $6.4 billion of investable capital, including potential leverage. Since its inception in 2007, PennantPark Investment Advisers, LLC has provided investors access to middle market credit by offering private equity firms and their portfolio companies as well as other middle-market borrowers a comprehensive range of creative and flexible financing solutions. PennantPark Investment Advisers, LLC is headquartered in Miami and has offices in Chicago, Houston, New York and Los Angeles. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. PennantPark Investment Corporation undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. You should not place undue influence on such forward-looking statements as such statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. SAN DIEGO, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shareholder rights law firm Johnson Fistel, LLP has launched an investigation into whether the board members of ForgeRock, Inc. (NYSE: FORG) breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the proposed sale of the Company to Thoma Bravo. On October 11, 2022, ForgeRock announced it will be acquired by private equity firm Thoma Bravo in a $2.3 billion all-cash transaction. Under the agreement terms, Thoma Bravo will acquire the company for $23.25 per share. You can click or copy and paste the following link to join this investigation: https://www.johnsonfistel.com/investigations/forgerock-inc The investigation concerns whether the ForgeRock board failed to satisfy its duties to the Company shareholders, including whether the board adequately pursued alternatives to the acquisition and whether the board obtained the best price possible for ForgeRock shares of common stock. Nationally recognized, Johnson Fistel is investigating whether the proposed deal represents adequate consideration, especially given one Wall Street analyst had a $26.00 price target on the stock. Additionally, ForgeRock just went public in 2021 at $25.00 a share and since going public the stocks high was $47.15. If you are a shareholder of ForgeRock and believe the proposed buyout price is too low or you're interested in learning more about the investigation, please contact lead analyst Jim Baker (jimb@johnsonfistel.com) at 619-814-4471. If emailing, please include a phone number. About Johnson Fistel, LLP: Johnson Fistel, LLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm with offices in California, New York, and Georgia. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit https://www.johnsonfistel.com . Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. After 11 rounds of votes across two separate meetings, Allentown City Council on Wednesday appointed local business owner Santo Napoli to a vacant council seat formerly occupied by now state Rep. Josh Siegel. Council convened to hold several more rounds of votes after none of the 13 applicants received the four votes needed to secure the seat at a meeting Dec. 19. Wednesdays vote came down to the wire. Council had planned to hold just three rounds of voting Wednesday. If no candidate received the four necessary votes, members would consider a motion to petition the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas and ask a judge to appoint someone to the seat. Leaving it up to a judge, however, was something members were clearly reluctant to do. As council president, I want you all to understand that if we do not choose a candidate tonight, this is going to go to the court, Council President Cynthia Mota said. We do not know what the courts are going to do. The final decision came down to a fourth, unplanned round with member Ce-Ce Gerlach casting the deciding vote for Napoli. How they voted Votes were evenly split on the third round of voting, with council members Ed Zucal, Ce-Ce Gerlach and Natalie Santos voting for former Allentown police Chief Roger MacLean and members Candida Affa, Daryl Hendricks and Cynthia Mota voting for Napoli. On the first round of voting, Gerlach and Santos voted for Rodney Bushe, a community engagement specialist with Promise Neighborhoods. Gerlach then voted for MacLean on the second round of votes, while Santos voted again for Bushe. The other four council members voted for the same candidate on all four rounds. MacLean was a surprising choice for Gerlach and Santos, who have been critical of the Allentown Police Department. Both said their first choice was Bushe, whose progressive politics align with their own. But Gerlach and Santos both said MacLeans prior experience on city council he served from 2015 to 2019 before deciding not to run for re-election convinced the two that he was a better choice over Napoli. However, Gerlach made a motion to hold a fourth round of voting and switched her vote to Napoli on that round, allowing him to clinch the seat. It was a chaotic process because a fourth round of voting was not originally planned. Members had written their votes on paper ballots and did not have any paper available to vote on a fourth time. City Clerk Michael Hanlon told members to write their fourth vote on the back of one of the ballots they had already written on. But Gerlach and Santos had written on the backs of each others ballots on the fourth round, instead of their own. The error resulted in Hanlon initially reading out loud another inconclusive vote, with three members for MacLean and three for Napoli. Gerlach had to verbally correct Hanlon after he had already read out loud the results. This will be over, Gerlach said. Natalie said mine was on the back of her ballot, hers was on the back of mine. Wow, Mota interjected. Gerlach made the switch to Napoli in the name of compromise, she said afterward. I didnt want this vote to go to the courts, Gerlach said. The people of Allentown elected us to make a decision and thats what we needed to do. When youre in this position you sometimes have to make compromises, and maybe not always get what you want. She added that she was looking forward to working with Napoli on council. Still, even though Napoli was sworn in, a provision of Allentowns city charter could allow a group of Allentown residents to challenge the vote. According to the citys charter, if the council fails to act within thirty days following the occurrence of the vacancy, the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County shall, upon petition of three members of council or ten qualified voters of the city, fill the vacancy in such office by the appointment of a qualified resident of the City. Siegel resigned from his city council seat on Nov. 30, more than 30 days before Wednesdays meeting. Don Simon, the husband of Sandra Simon who had also applied to the vacancy, said filing a petition was something his wife considered after city council initially failed to fill the vacancy in December. In hindsight, after what we witnessed last month, she is now questioning if she wants to be part of your group, Simon said. As of Wednesday afternoon, no applicants to city council had filed a petition in Lehigh County court. Who is Santo Napoli? Napoli owns Assembly88, a menswear store in downtown Allentown, and is chair of the Downtown Allentown Business Alliance. He is also on the Allentown Parking Authority board and unsuccessfully ran for council in 2021. Napoli said he is thrilled to have secured the city council appointment. He will serve out the rest of Siegels term, which expires at the end of 2023. I ran for city council two years ago because I believed I could make a difference, and I still believe I can make a difference, Napoli said. Im thankful to the current city council for putting their faith in me. He said his priorities on council will be addressing affordable housing and fiscal responsibility. Asked if he had any thoughts on the chaotic process that led to his appointment, he said not really. Im glad the end result worked out, but it was quite the process, Napoli said. Morning Call reporter Lindsay Weber can be reached at liweber@mcall.com. The House of Representatives is on its third day without a speaker, as 20 far-right Republicans have refused to back Kevin McCarthy, sending Congress into turmoil. To U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, whose district covers the Lehigh Valley area, its been a frustrating few days. Without a speaker, the House has been unable to work on legislation, receive committee assignments or swear in new members. [Republicans] have known since Nov. 9 that they took the majority, and they were going to need to elect a speaker, Wild said Thursday morning, before the seventh vote for speaker. It should have been ironed out before we got here so that we could all just get our committee assignments and get to work. By Thursday evening, the House had held 11 votes over the course of the week, with McCarthy falling short of the amount of votes he needed each time. Republicans have a narrow, five-person majority in the House after the 2022 midterm elections. A group of around 20 Republicans have refused to back McCarthy and have demanded changes that would give individual members of Congress more power. Scott Perry, who represents Pennsylvanias 10th District including Harrisburg and York, is one of several leading the movement against McCarthy. The delay has not stopped Wild from getting to work, however. She said she is opening an office in Carbon County, which she is newly representing as of this week. Wild planned to appear at a news conference Friday morning in Bethlehem, but will have to remain in Washington and skip the event if the speaker impasse continued past Thursday. She fears the chaos could be harbinger of more dysfunction to come. We have been working, but not as a collective congressional body, Wild said. I cant help but wonder whether its going to be equally dysfunctional over the next two years. This weeks election is the first time in more than 100 years that the House failed to elect a speaker on a first try. Democrats on Tuesday elected Hakeem Jeffries of New York, as their House minority leader. Jeffries will be the first Black person to lead either party in Congress. Morning Call reporter Lindsay Weber can be reached at liweber@mcall.com. A former Philadelphia election official who has told of enduring death threats for defending the citys 2020 vote-counting against former President Donald Trumps lies will be nominated for the top election administration post in Pennsylvania. Al Schmidt will be nominated to be Pennsylvania Gov.-elect Josh Shapiros secretary of state, the campaign said Thursday, setting him up to oversee what is expected to be a hard-fought 2024 election in the critical presidential battleground. Shapiro, a Democrat, made the post his first Cabinet selection to be publicly announced ahead of his Jan. 17 inauguration. Protecting elections and voting rights was central to Shapiros campaign, as he emphasized his intention to nominate a pro-Democracy secretary of state and his role, as attorney general, in fighting efforts in court by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Al Schmidt has a proven track record of defending our democracy, protecting voting rights and standing up to extremism even in the face of grave threats, Shapiro said in a statement. Schmidt, 51, is a Republican, fitting in with Shapiros theme of fashioning a bipartisan administration in politically divided Pennsylvania. Schmidt is currently president and CEO of the Committee of Seventy, a good-government group in Philadelphia. Before he joined the group a year ago, Schmidt spent a decade as a Republican elected to the three-member board that oversees elections in Philadelphia. Holding the post of secretary of state is subject to confirmation in the Republican-controlled Senate. The $165,000-salary job involves overseeing how the states 67 counties run their elections, giving them guidance and assistance on how to manage it a task that has grown in complexity with the advent of the states no-excuse mail-in voting law and conspiracy theorists inspired by Trumps lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him. The department also administers a long list of professional licensing commissions that report to the department. In 2020, Schmidt became the face of Philadelphias protracted vote count when Trump and his campaign repeatedly claimed that bad things happen in Philadelphia and spread lies to sow doubt about the legitimacy of the election in the heavily Democratic city. With help from Philadelphia, Trump lost Pennsylvania to Democrat Joe Biden. Few, if any, Republicans came to Schmidts defense during a time when he has said he received Trump-inspired death threats against him and his family that he has called domestic terrorism. No lawsuit, prosecutor or election worker has produced evidence of widespread fraud in Philadelphias 2020 election. In the wake of the election, Schmidt testified in front of a U.S. Senate committee and the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He has since become a prominent critic of what he has called the vicious cycle of conspiracy theorists and politicians who spread lies about elections. The falsehoods prompt deceived constituents to demand that politicians do something usually resulting in a push to restrict voting rights and violent threats to election workers, Schmidt has said. Ashanti Region NSS boss suspended for two months without pay over verbal assault of nurse Kweku Zurek Jan - 04 - 2023 , 15:19 The Ashanti Regional Director of the National Service Scheme, Alex Opoku-Mensah has been suspended for two months without salary for verbally assaulting a nurse at the Manhyia District Hospital in Kumasi. The suspension is part of three recommendations made by a Committee of Enquiry which investigated the incident which led to calls for his dismissal by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA). The three recommendations which include a transfer to the Head Office in Accra to work under supervision after the suspension and the rendering of an official apology to the National Service Scheme have all been approved by the Ghana National Service Scheme (GNSS) Governing Board. Mr Opoku-Mensah was suspended temporarily on December 1, 2022, to make way for investigations following the incident which happened on Sunday, November 27, 2022. After analyzing the content of the audio between Mr Opoku-Mensah and the Nurse, the management of the NSS found him to be in breach of the Code of Conduct of the Ghana National Service Scheme (GNSS) and the Public Services generally, and consequently suspended him, for the Committee made up of representatives from the Public Services Commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, National Labour Commission and the GNSS, to investigate the matter and submit recommendations within one month. "After two (2) weeks of sitting and a visit to the Manhyia District Hospital, the Committee submitted its report to Management on Monday, 19th December, 2022 for subsequent referral to the GNSS Governing Board," the GNSS said in a press release issued today. "At its sitting on Wednesday 21st December 2022, the Board extensively deliberated the report and unanimously approved the Committees recommendations as follows: i. Mr. Alex Opoku-Mensah should be suspended for two (2) calendar months without pay. ii. After the suspension, Mr. Opoku Mensah should be moved to the Head Office to work under supervision; and iii. Mr. Opoku-Mensah should be made to issue an official apology to the National Service Scheme for bringing the name of the institution into disrepute. The GNSS management said it was taking the steps to ensure that all the directives of the Board are complied with. Related Articles Manhyia Hospital: NSS Director renders unqualified apology for verbal assault on nurse Sack Ashanti regional NSS boss GRNMA demands Background The incident happened at the Manhyia District Hospital in Kumasi last Sunday, November 27, 2022. It is an exchange of words between a doctors father - Alex Opoku-Mensah - (the doctor is a house officer at the Manhyia Hospital) and a nurse. The nurse is said to have called the house officer (doctor) on the said Sunday to come over and delete a prescription from the E-Health system since the prescription was unissued to the patient. This according to the nurse was to help prevent the patient from being billed with the unissued prescription. The father of the doctor, Alex Opoku Mensah who seemed not happy with the way and manner the nurse called and the alleged language used over the phone, followed the daughter to the hospital and the following exchanges in the audio ensued [AUDIO of exchanges attached below]. Mr Opoku Mensah has since apologised for his action. Chief Imam, others honoured by Hausa community Elizabeth Konadu-Boakye Jan - 04 - 2023 , 10:33 The Chief Imam, Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, has been honoured for his enormous effort and contribution towards the promotion and education of the Hausa language and for his excellent leadership role as a Muslim leader. He was honoured by the Haddin Kai Hausa da Hausawan Duniya Foundation, a global foundation for the promotion and education of the Hausa language and culture, with the position as the Garkuwa, which means the Chief of Staff of the foundation. Others Veteran Journalist, Chief Lamido Sheikh Mohammed Jibril Sissy who is currently the Jasetse of Muslim Chiefs in Gbawe and Chief of Anyah, Chief of Hausa Greater Accra, Chief Mohammed K.K. English together with Chief of Zangon Accra, Sarki Hamisu Bako, were also honoured with an Honorary Doctorate. The event was held together with the handing over of new executives of the foundation. Speaking at the event, the Public Relations Officer of the foundation, Mariam Sissy, said education was the primary tool for training and equipping the younger generation who would develop society when the unfortunate happened or there was a state of confusion. The neglect of the role of African culture in education and development is a major setback affecting our society today. If our society is to become self-reliant and self-sustaining in its development, then a realistic policy which situates development and process of education in the context of our language and culture must begin to be promoted, she said. She added that the foundation was concerned with the promotion of national identity, relevant skills and character development of the Hausa people, and a neglect of the language and culture was going to be grave and dangerous. Our education is not designed to promote creativity or an all-round development of the student but rather to process them, largely by rote, in order to acquire certificates that would qualify them for white-collar jobs. With its imitation of western cultural norms, values and standards education serves only to emasculate our indigenous cultures, she added. Unified body The President of the foundation, Mohammed Saeed, said there was a need for the Hausa community to come together as a unified body because that was the only way to bring progress and development to their community. He urged all to desist from tagging Hausa people as non-citizens but rather welcome them as they were also citizens. He also urged the Hausa community to educate and train the younger generation to know how to speak and communicate in the language as it was their pride. The financial Secretary of the foundation, Suleiman Sheriff Idriss, also urged the newly appointed executive to do their best in unifying the community for development. A former Pennsylvania Department of Transportation employee accused by authorities of charging immigrants up to $350 to help pass the knowledge test and ultimately obtain drivers licenses said Wednesday he was seeking to help them. Angelo Carrion, 66, charged immigrants to furnish them with correct answers to get learners permits and ultimately secure their licenses, according to an affidavit. He also submitted incomplete applications or applications that were not verified for immigration or citizenship status, the charging documents state. Carrion was charged with 17 felony counts of bribery in official matters, one felony count each of theft by deception and criminal use of a communication facility, and 17 felony counts plus 35 misdemeanor counts of tampering with public records or information, Pennsylvania State Police announced Wednesday. Carrion also allegedly would give out his personal cell phone number to Spanish-speaking PennDOT customers so that they could set up appointments, check on their license status or for referrals, according to the affidavit. Police said everyone in the investigation was in the country legally and eligible to receive licenses. Reached by phone Wednesday, Carrion said that he plans to plead no contest, though I felt that 90% of those charges were unfounded, without merit, he said. He said that he assisted certain individuals who did not speak the type of Spanish that appeared on the test. That was my motive, to help them, he said. Carrion said he did not currently have an attorney, and was waiting to see if he would qualify for a public defender. Carrion was employed at two drivers license centers in Lancaster County where he worked as a drivers license examiner assistant starting in 2019; he resigned in April after an internal investigation found irregularities with 268 license or identification cards that Carrion allegedly handled between October 2021 and March 2022, according to the affidavit. Police interviewed 35 of the applicants where it was suspected that Carrion had tampered with tests or failed to verify their immigration status, the affidavit said. In interviews with the customers, mostly identified as Spanish-speaking in the affidavit, some allegedly failed the knowledge test as many as 13 times before Carrion was the one to administer the test. Police said that many of Carrions customers were required to test again and many did not pass the re-testing process. Brooke Schultz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Prioritise passage of procurement bill Justice Agbenorsi Jan - 05 - 2023 , 08:01 The government has been urged to prioritise the passage of the Procurement and Supply Chain Bill into law to regulate the profession. The immediate past Chairman of the Council of the Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply (GIPS), Mr Basil Ahiable, who made the call, said the passage would drastically reduce the incidence of procurement malpractices and go a long way to prevent financial resources from going down the drain. Speaking at an inaugural ceremony for GIPS new council members in Accra, Mr Ahiable charged the new leadership of the institute to ensure that the passage was done within 12 months. I would like to emphasise that the passage of a law to regulate the licensing and practice of procurement and supply in Ghana is long overdue and that Parliament and the executive arms of government should prioritise the passage of the licensing and practising bill drafted by GIPS into law when it is presented to them. This we believe will drastically reduce the incidence of procurement malpractices in the country and help in our quest to control spending in these times of austerity and times thereafter, he said. Ceremony The ceremony saw the induction of a nine-member council of GIPS. The council is chaired by Evelyn Sam, who will steer the affairs for the next two years. Practitioners from various sectors were present to discuss salient issues of concern to GIPS, take stock of previous initiatives and discuss plans ahead of the coming year. According to the outgoing chair, when passed into law, the bill would give true meaning to the profession in its quest to ensure effective procurement systems. The bill, he said, clearly defined the boundaries of the practice and sanction regimes for members who would flout the law when it was passed. Recommendations He assured the newly appointed council members of his support to ensure an effective regime for members and the country as a whole. He charged the council members to increase public awareness and enthusiasm for GIPS through public lecture series and other engagements. That, he said, would help provide information on how an effective GIPS could be a solution to the current economic problems the country was confronted with. He further called for an increased frequency of training for GIPS members to equip them with the skills needed for the job market while institutionalising the celebration of a procurement and supply chain week to serve as a visibility and awareness programme for the GIPS. Acceptance Mrs Sam, in her acceptance speech, thanked the team for entrusting the organisation to her for the next two years. She commended the outgoing council for the splendid work done so far and assured the members of her readiness to deliver on the mandate. The Board Chairman of the Public Procurement Authority, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, urged the new council to ensure discipline in their daily engagement. Sustain fuel price reduction ICU George Ernest Asare Jan - 04 - 2023 , 10:27 The Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union (ICU) Ghana has encouraged the government to be pragmatic in initiating measures that will further reduce prices of fuel in 2023 to lower the cost of transporting goods and services across Ghana. The General Secretary of ICU, Morgan Ayawine, who announced this as part of his New Year message to workers said it was equally important for the government to put measures in place to ensure the stabilisation of the local currency against its major trading currencies. This, he indicated, would not only reduce the high cost of living in the country but would also motivate workers to remain dedicated to their core responsibilities of supporting the accelerated growth of the nation. Stabilise the cedi "The government should sustain the measures put in place to ensure the stabilisation of the cedi against its major trading currencies to aid doing business in Ghana, and to reduce prices of goods and services to ameliorate the economic hardship imposed on Ghanaians " Mr Ayawine noted . He said since the government was the single largest employer it was important for it to devise measures that would ensure a fair distribution of the national cake for the reciprocal gesture of workers to increase productivity and revenue generation. We call on the government, the single largest employer, and other employers to ensure equitable distribution of the national cake for the reciprocal gesture of workers and increased productivity, he stressed. Mr Ayawine, however, implored workers to remain committed and dedicated to their core responsibilities to make 2023 a memorable year. Prospects in 2023 The year 2023 has the prospect of being successful and we as workers and nation builders must play our roles with zeal and dedication to make it successful, " he advised. Stressing, Mr Ayawine said having rested a bit during the Christmas season it was important for workers to resume work in 2023 with renewed vigour that would enable their respective employers to achieve their organisational goals in line with ICU's longstanding maxim. "We cannot discount or gloss over the myriad of economic challenges that engulfed us as workers in the year just gone by; nonetheless, we should not let that discourage us but rather we should use it as a stepping stone to make a strong comeback to face and overcome those challenges and make this year economically viable in our individual, corporate, social and national lives" Mr Ayawine implored Remain zealous Mr Ayawine was of the view that it was only when workers remained zealous in their operations that they could be counted among selfless and patriotic nation builders. "It is truism that hard work breaks no bone, so let us as workers continue to work harder for the achievement of organisational and national goals for the full recovery of the national economy, " he advised Overcoming economic challenges: Eschew extreme partisanship - 2 statesmen Samuel Duodu & Ezekiel E. Sottie Jan - 05 - 2023 , 08:17 Two statesmen have called on citizens to eschew extreme partisan politics and support the government to turn the economy around. While a veteran legal practitioner and member of the Council of State, Sam Okudzeto, urged citizens to remain hopeful and do their bit to support the government to help turn the economy around for the better this year, a former Minister of Finance, Seth Terkper, has called on the citizenry not to allow partisan politics to divide them to the extent of hindering development. Messrs Okudzeto and Terkper were speaking in separate exclusive interviews with the Daily Graphic. Lets not lose hope In a chat with the Daily Graphics Samuel Duodu in Accra, the Council of State member shared his " message of hope to the people," stressing that by everyone putting their energies to the wheel, the economy will grow with a resultant improvement in the quality of life of the people. "I am saying this not because somebody in government has promised us, but because we the people have resolved that we will work together to make our nation a shining example on the continent and the rest of the world. "We must not lose hope as citizens, but work together as one people with a common destiny who are determined to turn things around," he said. Difficult year The legal luminary acknowledged that the year 2022 was a difficult one but urged citizens not to lose hope as "we have all that it takes to build the prosperous nation we all desire". He admonished the mosques, churches and traditional authorities to continue to drum home the message of hope and the need to remain united as one people determined to work together for the common good of the country. Change in mindset Mr Okudzeto called on the media to use their platforms to inspire hope and confidence in the citizenry and desist from painting a gloomy picture that all hope is lost. "The media is a powerful tool and it must be used in a positive manner to change the mindset of Ghanaians that it takes the contributions of each other as citizens to make our nation prosperous," he said. "We can make it as a people and as a nation if we remain united. It is only through unity we can achieve success," the elderly statesman added. "Ghana is a very beautiful country and we should not allow anything to destroy our country. Unity is important. Let us unite together as one people with one destiny for the success of our country," he said. Mr Okudzeto also urged those in government to think above themselves and put the love of the country and the national interest first. "When we put the national interest first we will go beyond the ordinary," he stated. Excessive politics Mr Okudzeto bemoaned the polarisation of the Ghanaian society, advising Ghanaians to see themselves as one people and not on political party lines, if the nation was to progress. "We must see ourselves as Ghanaians first before and when we do that we can come together to work for the progress of the nation," he stated. Mr Okudzeto also urged those in government to think above themselves and put the love of the country and the national interest first. "When we put the national interest first we will go beyond the ordinary. "I am making a passionate plea to Ghanaians that God has given us a wonderful country and extremely talented people, let us use our talents and work together in unity and rebuild this nation and make it a shining example, not only to the continent but the rest of the world," Mr Okudzeto stated. Politics The member of the Council of State called on Parliamentarians to shed their political lenses and begin to look at issues from the national perspective. "If the government is doing something you disagree with, let us make suggestions as to how the issue can be improved and worked upon," he stated. "So my plea to Ghanaians is that let us not let party politics divide us. I am not saying politics is bad because it is there to offer constructive criticism and alternatives for the growth and development of the country," he observed. Divisive politics hindering development In an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphics Ezekiel E. Sottie in Somanya, the former Finance Minister, Mr Terkper, said partisan politics had always been practised in the country, and in the past, that was not divisive to the point of hindering development as was the case currently. We need to be circumspect in the way we handle politics in Yilo Krobo and the country at large in order not to impede our development, Mr Terkper said on the sidelines of the Yilo State Homecoming Summit, held at the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) at Somanya, capital of the Yilo Krobo municipality in the Eastern Region. The event was on the theme: Yilo Krobo beyond partisan politics: Harnessing our development potential. Competitive Mr Terkper said in Ghana, partisan politics between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) was competitive which brought fun; sometimes it also brought misunderstanding which went a long way to retard development. Mr Terkper said when it came to riots in politics in Yilo Krobo, it was limited but it impeded development, adding it is difficult to develop an area if there is no stability. My humble appeal to indigenes from the area, especially we the privileged ones, is that we must come together to play leadership roles so that we can lead our people to develop, Mr Terkper emphasised. Royalty Mr Terkper cited an example of the royalty from the mining of limestone in the Krobo area for cement production in Tema, which was still in the accounts of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development. That, he said, was due to the lack of mutual understanding between both Yilo Krobo and Manya Krobo Traditional areas for the sharing of such money for development projects. He said the time had come for the elite in both traditional areas to play leadership roles to ensure that the issue was resolved for them to have access to the money for development projects which the traditional areas needed badly. Politics in Yilo Krobo Referring to local partisan politics in Yilo Krobo, he said every government, be it NDC or NPP, in one way or the other built schools and other infrastructure for the common use of the people. Mr Terkper asked: Have we asked whether the students in Yilo Krobo Senior High School at Somanya, for instance, are from NDC or NPP parents? He said such questions were immaterial as what was very important was students attending school irrespective of what party their parents belonged to. He also cited the example of the land on which UESD was built which was the property of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), which was popularly known as Brigade. He said it was therefore immaterial for anybody to play partisan politics with it, as what was necessary was the fact that the university was built in Kroboland to benefit them, provided the people would have keen interest in tertiary education. Majority of things we do do not have reference to NDC or NPP. When it comes to award of contracts, then you see these things emerging, but in ordinary dealings these things do not show up, he added. Advice to the youth The former Finance Minister advised the youth, in particular, who usually foment trouble with partisan politics to be democratic, exercise their democratic rights but not in a rowdy way, which would bring bitterness and hatred among friends and families. World Braille Day: Ghana lags behind Braille evolution Delali Sika Jan - 05 - 2023 , 08:31 As the world marked Braille Day yesterday, the Executive Director of the Ghana Blind Union (GBU), Dr Peter Obeng-Asamoa, called on the government to lead the process to digitise braille in the country. He said the country had been unable to keep pace with the evolution of braille which had moved from being just a medium of communication to a mode of accessing information for the visually impaired. The GBU also averted the minds of all to the fact that braille was the official mode of information for the visually impaired and that documents of state such as the budget, parliamentary proceedings, should be made accessible in braille to aid the visually impaired. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic to mark the World Braille Day, Dr Obeng-Asamoa explained that looking at how everything was going digital, it was disappointing that the country was still stuck with paper braille. We have become stagnant; weve stayed with the paper braille for too long. The government should be able to produce books in braille and other forms of technology for the visually impaired, he said. Six dots language Braille is a system of six dots arranged in various patterns to allow for interpretation as letters of the alphabets and numerical figures. It is read with the pad of the fingers. Moreover, Dr Obeng-Asamoa said if only policymakers would ask questions, things would be different. Policymakers do not ask questions, these digital braille devices are out there like the orbit reader, note taker etc. but it seems we are still where we are. Braille on paper is old, it has evolved, countries like Kenya are doing it, he noted. Easier life The assertion was supported by the Head of Department for Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired, Okuapemman Secondary School, Seth Kwame Ativor, who also noted that digitalising braille would make life easier for the visually impaired. With this, people can still read their braille but this time it will be with ease. We are far behind when it comes to incorporating braille with technology and this affects our education, he said. In as much as it has helped, we can do far better, he added. Mr Ativor said other countries had done it as it was not so expensive to do, saying we only need a few technical brains, few resources and we can move our education materials to the electronic braille. He, therefore, called on the Ministry of Education and the partners to rise to the occasion, especially in the era of technology and digitalisation. The Vice-President has been fighting for digitalisation, we need to do same with our braille, Mr Ativor said. For his part, the President of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisation, Joseph Atsu Homadzi, noted that the education system had not been fair to the visually impaired in terms of accessing learning and literacy materials. We lack textbooks in braille, we do not have them, its a serious challenge for us. So basically, as a student, you have to fall on your colleagues to read out to you. When you go to Okuapemman Senior High School, the situation is the same and has made learning difficult, he said. He said the teacher did not pardon the visually impaired student just because textbooks were not in braille, as all students were assessed based on merit. How do I compete with my mates who have access to everything, while we are answering the same examination questions from West African Examination Council (WAEC), he asked rhetorically. Subsidisation, capacity-building Sharing her experience as a teacher of visually impaired students at the Okuapemman Senior High School, Regina Oppong urged policymakers to help subsidise the cost of braille materials to make them accessible to all. Braille materials like the paper, stylus and so on are very expensive. Due to this, not everyone can afford them; it is very disheartening. We, therefore, pray the government to come to our aid, she said. Ms Oppong further said though everything was going digital, there were still people who were comfortable with the paper braille and so it should not be written off completely. Also, she noted that training institutions such as the colleges of education should be strengthened and equipped adequately to enhance teaching using braille. They should be well positioned to transfer knowledge to braille users. Periodically, there should be braille proficiency courses for the students so that they can apprise themselves of new trends, Mr Oppong said. State documents In a separate interview, the Advocacy Project Officer of the GBU and Braille expert, Bismark Amoh, said that the government should recognise that braille was the official mode of information for the visually impaired and that documents of state such as the budget, parliamentary proceedings, should be made accessible in braille for their reach. There is a gap that needs to be filled, the question is there is information out there in print versions, how does this section of the visually impaired persons access it. For instance, we dont have print news in braille, has the print news house asked how we get to read their publications, the same applies to state documents, he said. Background World Braille Day is celebrated yearly in recognition of the birth of the French inventor of braille, Louis Braille, born on January 4th, 1809. The day celebrates the importance of braille as a means of communication in the full realisation of the human rights for visually impaired people. The day also acknowledges that those with visual impairment deserve the same standard of human rights as everyone else. More than two third malaria deaths were among Children - Shalina Healthcare Ghana increases awareness of Malaria Graphic.com.gh Health Jan - 04 - 2023 , 19:14 According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), even though Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease, it continues to have a devastating impact on the health and livelihood of people around the world. This calls for an urgent increase and continuous awareness by all, of which Shalina Healthcare Ghana has taken the needed steps. In 2020, there were an estimated 241 million new cases of malaria and 627 000 malaria-related deaths in 85 countries. More than two thirds of deaths were among children under the age of 5 living in the WHO African Region. Shalina Health Ghana care Ghana joined the call by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to commemorate World Malaria Day in April 2022 through a health walk organized by the National Malaria Control Program. To ensure the celebration does not end on the day set aside, Shalina Healthcare saw an opportunity to engage the public to increase awareness on Malaria and its right treatment. Hence, throwing in the ShalArtem Ghana Challenge. This challenge started in October, where the public was tasked to creatively show a favorite activity, they are not able to engage in anymore because they have been knocked down by Malaria (after testing positive). They will have to show what they did to recover and bounce back to their favorite activity. In an event held at the Crystal Palm Hotel, Tesano, the Marketing Manager, Mr. Nagaraju Galipelli explained the causes of Malaria, how to get tested and the right treatment after testing positive. In attendance was Aka Ebenezer (Dr. Likee), the brand Ambassador for ShalArtem (an anti-malaria drug from Shalina Healthcare), who championed the ShalArtem Ghana Challenge on behalf of Shalina Healthcare Ghana Ltd. Speaking to the Country Manager, Mr. Amrit Pal Singh mentioned that Dr. Likee was chosen because of his hilarious and stunning videos which fit perfectly for the personality we were looking for to fill the role. We believe that through his craft, we can meet a wider audience. Some participants were recognized for their effort in raising awareness on Malaria and the right treatment needed after testing positive. They encouraged the public to always get tested before treating Malaria. Shalina Healthcare is a market leading pharmaceutical company with over 35 years of providing quality healthcare products offered at an affordable price and available across Sub-Saharan Africa. Shalina Healthcare Ghana was adjudged as the Best Healthcare Provider of the Year at the just ended Ghana Business Awards 2022 and remains committed to ensuring that patients and clients receive quality medicines at affordable prices and are available at every pharmacy near store near them. Shalina Akonta Mining not involved in illegal activities - President Akufo-Addo Rosalind K. Amoh Politics Jan - 05 - 2023 , 08:00 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has absolved Akonta Mining from any wrongdoing, saying that the company was not involved in any illegal mining activities anywhere in the country. The President was addressing the Catholic Bishops Conference and 16th Biennial Congress of the National Union of Ghana Catholic Diocesan Priests Association in Koforidua in the Eastern Region on Wednesday (Jan 4, 2023). Let me respond briefly to the chairperson on the issue of illegal mining. I want to assure him and all of you that Akonta Mining is not engaged in any illegal activities in any part of the country as we speak, he said. Further, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has, through the Forestry Commission and with the assistance of the military, cordoned off all 294 sites of forest reserves in thecountry and rid them of illegal miningas we speak, President Akufo-Addo added. Media Coalition Meanwhile the Media Coalition Against Galamsey has in an interview with the Daily Graphic, reminded the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, of his promise to investigate and bring to book owners and officials of Akonta Mining Limited for their alleged involvement in illegal mining activities. According to the coalition, there was substantial evidence to prosecute the directors of the mining firm for their alleged engagement in illegal mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Western Region in contravention of the ban on mining in such reserves. The reminder is a follow-up to two petitions earlier written to Dr Dampare to carry out swift investigations into the alleged illegal mining activities by the firm, said to be owned by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako. The coalition is made up of some civil society organisations (CSOs) and convened by Ken Ashigbey. The Minerals Commission in a statement in October 2022, had also said that Akonta Mining had no mineral right nor a mining lease to undertake any mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. Concerns According to Ashigbey, the coalition was concerned about the seeming silence on the request for investigations, adding that persons identified had not been invited for questioning let alone charged. He explained that the reminder to the IGP was to sustain the campaigns to send signals that the fight against galamsey was not only in words but indeed, and that the real financiers and beneficiaries of this menace must be made to bear the brunt instead of poor workers who often have no choice but to engage in the act to survive. Dr Ashigbey said they would make an effort to meet with Dr Dampare again for feedback on their petition since the IGP also owed it a duty to the nation to help stop galamsey. Asked why the coalition would not allow the process to take its course, he said: We are currently unaware of any actions to investigate, arrest and prosecute the directors and officers of Akonta Mining despite the incontrovertible evidence that the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, his ministry and the Minerals Commission have in their possession evidence that shows the company has in fact undertaken alleged illegal mining operations. According to the convener, other stakeholders, including the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, had also called for the prosecution of officials of the company for the alleged offences. It cannot be that there is no sufficient evidence to establish that Akonta Mining has a case to answer and that there is insufficient evidence to initiate prosecution against the companys director and officers, he said. Muhlenberg College recently announced the introduction of a graduate certificate program in diversity, equity and inclusion. The online program can be completed in one year. I am sure marketing research found that there is a strong need for such a program in the Lehigh Valley. The college should be congratulated for perceiving this need and moving to meet it. It brings to mind three sensitivity related experiences that I had some years ago while still actively teaching at Muhlenberg. A then new president at the college recognized a compelling need for greater diversity: more diversity in the hiring of faculty, more diversity in the recruitment of students, and more diversity in course and program offerings. He further recognized the inequities that were imbued, often without awareness, in American society. Inclusion was not yet specifically identified, but certainly was tacitly included among the broad headings of diversity and equity. George Heitmann is professor emeritus of management science at Penn State-University Park and professor emeritus of economics at Muhlenberg College. The Muhlenberg faculty, he believed, needed to become more sensitized to these college aspirations. All faculty were required to enroll in an online training course designed to develop a greater sensitivity to diversity or some related topic. Enrollment required nothing more than going onto your office computer and bringing up a 20 or so page document. This was to be done at your convenience, but within some specified time period. The online training session prompted you to read a sensitivity-raising document and then answer a series of multiple-choice questions to assess your understanding. Your responses generated immediate feedback, and your resulting test score was automatically reported to the human resources office. Thats more or less the way I remember it. I was not happy about having to enroll in the training session and put it off until near the end of the specified time period. I didnt think it was going to tell me anything I didnt know. Was that arrogance on my part? I felt that after spending years living abroad, in North Africa, China, Europe and the Caribbean, I had experienced diversity firsthand. Did I need to be told that people are different, that they see and react to the world in different ways? Isnt that the message I was regularly promoting in urging students to spend a semester or more living and studying abroad? But college rules must be obeyed. So, I uploaded the training document to my office computer and started reading. I didnt feel that I was learning much, and my reading gradually slipped from word-to-word attention to quick scanning. My response to multiple choice questions provided immediate assessment of my comprehension. I answered every question correctly, save for one. My one incorrect answer was the result of accidentally checking the wrong response and not having the means to correct it. I found the training exercise a waste of my time. Others, of course, might have found it more useful. Certainly, the administration viewed it more favorably than I. A year or two later, another similarly focused training session was mandated. I duly turned to my computer and brought up the training materials. This time, however, I didnt read the instruction narratives. I went directly to the multiple choice questions. I read each question and then chose what I thought would be the best response. I missed a few questions, but did excellently. And, the training exercise took far less time to complete. Before my retirement from Muhlenberg, there was another required training exercise to promote enhanced sensitivity. This time, I took it with more willingness, even anticipation. The previous time, as above related, I went directly to the multiple choice questions, not bothering to read the instructional material. What if, instead, I should not only ignore the text, but also the multiple choice questions? I decided to go directly to the answer options; there were four possibilities for each question. Could I pick out the most likely correct response without even knowing what the question was? It was a challenge; amusing, yes, but one with possibly more serious implications. Of course, youve already guessed how my little game played out. But first, let me emphasize that although each of the instructional sessions had a similar sensitivity enhancing objective, they were otherwise different, with different instructional materials and different multiple choice questions to assess understanding. Yes, as you suspected, I passed with flying colors. I did, however, miss a few more questions on each successive test. Did this reflect my increasingly more cavalier approach? I think not. The questions that I missed were not perceptively enough appraised by the testing authority. That is, I think my missed responses were conditionally correct. Does this simply reflect smug satisfaction on my part? Perhaps; I believe that my longer time living in the world and my varied living abroad experiences have given me a greater diversity awareness than many of the experts who offer sensitivity training. Sorry about that! George Heitmann is professor emeritus of management science at Penn State-University Park and professor emeritus of economics at Muhlenberg College. NPPs development feats in Volta Region evident Woanya Alberto Mario Noretti Politics Jan - 05 - 2023 , 08:10 The Volta Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Makafui Woanya, has said the revival and remarkable progress of some key infrastructural development projects in the region bear ample testimony to the partys commitment to giving the region its fair share of the national cake. He mentioned the steadily progressing Eastern Corridor Road Project, Sokode-Ho Dual Carriage Road Project, which is nearing completion, and the ongoing, Southern Sector Water Systems Extension Project as monumental evidence of the NPPs dedication to addressing the needs of the region. The University of Health and Allied Sciences which the NDC is always quick to claim as their baby is seeing massive infrastructural expansion, Mr Woanya added. He was speaking at an end-of-year media soiree at his residence at Sokode-Lokoe, near Ho, last Friday (December 30, 2022). The event which was attended by about 30 media practitioners in the region was graced by the Communications Director of the NPP, Richard Ahiagbah. Propagandists The NPP Regional Chairman urged the media to take a firm stand to resist attempts by some propagandists to belittle the development achievements of the government in the bid to pursue their parochial and selfish interests. He observed that in recent times, some political zealots made pronouncements which sought to undermine the peace and stability of the nation, and said that amounted to toying with the destiny of the nation. Mr Woanya reminded the gathering that if the trend was left to lead to an upheaval in the country, it was the media which would become the first casualty. Therefore, the press has a vital role to play in the preservation of our collective security and stability, he added. Provide alternatives Meanwhile, Mr Ahiagbah challenged those who criticised the government for making little development progress to provide better alternatives. He said it was mind-boggling that those who failed to attend to the needs of the people when they were in power were now criticising the government for failing the people. Mr Ahiagbah urged the media to maintain a high standard of professionalism and only present their reports after making in-depth and balanced analysis of what they were presented with by ambitious politicians. The South Dayi District Chief Executive (DCE), Attah Kudjoh, commended the media in the region for their wide and detailed coverage of activities not only in the urban centres but in the rural areas as well. The Ho Municipal Chief Executive, Divine Bosson, said the assembly would vigorously involve the local media in its tourism development agenda this year. The Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, Emmanuel Agbaxode, said the association was poised to support the various assemblies and the Volta Regional Coordinating Council to lift the region to greater development heights. The Green River Fire Department and other emergency services responded to an explosion behind McDonald's in Green River the night of Dec. 29. The Green River Fire Department, Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office, and other local law enforcement and first responder agencies have responded to several emergencies over the last two weeks, including two fires at mobile homes in Green River and a plane that slid on the runway when landing at the airport. Mobile home explodes near McDonald's At approximately midnight the evening of December 29, Green River Fire Department, Castle Rock Ambulance and Green River Police Department were dispatched to a reported explosion behind the area of McDonald's in Green River according to a GRFD press release. Upon arrival, first responders found a mobile home that had exploded and was fully engulfed in flames. They found one occupant out front that had suffered multiple life-threatening injuries as a result of being inside the home during the explosion. The patient was quickly loaded into an ambulance by GRPD and Castle Rock Ambulance, then transported to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County in Rock Springs while GRFD battled the blaze left behind. According to a GRFD spokesman at the time, the GRFD responded with 21 firefighters, two engines, and the tower engine to fight the fire. Due to the extreme heat, fire fighters were only able to surround the home in a defensive style attack to get it under control and help protect the homes and restaurant close by. GRPD units were able to get the surrounding homes evacuated while the attack was under way. Due to the circumstances of the fire, fire tactics took a lengthy amount of time. The crews battled the blaze for over two hours and were able to extinguish the blaze with little damage to any other structures. Once the responders gave the all clear, all residents were able to return to their respective homes. While investigators are still investigating the cause of the fire, it appeared that the home was heated with multiple propane-style heaters. The actual cause of the explosion is still under investigation. The current condition of the resident was also unknown at the time of the GRFD press release, but the patient was life-flighted to a burn unit more suitable for the type of injuries that occurred. A GRFD spokesperson stated: "The department would like to thank all agencies involved: Sweetwater Combined Communications, Wyoming State Troopers, Sweetwater Memorial Hospital, Green River Police Department, Castle Rock Ambulance, and the first responders of Green River Fire Department." Airplane slides on runway At approximately 9:40 p.m. December 27, the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office received reports of a developing situation at Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport. A Skywest commercial passenger plane out of Denver, destined for Rock Springs, reportedly slid off the runway upon attempting to land, according to the Sheriff's office statement. The cause and details remain under investigation by airport personnel and federal aviation authorities. A total of 50 including passengers and crew were aboard the plane during the incident with no reported injuries. The sheriff's office worked together with the airport, Rock Springs Police Department, Sweetwater County Emergency Management, and the City of Rock Springs Fire Department to transport passengers safely off of the plane. Fire starts after pipe-thawing attempt Shortly before 5 p.m. the evening of December 23, Green River Fire Department was paged to a reported structure fire in Pioneer Park Trailer Court, according to a GRFD press release. Upon arrival, Incident Command Captain J.P. Apostolope noticed smoke coming from underneath a mobile home. Engine 2 was the first truck on scene, led by Lieutenant Cody Rider and crew Cliff Walgren, Dallen Serrano, Chevy Eaton, Kenny Ball, and Jason Bernal. They were followed by Engine 22. Two trucks and 14 fire fighters were on scene. It was determined that the insulation under the mobile home was burning due to the attempt to thaw the main line using a propane heater. Due to the quick response of GRFD, the fire was quickly extinguished, causing damage only to the insulation and skirting. There was no damage to the interior of the trailer. The GRFD expressed their thanks to thank the Green River Police Department, Castle Rock Ambulance, and Sweetwater Combined Communications for their assistance and response to the scene. The GRFD also reminded all citizens that in extreme cold weather conditions when thawing frozen pipes everyone should follow four steps: turn on the faucet and keep it running; apply heat to the frozen area with a hair dryer, never using an open flame; continue to apply heat without stopping until full water pressure has been restored; and check all faucets and prevent pipes from freezing in the future by running water through the pipe, even a trickle, which helps prevent pipes from freezing. Pennsylvania has a new speaker of the state House, Rep. Mark Rozzi of Berks County. Rozzi, a Democrat who is best known for fighting for the rights of child sex abuse victims, was a surprise pick, considering Republicans temporarily hold a slim majority in the House. If they had united, the GOP could have chosen one of their own. Instead, 16 Republicans voted for Rozzi. Lets hope this is a sign that the extreme partisanship that has reigned in the Legislature is waning. Rozzis first move as speaker was refreshing. He pledged to shed his partisan label and operate as an independent. He said he wouldnt participate in the caucus of either party, and his staff would include Republicans and Democrats. There was a lot of partisan feuding in recent weeks about who holds the power in the House. Thankfully, that seems to be over. Now its time to get to work. Here are three suggestions for Rozzi in his new role. Special elections Three House seats are vacant, all in Allegheny County, and the House speaker decides when special elections will be held to fill them. The dates of the elections, all of which are expected to be won by Democrats, were a point of dispute in recent weeks amid the power struggle for the House. Rozzi already took steps to clean up this problem. On Wednesday, the Department of State received paperwork from him scheduling the two contested election dates for Feb. 7. Democratic House Leader Joanna McClinton previously scheduled the elections for that date. But whether she had the authority to do that is in question. I dont believe she did, as there are 101 Republicans and 99 Democrats in the House because of the vacancies. McClinton, of Philadelphia, argued that Democrats held the majority because voters elected 102 Democrats in November. Three of them, though, cannot serve. Longtime Rep. Anthony DeLuca died before Election Day. It was too late to remove his name from the ballot and voters elected him. Reps. Austin Davis and Summer Lee were reelected but resigned because they also were elected to higher office, Davis as lieutenant governor and Lee to Congress. The GOP House Leader, Rep. Bryan Cutler, argued McClinton didnt have the power to set the dates. The GOP sued in Commonwealth Court to block those elections from occurring. The parties settled on Feb. 7 for the election for DeLucas seat. But Cutler, believing he was the majority leader, scheduled the other two elections for May 16, the date of the primary. That was dirty politics, because it would assure Republicans retain the majority for at least that long. Rozzi was right to move them all to Feb. 7. It will ensure voters in those districts are represented sooner. And it will save Allegheny County money by having all of the elections simultaneously. Whether that is the date when they will be held, though, still is subject to the litigation in Commonwealth Court. Hopefully, that suit will be tossed soon as moot. Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Mark Rozzi is photographed at the speakers podium Tuesday, at the state Capitol in Harrisburg. Committee chairs The House speaker also decides who leads the 28 House committees. Those are important positions. Committee chairs decide which bills will be voted on and advanced in the legislative process, and which bills might as well be burned because they never will be considered. Thats a lot of power. It has been wielded wrongly at times by previous chairs to block good legislation, sometimes for no reason other than politics. For example, I wrote last year about how the state House Health Committee, chaired by Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren, had failed in three consecutive legislative sessions to vote on a bill that would require carbon monoxide detectors in many child care facilities. The bill passed the Senate unanimously in 2018 and in 2020. But the bill never moved in the House. How can you not support such a bill? Probably because it was introduced by a Democrat, Sen. Wayne Fontana of Allegheny County. He told me in October, after a carbon monoxide leak at an Allentown day care sent dozens of kids and employees to hospitals, that partisan politics was blocking his legislation. They just wont run a Democratic bill, Fontana told me. Rozzi can solve this problem. He can appoint level-headed representatives who are independent thinkers like himself to lead the committees. No more partisan hacks. Usually, the party in power chairs every committee. With Rozzi vowing to be independent, he should have some committees controlled by Democrats and some by Republicans. Limit constitutional amendments In recent years, the Republican-controlled state Legislature aggressively legislated through constitutional amendments. It was their way of working around vetoes of some of their crappiest legislation by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf. Lawmakers could avoid Wolf and take their case directly to voters by asking them to approve amendments, which voters almost always do. A referendum requires that identical legislation be passed in successive legislative sessions. Last year, lawmakers approved several controversial ones, including one that would say that the state Constitution does not guarantee any rights relating to abortion. As speaker of the House, Rozzi controls which legislation is brought to the House floor for a vote. He can block second votes on that referendum and others. Not all referendums are bad, though. Some deserve to be followed through on, including one that is of deep personal interest to Rozzi. It would ask voters if the state Constitution should be amended to allow a two-year window for child sex abuse victims to sue, despite the statute of limitations having expired. The referendum was driven by the clergy sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church that was exposed in a grand jury probe led by Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro. Three years ago, Rozzi sued the Allentown Diocese and Holy Guardian Angels Parish in Reading, saying he was sexually abused by a priest in the 1980s, when he was 13. In August, Wolf and legislative leaders announced they reached a bipartisan agreement to complete the legislative process for that referendum this year and give long-ago victims of child sex abuse an opportunity to seek justice. Rozzi must follow through on that commitment and bring that legislation up for a vote soon. Morning Call columnist Paul Muschick can be reached at 610-820-6582 or paul.muschick@mcall.com Newly elected commissioners and city council members are sworn in, participate in first meetings of the new year Green River Mayor Pete Rust and Council Members Ronald Williams, Gary Killpack and Michael Shutran take the Oath of Office, led by the Honorable Judge Jason Petri of Green River Municipal Court, at the start of Tuesday night's council meeting. Government business for the new year got underway when returning incumbents and newly elected officials got to work this week during the Board of County Commissioners meeting Tuesday morning and Green River City Council meeting Tuesday night. County Commission "It is a new year and we are excited," Commissioner Mary Thoman said at the beginning of Tuesday's meeting of the Board of County Commissioners. The board met for the first time in 2023 on Jan. 3, which was also the first meeting for three new commissioners - Keaton West, Island Richards, and Robb Slaughter. All three commissioners were sworn in to their positions during a ceremony Tuesday morning when Sweetwater County's new elected officials were sworn in by the Honorable Judge Richard Lavery of District Court. At the beginning of the commission meeting, the commissioners voted unanimously to make Keaton West the new board chairman, with West abstaining from the vote. "I appreciate that vote of confidence, but I would like to just mention that it's going to take all of us," West said after being made chairman. "I look forward to the five of us working together as a team to sort through the issues of the county and move it forward together. I'll lean on you as you lean on me and we can each utilize our strengths and personalities to the betterment of the county." During the first meeting of the year, the board addressed a few items of business. The commissioners approved the consent agenda which included requests to replace vacant positions in the County Clerk's office and Detention Center; approved a Planning and Zoning resolution requiring changes to access points for a subdivision north of Rock Springs; heard county resident comments and concerns from Chris Blake regarding allowing firearms at the county courthouse and from Wyoming Senator John Kolb about working together in the future; heard an update on the Colorado River Basin from Brian Seppie of the Joint Powers Water Board; discussed looking into the possibility of no longer paying for an ad to list county phone numbers in the phone book; reappointed Randy Laughter and Travis Baker to the Weed and Pest Board; and designated the Green River Star as the county's newspaper of record for 2023. The commissioners also discussed small changes they would like to potentially make, including possibilities like changing the commission meeting starting time to 9 a.m., having commissioner comments at the beginning of the meeting instead of the end, and bringing back liaison duties for the commissioners. All three new commissioners also expressed their thanks to former commissioners Jeff Smith, Randy "Doc" Wendling and Roy Lloyd for the work they did, and expressed their excitement to work with the current board. "I'm excited to get started," Slaughter said. "It's really nice to be able to sit down and actually feel like we can learn and we can start working together. I'm excited about this group. I think it's going to be a very good group to work with, and I think we'll do a good job for Sweetwater County." City Council The Green River City Council meeting started with elected council members Pete Rust, Ronald Williams, Michael Shutran and Gary Killpack taking the oath of office, led by the Honorable Judge Jason Petri of Green River Municipal Court. Rust, Shutran and Killpack were returning to their seats on the council, with Williams taking over the Ward I council seat previously filled by Jim Zimmerman. Photo courtesy of Mary Thoman New Commissioners Keaton West, Island Richards and Robb Slaughter stand with Judge Richard Lavery of District Court after being sworn in Tuesday morning. Council Member George Jost was unanimously elected as Council President for the year of 2023, and Council Member Mike Shutran was elected as Council Vice President for the year of 2023 with a majority vote. During the first meeting of the year, the council also made a proclamation recognizing Human Trafficking Prevention Month; appointed Council Member Gary Killpack and Council Member George Jost to the Finance Committee for 2023; and approved a resolution officially establishing and designating bank depositories for the City of Green River, which must be done every year according to Wyoming state statutes. Green River Police Chief Tom Jarvie was filling in for Reed Clevenger as acting city administrator during the meeting. During their comments at the end of the meeting, all of the council members welcomed Councilman Williams to the council. "Welcome to the council," Councilman George Jost told Williams. "Have a good time. There will be a lot going on here in the next few months, so you'll be busy." A Rock Springs man was arrested the morning of December 19 after his child died from an accidental drug overdose in October. Daniel Scott James, 35, of Rock Springs was arrested at his residence without incident. James is accused of involuntary manslaughter in his son's death. Sheriff's office spokesperson Jason Mower said on the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 21, deputies responded to a home north of Rock Springs for a two-year-old boy who was unconscious, unresponsive and not breathing. "When they arrived, they found the boy's father administering CPR. The child's body was stiff and cold to the touch; he was obviously deceased," Mower said. Despite first responders' efforts to resuscitate him, the boy was pronounced deceased by paramedics on the scene. Through the course of investigation, detectives learned James was taking a number of different prescribed and illicit medications including Buprenorphine, commonly branded as Suboxone and prescribed to treat opioid withdrawal. At the time of death, James said kept his medications in a pill organizer on the microwave. The night before the boy died, James told investigators he noticed his Buprenorphine was missing from the pill organizer. The child's mother also reported that her toddler son vomited several times before bed that night. While no obvious signs of trauma were discovered during autopsy, toxicology results revealed Buprenorphine in the child's system. While forensic experts would not specify the exact number of pills the boy may have ingested, they said less than one pill was enough to prove lethal. Lead detective on the case, Stephanie Cassidy, said, "These investigations are never easy. A child was lost. Despite the circumstances, my deepest condolences are with the family. We've spent a lot of time and effort over the last few months piecing this together and trying to bring justice to this little boy." In Wyoming, involuntary manslaughter is defined as unlawfully killing any human being without malice, involuntarily, but recklessly, and is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The dedicated men and women of Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office remind everyone that all people are presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with law. CASPER Wyomings grizzly bears and the humans who manage them have had a standout year. Conflicts, the official designation for confrontations between bears and people or their property, were the lowest the state has recorded since 2014. And the six bears relocated in 2022 represent the least since the 90s, said Dan Thompson, the Wyoming Game and Fish Departments large carnivore supervisor. It felt all summer, and into the fall, like a low-conflict year, Thompson said. But the agency was reluctant to declare the year a success too early, he added, like it might jinx it. By years end, Game and Fish had counted just over 170 conflicts between grizzly bears and people, which is a lot, but quite down from the average over the last decade, he said. Its nice to have a year where the sky is not falling. The average number of known conflicts is about 215 per year, he said. In 2021, the agency verified 281 conflicts; in 2020, it verified 208. Game and Fish euthanized, or removed, 15 grizzlies in 2022, in response to persistent conflicts or other dangerous behaviors down from an unusually high 30 in 2021 and 18 in both 2019 and 2020. The fact that we can have a year that was below average is promising for the future, Thompson said. This years death toll, however, included one of the quadruplets newly separated from famous grizzly matriarch 399. The subadult bear was killed in July after racking up 13 conflicts during its first (and only) two months alone. As far as wildlife managers know, the rest of the quadruplets are still alive and staying out of trouble in the backcountry. Weve not had any dealings with those offspring since they reached independence, Thompson said. And after several years marked by escalating and increasingly concerning conflicts, their mother is also keeping a low profile. We had one verified observation of her, early fall, north of Jackson, Thompson said. Her whereabouts are unknown. But its fairly typical behavior of her when she doesnt have cubs, to kind of be off the grid more. Similarly, little is known about grizzly 863, the roadside bear known to her fans as Felicia, whose plight led to an outcry in the summer of 2021 after officials floated euthanasia as a last-ditch way to keep her away from a busy mountain pass in Grand Teton National Park. She was seen several times this summer, but she did not have that habituated roadside behavior as weve seen, Thompson said. The status of her two cubs is unknown. A number of factors made 2022 a quiet year for Wyomings grizzlies. Food was plentiful, prompting fewer hungry bears to venture out of their core habitat in pursuit of human stores. Attractants like apiaries and livestock feed have been better secured every year, Thompson said; electric fencing is proving effective. I truly try to give credit where its due, to the people who live, work and recreate in grizzly bear country, he said. Its important to note that the people that are there in grizzly bear country are a major reason why we have a recovered population as well. Thompson urged recreators to visit the states bear safety page, Bear Wise Wyoming, and contact Game and Fish directly with questions. Were happy to talk about grizzly bears, he said. Officials are in the process of recalculating the grizzly population in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which hovers, by recent estimates, around 1,000. Thompson said its continued to trend upward, in abundance and distribution, based on all metrics we have. The regions grizzly bears remain a federally protected species at least for now. A response to Wyomings petition to remove the grizzly from the endangered species list, citing the populations successful recovery, is expected from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in January. Game and Fish backs the effort. Many conservation groups have spoken out against it. As the state awaits a decision that could have huge implications for future management of grizzly bears, Thompson said Game and Fish is cautiously optimistic for the next year. James William Smith was born to Henry J. and Doris Mae Smith in Laramie, Wyoming on October 2, 1951. He lived until December 17, 2022. James attended schools in Green River, Wyoming and graduated from Lincoln High School with the class of 1971. He attended Denver Automotive School and received his diesel certification. James worked for Union Pacific Railroad for 38 years. James enjoyed traveling the country attending model railroad conventions until his kidneys failed. He was an avid Harley Davidson fan. He enjoyed reading about local history and anything about the Wild Bunch and Butch Cassidy. He had a generous heart and enjoyed talking with people. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his brother, Henry J. Smith Jr., his sister Loanda (Stephen) Slaton, nephews Aaron and Ethan Slaton and several cousins. He has been cremated and his ashes will be scattered over the Big Horn Mountains. Cremation has taken place; no services will be conducted at his request. Condolences may be left at http://www.vasefuneralhomes.com. Representatives from the McKenzie Home Green River Working Board recently met with representatives from Trona Valley Federal Credit Union to receive the $10,000 donation Trona Valley gave to the McKenzie Home project. Pictured from left to right are: Steffany Arellano from Trona Valley, Carrie Fischer from the McKenzie Home project, Deli Ranieri from Trona Valley, Jeremy Gibson from Trona Valley, Stephanie Riddle from Trona Valley, Dianna Morrell from the McKenzie Home project, and Shelley Yoak from Trona Valley. Bringing the McKenzie Home to the old Washington Square school building is still an ongoing project, but progress is being made, especially with donations like Trona Valley Federal Credit Union's recent $10,000 contribution to the transitional home for single mothers. Debra Moerke, who came up with the idea for the McKenzie Home, visited Green River at the beginning of December to give presentations on the project. A representative from Trona Valley attended one of those presentations, then later reached out to Carrie Fischer, the chairman of the McKenzie Home's Green River working board, to let her Trona Valley wanted to donate to the project. "They decided to donate that amount and offered to support anything with the McKenzie Home, from the building clear on to maintaining it once we get started," Fischer explained. "We're pretty excited about our first community partnership." While several individuals from Green River and Casper, where Moerke is from, have already donated to the project, Trona Valley is the first business in Sweetwater County to show their support for the McKenzie Home. "I think the more that we get the word out, the more support that we'll gather, because there will be more people who understand the purpose and the vision that Deborah Moerke had for this single moms' transitional home, and it'll find more people who have a passion or a heart for it and want to donate to something right in our community that's going to be really worthwhile for families of single moms," Fischer said. Local support for the project is important in getting things started, but will be even more important long-term, according to Fischer, because it will help the McKenzie Home reach its goal of being self-sustaining and help refer single moms to get the help they need. "The community will be invested emotionally and financially in keeping the McKenzie Home running well," Fischer explained. The Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola is here and it's just what it sounds like - a Motorola-made smartphone that looks like a Lenovo ThinkPad laptop. The ThinkPhone is built around a 6.6-inch OLED display of 2400x1080px resolution and 144Hz refresh rate. The screen also offers HDR10+ support. Inside, there's a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset paired with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, and you get a choice of 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. You can have the ThinkPhone in any color as long as it's Carbon Black, but make no mistake - this isn't your everyday regular black phone. For starters, it gets a special red key that's customizable to do different tasks - open the Walkie Talkie app through Microsoft Teams or open a business or field app. The back panel is designed with a lightweight aramid fiber (which is supposedly stronger than steel), while the frame is aircraft-grade aluminum. The front is clad in Gorilla Glass Victus. The back is finished off with a special ThinkPhone logo. The ThinkPhone is also IP68 and MIL-STD 810H certified, so it will survive a drop from up to 1.25 meters and a swim of up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. The Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola The Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola (try saying that three times fast) has a 5,000mAh battery that supports 68W wired charging and 15W wireless charging. You get the needed wired charger in the box. Camera-wise, the Lenovo ThinkPhone has a 50MP f/1.8 main camera that pixel-bins four to one for resulting 2.0m pixels. This camera has both PDAF and OIS. Alongside it is a 13MP f/2.2 ultrawide with Macro Vision. On the opposite end, there's a 32MP selfie camera with autofocus. The ThinkPhone is more than just a branding exercise. It brings true integration with Lenovo's ThinkPad laptops, including Think 2 Think connectivity, based on Motorola's Ready For. It allows you to sync the ThinkPhone to your ThinkPad and transfer copied text, photos, documents, as well as drag and drop files, share notifications, use the phone as a webcam, and open any Android app on the Windows laptop's screen. The ThinkPhone will come with Microsoft 365, Outlook, and Teams apps preloaded. The Moto KeySafe is a separate processor that adds a layer of security - it will keep PINs and passwords, crypto keys, and other sensitive data in a tamper-resistant environment. Finally, Moto OEMConfig or Moto Device Manager will allow IT admins to remotely configure the Lenovo ThinkPhone for business clients. Think 2 Think connectivity with ThinkPad laptops The Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola is coming to the US, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia, and select countries in Asia in the coming months. Lenovo hasn't revealed the price just yet, but since it's meant to be a B2B device don't expect to find it in your local electronics store. Community volunteers join fight against COVID-19 Xinhua) 16:22, January 05, 2023 GUIYANG, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Despite frigid winter, a volunteer team is busy delivering medicine to the Nanxiyuan Community in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province. Nanxiyuan Community is home to 1,060 relocated residents from 290 households from seven townships under the Huaxi District of the city. Among the residents, more than 300 belong to the elderly or disabled groups. During China's campaign to eliminate absolute poverty, relocation was a typical way to help locals out of poverty by allowing residents to move from closed mountain areas to areas suitable for living. Wei Yuanfen, 36, is a relocated resident in the community. Wei has to stay at home to look after two children, with the 13-year-old elder suffering from intellectual disability. Her two kids had a fever in recent days due to COVID-19, and she had no suitable medicine. "The fever didn't go away," the mother worried. She solved the problem thanks to the volunteers who delivered medicine to her front door. Last June, the community organized a volunteer group and invited Party members and university students to become involved in community management and governance, especially in COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control of the community. "Over the past few days, some residents have been infected with the virus and had symptoms such as fever and cough, but some families had trouble going out and buying medicine," said Song Changju, an official of a neighborhood office of the community. Song said more than 100 volunteers delivered medicine, antigen test kits, and daily necessities such as food and oil. At the entrance of the community clinic, some volunteers distribute traditional Chinese medicine decoctions to residents for free. Yao Xiaoxie, 21, is one of the volunteers. Three years ago, Yao and his mother relocated to the community. For Yao's mother, a deaf-silent, community workers often visit the family and offer help. Last September, when Guiyang was baffled by the rapid rise of infections, Yao became a volunteer and helped deliver food and supplies daily. Sometimes, he could only rest for two or three hours a night, but he never complained. Volunteers are also vital in delivering medicine to relocated residents in need in Longsheng Community, a resettlement site in Tongren City of the province. Most middle-aged residents work outside the province, leaving behind the elderly and children. Tuo Zhenni, a volunteer from the post-90s generation decided to deliver medicine to neighbors in need. She said that they are like "a big family," and it is necessary to "look out for each other when someone needs help." "I am always on call for any activities in the community, and I hope every volunteer service from me could bring warmth to the ones in need," said Tuo. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Wu Chaolan) Samsungs new SmartThings Station is a multi-function hub for your smart home its a hub, it doubles as a button and it has a 15W Qi charger built in. Note that this supports the Matter protocol, which has been widely adopted by the smart home industry it unified Samsungs and Googles ecosystems, even Apple added Matter support to iOS 16.1. The new Samsung SmartThings Station The basic function of the SmartThings Station is to connect all your smart home devices, which may use one of several protocols. This lets you control them from your phone even when you are not at home. You can also control them from the Station itself a single, double or long press can trigger a scene. For example, this can turn off all the lights and power off some devices as you leave home (and then power them back on when you get home). It can tell your TV to go into Game mode and your phone into Do Not Disturb mode. It can also close the blinds and lower the temperature as you prepare to go to bed. The Station also integrates with the SmartThings Find network. Since its always at home, it can detect whether your registered devices are at home and when they leave/come back. This includes the devices you carry on you phone, tablet, watch, earbuds but also anything with a Galaxy SmartTag or SmartTag+ attached. The SmartThings Find network is growing fast, it reached 200 million registered devices last year. Finally, the Station can charge your phone, watch, earbuds and any other device that supports Qi (up to 15W). This is a clever addition since you will want the station in a convenient location to use its button, which also means that it is in a convenient location to leave a device to charge. Once charging is done, you will get a notification so you can go pick it up. The SmartThings Station will launch in the US in early February 2023, it will also be available in South Korea. The Station will be available in Black and White. Source Xiaomi held a big event in India today, where the Redmi Note 12 series' international debut was marked. In typical Redmi fashion, the Redmi Note 12 that will be sold in India differs slightly from its namesake available in China. The Redmi Note 12 Pro and Redmi Note 12 Pro+ are identical. The launch event was for the Redmi Note 12 Series 5G, suggesting Xiaomi may introduce an LTE-only member to the Redmi Note 12 family in the near future. The Redmi Note 12 comes with a 6.67 AMOLED with 120Hz refresh rate and a Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 chipset. It has three cameras on the back - a 48MP main shooter with PDAF, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP depth sensor. The phone comes in Green or Black and costs INR15,499 ($187/175) for the 4/128 GB variant or INR17,499 ($210/200) for the 6/128 GB. Sales begin on January 11, with the phone being available on Mi.com, Amazon, and retail outlets. The Redmi Note 12 Pro has the same overall design, but it's actually a bit smaller than its vanilla sibling. It brings a Dimensity 1080 chipset and a 50MP camera, while the 5,000 mAh battery supports 67W charging. The Redmi Note 12 Pro comes in are Black, Blue, and Pink colors. Prices are INR24,999 ($300/285) for the base 6/128GB version, INR26,999 ($325/307) for 8/128GB mid-tier model and INR27,999 ($340/320) for top 8/256GB spec. Xiaomi offers discounts of up to INR3,000 ($37/35) to early buyers you can get one from January 11 at Mi stores, Flipkart and partner retailers. The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is the leader of the series. It has the same footprint as its non-Plus sibling and shares its OLED panel and 5,000 mAh battery - but it is the first device in India with Samsungs ISOCELL HPX sensor for the 200MP camera. Charging is also blazing fast at 120W, and the adapter is provided in the retail box. The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ will start from INR25,999 ($315/295) for the base 8/256 GB variant, while the 12/256GB is INR28,999 ($350/330) with applicable discounts. Color choices are Black, White, and Blue. Just like its Pro sibling, this phone will be available on January 11 at Mi.com, Flipkart, and select third-party retailers. Redmi Note 12 Pro+ debuts Samsung's 200MP ISOCELL HPX sensor Sadly, the Redmi Note 12 Discovery with 210W charging and a smaller 4,300 mAh battery will not make it outside China, and we are yet to see if the Redmi Note 12 Pro Speed escapes the domestic scene and under what name. Source The University of Guams Guam/Micronesia Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program is providing caregivers of persons with dementia the opportunity to participate in an online training and certification program, CARES Dementia Advanced Care. The program includes six modules which started Jan. 4 and will continue through the month. The next classes are below: Module 2: Eating Well, 10 a.m.-noon, Jan. 7. Module 3: Recognizing Pain, 6-8 p.m., Jan. 11. Module 4: Minimizing Falls, 10 a.m.-noon, Jan. 14. Module 5: Rethinking Wandering, 6-8 p.m., Jan. 18. Module 6: Minimizing and Elimination Restraints, 10 a.m.-noon, January 21. There will be exams held for the certification 6-8 p.m. Jan. 25 and 10 a.m.-noon Jan. 28. Sessions will be over Zoom at the following links: Wednesday sessions: https://zoom.us/j/92072878067 Saturday sessions: The sessions are part of ongoing free online support groups for family caregivers of persons with dementia on Zoom every Wednesday and Friday year-round. The sessions are free to partners, family members and other caregivers who have ties to Guam and the Micronesian region. A man charged this week with second-degree robbery has several criminal convictions and a history of failing to show up in court, according to the attorney generals office, which this week asked the Superior Court of Guam to keep him confined or to require electronic monitoring if he is released. KM Kim Reifich, 30, this week was charged in connection with the Oct. 29 robbery of Kaelas Mart, in Dededo, during which he allegedly brandished a pistol and threatened to shoot the woman behind the counter. The people believe that this defendant has a high likelihood of being a catch & release type situation, the attorney generals office stated in a Wednesday request to the court, asking that Reifich be confined until his trial. The office, led by newly elected Attorney General Douglas Moylan, this week started publicly releasing court documents related to new criminal cases, including charging documents, requests by the attorney generals office to keep defendants in custody, and a list of past convictions, pending cases and bench warrants. The attorney generals office also plans to publicly disclose court orders when defendants are released. This attorney general was elected by our community to stop the increasing numbers of crime victims based upon the proven numbers of recurring crimes from catch and release type scenarios, the request in the Reifich case states. According to the office, defendants who do not show up for hearings or who are released by the court after they are arrested in connection with new crimes, overtax an already burdened criminal justice court system. According to documents from the attorney generals office, Reifich has five past convictions for reckless driving, assault, possession of an open container, criminal trespass, public drunkenness and DWI. Two bench warrants were issued for Reifich in connection with his 2018 DWI case. The attorney generals office this week also asked the court to deny release for: Denvin Benjamin, 25, is accused of family violence. He has a pending DWI case from 2019, with an outstanding bench warrant in that case. Raymond Taimanglo, 39, is accused of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance. He has a prior conviction for possession of a controlled substance, and later was arrested two more times, including this weeks arrest. Rueben James Torres Rivera, 27, is accused of criminal sexual conduct and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance. He allegedly participated in a sexual assault Feb. 26, 2022, in a correctional facility. Police this week found him lying in front of a vacant building along Marine Corps Drive and arrested him on drug charges after searching him. Rivera has four separate pending pre-trial cases in connection with family violence, aggravated assault, terrorizing and violating a court order. Seven bench warrants were issued in connection with those cases. Jacob Danis, 38, is accused of attempted terrorizing and simple stalking. He was convicted in four criminal cases for resisting arrest, assault, family violence and terrorizing and has two pending criminal cases related to family violence, criminal mischief and assaulting a peace officer. The Superior Court issued two bench warrants in connection with his pending cases. Joseph Cunic, 43, is accused of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance. He has two federal convictions, for burglary and operating impaired and has two outstanding bench warrants in Michigan. Michael Wilcosky, 19, is accused of family violence and violating a court order. He has a pending pretrial case from 2022 related to family violence. Timothy Serebour, 24, is accused of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, unlawful restraint and violating a court order. He was convicted of family violence in a 2020 case. A bench warrant was issued in connection with that case. Rolando Quebec, 52, is accused of driving while impaired. He has no criminal history, documents state. Sonny Kuka, 29, is accused of driving while impaired. He was convicted of DWI in a 2018 case and has two pending pretrial cases from 2021, for resisting arrest and for DWI with a child on board. M.B. Koto, 38, is accused of driving while impaired. The attorney generals office did not provide documents related to any past cases or arrests. Wayner George, 30, is accused of terrorizing, family violence and strangulation. He was convicted of family violence in a 2013 case and assault on a peace officer in a 2012 case. He has three pending pretrial cases from 2022 in connection with family violence, assault and terrorizing. He was arrested 12 times between 2018 and 2022. The Jose D. Leon Guerrero Port Authority of Guam in Piti on Oct. 24, 2022. Former Superior Court of Guam Judge James Jamie Canto has joined the Ports legal team, according to a news release from the Port. A fact-finding team of Philippine lawmakers that visited Guam in December is recommending the establishment of a dedicated office to address the needs of skilled Filipino migrant workers and improve hiring process timelines. The delegation also is pushing for a Guam-specific standard employment contract for those hired under the federal H-2B worker visa program. The push was a result of what the Philippine lawmakers saw and learned about the perks of working in Guam. Findings They reported on the safe and comfortable working and living conditions of Filipino H-2B workers in Guam, as well as their salaries four to eight times more when compared to what some construction workers earned in other areas, such as the Middle East. Guam needs thousands of additional foreign skilled workers to work on massive, multibillion-dollar military-related construction projects because the local labor pool isnt big enough. Guam prefers Filipino construction workers because of their skill and craftsmanship and because of the islands proximity to the Philippines, the congressional delegation, led by Rep. Ron Salo, said in a 28-page report on their Dec. 11-15 fact-finding mission to Guam. While Guams minimum wage is $9.25 an hour, the average rate that Filipino H-2B workers receive is $15 an hour, the team said. Thats the equivalent of nearly 840 pesos an hour, or about 6,700 pesos a day. Guam Department of Labor Director David DellIsola on Thursday said Guam currently has 3,520 H-2B workers, mostly from the Philippines. Thats the highest number in decades, and the Guam Department of Labor earlier said the island could be hosting double that or some 6,000 H-2B workers by the end of fiscal year 2023. Frustrations The visiting Philippine lawmakers heard frustrations from Guam-based contractors about the delays and changes in the processing of contracts of H-2B visa workers bound for Guam by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Los Angeles, California. A batch of Filipino workers arrived on Guam in December 2022, just before the expiration of their U.S. working visa, the lawmakers said, citing an example of what contractors deal with when it comes to the current processing of H-2B workers papers by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in California. Salo, the chairman of the Philippine House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, and the rest of the fact-finding team recommended that the Philippine House of Representatives immediately act on urgent concerns: To establish a migrant workers office on Guam to administer and facilitate the needs of Filipino migrant workers here. In case the first proposed action isnt feasible, to establish a dedicated office within the Department of Migrant Workers in Manila which, among other things, verifies and processes the employment contracts and other documentary requirements of Filipino workers in Guam. To adopt a country-specific standard employment contract for Guam workers that will incorporate the minimum standards mandated by the labor laws of both the Philippines and Guam. DellIsola said communications related to the December fact-finding visit continue. Philippine Consul General to Guam Patrick John Hilado, in a letter to the lawmakers after their visit, reiterated their support for the proposal to reopen a Philippine Overseas Labor Office or migrant workers office on Guam in response to the growing foreign skilled labor needs of Guam brought about by the U.S. military buildup. Visit to barracksAt the governors invitation, the Philippine lawmakers came to Guam on a fact-finding visit in December specifically to look into the working and living conditions of H-2B workers and the recruitment process in Guam. Accompanying Salo were Philippine lawmakers Reps. Ma. Rachel Arenas, Felimon Espares, Rodante Marcoleta, along with attorney Christopher Lomibaom, the delegations secretary. The Philippine fact-finding team visited the Guam living quarters of Filipino workers employed by Black Construction Corp. and Nan Inc., two of the leading construction firms on the island. They reported that the contractors provide Filipino laborers with comfortable and spacious living quarters. The barracks included air-conditioned sleeping quarters and free Wi-Fi access, the visiting lawmakers said. Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero visited the Philippines in October and met with the leadership of the Philippine House of Representatives on Guams desire to engage more skilled Filipino workers for ongoing military construction projects and how to streamline the processing of workers applications for employment in Guam. Speaker Therese Terlaje will lead the 37th Guam Legislature into the new term, with the stalemate over leadership coming to a close on Thursday morning. Terlaje swept the speakership with the support of the Republican minority caucus. With the six votes from the minority, and the votes from herself and Democrat Sens. Chris Barnett and Sabina Perez, she beat Democrat favorite Sen. Joe San Agustin in a vote of nine to six. Its the first time since the 1995 election of former Speaker Don Parkinson that a coalition of Democrats and Republicans have come together to decide the leadership of the Guam Legislature. Victory Terlajes victory comes after several days of negotiations in and across party lines, after lawmakers failed to elect a speaker at Mondays inauguration. The speaker had just three votes to San Agustins six, before winning over Republicans. Weve been in caucus very many days and hours and late into the nights and weve been working very hard to come to an agreement. And there are just certain things that we were not able to agree on, Terlaje said of discussions inside the Democrat caucus. A compromise had been reached with Republicans, she said. But, moving forward, I expect that we will be able, as we have in the past, to completely work together for the people of Guam. Terlaje said, we worked very hard with our caucus to see eye to eye on how this Legislature is going to move forward as an independent and co-equal branch of government. And so I think thats number one, (of) critical importance to me and many of my colleagues. Controversy Barnett on Tuesday said much of the controversy in recent days was over whether the Legislature would function as an Adelup satellite office. Obviously, I dont want to see any interference through the Legislature from other branches. And I think thats how were going to have to move going forward, Terlaje said, when asked to comment on Barnetts assessment. What weve always asked for is just for an opportunity for parity and for the ability to be able to participate in the legislative process, Republican Minority Leader Sen. Frank Blas jr. said when asked how a compromise had been reached. Rules, leadership We were able to negotiate some of the language thats contained in the standing rules, so that the Republican caucus, the Republican group of senators that represents you, in this Legislature can have a better voice, he said. Sen. San Agustin had objected to the adoption of the new standing rules during session, until we have adequate time to review its contents. This is over 140 pages, he said. The new rules moved forward with the support of the Terlaje bloc and Sen. Amanda Shelton. Perez made the motion for them to be adopted. Vice Speaker Tina Muna Barnes, who retained her seat, likewise asked for more time to review nominations for the chairmanships of the new legislative committees. Her motion failed and the nominations, made by Barnett, passed. One of the things that we stood by is that what we wanted was the ability for more representation in the Committee on Rules. We also have an opportunity to be able to choose the membership for the different committees, and then to be vice chair of all of the different committees, Blas said about previous negotiations, after the session closed. Notably, Barnett, who has consistently said he is not interested in party politics, will be chairman of the powerful Committee on Rules. The Rules Committee has the final say over what bills are eligible to be put up for debate during session, and eventually voted on for passage. Republicans during the 36th Guam Legislature repeatedly complained about the slow movement of their bills. San Agustin will retain his chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee, responsible for any spending legislation. Sen. Shelton was unanimously reelected as legislative secretary. From recovery to prosperity We must place personal politics aside and engage in healthy debate based on truth and facts to find long-term solutions to many of the issues that have plagued our island all these years. More and more everyday families are struggling with the decision to leave Guam in search of a better life. And as duly elected public servants, we must address this crisis head on and do everything in our power to bring that better life here, the speaker said during her inaugural address. She said that the 37th Guam Legislature had to shift its strategy from recovery to prosperity, as it tackled the problems ahead. I want to thank my colleagues for their vote of confidence in me and I know I just hope that going forward, it hasnt been a smooth past, but Im hoping and praying that going forward we are going to be able to work together genuinely for the people of Guam. The team has obtained a video recording of a remote meeting in which berry companies and authorities from both countries review the results of the picking season of 2020. Thai authorities at the meeting told in great detail about wrongdoings faced by berry pickers employed by two Finnish companies, Kiantama and Polarica. AUTHORITIES in Finland learnt about the exploitation of Thai berry pickers in autumn 2020, indicates information obtained by MOT, a team of investigative journalists at YLE. The employees were paid less than what the companies had set as the pay guarantee. They had also been overcharged for training and the sales of products and services, they stated according to the public broadcasting company. Unless Finnish authorities investigate the wrongdoings without delay, the authorities said they would prohibit pickers from working for the two companies implicated in the complaints of dozens of berry pickers. It appears that the companies were allowed to continue their recruitment and other activities as usual, however. Polarica, for example, has reported that the number of pickers it recruited from Thailand rose from 770 in 2020 to 1,150 in 2021 and 1,200 in 2022. YLE on Monday wrote that the meeting may have provided information that is pertinent to an ongoing criminal investigation into the exploitation of berry pickers recruited from Thailand. Jukka Kristo, the chief executive of Polarica, is suspected of aggravated human trafficking and Olli Sorainen, a suspended official at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, of acceptance of bribes by the National Bureau of Investigation (KRP). Both Kristo and Sorainen took part in the remote meeting. KRP in December revealed that it has expanded its investigation to encompass another Finnish berry company and a female coordinator who, for years, has recruited pickers for both Kiantama and Polarica. Altogether half a dozen people are suspected of involvement in misleading, exploiting and subjecting the pickers in forced labour-like conditions. Aleksi Teivainen HT The European Commission has selected projects to receive grants from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). A project coordinated by Cinia Oy received EUR 3.65 million for planning the development of digital backbones in Northern Europe and the Arctic region with Danish Nordunet, the other member of the consortium. Telia received funding for improving cross-border network service continuity. The project, with partners Telia Sverige AB, Telia Finland Oy and LMT, received EUR 15.535 million in funding. On 13 December 2022, the Committee of the CEF2 Digital programme selected the projects to receive funding for improving digital infrastructure across the European Union. In total, the European Commission granted EUR 151.3 million in funding for building backbone networks, and for developing 5G infrastructure along main transport routes and for public services in local communities. Two projects received funding 1. Planning the development of a digital backbone to connect Europe with strategic partners CEF2 Digital granted EUR 3.65 million to a project coordinated by Cinia for the further preparation of three new data cable investments and the planning of backbone networks in the Arctic region until 2030. Far North Fiber is the first long-distance submarine cable system connecting Asia, North America, Europe and Scandinavia via the Northwest Passage. The C-Lion2 project aims to build a submarine fibre optic cable system to meet the needs of a range of parties in the Baltic Sea region. Terrestrial Backbone Finland provides fibre cable connections largely in the north-south direction. Once completed, it will strengthen Finlands national backbone and its ability to link to international systems. 2. Seamless 5G Northern European transport corridor Telia received funding for a project improving cross-border network service continuity and deploying 5G infrastructure. 5G will enable seamless service continuity when a vehicle crosses a border. What's next? The second set of calls under the CEF Digital programme is currently underway. Since the applications require a national statement of support, the Ministry of Transport and Communications will present to the Ministerial Finance Committee the applications which are proposed for submission from Finland. HT Source: Ministry of Transport and Communications Ask Matt ... what those new-fangled devices do One of four sensors the city installed as part of a new flood detection system monitors Brittain Creek. [MATT MATTESON/Hendersonville Lightning] Q. I noticed a new antenna on the Seventh Avenue bridge over Mud Creek. Whats that for? Its radar, but relax, its not aimed at your car. The city of Hendersonville just installed a flood sensor system designed to measure stream levels. City Stormwater Administrator Michael Huffman explained how the system works. A small radar device with a camera is mounted on the bridge and aimed downward at the stream. The solar-powered device sends a signal from the bridge to a computer in the Citys Operations Center where during a heavy rainstorm the computer operator can watch the stream rise as well as get a measurement in inches. Perhaps the most important feature is that when a stream rises to a level of concern, a text message is sent to other city officials including the police chief, fire chief and public works director. Action options can range from setting out road barricades to notifying the general public of potential flooding. The citys flood sensor system is not part of the National Weather Service, which periodically posts flood warnings on your television. Huffman said those broadcasts, while valuable, are not based upon real time weather conditions. This new system gives us the ability to have more accurate forecasts, he said. Sometimes when its raining upstream but not in Hendersonville, the streams can still rise quickly and the sensor program can detect that. There are actually four sensors mounted over Hendersonville streams: two on Mud Creek (Seventh Avenue and South Main Street) one on Devils Fork Creek (Seventh Avenue) and one on Brittain Creek in Patton Park. The flood sensor system is new and Hendersonvilles is the first in Western North Carolina. Huffman said the system just went online in November and is being fine tuned. The system, which cost $24,000, is supported with revenue generated by the citys stormwater permit program. Huffmans team also inspects stormwater detention ponds, which are designed to hold water then slowly release it after a heavy rainfall. Its all about volume, said Huffman. If the devices get filled with leaves or sediment they are not functioning as designed. In those cases, Huffmans team contacts the property owner. Hydrology is a complex science that includes rainfall rate, constrictions, geography and soil conditions. Stormwater management, however, is really pretty simple physics get the rainfall into the streams but keep the water within its banks. Following state and federal laws, local rules were enacted about 20 years ago that affected anyone disturbing more than an acre of land. Detention devices were required to retain the first inch of rain that falls in a 24-hour period. Those devices, typically catch basins, were also engineered to filter out pollutants. One of the most visible such basins is on Highlands Square Drive between Walmart and Sams Club. * * * * * Send questions to askmattm@gmail.com. THE father of a disabled boy has criticised a selfish driver who parked a luxury car across two disabled bays. The black Porsche Cayenne Turbo blocked the spaces in the Kings Road car park in Henley for more than 90 minutes on Monday. The driver was not displaying a blue badge or a parking ticket and the vehicles MOT certificate had expired in September. Alex Clarke, whose nine-year-old son Ben has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a degenerative genetic disorder, and uses a wheelchair, was angry to discover he could not use the bays, so he blocked the Porsche in. He said: There was enough space to park between the Porsche and the car next door if I squeezed my car in on the striped lines. However, this defeats the objective of having wider parking bays for people with disabilities, particularly those who need mobility aids. I also wouldnt be selfish and disrupt the next person who parked. I noticed the car next to the Porsche had a hoist lift, implying it was a wheelchair users, so I didnt want to cause them any inconvenience by squeezing in. In the end, I decided to block the Porsche in as my car could fit without impeding any other drivers. Mr Clarke, of Wood Lane Close, Sonning Common, left his details on the front of the Porsche in case the driver returned before him but he didnt. He said: I wanted to have a conversation with them to explain the inconvenience of their actions. Henley is an aging community and there are lots of people who need those bays to access the shops. Parking over two of them without any blue badge is so inconsiderate they need to think about the consequences of their actions. Mr Clarke, who works as an operations manager, was with Ben, his wife Lisa and their other son Zak, five. He said: We had gone out for lunch and wanted to go to the park afterwards so we tried to park as close as we could and use Bens wheelchair. He gets tired after walking long distances so uses a wheelchair to conserve energy. We had tried to park in the Greys Road car park but there was no space. Sometimes I will park in a normal space and not use the blue badge but when its busy a disabled bay is quite useful and there was a massive queue to get into Waitrose. I posted about it on Facebook, which wasnt to accuse or humiliate the driver but to encourage them to reach out privately and have a conversation. Thames Valley Police said they could only take action if the incident was reported to them. In August last year, a driver of a Mini which was repeatedly left in the car park at the Henley GP surgeries without permission received a warning from police. Staff at Hart and Bell surgeries in York had asked the man several times to move the car as the spaces are designed for disabled, elderly and sick patients who need them. However, he ignored the requests and swore at them. After the car was pictured on the front page of the Henley Standard, he was visited at home by the police and warned not to park there again. The driver has not been parked there since then. As the second stage in its exciting launch, Sommerro, Oslo's newest luxury hotel, has announced the opening of Villa Inkognito in April 2023. One of the most anticipated launches for next year, the urban retreat is located next door to Sommerro, in the heart of Frogner in Oslo's West End. Housed in a former private residence dating back to 1870, the villa was originally built by architect Thger Binneballe as an office space for Oslo Lysverker administration, the city's original electrical company, before housing the Algerian embassy from 1980. Now part of Sommerro, this iconic building has come full circle with a new lease on life as a private villa available to book in its entirety. Offering the ultimate in seclusion, with its own dedicated hidden entrance, guests will benefit from their own personal host throughout the duration of their stay, who will remain on-hand to ensure all needs are met. Separate to the main building, this 11-suite retreat will boast several opulent living rooms, including a library, snug room, meeting-and dining room space, an open kitchen, an intimate bar, a fitness room in the basement and an outdoor area. Guests will be able to enjoy the privacy of their own villa with full access to all of the amenities and services offered at Sommerro.Providing a home away from home for both travelers and locals, the iconic 231-room Art Deco hotel is complete with seven restaurants and bars, meeting and event spaces with capacity for up to 150 people, a 100-seat gilded theatre, a landmark wellness space featuring historic public baths, and the city's first year-round rooftop pool, sauna, and terrace. Guests staying at Villa Inkognito will be able to arrange private dinners and order in-suite dining from the best of Sommerro's food and beverage offerings, while also having the opportunity to enjoy in-room wellness treatments from the experts at Vestkantbadet. Best-known for their elaborate, detailed, and meticulously researched designs, GrecoDeco willonce again head up the interiors, embellishing the spaces with a mix of antiques, original artwork, decorative details and classic Scandinavian furnishings. The villa's thoughtfully designed bedrooms and themed public areas are inspired by a range of eras including Classic Norwegian, Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts and a bit of Japonisme, all rooted in the history of the building. Guests can imbibe cocktails among the spirits in the Villa's intimate Ghost Bar, with mosaic floors combining Golden Onyx with Norwegian Granites, silver gilt walls, and antique light fixtures. The bedrooms boast opulent details and lush textiles, such as custom-designed furnishings with marquetry details recalling 19th century Norwegian motifs, bespoke hand-knotted rugs, beds from innovative Swedish sleep brand Hilding Anders, and dreamy bathrooms with custom tiles. Reservations at Villa Inkognito will open in January 2023. Single room rates start from $615/night, and full Villa rentals start from $10,200/night. For more information and to book, please visit: https://www.sommerrohouse.com/en/villa-inkognito/ Hotel website A proud Navy brat, Kari spent her childhood living abroad in countries like Spain and Italy before graduating high school in Pensacola, FL, and attending Pensacola State College thereafter. Kari has held positions in hospitality more than 15 years, with her most recent role evolving from Guest Services Manager to Assistant General Manager to Interim General Manager at the Margaritaville Beach Hotel in Pensacola. As Executive Host of Lily Hall, Kari will oversee day-to-day operations and ensure that guests have an outstanding experience from the moment they step on property. When she's not on property, Kari enjoys the beach with family or binge-watching documentaries. Lily Hall Pensacola, Florida United States Website Born and raised in Pensacola, Darian's love of food came at an early age when he would spend time cooking at home with his family and noticed how food could bring people together. Darian attended Johnson and Wales University in Miami, Fl pursuing a degree in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management. Afterward, Darian cut his teeth working as a Chef de Partie and Sous Chef in some of the most prestigious luxury hotels and restaurants and acclaimed chefs in Miami such as The Bazaar by Jose Andres at SLS Hotel South Beach, Scott Conant at the AAA Five-Diamond Fontainebleau Miami Beach, and Tom Colicchio at the 1 Hotel South Beach. He later moved to Atlanta, GA and landed at Atlas, located in The St. Regis Buckhead where he extended his skills executing Four Hands Michelin Dinners, pleasing the palettes of the most exclusive clientele as chef tournant. Darian later went on to take the role of Culinary Manager with the Hillstone Restaurant Group, where he traveled to D.C. and New York City to manage restaurants within the company. While living in New York City, he staged and gained experience working at multiple Michelin-starred restaurants including Thomas Keller's Per Se. After returning home to Pensacola, he most recently took over the role of Executive Chef at The Grand Marlin and is now Head Chef of Lily Hall's food and beverage concepts Brother Fox and Sister Hen. In the role of Head Chef, Darian will work closely with Nashville-based restaurateur and acclaimed chef Terry Raley to develop new menu items and recipes, manage, and oversee back-of-house operations. When he is not in the kitchen, Darian loves to travel, work out, and indulge as a regular in Pensacola's dining scene or enjoys spending time with family and loved ones. Lily Hall Pensacola, Florida United States Website As with most, Jennifer's foray into the service industry began early with a hosting position at 16 years old. The social environment and fast-paced work challenged and fulfilled her inherent need to excel. She continued in the industry, working her way through various positions while attending college at the University of Memphis. Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Science in International Business, Jennifer jumped into international real estate consulting and eventually found herself consulting in the primary commodities market of oil and gold, frequently traveling to Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa. After traveling the globe, Jennifer transitioned back into the hospitality industry that better reflected her personality. Her career escalated quickly, and she became the manager of a high-volume establishment on Memphis's world-famous Beale Street. She then led the development of marketing strategies, concept design, and staff onboarding for several high-volume establishments across the country. In her role as the Food and Beverage General Manager for Brother Fox and Sister Hen located on the ground floor in Lily Hall, Jennifer will lead efforts to recruit and train staff, oversee day-to-day operations, and ensure a superior experience for all guests. When she's not at work, Jennifer enjoys yoga as well as community development by supporting local artists and businesses. Lily Hall Pensacola, Florida United States Website Nick Plasencia is a Managing Director with The Plasencia Group and specializes in the disposition of full-service, premium select-service, boutique and resort properties, both in single-asset and portfolio transactions. He has personally transacted nearly $2 billion of lodging assets across all regions of the United States. Mr. Plasencia has had the opportunity to advise a wide breadth of clientele, ranging from privately held owner-operators and high-net-worth individuals, to management companies, private equity funds, and REITs. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Plasencia worked for Raymond James & Associates, a publicly traded financial services firm, in their Real Estate Investment Banking group, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, and private placements. While at Raymond James, Mr. Plasencia was integrally involved in capital raising assignments in the lodging sector, including preferred and common stock offerings. This October, Geronimo Hospitality Group traveled to sunny California to attend the Boutique Hotel Owners Conference hosted by BLLA at the Westlake Village Inn in the Los Angeles area. Hear from Erin McDonald, Vice President of Lodging at Geronimo, as she discusses her teams experience at the two-day event! The team consisted of GMs for all of their hotel properties. Bottleworks Hotel Indianapolis, IN Photo by BLLA BLLA: How did your team enjoy the conference, and were there anyaha moments or takeaways from their experience? EM: The Geronimo lodging team thoroughly enjoyed our conference experience! For the majority, it was their first BLLA conference, so we were able to go into it with open minds and fresh perspectives. We virtually met the following week after settling back into our respective homes around the country to chat about what resonated most with us from the conference. There was consensus amongst the team that the following were most meaningful to them: The Dare to think differently theme created by BLLA. (This compliments a part of Geronimos manifesto: The Status Quo Sucks) Dont be pleasantly unhelpful. Focus on creating value vs. cutting costs. Be intentional about your personal energy. Leverage F&B partnerships in our lobbies. Be a heart-centered leader. A couple of general managers also made note that the panels that discussed trends in the industry were interesting. The variety of locations and the types of boutique hotels further allowed for great perspectives across the board. We demand a competitive spirit, but it is sometimes difficult not to feel like we are small fish in a big pond. Our overall experience was reassuring in the sense that we do make an impression in our markets, and it makes us proud of how far we have come and where we are going. Ironworks Hotel Indy Indianapolis, IN Photo by BLLA BLLA: Can you explain why you decided to bring the whole team to the conference? EM: When researching conferences being hosted in 2022, BLLA became a front-runner as none of the lodging GMs, with the exception of myself, had attended a BLLA conference previously. Personally, it had been a handful of years since attending my last Owners Conference, and it was a memorable experience for me, so it was important to be able to provide my team with the same opportunity. In addition, we have experienced some change of the guard at our properties over the last couple of years, where it was essential for us to be surrounded by like-minded industry peers as well as incorporate some much-needed team bonding time. The cherry on top was taking the train from Malibu to Santa Barbara, where the entire team was able to visit our newest addition to the Geronimo hotel collection, Hotel Santa Barbara. (Stay tuned for exciting things to come at HSB!) Geronimo team enjoying some team bonding time in sunny California! Photo by BLLA BLLA: Do you believe it is really a great team-building exercise since the conference is geared toward education in the boutique space? EM: 100%! It was invaluable to attend this conference as an entire team. The breakout sessions were impactful and allowed us to divide and conquer to soak in as much as possible throughout the two days. We rendezvoused during breaks to share our takeaways, where then our conversations naturally carried on into dinner as the inspirational and creative juices were flowing! Hotel Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA - Ironworks Hotel Beloit Beloit, WI Photo by BLLA BLLA: What did you think of the speakers and session topics, and would you have any ideas for the next event? EM: The speaker and session mix was thoughtful and provided attendees the opportunity to listen and learn from highly experienced boutique hospitality professionals. The facilitation was quite interactive, which we appreciated, and allowed for anyones voice to be heard. We understand that this is an Owners Conference, so it was natural for the facilitator group to be comprised mostly of owners and executive management members. However, it might be a great dynamic to involve operational management team members on the panels to provide that boots-on-the-ground, first-hand perspective of how they are pushing the boundaries of boutique hospitality on the property level to create impressionable guest and employee experiences. A special shout-out to facilitators Rob Blood and Sims Foster. You made an impression on our team! We would have also loved to see more sessions focused on what trends are being seen, data about how guests are booking boutique hotels, and best practices. Delafield Hotel Delafield, WI Photo by BLLA BLLA: Since you are a mix of great boutique hotels and great restaurants, what can BLLA do to help you and the team along the way? EM: Continue to be a valuable resource for all things boutique! As Geronimo continues to grow and expand our footprint, we appreciate ideas on how to stay competitive in an ever-evolving industry. About the Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA) The official organization for the world's boutique lifestyle leaders promoting connection, education, and advocacy. As a pioneer in forecasting the boutique movement, the BLLA's network has grown beyond its hotel foundation to welcome more passionate entrepreneurs, businesses, and purveyors that amplify the boutique lifestyle. The BLLA Corporate Manifesto video. Experience the intention behind BLLA Events in this video. BLLA is a catalyst for trends and the future of the boutique lifestyle. BLLA.org Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA) BLLA View source Everywhere we turn, the impact of digital transformation is tangible and undeniable. Digital innovation has forever altered how we live, work, and connect and the pace of this ongoing transformation seems to only accelerate with each passing year. To this effect, in the best-selling book The Future Is Faster Than You Think: How Converging Technologies Are Transforming Business, Industries, and Our Lives, Peter H. Diamandis notes that (based on futurist Ray Kurzweils calculations) we should expect to experience twenty thousand years of technological change over the next one hundred years. In particular, artificial intelligence (AI) technology perhaps better described as the inevitable darling of the technology industry has recently emerged as a prominent topic of discussion. Were heading toward a future where AI will make the majority of our buying decisions, continually surprising us with products or services we didnt even know we wanted, wrote Diamandis in his book. Similarly, AI guru Andrew Ng has likened the predicted influence of AI to the historical impact of electricity. Just as electricity transformed almost everything 100 years ago, today I actually have a hard time thinking of an industry that I dont think AI will transform in the next several years. AI is well on its way to changing the world as we know it, and there is arguably no industry exempt from its influence. This sentiment rings true within the hospitality procurement world; AI is positioned to have a vast impact on procurement in the hospitality industry in the (very) near future. AI-Driven Decision Making A recent Deloitte report states, In todays technology-driven world, many organizations still view artificial intelligence (AI) with an element of fear and uncertainty. As a result, the tangible benefits that it brings to sourcing and procurement are still largely untapped. But the critical strategic, customer, and operational insights are buried within the wealth of raw information that exists in both internal and external systems. Simply stated, AI allows businesses to extract and analyze data at a pace (and level of efficiency and accuracy) that would never be possible via manual, human efforts. Since data informs the forecasts and predictions that procurement decisions are gleaned from, AI is expected to drastically improve the speed and quality of decisions made by hospitality procurement leaders. For example, AI can help identify patterns and trends in supplier data that can inform negotiations or supply chain management. A Global CPO Survey revealed that 51 percent of respondents indicated they are now using advanced analytics, and 25 percent have, or are piloting, an AI/cognitive solution a 19 percent increase from 2018. Of those implementing an advanced analytics solution, 93 percent claim to be satisfied. Procurement processes powered by AI arent only more time efficient, they stand to be more intelligent, which will, in turn, save businesses money and critical resources. Finally, hotels will have the tools they need to identify better and analyze patterns, predict key trends, and make real-time adjustments and data-backed decisions in a truly seamless fashion. A Streamlined Procurement Process AI can also be used to automate various tasks within the procurement process, such as identifying potential suppliers, negotiating prices, and managing contracts. With the power of AI at their disposal, companies will be able to critically evaluate suppliers via advanced insights and better understand industry trends on both the macro and micro levels. From a productivity standpoint, AI boasts the potential to completely transform the work of procurement leaders by automating tasks that were once cumbersome and time-consuming (such as performance reporting). More importantly, by automating routine administrative tasks, businesses can free up procurement resources for tasks that require more attention, skill, and/or problem-solving. Enhanced Supplier Relationships As a hospitality procurement professional, managing and maintaining supplier relationships constitutes a significant part of the job. Fortunately, AI can improve back-of-house tasks, data aggregation, communication, and supplier collaboration. Chatbots will likely become an essential industry standard in the near future. Through AI-powered enhancements, organizations will be empowered to build more effective partnerships. Reduced Costs, Increased Revenue Traditionally, procurement is focused on cost reduction but what about revenue maximization? As procurement becomes more strategic with the help of AI, procurement teams can unlock a 360-degree view of suppliers, products, and industry trends that paves the way to more strategic decision-making and partnerships. To this effect, Deloitte notes that using AI spend classification has typically resulted in around 97 percent accuracy in data classification. This has led to increased precision in the analysis of spend information, driving more value for an organization, shares Deloitte. Companies that could benefit the most are struggling to analyze their data, or businesses that are seeking to augment their data with external sources (e.g., to identify products purchased from sustainable suppliers). AI is here and here to stay, giving the hospitality industry a critical face-lift by providing tools for process transformation. Over the next few years, AIs disruption into the procurement world will help streamline processes, improve decision-making, and enhance relationships with suppliers. Peter Diamandis was right the future is faster than we think, and AI is undeniable. About BirchStreet Systems BirchStreet Systems powers hospitality and food and beverage enterprises with a comprehensive procure-to-pay business solution. As the global leading provider of spend management solutions in the hospitality industry, 15,500 enterprises in over 130 countries subscribe to BirchStreet to connect with a network of more than 450,000 suppliers. Established in 2002, BirchStreet is privately held and is headquartered in Las Vegas, NV with offices in California, China, Singapore, India, and the UK. For more information, please visit www.birchstreetsystems.com. Request Demonstration Gareth Fraser Director of Sales & Marketing Enablement BirchStreet Systems Chicago, IL (60637) Today Clear. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low around 55F. SW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Clear. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low around 55F. SW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. BEIJING, Jan. 4 -- The Type-075 amphibious assault ship organized ship-borne helicopter flight training exercise in recent days. With effective coordination with the ship, choppers took off in waves and flew in formation. The CNS Anhui's capability of coordination with and support to ship-borne helicopters has been improved greatly in the training. Click here for a Print Subscription with Online Digital included. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Below you will see test that reads Print Subscribe Access. Click this to then Get Started attaching your account number and zip code to you online user account. Click on the banner above if you would like to become a print subscriber with digital access. If you simply want online access without print click get started below. remaining of Thank you for using HudsonValley360! On your next view you will be asked to log in or create an account to continue reading. Tom Lehrer sets his music free, releasing it into the public domain Tom Lehrer is celebrated for his wit and music, but also for an amazing contribution to public culture making sure that his works are in the public domain while hes still alive. by Mike Masnick of Tech Dirt Hopefully, you already know who Tom Lehrer is, and are already familiar with his music, but if youre somehow in the dark, I suggest you read this excellent profile, or visit his unofficial official YouTube channel. Or, visit his website where you can download everything for free (he even begs you not to send him money). Weve written about Lehrer twice before, both regarding his views on effectively releasing his music in the public domain. Back in 2014, we wrote about how a fan had basically put all of his works on YouTube, and then contacted Lehrer to apologize. Lehrer told him there was nothing to apologize for: he was glad the works were out there. The fan then asked if he needed to do something to make sure that no one would ever copyright strike the videos, and Lehrer again says not to worry, as far as hes concerned its all in the public domain, and he has no heirs to cause problems after he dies: While Lehrer has made startlingly little effort to ensure a future for his work, a handful of superfans have filled in the gap. One is Erik Meyn, a Norwegian who manages the Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel on YouTube, a feed of performance videos and playlists that has received more than 10 million views since 2007. Meyn originally posted content to the channel without Lehrers permission and called him from overseas in December 2008 to apologize, a conversation he later posted on the Tom Lehrer! Facebook page. An excerpt: TL: Well, you see, Im fine with that channel. EM: Youre very kind. But my question is: Who in your family will take care of your copyright and your songs in the distant future? TL: I dont have a family. EM: OK, but what do you think will happen to the channel and your songs? And if you have someone who will act on your behalf, could you give them my name in case theyd want the channel taken down? TL: Yes, but theres no need to remove that channel. EM: I was just wondering what will happen in the future, because youre certainly going to continue to sell records. TL: Well, I dont need to make money after Im dead. These things will be taken care of. EM: I feel like I gave away some of your songs to public domain without even asking you, and that wasnt very nice of me. TL: But Im fine with that, you know. EM: Will you establish any kind of foundation or charity or something like that? TL: No, I wont. Theyre mostly rip-offs. Then, in 2020, we wrote about him again, noting that he had put up a website where he had announced that all of his lyrics had been officially dedicated to the public domain, and he encouraged people to do what they wanted with them. At the time, we noted that this did not cover the actual music, but Lehrer had suggested he would add that at a future time. Apparently, that future time has come. Lehrer has expanded the letter on his website, now dated to November of 2022, even if much of it is identical to what we wrote about two years ago. But the big difference is that hes now including all of the music in the public domain dedication: I, Tom Lehrer, and the Tom Lehrer Trust 2007, hereby grant the following permissions: All copyrights to lyrics or music written or composed by me have been relinquished, and therefore such songs are now in the public domain. All of my songs that have never been copyrighted, having been available for free for so long, are now also in the public domain. The latter includes all lyrics which I have written to music by others, although the music to such parodies, if copyrighted by their composers, are of course not included without permission of their copyright owners. The translated songs on this website may be found on YouTube in their original languages. Performing and recording rights to all of my songs are included in this permission. Translation rights are also included. In particular, permission is hereby granted to anyone to set any of these lyrics to their own music, or to set any of this music to their own lyrics, and to publish or perform their parodies or distortions of these songs without payment or fear of legal action. Some recording, movie, and television rights to songs written by me are merely licensed non-exclusively by me to recording, movie, or TV companies. All such rights are now released herewith and therefore do not require any permission from me or from Maelstrom Music, which is merely me in another hat, nor from the recording, movie, or TV companies involved. In short, I no longer retain any rights to any of my songs. So help yourselves, and dont send me any money. As I said, much of this statement reflects what was on the site before, but now it covers the music as well as the lyrics. Hes also basically put up everything you need. You can download the music as MP3s, you can stream albums, you can download lyrics as PDF files. Its pretty comprehensive. And pretty impressive. Of course, theres also this semi-ominous warning: THIS WEBSITE WILL BE SHUT DOWN AT SOME DATE IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, SO IF YOU WANT TO DOWNLOAD ANYTHING, DONT WAIT TOO LONG. I hope that someone (hey, Internet Archive?) is making sure that this page, and all the music is preserved long after Lehrer removes it. Either way, its another lovely gift, and its a strange one, given that in these days of ever expanding copyright terms, most artists never live to see any of their works enter the public domain. Lehrer should be celebrated for his music and wit, of course, but also for making sure his works are really in the public domain while hes still alive, which is an amazing contribution to public culture. Of course, as weve discussed for years, there is no official way under US copyright law to put works in the public domain. The best you can do is effectively make clear that you are giving up any rights to enforce your copyrights, which is what Lehrer has done here. Its a shame that US law does not allow for an official public domain dedication, but maybe one day that will happen. Share on: BRTA, Great Barrington Receives Community Transit Grant Program Funds PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Town of Great Barrington was awarded $32,000 to fund the purchase of operational software for on-demand ride scheduling and dispatch to support a new microtransit pilot program in Great Barrington, Egremont, and Stockbridge The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) was awarded $8,414 from the grant program to continue funding for salaries and materials to support BRTA's travel training program. The Baker-Polito Administration announced a total of $1.9 million for municipalities, Councils on Aging, Regional Transit Authorities, and nonprofit organizations under the Community Transit Grant Program administered by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). This annual competitive grant program awards money to be used for transit operations and mobility management projects that complement and expand the community transportation options available in communities across Massachusetts. A second set of awards for wheelchair-accessible vehicles will be made in the spring. "Community Transit Grants provide critical funding to municipalities and local organizations to help people get where they need to go in an accessible, age-friendly way," said Governor Charlie Baker. "We are proud to fund these grants and see the work that gets accomplished through this program." The Community Transit Grant Program is the Commonwealth's annual competitive grant program to distribute both Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310, Enhanced Mobility of Seniors & Individuals with Disabilities funds and State Mobility Assistance Program funds. The FTA Section 5310 grant program provides funding to assist with the purchase of capital equipment, mobility management projects, and operational costs in order to meet the mobility needs of older adults and individuals with disabilities of any age. State Mobility Assistance Program (MAP) funds are used to assist in the provision of transportation services to seniors and persons with disabilities exclusively through the purchase of eligible vehicles. This round of awards uses only federal 5310 funds; the spring announcement will include both 5310 and MAP awards. The funding announced today is for the FY23 cycle, for operating and mobility management applications submitted in the spring of 2022. Thirty operating and mobility management projects are receiving funding. Vehicle awards for applications submitted in spring 2022 will be announced in spring 2023. Bangladesh police are investigating the alleged suicide of a female journalist Shabnam Sharmin after a member of her family filed a case against her husband. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) demands swift and impartial investigation into the case. Bangladesh police recovered Shabnam Sharmins body on 27 December from her residence in Hatirjheel area, Dhaka. According to Abdur Rashid, officer-in-charge (OC) at Hatirjheel police station, as soon as police received the information about the case, they reached out to the Shabnams residence and recovered her decomposed body at around 5 pm. Police also said that there was no one else in the house during the polices recovery mission. Sharmin an assignment editor of The Report had also worked for Bangladesh Post. The polices investigation into the case is directed at Shabnams husband Saidul Islam following a case- file by Omar Rashid, Shabnam's younger brother, accusing Islam of inciting Shabnam to commit suicide. Saidul Islam, who is also a journalist, has fled since the incident. Shabnam Sharmin's family claimed that torture must be the main reason behind the incident. The slain journalists sister, Shabnam Parvin, claimed that Saidul put pressure on her sister for divorce. Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF), a Bangladeshi human rights organisation, is also looking into whether her profession had any link with the incident. Shabnam Pravin also said that her sister had limited contact with her family members. Pravin had the last telephone conversation with her sister on 18 December 2022. According to Deputy Commissioner of Tejgaon division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Azimul Haque, the investigation is ongoing into the case. Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF) said: Saidul Islams fleeing raised number of questions regarding the case .The BMSF urges serious investigation into the case and immediate arrest of Shabnam Sharmin's husband. The IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said : IFJ is deeply saddened by the suspicious death of journalist Shabnam Sharmin. We urge the authorities to conduct swift investigation into the case and bring the perpetrator to justice." Captain Shiva Chouhan of the Indian Armys Fire and Fury Sappers underwent arduous training before becoming the first woman officer to be operationally deployed in Kumar Post at the worlds highest battlefield Siachen. Chouhans journey, including her training at Siachen Battle School along with other personnel, was detailed in a video posted by official Twitter account of Fire and Fury Corps. Perfect combination of inspiration and zeal coupled with immense hard work and incredible courage lends to creating history. Beginning of an era, through Capt Shiva Chouhans inspiring journey to Siachen, the tweet mentioned. Perfect combination of inspiration & zeal coupled with immense hard work & incredible courage lends to creating history. Beginning of an era, through Capt Shiva Chouhans inspiring journey to #Siachen.#NariShakti #Courage #Inspiration @firefurycorps @DefenceMinIndia pic.twitter.com/9jSum5IvHT NORTHERN COMMAND INDIAN ARMY (@NorthernComd_IA) January 4, 2023 On Wednesday, while replying to a post by Fire and Fury Sappers Corps, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Captain Chouhans achievement. This will make every Indian proud, illustrating the spirit of Indias Nari Shakti, said PM Modi. This will make every Indian proud, illustrating the spirit of Indias Nari Shakti. https://t.co/rPJ07EyMvS Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 4, 2023 Indian soldiers posted in Siachen Glacier face multiple challenges which stem from the peculiar terrain and weather conditions. The major challenges due to inclement weather conditions are reduced human body efficiency, bright sunlight leading to snow blindness, blizzards and white-out conditions. Visuals of Indian army troops deployed in Siachin Glacier. pic.twitter.com/tomtHvWwez tH VG (@TheAvenger82) December 27, 2022 The troops deployed at forward posts also bear the risk of avalanches, crevasses on glaciated surfaces and have to negotiate ice walls apart from facing the common ailments associated with high altitude and glaciated terrain. The Narendra Modi government has been cognizant of the strategic importance of Siachen and requisite forces have been deployed in this area keeping in view the threat perception, ground situation and other operational aspects. The soldiers deployed in Siachen Glacier are suitably equipped and properly trained to undertake the operational challenges and carry out their mandated tasks. The visit of top dignitaries has also always acted as a big morale booster for the soldiers deployed in high altitude. In October 2014, just a few months after coming to power, PM Modi made a surprise visit to Siachen to celebrate Diwali with the officers and jawans of the Indian Armed Forces in one of the remotest places in the world. In May 2018, Ram Nath Kovind became the second President of India to visit Siachen after late President APJ Abdul Kalams visit to the region in April 2004. In June 2019, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also made his maiden visit to the icy heights of Siachen along with then Indian Army chief late General Bipin Rawat. Also Read: Big thumbs up from PM Modi as Captain Shiva Chauhan becomes first woman deployed in Siachen Every day we wake up expecting there wouldnt be any ruckus around Pathaan but we are proved wrong. The furore around this Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone starrer continues to multiply with stronger rage. From politicians to the public, its a fishbone in the throat. Also Read: Shah Rukh Khans Effigy Burnt On Indore Streets, Protesters Call For Banning Release Of Pathaan ILN In a shocking turn of events, members of Bajrang dal took to an Ahmedabad Mall to protest against the film. Gujarats Bajrang Dal activists reportedly vandalised a multiplex in Ahemdabad staging a protest against Pathaan. Things turned ugly when the protestors started destroying the cutouts of the film and broke whatnot at the ticket window. In another video, they were seen hurling vulgar abuses against the films star cast. Also Read: SRK's Pathaan Goes For CBFCs Censorship; Makers Asked To Implement Changes Before The Release The video was posted by them on Twitter quoting in Hindi, "Today we trashed Pathaan at Karnvati. We won't allow Sanatan religion offender @iamsrk and Tukde gang supporter Deepika Padukone's movie to release here. We went to multiplex and warned them that if they will release Pathaan, Bajrang dal will protest against it. See the video here:- Also Read: SRK = Shekhar Radha Krishna; An Old Video Of The Actor Saying So Goes Viral Amid Pathaan Row Trade analyst Taran Adarsh confirmed the same writing, #PathaanTrailer on 10 Jan 2023 #Pathaan [NO title change] arrives in *cinemas* on 25 Jan 2023 [#RepublicDay weekend] in #Hindi, #Tamil and #Telugu. Directed by Sidharth Anand, the film also features John Abraham in a titular role. Also Read: After Deepika's Besharam Rang Row, Neha Sharma Dons Orange Bikini, Faces The Internet's Ire During the same, he shut a troll calling Pathaan a disaster and suggesting the actor for a retirement. He wrote him back, Beta badhon se aise baat nahi karte!! (kid, dont talk to your elders like this). SRK also reacted to why actress Alia Bhatt calls him just SR, unlike others who call him SRK. Also Read: Dhamaka, Internet Hails SRK-Deepikas Jhoome Jo Pathaan Song As They Perform Super Cool Moves Twitter He wrote, "Could mean sweet and romantic or maybe senior and respected or maybe just Shah Rukh." Reacting to his response, Alia Bhatt revealed what 'SR' stood for, and tweeted, "More like sweet and respected :) But from 25th January Im going to switch to calling you Pathaan. See Im so creative na (no?)." Also Read: Epitome Of Secularism, Fans Hail SRK As He Visits Vaishno Devi Days After Performing Umrah Twitter Hearing to that SRK responded saying, "Done little one. And I am now going to call you little Amma (mother) Bhatt Kapoor!." Alia and SRK shared screens in Dear Zindagi and worked on projects like Brahmastra and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. With Pathaan, SRK returns to the big screen in full-length after a hiatus of five years. Also Read: Complaint Filed Against SRK-Deepika Starrer Besharam Rang In Mumbai And Bihar Twitter (For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment, and let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below.) Days after BJP leader Chitra Wagh filed a police complaint against Uorfi Javed for "indulging in nudity on the streets of Mumbai," the tension between the two has only intensified. During a press conference on Thursday, the BJP leader said, Indiatimes "In Maharashtra, we will not tolerate this nanga naach. This is not a matter of religion; this is a matter of public nudity in the state of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a king who respected women. Will Savitribai Phule, who fought for women's rights, appreciate these acts? Everyone is saying who are we to tell people or question them what to wear, but first wear clothes and then question us." Agencies "This is about social decency, not politics. Is this nudity a part of our Maharashtrian culture? I need everyone who is opposing me to answer this question. Show me one parent who tells their kids that it is fine to indulge in nudity as a part of freedom, and I'll back off," she added. Taking a dig at the women's commission for not doing anything, the BJP leader asked, web screen grab "Why has no action been taken against the vulgar videos of Urfi that go viral? What is the Mahila Aayog doing?" "Along with Urfi, the public must also question the Mahila Aayog. There's too much filth in society, and someone will have to dirty their hands to clean it. And I have no qualms in soiling my hands for the sake of my people," she added. Wagh also clarified that she doesn't have an issue with Uorfi's religion. She said, web screen grab "Many people have been saying that Chitra Wagh has raised the issue because Urfi is Muslim. But let me tell you, I don't care what religion she belongs to. I don't have any problem with Urfi or her religion. My only concern is the vulgar act that she indulges in publicly. Politicians are trying to make this a communal issue, but I don't care what they think. I will see the end of this. Now I'll show everyone what Chitra Wagh can do. I will make sure this vulgarity stops right here." Urfi was seen today at the Mumbai airport, dressed head to toe in denim. Asked by the press, "What message do you want to give to your fans, who love you so much?", She reacted to fiery comments by Wagh and slyly said, "I don't know about love, but I want to say that nanga naach continued rahega". The photographers were then overheard gushing over her, to which she reacted by blowing them a kiss and conveying her gratitude. Urfi recently posted a video to Instagram where she can be seen dancing in a saffron cut-out top and miniskirt, similar to the one Deepika Padukone is wearing in the controversial Pathaan song Besharam Rang. She wore a pair of shoes that matched her outfit. Recently, a video of Uorfi in a black cutout shirt and pants stepping out in Mumbai apparently went viral on the internet. Chitra Wagh tweeted that the actress was "indulging in nudity publicly on the streets of Mumbai" when she saw the clip. She also demanded Uorfi's arrest. Urfi got famous after Bigg Boss OTT. Her peculiar outfits caught the attention of netizens, resulting in her becoming quite a celebrity on social media. She is currently seen as a guest on Splitsvilla 14. (For the latest trending stories, keep reading Indiatimes) Afghanistans Taliban ruler's decision to ban women from a university education has irked people globally. Several notable personalities have criticised the decision of seizing a humans basic human right. Addressing the same Indian lyricist-poet Javed Akhtar has slammed Indian Islamic boards for staying mum all the way. Also Read: Dharmendra Takes A Dig At Javed Akhtar For His Remarks On Casting In Amitabh Bachchan's Zanjeer IndiaToday His tweet read, Talibans have banned girls and women from schools colleges universities and all kinds of jobs in the name of Islam . Why have Muslim personal board and other Islamic scholars in India Have not condemned it so far . Why ??? Several other users echoed the same thoughts in reply to his tweets. Also Read: 'Drunk Tweet?', Javed Akhtar Trolled As He Appeals Michelle Obama To Go Back To White House Twitter His tweet came weeks after the Taliban banned girls from middle school and high school, restricted women from most employment, and ordered them to wear head-to-toe clothing in public. Women were also banned from parks and gyms and prevented from travelling without a male relative. The Ministry of External Affairs recently issued its official statement condemning the Talibans unsound decision. File The MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, We have noted with concern the reports in this regard. India has always supported the cause of female education in Afghanistan. We have been emphasizing the importance of the establishment of an inclusive and representative government that respects the rights of all Afghans and ensures equal rights of women and girls to participate in all aspects of life in Afghan society, including access to higher education. Urging the Taliban to uphold the human rights of its citizens in line with UN resolutions, Bagchi added, I'd like to recall the UN Resolution 2593 which reaffirms the importance of upholding human rights, including those of women, and that resolution also calls for equal and meaningful participation of women in everyday life. A shameful move. The Taliban have banned women in Afghanistan from attending universities. This is the latest in a series of policies that have restricted the basic rights of women and girls. pic.twitter.com/qVPBNkxOib Human Rights Watch (@hrw) December 20, 2022 Farhan wrote, The only thing the powers of the world need to talking about right now is how to help innocent Afghans. Not in days and time to come. NOW. Special prayer for the people of Afghanistan. A nation wrecked and destroyed by colonial ambitions of foreign powers. #Afganistan, quoted Shekhar Kapur. Twitter Filmmakers Anurag Kashyap, Hansal Mehta and lyricist-writer Varun Grover also re-shared Afghan independent filmmaker Sahraa Karimi's open letter requesting the film communities of the world to be the voice of the people of Afghanistan in the hour of crisis. See the note here:- (For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment, and let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below.) Residents of Joshimath in Uttarakhand are living a nightmare as they see their town sink slowly. Hundreds of houses, roads and farmlands have developed cracks over the past few weeks, causing panic among the residents of Joshimath, who considered the gateway to Badrinath, Hemkund Saheb, Valley of Flowers, and Auli. TWITTER More than 500 houses damaged According to residents of the town in Chamoli district, as many as 561 houses have developed cracks due to continued land subsidence. At least 66 families have fled the town because their homes developed cracks and many more need urgent evacuation as their houses have become unsafe. TWITTER District Disaster Management Officer NK Joshi said that so far, 561 houses in different areas of the town have developed cracks, including 153 in Ravigram, 127 in Gandhinagar, 71 in Manoharbagh, 52 in Singhdhar, 50 in Parsari, 29 in Upper Bazar, 27 in Suneel, 28 in Marwadi and 24 in Lower Bazar. "Now the process of increasing cracks in Singhdhar and Marwadi has started. Badrinath NH near Singhdhar Jain locality and JP Company Gate in Marwadi, near the forest department check post, is continuously cracking. This crack is increasing every hour, which is worrying," said Joshimath Municipal Chairman Shailendra Pawar. TWITTER What is causing the damage? Located at the height of 6,000 feet, Joshimath was built on an ancient landslide site. Due to rapid urbanisation and unplanned development, including construction on the slopes and mining, the town has become unstable from within. The Disaster Management Department has reported cases of water seepage from below ground in the earthquake-prone region. An expert panel set up by the Uttarakhand government found that ground subsidence a gradual settling or sudden sinking of the earth's surface due to removal or displacement of subsurface materials has induced structural defects and damage, observed in almost all wards of Joshimath. TWITTER The government has also formed a team of scientists, including engineers from the Geological Survey of India, Wadia Institute and IIT Roorkee, to find out the reason behind the occurrence of land subsidence in Joshimath. Resident demand rehabilitation Meanwhile, hundreds of Joshimath residents took to the streets on Wednesday with flaming torches demanding rehabilitation. Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti convener Atul Sati said they are demanding immediate rehabilitation of residents of Joshimath. ANI The base of the town is sinking and the life of residents is in great danger, he said. "We have been demanding our immediate rehabilitation for a year, but we are not being heard," Sati said. Joshimath is the last border town of strategic, religious and tourist importance which falls into seismic zone V, he said. If an earthquake occurs, it will cause extensive damage to life and property, Sati warned. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. On Sunday, a 22-year-old medical student from Qiqihar Medical University, China, passed away after a brief illness. In China, the body of S. Sheikh Abdulla, who was studying to be a doctor, was found. The family of S. Sheikh Abdulla had requested the Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, to transport the body to Pudukottai, where he was born and raised, for the last rites to be performed. Relatives in India claim that Sheikh Abdulla left China in 2017 to study medicine and returned to India during COVID-19 to complete his degree online. After his education, he was allowed to intern at the university. He was also told to attend the institution in person to keep his internship going. A new COVID-19 variant surfaced on December 11, forcing Abdulla to leave India and undergo quarantine. The 22-year-old was extremely ill and hospitalized at the university hospital when the news was conveyed to his family. Agencies Unfortunately, on Sunday, the hospital informed Sheikh Abdulla's father, Syed, that his son had passed away due to illness and his liver and kidneys were damaged. The family had to pay a large sum for his treatment in China. The family had demanded fair compensation from the state's chief minister and health minister. The family notified the state government that the university had asked for a significant sum to repatriate the body. But now S Sheikh Abdulla's funeral will be held in China rather than in his native Pudukkottai. Since the institute he attended demanded an exorbitant sum of money to repatriate his body, the family was forced to choose this option. AFP There has been a significant increase in coronavirus cases in China after Beijing relaxed its stringent "zero-COVID" policy, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to encourage China once again to regularly disclose its detailed and real-time statistics on the COVID-19 situation in the country. Chinese health officials have been ordered to provide information on genetic sequencing, hospitalizations, fatalities, and immunizations to the World Health Organization. (With agency inputs) (For the latest trending stories, keep reading Indiatimes) Mining giant South32 is demanding waste management company Cleanaway pay for damages and cover the costs of a 2018 lawsuit involving a workers compensation claim. According to The Sydney Morning Heralds report, the lawsuit involved an incident resulting from the rupture of a hose carrying caustic liquid at South32s Worsley Australia refinery in 2017, injuring a worker and resulting in a two-year workers compensation claim that cost the company over $1 million. South32 launched a new claim, arguing that the bill was not theirs to pay because the injured worker had allegedly been engaged by a subcontractor of Cleanaways industrial services arm that entered a deal with the mining giant in 2016 to handle the mechanical descaling at the site. Therefore, Cleanaway must be responsible for taking out workers compensation insurance and ensuring its subcontractors do the same. However, South32 claimed that the waste management company failed to take out workers compensation insurance, leaving the mining giant to pay the bill for the compensation, which took 18 months to finalise in Western Australias District Court, costing $1,006,962 in compensation and over $47,000 in legal costs. According to the writ lodged in the Supreme Court, South32 claimed that Cleanaway breached its contract by failing to obtain the insurance needed and is obliged to indemnify the waste management company against the damage and losses it suffered as a result. Cleanaway has not yet provided a statement. The future is bright is the conclusion of Clementine Johnson (pictured), head of social impact at DLA Piper, as she assessed how organisations from every industry sector are engaging with diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives. Click here to catch up on any Dive In 2022 events you missed Innovation and collaboration are happening all around us, which is thoughtfully addressing key social issues, in particular inequality within our businesses and communities, she said. NGOs, think tanks, policymakers and businesses are pulling in the same direction more than ever. I think because of COVID-19 and the lockdowns we are much more conscious of how businesses can drive positive change for individuals and society more broadly. Supporting global businesses in enacting meaningful change In her role at DLA Piper, Johnson and her team work to support a range of global businesses, NGOs and charities to transform how they engage with DE&I a vocation that closely aligns with her own interest in invoking meaningful change. She first joined the global law firm in 2011, from an NGO called ActionAid Australia. She was always interested in learning about how businesses make decisions about their community investments, she said, and really wanted to understand the funders perspective after working in the third sector for five years. In my current role as head of social impact, I collaborate with our partners and staff, our clients, NGOs, UN agencies and charities to define and improve the impact we can have on people, communities, and social systems, Johnson said. This can be anything from developing a programme with a local charity to support people who are homeless, to long-term multijurisdictional programmes which aim to diversify the legal profession. Favourable market conditions, coupled with the reopening of the foodservice sector in China where Irish product was previously most commonly placed, means Ireland is well positioned to rebuild its beef trade with China, according to Bord Bia. A collection of the latest news, views and analysis from the farming desk on the topic of Agribusiness and technology. The Department of Agriculture has confirmed the resumption of Irish beef exports to China, after shipments were suspended in May 2020 following the confirmation of an isolated case of atypical BSE. Bord Bia chief executive Jim OToole said that the lifting of the suspension by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) is warmly welcomed by the Irish beef industry at large. Recently, Bord Bia launched a 1.3m EU beef and lamb promotion to promote the safety, sustainability, and natural values of beef and lamb to Chinese consumers and customers. "This campaign will intensify in the months ahead and run until May 2024," Mr O'Toole said. "Throughout the suspension period, our office in Shanghai has been working hard to maintain strong trade relationships with our customer base in China. "In response to todays announcement, we'll be working closely with our industry and their key partners in market to support the relaunch of Irish beef in China." Irish beef relaunch campaign In addition, Bord Bia will activate an Irish beef relaunch campaign, which will include trade seminars, chef demonstrations, and media influencer activity to ensure all potential opportunities are explored. "In the coming months, Bord Bia will also participate in two high-profile meat trade shows; the China International Meat Industry Exhibition scheduled to take place in April, and SIAL China, taking place in May, while further activities will be planned in due course," Mr O'Toole said. Speaking from Shanghai on Thursday morning, Bord Bias China manager Conor OSullivan said that the news is coming at a time when China is reopening up after nearly three years of tight Covid-19 controls. "There is a renewed optimism in the market, an eagerness to do business, and prospects for growth are strong," Mr O'Sullivan said. "Favourable market conditions, coupled with the reopening of the foodservice sector in China, where Irish product was previously most commonly placed, means Ireland is well positioned to rebuild our beef trade with China. "Following the granting of access in 2018, Irish beef exports to China were on a sharp upward trajectory, rising from just over 2m in 2018 to almost 40m in 2019, the last full year of trade." In 2020, beef exports were on track to far exceed 2019 levels, with January to May figures having more than doubled compared to the same period in the previous year, Mr O'Sullivan said. "I look forward to working with Irish exporters to re-establish our market position and help the industry maximise the returns from this high potential market," he added. BORROW BOOKS, CDS AND DVDS Your local library is the first stop in your community for access to a wide range of literature, audio, film and television in physical formats, all available for borrowing for two weeks at a time, with Cork City Libraries, for example, allowing up to 12 items to be borrowed at once. There's bound to be something for you along the carefully-curated shelves, from the latest bestsellers and all-time classics to large-print versions, and works written especially for beginner adult readers. If you can't find what you want, you can place a request with your librarian for a book to be sent in from another library, or acquired for you to borrow. Access is also available to physical magazines, newspapers and journals, with some libraries playing host to deep archives of local and national media. And if streaming music and video is too much hassle, many local libraries have selections of music on CD, and films and telly on DVD - a free alternative to the big apps! Helen McGonagle, executive librarian for music & culture in Cork City Library. TAKE THEM EVERYWHERE WITH YOU For the digitally native in your family, the library system also allows access to a number of apps and services to access eBooks, magazines, comics and audio, all with their membership. Cork City Library alone provides members with access to BorrowBox for eBooks, Libby and PressReader for digital news and magazines - and even ComicsPlus, providing the comics fan in your family with access to free weekly and monthly access to digital copies on their phone or tablet. If history and research are within your interest, you can also access the Irish Newspaper Archive and Irish Times Archives. Many local libraries will also provide online access to visual arts exhibitions, and provide access to streaming music services like Freegal and the Naxos classical music catalogue - while their own apps are a handy resource for searching availability of physical material or accessing digital content. Tadhg and Cliodhna Rose McMahon in the children's library at Cork City Library. Picture: Dan Linehan LEARNING THROUGH LIFE From the youngest of new readers to the eternally curious, your local library provides countless ways to expand your own knowledge or set a loved one on a path to furthering their interests. Cork City Libraries' 'My Little Library Bags', for example, are a ready-made starter kit of material for Junior Infants, entering big school and ready to read - and completely free to pick up where available. Right now, the service has special bags of leabhair beaga deasa for growing Gaelgoirs! Cork City Libraries are happy to announce we have a limited number of My Little Library Bags as Gaeilge. The My Little Library Book Bags as Gaeilge are packed with books, stories and fun. Simply contact your local library to check for availability: https://t.co/Wi1rZxBOyJ pic.twitter.com/H3vh5yxCbE Cork City Libraries (@corkcitylibrary) January 5, 2023 Meanwhile, for adult learners, a library membership will provide access to a wide range of free educational courses, including courses from UniversalClass and music tuition from ArtistWorks, and access to JSTOR Ireland for Cork City Libraries. On Thursday 22nd December 'Bags of Welcome' were given to Early Years Children from Ukrainian Accommodation Centres, Direct Provision, Kinsale Road and Direct Provision Ashbourne House Glounthaune, at the Childrens and Young Peoples Library Grand Parade, with a singing and storytelling session from Deirdre Ryan, and a visit from a special man in a red suit. Picture: Larry Cummins AN ACCEPTING SOCIAL AND CULTURAL SPACE Many local libraries will also make themselves available as cultural spaces for their local communities, from exhibition spaces for visual arts, or events spaces for music, readings and discussion panels, including local-interest events and initiatives like Grand Parade Library's 'Many Tongues of Cork', which provides people the space to write, recite and react to poetry in a variety of languages from locally-resident writers. But the library system, being part of the social fabric in this country, also provides a wide array of regular interest clubs, like the Mayfield library's monthly kids' videogames meetup, and the Hollyhill branch's excellent adult music courses, as well as a selection of social outreach programmes - including the Grand Parade Library's throwing open of the doors to families in Direct Provision and emergency accommodation, to receive special Christmas gifts from the community, as well as some priority facetime recently with Santy himself ahead of his big run on December 25. For people of all ages and persuasions facing issues with literacy, employment, skills, and wellbeing, your local library can provide help and facilitation, including regular workshops, as well as scheduled access to the internet where necessary. For the LGBT* community, Cork County Libraries have led the way, including opening their phone lines to the county's transgender community to provide access, answer questions and update account information; and commissioning workshops for LGBT* young people to write work inspired by their own lived experiences. Cork County Libraries were also the first in the country to provide free access to sanitary products in-branch, in bathrooms, and other discreet locations upon inquiry. Noel Long and Rosaleen O'Rourke catching up on the news at Cork City Library. MEMBERSHIP IS FREE It is one-hundred percent free to join your local library, and one membership gets you access to all of this, at any age, anywhere in the country. In order to join the library, you need to complete an application form, either online or in person at the library. If you choose to submit the form online, you need to visit any library and produce photographic identification (who you are) and proof of current address (where you live) to activate your membership. You can join at any age. Children and young people under the age of eighteen years must get the permission of a parent or guardian to join the library. Parents/guardians are responsible for their children in the library, their childrens selections, and use of library materials and services, including access to the Internet. Please check with your local branch regarding access to specific services and access requirements, as well as upcoming events. A grandmother previously jailed for refusing to wear a face mask during the Covid-19 pandemic is back in prison after committing public order offences when she repeatedly demanded a room at a hotel currently accommodating Ukrainian refugees. Margaret Buttimer, 68 and currently of no fixed abode, told Bandon District Court it was a disgrace that she could not be given a room at the Munster Arms Hotel in Bandon, while refusing to give the judge an undertaking she would refrain from returning there. It prompted Judge James McNulty, hearing the case at Bandon District Court, to query whether Ms Buttimer has been exploited or manipulated, given her blemish-free criminal record until she was in her mid-60s. Ms Buttimer, who previously had an address in Bandon in Co Cork, and who has also lived recently in Kinsale, pleaded not guilty to six charges arising out of three separate incidents on two different days prior to Christmas. Judge McNulty heard she first called to the Munster Arms Hotel on December 19, with Garda Paul Gleeson telling the court he attended at the hotel having received a call about a woman causing a disturbance and demanding a room at the hotel for her and her son. The court heard she was asking why are all the Ukrainians getting the room and there is no room for me, an Irish citizen? She refused to leave, despite attempted persuasion by the garda and being warned that failing to comply with a direction to leave would be an offence. Arrested After some 30 minutes, she was arrested for breaches of Section 5 and Section 8 of the Public Order Act, and was charged at Bandon Garda Station and released on station bail. However, by 8.35pm she had returned to the hotel, with Garda Finbarr Russell outlining to the court his interaction with Ms Buttimer. Garda Russell also tried to persuade her to leave, as she was again demanding a hotel room for her and her son. He also warned her of the risk of not complying with the direction of a garda and after 10 minutes she was arrested and later charged with Section 6 and Section 8 Public Order offences. The court heard she was then detained overnight, appeared before Clonakilty District Court and detained again to the following day to Macroom District Court, where Judge McNulty had outlined the conditions of her release on bail, including that she stay away from the hotel. But she returned to the hotel again, with gardai alerted at 8.35pm on December 21, when Garda Kieran Hayes said he observed Ms Buttimer in the bar. She kept demanding from the manager how many Ukrainians were staying in the hotel, what the cost was to the Irish people, and that it was a disgrace, Garda Hayes said. She was arrested after failing to comply with Garda direction and charged with Section 5 and Section 8 Public Order offences. As a result, she stayed in Limerick Prison for Christmas. Accused's evidence Giving evidence, Ms Buttimer confirmed she had turned down an offer of accommodation in Glengarriff, where her son is now staying, and she said she had not contacted her local TD about the Ukrainians staying in the hotel, as opposed to asking the hotel staff. The court heard she had been at the Garda station earlier on December 19 with all her possessions, that she had been told there were no rooms available at the hotel and that gardai had not wanted to arrest her. Asked if she was worried her comments about Ukrainians might be audible to any Ukrainians who may have been in the bar of the hotel at the time, she said: They probably have no English. Judge McNulty found all three Section 8 charges proven but dismissed the first Section 5 charge and the Section 6 charge, both of which were alleged to have taken place on December 19. But he found her guilty of the Section 5 charge on December 21, stating it was different from her earlier interactions, when she had been asking for a room, and was instead a persistent querying of the hotel owner about the accommodation of others. Ms Buttimers first previous conviction was in 2021, she was now of no fixed abode since her previous relationship ended last February, and her elderly mother had died last year. When the judge asked her would she stay away from the hotel, Ms Buttimer said she wanted an apology from the hotel owner for accommodating the refugees when Irish people were "sleeping on benches". 'Sad, perplexing case' This is a sad, perplexing case, Judge McNulty said, adding that during the previous cases when Ms Buttimer was convicted of breaches of Covid regulations, an extensive psychiatric report had been prepared for court, but had proved inconclusive. Noting Ms Buttimer was now homeless, the judge said he believed she could easily come to harm. He ordered the Probation Service to prepare a report for when the case next comes before the court on January 19, with penalty deferred until then. The judge said his first concern was for her safety and the second was that this woman may have been exploited or that she has been manipulated by others who have an agenda". Why does the court ask that question? Because this woman led a blameless life until the age of 66 and has since then has been involved in what one might call civil disobedience and protest, with no history of anything like that in her entire adult life. The court has a concern that this woman has been exploited or manipulated by others. He said this was to be explored by the Probation Service, which was also directed to enquire as to the ownership of Ms Buttimers late mothers home and whether she could be accommodated there, with similar queries to be lodged with Cork County Council. The court heard another son of Ms Buttimer is currently residing at that address. In the meantime, he remanded Ms Buttimer back to Limerick Prison, adding it was the "safest, best and warmest place for her. A 38-year-old Cork woman, who had previously been convicted 146 times for carrying out thefts, has confessed to eight more incidents of shoplifting and been jailed for 10 months. Yvonne Carroll, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the latest offences at Cork District Court. Sergeant Gearoid Davis outlined the background to the crimes which were committed between May and December 2022. Defence solicitor, Shane Collins-Daly said: She is a 38-year-old single lady. She was remanded in custody on these charges on December 11. She entered pleas of guilty as early as possible. She served a six-month sentence and was released in July 2021. She had made efforts over the 18 months since then to deal with her addiction problems. She suffered a traumatic incident in her teenage years that led her to get involved in drugs. She is 20 years or probably more involved in addiction difficulties. She was getting counselling from July 2021 but then in October 2022 her father passed away and she found herself back battling with addiction again and had a relapse. Judge Olann Kelleher said: I take all of that into account but she is putting herself back in prison. The judge imposed a total sentence of 10 months and said that if consecutive sentences were imposed she could have faced two years in prison. Offences The accused went to Smyths on Maylor Street and stole 152 worth of toys on May 28. On June 25, at Marks and Spencer, Merchants Quay, she stole 202 worth of clothing. On July 23, she stole a tracksuit pants and top costing 195 from JD Sports on St Patricks Street. Carroll stole 225 worth of clothing from Lifestyle Sports on St Patricks Street, on September 1. Later in the month on September 28, she stole 196 of cosmetics from Boots in Merchants Quay. On October 1, she stole four picture frames from Next in Blackpool, valued 93. On November 14, she stole a small item from Dunnes in Merchants Quay. And finally, on December 10 she stole 301 worth of clothing from Marks and Spencer. Teacher Enoch Burke turned up at Wilson's Hospital School in Co. Westmeath on Thursday as the school returned after its Christmas break. Mr Burke was previously incarcerated at Mountjoy Prison for three months for failing to comply with a High Court injunction secured by the school, preventing him from attending and attempting to teach any classes. He was released towards the end of December, although he did not purge his contempt of court. In a statement, An Garda Siochana said it is aware of the attendance on Thursday but that these matters refer to a civil order. The role of An Garda Siochana is to ensure peace and public order is maintained, and no criminal offence is committed. Last August, Mr Burke was suspended on full pay by the school where he is employed over allegations of misconduct made against him. Suspension As part of his suspension, he was directed to stay away from the school until the disciplinary process had been completed. Mr Burke claims his suspension is unlawful, and that he was wrongfully jailed arising out of his opposition to transgenderism. The school claimed he refused to comply with the direction to stay away and obtained a High Court injunction preventing him from attending and attempting to teach any classes at the school. Arising out of his failure to comply with the court order, he was deemed to be in contempt of court and was incarcerated at Mountjoy. Last month, Mr Justice O'Moore ordered that Burke be released, stating this was one of those "rare cases" where a coercive imprisonment should stop, for the moment, even though he did not purge his contempt. This week, Mr Burke sought an injunction preventing the school from holding a disciplinary meeting where allegations of misconduct will be considered. House Republicans are at a crossroads as leader Kevin McCarthy has failed over and over again to become House speaker though he remains determined to persuade enough conservative holdouts to vote for him and end the stalemate. What started as a political novelty the first time in 100 years a nominee has not won the gavel on the first vote has devolved into a bitter Republican Party feud and deepening potential crisis. Mr McCarthy is under growing pressure from restless Republicans, and Democrats, to find the votes he needs or step aside so the House can open fully and get on with the business of governing. His right-flank detractors appear intent on waiting him out for as long as it takes. Kevin McCarthy talks to reporters (Jose Luis Magana/AP) No deal yet, Mr McCarthy said late on Wednesday before the House abruptly adjourned. But a lot of progress. The House, which is half of Congress, is essentially at a standstill as Mr McCarthy has failed, one vote after another, to win the speakers gavel in a gruelling spectacle for the world to see. The ballots have produced almost the same outcome 20 conservative holdouts still refusing to support him and leaving him far short of the 218 typically needed to win the gavel. In fact, Mr McCarthy saw his support slipping to 201 as one fellow Republican switched to vote simply present. I think people need to work a little more, Mr McCarthy said on Wednesday as they prepared to adjourn for the night. I dont think a vote tonight would make any difference. But a vote in the future could. When the House resumes at noon local time on Thursday, it could be a long day. The new Republican majority was not expected to be in session on Friday, which is the anniversary of the January 6 2021 attack on the Capitol. A prolonged and divisive speakers fight would almost certainly underscore the fragility of American democracy after the attempted insurrection two years ago. All who serve in the House share a responsibility to bring dignity to this body, California Democrat Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker, said in a tweet. Democrats are unified behind our great new leadership Republicans are in conflict. Democrats passed historic bills to deliver For The People Republicans cant even elect a Speaker. Weve seen a Republican House pure chaos. We CANT let them burn down what weve built. -NP Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) January 4, 2023 Ms Pelosi also said the Republicans cavalier attitude in electing a Speaker is frivolous, disrespectful and unworthy of this institution. We must open the House and proceed with the Peoples work. Some Republicans appear to be growing uneasy with the way House Republicans have taken charge after the midterm election only to see the chamber upended over the speakers race in their first days in the new majority. Colorado Republican Ken Buck voted for Mr McCarthy but said on Wednesday he told him he needs to figure out how to make a deal to move forward or eventually step aside for someone else. Mr McCarthy has vowed to fight to the finish for the speakers job in a battle that had thrown the new majority into tumult for the first days of the new Congress. The right-flank conservatives, led by the Freedom Caucus and aligned with former president Donald Trump, appeared emboldened by the standoff even though Mr Trump publicly backed Mr McCarthy. This is actually an invigorating day for America, said Florida Republican Byron Donalds, who was nominated three times by his conservative colleagues as an alternative. Theres a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all to a close and elect a speaker. The disorganised start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House, much the way that some past Republican speakers, including John Boehner, had trouble leading a rebellious right flank. The result: government shutdowns, standoffs and Mr Boehners early retirement. Mr McCarthy, left, listens as the House meets for a second day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington (Alex Brandon/AP) A new generation of conservative Republicans, many aligned with Mr Trumps Make America Great Again agenda, want to upend business as usual in Washington, and were committed to stopping Mr McCarthys rise without concessions to their priorities. But even Mr Trumps strongest supporters disagreed on this issue. Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert, who nominated Mr Donalds the second time, called on the former president to tell Mr McCarthy: Sir, you do not have the votes and its time to withdraw. By Mr McCarthys own calculation, he needs to flip about a dozen Republicans who have so far withheld their backing as he presses on for the job he has long wanted. To win support, Mr McCarthy has already agreed to many of the demands of Freedom Caucus members, who have been agitating for rules changes and other concessions that give rank-and-file members more influence. And a McCarthy-aligned campaign group, the Conservative Leadership Fund, offered another concession, saying it would no longer spend money on elections in any open-seat primaries in safe Republican districts. The far-right politicians have complained that their preferred candidates for the House were being treated unfairly as the campaign fund put its resources elsewhere. Pennsylvania Republican Scott Perry, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said the latest round of talks was productive. I am open to whatever will give me the power to defend my constituents against this godforsaken city, said Texas Republican Chip Roy, another member of the conservative group. Mr McCarthy is surrounded by reporters as he walks to the House floor from the Speakers Office on Capitol Hill (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) But those opposing Mr McCarthy do not all have the same complaints and he may never be able to win over some of them. Im ready to vote all night, all week, all month and never for that person, said Florida Republican Matt Gaetz. Such staunch opposition carried echoes of Mr McCarthys earlier bid for the job, when he dropped out of the speakers race in 2015 because he could not win over conservatives. We have no exit strategy, South Carolina Republican Ralph Norman said. Theres nothing he can give me or any of our members thats going to be a magic pill, Mr Norman said. Were here to vet a speaker, vet the person third in line for the presidency and thats a good thing. Not since 1923 had a speakers election gone to multiple ballots. The longest fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the American civil war. Democrats enthusiastically nominated and renominated their House leader, Hakeem Jeffries, on all six ballots for speaker over the first two days. He repeatedly won the most votes overall, 212. If Mr McCarthy could win 213 votes and then persuade the remaining naysayers to simply vote present, he would be able to lower the threshold required under the rules to have the majority. It is a strategy former House speakers, including Ms Pelosi and Mr Boehner, had used when they confronted opposition, winning with fewer than 218 votes. One Republican, Victoria Spartz of Indiana, voted present on Wednesdays rounds but it only ended up lowering Mr McCarthys total. The speakers chair of the US House of Representatives sat empty for a third day on Thursday, as Republican leader Kevin McCarthy failed anew on the seventh of an excruciating string of ballots to win enough votes from his party to seize the chambers gavel. One of Mr McCarthys steadfast critics, Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, even cast his vote for Donald Trump, a symbolic gesture, but one that highlighted the former presidents influence over the Republican Party. The seventh vote for speaker turned out no differently from the others, with Mr McCarthy well short of the required majority. Mr McCarthy emerged from a morning meeting with colleagues at the Capitol determined to persuade Republican holdouts to end the stalemate that has blighted his new Republican majority. Kevin McCarthy talks to reporters as he walks to the House chamber (Jose Luis Magana/AP) Despite endless talks, signs of concessions and a public spectacle unlike any other in recent political memory, the path ahead remained highly uncertain. The day started as the other two have, with Republican allies nominating him for now a seventh time to be speaker. Republican John James of Michigan put Mr McCarthys name up for a vote, with a nod to history. My familys gone from being slaves to the floor of the United States House of Representatives in five generations, said Mr James, a newly elected legislator to be, who is black. He said that while the House Republicans were stuck at the moment, Mr McCarthy, who has failed to seize a majority to become speaker, would ultimately win. Democrat Hakeem Jeffries of New York was re-nominated by Democrats. Republican party holdouts again put forward the name of fellow Representative Byron Donalds of Florida, assuring the stalemate that increasingly carried undercurrents of race and politics would continue. Votes are tallied during the seventh round of voting on the third day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington (Alex Brandon/AP) Mr Donalds, who is black, is seen as a future party leader and counterpoint to the Democratic leader, Mr Jeffries, who is the first black leader of a major political party in the US Congress, on track himself to become speaker some day. We could have elected the first black speaker of the United States House, said conservative Republican Dan Bishop of North Carolina, who re-nominated Mr Donalds on Thursday. Democrats jumped to their feet in applause, as Mr Jeffries is, in fact, closest to the gavel with the most votes on every ballot so far. What started as a political novelty, the first time in 100 years a nominee had not won the gavel on the first vote, has devolved into a bitter Republican Party feud and deepening potential crisis. Mr McCarthy is under growing pressure from restless Republicans, and Democrats, to find the votes he needs or step aside, so the House can open fully and get on with the business of governing. His right-flank detractors appear intent on waiting him out, as long as it takes. Were having good discussions and I think everyone wants to find a solution, Mr McCarthy told reporters shortly before the House was prepared to gavel into session again. The House of Representatives in Washington (Andrew Harnik/AP) House chaplain Margaret Kibben opened the days session, perhaps the last of the week, calling on greater powers to still the storms of dissent. The House, which is one half of Congress, is essentially at a standstill as Mr McCarthy has failed, one vote after another, to win the speakers gavel in a gruelling spectacle for all the world to see. The ballots have produced almost the same outcome, 20 conservative holdouts still refusing to support him and leaving him far short of the 218 typically needed to win the gavel. In fact, Mr McCarthy saw his support slipping to 201, as one fellow Republican switched to vote simply present. I think people need to work a little more, Mr McCarthy said on Wednesday as they prepared to adjourn for the night. I dont think a vote tonight would make any difference. But a vote in the future could. As the House resumed at noon on Thursday it could be a long day. House of Representatives reading clerk Susan Cole calls the roll during the seventh round of voting for speaker in the House chamber (Andrew Harnik/AP) The new Republican majority was not expected to be in session on Friday, which is the anniversary of the January 6 2021 attack on the Capitol. A prolonged and divisive speakers fight would almost certainly underscore the fragility of American democracy after the attempted insurrection two years ago. All who serve in the House share a responsibility to bring dignity to this body, California Democrat Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker, said in a tweet. Ms Pelosi also said the Republicans cavalier attitude in electing a Speaker is frivolous, disrespectful and unworthy of this institution. We must open the House and proceed with the Peoples work. Some Republicans appear to be growing uneasy with the way House Republicans have taken charge after the midterm election only to see the chamber upended over the speakers race in their first days in the new majority. Colorado Republican Ken Buck voted for Mr McCarthy but said on Wednesday that he told him he needs to figure out how to make a deal to move forward or eventually step aside for someone else. Mr McCarthy has vowed to fight to the finish for the speakers job in a battle that had thrown the new majority into tumult for the first days of the new Congress. Kevin McCarthy listens during the seventh round of voting in the House chamber (Alex Brandon/AP) The right-flank conservatives, led by the Freedom Caucus and aligned with former president Mr Trump, appeared emboldened by the stand-off even though Mr Trump publicly backed Mr McCarthy. This is actually an invigorating day for America, said Mr Donalds, who was nominated three times by his conservative colleagues as an alternative. Theres a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all to a close and elect a speaker. The disorganised start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House, much the way that some past Republican speakers, including John Boehner, had trouble leading a rebellious right flank. The result: government shutdowns, stand-offs and Mr Boehners early retirement. A new generation of conservative Republicans, many aligned with Mr Trumps Make America Great Again agenda, want to upend business as usual in Washington, and were committed to stopping Mr McCarthys rise without concessions to their priorities. But even Mr Trumps strongest supporters disagreed on this issue. Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert, who nominated Mr Donalds the second time, called on the former president to tell Mr McCarthy: Sir, you do not have the votes and its time to withdraw. By Mr McCarthys own calculation, he needs to flip about a dozen Republicans who have so far withheld their backing as he presses on for the job he has long wanted. To win support, Mr McCarthy has already agreed to many of the demands of Freedom Caucus members, who have been agitating for rules changes and other concessions that give rank-and-file members more influence. Mostly, the holdouts led by the Freedom Caucus are seeking ways to shrink the power of the speakers office and give rank-and-file legislators more influence in the legislative process with seats on key committees and the ability to draft and amend bills in a more free-for-all process. Mr McCarthy conceded to some changes in a Rules package released over new years weekend, but for some it did not go far enough. Those opposing Mr McCarthy do not all have the same complaints, and he may never be able to win over some of them. A small core group of Republicans appear unwilling to ever vote for Mr McCarthy. Im ready to vote all night, all week, all month and never for that person, said Mr Gaetz. Not since 1923 had a speakers election gone to multiple ballots. The longest fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War. Books Myanmar Regime Learning From Chinas Expertise at Media Manipulation -- There is no doubt that China in just a couple of decades has transformed itself from a poor Asian country into an economic, political and even military superpower. But little attention has been paid to the way in which China has also established a media and information imperium with tentacles spreading all over the world. That would not be especially remarkable, had it not been for the way in which Chinas ruling communist party is using its own media outlets, and the influence those exercise over newspaper, internet sites and blogs in some other countries, to promote its own undemocratic system as an alternative to liberal democracy, as well as peddling misinformation about, for instance, the situation in its ethnic minority regions of Xinjiang and Tibet. Chinas propaganda apparatus even tries to influence other countries domestic policies by planting false news and manipulating public figures. In Beijings Global Media Offensive: Chinas Uneven Campaign to Influence Asia and the World, Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), examines Chinas global media offensive and how the leaders in Beijing are increasingly cooperating with their comrades in Moscow in their efforts to become global media influencers. China has, as Kurlantzick points out, often failed to reap gains from its efforts, but it has been successful in exporting its political and internet control models to some like-minded regimes in Asia among them Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. These campaigns, Kurlantzick argues, may not only help protect the ruling Party [in China]; they may also help China build alliances with autocracies and undermine press freedoms, human rights, and democracy across the globe. CFR may be a United States (US)-based think-tank but it is independent and non-partisan, and often publishes reports critical of Washington and its policies. Although Kurlanzicks study focuses on the media, it should also be mentioned in this context that Reuters, on July 11 last year, identified three Chinese companies that have supplied Myanmar with cameras with facial recognition capabilities which now are in place in cities all over the country, enabling the junta to track down and identify opponents to the dictatorship. Two of the three companies the Shenzhen-based technology giant Huawei Technologies and Zhejiang Dahua Technology in Hangzhou in Zhejiang province did not respond to Reuters request for comment. The third company, Hikvision, another partly state-owned company also based in Hangzhou, issued a vague and ambiguous statement saying that the company had never sold any equipment directly to Myanmar government authorities. Hikvision claimed also that it had not provided Myanmar with facial recognition technology. But The Irrawaddy has learned from industry sources that Hikvision has used local Chinese and Myanmar middlemen to transfer such equipment to the junta, and that such indirect sales to Myanmar have increased dramatically over the past year. Chinese companies have also supplied the military regime with technology that makes it possible to monitor the internet, hack into independent websites, and control the flow of news from Myanmar to the outside world. Kurlantzick quotes a speech at the United Nations (UN) by Chinas then president Hu Jintao in 2005 as an early example of how Beijing has for years been trying to sell its version of authoritarianism to the outside world by stating that all states should have respect for countries right to choose independently their own social systems and paths of development. Needless to say, that is impossible in Myanmar and other dictatorships because the people in those countries have no right to elect their own governments. No one has chosen to be oppressed and ruled by a small group of ruthless villains who have usurped power. But the leaders in Beijing probably dont care what ordinary people think. Chinas model is fairly straight-forward: authoritarian rule, not democracy, leads to economic development. And, to some extent, that notion has been accepted by rulers and politicians in some Asian, African and South American countries. Chinas charm offensive, which began in the late 20th and early 21st centuries has, in some ways, not been that different from the so-called soft power efforts pursued for years by many Western countries, among them the US, France and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union. China has established Confucius Institutes in a host of foreign countries and, on the surface, they dont seem to be that different from the United States Information Service, the British Council or Alliance Francaise. But the Confucius Institutes go much further then its Western equivalents. According to Kurlantzick, the US Senates Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations found in a report issued on February 19, 2019, that many American universities had allowed Confucius Institutes to be set up on their campuses with minimal oversight and little knowledge of the Chinese governance of the Confucius Institute program, even though the institutes can come with strings that compromise academic freedom. The decision to name its institutes after the Chinese philosopher Confucius (actually a Latinized form of Kong Fuzi, or Master Kong), who is believed to have lived from 551 to 479 BCE, could not have been an easy one to make. During the last three years of his life, 1973-76, the old Chinese dictator Mao Zedong and his wife Jiang Qing launched a campaign called Criticize Lin, Criticize Confucius. Lin was of course Lin Piao, Maos former heir who allegedly planned to stage a coup and then tried to escape to the Soviet Union. But the plane crashed under mysterious circumstances in Mongolia in September 1971 and, as a possible opponent to Mao, he was branded an enemy of the people. Confucius, Mao and Jiang claimed, had stood for feudalism, slavery and the denigration of women. Traces of Confucian thought which still remained in the consciousness of the Chinese people in the 1970s thus hindered the countrys development, Mao and Jiang argued. In todays reformed China, the Confucius Institutes are overseen by Chinas United Front Work Department (UFWD), a department that is directly controlled by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. It is known to be gathering intelligence and managing relations with individuals and organizations inside and outside China. UFWD operatives and local informants working for the outfit are, among other things, suspected of monitoring overseas popular protests against Beijing and its policies. That happened in Hong Kong during the pro-democracy demonstrations there in 2019-2020. Further away from Chinas immediate periphery, there were demonstrations outside Chinas embassy in Yangon, which must have shattered the powerholders in Beijing. China, a longtime supporter of the Myanmar military, was and has never been popular among the public at large. Hence, Chinas support for the juntas efforts to identify opponents to military rule, whether they are spotted by surveillance cameras in public, or identified through policing of the internet. Apart from the Confucius Institutes, another major way in which the Chinese leadership is trying to influencing public opinion in foreign countries, Kurlantzick states, is contents-sharing deals with media in selected countries. They are offered free dispatches from the official, government-controlled news agency Xinhua and programs aired by Chinese national television in return for having some of their material appear in Chinese media. In Thailand, the Matichon Group, of which the well-respected website Khaosod is a part, announced a content-sharing deal with Xinhua in 2019. Khaosod began running Xinhua articles for free and among the first pieces were articles on the 2019 Hong Kong protests that portrayed the demonstrators as tools of Western agitators and Xinjiang as a place where equality, solidarity and harmony among ethnic groups and religions have prevailed. People in the region were also supposed to be enjoying peace and stability. According to human rights groups, the Chinese authorities have detained as many as a million Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang and have perpetrated widespread sexual violence against local women. A report from the UNs High Commissioner for Human Rights, released in August last year, concluded that serious human rights violations have been committed, including arbitrary and discriminatory detention of members of Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim groups which, it asserted, may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity. When the Matichon Group was criticized by, for instance Tyler Roney writing for Foreign Policy, for striking a deal with Xinhua, the response from a Khaosod editor was that there are two sides to a story and we believe in the judgment of our readers. Elsewhere in the region, government-controlled TV stations in Laos, Cambodia and Timor Leste have links with Chinese media firms. In Cambodia, the government has also created a new set of rules governing its domestic internet which copies Chinas internet laws. In Vietnam, whose relations with China have not, to say the least, always been smooth, the authorities have emulated not only Chinas model of state power but also implemented new cyberspace legislation akin to that in China. Kurlantzick also points out that in Myanmar, the junta government, which seized power in February 2021, quickly tried to implement new cyberspace laws and regulations similar to Chinas internet laws. Xinhua frequently quotes news material from junta mouthpieces such as The Global New Light of Myanmar and The Mirror. Chinese state media has also signed content-sharing deals with Chinese-language outlets in Myanmar, at least at some stage, while in 2012, China Radio International signed an agreement with Myanmar state TV to broadcast Chinese shows. More controversially, in 2018 the Dehong Group in Yunnan that publishes Pauk Phaw entered into a content-sharing agreement with the Myitkyina News Journal, which before the coup was one of Kachin States most respected newspapers. Myitkyina News Journals editors stated after the deal was struck that they had hoped to get sources in China. The paper is still being published, but as a website and on Facebook. Several of its editors had to flee after the 2021 coup. Naturally, since it examines a global media effort, Kurlantzicks book deals with not only Southeast Asias media, but also the rest of the world and especially Africa, where Chinas often not-so-subtle charm offensive has been easier to observe and discern. The book is a brilliant account of how Beijings multi-pronged campaign is unfolding, and it should be read by anyone interested in press freedom and what Chinas leaders are doing to manipulate the media throughout the world, so as to control democratic forces at home and in other countries. Beijings Global Media Offensive: Chinas Uneven Campaign to Influence Asia and the World by Joshua Kurlantzick is published by Oxford University Press. Burma Dispatch from Naypyitaw: Myanmars North Korea-esque Independence Day Myanmar regime chief Min Aung Hlaing inspects troops during the grand parade to mark Independence Day in Naypyitaw on Jan. 4. With a grand military review and thousands of people forced to join a parade to greet the coup leader, the celebration of Myanmars 75th anniversary of independence saw Naypyitaw take on a distinct air of Pyongyang. Naypyitaws usually deserted 20-lane concrete boulevard was filled with thousands of people marching, dancing, saluting, and parachuting under a scorching sun and 30C temperatures. The parade, which cost billions of kyats, was intended to deceive people at home and abroad into thinking Myanmars people support the military regime and had enthusiastically joined its Independence Day celebrations. But the truth was clear. Myanmar is becoming the next North Korea. What people witnessed on Wednesday (Jan. 4) in the administrative capital reminded them of the massive parades televised by state-owned media in Pyongyang. These parades serve two functions, first to show the outside world that North Korea is doing great despite international sanctions and second to shore up domestic support, especially in difficult times. On Wednesday, in stark contrast to previous Independence Day celebrations, Min Aung Hlaing summoned family members of military personnel, government employees, and junta supporters to Naypyitaw for his grand military review. He was taking his cue from Pyongyang. Government employees in the capital were forced to leave home in the early hours on Wednesday as the event started at 7 am. The regime lifted the curfew especially for the parade, which lasted for a full six hours. Sleep-deprived crowds lined the boulevard, rubbing their eyes as the sun climbed higher in the sky. Their faces looked weary with no sign of pleasure. Participants had suffered not just one sleepless night. They had been deprived of sleep since early December. We rehearsed for one month. We had to leave our homes 3 am every day [for rehearsals]. I cant wait to see the end of this event, said one government employee. Thousands of people representing various groups joined the military march-by, waving miniature flags and saluting the junta chief. There was no sign of emotion on their faces as they paced robotically through the ceremony. Though Min Aung Hlaing has never declared it publicly, his ambition to become president is an open secret among people in Myanmar. On Jan. 4, Min Aung Hlaing dropped a broad hint of that dream as he took the salute. The junta chief was wearing a golden Salwel, the regalia of Myanmar presidents. Beside him stood his wife Kyu Kyu Hla, her face blank and impassive. Escorting the junta chief at the event was a unit of cavalry. There was a commotion when a horse bolted before the Army chief arrived, said one participant. Also parading along the vast boulevard stretching to the presidential residence were floats representing junta ministries and region and state governments. They showcased the so-called achievements of ministries since the coup, as well as landmarks in regions and states. The message they carried was clear every military regime in Myanmar loves to blow its own trumpet even though its achievements only exist on paper. Accompanying each float was a performing troupe tasked with entertaining the junta chief on the concrete road under a baking sun. Most of the entertainers were barefoot. The reality is that the whole country is burning in the war. These floats are meaningless. All are lies. They are just wasting public funds, said one government employee who had returned to work after initially joining the Civil Disobedience Movement. While the event will no doubt have pleased the junta chief, it also presented departmental officials with an opportunity to line their own pockets. The floats were also used in [last years] Union Day celebrations. They were modified a bit for use in the Independence Day celebrations. But the [big] budget was granted as requested. So, this was a bonanza [for department officials], he said. The release of 750 white doves and a display of fireworks enhanced the stage-managed spectacle. Sources said the birds were purchased from Thailand and the fireworks from China Seventy-five paratroopers also parachuted into the event in an unprecedented aerial display. The effect was marred however when several missed the target. Wearing full presidential insignia, Min Aung Hlaing stood in an open-roof car to inspect troops, his face and mannerisms displaying a grim determination to maintain his grip on power. The parades 12-gun salute early on Wednesday morning would have been heard by former dictator Than Shwe, and also by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of independence hero General Aung San who is being held in Naypyitaw Prison. Min Aung Hlaing had marked the occasion by releasing over 7,000 prisoners in an amnesty, promoting himself as a magnanimous leader. Only a few of those released were political prisoners. Meanwhile, the majority of Myanmar people are well aware they have been held hostage by the military since the coup. The regime also showed off aircraft, armored vehicles, and missiles in the Pyongyang-style military parade. It is definitely like North Korea: The regime has burned the money and wasted public funds, said one attendee, who asked for anonymity. Following Min Aung Hlaings coup in 2021, many Myanmar citizens forecast their country would become another failed state given the regimes oppression, economic mismanagement and isolation, even jokingly calling it North Myanmar. The regimes celebration of Independence Day on Wednesday confirmed their worst fears. Burma Ethnic Leaders Accept Honors From Regime Chief as EAOs Fight Myanmar Military (Left) Karen National Union chairman Saw Mutu Say Poe. (Right) Naw Sar L Say Poe accepts an honor on behalf of her father Saw Mutu Say Poe from junta chief Min Aung Hlaing. A number of prominent ethnic minority leaders have accepted honors from Myanmars military regime, even as ethnic armed organizations (EAO) called for solidarity in the revolution against the junta in their New Year messages. T Khun Myat, a former lower house lawmaker for the now ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) government, is one of those who accepted an honor from junta chief Min Aung Hlaing in a ceremony in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw on January 2, as did EAO leaders such as Saw Mutu Say Poe and Khun Okkar. Ethnic Kachin T Khun Myat was a peoples militia leader in Shan States Kutkai Township and is also a former member of the militarys proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). Trained as a lawyer, he served in the Union Attorney Generals Office and on the commission for drafting the militarys 2008 Constitution. In 2018, T Khun Myat was elected as lower house speaker under the then NLD government. Despite considerable suspicion about his credibility, due to his close ties to the Myanmar military, he silenced his critics by meting out stony-faced treatment to the military appointees who hold 25 per cent of the seats in Myanmars legislature, as well as to his former colleagues in the USDP. But his true colors were revealed when he continued to attend parliament following the 2021 coup, which saw the NLD government deposed and its leaders jailed. Observers were surprised that Saw Mutu Say Poe, the leader of the Karen National Union (KNU), the oldest ethnic organization in Myanmar, accepted an honorary title from Min Aung Hlaing. The KNUs armed wings are actively fighting the regime. Saw Mutu Say Poe did not receive his title in person. Instead, his daughter Naw Sar L Say Poe accepted it on his behalf in Naypyitaw. Colonel Khun Okkar, patron of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization, did accept his honor in person. He is currently engaged in peace talks with the regime, turning a blind eye to the fact that the murderous military is solely responsible for ongoing hostilities in the country. The junta described 2022 as the year of peace, but carried out numerous airstrikes in central Myanmar as well as ethnic areas. It has also declared a one-year unilateral ceasefire with EAOs until the end of 2023. Another title recipient was Sai Ai Pao, the chairman of the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP). He has said publicly that his party will contest the so-called election which the regime plans to hold in August this year. Sai Ai Pao established the SNDP to contest the 2010 general election after his former political party, the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, decided to boycott the poll. He was one of five ethnic Shan men to receive honors from Min Aung Hlaing in person in Naypyitaw. Another ethnic Kachin militia leader, Zakhung Ting Ying, who was labelled by junta media as a peace broker, also received his title in person. He is the leader of the New Democratic Army-Kachin, which came under the control of the military when it converted to a Border Guard Force in 2009 under the army-drafted 2008 constitution. He won an upper house seat in the 2010 general election. Yup Zaw Khaung, an ethnic Kachin businessman and leader of the Peace-Talk Creation Group, also accepted his title in person. He is a relative by marriage of the junta-appointed Kachin State Chief Minister Khet Htein Nan. Duwa Lashi La, acting president of the parallel National Unity Government, said in his New Year message that 2023 will see a turning point in Myanmars revolution, as the regime faces increased diplomatic isolation and the resistance movement continues to gain momentum. General NBan La, the recently-retired head of the Kachin Independence Organization, said in his New Year message that the military is the common enemy of all the people of Myanmar. Burma Fighting Breaks Out Near Inle Lake in Southern Shan State Inle PDF members in a jungle near Inle Lake in December 2022. / Supplied Clashes between the Inle Peoples Defence Force (PDF) and junta troops with allied Pyu Saw Htee and Pa-O National Organization (PNO) militias have broken out in southern Shan State. PDF commander Ko Phoe Khwar, 30, another officer and a fighter have been killed in the clashes near Than Htaung village in Nyaung Shwe Township, according to PDF spokesman Ko Inn Saw Kuu. The clashes broke out southwest of Inle Lake when junta troops and their militia allies ambushed us on Tuesday, he said. He added that there were at least 12 regime and militia deaths and many injuries. At least three PDF members were detained by junta troops. We are discussing with our allies about the next steps. We will keep fighting until we get what we want, he said. The clash was the first near Inle Lake since the Inle PDF was established last month. Residents said the junta is increasingly using the PNO to oppress ethnic minority communities in the area. The PNO has been ordering every village to provide the group with a speedboat and a recruit. Junta troops and PNO members detained about 30 residents and six NGO staff in Taung Pu Gyi village, which is near Than Htaung, on Sunday for attending a funeral. They are just innocent villagers and six female staff from a rural development center. They were attending a funeral and were arrested unlawfully. They have still not been released, said a Than Htaung villager who has fled his home. Hundreds of male villagers from Than Htaung, Taung Pu Gyi and other villages near Inle have fled to avoid being forced to work as porters for the PNO. Burma Myanmar Junta Allies Assassinated in Rakhine State The commander-in-chief of the ALA, the armed wing of the Arakan Liberation Party, Major General Khaing Soe Mya, with junta chief Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw. Three leaders of the regime-allied Arakan Liberation Army (ALA) were assassinated in Rakhine States capital Sittwe on Wednesday morning. The commander-in-chief of the ALA, the armed wing of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), Major General Khaing Soe Mya, Lieutenant Colonel Khaing Kyaw Soe and Captain Khaing Thurein Na were killed in the assassination, an ALP source told The Irrawaddy. They were wearing lanyards with their ID cards. It appears they were shot while driving to Independence Days celebrations at the Waithali Ground in Sittwe, he said. Other reports said they were killed after the event. The Irrawaddy was unable to contact the ALP. The ALP signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with President Thein Seins quasi-civilian government in 2015 and is currently engaged in peace talks with Min Aung Hlaings regime. Khaing Soe Mya recently met Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw. Established in 1967, the ALP is the oldest revolutionary Rakhine group. Today its popularity is waning and it faced criticism from Rakhine communities after it set up security checkpoints and carried out checks on passers-by. Tensions have escalated between the ALP and the Arakan Army (AA) over conflicting allegiances and policies. The two sides have traded arrests as relations soured. The AA, the most powerful of the three ethnic armed groups in the state, has a history of abducting ALP members. In August last year, the AA detained Lieutenant Colonel Khaing Paw Lin, the liaison officer at the ALPs office in Sittwe and the partys security chief. Following the abduction, ALP members raided a house in Set Yone Su in Sittwe, firing shots and attempting to arrest two men, one of whom escaped with bullet wounds and another was seized. ALP leaders claimed the two were involved in the abduction of Lt-Col Khaing Paw Lin but denied the use of firearms in the operation. War Against the Junta Three Days of Clashes Leave Six Myanmar Junta Forces, Dozen Resistance Fighters Dead Resistance fighters of Chinland Defense Force-Matupi during training / CDF-Matupi At least six regime forces and a dozen resistance fighters were killed during clashes in the last three days when Peoples Defense Forces (PDFs) and a Karen ethnic armed organization stepped up their attacks on regime targets across the country. In one case, three military battalions bases were attacked and seized temporarily by resistance forces in Karen State. Also, a military ration vessel was seized by PDF groups in Upper Myanmar. Separately, eight PDF fighters were killed in a junta ambush in Magwe Region. Incidents were reported in Karen and Chin states and Magwe, Mandalay and Sagaing Regions. The Irrawaddy has rounded up the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs and the EAO. Some military casualties could not be independently verified. Three military battalions raided by resistance forces in Karen Several dozen regime forces were reportedly killed in Kyainseikgyi Township, Karen State on Wednesday when several PDFs and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) jointly raided three military battalions at the same time, according to the resistance groups. The resistance forces temporarily occupied the bases of the militarys Infantry Battalions 32, 283 and 284 before being forced to retreat from the areas as the junta conducted heavy air strikes using fighter jets and helicopter gunships, said Kyainseikgyis People Administration Group, citing resistance forces. During the raid, resistance forces managed to burn down some military buildings at the battalion bases. Resistance forces arrested the wife of the commander of military Battalion 284 in the raid, but she escaped later during the regime air strikes. Citing resistance fighters, People Administration Group said around 200 regime forces are believed to have been killed in the raids. Four resistance fighters were also killed in the clashes. However, The Irrawaddy was unable to independently confirm the reports. Military ration vessel seized by PDF groups in Sagaing One of two military barges carrying rations and 70 soldiers was seized on the Chindwin River in Kani Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday night when two PDF groups attacked the motorboats, said the Anti-Dictatorship Peoples Revolutionary Army, which joined the attack. The two military motorboats were transporting rations from Monywa to upper Sagaing Region along the Chindwin River. The PDF group said they attacked the motorboats while they were stranded on sandbanks in the river. After a two-hour-long shootout, resistance forces managed to seize one of the boats. The bodies of two dead regime soldiers were left on the seized barge while other regime forces escaped by jumping into the river. Around 100 rice bags of supplies including beans and cooking oil were seized by the PDF groups along with other military bags and bulletproof jackets, the PDF group claimed. Regime forces ambushed in Sagaing At least one regime soldier was killed and many others injured in Chaung-U Township, Sagaing Region on Wednesday when four PDF groups ambushed 20 regime forces and pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia members, said PDF group We Must Win-Guerrilla Force, which was involved in the attack. First, the PDF groups used land mines to ambush the regime forces from junta camps in Kan See and Kin Mon Htaw villages while they were going out to raid nearby villages. A junta soldier was killed in the PDFs mine ambush. Small clashes continued in the area as PDF forces followed and attacked the regime forces retreating from the ambush site, the PDF group said. A PDF video shows resistance fighters attacking regime targets. Military battalion attacked by resistance group in Chin A junta soldier was killed and another injured in Matupi Township, Chin State on Wednesday afternoon when Chinland Defense Force-Matupi attacked the entrance gate of military Infantry Battalion 304 on the Matupi-Paletwa Road, claimed the ethnic Chin resistance group. After the attack, the military battalion randomly shelled nearby areas until 8 p.m. that evening. Two regime forces killed in Tanintharyi Two regime troops and a resistance fighter were killed during a shootout in Palaw Township, Tanintharyi Region on Monday, Palaw-Karen Peoples Defense Force said on Wednesday. The firefight occurred with regime forces heading to Tapo Village while resistance fighters of two PDF groups were preparing land mines. Two PDF weapons were also seized by the regime forces in the clash, said Palaw-KPDF. Regime forces hit by mines in Mandalay Some regime forces are believed to have been killed in Pyawbwe Township, Mandalay Region on Wednesday when Tike Daung-People Revolutionary Alliance used remote-controlled mines to attack 10 regime forces in the town of Pyawbwe, according to a report by local media outlet Myaelatt Athan. Regime forces were bombed at 3 a.m. on that morning while performing security duty for a ceremony commemorating the 75th Myanmar Independence Day, the resistance group told the media. Eight PDF fighters killed in junta ambush in Magwe Eight resistance fighters were killed in a junta ambush in Seikphyu Township, Magwe Region on Monday, said Seikphyu Barmahtee-PDF group on Wednesday. Around 15 resistance forces of Seikphyu Barmahtee-PDF group were ambushed by the junta soldiers while they were conducting an operation in the township. A PDF official told local media that their fighters could not defend against the junta ambush due to a lack of automatic firearms. World Nate Thayer, US Journalist Who Interviewed Pol Pot, Dead at 62 Nate Thayer discusses his meeting with Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot, which occurred in northwest Cambodia, with journalists at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand in Bangkok in July 1997. / AFP WASHINGTONNate Thayer, the larger-than-life American freelance journalist who scored a massive scoop with his 1997 interview with Pol Pot, the genocidal leader of Cambodias Khmer Rouge, has died at 62, his family said Wednesday. Thayer was discovered dead by his brother Rob Thayer at his Falmouth, Massachusetts home Tuesday. He had a lot of ailments, he was seriously ill for many months, the brother told AFP. Thayer spent years reporting on Cambodian politics and society, including the Khmer Rouge, the brutal communist regime that left more than 1 million people dead between 1975 and 1979. Beginning in 1989, he worked for the Associated Press, and then publications like the Phnom Penh Post and the Far Eastern Economic Review, building contacts in the dangerous jungle border region of Thailand and Cambodia. With his shaven head, chewing tobacco and handiness with guns, he gained a reputation as a gonzo journalist, setting out on crazy adventures, like traveling with a well-armed reporting team from Soldier of Fortune magazine into eastern Cambodia in search of a likely extinct forest ox called a kouprey. In the wild west frontier of Thailand and Cambodia, he braved firefights and was severely injured by a land mine in 1989 while riding with Cambodian guerillas. His work paid off in 1997 when he sent a cryptic message to Far Eastern Economic Review editor Nayan Chanda that he would interview uncle, or Pol Pot, whom no journalist had met for two decades. From Thailand Thayer slipped into Pol Pots Anlong Veng jungle redoubt, beating out a New York Times team that had arrived near the border thinking they would see the shadowy Cambodian. Days later, he broke the story in the Far Eastern Economic Review. Pol Pot, blamed for murdering over a million people, told him: Am I a savage person? My conscience is clear. Chanda attributed Thayers journalistic success to a distinct doggedness. He was very intense, very focused on the story he was working on, almost like a force of nature, Chanda said. He actually knew quite a few of the Khmer Rouge Nobody else spent as much time pursuing those guys, going to dangerous places, being with them in a firefight, he added. A year later Thayer scooped others with Pol Pots death and an interview with the one-legged Khmer Rouge army commander and Pol Pot rival Ta Mok. But by then he was embroiled in a fight with ABC News Nightline program over its use of his video footage and reporting on the Khmer Rouge, which Thayer said violated their agreement. Thayer rejected a prestigious Peabody Award which cited him as a correspondent for Nightline, and the two sides later settled his suit. The son of a former US ambassador to Singapore, Thayer spent most of his career focused on Asia, reporting from combat situations like the Myanmar border and investigating North Korea. He also traveled to Iraq to report on the 2003 US invasion. He won a number of journalism awards, including the ICIJ Award for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting, and was proud of being a freelancer, calling for more respect and better pay for reporters not employed full-time. Slowed by the long-term ailments, some dating to his injuries from the mine explosion, in the past decade Thayer reported online on right-wing extremism from Washington and Massachusetts. With his health failing, he spent his final months posting poetic odes to his best pal, his dog Lamont. Multiple reports have emerged of Samsung smartphone owners in South Australia, and now "two" other Australian states, having their phones go into a bricked boot loop mode after updating to the One UI 5.0 update featuring Android 13, but which models are affected, and is there a fix? An update is causing Samsung smartphones in three Australian states to become bricked after applying the latest Samsung One UI 5.0 OS update, which upgrades eligible Samsung phones to Android 13. Some older phones won't be able to go past Android 12, or even earlier Android versions, but unless your version of Android still receives regular security updates, even if it can't upgrade to the latest OS version, it's still safe to use that phone. If it doesn't get security updates anymore, it really is time for a new phone. That said, this One UI 5.0 and Android 13 update is causing problems for people who are eligible to upgrade, but there just isn't much information from Samsung yet. The home page nor support home page have any notices or warnings about it, and searching the support search bar for "One UI 5 Android 13 bricked" didn't bring up anything, while a search for "One UI 5 Android 13 update problems" gave me a result that took me to the main page telling me about the features and benefits of One UI 4. The first report came from a 7 News report from January 3 titled: "Samsung update leaves phones with blank screen as Aussies face losing priceless photos, vital contacts", with a second report coming January 5 from News Corp which titled: "Really?: Samsung update issue causes Chaos across Australia." At the time, Samsung confirmed to 7 News it was aware of the issue, thought it was only related to South Australian customers, and that it was investigating the issue. News Corp noted the same and stated it had contacted Samsung Australia for more commentary. As per usual in such times, a forum of active users provides much more detail, and Whirlpool has an excellent post in its Samsung forum titled "New Year Update Bricking Phones?". A51 models are mentioned in the forum post, and ways of downloading the previous Android 12 firmware and using the ODIN software to load firmware directly to a Samsung smartphone is discussed, and it is speculated that a user named Paul in the News Corp article linked above, must have used this method to get his data back from what was otherwise a bricked phone that Samsung was telling you to do a factory reset on, which would leave users not properly backed up or not backed up at all with massive data loss of critical photos, contacts and other information. Which is a terrible place to leave customers in, especially if there is a way to reload the older update and let people get their data off their phones. So, are there any fixes, and what should Samsung do next? Also, what could its initial response have been, rather than the one 7News reported it got? Please read on below. In the News Corp article, Paul is quoted saying: "I spent two very frustrating long days trying to undo the changes that Samsung made. Fortunately, I now have everything back, except my Fitbit still wont sync to my phone. Hopefully, Samsung has learnt not to roll out an update before a public holiday with no support. Which are extremely valid points! It's a shame Paul didn't explain what he did, but it sounds like it was nowhere near as easy as just restoring a factory reset phone, or any phone, from an up-to-date cloud backup, and/or from a local backup too, such as through Imazing on iPhones and any number of similar programs on Android. A potential way to solve the problem is in a post I found at the US Samsung support site, involving your Samsung phone's recovery mode. Whether it will help you or I don't know, but it's worth a try - details of the potential fix here. So, hopefully, we'll soon hear from Samsung about: Which models are affected Whether the update has been pulled How urgently a fix is being worked on and when it might be available How a consumer smartphone can get into such a seemingly unrecoverable mode in the first place How Samsung will help affected customers get their data back without doing a data-wiping factory reset How Samsung will undertake a public education campaign to do backups to one or more clouds, such as Google and Samsung, how to do manual backups to PCs How beta testing is done, a real explanation How it is being urgently reviewed to help it catch these kinds of issues before major launch Why major updates are being done over the critical holiday season when you really do what your techs to have some genuine time off, and not be dealing with highly stressful problems in the first week of January? Why the above wasn't the template for its first response, which is much more responsible (even if not much is known yet) than "we're investigating it further". Consumer tech companies all need to commit to being the best in customer service and transparency, too - it's not too much to ask, is it? Samsung now has hundreds, if not thousands or tens of thousands of customers who have just had their digital twins seemingly irreversibly digitally assassinated by friendly fire. If this doesn't cause a fundamental shift in the ways companies look at customer service, nothing ever will. Customers should expect and demand the very best in after sales service and support. When things go wrong, you need help. You, as the reader, also need to educate yourself so you're not at the mercy of one device, one online backup service, or one company, and clearly, losing data will be a very harsh lesson learned by a lot of people. It's also a giant warning call to us all to check our own backups and updates for all of our devices, and those of our loved ones and friends, and to help those not tech savvy enough to know they need to have an automatic cloud backup in place, even if you need to pay per month to have enough storage to do so. Digital hygiene is as important as dental hygiene or any other sort of hygiene - we can't ignore these things anymore, lest we lose all our data and create our own digital divides. It can be absolutely devastating to be bereft of all that data. Check your backups regularly, check their ability to be restored to other devices if you have the extra equipment, and if you're an existing Samsung user and haven't updated yet - don't! Just wait a few days at the very least for more information to emerge, which it surely will. I updated my Samsung Z Flip 3 in what I think was late December to One UI 5.0 and Android 13, and I did notice the phone said "Safe Mode" in the bottom left hand corner. Another Android phone - I think a Nokia - did the same thing, which surprised me. I looked for the way to clear the message online, which worked, and so far those devices have been good. Still, it always does show that when you go from one OS version to a brand new one, it's often smart to wait until the .0.1 or even better the .1 update before upgrading, just so the bugs are ironed out. This problem isn't even new - it was affectign people late last year! People in the US were complaining Android 13 and One UI 5 had bricked their devices back in late November 2022. Meanwhile, as linked to above, a US Samsung user explained the method they used to use Samsung's recovery mode to save their data, which might help you or an affected user, too - details here. WikiHow also has a general guide to recovering bricked Samsung phones worth a look at, too. When more is known, we'll report on it. Today Partly cloudy and windy. High 91F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Tonight Partly cloudy. Windy. Low 61F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Tomorrow Partly cloudy early. Mostly sunny skies with gusty winds developing later in the day. High 78F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. BEIJING, Jan.5 -- On the eve of New Year's Day, batches of fresh vegetables, fruits, meat and other daily necessities were delivered to the front-line military training sites and posts in Chinas western border areas. With the development of joint logistic support, the PLA Western Theater Command has realized the continuous supply of materials in winter, all-weather and all-region. JUSTICE INFO: Since its UN-backed creation in 2015, the Special Criminal Court (SCC) has struggled and has conducted only one trial. Yet the Central African government has extended its mandate for five years, and since July the court has announced a series of new arrests after those in 2020. What is really new? TOUSSAINT MUNTAZINI: Whats new is that there is a much higher number of arrests. I can tell you that at the moment, we have 14 cases under investigation and that some have led to arrests. Twenty arrest warrants have been issued, five have already been executed, and some have not yet been carried out. We are waiting for the opportunity to execute them. A year ago, the arrest of former rebel turned minister Hassan Bouba made a big impression. He was prosecuted for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the SCC, but was released with the clear support of the presidents office and, people say, of its Russian "allies. What has changed since then? Thats an incident that, in my opinion, belongs to the past. We deplore what happened with Bouba, but we have engaged in a responsible dialogue with the authorities. The investigation of this case continues and, when the time comes, the judges will decide on the best course to take. What is the reason for this apparently illegal "release"? Only those who carried out the release can explain it. At our level, we considered it an obstruction of justice. The man had been arrested and taken to Camp de Roux prison. On the day he was to be taken out to be heard in the presence of his lawyer, there was an incident that prevented our agents from accessing the prison and, in the meantime, the man was evacuated [Hassan Bouba is still Minister of Livestock and Animal Health]. It was an unfortunate incident, but I believe it belongs to the past. Have you received any guarantees or promises from the authorities? All the authorities we met told us they support the Court's work, that they are not there to hinder it, but that perhaps there should be better communication between the Court and them whenever there are sensitive operations to be conducted. So it was due to a lack of coordination? That is a perception. It's a perception of the authorities, who would perhaps have liked to coordinate better, so as not to be surprised. Does this mean a limit has been set on what level of people the SCC can arrest? Formally, we have not been notified that there are limits. So if the people we intend to prosecute have committed crimes that fall within the jurisdiction of the Court and these crimes are consistent with our prosecutorial and investigative strategy, we will continue to do our work. Obviously, there may be a need for better communication, and whenever there are potentially difficult operations we will see how they can be better organized. The first SCC mandate officially ends on October 22, 2023, and looks set to be extended [this interview took place two weeks before the mandate was extended for five years]. What are the prospects for more trials? It will depend on the investigating judges, but there are some cases that are quite advanced. We have three investigating offices, and if each office could get things moving and bring two cases in the course of 2023, we could easily have six trials. There are factors that sometimes cause delays that the magistrates dont want. So six trials in the next two years? It is quite possible, given the number of cases under investigation. The investigations, and in part the arrests rely on the 20 or so Central African police officers and gendarmes of the SCC Special Judicial Police Unit (SJPU). Do they have the capacity to gather evidence and bring suspects into custody in all these cases? Yes, I believe so. There has been a qualitative and quantitative improvement in the work of the unit. It is supervised by two [international] investigative advisors and also supported by UNPOL [United Nations police]. It has four teams of investigators. The SJPU is doing a good job, although the workload is heavy, because they are used both for both preliminary and ongoing investigations. At the Public Prosecutor's Office, we have three preliminary investigations at the moment. There are also twelve files "under analysis". Before opening an investigation, we analyse whether it is indeed feasible, whether there are sufficient elements, whether the witnesses and evidence are available, and whether the security conditions are met. We have to take into account that we have six months to complete an investigation. Theres no question of opening an investigation if we are not sure of its outcome within six months, otherwise it would be a waste of time. An SCC magistrate told us that two rogatory commissions sent to the International Criminal Court in October 2021 have remained unanswered, and that theres almost no collaboration from the ICC. However, the ICC prosecutor has just said he wants to "consolidate cooperation with the SCC". What do you expect from this? We already signed a memorandum of understanding with the ICC. The problem is that when we make requests for cooperation, the ICC sometimes has to refer to its sources, so it takes time. The new leadership of the ICC, through the Prosecutor, has indeed expressed the intention to cooperate better. We hope that the delays experienced in the past can be resolved with the new policy. The ICC's argument is that you don't protect witnesses well... Well, maybe our witness protection unit doesn't have as many resources as the ICC's, but we share the concern to protect witnesses. We have relocation measures, physical protection, a psychologist who takes care of vulnerable victims. And since we started, we have never had an incident with a protected witness. The SCC has 18 people in detention, including 3 convicts, but the long-planned special section in Ngaragba prison has still not been built. Why? I dont know, but I believe it is a question of availability of funds. So the SCC detainees remain with the other prisoners at Camp de Roux? Yes. Is that a problem? Yes, of course, because there are standards regarding the rights of people in detention that are not respected at the moment. For example, on food, space and sanitary conditions. What are the challenges for the SCC in 2023? The challenges do not change much. In terms of security, the country is still at war. In terms of logistics, we are essentially dependent on MINUSCA [United Nations mission in the Central African Republic] for investigations in rural areas. If we want to conduct an investigation in the provinces, for example, we have to contact MINUSCA, establish a flight plan and follow it. But we have limits on the duration of investigations, which can cause us some problems. And then obviously, there are the financial means of the Court. What has changed compared with when you arrived in 2017? Some things have changed. Now we can rely on the FSI [Central African internal security forces], which was not the case some time ago. They are better trained, better equipped, and there is greater collaboration between the military and police authorities. Is this due to the arrival of the Russians? No, I don't think so. The internal security forces have been supported by EUTM [European Union Training Mission, since 2016]. This is the result. We work with the Central African authorities, we do not deal with "allies". Carrying things out on the ground is always with the Central African forces. What purpose do you think the SCC serves in the Central African Republic? The government indicated from the start its desire to fight against impunity, so if it has now decided to renew the SCC mandate [the bill to renew the mandate was adopted by the cabinet before this interview, on November 23], I believe its because it still wants to fight impunity and build a democratic state where lasting peace can prevail through justice. Do you think the government is really following that track, in general? Its not for me to say. From the moment the Court was created, that was the initial idea. It was Mrs. Samba Panza [President of the Central African Republic between 2014 and 2016] who signed the text of the law creating the Court, and it was the current President who implemented it. So there has been a continuity of willingness to support the SCC. I think they were not obliged to adopt the bill at the Council of Ministers level. If they did, its because they expect added value from the court. When you arrived in the Central African Republic in 2017, you nevertheless hoped that things would move more quickly. How do you explain that this did not happen? Indeed, I was among those who thought things could go very quickly. But the difficulty came from the very nature of the Court. It is a hybrid court, so the composition of the staff does not necessarily depend on the court itself. The recruitment procedures [of the United Nations, which supports the SCC] are cumbersome, expensive, slow, and the court had a lot of trouble getting started. There is this problem of recruitment that has dragged on for a long time. And then the provision of buildings. You remember the first time we met, it was in an apartment that was used as an office; afterwards, we moved to the central police station; and, finally, we came to work here [in the Court's premises, inaugurated in November 2020]. All of this took us about two years. It has had an impact. But I think the main thing is done. If the Court's second term is secured, things can move much more quickly. So the difficulty was not so much the Central African context as the Court's model? The context also had an impact. I am talking about security conditions that are not always met in the places where one wants to conduct investigations. But I think that the very nature of the Court has had a serious impact on its development. If it had been a national court, I believe things would have started the first day the magistrates were appointed. Here, we have to wait for the partners, the contributing States to act, and that takes a lot of time. But the fact that the court exists, that it works and that it can give hope to Central African victims is its best result. I think that the SCC has its place. Do you intend to stay on as prosecutor? My mandate ends in principle around March/April, when the renewal should be decided. At that time, we will decide. Is the question really on the table? Yes, of course it is. I've been here [more than] five years. I think it's time for me to start thinking about the future. That would mean you would stay on until the end of the first SCC term, and someone would replace you for the second term? I haven't made a decision yet. I am going until the end of my mandate, which is until the end of the first SCC term, and then I will advise. New year means a new set of K-dramas are about to make it on primetime starting this January. If 2022 gave us a number of noteworthy K-series, this 2023, SBS, KBS, MBC, and tvN are ready to make another great year introducing their upcoming projects. But before we name all, here are some of the much-awaited actors and actresses to appear on screens with their respective dramas. 'Brain Works' CNBLUE's Jung Yong Hwa and Cha Tae Hyun made their early comeback on January 2 with this new medical-comedy series. "Brain Works" is about Shin Ha Ru, a neuroscientist, and Geum Myung Se, a detective, who join forces to solve a criminal case involving a strange brain disease. It airs every Monday and Tuesday on KBS. 'Payback' "Parasite" actor Lee Sun Kyun and "Flower of Evil" actress Moon Chae Won are teaming up for the first time in this project. This crime-thriller drama features the revenge story of a money trader who refuses to stay silent about the evil deeds of higher-ranking officials. "Payback" premieres this January 6 on SBS and will run every Friday and Saturday. 'Agency' Lee Bo Young is Go Ah In. The series tells the challenging journey of a woman who comes from an ordinary family and works hard to become the first female executive in her group and make a career beyond her first to the highest position. "Agency" is slated to premiere on January 7 on JTBC at 9:30 p.m. (KST) 'Crash Course in Romance' tvN introduces Jeon Do Yeon and Jung Kyung Ho as the newest love team on primetime. This drama tells the story of Nam Haeng Sun, who works as a female boss of a small side-dish shop, meets Choi Chi Yeol, the most famous instructor in a private university, which prepares students for competitive exams. This romance series begins airing on January 14. 'Season of Kkokdu' The long-awaited team up of Im Soo Hyang and Kim Jung Hyun is finally happening through the fantasy-romance drama "Season of Kkokdu" also known as "Kokdu: Season of Deity." Viewers are expected to watch this series starting January 27 on MBC. This upcoming drama is about a grim reaper named Kok Du, who visits the Earth every 99 years to punish humans for their evil deeds. He then meets the doctor with mysterious abilities named Han Gye Jeol, and starts working as a visiting doctor. Which of these Korean dramas airing this January are you excited to watch? Share your thoughts/replies in the comments! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars. Kdramastars owns this article. Shai Collins wrote this. Song Hye Kyo's revenge drama "The Glory" continues to receive mixed reviews from the public after a week of its release. Centered on female rage, the public seemed to be wary of its theme, saying how the Netflix series is "triggering" and "too graphic" for the audiences. Song Hye Kyo's 'The Glory' Receives Flak Netflix Korea's "The Glory" starring Song Hye Kyo enjoys its skyrocketing popularity not just in South Korea but in many other Asian countries! "The Glory," which was released on December 30, 2022, centers on the story of a school violence victim who seeks revenge on her perpetrators by being their child's homeroom teacher. The series stars Song Hye Kyo, Lim Ji Yeon, Lee Do Hyun, Park Sung Hoon, Kim Hieora, Cha Joo Young, Kim Gun Woo and Jung Sung Il. Just three days after its premiere, "The Glory" took the No. 5 spot in the Netflix Global Charts. Apart from the great reviews, the Netflix series also received criticisms from viewers and critics alike. According to the experts, "The Glory" is "too graphic" and "triggering." In particular, the scene where high school student Moon Dong Eun's (Jung Ji So) body is burned with a hair straightener is deemed to be too violent to be in the media. The writer of the series, Kim Eun Sook, argues that she wants to depict a realistic story that raises awareness about school violence that is most of the time disguised as a "prank" among friends. In 2006, a female middle school student in Cheongju habitually tortured a schoolmate with a curling iron for money, which broke the media and alarmed many parents in South Korea. i didn't really expect much from #SongHyeKyo but she really broke the prejudice against her and her "bland" acting. she really proved why she's a sought-after star through #TheGlory. she deserves all the praises. can't wait for part two. pic.twitter.com/3NMYzFEwou Mary. (@pearlnquartz) January 2, 2023 shin yeeun is sooo good like even i felt the helplessness of dong eun... #TheGlory #TheGloryEp1 pic.twitter.com/CvkV6Xjllu eve (@simpforhiy) December 30, 2022 One viewer stated, "It's scary that these scenes actually happen in real life. No one is safe outside the house." Regarding the age restrictions of the Netflix series, screenwriter Kim Eun Sook had announced that "The Glory" is rated 19+ prior to its much anticipated premiere in December 2022. 'The Glory' Rises On Netflix's Top 10 The first three days of "The Glory" was a magical ride as Song Hye Kyo's comeback drama secured the No. 5 spot in the most watched series on Netflix. On January 4, a week after the drama's premiere, Netflix announced that "The Glory" recorded over 25 million viewing hours from countries like South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Hong Kong. In addition to that, the series rose to the third place in the Netflix Global Top 10 non-English TV series. "Song Hye Kyo proved that she's an unrivaled star in "The Glory," Forbes said. "She was able to show her acting chops through her subtle yet efficient acting." Catch Song Hye Kyo in her best role yet in "The Glory"! It is available on Netflix with English subtitles. ICYMI, watch the teaser here: KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. British Columbia's provincial flag flies on a flagpole in Ottawa, Friday July 3, 2020. The BC Prosecution Service says it will not lay charges against an Abbotsford, B.C., police officer who used a beanbag shotgun to arrest a suspect.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld The Wisconsin Department of Justices Division of Criminal Investigation has identified the suspect killed and reported to be the active shooter in the Dec. 19 incident that also involved an exchange of gunfire with police in the 1300 block of 56th Street, just west of Kenoshas Downtown. At 8:19 p.m. that day, officers with the Kenosha Police Department and the Kenosha County Sheriffs Department responded to a call of an active shooter. Upon arrival, police were fired upon by Matthew C. Lopez, age 32, and officers returned gunfire with Lopez, who died at the scene, according to an update of the states investigation into the incident. Preliminary evidence indicated Lopez shot at other bystanders who were injured and transported to area hospitals. Two of those individuals have since been treated and released; one remains hospitalized, the department said. No law enforcement personnel were injured during the incident. During a press conference following the Dec. 19 incident, Sgt. Joseph Nosalik, Kenosha police spokesman, said that officers had returned fire and entered a home where there had been reports of gunshot victims and hostages inside with the shooter. At the time, Nosalik said it was not clear as to who had killed the suspected shooter. According to state authorities, involved officers from the Kenosha Police Department, Sgt. Adam Jurgens and Sgt. Brian Miller, were placed on administrative assignment, in accordance with the departments policy. Jurgens and Miller have 14 years and 18 years of law enforcement experience, respectively. The Division of Criminal Investigations is the lead agency in the investigation and is being assisted by the Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin State Crime Lab, and DCI Crime Response Specialist. All involved law enforcement are fully cooperating with the state investigation, according to authorities. According to authorities, the division continues to review evidence and determine the facts of the incident and will turn over investigative reports to the Kenosha County District Attorneys Offcie when the investigation concludes. Today in history: Jan. 4 1935: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1948: Burma 1964: Pope Paul VI 1974: Richard Nixon 1987: Amtrak 1999: Jesse Ventura 1999: The Euro 2006: Ariel Sharon 2007: Nancy Pelosi 2012: Richard Cordray 2013: Cotton Bowl. 2015: Pope Francis 2017: Obamacare 2017: The Dow Jones Industrial Average 2021: Donald Trump 2021: Julian Assange Venezuela welcomed the first European cruise ship to its shores in 15 years when the "Amadea" docked at the Caribbean island of Margarita on Tuesday with almost 500 passengers onboard, much to the delight of locals and officials in a country that remains in the grips of a severe economic and humanitarian crisis. The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has expressed its concern over the continued pressures being faced by Irelands acute hospital services as extreme levels of overcrowding in emergency departments and unsafe capacity limits hit record new highs. Commenting, a spokesperson for the IHCA said: The Irish health service is once again the focus of public, political and media attention. The level of coverage of individual and collective experiences from within our hospitals over the past number of weeks is only comparable to that of the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is not inconceivable that we could see 1,000 admitted patients being treated on trolleys on a single day in the weeks ahead. Public hospital staff are working tirelessly attempting to provide appropriate levels of care to patients. Consultants are on call 24/7, often practising over and above recommended levels, but the reality is there simply arent enough of us to meet increased demand. We are still working with 40% less Consultant staffing in Ireland, compared to the EU average. What compounds this further is the failure of Government to put in place bed and staffing commitments dating back years. When Consultants do eventually get to see patients, we face restricted care flows due to inadequate bed and theatre capacity, and required staffing levels. The Winter Plan 2022/23 committed to appointing 51 additional Emergency Medicine Consultants, yet as we hit the peak of winter illness, none of these have been appointed as yet on a permanent basis, with just approximately 20 locum Consultants in place. This is not surprising given that it took on average 9 months to fill a vacant Consultant post in 2022. In addition, the Department of Health has no credible plan to urgently put in place the 1,400 additional public hospital beds that need to be opened more speedily than anticipated in what is an out-of-date 2018 Capacity Review. As a result, those of us on the ground in hospitals and delivering care in the community are consistently left to firefight for ourselves with the limited and overstretched resources we have. In the few hospitals which arent seeing the same level of severe pressures as others, we know thats down to effective local decision-making, the delivery of capacity and the recruitment of additional Consultants. We are in the midst of yet another public hospital crisis and the moral injury caused is extremely damaging at this stage. What must bring about the desperate needed additional capacity at a much faster pace. Increased capacity, physical infrastructure and facilities must be commissioned and funded by the Government and HSE urgently to ensure that public hospital services can be maintained and not allowed to deteriorate further. The HSEs National Service Plan 2023 is now due and must be published as soon as possible, taking all this into consideration. To move away from this constant wheel of crises, the Government must put in place the capacity expansion that is needed and the HSE must empower hospitals and community services to make decisions and take the actions needed to provide timely and safe care to their patients. An event to mark the 100th anniversary of the executions in Kilkenny barracks of Anti Treaty Volunteers on December 29, 1922 was recently held in the old St Marys cemetery in Thomastown. The two unfortunate individuals were 32-year-old John Phelan (sometimes pronounced Whelan) from Thomastown and 22-year-old John Murphy from Bishopslough, Bennettsbridge. Both men had been arrested at the same time two weeks previously, on December 13, 1922. READ MORE BELOW The event was much appreciated by the Murphy and Phelan family relatives, it was a simple ceremony and Eoin Swithin Walsh, Clogga, Mooncoin honoured the occasion with a beautiful oration, dawning from his book, Kilkenny in Revolutionary times: 1900-1923. The commemorative event included the singing of the national anthem, and the last post was sounded. William Barron Placed two wooden crosses on their graves with their breast plate, inscribed with their date of birth and date of execution on them. Michael Power of Granagh,Kilmacow played on the accordion, Fr Dan Bollard, PP, Thomastown Civil Parish said the prayers, on the morning. Bredeen Kirwan and Joe Doyle from the local Thomastown Choir sang, and Niamh Hassett from Cheekpoint, assisted in the sounding of the Last Post. The event was attended by members of the families of the executed men, and greatly acknowledged the tributes to them. Sean Maher, Mullinavat, who organised the event with William Barron,Huggginstown, acted as MC. He paid a special mention to relatives of the two families one of them Paddy Murphy, nephew of the deceased at a advanced year honoured the event. So did John Phelan, grandson of J Phelan, one of the executed, and his son Eoin also attended. Local undertaker Mr O Reilly from Thomastown provided the PA system. One of the graves that of John Phelan was unmarked and it is thanks to his grandson, John, for the location and doing a great job and to his son Eoin for all his help. The small cemetery also holds the grave of Nicholas Mullins, 1921 patriot and Peter Freyne, 1916 volunteer, both lives lost in the cause of Irish freedom. Eoin Walsh, who delivered the oration has provided great information and indeed instilled great interest in this decade of 100 year anniversaries in Ireland, his book Kilkenny in Revolutionary Times 1900-1923 is a great source of information. He details how there was a sense of shock at the executions. On that day in 1922, Free State soldiers in Kilkenny received information that a party of anti-Treaty IRA were raiding a house at Blackwell, Bennettsbridge. Ten Free State soldiers proceeded to the location but the men had left by then. They suspected Murphy was involved and travelled to his mothers house in nearby Bishopslough where they found the two men. After searching the house the Free State party found two rifles and ammunition, one revolver and two bombs [grenades]. Property that had been stolen in a raid at Sheestown House a few weeks previously, was also discovered during the raid. John Murphy and Phleans flying column had raided Sheestown House as the owners had refused to pay the levy, or tax, the anti-Treaty had imposed on loyalist Households. The men were arrested on charges of theft and for possessing firearms without a licence. Since the Emergency powers act had come into effect in October, this was technically an offence punishable by the death penalty. There was still surprise however, as Kilkenny Gaol was full of anti-Treaty IRA prisoners by this stage, some of them higher ranking and caught in similar circumstances. And there were others arrested in Kilkenny that were found to have ammunition or arms, but perhaps not as clear cut as the offences these men were charged with. FIRST No executions had taken place outside of Dublin or the Curragh, so they had no reason to believe Kilkenny be the first. The two men were executed in the exercise yard of the detention barracks. This building and yard have been brought back to life by Larry Scallan, who was present at the commemoration in thomastown and others in present day james stephens barracks. There is sadness in Kilkenny following the passing of Patrick Ryan, late of Tramore, and formerly of Patrick Ryan Jewellers, Loughboy, Kilkenny City. Patrick passed away suddenly on Tuesday, January 3. Local historian Gabriel Murray was amongst those to pay tribute to Patrick and his talent as a watchmaker. "Patrick was a member of the The Irish Swiss Institute of Horology, and could actually build a good watch for you from scratch," he noted. He is predeceased by his beloved sister Angela Ryan and his beloved brother Fr. Philip Ryan. He will be deeply missed by his heartbroken wife Laura; his mother-in-law Maureen, and his beloved brother John. He will be sadly missed by all his extended family, relatives, wonderful neighbours and many many friends. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam Patricks remains will be reposing at Falconer's Funeral Home, Riverstown, Tramore, on Thursday, January 5, from 5pm to 7pm. All are welcome. Patrick's Requiem Mass will take place on Friday, January 6, at 12 noon at the Holy Cross Church, Tramore. Patrick's funeral cortege will walk from Tramore Creidit Union to the Holy Cross Church, Tramore, for his Requiem Mass at 12 noon, on Friday, January 6. On Saturday, January 7, Patrick's funeral cortege will leave his residence at approximately 12 noon for a private cremation service that will take place at 3pm in the Island Crematorium, Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork. House private please. The Ryan family appreciates your sympathy, support and understanding at this difficult time. Mass cards can be posted to Falconers Funeral Directors, Riverstown, Tramore, Co. Waterford. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is urging parents in Kilkenny and across Ireland to keep sick children at home due to high levels of respiratory viruses in the community. Professor Breda Smyth made the appeal as flu, Covid-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) remains prevalent across Ireland, with the viruses accounting for more than over 1,000 hospitalisations last week. Speaking yesterday (January 4), she said, "As schools and childcare facilities re-open after the Christmas break, I am urging parents to be vigilant for symptoms of respiratory viruses in children. If your child has any new-onset flu-like symptoms such as congestion, cough, runny nose or high temperature, parents should continue to be mindful of others and, if possible, keep their children at home from school or childcare facilities. "Children should be kept at home for at least 48 hours after their symptoms have fully or substantially resolved. The vast majority of respiratory illnesses can be treated successfully at home with over-the-counter medication. There is very good advice on the HSE website, Under the Weather. "However, parents should trust their instincts and seek medical attention if required." To aid the overburdened healthcare system, people are being urged to help reduce the spread of infection by practising good respiratory etiquette, cleaning hands, wearing masks on public transport and in crowded places, and ensuring good ventilation where possible. Eligible people can also still receive a flu vaccine, which takes two weeks to become effective. She said, "As we are still in the middle of flu season, I am appealing to parents to please consider the flu vaccine for your child. Its a nasal spray and is administered free of charge by GPs and pharmacists. "I would also encourage people to keep up to date with their Covid-19 vaccines and please make an appointment for a booster if you are eligible." No country can prosper without respecting workers Presidents usually bless and comfort the nation while calling for growth in the coming year in their New Year's addresses. However, President Yoon Suk-yeol's nationally televised nine-minute speech on Monday was far from it. Instead, the 1,971-word speech was full of his resolve to reform labor unions and rectify what he deems are social ills. "The government and businesses should be one," Yoon said in a meeting with business leaders later in the day. He then reiterated his determination to reform labor by establishing the rule of law in the industrial relationship. In another event, Yoon even suggested that labor unions are one of the "evils blocking growth." Still, the conservative leader should realize that by putting employers ahead of employees, unionized or not, he cannot attain two major goals national unity and economic growth. Korea's unionization rate is low, but any possible new labor rules, such the workweek extending beyond the legal limit of 52 hours, will primarily benefit managers at the expense of workers. Longer work usually pulls down productivity, not the other way around. Yoon seems to have been encouraged a little too much by the jump in his approval rating after his crackdown on the cargo truckers' strike last year. He reportedly studies the labor policies of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. Welcome to a neoliberal state of the early 1980s, when those leaders tried to crush miners and fire air traffic controllers. Fast-forward some 40 years to today, when U.S. employers are having to provide extra wages and benefits to lure back workers amid the "Great Resignation." According to presidential aides, Yoon also wants to benchmark Germany and France as successful cases of softening rigid labor markets. However, their leaders did so by painstakingly persuading unionists before attaining a grand social compromise. Germany's wage level is among the top worldwide, and the respect for labor has nurtured experienced workers that no AI or robots can replace. Few people frown at strikers despite the inconvenience in France, and leaders don't imagine forcing them back to work. Why has the labor union become the target of criticism here? Some of the reasons are internal, but mostly they are external. Yes, Korea's dual labor market structure between full-time workers and part-timers has led to an income gulf among workers. This situation is partly because some "labor aristocrats" at large companies were bent on keeping their lots, failing to move closer to their less fortunate colleagues. However, a far more significant reason is the tyranny of big businesses that slash costs and snatch hard won technologies in a multilayered exploitative structure. It is this unfair industrial ecosystem that the government must rectify. However, Yoon's antitrust czar recently vowed to investigate the cargo truckers instead of their employers. Nothing showed the true colors of this pro-business, anti-labor government better than this unprecedented remark by the head of the Fair Trade Commission. It comes as no surprise then that Yoon is calling for a probe into the accounting books of labor unions. But unions are run by members' fees, and their financial runs are made public. The government has no legal grounds to force their disclosure, although the ongoing situation explains why large umbrella unions should stop receiving government subsidies to protect their identities. Yoon seems set to follow the economic policies of another conservative leader, Lee Myung-bak, a businessperson-turned-president, whom he recently pardoned. Still, even an ex-labor minister under Lee has of late described Yoon's reform approach as "impatient and disingenuous." Attributing his abortive attempt to the failure to win the cooperation of the union and opposition parties, the veteran administrator called for building social consensus first. Yoon and his aides need to listen. Seven months have passed since Yoon took office. Still, he has yet to meet opposition politicians or union leaders for sincere talks. Most of his reform policies require legal revisions. Still, the legislative power lies with the majority opposition party, at least until the general elections of May 29, 2024. Is Yoon bashing unions to unify his political supporters and blame his opponents for reform failures later? Unfortunately, the answer seems to be "yes." By Park Jung-won In 2023, Northeast Asia's path toward a new Cold War paradigm will become increasingly clear. China and Russia will refuse to impose sanctions on North Korea for any of its illegal activities that violate U.N. Security Council resolutions and undermine the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. Xi Jinping's consolidation of near-absolute power in China will signify the disappearance of a "friendly" check on North Korea's aggressive behavior. And the United States, South Korea's best hope of assistance, is also inextricably caught in a web of rapidly deteriorating relations with China and the uncertainties of the outcome of its proxy war with Russia in Ukraine, both of which distract from its other pledges of alliance. South Korea will have no choice but to adapt to this reality. Nevertheless, there are still many people in South Korea who think that the denuclearization of North Korea can be achieved through dialogue, even though North Korea has officially vowed to become a nuclear power and use nuclear weapons against South Korea. Not a few politicians, officials, scholars and ordinary citizens still maintain this fantasy. In order for South Korea to survive the tough geopolitical challenges of the new Cold War, it must awaken and leave its illusions behind. First, South Koreans should abandon the misconception that economic aid will convince the North to give up its nuclear weapons and become a normal state. This idealistic notion stems from "functionalism," for which the European Union serves as an example. In Europe's history, wars broke out almost every century, resulting in large-scale deaths and destruction. In an attempt to avoid this, after World War II, the European Community (and eventually the European Union) was created on the basis of three pillars (economic community, common foreign and security policies and cooperation in justice and home affairs) to establish stability in the region. Former enemies have now become entrenched partners for peace and prosperity. However, those who recommend this functionalist approach to inter-Korean relations have neglected an important point: all the countries in the European Union share the aim of liberal democracy. The two Koreas, in contrast, have completely different political systems and ideologies. No matter how much South Korea tries to understand and help the North Korean regime with good intentions, it will not be welcomed by the North Korean regime. The official name of North Korea is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), yet North Korea is neither a democracy nor a republic. Despite suffering mass starvation in the late 1990s, North Korea went on to conduct a nuclear test in the early 2000s, and it is now preparing its seventh such test. Its missile technology to deliver such weapons has likewise progressed. North Korea's nuclear weapons are a means of maintaining and consolidating the North Korean regime's power, so they will never be scrapped under any circumstances. A liberal democracy would have no reason to behave this way. Another great fantasy that deludes South Korean society concerns its geopolitical status. South Korea may have entered the OECD's "rich club," but it is not a great power in the realm of international politics. With the help of the United States and the United Nations, South Korea rose like a phoenix from the ashes of the Korean War. Thanks to the Korea-U.S. alliance system, South Korea has achieved nothing short of an economic miracle. But great-power status does not come from being well-off. Russia and China are considered great powers even though they are not advanced countries by other measures. And many OECD members, including Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Belgium, are not major powers, despite being economically advanced countries. A country that wants to be recognized as a great power must win such a position on its own in the international community and prove to existing powers that it is one of them. Many people seem to suffer from "great power syndrome" as South Korea is an economically advanced country that has been recognized for its competitive defense industry, which exports high-tech weapons to foreign countries. But arrogance derived from partial successes can lead to self-destruction. As South Koreans pop open the champagne this New Year it should not be in the delusion that theirs is now a powerful country on the course for greatness. Rather, with the nuclear problem, South Korea now faces its most unprecedented national security crisis from North Korea since the Korean War armistice in 1953. In 2023, the intensity of North Korea's provocations against South Korea is likely to increase dramatically, with a real possibility that a localized armed conflict will break out between the two Koreas. South Korea will have to manage the Korea-U.S. alliance more carefully and strategically than ever to avoid a deterioration on the Korean Peninsula and a fundamental shift in the geopolitical conditions of Northeast Asia. German philosopher Georg Hegel said, "The owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of the dusk." What happens in the present is not fully comprehensible, but with time we gain sufficient perspective to understand our experiences. After 30 years of failed efforts to denuclearize North Korea, South Koreans have learned enough. Now is the time that they wake up from their fantasies. Hopefully, the year 2023 should mark this awakening. Park Jung-won (park_jungwon@hotmail.com), Ph.D. in law from the London School of Economics (LSE), is a professor of international law at Dankook University. Michigan remains center stage in documents released by the now-defunct Jan. 6, 2021, committee. While it had already been reported that Michigan legislators had been approached in December 2020 by the campaign of former president Donald Trump seeking their support for a scheme to put forward alternate electors, documents from the committee this week indicate that five of them agreed. The five Republicans Sens. Jon Bumstead (R-Newaygo), Rick Outman (R-Six Lakes) and Roger Victory (R-Husonville), along with former House members Sue Allor (R-Wolverine) and Daire Rendon (Lake City) were all reported to have said yes, while former Rep. Mary Whiteford (R-Casco Twp.) was listed as a maybe. Thats according to a spreadsheet of answers provided to the committee by Trump campaign staffer Angela McCallum, who was subpoenaed to testify. According to the spreadsheet, Bumstead said there is a lot of support and interest. Would be supportive of any actions we take, while Outman expressed support for the fake elector plan, but wanted to see the evidence of fraud. A bit unfamiliar with the process and what appointing electors looks like. Neither legislator has responded to requests for comment. The plan, as detailed by both state and federal investigations, involved a slate of 16 fake Republican electors who fraudulently submitted a false certificate at the state Capitol on Dec. 14, 2020, when the Electoral College met to certify the states election results. President Joe Biden won all 16 of Michigans electoral votes. McCallum, who said she made the calls from a Philadelphia hotel room, also provided the committee a script she used when calling lawmakers in Georgia, similar to that used in Michigan. You have the power to reclaim your authority to send a slate of Electors that will support President Trump and Vice President Pence, it stated. When there is a resolution to appoint electors for Trump, can the president count on you to join in support? McCallum reportedly told investigators that she didnt write the script, nor know its intended meaning. I would assume that the script is referring to an alternate slate of electors, said McCallum. But I dont know beyond that. Also released this week was the transcript of attorney Ian Northons interview. Former Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) had named Northon as one of those who had been pressuring him to illegally appoint the fake electors. Northon told investigators that his conversations with Shirkey had been on behalf of several clients of his in the Legislature at the time: Rendon and former Reps. Beth Griffin (R-Paw Paw) and Julie Alexander (R-Hanover). They were people who wanted their colleagues in the House to do more, Northon told investigators. And so they wanted to go back into session at the State House the peoples House, they kept calling it and get them to do more, meaning, you know, start an investigation, hold hearings, and start asking questions of people Northon also said he had been surprised when Shirkey eventually released a statement that there was nothing the Michigan Senate could legally do to affect the certification of Bidens win. I read that statement later that day, said Northon I dont remember hearing it right when he put it out, but up until that point, I was having conversations with Senator Shirkey, including in his office a few days before, back and forth by phone and text, on behalf of my clients, again, trying to get him to do more. And then thats inconsistent with what he was telling me, but but then he issued that press release. And I dont know why he did that. I havent spoken with him about why he did that, but I did see that press release, which is somewhat a little different than my earlier conversations with him. The latest revelations from committee documents follow news this week that former Michigan Republican Party Chair Laura Cox had called a plan by the fake electors to hide in the Capitol building in Lansing and then try and cast their votes as the legitimate electors a hair-brained idea, that was insane and inappropriate. The post Jan. 6 committee docs indicate five Michigan legislators agreed to support fake elector plan appeared first on Michigan Advance. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Windy with mainly clear skies. Low 52F. SW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Windy with mainly clear skies. Low 52F. SW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Hong Kong: Labour chief begins Singapore trip Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun today started his visit to Singapore and learnt more about its latest continuing education initiatives and protection of digital platform workers' rights and benefits. Mr Sun first paid a courtesy call on Singapore's Minister for Social & Family Development Masagos Zulkifli to exchange views on welfare policy priorities for the rapidly ageing populations of the two places, including the current-term Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's vision in building a caring and inclusive Hong Kong. They also discussed the challenges both sides face along the path to normalcy after COVID-19 and how to assist the disadvantaged. The labour chief then toured SkillsFuture Singapore to find out about its latest programmes to support lifelong learning, training and upskilling of employees in their early or mid-career, the middle-aged and the elderly as well as the public-private partnerships with employers and training bodies. He was also briefed on the Jobs-Skills Insights initiative, which regularly updates the community on the necessary skills and jobs in demand for the new economy. Mr Sun said Hong Kong will draw on the practical experience of other places with an aim of finding and nurturing talent for the needs of economic and social development. He then met representatives of the Tripartite Workgroup on Representation for Platform Workers co-chaired by the Singapore Government, the National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers Federation to keep abreast of its work, including the formulation of a framework to engage platform workers in discussion with platform companies on labour relations amid the gig economy. Noting the emerging developments of digital platforms and variations in service models locally and abroad, Mr Sun said the task force established by the Labour Department will study the policies of protecting platform workers' rights and benefits in various places and conduct statistical surveys to better understand the situation in Hong Kong before mapping out the way forward and the strategy as appropriate. Before concluding his visit, Mr Sun had a dinner gathering with Hong Kong people working in Singapore to learn about their living and working conditions. This story has been published on: 2023-01-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. WARSAW, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Polish government on Wednesday signed a 1.4-billion-U.S. dollar deal to buy 116 battle tanks from the United States. The U.S. Department of State last month approved the sale of the M1A1 Abrams tanks to Poland, alongside other military equipment. In April 2022, Poland signed another deal worth 4.74 billion U.S. dollars with the United States to buy 250 M1A2 Abrams tanks. Polish Deputy Prime Minister and defense chief Mariusz Blaszczak said these tanks will be delivered in late 2024. The new batch, however, "will become part of the Polish Armed Forces this year," Blaszczak said. The tanks will be shipped to the east of the country, he explained, adding that the deal will not only boost Poland's security, but "will also increase the security of the entire eastern flank of NATO." Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Today, the Commission decided to identify Cameroon as a non-cooperating country in the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, giving it a so-called red card'. From now onwards EU Member States shall refuse the importation of fishery products from Cameroon even when accompanied by catch certificates validated by the national authorities. Today's decision is based on the EU's 'IUU Regulation', which ensures that only legally caught fisheries products can access the EU market. The listing of Cameroon is based on the persistence of serious shortcomings that were outlined in a notification adopted in February 2021 which already warned of the possibility to identify Cameroon as a non-cooperating country. In particular, it is based on the failure of Cameroonian authorities to ensure adequate control over the national fishing fleet and to take necessary corrective measures for the cessation and prevention of IUU fishing activities. Cameroon has continued registering fishing vessels that operate outside its waters, including an IUU fishing vessel, while there is a lack of monitoring of their activities. IUU fishing is one of the most serious threats to the sustainable exploitation of living aquatic resources. IUU fishing jeopardises the foundation of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the EU's efforts at international level to promote better ocean governance. IUU fishing also represents a major hazard to the marine environment and marine biodiversity. By pursuing the European Green Deal as well as the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, sea and marine resource, the Commission applies a zero-tolerance approach towards IUU fishing. Among its actions, the Commission cooperates with third countries in view of improving fisheries governance and ensuring that all States abide by their international obligations. Next steps The Commission will continue its dialogue with Cameroonian authorities to help the country address the identified shortcomings. The Commission will now propose to the Council of the EU to add Cameroon to the list of non-cooperating countries. Background The global value of IUU fishing is estimated at 10-20 billion euros per year. Between 11 and 26 million tonnes of fish are caught illegally every year, corresponding to at least 15% of world catches. Today's Commission Decision is based on the EU's 'IUU Regulation', which entered into force in 2010. One of its pillars is the catch certification scheme that has as an objective to ensure that only legally caught fisheries products can access the EU market. The Regulation also provides for specific dialogue mechanisms with the countries that are not complying with their obligations as flag, coastal, port and market State under international law. While failure to cooperate in the framework of the dialogue can lead to an identification of the country (a so-called red card' and subsequent listing'), the IUU dialogues are based on cooperation and support to countries and are an important step in tackling IUU fishing. An overview of the process is available in this infographic. Since November 2012, the Commission entered in formal dialogues with 26 third countries, with which it officially warned them of the need to take effective action to fight IUU fishing. In most cases, significant progress was observed and therefore the Commission could satisfactorily close the formal dialogue phase and lift the decisions taken. Only few countries have not shown the necessary commitment and did not take measures to rectify the identified shortcomings. The EU is the world's biggest importer of fisheries products. The EU's contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda is to end IUU fishing and to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, sea and marine resources. For More Information Questions and Answers on IUU in general and Cameroon Commission's website on IUU Zarazeno ct 05.01.2023 12:01:00 Zdroj Evropska komise Original ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/documents?reference=IP/22/7890&language=cs lang en Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 5 (ANI): The First Class Judicial Magistrate Court Kotdwar on Thursday postponed for 5 days the verdict on the narco and polygraph tests of the accused in the Ankita Bhandari murder case. The court, on January 3, had posted the date for the verdict in a hearing on January 3 this year. Also Read | Air India Flight Urinating Incident: Delhi Police Still on 'Hunt' for Businessman Who Peed on Co-Passenger. On behalf of the prosecution, the time has been sought to file the ruling in the court, after which the court will now give its verdict in the entire case on January 10. It is worth mentioning that today the Judicial Magistrate Court was about to give its verdict regarding the narco test of the three accused in the Ankita murder case, but the time was sought from the court to file the ruling on behalf of the prosecution, after which the decision was postponed today. Also Read | Earthquake in Afghanistan: Tremors Felt in Delhi-NCR After Quake of Magnitude 5.98 Jolts Fayzabad. Government lawyer Jitendra Singh said that the court's ruling would be filed soon by the prosecution and a decision will come on January 10. The case pertains to 19-year-old Ankita, whose body was recovered from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh on September 24. She was reported missing for at least six days before the officials found her body. She worked as a receptionist at a resort run by Pulkit Arya, the son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya. Pulkit Arya was arrested for allegedly pushing her into the canal following an altercation. Two more people - Ankit Gupta and Saurabh Bhaskar, have also been arrested in the case. On December 4, the Uttarakhand Police said that the investigation into the Ankita Bhandari murder case is almost complete. The only procedure that remains is the narco tests of the accused, for which they had sought permission from the Kotdwar court to conduct narco and polygraph tests of all three accused. Earlier, the three accused, including expelled BJP leader's son Pulkit Arya refused to undergo narco and polygraph tests, citing that the SIT did not explain why it wanted to conduct narco and polygraph tests after filing the charge sheet. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Amritsar (Punjab), Jan 5 (PTI) An armed Pakistani intruder who was shot dead by the Border Security Force (BSF) in the Ajnala Sector along the India-Pakistan international border in Punjab has been identified, an official said on Thursday. The intruder, shot dead on Tuesday, was found armed with a sophisticated modified 'Pump Action' shotgun. Also Read | 2nd T20I: Local Batter #RahulTripathi Makes Debut as India Win Toss, Elect to Bowl First Latest Tweet by IANS India. A senior BSF official said on Thursday that the intruder has been identified by the Pakistan Rangers who have demanded the body which sent to India's Ajnala town hospital for autopsy. He further said the intruder was identified by the Pakistani Rangers as Mohhamad Adreesh, son of Mohhamad Haneef, a resident of village Doudh of district Narowal in Lahore of Pakistan. Also Read | Coal Production in India Rose by 9% in December 2022 to 82.87 Million Tonnes on MoM Basis. The official said the matter is being handled by the Union Ministry of External Affairs and the body may be handed over to Pakistan in a couple of days or so. The intruder had entered the Indian territory at Ramdas village in the Ajnala sector part of Amritsar district. He was shot dead by the BSF troops of Channa check-post, commanded by its Gurdaspur district battalion. When BSF troops witnessed the intruder approaching the fence from the Pakistan side, they repeatedly challenged him, but when he continued his march towards the Indian side, they then fired at him, killing him on the spot. Lying besides his body, the BSF had found one 'Pump Action Rifle' which has the ability to fire more than one shot, officials had earlier said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The seminar was titled 'Application of Forensic Science in Criminal Justice System: Problems and Road ahead'. (Photo/ANI) Guwahati (Assam) [India], January 5 (ANI): Assam is taking several steps to augment the Forensic infrastructure, building and raising the capabilities of investigating officers and fostering coordination among the different wings of the criminal-judicial system, stated a government release on Thursday. Recently, the Assam government appointed Keshav Kumar, (Retd IPS) and ex-DGP Gujarat and an expert in the forensic field as the special forensic consultant to the Assam government. Also Read | Earthquake in Afghanistan: Tremors Felt in Delhi-NCR After Quake of Magnitude 5.98 Jolts Fayzabad. As a part of the effort to herald a paradigm shift in forensic science-based investigation, the Assam Police in association with the Indian Law Institute, Assam, had arranged a seminar on the topic 'Application of Forensic Science in Criminal Justice System: Problems and Road ahead' on Thursday at the Assam Police Headquarters, Guwahati. The seminar was held in hybrid mode. It was presided over by the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court and attended by all the judges of the Gauhati High Court, the Director General of Police, Assam and other senior officers, Advocates of the bar, office bearers of the Indian Law Institute, Assam Unit from the APHQ. Also Read | Centre Stays All Tourism and Eco-Tourism Activities at Sammed Shikharji After Protests From Jain Community. All the district and session judges, additional district and sessions judges, chief judicial magistrates and all judicial officers attended the seminar in remote mode through video conference. All the senior officers from Range Headquarters, the SPs, the ASPs (Crime), public prosecutors, assistant public prosecutors, the Superintendent of Police of CID and other wings of the Assam Police organisation also participated in the event virtually. The ADGP CID, AYV Krishna presented the Police report proforma, notified by the state government, and also discussed the concept of Pairavi officers. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) A Delhi court on Thursday dismissed an application filed by Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper scam, seeking documents related to his extradition from the Dubai in 2018. Special Judge Arvind Kumar denied the relief, saying the documents were not relied upon by the prosecution. Also Read | Coal Production in India Rose by 9% in December 2022 to 82.87 Million Tonnes on MoM Basis. James, a United Kingdom national, had sought all the documents and correspondence with the competent authority in Dubai in relation to his extradition. He had claimed he was entitled to all the documents collected by the CBI during investigation, insisting they were relevant for his defence. Also Read | Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway Will Be Ready by March 2024, Says Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. While dismissing his application, the court took note of the CBI's submission that the extradition treaty between the UAE and India and the guidelines of the MHA provide for sending a request through the Ministry of External Affairs and do not envisage the participation of an accused in such proceedings in the country to which the request has been made. The agency had submitted that it is the laws of the requested state which are invoked when a request is made to a country which in the present case is the UAE. "The documents relating to extradition of accused Christian Michel James have not been relied upon by the prosecution and thus cannot be supplied to the accused," Special Judge Arvind Kumar said. The judge noted that the copies of the charge sheet and the subsequent charge sheets, filed in September 2017, September 2020 and March 2021 respectively, along with the lists of unrelied documents and unrelied witnesses were already supplied to the accused. The case is currently at pre-charge stage. The CBI had opposed the application, claiming the accused was already provided with all the documents required under the rules, and that the supply of documents related to his extradition was against the settled position of law. The Rs 3,600-crore alleged scam relates to the kickbacks in purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland. The CBI, in its charge sheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer due to the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of 12 VVIP helicopters worth 556.262 million euros (around Rs 3,600 crore). James is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case. The other two are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, January 5: Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction with the Delhi Police's action in the Kanjhawala case and demanded that it be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Speaking over a reply letter filed by Delhi Police on Thursday over the summon issued by the women's panel, Swati Maliwal told ANI that Delhi Police is not conducting a fully unbiased investigation. Kanjhawala Hit and Run Video: Delhi Police Recover CCTV Footage Showing Woman Being Dragged Under Car. "I'm not satisfied with Delhi Police's action. I recommend that this case be transferred to CBI. Delhi Police told us they've not recovered Nidhi's phone till now. It's very important evidence. It is beyond my understanding why it is not with the police till now?" Swati Maliwal said. "Police still haven't checked all CCTV footage from the 13 km stretch or recorded 164 (CrPC) statements of all eyewitnesses, section 302 not added. The first call came at 2.22 am about a woman being entangled in a car. But the police sprung into action only when they received a call at 4.15 am about a naked body," the DCW chief added. A 20-year-old girl was killed in the early hours of the New Year after her scooter was hit by a car driven by five men and she was reportedly dragged for 13 kilometres under the vehicle in outer Delhi's Sultanpuri. In an update on the case, the Delhi Police on Thursday said that two more people have emerged as suspects in the horrific incident that took place in Delhi's Khanjawala on New Year's night in which a 20-year-old died after the scooter she was riding was hit by a car and then the car dragged her for a few kilometres under the wheels. Addressing a press conference today Special Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Delhi Police Sagar Preet Hooda said the men are Ashutosh, the owner of the car, and Ankush, the brother of one of the accused. He said the two suspects would be arrested soon. According to the police, the statement of eyewitness Nidhi has been recorded and no link has been found between the eyewitness and the accused. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) For the first time, foreign universities will be able to set up their campuses in India. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has unveiled draft regulations for 'Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India'. Here is a look at the modalities: Also Read | Noida Road Accident: Four Travelling on Single Bike Hit by Container in Greater Noida Expressway, Two Dead. 1. Eligibility: Also Read | Mumbai Shocker: Tribal Man Attacks Teen With Chopper for Turning Down His Proposal in Palghar, Arrested. Two categories of foreign institutions eligible to apply for setting up their campuses in India -- universities that have secured a position within the top 500 of overall or subject-wise global ranking or a reputed institution in its home jurisdiction. 2. Granting of approvals: The UGC will constitute a standing committee to examine matters related to setting up and operation of campuses of foreign higher educational institutions (FHEIs) in India. The panel shall assess each application on merits, including the credibility of the educational institutions, the programmes to be offered, their potential to strengthen educational opportunities in India, and the proposed academic infrastructure, and make recommendations thereof, within 45 days. The commission may initially grant in-principle approval and issue a letter of intent to the FHEI to set up campuses in India within two years from the date of approval. 3. Admission criteria and fees structure: The foreign institutions will have the autonomy to evolve their admission process and criteria to admit domestic and foreign students. They shall decide the fee structure, which should be "transparent and reasonable". The institution will be mandated to make available the prospectus on its website at least 60 days before the commencement of admissions, including fee structure, refund policy, number of seats in a programme, eligibility qualifications, and admission process. Based on an evaluation process, full or partial need-based scholarships may be provided by the FHEI from funds such as endowment funds, alumni donations, tuition revenues and other sources. 4. Faculty: FHEI hall have the autonomy to recruit faculty and staff from India and abroad as per its recruitment norms. It may decide the qualifications, salary structure, and other conditions of service for appointing faculty and staff. However, the FHEI shall ensure that the qualifications of the faculty appointed shall be at par with the main campus of the country of origin. It shall ensure that the foreign faculty appointed to teach at the Indian campus shall stay at the campus in India for a reasonable period. 5. Safeguarding of students' interest: FHEI shall not discontinue any course or programme or close the campus without the commission's prior approval. In the case of a course or programme disruption or discontinuation, the parent entity shall be responsible for providing an alternative to the affected students. FHEI shall have a mechanism to address students' grievances. However, the students may appeal to UGC if the institution does not redress the grievances. 6. Equivalence with degrees awarded by Indian HEIs: The qualifications awarded to the students in the Indian campus shall be recognised and treated as equivalent to the corresponding qualifications awarded by the FEHI in the main campus located in the country of origin. The qualifications awarded under the regulations shall be equivalent to any corresponding degree awarded by the Indian HEI. 7. Securing India's national interest: FEHIs shall not offer any such programme or course which jeopardises the national interest of India or the standards of higher education in India. The operation of FEHIs shall not be contrary to the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency, or morality. 8. Working of finances: Cross-border movement of funds and maintenance of foreign currency accounts, mode of payments, remittance, repatriation, and sale of proceeds, if any, shall be as per the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999 and its Rules. FEHI shall submit to the commission an annual report, giving details of programmes offered, the number of students admitted and passed out, and qualifications awarded. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday spoke to his new Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira with a focus on boosting bilateral ties. "Great to talk to the new foreign minister of Israel @elicoh1. Look forward to partnering him in taking our cooperation forward. Value his many insights, including on economy and security," Jaishankar tweeted on his phone conversation with Cohen. Also Read | Earthquake in Afghanistan: Tremors Felt in Delhi-NCR After Quake of Magnitude 5.98 Jolts Fayzabad. On his part, the Israeli foreign minister said Jaishankar invited him for an official visit to India. "We discussed ways to strengthen the strategic partnership between the countries, promote joint projects in the field of innovation, and promote a free trade agreement," Cohen said on Twitter. Also Read | Nagaland Congress Asks All 60 Legislators of State Assembly To Resign. Jaishankar said he discussed with Vieira ongoing bilateral and multilateral cooperation. "Good to talk to my old friend, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira. Conveyed New Year's greetings & congratulations on his appointment. Discussed our ongoing bilateral and multilateral cooperation.Look forward to receiving him at G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi," he tweeted. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhubaneswar, Jan 5 (PTI) Digital services company Jio Platforms on Thursday said it has signed an agreement with SOA University to set up a 5G lab in Bhubaneswar. The proposed lab will help in meeting the growing requirements of research and training in the latest 5G standards, including 5G standalone (SA), Jio Platforms said in a statement. Also Read | Delhi Hit-and-Drag Horror: Police Add Section 201 of IPC to FIR; Say Accused Tried To Destroy Evidence. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) also includes facilitation for the development of use-cases on the 5G platform as well as other associated technology domains such as Beyond 5G (B5G) and optical fiber, it added. Jio Platforms is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). Also Read | Urinating Incident: DGCA Issues Show-Cause Notice to Air India, Asks Why Action Should Not Be Taken Against Officials and Crew for Dereliction of Duty. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, Jan 5 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a charge-sheet against Maharashtra MLA Ratnakar Gutte before a special court here in connection with an alleged multi-crore loan fraud. Also Read | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Reviews Operational Preparedness of Andaman & Nicobar Latest Tweet by DD News. As per the probe agency, Gutte, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha MLA from Gangakhed in Parbhani district, is accused of laundering Rs 635 crore through Gangakhed Sugar and Energy Private Limited (GSEPL), of which he was chairman. Also Read | Coal Production in India Rose by 9% in December 2022 to 82.87 Million Tonnes on MoM Basis. Gutte, as per the ED charge-sheet, tied up with several banks between 2012 and 2017 and obtained agricultural loans by using documents like PAN and property details of farmers. The GSEPL was an agent in this agreement. As per the ED, banks sanctioned Rs 772.31 crore, of which Rs 635.89 crore were disbursed in fictitious accounts created in the name of farmers using these documents, and the money was siphoned off. A sum of Rs 272 crore is pending for repayment, the ED said, adding it has attached 22 immovable properties, bank accounts and other movable properties worth Rs 255 crore connected to Gutte. Besides Gutte, the ED charge-sheet names three firms and four persons as accused. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said many of India's best practices in governance are being emulated by other countries of the world and underscored initiatives such as the Mission Karmayogi and Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS). Meeting a five-member delegation of Tanzania here, he said both the countries share multifaceted relations which, in the recent years, have evolved into a modern and pragmatic relationship with sound political understanding, diversified economic engagement, people-to-people contacts in the field of education, healthcare besides development partnership in capacity building training among others. Also Read | Ola, Uber Service Charge: Karnataka High Court Stays State Govt's Order To Cap Service Charge at 5% on Auto Service by App-Based Aggregators. The delegation led by Jenista Joakim Mhagama, Minister of State in the President's Office for Public Service Management and Good Governance of the United Republic of Tanzania had called on Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, here. Lauding India's governance practices, Joakim Mhagama said she was accompanied by a high-level Tanzanian delegation which looked forward to learning from India's vast and varied experience in governance, according to a Personnel Ministry statement Also Read | PM Narendra Modi To Preside Over Meeting With Chief Secretaries of All States on Achieving $5 Trillion Economy Target. While extending a warm welcome to the Tanzanian delegation, Singh observed that many of India's best practices in governance are being emulated by other countries of the world, it said. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a number of best practices like Mission Karmayogi and CPGRAMS (Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System) have evolved in the last 7-8 years. Singh assured Tanzanian minister that India would be happy to support Tanzania to design and develop "Performance Management Information System and Public Employee Performance Management Information System" in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness of public services in the east African country. The Union minister said India and Tanzania enjoy traditionally close and friendly relations in all spheres. He noted that Prime Minister Modi's visit to Tanzania in July 2016 was a great success. It is worthy to note that Tanzania has about 50,000 people of Indian origin and about 10,000 NRIs working in that country. The purpose of the visit of Mhagama is that Tanzania wants to understand the management of CPGRAMS, implementation of biometric system of attendance in central government offices in India, mechanism of implementation of Aadhaar, e-office system implemented in government offices in India, according to the statement. "They are also keen to learn about the reforms being upgraded in the bureaucracy and the training of the bureaucracy aimed at good governance and bureaucratic accountability," it added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Raipur, Jan 5 (PTI) No COVID-19 case or death was reported in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, which kept the tally and toll unchanged at 11,77,759 and 14,146, respectively, a health official said. Also Read | Earthquake in Afghanistan: Tremors Felt in Delhi-NCR After Quake of Magnitude 5.98 Jolts Fayzabad. The recovery count rose by three and reached 11,63,606, leaving the state with seven active cases, he added. Also Read | Centre Stays All Tourism and Eco-Tourism Activities at Sammed Shikharji After Protests From Jain Community. So far, 1,88,47,520 coronavirus tests have been conducted in the state, including 1,566 during the day, a government release said. Chhattisgarh's coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 11,77,759, new cases (zero), death toll 14,146, recovered 11,63,606, active cases 7, today tests 1,566, total tests 1,88,47,520. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) India on Thursday asserted that peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are essential for overall development of bilateral relationship with China. The comments by External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi came at a media briefing when asked about new Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang's remarks that both sides are willing to ease the situation in context of the border standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Also Read | Indian Army Under the Aegis of @IaSouthern is Launching an Extensive Outreach Programme, Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services. "You are aware of India's long-standing position - that ensuring peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the development of our relationship," Bagchi said. "So too is the observance of bilateral agreements and refraining from unilateral attempts to change the status quo of the boundary," he added. Also Read | Kraken or XBB.1.5, New COVID-19 Variant Driving Coronavirus Surge: Is It More Dangerous Than Other Variants? Does It Spread More Easily? Know Everything Here. In an op-ed article in a US-based magazine days before he became the foreign minister, Qin wrote: "As to the border issues between China and India, the status quo is that both sides are willing to ease the situation and jointly protect peace along their borders." India and China are locked in a lingering border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over 31 months. The bilateral relationship came under severe strain following the deadly clash in Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in June, 2020. India has been maintaining that the relationship cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border area. "I have a lot of faith in our armed forces to defend our territory," Bagchi said when asked about some reports of China allegedly carrying out certain constructions in areas claimed by India. He said discussions were underway between India and China through military and diplomatic channels. These are the mechanisms through which our concerns about Chinese activities are conveyed, he said. Bagchi said both sides are also focusing on getting back to a degree of normalcy and de-escalation and disengagement at the border. There has been a fresh spike in tensions between India and China after troops from the two sides were engaged in a clash along the LAC at Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Parliament on December 13 that the Chinese troops tried to "unilaterally" change the status quo in the Yangtse area but the Indian Army compelled them to retreat by its firm and resolute response. To a separate question on the World Health Organization (WHO) holding that China is under-reporting COVID-19 infection numbers, Bagchi only said: "We hope countries will closely coordinate with WHO and share necessary information so that we can come out of Covid faster." (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ramgarh, January 5: A police officer was arrested in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district on Thursday when she was allegedly accepting a bribe for covering up a rape case, an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) official said. The officer, who was the in-charge of a women's police station, was caught red-handed when she was allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 10,000 for the cover-up of a rape case that was registered last year, said Deputy Superintendent of Police of ACB Shadique Anwar Rizvi. Uttar Pradesh: Man Poses As Cop, Extorts Cash From Locals in Firozabad; Arrested. The police officer who was investigating the rape case had threatened the family of the accused that if they did not pay the bribe, she would make sure that their house was demolished, the ACB said in a statement. Telangana Shocker: Hyderabad Police Official Arrested for Rape, Kidnapping. Following her threat, the family registered a complaint with the ACB, which laid a trap and caught the officer red-handed, it said. A case has been registered against the police officer, it added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) President of Guyana Irfaan Ali and Surinamese President Chan Santokhi will grace India's upcoming flagship diaspora conclave Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) as chief guest and special guest of honour, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday. The 17th PBD will be held in Indore from January 8 to 10. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate the conclave on January 9, Ausaf Sayeed, Secretary (Overseas Indian Affairs) in the MEA, said at a media briefing. Also Read | Coal Production in India Rose by 9% in December 2022 to 82.87 Million Tonnes on MoM Basis. The PBD convention is being organised in a physical format after a gap of four years as the previous edition was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Republic of Guyana, will be the Chief Guest at the 17th PBD while Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of Suriname will be the special guest of honour," Sayeed said. Also Read | Jammu: Training for First Batch of Agniveers Begins at Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regimental Centre. "We have received enthusiastic response from the diaspora for the convention with more than 3500 registrations from 66 different countries," he added. According to official data, Guyana has 40 per cent Indian origin people while the percentage in Surinam is around 27. Asked about selection of US-based billionaire Darshan Singh Dhaliwal as one of the 27 recipients of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman as he was not allowed to enter India in 2021 for supporting the farmers' protest against, Sayeed said laid down procedures were followed for the award. "The awards are given on particular criteria and the same was adopted while selecting Dhaliwal for his own contribution. Nothing more should be attributed to it than this," he said. Sayeed was asked why Dhaliwal had been chosen when he was asked to return after he landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in October 2021. India has been holding PBD to connect with its diaspora community. Sayeed said this year's PBD convention has special significance as 2023 marks the 75th year of India's independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievement. "This will also be the first convention in the 'Amrit Kaal'". "In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat over the next 25 years, and important partnership role to be played by the overseas Indians, the theme of 17th PBD Convention has been chosen to be 'Diaspora: Reliable partners for India's progress in Amrit Kaal," Sayeed said. He said ministerial level delegations are expected from a few countries, including Mauritius, Malaysia and Panama. "We will have five plenary sessions in the PBD on the themes of Youth, Healthcare, Soft Power, Indian Workforce, and Women. Four of these sessions would be headed by a cabinet minister," Sayeed said. "Additionally, we will have a Town Hall on the G20, where the G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, as well as G20 coordinator Harsh Vardhan Shringla will be present," Sayeed said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Varanasi, January 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off 'Ganga Vilas Cruise' on January 13 and preparations for the programme have started, district authorities said on Thursday. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the world's longest cruise tour from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh on January 13," the Information and Public Relations Department of Uttar Pradesh said in a tweet in Hindi. Threesome Leads to Hour Long Fight on Carnival Cruise Ship With Over 60 Persons Involved; Watch Viral Video. The department said that the cruise after leaving Varanasi will pass through Ghazipur, Buxar and Patna before reaching Kolkata. The cruise will stay in Bangladesh rivers for a fortnight and thereafter will return to India via Guwahati and reach Dibrugarh, the department said. Cruise Ship Majestic Princess With 800 COVID-19 Cases Docks in Australia's Sydney. Though the administration is yet to receive any formal programme of Modi from the Prime Minister's Office, the district administration has already started the preparations. Varanasi Divisional Commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma and District Magistrate S Rajalingam have given necessary instructions in this regard to the officials of Culture department, Tourism department and Inland Waterways Transport. On Thursday Sharma said that the world's longest cruise from Varanasi to Dibrugarh will be flagged off on January 13. The cruise will be flagged off from the jetty boarding point opposite to Ravidas Ghat. According to official sources, Ganga Vilas Cruise will cover a total distance of 3,200 kms. This will be the longest voyage in the world by a cruise. This journey will take a total of 50 days. On the way, this cruise will stop at more than 50 places, including World Heritage Sites. He said that this vessel will also pass through national parks and sanctuaries. These include Sundarban Delta and Kaziranga National Park. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, January 5: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that 'New Uttar Pradesh of New India' does not run away from challenges, it faces them. During the biggest pandemic of the century, the novel coronavirus, when the migrants faced the crisis of migration, Uttar Pradesh supported everyone. Be it, migrants or residents, everyone's safety was ensured, the CM said while interacting with people of Uttar Pradesh in Mumbai, read a press statement. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath To Hold Roadshow in Mumbai To Attract Investors Ahead of UP Global Investors Summit. The Chief Minister said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today's Uttar Pradesh is full of self-confidence and is moving towards becoming self-reliant. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who reached the country's financial capital Mumbai on Wednesday, started his two-day tour with a dialogue with the people of Uttar Pradesh. Greeting the enthusiastic migrants, the Chief Minister said: "All of you have been witness to the changes that have taken place in Uttar Pradesh in the last 5-6 years. Uttar Pradesh, which was facing an identity crisis five years ago, is telling a new story of development today." The people of Azamgarh did not even get Dharamshala in Mumbai, but today an airport and a university are being built in the same Azamgarh. The Chief Minister said that now the youth of Uttar Pradesh does not hide his identity, says with pride, 'I am from Uttar Pradesh'. Sharing the efforts of Uttar Pradesh for change, Chief Minister Yogi said that before 2017, daughters were not safe in the state and poor and businessmen felt insecure. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami to Visit Sinking Joshimath Where Several Houses Develop Cracks, Promises Necessary Action. "With the formation of the government, we focused on two subjects - ensuring the safety of daughters and putting an end to all illegal activities in the state. Then we shut down illegal slaughterhouses and took steps to stop encroachments on the land of the poor. We formed an anti-land mafia task force to set free illegally occupied lands and started many development projects there." The CM said that when the government was working for the safety of daughters, some people raised questions, but when the elections came, these safe mothers, sisters and daughters reposed their faith in the policies of Prime Minister Modi. More than 5 lakh govt jobs provided in a transparent manner, asserted the Chief Minister. Referring to the success of the government in connecting more than five lakh youth with government jobs in five and a half years, the Chief Minister said that all unnecessary interference in the operation selection commissions has been stopped. "We gave them autonomy but also fixed accountability and the result was that more than five lakh youths got government jobs were provided and no questions were raised regarding the fairness of appointments. The recruitment took place with absolute transparency and accuracy. This increased the faith of the youth on the government. This is the reason that after 37 years a government was elected for the second time in a row with a two-thirds majority. Referring to better law and order and policy reforms for investment, the Chief Minister said that there was a time when there used to be riots every second-third day in Uttar Pradesh. Today more than five years have passed without a single riot anywhere. There has been a massive change in the image of the state due to better law and order situations. Similarly, under policy reforms, the government has implemented 25 new industrial sectoral policies. The Chief Minister said that the government has developed infrastructure to ensure better connectivity through air, water, road and rail networks. The state has the country's largest railway network and the junction of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor is also in Greater Noida. With the development of existing international airports at Lucknow, Varanasi and Kushinagar and new airports at Jewar and Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh is going to become the only state in the country with 05 international airports, the CM pointed out, adding that the international airport at Jewar will be the largest international airport in India. Also, 09 airports have also been made operational for domestic connectivity of airways and work is going on at 10 other airports. Sharing his experience, the Chief Minister said that before 2017 there was only one flight from Gorakhpur to Delhi while today there are 14 flights. Today airports are also being built in Shravasti, Saharanpur, Aligarh, Azamgarh. The country's first waterway connecting Varanasi to Haldia port has become operational. Now there is also a plan to connect it with Saryu in Ayodhya and Prayagraj. The Chief Minister said that understanding the limitations of the landlocked state, the government has adopted a different policy and to facilitate movement of goods, the government is promoting the development of dry ports. In terms of road connectivity, the state has emerged as a role model for other states. He said that the single window system of UP has been appreciated at the national level, where more than 350 NOCs are being easily obtained for industrial projects. "Not only this, recently we have also developed the Nivesh Sarathi portal for monitoring the MoUs of industrial investment and giving timely incentives to the investors", CM Yogi remarked. The CM also invited suggestions from everyone for the betterment of the state, as well as informed about the success of the team UP which went to 16 countries of the world for the Global Investors Summit. Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi', who was part of the Chief Minister's team during the Mumbai tour, informed the NRIs about the efforts to build a 'New Uttar Pradesh' under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi and urged the NRI community to be helpful in the development of the state. Giving information about the success of the recent foreign tours of the groups of ministers in connection with the Global Investors Summit-2023, he said that wherever the people of Uttar Pradesh are living all over the world, today they are influenced by the policies of the Chief Minister Yogi. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh has become 'Uttam Pradesh' in the last five and a half years and is now moving fast on the path of becoming 'Sarvottam Pradesh'. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Thursday paved the way for the demolition of the over 50-year-old "dilapidated" building of the National Insurance Company in Mumbai by refusing to interfere with the Bombay High Court order for razing the structure. The top court vacated its stay granted on November 28, 2022 on the demolition of the building on Annie Besant Road in Worli by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and its contractors. Also Read | Earthquake Tremors Felt in Delhi and Adjacent Areas. An Earthquake with a Magnitude of Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha said it finds no reason to interfere with the November 15, 2022 order of the Bombay High Court. "We find no reason to interfere with the order of the High Court. The High Court was right in its decision that it would not interfere with the decision of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai," the bench said. Also Read | Coal Production in India Rose by 9% in December 2022 to 82.87 Million Tonnes on MoM Basis. The high court had directed the MCGM to demolish the 'India Re House' or 'National House' which was categorised as dilapidated by the civic body on the basis of a report of the technical advisory committee which has accepted the report of the structural auditors of the National Insurance Company and Mumbai-based builder PE Mannings. The top court allowed the firm to take out its belongings, if any, present in the building within a period of one week. The bench held the high court cannot be said to be in error in holding that the building was a dilapidated structure as reported in the audit report of the structural auditors of the National Insurance Company. It also noted that in various correspondences with the civic body the insurance company had admitted the building was in a dilapidated condition. "The high court has rightly said in paragraph 25 of its order that it is not entering into the disputed question of the title in these petitions, which may have some bearing on the issue of no objection certificate in favour of one of the parties by the municipal corporation for carrying out demolition," the bench said. The firm Mannings is one of the parties which have leasehold rights over the plot that was transferred to Ghai Lamba Pvt Ltd. Ghai Lamba had transferred all its rights in the building as well as the sub-leasehold rights to India Reinsurance Corporation Ltd in 1971. The India Reinsurance Corporation was merged with the National Insurance Company, which had acquired the rights of the building after the insurance sector was nationalised in 1972. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a plea by Manjula Das, the former acting chairperson of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), alleging that the rules were not followed in appointing her successor on the panel. Das, who was appointed the acting chairperson of the CAT in August 2021, was scheduled to demit office on September 29, 2022. Also Read | Coal Production in India Rose by 9% in December 2022 to 82.87 Million Tonnes on MoM Basis. However, later, Justice Ranjit Vasantrao More, a former Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court, was appointed the chairperson of the principal bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal with effect from July 30, 2022. He will hold office till July 30, 2026. Senior advocate C A Sundaram, appearing for Das, urged the bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha that nothing has been taken into account while appointing the CAT chairperson and that the statutory rules governing the appointment have not been followed. Also Read | Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway Will Be Ready by March 2024, Says Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. The writ of quo warranto (a judicial order asking a person to show by what warrant an office or franchise is held) cannot be issued in such matters, the bench said, expressing its disinclination to entertain the plea. The senior lawyer then decided to withdraw the plea which alleged that Das was unfairly overlooked. Before being appointed to CAT, Das was a prominent lawyer. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jodhpur, Jan 5 (PTI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the Supreme Court's delay in the decision has led to an increase in the cases of illegal sand mining in the state. The apex court has taken four years in vacating the stay on gravel mining, he said. Also Read | Earthquake in Afghanistan: Tremors Felt in Delhi-NCR After Quake of Magnitude 5.98 Jolts Fayzabad. Common people had to suffer due to this and had to pay a whopping Rs 20,000 to 25,000 for the gravel which costs only Rs 5,000, he said. While addressing the media in Pali, Gehlot said he was saddened by the inconvenience people had to face by purchasing gravel at a higher price for construction. Also Read | Nagaland Congress Asks All 60 Legislators of State Assembly To Resign. Replying to the allegations of the opposition on the increase in crime and corruption in the state, Gehlot said the cases are on the rise because the Rajasthan government has made the FIRs in such cases compulsory along with mobilising the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB). There is no spurt in corruption in the state. We are catching corrupt government employees constantly. The ACB is active in the state so it appears that corruption has increased, he said. Further justifying the recent decision of the ACB chief to keep the identity of the trapped person concealed until he or she was convicted by the court, Gehlot said that in many cases, there are false alligations against officers. We have taken this decision so that the officer does not have to face humiliation until proven guilty, Gehlot said. Terming the frequent incident of paper leaks in the state a disease, he said the government would not hesitate to conduct examinations to ensure jobs for the youth. Gehlot said that the Special Operations Group (SOG) has done a commendable investigation in the paper leak case. The agency has caught the accused, the chief minister said, adding his government will continue to hold recruitment exams irrespective of the incidents of paper leaks. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) Ahead of the much-anticipated G20 meetings in Delhi, the crucial Sardar Patel Marg is getting a makeover with new white and bright orange railings, green patch belts with flowering plants and 112 national flags. Moreover, the number of water bodies in the area will also be increased in the coming days and 112 national flags on 9-metre-high polls would be installed in the coming days, a member of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) said on Thursday. Also Read | The 1st All India Annual States Ministers Conference on Water Vision@2047 Began Today Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services. The NDMC has approved Rs 60-100 crore for the beautification of the area ahead of the G20 meetings. NDMC member Kuljeet Singh Chahal also said Rs 31 crore has been sanctioned to change the colour of 5,000 signage from green to blue and for tourist places, the signage will be in white. Also Read | Earthquake in Afghanistan: Tremors Felt in Delhi-NCR After Quake of Magnitude 5.98 Jolts Fayzabad. "The Sardar Patel Marg is one of the crucial roads as any visitor coming to the main city area of Delhi from the airport side will take that route," Chahal said, adding that it is being revamped. Chahal inspected the areas with Sanjay Arora, Chief Engineer (Civil), Supdt. Engineer and other civil engineers of the NDMC on day to day working/improvement on upcoming events in the run up to the G-20 Summit from Outer Circle (Panchkuin Road red light) to Minto Road and Mandi House. "The work of railings alongside the road about 2.8 km is in progress from Sardar Patel Marg to Dhaulan Kuan areas with a new colour of white, bright orange with golden top. Adjoining this railing, green patches/belts with flowering plants will also be planted," Chahal said. "There are two water bodies in Sardar Patel Marg, the same will be increased in the coming days on this 2.8 km areas and 112 national Flags of 9-meter heights on 15 locations both sides of the road will be placed," he added. The majority of the meetings on the G-20 Summit will be held in the New Delhi Area, New NDMC of New India is working on the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-- Athithi Devo Bhava. Wall painting work is in progress to make the city colourful in line with the theme of the G-20 Summit -- 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'. Special drives to clean the city by removal of municipal solid waste, scrap and obsolete items etc. from the roads/streets will also be carried out. "To make the trees more colourful, uplighting on trees on the prominent situation has been started from the Sardar Patel Marg Road. In the coming days, about 500 trees will be made colourful through the lighting method," Chahal said. "For installation of sculpture and art promotion, work will also be done on different locations in near future," he added. India assumed the yearlong presidency of G20 on December 1. More than 200 meetings will be held in India across 55 locations. The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union. Other civic bodies have also started work on beautification of the city areas for the G20 event. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has identified thrust areas and laid out a timeline for this work, they said. "This will include improving road infrastructure and walkability, refurbishing signages, beautifying areas beneath flyovers, good LED lighting, illuminating trees, covering drains and replacing broken slabs, installing public art at important locations, developing modern kiosks, taking permanent measures to prevent waterlogging," a senior MCD official said. The MCD has accelerated its work of giving parks, roads, walkways, and central verges a makeover in Delhi which is slated to host the G20 summit in September 2023, they said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) Students have welcomed the University Grants Commission's draft norms for establishment and operation of foreign universities in the country, saying it will improve the quality of education and research and give aspirants exposure to world-class learning without having to travel abroad. The UGC announced the draft regulations for 'Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India'. Also Read | Earthquake in Afghanistan: Tremors Felt in Delhi-NCR After Quake of Magnitude 5.98 Jolts Fayzabad. The final norms will be notified by the end of the month after considering feedback from all stakeholders. According to the draft norms, foreign universities will be able to set up their campuses in India for the first time. These varsities can also decide on the admission process, fee structure and repatriate its funds back home. Also Read | Centre Stays All Tourism and Eco-Tourism Activities at Sammed Shikharji After Protests From Jain Community. Sumit Bhati, 21, said, "I am planning to go abroad to pursue my post-graduation as the education is better there. I welcome the UGC notification but I don't think universities will be established here soon. It will also depend on the types of universities that are interested to come to India.". Kritima Bhapta, who is planning to shift to a European country for her PhD, said Indian students will be able to benefit from the world-class expertise of these varsities. "The education system in foreign universities is more advanced. Foreign universities offer a better quality of education. "If they are allowed to set their campuses in India, Indian students will be able to benefit from their world-class expertise in innovation and research," Bhapta said. Bhapta, who has done her post-graduation from Singapore, said it will help those students who are poor or from the lower middle class households. "Studying abroad is expensive, especially in countries like the UK and the US. Because of the high costs associated, a lot of students who have the potential but don't have the means to afford the education, are not able to go to the universities of their choice. "If foreign universities set up their campuses in India, this cost would be reduced significantly," she said. Sidhant Gupta (25), who is pursuing his post-graduation from a UK university remotely, said the education system in foreign universities is more advanced. "Foreign Universities offer better quality of education and if they are allowed to set their campuses in India, Indian students will then be able to benefit immensely," he said. However, a few students raised questions over the move, saying the government should instead focus on improving the standard of education in Indian universities. "The government should focus more on improving the standard of education and infrastructure of Indian universities so that they are able to compete with universities at a global level," Gaurdeep Kaur, whose brother is studying in Canada, said. She said her mother took a loan of 20 lakh to fund is her brother's education. "If the universities here were good, my brother could have easily studied here. However, the education here is not good," Kaur added. Sean Young, who is pursuing International Relations from UK, feels this is not going to make a big difference. "You're allowing foreign universities to set up campus in India that's great but no government intervention in the fee structure is a major red flag. "It is already bad enough that students have to leave the country to pursue education, it's costly and tuition is not cheap. With this decision, I'm upbeat but the economics side of the policy needs work," he said. Noting that foreign universities with campuses in the country can only offer full-time programmes in offline mode and not online or distance learning, UGC chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar said the foreign universities and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) will need a nod from the UGC to set up their campuses in India. The initial approval will be for 10 years and will be renewed in the ninth year subject to the meeting of certain conditions, he added and clarified that these institutions shall not offer any such study programme which jeopardises the national interest of India or the standards of higher education here. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) Tracking health emergencies, preparedness and response, strengthening cooperation in pharmaceutical sector and digital health innovation and solutions are the three priorities under health for India in the G20 presidency, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Thursday. COVID-19 pandemic which has affected the entire world in a major way has highlighted the need that all countries need to join hands to prevent and fight such a crisis, he said. Also Read | Noida Road Accident: Four Travelling on Single Bike Hit by Container in Greater Noida Expressway, Two Dead. Health emergencies, prevention, preparedness and response with a focus on one health and antibiotic resistance is top on the agenda and India will aim to play a major role in converging discussions in multiple forums for global health architecture and act as an enabler for reducing fragmentation and duplication, he said. Another major focus would be on strengthening cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector for availability and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medical countermeasures, Mandaviya said. Also Read | Mumbai Shocker: Tribal Man Attacks Teen With Chopper for Turning Down His Proposal in Palghar, Arrested. "India is known as the pharmacy of the world. India will be able to utilise the agenda to promote distributed manufacturing of vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics globally so as to manage future health emergencies," he said. India has exported drugs and vaccines to over 150 countries globally during the pandemic. At present, medical countermeasures availability is being linked to national security and India can ensure playing a proactive role in ensuring health security for global south and low and middle-income countries, he said. India will also focus on digital health innovation and solutions (universal health coverage and improving healthcare service delivery) with an aim of converging existing global efforts for digital health into an institutional framework, to create a repository, customise the best healthcare digital solutions and provide to countries in need with specific focus on low and middle-income countries. Ongoing agendas in G20 also touch upon digital health, as in one health surveillance, research, value-based healthcare etc. Mandaviya said India already has an established leadership position in digital health. Digital Health Resolution in 71st World Health Assembly was moved by India and endorsed by the world. India has been the chair of Global Digital Health partnership, the largest inter-governmental body (33 countries as members) for digital health, he added. According to Mandaviya, "Use of digital health solutions such as Co-WIN, telemedicine and COVID-19 India platform highlighted the advantages of data-driven insights and use of technology for accessibility, ease of availability, and affordability in health service delivery." Four events on medical value travel and digital health, affordable medicine and traditional medicine along with HWG meetings to enrich and supplement support G20 discussions will be held in Kerala, Goa, Telangana and Gujarat. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) The dispatch of coal to different sectors was at 78.91 million tonnes (MT) in December, registering a rise of 5.28 per cent. The coal dispatch in the corresponding month of previous fiscal was 74.95 MT. Also Read | 5G in India: BSNL To Launch 5G Services by April 2024, Says Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. "During Dec 2022, CIL (Coal India), SCCL (Singareni Collieries Company Ltd) and captive mines/others registered a growth of 3.57 per cent, 17.89 per cent and 8.85 per cent by despatching 62.72 MT, 6.72 MT and 9.46 MT (of coal) respectively," as per the provisional figures of coal ministry. The dispatch of coal to the power sector increased by 4.26 per cent to 65.65 MT during the last month. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission: Salary of Central Government Employees to Increase After Union Budget 2023? Check Latest Update on Fitment Factor. The country's total coal production increased by 10.81 per cent to 82.87 MT from 74.79 MT during the last month as compared to the year-ago period. CIL registered a growth of 10.30 per cent, whereas SCCL and captive mines/ others attained a growth of 19.12 per cent and 9.01 per cent, respectively. While 28 coal mines produced more than 100 per cent, four mines' production level stood between 80 and 100 per cent. CIL accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) After facing a setback at NCLAT, which refused to stay a CCI order on abuse of dominant position in multiple markets in the Android mobile device ecosystem case, Google is mulling approaching the Supreme Court, according to sources. When contacted, Google declined to comment on the matter. Also Read | Kraken or XBB.1.5, New COVID-19 Variant Driving Coronavirus Surge: Is It More Dangerous Than Other Variants? Does It Spread More Easily? Know Everything Here. While Google remained tightlipped about its next move, sources said that tech giant is considering moving the apex court by filing a Special Leave Petition. On Wednesday, NCLAT had declined to stay the order passed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), after observing that the order was passed on October 20, 2022 but the appeal against it was filed on December 20, 2022. Also Read | 5G in India: BSNL To Launch 5G Services by April 2024, Says Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The NCLAT had also directed Google to deposit 10 per cent of the penalty amount within three weeks. "Be that as it may, once order was passed in the month of October, had there been any such urgency it was expected that the appellant would have approached this tribunal forthwith. However, in this case no such urgency was shown in filing of the appeal and as such the appellant may not be permitted to insist for interim order, that too once we are giving short date for final hearing of the appeal," it said. On October 20 last year, CCI slapped a penalty of Rs 1,337.76 crore on Google for anti-competitive practices in relation to Android mobile devices. In the October ruling, CCI had also ordered the internet major to cease and desist from various unfair business practices. This was challenged by Google before NCLAT, which is an appellate authority over the CCI against any direction issued by the regulator. However, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) denied any immediate relief and said: "We are of the opinion that at the moment, considering the voluminous nature of the appeal and the fact that date of final hearing is fixed on April 3, 2023 there is no need to pass any interim order." In its petition before NCLAT, Google has termed as "tainted" the investigations done against it by CCI, contending that the two informants on whose complaint the fair trade regulator has initiated the enquiry were working at the same office that was investigating the tech major. This was "against the principles of natural justice", Google said in the petition, adding the Competition Commission of India (CCI) should have refrained from initiating an investigation based on a complaint filed by their own employees. "At the very least, the Commission could have debarred the Informants from working in the DG office while the investigation was ongoing, to ensure that the investigating officer was able to impartially assess the case without any influence, such that no concerns could arise on the independence of the investigation," said Google. According to Google's plea, CCI has failed to conduct an "impartial, balanced, and legally sound investigation" while ignoring evidence from Indian users, app developers, and OEMs. Challenging the CCI order, Google said the findings are "patently erroneous and ignore" the reality of competition in India, Google's pro-competitive business model, and the benefits created for all stakeholders. "The Impugned Order is fraught with substantive, analytical, and procedural errors including inter alia ignoring exculpatory evidence, statements from Indian OEMs and developers, the Director General's (DG's) copy-pasting of conclusions from decisions of foreign authorities without any application of mind. These errors led the Commission to make perverse and incorrect findings," it said. Google claimed the DG copy-pasted extensively from a European Commission decision, deploying evidence from Europe that was not examined in India or even on the Commission's file. "There are more than 50 instances of copypasting enclosed," Google pointed out. The company also questioned the calculation of the penalty amount of Rs 1,337.76 crore, saying that it was on Google's total revenue from its entire business in India and CCI has "committed several legal errors" in doing so. "The Commission imposed a disproportionate and excessive penalty, contrary to established principles of competition law," Google said. It has also raised the issue of the absence of a judicial member at CCI and said, a final decision should only have been passed in this case by a quorum which includes a judicial member. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad, Jan 5 (AP) Afghanistan's ruling Taliban killed eight Islamic State militants and arrested nine others in a series of raids targeting key figures in a spate of attacks in Kabul, a senior Taliban government spokesman said on Thursday. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban government, said the raids in the capital city and western Nimroz province on Wednesday targeted IS militants who organised recent attacks on Kabul's Longan Hotel, Pakistan's embassy and the military airport. Also Read | Prince Harry Makes Shocking Revelations in His Autobiography Spare, Claims He Was Physically Attacked by Brother William. Eight IS fighters, including foreign nationals, were killed and seven others arrested in Kabul, while a separate operation in western Nimroz province resulted in two more IS arrests, Mujahid said. These members had a main role in the attack on the Chinese hotel and paved the way for foreign IS members to come to Afghanistan, Mujahid said in a tweet. Also Read | Pakistan: Imran Khan Challenges Election Commission Notice To Remove Him As PTI Chief in Lahore High Court. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a deadly bombing near a checkpoint at the Afghan capital's military airport on Sunday. IS said that attack was carried out by the same militant who took part in the Longan Hotel assault in mid-December. The regional affiliate of the Islamic State group known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province and a key rival of the Taliban has increased its attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in 2021. Targets have included Taliban patrols and members of Afghanistan's Shiite minority. IS published a photo of the attacker, identifying him as Abdul Jabbar, saying he withdrew safely from the attack on the hotel after he ran out of ammunition. It added he detonated his explosives-laden vest targeting the soldiers gathered at the checkpoint. Mujahid said light weapons, hand grenades, mines, vests and explosives were confiscated by the Taliban's security forces during the raids on an IS hideout in the Shahdai Salehin neighbourhood. Local residents reported sounds of several explosions and an hourslong gun battle. Mohammad Hakim Painda, a local resident, told the Associated Press that a house that was raided had been occupied by a family that moved recently to the area. He said two women and two children were rescued from the house. Badrudin, another resident from the same neighbourhood, said Taliban security forces surrounded the area and asked people to stay inside their homes before they launched the operation. I wanted to come out of house, but Taliban asked me to stay inside, then (the) attack started and last(ed) about two hours, said Badrudin, who like many Afghans uses only one name. The Taliban swept across the country in August 2021, seizing power as U.S. and NATO forces were in the last weeks of their final withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], January 05 (ANI): Pakistan said it would approach the Taliban with a fresh demand to deny the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates any space on Afghan soil, reported The Express Tribune. The Pakistan government would ask the Afghan Taliban to cooperate with the government in dealing with the TTP and other outfits with iron hands. Also Read | Teslas Dec Sales of China-made Cars Fall to the Lowest in Five Months Latest Tweet by Reuters. Pakistan's civil and military leadership said that the Afghan Taliban would be given a choice. They can either be with Pakistan or with the TTP, according to The Express Tribune. Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday said that the government could reinitiate negotiations with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) if the terror outfit "comes under the ambit of the Constitution," the Geo News reported. Also Read | US Provided Nearly USD 60 Million to Cash-Strapped Pakistan for Humanitarian Assistance in 2022, Says Diplomat. The volte-face came just a day after the minister said that the government would not hold talks with any terrorist organisation, be it TTP. "If the TTP decides to come under the ambit of the Constitution, then we can hold talks with them," the Geo News quoted Sanaullah as saying. However, similar demands had been put forth to the proscribed organisation by the previous governments of Pakistan also. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the killing of two senior Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officials, reported Khaama Press. Police on Wednesday said that two intelligence officials were shot dead while they were cleaning their vehicle outside a restaurant. The suspects after firing the shots fled the scene. Spokesperson of the Pakistani Taliban, Muhammad Khurasani in a statement on Wednesday said that TTP fighters have killed two Pakistani officials. About 1,000 people were killed and injured in attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan on the Pakistan government in 2022, according to statistics published by the TTP terrorist group, Khaama Press reported. TTP in a video said that most of their attacks took place in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. They also launched attacks outside the province, Khaama Press reported. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lahore, Jan 5 (PTI) Two police officers who were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Khanewal district of Punjab province on Tuesday turned out to be the officials of Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). On the day of the attack, the police claimed that the two deceased officers belonged to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of the provincial police. Also Read | Prince Harry Makes Shocking Revelations in His Autobiography Spare, Claims He Was Physically Attacked by Brother William. The FIR filed for the case, however, revealed that both were ISI officers working to bust a terror network in south Punjab. The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Lashkar-e-Khorasan, an offshoot of Al-Qaeda, have claimed responsibility for the attack. Also Read | Pakistan: Imran Khan Challenges Election Commission Notice To Remove Him As PTI Chief in Lahore High Court. According to the FIR, ISI Multan Region Director Naveed Sadiq and Inspector Nasir Abbas met a "source" (suspected killer) on Tuesday at a roadside restaurant on the National Highway near Pirowal in Khanewal district, approximately 375 kilometres from Lahore. "After having tea, they all walked to the parking lot when the source identified as Umar Khan suddenly pulled out a gun and shot the ISI officers dead," the FIR said, adding that the suspect killed the intelligence officers reportedly on the orders of his group leader, Asadullah. It is standard practice for intelligence officials to cultivate sources among terrorist networks to thwart their terror plans. The Counter Terrorism Department of Punjab police, Multan, has registered the case against the suspect and his accomplices under murder and terrorism charges. Raids are being conducted to arrest the prime suspect. ISI chief Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum offered the funeral of Naveed Sadiq in Lahore. In a statement, TTP spokesman Mohammad Khorasani claimed that "a secret squad of TTP killed ISI Deputy Director Multan Naveed Sadiq along with his colleague Inspector Nasir Butt at Bismillah Highway in Khanewal district of Punjab." The TTP, which is believed to be close to al-Qaeda, has also explicitly warned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari led Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) - the two major parties of the ruling coalition. In November, the TTP called off an indefinite ceasefire agreed with the government in June and ordered its militants to carry out attacks on the security forces. The TTP, also known as the Pakistan Taliban, was set up as an umbrella group of several militant outfits in 2007. Its main aim is to impose its strict brand of Islam across Pakistan. The TTP has been blamed for several deadly attacks across Pakistan, including an attack on army headquarters in 2009, assaults on military bases and the 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad. Last month, the Pakistan Army commandos killed 25 Taliban militants during an operation to free anti-terrorism police officers who were held hostage inside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's CTD compound in Bannu for three days. The National Security Committee (NSC) has categorically asked Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, without directly naming them, to deny safe haven to Pakistani terrorist groups on its soil and end their patronage, while reiterating its intent to crush terrorist groups operating inside the country with full force. "Pakistan's security is uncompromisable and the full writ of the state will be maintained on every inch of the country's territory, the NSC said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kabul [Afghanistan], January 5 (ANI): As the Taliban's crackdown on Afghan women continues to persist, some Tribal elders in the Khost province of Afghanistan urged the authorities to reopen education centres for women and allow them to work in government and non-governmental organizations, TOLO news reported. According to the elders, if the right choice is not taken, the gap between the Taliban and the populace will only widen. Also Read | Earthquake in Afghanistan: Tremors Felt in Delhi-NCR After Quake of Magnitude 5.98 Jolts Fayzabad. "The women should be given permission to work in the organizations and it would be better to reopen schools for girls considering the Islamic hijab," said Shahpoor, a tribal elder. "If there is no, a human would be deaf and blind. We call on all officials of the Islamic Emirate to lighten the candle of our education," said another tribal elder, Simeen Khan Zadran, according to TOLO news. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Russian President Vladimir Putin Orders 36-Hour Weekend Cease-Fire in Ukraine. This occurs at a time when national and worldwide responses to the exclusion of women and girls from education and employment in NGOs have been launched. The economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains grave. On December 24, the de facto authorities issued a decree banning women from working in NGOs, TOLOnews reported. This came after they had already suspended university education for women and secondary schooling for girls until what they termed further notice. The ban on higher education for women in Afghanistan has reportedly drawn widespread reactions from all across the globe and criticism for the Taliban's hardline policies in the country. After the Taliban seized power, young girls and women in Afghanistan had to suffer the most and they continue to do so as after seizing power and tightening their grip across the Afghan society, the Taliban issued rules requiring women to fully cover their heads if they ride in a public taxi and to be accompanied by a male relative if they travel more than 45 miles. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Sabroom, January 5: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will be ready by January 1, 2024, the year the Lok Sabha elections will be held. This is being seen by BJP's political opponents as an indication that Ram Mandir, a plank raked up by the saffron camp since 1990 when BJP leader L K Advani started out on a Rath Yatra to focus on the issue, may again be one of the cornerstones of the saffron party's campaign in the next general election. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Meeting Underway at BJPs Headquarters in Delhi To Discuss General Polls. "Rahul baba, listen from Sabroom that a mammoth Ram Mandir will be ready on January 1, 2024," he said attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who is in the midst of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a 3500 kilometres long march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Will Back Party Which Will Support Gorkha Janmukti Morchas Call for Political Solution in Darjeeling, Says Bimal Gurung. Secretary of Ram Mandir Trust Champat Rai and chief priest of Ram Janmabhoomi temple Acharya Satyendra Das had come out with separate statements appreciating Gandhi for the Bharat Jodo Yatra earlier this week. Advani's Rath Yatra was believed a major factor in the rise of the BJP in the 1990s which had been politically hit by both the advent of Rajiv Gandhi in 1984 and the Mandal Commission award in the late 1980s which saw regional parties espousing the cause of OBCs gaining strength. The Rath Yatra also saw the spawning of a movement calling for the destruction of the 16th-century Mosque in Ayodhya, which some believed was the site of a palace where Lord Ram was born. It culminated in the public destruction of the mosque by saffron brigade volunteers in December 1992. Addressing a public rally at Sabroom in Tripura, where assembly polls are due early this year, Shah said that the Congress and Communists had put the Ram Mandir issue in the jurisdiction of the court for long, whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for it after the Supreme Court's order permitting construction. The Congress and the CPI(M) are the main opposition parties in the BJP-ruled northeastern state and there are indications that the two will fight the assembly election together. The Trinamool Congress along with Tripura Motha party led by the scion of the Tripura royal family are the other important political forces in the state. After decades-long legal battle, the Supreme Court on November 9, 2019, paved the way for the construction of the Ram temple in the disputed site at Ayodhya, where Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992. The prime minister performed the "Bhoomi puja" for the construction of the temple on August 5, 2020. Reacting to Shah's announcement, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury termed it as the roll-out of the "election slogan for 2024." "Instead of bothering about the problems besetting our country, he is announcing a slogan for the next election," the prominent Congress leader and MP from Berhampore told PTI. Trinamool Congress which too is trying to get a foothold in Tripura as well as other North Eastern states, said BJP should not try to claim political mileage out of the temple's construction. "It is good that Ram Mandir will be ready by January 1 next year. But BJP or any other political party should not try to claim credit for it. Lord Ram belongs to everyone and is not a property of the BJP. It is the court's verdict that paved the way for Ram Mandir, so BJP should not try to claim political mileage out of it," senior TMC leader Sougata Roy said. CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Bhattacharya reacted stating that it is apparent that the BJP is trying to create a division among the people of the country "in the name of religion and Ram." Pointing out that the India is known as a country of diverse cultures, he told PTI that unity in diversity is the basic motto of the Indian Constitution. "BJP does not believe in that, they are after Hindu rashtra which is against the basic concept of the Indian Constitution," Bhattacharya, a senior advocate and a former Advocate General of Tripura, said. At Sabroom in South Tripura district, Shah flagged off a BJP rath yatra, the second one during the day after Dharmanagar in North Tripura district, aimed at highlighting the state government's achievements. The country is safe in the hands of Modi, the union minister said. "Ten days after the Pulwama incident in Kashmir, Indian soldiers went inside Pakistan and carried out a successful operation under Modi's leadership, he pointed out. A CRPF convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber in Pulwama district killing 40 personnel on February 14, 2019. The Indian Air Force raided a terrorist camp at Balakot in Pakistan on February 26. New Delhi, January 5: The Union Home Ministry has designated Ejaz Ahmad Ahangar, the recruitment chief of the terror organisation, Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK) as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) 1967. Ahangar has close links with Al-Qaeda and other global terrorist groups. A notification issued by the Ministry says that the government, using the powers of Section 35 of the UAPA Act, has declared Ahangar alias Abu Usman al-Kashmiri as a terrorist. Afghanistan: Taliban Kill Eight Terrorists in Raids on IS Hideouts. The Ministry informed that he was born in 1974 in Nawakadal, Srinagar and currently resides in Afghanistan. According to the notification, Ahangar is engaged in restarting Islamic State (IS) channels in India. It stated that Ahangar had been involved in taking Kashmir towards militancy and had started the process of identifying people to include them in his Kashmir based network. Kerala PFI Leaders Were in Touch With Islamic State, Al-Qaeda Leaders, NIA Tells Special Court. The Home Ministry apprised that Ahangar had been appointed as the head of Islamic State (IS) recruitment in India and was instrumental in launching an online India-centric ISIS propaganda magazine. It added that he had been a wanted terrorist in the Union Territory for more than two decades and had started making a terror strategy in the region by creating a coordination channel between several terrorist organisations (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2023 03:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Delhi, January 5: In a case of mistaken identity, beachgoers on a beach in Brazil fled in terror when they thought they were caught in a shark attack but instead they were approached by harmless whales in the water. The incident was filmed at Prainha beach in Arraial do Cabo and shows a number of people on the beach fleeing and screaming in terror as they see dorsal fins and huge tails trashing around in the water. The footage was shot on New Years eve and shows visitors running away in horror after witnessing the water turn dark, reported Dailystar. However, experts have since revealed that the panicked beachgoers were almost certainly swimming away from a group of harmless whales. Biologist Marcello Tardelli was quoted speaking to the local media in Brazil that the species seen in the footage was most probably the dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima). Angry Hippo Leaps Forward to Chase a Tourist Speedboat on a Lake; Terrifying Video of the Giant Mammal Goes Viral However, when the officials went to inspect the beach later they found no beached whales. They believe that the sea creatures likely managed to swim back out to sea. Rare Pink Dolphin Spotted Swiming in Ocean! Old Video of The Magnificent Aquatic Mammal Goes Viral, Netizens Find it Beautiful! Officials later confirmed that the animals were toothed whales (Odontoceti) and not sharks as some people had thought. While most were seen running in horror, there were some people who were seen trying to help the the stranded marine mammals. However, officials at the Fundacao do Meio Ambiente (Environment Foundation) said that people should avoid approaching or touching stranded animals and wait for the arrival of experts who can help the animal. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2023 03:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Amidst a report of a record-high number of border crossings, President Joe Biden has stated his "intention" to visit the U.S.-Mexico border. Fox News noted that Biden commented Wednesday at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. He said he "intends" to visit the border during his trip to the North American Leaders' Summit on January 9 and 10, where he will meet with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. This would be Biden's first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border since taking office. READ NEXT: Migrants Packed at US-Mexico Border While Waiting for Asylum Limits Ruling Republican Slams Joe Biden for Not Visiting US Mexico Border The Republican Party has been criticizing Pres. Joe Biden for his refusal to visit the U.S.-Mexico border, despite his claims that he considers the plight of migrants to be a top priority, per CNBC. The Supreme Court's decision last month upholding Title 42, an immigration regulation enacted by the Trump administration that permits authorities to remove asylum-seekers at the border promptly, dealt a legal blow to the Biden administration's efforts to enforce its immigration policies. Biden administration wanted to put an end to the practice. The administration is preparing for when the policy is finally lifted so that officials may handle the border in a secure orderly, and humanitarian fashion, said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, addressing Title 42 Wednesday. "To truly fix our broken immigration system, though, we need Congress to act," she added. "We saw the president on his first day in office put forth a comprehensive immigration policy, legislation and that he did that to show how important this was, how much of a priority this was for him." Biden's U.S.-Mexico border visit comes as House Republicans prepare to scrutinize his administration, with an emphasis on the border. Joe Biden's U.S.-Mexico Border Visit Since the border stretches for nearly 2,000 miles, it was unclear exactly where Biden would go. However, El Paso, Texas, has become a focal point in recent months for a humanitarian immigration crisis. According to USA Today, there have been tens of thousands of migrants crossing the border at El Paso every month, with over 50,000 crossing in October and November alone. More than 10,000 asylum seekers and other migrants were released by Border Patrol in a single week last month, prompting El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser to proclaim a state of emergency. Moreover, lots of people have been crashing on city sidewalks. Title 42 makes it difficult to deport many migrants released by Border Patrol back to Mexico or their home nations. Meanwhile, some Congress lawmakers applaud Biden for making the trip to the border. Laredo Democrat and member of Congress Henry Cuellar said in a tweet to the president, "I applaud your visit to our southern border." Cuellar has been pressing the administration to adopt more robust measures to rein in border crossings. "Our border communities are confronting a catastrophe, the magnitude of which can only be grasped by seeing it firsthand," said Cuellar, the senior most congressmen from a border district in Texas. He also thanked Biden for taking the first step in addressing the U.S.-Mexico border. READ MORE: New York Mayor Eric Adams Slaps Joe Biden With Harsh Reality of Migrant Crisis This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover Watch: Biden intends to make his first visit to US-Mexico border - From KTSM 9 NEWS Notable YouTube journalist Coffeezilla has released a three-part YouTube series that took a closer look into Logan Paul and his NFT game called "Crypto Zoo." There, the YouTuber revealed that the YouTuber-turned-boxer/pro wrestler/crypto guru may have scammed people. "Crypto Zoo" was supposed to be a play-2-earn game that Paul developed with other individuals. However, according to Coffeezilla's investigation, Paul and his associates simply copied a code from FlokiShibX and claimed it as their own original game. In addition, the investigative YouTube journalist also interviewed several people who bought into the alleged play-2-earn game, thinking it would net them some money. They invested huge cash into the project, but it never even manifested. They tried reaching out to Paul via their Discord server, but he never showed up. Paul has promised on his podcast that CryptoZoo is "a really fun game that makes you money." However, that did not happen, as DeCrypt pointed out that it has plummeted roughly 89% in the past year. In addition, neither the CryptoZoo blog, its Instagram page, nor its Twitter page has not published any new post since May 2022, prompting many to believe Paul has already abandoned the project. Logan Paul May Have Hired Criminals and Scammers for 'CryptoZoo' Coffeezilla's investigation into Paul's NFT scheme deepened when he exposed that the lead developer Logan Paul hired to work on the project is a notable scammer who managed to trick the owner of the New York Yankees into believing that he helped the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl. READ MORE: Donald Trump NFTs Crash in Value by 80% After Just 2 Weeks Eddie Ibanez, who served as the lead developer for the so-called play-2-earn game, reportedly told Paul that he was an MIT graduate who was hired by the CIA. He also told the YouTuber/boxer the same lie that he told the owner of the Yankees and that he helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl. In a response video, Paul admitted that he had been scammed by Ibanez, saying he did not know he was a scammer. However, several other famous YouTubers, like popular streamers Ludwig and Moistcr1tikal, have pointed out that he should have run some background checks on him first and not taken what Ibanez told him at face value. Logan Paul Threatens to Sue Coffeezilla Over Investigative Video Series In his response video to the allegations, Logan Paul denied everything and said that the investigative journalist did not reach out to him. However, Coffeezilla pointed out that he tried, even pointing out his conversation with Paul's own manager about trying to talk to him about the allegations. Paul then stated that he will sue the journalist, whose real name is Stephen Findeisen, for defamation. He then doubled down on CryptoZoo, promising that it will be released. The YouTuber-turned-boxer added that Coffeezilla just used his name for clicks and accused him of illegally posting his call with Paul's manager. READ MORE: Bahamas Hands Over FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried to U.S. This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Investigating Logan Paul's Biggest Scam - Coffeezilla First Lady Jill Biden will undergo a surgical procedure to remove a small lesion above her right eye. Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the physician to President Joe Biden, said the lesion was found during a routine skin cancer screening, Fox News reported. O'Connor noted that it will be removed on January 11, and the tissue will then be tested. He said the small lesion will be removed "in an abundance of caution," with other doctors recommending it removed. O'Connor noted that the surgery will be done at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, with the first lady to undergo a procedure known as Mohs surgery. He said they will release an update regarding the matter once the procedure was completed and they had more information. Mohs surgery is a common outpatient procedure that removes thin layers of skin to look for signs of the most common types of skin cancer, including other less-common skin cancers. Jill Biden is considered to be the oldest sitting first lady in modern U.S. history. READ NEXT: Inside Hunter Biden's Laptop: Data Confirmed to Be Created by Joe Biden's Son Himself as CBS Authenticated Its Contents President Joe Biden's Routine Physical Exams In 2021, Kevin O'Connor reported that Joe Biden "remains fit for duty" after the president's first physical exam while in office. The president's physician also reported that a "single 3mm, benign-appearing polyp" was removed from Biden's colon during a routine colonoscopy. The procedure required the president to be placed under anesthesia at the time. Biden was experiencing an increase in the frequency and severity of throat clearing during speaking engagements. O'Connor said he believed that acid reflux was causing the problem, which was supported by the exam and expert consultation. O'Connor also raised a concern regarding the president's "ambulatory gait," which he said was "perceptibly stiffer and less fluid as it was a year ago." Biden took his physical exam at Walter Reed National Army Medical Center. While Biden was under anesthesia for his colonoscopy, Vice President Kamala Harris became the acting president. It was the first time a female occupied such a position in U.S. history. President Joe Biden and Jill Biden The first lady visited the Children's National Hospital in Washington with the president before Christmas. The two met with families in the hospital's Cardiac Intensive Care Unit while also seeing the telehealth command center to learn about the technology used to monitor children with critical heart disease. It was the second time Biden had joined the first lady for a visit. Jill also read "The Snowy Day," an award-winning story about a boy named Peter and his adventures in the snow. It was written by Ezra Jack Keats. According to the White House, Joe Biden and the first lady also thanked the doctors, nurses, and staff, including the healthcare workers at the hospital's Emergency Department. Jill Biden's visit was an annual tradition that dates back 80 years to Bess Truman, the wife of former President Harry S. Truman. Bess visited children who were too ill to be home on Christmas to bring holiday cheer. READ MORE: Jill Biden Says Husband Joe Biden Sidetracked by Roe v Wade, Ukrainian War to Bring Progress in White House This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: WATCH: Jill Biden speaks on White House Christmas decorations - From PBS NewsHour Lawmakers from Spain and Chile went to Bolivia to demand the release of jailed Bolivian opposition leader Luis Fernando Camacho. However, Spanish lawmaker Victor Gonzalez said he and his Chilean counterpart were formally kicked out of the country. This comes as the arrest of Camacho has sparked unrest in Bolivia, with his supporters accusing the left-leaning government of imprisoning the country's top opposition leader for political purposes. Camacho, the right-wing governor of the Santa Cruz region, was arrested and detained last week over "terrorism" charges. His arrest sparked protests that led to roadblocks around the region's main highway, clashes with law enforcement, and cars being set on fire. As for the two foreign lawmakers asking Bolivia to release Camacho, the Associated Press reported that they are both part of right-wing parties, with Gonzalez being part of the right-leaning Vox party while Chilean Luis Fernando Sanchez of Chile's Republican Party. After his deportation, Gonzalez said he received the document as he was getting ready to leave the South American country. "When I was already inside the plane, two agents very politely informed me that I had been expelled from Bolivia," Gonzalez tweeted. He then noted that he had been denied entry into three Latin American countries: Cuba, Nicaragua, and Bolivia. The Chilean lawmaker has yet to react on the matter, and his whereabouts are still unknown as of Wednesday. The lawmakers from Spain and Chile were reportedly invited to the Civic Committee of Santa Cruz to gain a closer look at what is happening with Camacho's detention. READ NEXT: Bolivia Arrests Main Opposition Leader for Terrorism; Prosecutors Say He is a Flight Risk Bolivia Asks Embassy of Spain and the Consulate General of Chile for Explanations on Lawmakers' Actions Following Victor Gonzalez's reported deportation from Bolivia, the Bolivian government has formally asked the Embassy of Spain and the Consulate General of Chile why their lawmakers traveled to the country to meddle in local affairs. The Bolivian Foreign Ministry called the Spanish lawmaker's statements questioning the police action regarding Luis Fernando Camacho's arrest "unwise." According to News 360, the Bolivian government found their interference "unacceptable, with the Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Integration, Benjamin Blanco, stating that "no country is authorized to intervene in matters that are essentially of internal jurisdiction of the state." Blanco also blasted the right-wing Spanish lawmaker, noting that this was not the first time Gonzalez had traveled to Bolivia and meddled in the country's affairs. Unrest Growing in Bolivia Over Luis Fernando Camacho's Arrest As Luis Fernando Camacho remains in prison, protests are mounting all over Santa Cruz, demanding the release of their governor. Pro-Camacho protesters have already blocked the highways coming in and out of the region. Transport leaders have confirmed the blockades being done all over the region, Al Jazeera reported. Marcelo Cruz, president of the International Heavy Transport Association of Santa Cruz, said supplies, including food, cannot leave Santa Cruz because of the blockade. Bolivia remains divided over the issue of Camacho, with his supporters demanding his release while pro-administration supporters said it was a step towards justice. READ MORE: Miss Bolivia Stripped of Her Crown After 'Racist and Discriminatory' Remarks Against Rival Miss Universe 2023 Contestants This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Bolivia Sees More Unrest Following Opposition Leader's Arrest - From Al Jazeera English Struggling with the largest influx of migrants from Cuba in decades, the United States resumed all visa services at its embassy in Havana on Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans are trying to escape the island to join their family in the United States amid the country's flailing economy and political crisis. But since they cannot secure visas in Cuba, they fly to Central America and then make the long, arduous journey north on foot or sail the Florida Straits in rickety boats. Hundreds of people lined up outside the U.S. embassy in Havana on Wednesday to get visas or to wait for their loved ones. Applicant Ariel Arzuaga, 59, a technician once expelled from Panama, one of the Central American jumping-off areas to U.S.-bound migrants, told Associated Press that he believes this could help lessen illegal immigration and people can now go to the U.S. "in a safer way." Visa services resumed Wednesday for the first time since a virtual suspension in 2017 due to health problems among staff that reduced the American presence in Havana. Last May, the U.S. embassy slowly ramped up its diplomatic staff and the services they provided. Reports said the U.S. States could now issue at least 20,000 visas annually. Last Friday, the U.S. embassy said: "The United States is working to ensure safe, legal, and orderly migration." READ NEXT: Florida Keys Faces Crisis After Roughly 500 Migrants Land on the Island Cuban Migrants Are the Second-Largest Nationality at the Border After Mexicans Last November, U.S. border patrol agents made 34,675 arrests of Cuban nationals, an increase of 21% over the 28,848 arrests made in October. According to NPR, that figure has been steadily climbing monthly. Statistics from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection show that, after Mexicans, Cubans are the second largest nationality appearing at the border. The economic, energy, and political challenges, as well as discontent among Cubans, are all contributing factors to the migration. Although most Cubans who leave the island for the U.S. take flights to Nicaragua and enter the country legally through the Mexico border, many have also braved the perilous journey across the ocean. Many migrants make the perilous journey across the Gulf of Mexico to the Florida shore in boats that can barely float. Restrictions on Travels From United States to Cuba Remains Embassy staff reported a series of health incidents, dubbed the Havana Syndrome, in 2017, and U.S. intelligence specialists initially believe it may be related to sonic attacks, Al Jazeera reported. There had been an easing of relations between the two countries under Barack Obama's presidency, but this closure and Donald Trump's strengthening of U.S. sanctions against Cuba reopened old wounds. Some limitations, such as remittances and family visits from Miami to Cuba, have been eased by the U.S. government under President Joe Biden. Many Cubans had hoped that Biden would revive the island's "Obama era," but his administration has so far fallen short. Many commodities cannot be imported or exported from or to Cuba, and there are still restrictions on American tourists visiting the island. The United States has continued to include Cuba on its list of "sponsors of terrorism," It has also included Cuba on its list of nations suppressing religious liberty. Biden and other top officials in the U.S. condemned the Cuban government's repression of anti-government rallies in 2021, leading to further sanctions and travel bans against Cuban officials. READ MORE: Joe Biden Will Finally Visit the US-Mexico Border for the First Time Since Becoming POTUS: Here's When This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover Watch: U.S. Embassy in Cuba Resumes Consular Services - From Reuters Police in Romania seized 11 luxury cars from disgraced influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan after arresting them on charges of rape and human trafficking late last month. According to Insider, local Romanian media reported that a Rolls-Royce and an Aston Martin were among the seized cars. Ramona Bolla, a spokesperson for the DIICOT investigations agency in Romania, confirmed to Insider on Wednesday that the Tate brothers' cars have been seized and impounded. She noted that these vehicles were held to "sustain the cost of the investigation" into the former British kickboxer. Bolla added that these cars would also be used as collateral for any payments that would be awarded to their alleged victims. Romanian news outlet Gandul published several photos of the seized vehicles, including a Rolls-Royce Wraith and an Aston Martin Vanquish S Ultimate. The Wraith reportedly costs at least $300,000, while the Aston Martin costs around $250,000. The New York Post reported that a $2.9 million Bugatti Chiron was also among the seized vehicles. Tate used his car collection to taunt climate activist Greta Thunberg, saying he emits "enormous emissions" through his luxury vehicles and will not apologize for it. Thunberg then replied by saying, "yes, please do enlighten me. email me at smalld**kenergy@getalife.com." DIICOT is now working to establish if the Tate brothers purchased these luxury cars through their sex trafficking business. Tate allegedly lured several women from the United States and the United Kingdom into Romania, where the women were sexually exploited and often forced to perform pornographic acts. READ NEXT: Former Playboy Model Shares Story of How She Escaped Andrew Tate; Disgraced Influencer Gets Out Trolled by Greta Thunberg Andrew Tate Investigated on Suspicion of Rape in 2015 Vice News reported that Andrew Tate was arrested in 2015 over allegations of sexual assault and physical abuse in the U.K. Two women, who talked to the outlet, said Tate raped one of them while he repeatedly strangled the other. They then accused the U.K. police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of mishandling their case. The police allegedly took four years to hand over the case to the CPS, which decided not to prosecute the then-kickboxer. As the investigation continued, Tate was a contestant in the reality show "Big Brother" in 2016. The show's producers were allegedly informed by police about the investigation but kept him on the show for at least five more days. Channel 5, which aired "Big Brother," noted that they removed Tate due to the investigation. Through his lawyer in Romania, Tate has denied these allegations. Andrew Tate Also Allegedly Runs a Pyramid Scheme Aside from rape and human trafficking, Andrew Tate is also accused of running a pyramid scheme called Hustlers University. It is allegedly marketed as a subscription service that teaches men to become an "alpha male" just like Tate and be "rich" like him. According to the New York Post, it teaches courses from how to get women to making money in online fields like copywriting, crypto investing, and e-commerce. The subscription service costs $49.99 a month. However, critics said many of those courses do not really teach anybody anything, and its practice of giving members commissions on referrals proves that Hustlers University is just a simple pyramid scheme. READ MORE: Andrew Tate Faces Human Sex Trafficking Allegations in Romania This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: The Decay of Andrew Tate | TikTok's Worst Alpha Male - From j aubrey A Brazilian couple recently reported missing by their families in Brazil was found sitting in a jail in Lebanon after they tried to enter the country with a kilo of cocaine in their stomachs. According to Daily Mail, Brazilian nationals Igor dos Santos, 26, and his wife, Juliana Nunes, 31, were arrested at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport on December 19 after attempting to smuggle cocaine to Lebanon. The Brazilian couple left Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and boarded a Qatar Airways flight connected to Doha, Qatar. Dos Santos and Nunes admitted to law enforcement officials in Lebanon that they ingested the cocaine but did not tell who the shipment belonged. Their families reportedly started to worry when they traveled from Carazinho, Rio Grande do Sul, to Sao Paolo to go shopping on December 13. The couple, who have been married for nearly two years, arrived in Sao Paulo on December 14 and kept communicating with their families until December 18, when they cut off all communications with their loved ones. READ NEXT: Brazil Renews 2008 Fraud Charges Against George Santos Brazilian Couple Smuggling Cocaine to Lebanon Igor dos Santos and Juliana Nunes each carried half a kilo or 500 grams of cocaine in their stomachs. According to reports, Lebanon does not have an extradition agreement with Brazil, which means the Brazilian couple will be incarcerated in the Middle Eastern country if the drug trafficking allegation is proven. Dos Santos' mother, Claudete dos Santos, told Brazil's RBS TV that her son is a "worker" and not a "bad" person. Claudete noted that she contacted her son when he was in Sao Paolo, but his wife kept interrupting the communication between them. According to reports, the Brazilian Embassy in Beirut is already aware of the situation and is currently providing the proper assistance to the Brazilian couple. Drug Trafficking in Brazil Around 90% of cocaine seized globally is trafficked by sea, and drug smuggling remains the most frequently committed crime in the national port system in Brazil, according to the International Chamber of Shipping. Brazil shares an open coastline with the world's three largest cocaine producers: Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru. In June 2022, Brazilian drug kingpin Sergio Roberto de Carvalho was arrested in Hungary after he managed to evade authorities by faking his own death. Carvalho is accused of smuggling around 45 tons of drugs from Brazil to the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal from 2017 to 2021. Authorities also arrested around 30 people in Brazil and Spain during an international police operation targeting drug trafficking and money laundering operations reportedly connected to Carvalho. The Brazilian drug kingpin allegedly bought the European private jet company Airjetsul in Portugal for his drug smuggling across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Carvalho was a Major in Brazil's military until 1997 when he was apprehended and sentenced to 15 years for trafficking cocaine and was freed in 2010. READ MORE: Parts of Amazon Rainforest in Brazil Are Being Illegally Offered for Sale on Facebook Marketplace This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Inside Brazil's Deadliest Drug Gangs | News on Drugs - From Vice News Prince Harry has dropped another explosive allegations against other royal family members in his new book, such as his brother, Prince William, attacked him after taking shots at his wife, Meghan Markle. According to TMZ, the Duke of Sussex said in his new memoir, "Spare," that he and his brother got into a physical fight in 2019, with William initiating the attack. During their fight in London, Harry claimed that William grabbed him by the collar, pulled his necklace, and knocked him to the ground. Harry noted that the altercation started after William called his wife Meghan "difficult," "rude," and "abrasive," The Guardian reported. The Duke of Sussex claimed that William was already worked up and complaining about Meghan when he visited them at their home in Nottingham Cottage. According to Harry, he told William that he was only reiterating media narratives and he expected better from his brother. At that time, they started yelling at each other, and then things turned physical. Harry claimed that he and William got into an argument after he accused his brother of behaving like an heir and not understanding his side. After exchanging insults, the two reportedly went into the kitchen, where the alleged attack occurred. RED NEXT: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Netflix Mansion in Montecito on Sale for a Whopping $33.5 Million Prince Harry Sustained Injuries Following Prince William's Attack The new book excerpts continue with Prince Harry claiming that he had visible injuries after falling during the fight and landing on a dog bowl that broke under his back. Harry claimed that Prince William even encouraged him to punch back by bringing up previous confrontations when they were younger. However, the Duke of Sussex said he refused to hit his brother. Harry noted that his brother then looked "regretful" about what happened and apologized. He said he told his wife about the altercation after she noticed the bruises and scrapes he suffered in the alleged brawl. Prince Harry said Meghan Markle was not surprised or reacted with anger. Royal Sources Slam Prince Harry Over Claims That Royal Family Is Unwilling to Reconcile With Him Royal sources have slammed Prince Harry's recent claims that the royal family had shown "no willingness to reconcile" with him. According to Daily Mail, royal insiders hit back at the Duke of Sussex, branding his claims "'nonsense" as he and his wife had an open invitation to join the rest of the royal family last Christmas. A source told Mirror that the latest claim by Harry was "complete and unadulterated nonsense." Royal sources noted that King Charles III invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to spend Christmas with the rest of the family despite the release of their controversial Netflix docuseries where the couple launched a series of attacks on the royal family. The insiders noted that Charles has been "saddened" that he has not had the opportunity to spend time with his grandchildren. They also said that the king has always "left the door open for his son," Harry, and "will continue to do so." There have also been concerns regarding the upcoming memoir of the Duke of Sussex, with one source saying that book will feature stinging attacks on Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton. The source noted that the book will be "worse" for the Prince and Princess of Wales than the royal family expected. The insider added that Charles came out of the memoir "better than it had expected." The Duke of Sussex's new book is set to be released next week. "Spare" was reportedly written by American novelist JR Moehringer. READ MORE: King Charles Snubs Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Christmas Speech While Proudly Shouting out Prince William and Kate Middleton This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: Prince Harry Claims Prince William PHYSICALLY ATTACKED Him During Confrontation Over Meghan Markle - From GBNews Laurel, MS (39440) Today Periods of rain. Low around 55F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low around 55F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Operation Transformation has a huge Laois slant this year, and its not only the cameras and a local leader. Two of the show's medical experts are also from Laois. General Practitioner Dr Sumi Dunne and Psychologist Dr Eddie Murphy are both living and working in Portarlington. Dr Sumi is making her fifth annual appearance on the series. The London native and mother of four is married to well-known auctioneer and estate agent Matt Dunne. Its fantastic to have OT in Laois. Over the years the people of Laois have followed and supported OT in so many ways, it is lovely for me to now represent Laois in Laois I am delighted to be involved with series 16 of Operation Transformation. It will be a fantastic 8 weeks. We have super leaders whom we have the privilege of getting to know and accompanying them on their journey to wellness and health. A special honour also to be in Co. Laois particularly as it is my home county, she said. Author and HSE Clinical Psychologist, Dr Eddie Murphy lives in Portarlington with his wife and two sons. I am very excited to be involved for my 13th Year, promoting mental health and wellbeing in all its facets including promoting the authentic self, positive psychology and ensuring wellbeing for the head and the heart, he said. I am overjoyed that Laois, my home county is our home for 2023 - the blue zone in the heart of Ireland, he added. The show airs every Wednesday from January 4 for eight weeks at 21:35 on RTE One. Laois Chamber Alliance have revealed a new dimension to the Laois Jobs Fair which they are delighted to confirm is on the way back in 2023. The business organisation says this is the third year the event is being held, with a total of 4,000 attendees between the 2020 and 2022 events. The Chamber says years tag line is UnLaois your full potential, with 100s of jobs on offer, as well as apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities, educational opportunities and information on third level courses. A new addition for this years event is an line-up of presentations in the seminar room throughout the day. These presentations include Making your CV stand out, an information session on apprenticeships and traineeships, and third-level opportunities with the South East Technological University. There will also be bitesize seminars for employers and companies to attend, for information on business supports and training available from Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) and Local Enterprise Office Laois. Caroline Hofman, CEO of Laois Chamber Alliance, spoke about the upcoming event which takes place earlier this year in February. MORE BELOW PICTURE. Kyra Fingleton from Glamping Under the Stars with Laois Chamber CEO Caroline Hofman at the Laois Jobs Fair 2022. Picture: Alf Harvey. The Laois Jobs Fair is now a landmark event, providing companies with the opportunity to recruit local, talented and qualified staff, and for anyone interested in a new role to meet with and talk to potential employers and companies. "We look forward to the 2023 event building upon the success of the 2020 and 2022 events. There is huge interest in this years event already, with fantastic job opportunities across all sectors right on our doorstep here in Laois. There are also exhibitors showcasing third-level, education, apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities. "This event provides the ideal showcase to see what roles are available for anyone looking for a graduate role, seeking upskilling and training opportunities, or a new job closer to home. There really is something for everyone! "We are extremely grateful for the support of our sponsors, Local Enterprise Office Laois and Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board. We would also like to thank Laois Partnership for their support, she said. More below picture. Ashleigh Doyle, Joanne Phelan, Marie Buckley and Aoife Collier from CJ Sheeran at the Laois Jobs Fair 2022. Picture: Alf Harvey. The Chamber says the 2022 event saw hundreds of roles on offer, with 40 companies exhibiting on the day. Just some of the companies that exhibited in 2022 include Portlaoise Plaza, Alpha Wireless, Midlands Steel, Greenfield Global, The Heritage, Enva, Fingleton White, and CJ Sheeran, together with LOETB, South East Technological University and Technological University of the Shannon, showcasing reskilling, upskilling and third-level opportunities. The Laois Hub Collective were also in attendance providing information on remote working hubs located across the county. A statement said feedback from exhibitors and jobseekers who attended the 2020 and 2022 events has been extremely positive. HR Manager Ireland with Enva, Erin Hooban, exhibited at both events and will be exhibiting again this year. We were delighted to participate in the Laois Jobs Fair for the last number of years. We have made several key successful hires following the expo who are an asset to the business. The jobs fair is also a great opportunity to promote and showcase our business in Laois and we look forward to attending in 2023, she said. MORE BELOW PICTURE. A large crowd gathered in Portlaoise for the event held in April 2022. Pic: Alf Harvey The Laois Jobs Fair takes place on Monday, February 20 from 12pm to 7pm in the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise. To register if you are interested in attending the 2023 Laois Jobs Fair, or e-mail caroline@laoischamber.ie for more information if you are interested in exhibiting or supporting the event. This years event is sponsored by Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) and Local Enterprise Office Laois, and supported by Laois Partnership with LEADER programme funding. To find out more visit www.laoisjobsfair.ie Pope Francis has honoured his predecessor Benedict XVI, presiding over a rare requiem Mass for a dead pontiff by a living one in front of thousands of mourners in St Peters Square. Bells tolled and the faithful applauded on Thursday morning as pallbearers carried Benedicts cypress coffin out of the fog-shrouded basilica and rested it before an altar. Benedicts longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, bent down and kissed a book of the Gospels left open on the coffin. Francis, wearing the crimson vestments typical of papal funerals, then took his place and opened the Mass with a prayer. He closed the service an hour later by solemnly blessing the simple casket decorated only with the former popes coat of arms. Benedicts body was then entombed in the basilica grotto. Heads of state and royalty, clergy from around the world and thousands of regular people flocked to the ceremony, despite Benedicts requests for simplicity and official efforts to keep the first funeral for a pope emeritus in modern times low-key. Many hailed from Benedicts native Bavaria and donned traditional dress, including boiled wool coats to guard against the morning chill. We came to pay homage to Benedict and wanted to be here today to say goodbye, said Raymond Mainar, who travelled from a small village east of Munich for the funeral. He was a very good pope. The former Joseph Ratzinger, who died on December 31 aged 95, is considered one of the 20th centurys greatest theologians and spent his life upholding church doctrine. But he will go down in history for a singular, revolutionary act which changed the future of the papacy: he retired, the first pope in six centuries to do so. Francis has praised Benedicts courage to step aside, saying it opened the door to other popes doing the same. The reigning pontiff, for his part, recently said he has already left written instructions outlining the conditions in which he too would resign. The Vatican said some 50,000 people attended the Mass, after some 200,000 paid their respects during the three days of public viewing. Only Italy and Germany were invited to send official delegations but other leaders took the Vatican up on its offer and come in their private capacity. They included several heads of state, at least four prime ministers and two delegations of royal representatives. In addition, a host of patriarchs joined 125 cardinals in the seats to the side of the altar. Among them was Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen, who was given special court permission to attend the funeral and arrived in Rome on Thursday. Mr Zen was detained in May on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces under a national security law that China passed after he fell afoul of authorities over his participation in a now-silenced democracy movement. His passport was revoked when he was detained. Matteo Colonna, a 20-year-old seminarian from Teramo, Italy, said he went in part because of the historic nature of the funeral but also because it had personal resonance for him. The first spark of my vocation started under the pontificate of Benedict but then it became even stronger under Pope Francis, Mr Colonna said while sitting in prayer in St Peters Square ahead of the funeral. I see a continuity between these two popes and the fact that today Francis is celebrating the funeral in Benedicts memory is an historical event. Early on Thursday, the Vatican released the official history of Benedicts life, a short document in Latin placed in a metal cylinder in his coffin before it was sealed, along with the coins and medallions minted during his papacy and his pallium stoles. The document gave ample attention to Benedicts historic resignation and referred to him as pope emeritus, citing verbatim the Latin words he uttered on February 11 2013, when he announced he would retire. The document, known as a rogito or deed, also cited his theological and papal legacy, including his outreach to Anglicans and Jews and his efforts to combat clergy sexual abuse continually calling the church to conversion, prayer, penance and purification. Francis did not dwell on Benedicts specific legacy in his homily and only uttered his name once, in the final line, delivering instead a meditation on Jesuss willingness to entrust himself to Gods will. Holding fast to the Lords last words and to the witness of his entire life, we too, as an ecclesial community, want to follow in his steps and to commend our brother into the hands of the Father, Francis said at the end. During St John Paul IIs 25 years as pope, Ratzinger spearheaded a crackdown on dissent as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, taking action against the left-leaning liberation theology that spread in Latin America in the 1970s and against dissenting theologians and nuns who did not toe the Vaticans hard line on matters like sexual morals. His legacy was marred by the clergy sexual abuse scandal, even though he recognised earlier than most the filth of priests who raped children and actually laid the groundwork for the Holy See to punish them. As cardinal and pope, he passed sweeping church legislation that resulted in 848 priests being defrocked from 2004-2014, roughly his pontificate with a year on either end. But abuse survivors still held him responsible for the crisis, for failing to sanction any bishop who moved abusers around and identifying him as embodying the clerical system that long protected the institution over victims. A group representing German clergy abuse survivors called on German officials attending Benedicts funeral to demand more action from the Vatican on sexual abuse. Eckiger Tisch asked German leaders to demand Francis issue a universal church law stipulating zero tolerance in dealing with abuse by clergy. Any celebration that marks the life of abuse enablers like Benedict must end, said the main US abuse survivor group Snap. The funeral ritual itself is modelled on the code used for dead popes but with some modifications given Benedict was not a reigning pontiff when he died. After the Mass, Benedicts cypress coffin was placed inside a zinc one, then an outer oak casket, before being entombed in the crypt in the grottos underneath St Peters Basilica which once held the tomb of St John Paul II before it was moved upstairs. While the ritual is unusual, it does have some precedent; in 1802, Pope Pius VII presided over the funeral in St Peters of his predecessor, Pius VI, who died in exile in France in 1799 as a prisoner of Napoleon. Benedict never intended his retirement to last as long as it did at nearly 10 years it was longer than his eight-year pontificate. And the unprecedented situation of a retired pope living alongside a reigning one prompted calls for protocols to guide future popes emeritus to prevent any confusion about who is really in charge. A Senator based in Kildare has welcomed new changes to student maintenance grants and childcare scheme subsidy. Fianna Fail Senator Fiona O' Loughlin said that families in County Kildare will save on average up to 1,200 per child in childcare/early years. She explained that this comes from the National Childcare scheme subsidy, which is increasing from 50 cent an hour to 1.40 an hour. Parents will see this cut immediately as there is a national agreement with childcare providers that their fees will not increase. Senator Fiona O`Loughlin has said that this 'reiterates Fianna Fails commitment to reducing childcare costs for families', and has thanked Ministers Michael McGrath and Roderic O' Gorman. The Newbridge-based politician added that the overall number of childcare places will also be increased with an an extra 59 million invested in our childcare providers. Commenting on higher-level students from Kildare benefitting from a new increase in student maintenance grants, Senator O' Loughlin, who is also her party's Spokesperson for Education, said that the grant is 'incredibly important' for hundreds of students and their families across the county, 'particularly with the challenges of inflationary pressures and a cost of living crisis.' She elaborated: "The changes will see the Special and Band 1 maintenance grant rates increase by 14 per cent, and all other maintenance grant rates by 10 per cent. Senator Fiona O' Loughlin. File Pic "Students will see their rates increase proportionally, with students in the 2023/2024 academic year seeing the full benefit of the rate increase." The increases come on top of other measures introduced to help students as part of Budget 2023. Senator O' Loughlin further said: "In December, eligible PLC, undergraduate and postgraduate students who receive the Special Rate of grant were paid the equivalent to one extra monthly maintenance grant payment. "The undergraduate student contribution fee for eligible higher education students was also reduced by 1,000 for this academic year, along with 50 per cent reduction in public transport fares." The seventh Womens Little Christmas Black Dress Ladies Lunch takes place this Sunday, January 8th, at Kilronan Castle, Ballyfarnon, in aid of North West Simon Community. MC on the day will be RTE North West Correspondent Eileen Magnier and there will be other guest speakers. Womens Little Christmas is also known as Nollaig na mBan and Ireland is the only country in the world to celebrate the event. Aisling McSharry, Fundraising Development Officer with the North West Simon Community is organising the seventh Nollaig na mBan Little Black Dress Lunch. The event starts at 1pm with a complimentary pre-dinner drink and canapes in the Dungeon Bar with a pianist, followed by a three-course lunch at 2 pm in the ballroom at Kilronan Castle. There will be music from 5 to 7 pm in the Dungeon Bar. Dress code is black dress with a prize for the best splash of yellow (the Simon Community colours) just to make the event interesting. So ladies watch out for those yellow accessories! All proceeds of this event are going to the North West Simon Community, the charity that works with individuals and families in the North West to prevent homelessness. Last year alone the charity prevented 414 individuals from becoming homeless as most of the work is preventative. For more information, contact Aisling McSharry on 087 770 8865 or email aisling.mcsharry@northwestsimon.ie A man who was holidaying in north Leitrim died on August Bank Holiday Monday after falling in the Devils Chimney area of Glencar. The man, aged in his late 60s and from Galway, was walking alone and is understood to have become disorientated and strayed from the path. Henry Doherty from Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue told the Leitrim Observer the alarm was raised at 7pm and 10 volunteers assembled in dreadful wet conditions and found the man in a nearby stream, which had turned into a swollen river due to the heavy rain at the time. The volunteers say the walker strayed 500m from the path and fell around 20m. It is understood he sustained a head injury from his fall. Mr Doherty said a complex haul system was put in place to get the man out of the river, which was dangerous due to a large fall on each side. After much difficulty, the man was brought to a nearby field for medical assessment by paramedics. Sadly, he could not be revived and was pronounced dead sometime after. A real sense of shock and sadness descended on the town of Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday morning, August 14, after a fire ripped through the iconic riverside public house, Gings. Owner of the pub, Brendan Whelan, told the Leitrim Observer he was in a state of shock but was thankful that no one was hurt. According to Roscommon Chief Fire Officer, John Keane, fire tenders from Carrick-on-Shannon and Drumshanbo responded following initial reports of the fire at 6.42am and the blaze was extinguished by 9.30am. He said the ground floor area was extensively damaged in the fire and the first floor/attic space of the property also sustained substantial smoke damage. Kiltubrid twin sisters Avril and Tara Gilmartin both won bronze medals in the Aldi National Community Games Finals in August. Avril, wearing the white shorts, took third in the U10 Art competition while Tara, in the green shorts, won bronze in the U10 Handwriting competition. The sisters are pictured after they received their medals in Carlow Leitrim Rose Saoirse Gibbons shone on stage at the Rose of Tralee Dome on Monday night, August 22. Saoirse appeared in the second part of the show, gliding on stage wearing a stunning emerald green ball gown described by her as the dress of her dreams. The stunning formal dress was designed and created by Margaret Coyne Couture in Dowra.Saoirse conversed with presenter Daithi O Se for a few minutes as gaeilge, before going on to say her favourite part of the whole rose experience was her homecoming to Leitrim. In the week prior to her appearance on stage, Saoirse had been showing off Leitrim on the Rose Tour of Ireland. The roses visited Drumshanbo, stayed a night in Lough Rynn Castle Hotel, and also visited Margaret of New Orleans House in Carrigallen and took a pleasure cruise aboard Moon River Carrick-on-Shannon. A new report in August from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) showed a stark decline in the number of pubs doing business throughout the country since 2005. Leitrim has lost 37 pubs which equates to a 26.4% decline in public houses since 2005. The Duke of Sussex has claimed he was physically attacked by his brother the Prince of Wales and knocked to the floor during a furious confrontation over the Duchess of Sussex. Harry also alleges that it was William and the Princess of Wales who encouraged him to wear a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party 2005 and howled with laughter when they saw it. Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have declined to comment on the leaked claims from Harrys book which emerged five days before the explosive tell-all autobiography Spare is due to be published. Harry alleges the heated confrontation took place at his then-home in London, Nottingham Cottage, in 2019 and left him with a visible injury to his back after William grabbed him by the collar and ripped his necklace before knocking him to the floor, The Guardian said. The newspaper said it was able to obtain a copy of Spare despite the tight pre-launch security. Harry writes: (William) called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dogs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out. Other revelations from the book include how the brothers call each other Willy and Harold and that Charles pleaded with his sons during a tense meeting after the Duke of Edinburghs funeral: Please, boys. Dont make my final years a misery. The Guardian tells how Harry wrote that William had wanted to discuss the whole rolling catastrophe of their relationship and struggles with the press, but was already piping hot when he arrived at the cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace. William went on to call Meghan difficult, rude and abrasive comments Harry told him parroted the press narrative about his wife. Harry then accused his brother of acting like an heir, unable to understand why his younger brother was not content to be a spare, The Guardian said. Insults were exchanged, with William saying he was trying to help and Harry replying: Are you serious? Help me? Sorry is that what you call this? Helping me? The duke said the comment angered William who swore while stepping toward him, scaring him, with Harry going into the kitchen and William following. Harry writes that he gave his brother a glass of water and said: Willy, I cant speak to you when youre like this. He then tells how William called him another name and then came at me will it all happening very fast before the alleged physical confrontation. The duke writes that William urged him to hit back, citing fights they had as children, but that he refused and William left before returning, looking regretful and apologising. Harry writes that William told him he did not need to tell Meg about this and claimed: I didnt attack you, Harold. The duke reveals he did not tell Meghan straight away but did contact his therapist, and later admitted to his wife what happened when she saw the scrapes and bruises. Meanwhile, US website Page Six said sources revealed Harry puts some of the blame for his Nazi uniform scandal on William and Kate. He tells how he phoned the couple to ask them whether he should chose a pilots uniform or a Nazi one for the fancy dress party and William and Kate said the latter, and both howled with laughter when he went home and tried it on for them. Harry, then 20, sparked outrage and was widely condemned when a photograph of him in the uniform complete with swastika ended up on the front page of a newspaper. He said in his Netflix documentary: It was probably one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Amid the claims, ITV released a new trailer for Tom Bradbys interview with the Duke, which will be broadcast on Sunday night. BREAKING: New trailer for ITN Productions' Prince Harry interview released.@tombradby: Wouldnt your brother say to you, Harry, how could you do this to me after everything we went through? Harry: The Interview on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm on Sunday Jan 8th. #ITV #ITVX @itv pic.twitter.com/cwdlhSHHqb ITN Productions (@ITNProductions) January 5, 2023 Bradby challenges Harry on invading the privacy of your most nearest and dearest without permission. Harry replies: That would be the accusation from people that dont understand or dont want to believe that my family have been briefing the press. The duke is also seen saying: I dont know how staying silent is ever going to make things better. ITV News at Ten presenter Bradby a friend of Harrys says: Wouldnt your brother say to you, Harry, how could you do this to me after everything? After everything we went through? Wouldnt that be what he would say? Harry replies: He would probably say all sorts of different things. A vigil for murder victim Natalie McNally heard a call for an end to violence against women and girls. Ms McNally, 32, who was 15 weeks pregnant, was killed in her home in Lurgan, Co Armagh last month. Police have so far made two arrests but no-one has been charged. Her three brothers were among those who attended a vigil on the steps of Parliament Buildings in her memory on Thursday afternoon. The brothers held on to each other as a minute of silence was held outside the landmark building in Belfast. Natalie McNallys three brothers attended a vigil in her memory at Stormont this afternoon. Ms McNally, who was pregnant, was murdered at her home in Lurgan in December. pic.twitter.com/JtB305X4J6 Rebecca Black (@RBlackPA) January 5, 2023 The silence was observed for Ms McNally as well as Bruna Fonesca, who was found dead in an apartment in Cork on New Years Day. Pictures of both women were displayed as a crowd including MLAs from all parties and relatives of other women who were murdered attended. Declan McNally thanked all who have supported his family as they seek justice for his sister. Whatever differences of opinions there are in this country we know there is no difference of opinion and everybody wants to see an end to violence against women and girls, he said. And everybody in society has to redouble our efforts to end violence against women and girls in memory of our sister Natalie. Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill organised the vigil at Stormont. We are very conscious today that we need to remember all victims of gender-based violence, all those who have lost their lives, she told the gathering. A sombre vigil today to remember Natalie McNally, Bruna Fonseca and all victims of gender based violence. We send our full support to all who loved and cherished them. Together we must unite and say enough is enough. Violence against women and girls must end now. pic.twitter.com/Pkl8ijdCzq Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) January 5, 2023 Ms ONeill added: We have a problem in our society with misogyny and we need to tackle it and I know this is the strong message that we are here today to send to the families of all those who have lost loved ones to show them that support and say enough is enough and that were not going to tolerate this in our society. The Sinn Fein Stormont leader visited Ms McNallys parents at the family home on Wednesday evening. What they crucially want today is that we actually make that direct appeal, a universal appeal from all of us again to the public that anybody that has the slightest bit of information, no matter how insignificant you may think it is, please bring it forward because it so important that they get justice for Natalie and the family are allowed the opportunity to be able to grieve in knowing what actually happened to her, she said. So today we want to reinforce that strong message please come forward, if anybody has information please get in touch with police or Crimestoppers. The relatives of other women who have died in violent circumstances who attended included Claire Doran, whose sister Jennifer Doran, 30, was killed at her home in west Belfast in 2019, and Joanne Dorrian, whose sister Lisa has been missing since 2005 and is believed to have been murdered. A LIMERICK Lotto player is celebrating a fantastic start to 2023 after winning more than 11m in Wednesday night's draw. The National Lottery has confirmed the first winning ticket this year was sold in the Treaty County. It's understood the store which sold the ticket has yet to be informed and that further details will be confirmed publicly on Friday. According to the National Lottery, there was one winner of the jackpot, which totalled 11,106,438. It is the first Lotto jackpot win since October and the largest prize to be one in Limerick for several years. The National Lottery has confirmed the winner has yet to make contact and it is urging all Lotto players in County Limerick to urgently check their tickets to see if they are the winners of the 11.1 million jackpot. This is an absolutely dream start to 2023 for one of our players in County Limerick. In the past 12 months, we have seen an incredible 19 millionaires made in the Lotto game alone but this is certainly one of the biggest. We are appealing to all our players to check their tickets carefully and if you are the winner, sign the back of the ticket and contact our prize claims team as soon as possible, said a spokesperson. For the record, the winning numbers were 18, 29, 36, 38, 40, 43. The bonus number was 30. More to follow..... A YOUNG man who broke into a private home spent 40 minutes inside the house while the family was sleeping, Limerick District Court heard. Darren Quinlan, aged 26, of Priory Place, Templemore, County Tipperary appeared before Judge Alec Gabbett at a special vacation sitting after Christmas. Garda PJ OBrien gave evidence of charging Mr Quinlan with a number of offences including burglary, theft and unauthorised interference with a vehicle. Garda OBrien said after he was charged, Mr Quinlan replied: F*** you and your charge sheets. Stick them up your h***. A bail application was made on behalf of Mr Quinlan by his solicitor, Tom Kiely. Garda OBrien objected to bail being granted to the defendant. The garda alleged that Mr Quinlan entered a dwelling house in Templemore at 3.40am on December 27. The occupants - a family - were sleeping. He spent 40 minutes in the house. He entered the bedroom of a 13-year-old girl who was sleeping and startled her, alleged Garda OBrien, who added that Mr Quinlan was caught on CCTV at the property. Ladies shoes, a ladies coat, headphones were among the items stolen, said the garda. He was observed by gardai dumping the items stolen close to his home, alleged Garda OBrien. The investigating garda further alleged that Mr Quinlan stole a womans purse on a street in Roscrea on December 26. He forcibly pulled the handbag off her shoulder and retrieved her purse, alleged Garda OBrien. On Christmas Day, the garda alleged that Mr Quinlan committed an offence of unauthorised interference with a vehicle in Templemore Garda OBrien objected to bail due to the nature and the strength of the evidence. He added that it is his belief that Mr Quinlan would continue to commit offences. He is a self-confessed drug user of diamorphine and benzodiazepines. He goes on blitzes. If he is out he will continue to reoffend, said Garda OBrien. Mr Quinlan took the stand, saying he would obey a curfew, sign on twice a day and adhere to any conditions set down by the court. His solicitor Mr Kiely asked him about his drug addiction? I intend to try and get in contact with a drugs counsellor to get into rehab and sort it out, said Mr Quinlan. Judge Gabbett refused the bail application in all the circumstances to prevent further offences. He said: He is addicted to heroin. Evidence was given that he steals to feed his habit, said Judge Gabbett, who remanded Mr Quinlan in custody to appear at Tipperary District Court, sitting in Nenagh, later t his week. LIMERICK CITY and County Council have confirmed that they are waiting for a report from Limerick Fire Service after safety concerns were raised at University Hospital Limerick. An inspection was carried out at the hospital on Tuesday after UHL declared a "Major Internal Incident" following an unprecedented amount of patients on trolleys at the hospital. Limerick City and County Council are responsible for the operation of the local fire service and a spokesman said they are awaiting a report from the inspection. "Limerick City and County Council can confirm that that a Fire Officer carried out an inspection at the Emergency Department of the University Hospital Limerick on Tuesday January 3, 2023, and that we are awaiting their final report". According to the fire authority, the "safe number" of trolleys that can be in the Emergency Department is 29. On Wednesday, there were 76 patients on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick, with 41 of these in the Emergency Department. THE DEPARTMENT of Public Health Mid-West (PHMW) is appealing to the people of Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary to stay at home and to avoid socialising if they are showing signs of cold and flu. The Mid-West region is seeing a significant rise in respiratory infections, and this is having a considerable negative impact on our health service, which is experiencing unprecedented levels of pressure. Social activity and attending work while unwell will increase the risk of outbreaks in the community and in healthcare settings. COVID-19 and flu are widely circulating in the community, which means outbreaks are more likely to occur in congregate or busy healthcare settings, including hospitals and long-term care facilities. PHMW is investigating more than 15 COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities, involving more than 200 cases among residents and staff - four long-term care facilities have more than 20 cases. Area director of PHMW Dr Mai Mannix said: The nature and reality of respiratory diseases is that continued social activity throughout the festive season has likely led to significant transmission in households, and indoor and family gatherings during Christmas. We are likely to have higher numbers of people with flu and COVID-19 for the next few weeks throughout January, which will have an impact on our health service. However, we can reduce this burden by staying at home if we are unwell, availing of COVID-19 and flu vaccines, and avoid visiting vulnerable or elderly relatives if unwell, Dr Mannix said. In the past seven days, Public Health Mid-West has been notified of 582 COVID-19 cases in Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary - more than double the level in the week before Christmas Day. To be protected, people are being urged to keep up-to-date with their free COVID-19 booster vaccines. Those aged 18-49 can now get a second booster dose you can book an appointment for this online. You can get a flu vaccine from your GP or pharmacy. There is also a free nasal spray flu vaccine available for children aged 2-17 years. PHMW are also urging the public to consider all healthcare alternatives to the emergency department (ED). Less acutely unwell patients are asked to first consider injury units, GPs, out-of-hours GP services and pharmacists before attending ED. Injury Units in Ennis, Nenagh and St Johns are operating as normal. Opening hours for Ennis and Nenagh Injury Units are 8am - 8pm and St Johns Injury Unit 8am-7pm. MORE than 80 asylum seekers are once again being housed in tented accommodation at the Knockalisheen Direct Provision Centre, on the outskirts of Limerick city, it has been confirmed. There is anger over the development with local representatives describing it as a "national shame". Last month, due to the bitterly-cold temperatures, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth said it would cease to operate the practice of housing International Protection Applicants in tents. However, it was confirmed this Thursday - less than a month later - that 88 international protection applicants are back in the Knockalisheen DP Centre in the same shelter as before. Speaking out on the issue, Clare TD Violet-Anne Wynne said: I am not sure what has prompted this U-turn but it is incredibly concerning to me to think that 88 individuals are in tents at that site given the inclement weather conditions at present. She continued: The fact that we are faced with this tenting of people in Director Provision goes to highlight and strengthen the case for the abolition of this deeply flawed model which will be a national shame in time to come, and I for one will not be sorry to see resigned to history. Deputy Cathal Crowe has also criticised the move saying: My understanding was that the tents would be dismantled and not appear again. He continued: I hope that Minister Roderic OGorman and his officials will reconsider this situation. To have people accommodated in tents is inhumane and a sub-standard level of care. In a statement, issued to Limerick Live, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has described the number of applications as the largest humanitarian effort in the States history. A spokesperson added they endeavour to ensure that the use of tents at Knockalisheen is a short-term measure. According to the Department, as of January 2, Ireland is now accommodating over 71,255 International Protection Applicants. Because of the accommodation shortage, they added that their priority must remain on providing shelter. As for other tented operations in Athlone and Tralee which have previously been closed, the Department says they will remain decommissioned and will not return to use. EXPERT travel advice is coming to Limerick through a special Holiday Show. The show conveniently assembles exhibitors from across the globe, all under one roof, providing the opportunity to secure holiday deals, receive advice from travel professionals. There will also be a chance to win holiday prizes and enjoy free admission and car parking to the event. Declan Power, Shannon Airports Head of Aviation Development said: We are delighted to be back after a three year hiatus, with dates early in the New Year and a new easily accessible venue. Shannon Airport continues to be the preferred airport of choice for Irish tourists outside of Dublin due to its ease of access and range of flight options to the USA, the UK and Europe." The Holiday Show in association with Shannon Airport opens on Saturday and Sunday, January 14 and 15, 2023, in a new venue, the Radisson Blu, Ennis Road, Limerick. Hundreds of countries will also be explored, with research of different types of holiday packages and places alongside one-to-one guidance from experienced and knowledgeable tourism experts. Take the stress out of your journey and fly from Shannon. Reach the far corners of the world with the assistance of the travel experts at FlyShannon.ie who will find your ideal escape. Browse the best holiday offers including a range of sun holidays, city breaks, cruise holidays and trips to the US as your potential ultimate destinations for 2023. Package holidays to exotic and thrilling destinations will be highlighted at the Holiday Show 2023, with prestigious exhibitors such as Sunway Holidays and TUI Holidays Ireland present over the weekend to find someone's dream getaway. Stena Line is on-hand to ensure that European holidays are accessible and exciting for all. This past year has seen the introduction of new services to locations such as Liverpool, Paris, Naples and Porto as well as announcing a new transatlantic seasonal service non-stop to Chicago, giving our customers even more choice from Shannon. Entry and car parking is free. Visitors to the show will have the opportunity to discuss and book their holidays with travel experts and will be in with a chance to win one of many prizes on offer throughout the two-day event. To keep up to date with exhibitor announcements, prizes and show related blogs, see The Holiday Show in association with Shannon Airport 2023 at www.holidayshow.ie. Irish beef exports to China have resumed for the first time in two years, which has been welcomed by farmers in Ireland. Beef shipments to China were suspended after a case of atypical BSE was confirmed in May 2020. The two types of BSE are classical BSE, which occurs through the consumption of contaminated feed, and atypical BSE, which is believed to occur in all cattle populations at a very low rate and has been identified only in older cattle. The isolated atypical case was detected by the Department of Agricultures surveillance programme and did not enter the food chain. Beef exports were immediately suspended as a precaution in line with trading arrangements with China. On Thursday, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State Martin Heydon welcomed the resumption of Irish beef exports to China. Mr McConalogue said the issue had been a top priority over the last two-and-a-half years. Together with colleagues in the Embassy of Ireland in Beijing, my officials have been in ongoing contact with the Chinese authorities since the start of the suspension. They provided the necessary technical information for evaluation by Chinese experts. Earlier this year, as a result of my communication with my counterpart in charge of GACC (General Administration of Customs of the Peoples Republic of China), our officials engaged in further bilateral talks to finalise the restoration of beef access based on scientific principles. Irelands reputation as an exporter of high-quality beef worldwide hinges on its compliance with stringent animal health and food safety standards. As a major food exporter, we are always very conscious of the concerns of our customers. Chinas decision to resume Irish beef imports on the same conditions as before represents a clear vote of confidence in the output of our beef sector. President of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) Tim Cullinan welcomed the announcement, saying it presented the beef sector with a huge opportunity. It is important that eligibility is secured for all Irish beef products and the market opportunity is not restrictive, the protocol must now be worked on to allow beef products from all Irish livestock, he said. Mr Heydon, whose responsibilities include market development, said that Irish food agency Bord Bia is to soon set in motion a programme of promotions to allow exporters to capitalise on the opportunities coming from this announcement. Irish beef exports to China, including Hong Kong which operates under different market access rules, were worth 96 million euro in 2019. Prior to the suspension, overall Irish beef exports to China were on an upward trajectory and I am confident that we can quickly regain momentum and market share there. I want to recognise the role of Irelands Ambassador to China, Dr Ann Derwin, the current and previous agricultural attaches, and all the team at the Embassy of Ireland in Beijing for their efforts in presenting at every opportunity a reasoned case on the safety of Irish beef exports. I also want to acknowledge the work of Bord Bia Shanghai in communicating the quality and sustainability of Irish beef to key trade customers in China. NEW DELHI: Satya Nadella, chairman and chief executive of Microsoft, said it was inspiring to see the (Indian) governments deep focus on sustainable and inclusive economic growth," following his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nadella is in India on a four-day visit to meet government officials, clients and members of the technology industry. We are looking forward to helping India realise the Digital India vision and be a light for the world," the top executive said in a LinkedIn post. Nadella has highlighted Indias leadership in the present technology landscape, during his keynotes across the country. One of the things that is great to see is India leading in digital public goods. There is India, and then there is daylight, when it comes to the enlightened way in which India is building out digital infrastructure," he said during his keynote in Mumbai on Tuesday. The third chief executive in Microsofts 47-year history, Nadella, also highlighted Indias role in the global tech economy in the coming years. In an interview with Mint on 4 January, he said, One of the things that give me great optimism for India, quite frankly, is all the different ways in which technology is getting used India already has the second largest number of developers, and is No.1 on AI repositories, which means Indian developers are seeking out every open-source AI repository and becoming core committers. So, in the long run, there will be a lot more intense use of AI. One of the things that you should talk about, even in India, is the intense use of new technology." Nadella spoke about investments that Microsoft was making in cloud infrastructure, and the role that new generation artificial intelligence-based tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E can play in transforming the way technology is used. He also highlighted the growing importance of hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructures, as more and more businesses digitise their services. Canadas Alberta Investment Management Corp. (AIMCo), Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), Brookfield Asset Management Inc., and New York-based I Squared Capital are looking to invest in renewable energy firm Fourth Partner Energy Pvt. Ltd, two people aware of the development said. The deal involves buying private equity firm TPG Capitals 52% stake in Hyderabad-based Fourth Partner Energy at an expected enterprise value of around $700 million and a fresh equity investment of $500 million. The suitors have already submitted non-binding offers (NBO) for the transaction run by Bank of America and Investec, the people cited above said on the condition of anonymity. You might also like Revved-up services sector can drive inflation out of control Airlines have soared but yet to exit turbulence Senior citizens alert! Rates go up on small savings schemes Norways state-owned investment fund, Norfund, is also an investor in Fourth Partner. In an earlier interview, Fourth Partner Energys co-founder and executive director Vivek Subramanian had said the company plans to raise fresh capital in its next funding round. Mint also reported on 8 November about TPG looking to sell its stake in Fourth Partner. In response to a query, a Fourth Partner Energy spokesperson said in an emailed response, Fourth Partner Energy is in the midst of a fund-raising round, and we cannot comment on any specific development at the moment. We have significant expansion targets for India and South East Asia and are on track to achieving the same." Spokespeople for Bank of America, Brookfield Asset Management Inc., and OMERS declined to comment. Queries emailed to the spokespersons of AIMCo, I Squared Capital, and Investec early Wednesday morning remained unanswered till press time. Founded in 2010 as a solar component and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm, Fourth Partner caters to the commercial and industrial segment. Open access allows large electricity users to buy power from the open market instead of depending on a more expensive grid. These projects are generally insulated from risks such as power procurement curtailment and tariff shopping by discoms. Fourth Partner has 1 gigawatt (GW) installed green energy capacity, with operations in Vietnam, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and plans to reach an installed capacity of 4-5GW in the next five years. The global investors interest in Indias green energy space comes against the backdrop of the ambitious energy transition plans drawn up by the Centre. The government on Wednesday approved a 19,744 crore National Hydrogen Mission to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030. The marquee scheme is expected to attract 8 trillion in investments by 2030. There are several clean energy deals in play, as reported by Mint, including Ahmedabad-based Torrent Power Ltds discussions with ReNew Energy Global Plc to buy 1.1GW of its operational, clean energy capacity at an enterprise value of $1.2 billion. E-commerce giant Amazon is also creating a wind and solar merchant power portfolio to sell on the electricity exchanges. Some of the major Canadian investors in India are Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) and Brookfield Asset Management. OMERS has also bought around 19.36% stake in Azure Power Global Ltd, and others, such as Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (Ontario Teachers), have been scouting for opportunities. AIMCo has $168.3 billion of assets under management and has an infrastructure and global renewable portfolio of $11 billion. Canadian pension funds have been placing significant India bets and represent the so-called patient capital, which seeks modest yields over time. Canadian pension funds CDPQ Fixed Income XI Inc., Ivanhoe Logistics India Inc., CDPQ Infrastructures Asia III Inc., and OMERS Administration Corp. are among the overseas investors declared by Indias Income tax department as eligible for the tax exemption for infrastructure investments in India under a provision introduced in the Income Tax Act by way of Finance Act 2020. The relief given under section 10 of the Income Tax Act dealing with earnings not to be included in the taxable income is in effect from 1 April 2021. Some Australian and UK pension funds and several sovereign wealth funds have also been given the same benefit. Brookfield Asset Management Inc. was earlier also looking to buy a stake in Mahindra Susten Pvt. Ltd, which was finally bought by Ontario Teachers Pension Plan. New York-based I Squared Capital is no stranger to Indias green economy and invested $150 million in Amplus Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd in April 2015. Amplus was sold to Petronas for 2,700 crore and marked Malaysias state-run oil and gas companys global foray into the clean energy space. I Squared Capital is also looking to buy Continuum Green Energy (India) Pvt. Ltd in a deal having an enterprise value of around $1.5 billion. The others in the fray for the Continuum deal are Petronas, Singapores Sembcorp Industries Ltd, JSW Neo Energy, global oil major BP Plc, and Norways state-run electricity firm Statkraft. Elsewhere in Mint In Opinion, Jaspreet Bindra argues for tech to be rescued from the clutches of capitalism. Arjun Malhotra explains why government proposal for joint audits is a bad idea. Aresh Shirali writes on inequities in the age of ageism. Long Story delves into Xi Jinping's compulsions to end zero-covid policy. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Utpal Bhaskar "Utpal Bhaskar leads Mint's policy and economy coverage. He is part of Mints launch team, which he joined as a staff writer in 2006. Widely cited by authors and think-tanks, he has reported extensively on the intersection of Indias policy, polity and corporate space. Read more from this author Federal authorities are moving to seize hundreds of millions of dollars in assets in the U.S. tied to the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, a sign that the battle over control of the companys remaining funds is escalating. Former North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho was executed in a purge of senior diplomats last year, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun daily reported Wednesday. Along with Ri, four or five North Korean Foreign Ministry officials appear to have been executed, it added citing sources. They are believed to have been killed last summer or fall. The newspaper said their execution appears to be linked to their activities in the North Korean Embassy in the U.K., which became a global embarrassment for the regime when the deputy ambassador, Thae Yong-ho, defected to South Korea in 2016. Ri was foreign minister from 2016 to 2020 and is an expert on U.S. affairs. He played key roles in North Korea's high-level negotiations from Geneva in 1994 to the abortive Hanoi summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018. He was a well-connected establishment figure whose father, Ri Myong-je, was guardian of the North Korean leader's household. The Yomiuri speculated that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wanted to warn the country's diplomats of the consequences of defection by executing Ri. Thae, who is now a conservative lawmaker here, said, "We must first verify the rumors of Ri Yong-ho's execution. If Ri and his colleagues were executed, that means the pro-negotiation faction in the regime has weakened, and our North Korea policy has to be fine-tuned to reflect that change." The Unification Ministry here only said it has no confirmation of the report. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show cause notice to the Air India officials and crew members onboard the 26 November flight from New York to Paris in connection with the incident where a drunk man urinated on a septuagenarian. The DGCA has enquired in their notice that why action should not be taken against Air India officials and crew members for dereliction of duty, reported news agency PTI. The DGCA has further noted that the conduct of the Air India airline has seemed to be unprofessional and that this nature has led to systemic failure on the part of the airline. Air India had submitted the report to the DGCA pertaining to the urination incident of the inebriated male passenger. Earlier in the day, news agency NAI reported that Ministry of Civil Aviation took note of the Air India urination case. MoCA had asked Air India to provide all the details of the incident and hold an internal probe into the matter. A man had allegedly urinated on an elderly woman co-passenger during a New York-Delhi flight on 26 November last year. The incident occurred when the flight was on its way from John F Kennedy international airport in New York to Delhi. The inebriated male passenger urinated on an elderly woman and flashed his private parts. Meanwhile, Delhi Police has registered an FIR based on a complaint by Air India and has said that the man, who is a resident of Mumbai will be arrested soon. Air India on Wednesday imposed a 30-day flying ban on the passenger. The victim woman, on which a man allegedly urinated narrated the entire incident and said that the accused "unzipped his pants and peed on her" and kept standing. In her complaint letter to Tata Sons Chairperson N Chandrasekharan, the woman said, "I would like to submit a complaint about my appalling experience travelling with on Air India Business Class Flight AI102, Seat 9A, from JFK to New Delhi on 26 November 2022. During the course of the flight, shortly after lunch was served and the lights were switched off, a male business class passenger seated in 8A walked to my seat, completely inebriated. He unzipped his pants and urinated on me and kept standing there until the person sitting next to me tapped him and told him to go back to his seat, at which point he staggered back to his seat. I immediately got up to notify the stewardess of what had happened. My clothes, shoes and bag were soaked in urine." The woman has also claimed that the cabin crew was allegedly not entirely helpful in her situation. "The bag contained my passport, travel documents and currency. The flight staff refused to touch them, sprayed my bag and shoes with disinfectant, and took me to the bathroom and gave me a set of airline pyjamas and socks. I asked the staff for a change of seat but was told that no other seats were available. However, another business class passenger who had witnessed my plight and was advocating for me pointed out that there were seats available in first class. The flight crew told me that the pilot had vetoed giving me a seat in first class. After I had been standing for 20 minutes, one of the senior flight staff offered me the small crew seat used by the airline staff, where I sat for about 2 hours. I was then asked to return to the initial soiled seat. Although the staff had spreadsheets on the seat, the area was still damp and reeking of urine and I refused to sit there. I was then given the steward seat for the rest of the journey," she further said in her letter. Notably, another similar incident has also been reported in another Air India flight. This took place just ten days after the previous incident. In the second incident that took place on 6 December, 2022, on a Delhi bound flight from Paris, a drunk man had urinated on the blanket of a female co-passenger. A 20-year-old girl, Anjali, was killed when her scooty was allegedly hit by a car and dragged for kilometres in the national capital on Sunday. Her body was found in Delhi's Kanjhawala area. As per the latest updates, sources have told news agency PTI that at least 10 vehicles, including PCR vans and night patrolling units, were deployed to trace the offending vehicle which hit the 20-year-old woman. As per sources, among these 10 vehicles, three PCR vans from Kanjhawala, Hoshambi border and Aman Vihar area were trying to chase down the offending Baleno car. The sources added that they could not chase the Baleno car due to dense fog and the car had taken narrow lanes instead of the main road to dodge police. Here are top developments of Kanjhawala case: On the fateful night, multiple teams were deployed under four ACPs of Rohini district to trace the car, collect details from PCR callers and identify the victim as well as the accused involved in the case, sources said as quoted by PTI, further adding that teams from Aman Vihar, Prem Nagar, Begumpur and Prashant Vihar were deployed to crack the case. They further said, the first PCR caller informed the police at 2:30 am on January 1 that the Baleno car fled the spot after the incident. The second PCR call, which was received around 3:30 am, informed police that the woman's body was stuck under the vehicle, but he was unable to give them the registration number of the car due to dense fog and poor visibility. However, with the help of a camera with a automatic number plate reader installed in the Kanjhawala area, police could spot the Baleno car and identify the registration number of the vehicle, which ultimately led them to the owner of the offending vehicle. Meanwhile, another CCTV footage recovered by police showed that a PCR van had just crossed the same stretch between Sultanpuri and Kanjhawala approximately within five minutes of the incident. After attending the PCR call, when the police van was returning, it had spotted a scooty in an accidental condition and informed the SHO of the area. "Since no one was found near the site, it was assumed that the victim must have been taken to hospital by some passer-by. By the time police traced the ownership of the vehicle, it was established that it belonged to Anjali Singh who was killed in the accident," the officer said as reported by PTI, adding that the scooty was registered in the name of Singh's mother. Sources also said that police have recovered another CCTV footage in which the victim was seen drinking and engaging in a brawl. However, the post-mortem report is not conclusive and only through the viscera, it can be established if one was under the influence of alcohol, police said. All five accused in the case are currently in police custody. Anjali's friend Nidhi had said that the former was drunk at the time of the incident. Demanding a probe into claims of Anjali's friend, Delhi Commission for Woman chief Swati Maliwal said the victim died a painful death and her "character assassination" should not be done. "The claims of her friend need to be investigated. Anjali should not be blamed for what happened to her. The accused should be hanged," she said. On Wednesday, Anjali Singh's mother Rekha Devi told reporters her daughter has never drunk alcohol in her life. "I never seen or heard of Nidhi. She never visited our home. She is lying. My daughter never consumed alcohol. She never came home drunk. Nidhi is lying." The family also claimed that they had never seen or heard of the 'friend' who was with Anjali. The family doctor of the victim also rejected Nidhi's claims she was heavily drunk on the night of the incident, saying the autopsy report did not find any trace of alcohol in her stomach. Police, however, said Nihdi will be their prime witness as they recovered more CCTV footage to piece together the events of the night when Anjali met her brutal death. Nidhi had earlier said that the five men accused of dragging the woman under their car killed her "deliberately" as they kept on driving despite knowing that she was stuck under the vehicle. According to the footage recovered so far, it has been found that Anjali and Nidhi stepped out of the hotel at 1.16 am, then had a fight and subsequently left the hotel at 1.32 am. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia met Anjali's family and said the incident was an example of extreme brutality. He said efforts will be made to provide employment to one of Anjali's kin. "If a piece of polythene or even paper is stuck, it is easily sensed and the driver stops the vehicle to check it. The incident is an example of extreme cruelty that shook one from inside," Sisodia said. (With inputs from agencies) Do New Years Resolutions Actually Work? These Scientists Decided to Find Out. Rochelle Toplensky, The Wall Street Journal Business alliances are key to achieving climate goals, but companies must carefully navigate competition rules that arent clear on what is acceptable collaboration The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped organ in the throat that is very important to health and wellbeing. The thyroid is part of the endocrine system, which is essentially a collection of glands. These glands produce hormones that regulate mood and other various functions in the body and the thyroid gland is no different. "Thyroid hormones impact a host of vital body functions, including heart rate, skin maintenance, growth, temperature regulation, fertility and digestion, said the late Dr. Jerome M. Hershman, former emeritus professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. But how big is the thyroid gland? What is its exact function? And what thyroid conditions should you know about? Keep reading to discover everything there is to know about this organ. Thyroid gland: Size The thyroid gland is 2 inches (5 centimeters) wide and weighs between 20 and 60 grams (0.7 to 2.1 ounces), according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (opens in new tab). The gland stretches across the front of the neck, below the voice box. Like a butterfly, it has two wings called lobes that stretch around the windpipe. The wings are connected by a small piece called the isthmus. (Image credit: Getty Images) Thyroid gland: Function The thyroid gland controls just about every cell in the human body. It secretes hormones calcitonin, T4 (thyroxine or tetraiodothyronine) and T3 (triiodothyronine) into the bloodstream. The hormones control the rate at which cells and organs turn nutrients into energy and the amount of oxygen cells use. "In this way, the thyroid gland is the body's master metabolic control center," said Cindy Samet, a chemistry professor at Dickinson College (opens in new tab) in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. "Brain, heart and kidney function, as well as body temperature, growth and muscle strength and much more are at the mercy of thyroid function." Cindy Samet Social Links Navigation Professor of Chemistry Samet has taught at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania since 1988. She attended the college as an undergraduate, majoring in chemistry. Samet then went to graduate school and obtained her doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Virginia in 1988. Outside of the research laboratory, she studies the chemistry of certain illnesses, such as vitamin B12 deficiency, gluten-related problems and thyroid disease. The thyroid also regulates the brain and nerve function and development, plus the function of the skin, hair, eyes, heart and intestines. The thyroid works in conjunction with the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland regulates how many hormones the thyroid releases. The thyroid gland produces a large amount of T4, but that hormone is not very active. T4 is converted to T3 via an enzyme that removes one of its iodine atoms. "Although T3 is much more potent than T4, there is much evidence to support that people with hypothyroidism feel much better when they receive a combination treatment that includes a small amount of T3 with the commonly prescribed T4," Samet told Live Science. Thyroid gland: Diseases and conditions Thyroid conditions affect an estimated 20 million Americans and as many as 60% of people with a thyroid disease don't know they have a problem, according to the American Thyroid Association (opens in new tab). "Women are particularly at risk for a thyroid issue," Hershman said. "One in eight women will develop a thyroid disorder during the course of their lives that's five to eight times the rate in men." Graves' disease One of these conditions is called Graves disease (opens in new tab), which was discovered by the Irish doctor Robert James Graves in 1835. Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder. The immune system attacks the thyroid gland and makes it become overactive. An overactive thyroid is a condition called hyperthyroidism. A bulge on the neck, called a goiter, is a common symptom. The patient may also experience an increased heart rate, according to the National Library of Medicine (opens in new tab) (NLM). Hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism, also known as underactive thyroid, is the opposite of Graves' disease. It occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. This can cause body functions to slow down or stop completely. Thyroid cancer Cancer is another disease that can affect the thyroid. A 2017 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (opens in new tab) (JAMA) has found that between 1975 and 2013 the number of thyroid cancer cases diagnosed each year has more than tripled. Cases of advanced forms of the disease rose by about 3% each year while deaths rose by about 1% each year. A lump or swelling on your thyroid gland is called a nodule. Nodules can be harmless, but some can cause a production of too much hormone or be cancerous, according to the Endocrine Society (opens in new tab). "Up to 70 percent of middle-age females and 40 to 50 percent of middle-age males have thyroid nodules, said Dr. Melanie Goldfarb, an endocrine surgeon and director of the Endocrine Tumor Program at Providence Saint John's Health Center (opens in new tab) in Santa Monica, California, and an assistant professor of surgery at the John Wayne Cancer Institute (opens in new tab) in Santa Monica. "You can also be born with an extra piece anywhere as high up as the base of your tongue, Goldfarb adds. Dr. Melanie Goldfarb Social Links Navigation Endocrinologist After graduating from Brown University and the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Goldfarb completed her general surgery residency at Harvard Medical School and endocrine surgery fellowship at the University of Miami. Goldfarb has been exclusively practicing endocrine surgery in Los Angeles since 2011. Her expertise is minimally invasive surgery for thyroid cancer and disorders, hyperparathyroidism and adrenal tumors. In some medical cases, such as cancer, the thyroid is removed. Humans can live without their thyroid if a hormone pill is taken daily. Promoting good thyroid health Science (opens in new tab) tells us that for the thyroid to remain healthy, it needs iodine to produce hormones, but just a little. "It turns out that one teaspoonful of iodine is enough for a lifetime of thyroid hormone production. But the thyroid gland needs a constant supply of iodine, so we must intake iodine in some form on a daily basis and not all at once," Samet said. Too much iodine can actually make the thyroid produce less hormones. The best way to get iodine is through eating healthy foods, such as seafood and dairy products. You can also get it by seasoning your food with iodized salt. Additional resources If you do not have a current print subscription to the Lodi News-Sentinel, but want to view unlimited articles for the month, please choose this option. Longford's Siona Cahill was recently awarded the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII) Diploma Student of the Year for 2021-22. Siona, former President of the Union of Students in Ireland, is the Account Director at DHR Communications. The Colehill native is an experienced broadcast communicator, strategist and advocate in the charity and NGO sector in Ireland. The announcement was made during the PRII Diploma graduation on Tuesday, 13 December 2022. Siona was awarded the Gladys Mc Nevin Trophy by the Institute for achieving the highest overall mark in the Diploma. It is an award that honours Gladys Mc Nevin who, in the early days of the PRII, was one of its foremost members. She was particularly associated with establishing the PRIIs role in education. The PRII is the professional representative body for public relations and communication professionals in Ireland. Established in 1953, the Institute promotes the professional and ethical practice of public relations and communications, represents the sectors interests, and provides for the professional development needs of people working in the profession. Laurel Lodge Nursing Home in Longford is one of 94 nursing homes and day centres nationwide to receive a grant for promotion of physical activity amongst older people. The Age & Opportunity Active National Grant Scheme is a combined initiative with Sport Ireland and has distributed 66,010 to care settings across the country. The scheme was launched in September 2022 and is open to all nursing homes and day care settings who aim to increase levels and frequency of participation in physical activity, of those in care. The grant also supports the work of CarePALs. These are staff and volunteers from care settings who have undertaken the Age & Opportunity Active CarePALs course, which empowers them to lead suitable physical activity sessions with those who live or visit their setting. Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht Jack Chambers (pictured) said: The long-running Age & Opportunity Active National Grant Scheme has proven an excellent resource in enabling older people to become more physically active. The grants announced today recognise the importance of physical activity for those who live in and use nursing homes and day centres. Approximately 13,000 people will benefit from these grants. I want to thank Age & Opportunity for their ongoing work in providing opportunities for older people in nursing homes and care centres and I wish them continued success in their valuable work with communities across Ireland. Speaking about the grant, Dr Una May, Chief Executive of Sport Ireland, welcomed Age & Opportunity Active programmes focus this time on nursing homes and care centres. We are delighted to award funding to the Age & Opportunity Active National Grant Scheme. Given the circumstances that people who live in nursing homes have found themselves in these last couple of years due to COVID-19, keeping physically active or returning to activity is more important than ever. The grant acts as a valuable resource in getting more older people more active and we are delighted to share the good news of these grants today. Karen Horgan, CEO of Age & Opportunity, said the funding is helping create an Ireland where more older people can be more active. The allocation of these grants ensures that the benefits of physical activity in care settings is promoted and recognised, and allows us to support care settings in developing meaningful activities that will have a valuable impact on both the physical and mental health of the residents and clients. It is with enormous pride and honour that two Longford students, accompanied by their teacher, will be representing Team Ireland in the first ever Junk Kouture World Final. The huge event will be taking place on Wednesday, January 11 in the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, starting at 7pm local time and The World Junk Kouture Designer will be announced on the night. Solomon Eduard and Joshua Osabuehien from Cnoc Mhuire Granard, along with their teacher Charmaine Hetherton, will fly out to Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways on Sunday, January 8 to compete against sixty other finalists from Dublin, London, Paris, Milan, New York and Abu Dhabi. They are scheduled to return on Friday, January 13. Two former Cnoc Mhuire school secretaries Anne Kenny and Lorraine McCabe are also travelling over for the final as supporters. Junk Kouture is a competition for secondary school students requiring them to create weird and wonderful costumes entirely from waste materials. Solomon and Joshua's design is called Back to the Future and it is made from old shower mats, an old laundry basket, an aerial, car wipers and tubing from an old tractor tyre. Their design has an industrial look and it is highly creative. The message behind their costume is that we all need to make an effort to live more sustainably if our planet is to have any chance of survival. Ms Hetherton commented, This is truly a massive achievement for Solomon and Joshua and they would like to thank Junk Kouture for this amazing opportunity and experience to date. Cnoc Mhuire teacher Ryan Plunkett added, It's a huge opportunity for Solomon and Joshua, and they have already achieved so much by reaching a World Final. So well done to them and their teacher Charmaine Hetherton. Everyone at Cnoc Mhuire wishes the boys and Ms Hetherton the very best of luck. Mr Plunkett said one concern ahead of the Abu Dhabi final is the safe transport of the Back to the Future costume. He explained, Each person has 20kg to transport the costume so hopefully it won't be too difficult to pack. The aerial at the front of the costume might need to be separated into two pieces and reconstructed over there. The HSE chief has said the pressure on hospitals is expected to get worse over coming weeks, as he apologised to people enduring long waits in emergency departments across the country. Stephen Mulvany said the pressure facing hospitals is very much a patient safety concern, and asked people to bear with medics as they tackle high numbers of patients. The HSE said the average wait at emergency departments wait is 8.3 hours, and the average for people who are admitted to EDs is 13.8 hours. Despite the number of people waiting on trolleys falling from a record of 931 on Tuesday to 639 on Thursday, attendances at EDs remain at a high level. HSE interim chief executive Stephen Mulvany accepted its not good enough that patients are waiting for hours on trolleys or chairs, and he offered his apologies to patients. The key issue obviously is, it is the sickest patients first, so we are trying to get to the sickest patients, and other patients will wait longer, he said. Asked if the HSE was aware of any patients dying as a result of long waits, Mr Mulvany replied: Im not going to comment on individual cases. As adverse events are reported, theyre fully investigated and lessons have to be learned. But its fair to say that every health system in the world has avoidable, preventable deaths and Ireland is no different in that context. And we know that over-congestion increases the risk of harm to patients. Mr Mulvany said he was asking a range of staff, including hospital consultants, to work at weekends to help alleviate the pressures on hospitals. He said arrangements are in place to compensate workers if they cover weekends, including overtime payment or days in lieu. Its not a new thing, its a standard thing. If they want to replace that with toil (time off in lieu), thats an open discussion. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly called for such a change to encourage faster discharges from hospital, but the proposal has been opposed by consultants. Consultants are on call 24/7, often practising over and above recommended levels, but the reality is there simply arent enough of us to meet increased demand, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association said in a statement on Wednesday. We are still working with 40% less consultant staffing in Ireland, compared to the EU average. Mr Mulvany said on Thursday: This week, weve decided that we need to increase the level of weekend working, moving more towards what people may refer to as 7 over 7 care, so that we increase the amount of discharge from our hospitals at the weekend, including having additional on-site presence of senior clinical decision makers and other support staff to make that happen, again across the community and hospitals. So thats a short-term measure. Thats a measure for the next two to three weeks, particularly for the next two weekends, and well review it. Measures like that are not sustainable, they are clearly exceptional measures at times of extreme pressure, but that is whats necessary at this stage. Eileen Whelan, national lead of the HSEs Covid-19 Test, Trace & Vaccination Programme, said the rate of healthcare workers who are fully vaccinated against the virus is low. There is still more work to do and we continue to encourage and ensure healthcare workers across all services have every opportunity to get their vaccine appointments, she said. Dr John Cuddihy, interim director of public health at the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, said that there had been a very deep, rapid increase in the notification of flu cases over a short period of time, which has led to an increase in hospitalisations. This winter season, its particularly difficult to model the trajectory of influenza and Covid because this season is unlike any season that weve seen before. But looking at the trajectory of cases notified over the past number of weeks, not just looking at the recent weeks, and comparing that with the pattern in previous influenza seasons, I think its likely that we will see significant and sustained increase week-on-week in cases notified of influenza, and as a consequence in hospitalisations, over at least the next three to four weeks. Uptake of the flu vaccine is 74% among over-65s, 24% among 50 to 64-year-olds, 9.3% among 18 to 49-year-olds and 12.7% in young people aged two to 17. 10 New Restaurants on Long Island We're Excited to Try in 2023 Food, Wine, & Dining By Ls Cohen Published: January 05 2023 Were hungry for some great dining experiences. For our New Years resolution we resolved to try out some new restaurants that opened up last year. Prime Burger Bar - After opening locations in Commack and Babylon, the owners dropped in on Plainview. With a proprietary blend of prime chuck, short rib and ribeye steak in their burgers, they offer specialties and build your own. And the milkshakes! Location: 1048 Old Country Road, Plainview, (516) 780-0455. Guac Time - They came from New York City to Long Island to bring us their fresh menu that features create your own burritos, bowls, quesadillas, and tacos. They also have tacos boxes, three tacos with fish, chicken, avocado, and steak. Location: 412 South Broadway, Hicksville,(516) 465-2042. Fauna - Fauna opened up in Westhampton Beach last summer replacing the legendary eatery Starr Boggs. The new owner is the group behind Flora also in Westhampton Beach and Cowfish in Hampton Bays. Location: 6 Parlato Drive, Westhampton Beach. Watermark - Taking over the old Michael Anthonys spot in Wading River, Watermark opened last year with a stacked menu, specialty cocktails and daily brunch. Location: 2925 N Wading River Road, Wading River, (631) 886-2343. Vico - Named for a small Italian town on the Amalfi Coast, Vico, an Italian restaurant, opened in Farmingdale last summer. Owner Joe Fortuna already has 317 Main Street and The Nutty Irishman in Farmingdale. Vico features fresh pasta and pizza by the meter. Location: 313 Main Street, Farmingdale, (516) 875-8426. JoJu - Taking a successful New York City restaurant to Long Island isnt always easy. Its a trend that has been accelerating recently, with a number of city spots opening up in easterly locales. One of the latest is JoJu, a Vietnamese cuisine restaurant. Specializing in banh mi (pronounced bon-mee), these Vietnamese sandwiches, which according to their website is usually composed of a savory meat set against a refreshing slaw and rich condiments all served in a baguette. Location: 43B Main Street, Port Washington, (516) 682-2922. Nappis Nook - Getting high praise for its service and food, Nappis Nook is the newest spot for brunch in Nesconset. Location: 204 Smithtown Boulevard, Nesconset, (631) 406-7610. Toast - Not a new restaurant but a familiar favorite in a new spot. The location has changed hands many times over the years - it was previously Mr. Ps Southern Skillet, which closed in 2019. Before that it was known as LI Pour House. The new restaurant location allows Toast to serve more patrons and do catering. Location: 650 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station. Brass Swan - This fall, Brass Swan swooped into Roslyn with a fine dining experience featuring classic American fare. Location: 1363 Old Northern Blvd, Roslyn, (516) 801-4963. Mezza Luna - Mezza Luna opened in the space of the former Hauppauge favorite Mario Restaurant. Two former staff members of Mario's launched the new dinner experience. Fred Norden was maitre d at Marios for ten years as well as general manager at two other Long Island Restaurants, Drift 82 & Lombardis on the Bay. Peter A. Bua, Marios son, worked at his fathers business for over 25 years and is well-known by loyal customers who frequented the establishment. After an extensive renovation Mezza Luna finally reopened last fall. Location: 644 Motor Parkway, Hauppauge, (631) 273-9407. Suffolk Correction Officer Who Survived 6-Month Battle with COVID-19 to be Presented with Retirement Shield Local News By Chris Boyle Published: January 05 2023 Retiring while in the hospital with COVID-19, Officer Heaton to formally receive Retired Shield from Sheriff Toulon. Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon, Jr. and immediate family will be in attendance as Retired Correction Officer Timothy Heaton receives his Retired Shield on Thursday, January 5 at 11:00 AM at the Yaphank Correctional Facility's Alan Croce Lineup Room. Officer Heaton served the Suffolk County Sheriffs Office for 25 years until a nearly six-month battle with COVID-19 which he miraculously recovered from last Spring. Officer Heaton was hospitalized with severe COVID complications in September 2021 and spent over 160 days in the hospital, finally being released in March 2022. During his battle with COVID he passed many milestones including his retirement from the Suffolk Sheriffs Office and becoming a grandfather. Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the launch of the $30 million Pre-Seed and Seed Matching Fund Program, which will offer early-stage start-up companies $50,000 to $250,000 in growth assistance which they will match with funds from private sector co-investors. The program will support the development of businesses in high-growth industries and the creation of 21st century jobs. Funding for the program comes from the State Small Business Credit Initiative, part of the federal American Rescue Plan, to support small businesses, especially those owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and very small businesses which traditionally do not receive sufficient access to capital or support. "For early-stage startup companies, access to capital is critical to ensuring the vitality of those businesses and sustaining them in the long term," Governor Hochul said. "The Pre-Seed and Seed Matching Fund Program will help these businesses gain their footing and create the jobs of the future while expanding access to funding in traditionally underserved communities. I thank our federal partners for helping to secure this funding and extending a lifeline to New York's small business ecosystem." Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Even companies that are a household name now, started out as just an idea. Through the Pre-Seed and Seed Matching Fund Program, we will target promising startups and very small businesses and ensure that these good ideas become a reality in New York State, especially in traditionally underserved populations and markets." The Program is managed through Empire State Development's NY Ventures, the state's venture capital arm, and will be focused on technology markets including advanced manufacturing, agricultural tech, climate tech, consumer tech, data/SaaS/AI, fintech, healthcare, Life Sciences and BioTech, and medical devices. Pre-seed funds are typically the hardest venture capital funds to access for new high-growth businesses, which is why NY Ventures is offering them through this program. To qualify, applicants must have raised less than $2 million of dilutive funding to date. All applicants must be registered to do business in New York State and agree to create economic impact in New York by having headquarters and at least one C-suite employee in state. There will be a focus on expanding access to venture capital across New York State, particularly for historically marginalized individuals, including entrepreneurs of color, and underserved regions. There will be a focus on expanding access to venture capital across New York State, particularly for historically marginalized individuals, including entrepreneurs of color, and underserved regions. According to the VC Capital Survey which was conducted by NVCA, Venture Forward, and Deloitte, in 2020, only 3 percent of investment partners were Black or African American, only 4 percent were Hispanic or Latino, 15 percent were Asian or Pacific Islanders and only 16 percent of investment partners were female. Additionally, a study from RateMyInvestor and DiversityVC found that less than 10 percent of VC dollars go to women founders and less than 1 percent go to Black founders. For more information on the program and instructions on how to apply, visit, https://esd.ny.gov/pre- seed-and-seed-matching-fund- program. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, "This new program, which is part of a $500 million federal investment I secured for New York, is the shot in the arm the state's small businesses need to recover from the pandemic and rebuild our local economies. I am proud to deliver this boost to help support underserved businesses, invest in entrepreneurs and small businesses in key industries like manufacturing and technology, and create good-paying jobs in the communities that need them most. As majority leader, I fought to secure the State Small Business Credit Initiative federal investment as part of the American Rescue Plan to meet the unprecedented challenges faced by the nation's small businesses during the pandemic and I am proud to now deliver this federal funding for New York to build up the state's small businesses and manufacturing base to accelerate our recovery, and drive our economy into the future." Representative Gregory W. Meeks said, "I applaud Gov. Hochul's commitment to the entrepreneurs of our state through the Pre-Seed and Seed Matching Fund Program announced today, which marks a substantial investment opportunity for the entrepreneurs of our state. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan signed into law last Congress, the funding provided helped to create this public-private partnership that will empower start-ups to grow and scale, specifically those who have been historically passed over by traditional venture capital. The entrepreneurial spirit of New York and the people of my district is alive and well, and thanks to this new program, more young companies will be given an opportunity to succeed." New York State has been awarded more than $500 million in federal SSBCI funding, including a total of $219 in equity funding to be used for: an additional $35 million for NY Ventures' Innovation Venture Capital Fund, $30 million for a new Pre-seed and Seed Matching Fund Program, $102 million for a new Emerging and Regional Partner Program Fund for diverse and emerging fund managers, and $52 million for a new Community and Regional Partner Program Fund for accelerators, venture studios, and incubators. The remaining $282 million funds are supporting a variety of Capital Access programs. Funding will be distributed to ESD from the US Treasury in three tranches as funds are committed. Find out more about ESD's SSBCI programs at https://esd.ny.gov/ssbci. New York Ventures includes several programs that help support and address the funding needs of start-ups in high-growth innovation fields like clean energy, advanced manufacturing, health care, life sciences, and agricultural tech. This includes a direct fund that has supported more than 60 Seed to Series B start-ups across the state- 70 percent of which are minority- and/or woman-led -- and have received matching funds of more than $70 million. New York State also supported the development of 81 companies and the creation of 2,000 jobs through the Innovate New York Fund and launched a MWBE Investment Fund to provide seed equity capital to certified minority- and women-owned businesses. For more information on NY Ventures, visit https://esd.ny.gov/ venture-capital. WuXi Biologics Inc - China-based contract research, development & manufacturing organisation, offering end-to-end biologics solutions - Enters into a license deal with GSK PLC for one preclinical bi-specific T cell engaging antibody and the option of three additional bi- & multi-specific TCE antibodies developed using WuXi Biologics' proprietary technology platforms. Says WuXi Biologics will get an upfront payment of USD40 million and tiered royalties on net sales. WuXi Biologics Chief Executive Officer Chris Chen says: "We are looking forward to enabling GSK to bring these potentially life-saving therapeutics to more patients worldwide." WuXi Biologics current stock price: HKD67.50 12-month change: down 14% GSK current stock price: 1,427.60 pence, down 1.4% on Thursday morning in London 12-month change: down 12% By Xindi Wei, Alliance News reporter Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com Copyright 2023 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - The government is pressing ahead with plans to introduce new legislation for "minimum safety levels" during industrial action. The Business Department announced that a Bill will be introduced in parliament in the coming weeks to ensure that vital public services will have to maintain a "basic function" when workers go on strike. Minimum safety levels will be set for fire, ambulance and rail services and the government said it will consult on the "adequate level of coverage" for these sectors. The announcement was made amid a wave of strikes, including a walkout by train drivers on Thursday which crippled rail services. Unions reacted with fury to the move, saying it would do nothing to resolve the disputes breaking out across the country every week. Business Secretary Grant Shapps said: "We hugely value the work of our public services and we're reaching out to unions to have an honest conversation on pay, conditions and reform. "Industrial action is disruptive for everyone from people relying on essential services to get to work or care for their family to hard-working business owners whose sales suffer. It also costs those striking at a time when family budgets are tight. "As well as protecting the freedom to strike, the government must also protect life and livelihoods. While we hope that voluntary agreements can continue to be made in most cases, introducing minimum safety levels the minimum levels of service we expect to be provided will restore the balance between those seeking to strike and protecting the public from disproportionate disruption." The government said it will invite unions to meet for "honest, constructive conversations" about what is fair and affordable in public sector pay settlements for 2023/24, as part of a "reasonable approach" to avoiding prolonged industrial action. A statement said: "Ministers are reaching out to unions to invite them to sit down and discuss the evidence that the government will be submitting to the pay review bodies and hopes that unions will also share their evidence. "If the offer is accepted, discussions will take place between government departments and unions in the coming weeks on issues including pay evidence, workload and conditions in the public sector. "These discussions will help ensure the evidence submitted to the pay review bodies is as considered and informed as possible, including reflecting areas of common ground. "The government is clear that the well-established independent pay review process is the right way to set public sector pay it provides independent, expert advice and is a neutral process in which all parties play a role. "These new discussions would feed into this process and are offered as the government recognises the particular economic challenges the country faces this year." The government called on the unions to cancel upcoming strikes in a bid to resolve the disputes "constructively through dialogue". "However, the government also has a duty to the public to ensure their safety, protect their access to vital public services, and help them go about their daily lives," the statement said. "The government will always protect the ability to strike, but it must be balanced with the public's right to life and livelihoods. "That's why the government will introduce new laws to ensure a basic level of service in some of our most crucial sectors when industrial action takes place." Gary Smith, GMB general secretary, said: "A government that has presided over 13 years of failure in our public services is now seeking to scapegoat the NHS staff and ambulance workers who do so much to care for the people of our country. "The NHS can only function with the goodwill of its incredible staff and attacking their fundamental right to take action will alienate them even further and do nothing to help patients and the public. "We are always ready to discuss our members' pay but the government is refusing to talk about problems as they exist now, instead they want to kick the can down the road. "There are huge questions over the NHS Pay Review Body, as ministers' actions have consistently undermined its independence. The process needs real reform and our members need a much stronger commitment than we heard today." The announcement said unions would be bound to follow the legislation and would risk employers bringing an injunction to prevent strikes from taking place or seeking damages if they did not comply. RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: "Curtailing workers' freedom to participate in lawful industrial action is always undemocratic and we will look closely at what the government releases. "We will meet with ministers to see their evidence for the pay process. However, only negotiations on our dispute can avert the planned action this month and I urge the prime minister to show a renewed sense of urgency, grasp the nettle and negotiate with nurses without further delay. "As for minimum staffing, last month's action was safe for patients because of detailed discussions we chose to initiate with the NHS to protect emergency services and life-saving care. The public respected that and even ministers acknowledged our constructive approach. "Safe staffing levels that are set in law are what we want to see year-round not just in these extreme circumstances. "We've long campaigned for governments to be accountable for safe and effective staffing levels in NHS and social care to prevent one nurse being left with 15, 20 or even 25 sick patients. "The evidence is unequivocal safe staffing saves lives and having the right number of registered nurses on duty has a direct impact on the safety and quality of patient care. Today's highly unsafe situation is what is driving our members to say 'enough is enough'." Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect said: "This hollow invitation ignores the fact that a majority of public sector workers are not covered by a pay review body, including nearly all civil servants. We have been calling for years for this to be rectified, something which the government has consistently ignored. "These workers have been some of the most harshly treated over the past decade of real-terms pay cuts, and now the government is signalling its intent to leave them out once again. "Our members have already indicated their willingness to take industrial action and there is nothing in this announcement that will persuade us not to proceed to a formal ballot as planned." Unison's assistant general secretary Jon Richards said: "Ministers should focus their time and energy on rebuilding trust and relationships with workers, not silencing and suppressing them. "Minimum staffing levels in the NHS would be welcome by the public and health staff every single day of the week. That could avoid people being left lying in agony on A&E floors or dying in the backs of ambulances. "The NHS is on its knees because of record vacancies. The idea of limiting legal staffing levels to strike days and threatening to sack or fine health workers at such a time shows proper patient care isn't ministers' priority. "The government is picking ill-advised fights with NHS employees and unions to mask years of dismal failure to tackle pay and staffing." TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: "This is an attack on the right to strike. It's an attack on working people, and it's an attack on one of our longstanding British liberties. "It means that when workers democratically vote to strike, they can be forced to work and sacked if they don't. That's wrong, unworkable, and almost certainly illegal. "The announcement offers nothing more to help with this year's pay and the cost-of-living crisis. "The only offer of talks is for next year. But we need to resolve the current disputes and boost the pay of public sector workers now. "The prime minister said yesterday his door is always open if he's serious, he should prove it. He should take up my offer to get around the table to improve this year's pay and end the current disputes. "There is a world of difference between promises of jam tomorrow with technical discussions about pay review bodies, and proper negotiations on pay in the here and now. "Our public services are already deep in a staffing crisis. But this government has gone from clapping key workers to threating them with the sack if they take lawful action for a pay rise. It will only push more people away from essential jobs in public services, harming the whole nation." By Alan Jones, PA Industrial Correspondent source: PA Copyright 2023 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - Vesuvius PLC on Thursday appointed John Wood Group PLC's Mark Collis as its new chief financial officer. Vesuvius is a FTSE-250 London-based molten metal flow engineering firm. Its shares were down 4.4% at 403.80 pence each in London on Thursday afternoon. Collis will succeed Guy Young as CFO, who will step down from the board on February 17, 2023. Back in September, Vesuvius said that Young will leave the firm, after spending over seven years at the company. Collis is currently CFO of the Operations business of John Wood Group PLC. John Wood is an energy sector-focused engineering and consulting business based in Aberdeen, Scotland. Vesuvius said Collis will join no later than July 4. In the meantime, Richard Sykes will act as the company's interim CFO. Sykes is currently group vice president, business development, and has held a number of senior finance and business roles within Vesuvius since joining the company in May 1991. Chief Executive Patrick Andre said: "I very much look forward to welcoming Mark to Vesuvius. His international operational experience and leadership skills will fit very well into our strong performance oriented culture. I have no doubt that he will be a great leader for our finance and IT functions and a valued successor to Guy Young." By Sophie Rose; Alliance News reporter Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com Copyright 2023 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved. The main opposition party in the Balearics, the Partido Popular, as well as the mayors of Ses Salines and Santanyi, have criticised what they say is the neglect of the regional and Spanish governments in respect of managing migration from Algeria. Town hall representatives point out that dozens of boats have arrived in recent weeks, that they remain and are then "forgotten". Santanyi's mayor, Maria Pons, says that there are over forty boats "piled up" in the municipal warehouse. She adds that Santanyi doesn't have specific Guardia Civil presence; this is shared with Campos and Ses Salines. Juan Rodriguez, the mayor of Ses Salines and, like Pons, a member of the PP, highlights the problem of what to do with the boats, which "are themselves hazardous waste, in addition to the fuel cans and other kinds of waste that are left on the beaches and which town halls have to remove". On Wednesday, the leader of the PP in the Balearics, Marga Prohens, demanded more state security forces (Guardia Civil and National Police) to control the waves of boats that have been arriving. "The socialist governments of Pedro Sanchez and Francina Armengol must change their immigration policy in order to put an end to this human drama." Prohens was particularly critical of a breakdown in diplomatic relations with Algeria (over Spain's policy regarding Western Sahara), something which she believes has contributed to recent waves of migrants. Repatriation from Spain to Algeria has stopped because of this breakdown. Jeremy Renner was attempting to get his snow plowing machine unstuck, tragedy struck him when the actor exited the vehicle and successfully got it unstuck. In his attempt to get back into the uncontrolled moving machine, that's the moment he was run over by it and sustained numerous injuries that left him in critical state. The actor himself eventually sent out a tweet thanking all his fans for the support. Someone wrote it for him because he confirmed he was unable to write in his current state. Many of his fellow Marvel co-stars responded to his post with messages of encouragement, these reactions included Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt. Jeremy Renner is going to take a while to recover after sustaining blunt trauma on his chest and other undisclosed injuries. However, the image he posted showed he was pretty banged up after the freak accident. Renner truly put his life in danger while trying to save others from an even grester disaster. A real life hero who didn't hesitate to put his body on the line. Sheriff confirms Renner's accident Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam was the one who confirmed what happened and how everything progressed as Jeremy Renner suffered this accident. The Hawkeye actor was immediately air lifted to the hospital in order to get treated. This is what the sheriff reported on Wednesday: "In an effort to stop the rolling PistenBully, Mr. Renner attempt[ed] to get back into the driver's seat of the PistenBully. Based on our investigation, it's at this point that Mr. Renner [was] run over." There still hasn't been any thorough report on which exact injuries Jeremy Renner sustained. As soon as we get one, the readers will know more details about his recovery. In the mean time, all we can do is acknowledge how lucky the actor was because this machinery is extremely heavy and extremely dangerous. He is fortunate to come out of this one alive. Prince Harry's autobiography, "Spare," goes on sale Jan. 10, but has already caused controversy as expected. In it, according to some excerpts that have already been leaked, he reveals among other things that his brother, Prince William, physically assaulted him during an episode that occurred at a family reunion in London in 2019. Preview clip of Prince Harry interview with ABC's 'Good Morning America' According to Harry, William attacked him and their relationship broke up after he married American actress Meghan Markle, the still Duchess of Sussex. Harry defended his wife's honor In the book, Harry describes the confrontation happening at his London home in 2019, after William called Meghan "difficult," "rude" and "abrasive," and Harry told him she was "a parrot repeating the press narrative" about Meghan. From the screams to the physical, until William "grabbed me by the neck, tore my necklace and threw me to the ground," as described in a passage of the book. This, says the Duke of Sussex, left him with a visible injury to his back. And like these anecdotes, there are several more that are sure to cause more than one headache for the British royal family starting next week. The title of the book reflects what Harry feels he is The title of Prince Harry's book, 'Spare', is taken from an old saying in royal and aristocratic circles: that a first son is an heir to titles, power and fortune, and a second is therefore a spare, should something happen to the firstborn. Harry writes that William wanted to talk about "the whole rolling catastrophe" of their relationship and struggles with the press. But when William arrived at Nottingham Cottage, where Harry was living at the time, it was already "very hot". Harry says his brother wasn't being rational, which led to the confrontation. "It all happened so fast. He grabbed me by the neck, tore my necklace, and threw me to the ground. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cut me off. I stood there for a moment, stunned, then stood up and told him to come out." William left, Harry says, and then returned "looking regretful and apologized." When William left again, his brother writes, "he turned and said, 'You don't need to tell Meg about this.'" Just as it all went down the first time Ovidio Guzman was captured by the Mexican Government, el Chapo's son was arrested by the National Guard in the early hours of Thursday. There are videos of a Mexico helicopter shooting a 50 caliber machine gun at the Sinaloa cartel that went viral on Twitter. Guzman's henchmen also shot at the Mexican Airforce plane as it landed on Culiacan's Federal Airport. The entire city is in a state of emergency but the Government managed to capture the cartel boss. Multiple reports even confirm that Ovidio has already been taken to Mexico City. 'Chapo' Guzman's son, Ovidio captured by Mexico army: Sinaloa is a war zone Guzman's arrest comes right before President Joe Biden's visit As President Joe Biden is about to visit Mexico, this arrest happens just days before with no warning or no explanation to the people from the city of Culiacan. All commercial flights to the entire state of Sinaloa have been suspsnded and folks inside the city are uploading videos of the cartel's man-power in full force. They have been fighting against the National Guard for hours with civilians right in the middle of the conflict. There has been no confirmation to whether this was pressure frmo the United States Government but that's what all the online chatter is about. As the hours go by, a massive truck convoy filled with Sinaloa Cartel henchmen have flooded the city of Culiacan and no civilian is safe at the moment. In a matter of hours, this town has turned into the most dangerous city in the world right now. The raid took place when it was still dark in Cuiacan with security frmo the National Guard dramatically increasing as Thursday's hours go by. It is expected that the entire Sinaloa Cartel responds to this action frmo the Government with full force. The United States Government has been hell-bent on defeating the Mexican cartels with the direct help frmo the Mexican Government. Earlier in 2022, they managed to capture Rafael Caro Quintero for the murder of DEA agent, Enrique Camarena. They have been trying to capture el Chapo's sons for years as well, which is something they finally accomplished. But at what cost? Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The National High Electoral Commission of Libya, with the support of the UN experts, was on Wednesday briefed on the technical procedures on the use of information technologies to verify a voter's identity Research Associate or Senior Research Associate, (Burkina Faso; DRC & Nigeria) 1. ABOUT IHfRA The Innovative Hub for Research in Africa is an independent laboratory that conducts surveys, studies, research and training across the African continent. Our multidisciplinary team of seasoned African experts, with extensive country experience and top notch skills, is committed to producing quality data based on international standards for evidence-based policies and operational solutions. We provide insights on a myriad of sectors while taking into account cultural and geostrategic contexts as well as local markets maturity. IHfRAs goal is to become a privileged partner to stakeholders, namely development agencies, governments, NGOs and the private sector to design solutions to challenging development problems in Africa. For more information, please visit: https://www.hub4research.com/Home.php The Position The Research Associate /Senior Research Associate will gain first-hand experience in an organizationundertaking cutting-edge development research. The ideal candidate would be a self-starter whose responsibilities would include: managing critical high-level relationships with project stakeholders, designing survey questionnaires; running pilot exercises; refining study design and surveying instruments; hiring, training, and managing survey teams; checking and analyzing data. Apply by: January 15, 2023, at 1PM, Kinshasa time Start date: ASAP Duration: 1 year (renewable) Location: Abuja Nigeria; Ouagadougou Burkina-Faso; & Kinshasa, DRC (with a flexibility to travel to the following countries: Niger, Benin, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Togo, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Cote dIvoire, Mali, Niger and Uganda) Number of Position: A total of 4 candidates (2 in Nigeria; 1 Burkina Faso; 1 DRC) will be hired for this position. 2. RESPONSIBILITIES Collaborate with the Research Manager/direct supervisor or projects partners to refine study protocols Implement study protocols in the most rigorous and efficient manner Collaborate with the Research Manager/direct supervisor or projects partners on survey design Program and pilot existing and future surveys using Survey CTO (a platform built on Open Data Kit) and/or CS Pro Conduct data quality control checks, data cleaning and analysis Support the organization in business development activities and serve as technical writer in response to Request for Proposals or other types of solicitations Manage key team members (research staff, field staff) while providing leadership support and oversight to other staff as needed, and in the organization in general. Track expenditures and prepare financial reports Draft grant summaries and reports Hire, train and manage survey teams Manage critical high-level relationships with project stakeholders Assist writing proposals and expression of interest Participate in data analysis and writing reports. 3. QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in economics, social sciences, public policy, or a related field (required) Minimum of two years of experience in a similar position at a research center, a consulting firm or in academics Working knowledge of Stata (strongly preferred) or other data analysis software Working knowledge of survey programming on ODK, Survey CTO, CSPro, Sueveytogo, Survey Solution or a similar software (preferred) Familiarity with setting up of the World Bank Stata high frequency data checks Familiarity with impact evaluation including randomized controlled trials Experience in monitoring and evaluation Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently Excellent attention to detail Flexible, self-motivating, and able to solve unexpected problems Strong quantitative and data analysis skills Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both French and English Strong experience in writing proposals and expression of interests Experience living in a developing country and proficiency in a local African language 4. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Please submit fill up the google form at: https://ihfra.surveycto.com/collect/BASE_RA_BF_RDC_NG?caseid= At the end of the form, you will be requested to submit your CV/Resume and covering letter that tells us about your expertise and experience, and that explains your motivation by January 15, 2023. Applicants must be nationals, or have the right to reside, or must be currently residing in Burkina Faso, DRC, or in Nigeria. IHfRA will not sponsor work authorizations. Given the volume of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will, eventually, be contacted for a writing test and then for an interview. 5. IMPORTANT INFORMATION The selected candidate MUST have legal rights e.g., citizenship or resident permit to work in the desired country of choice in to perform the duties of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. 6. DISCLAIMER IHfRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate upon age, race, religion, national origin, gender, disability, or any other characteristic protected by the law. An Army general has taken the helm of the Defense Health Agency, continuing Army leadership of the nearly 10-year-old organization. Maj. Gen. Telita Crosland, previously the Army's deputy surgeon general, assumed the directorship of the Defense Health Agency in a ceremony Tuesday at the DHA headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia. Crosland succeeds Army Lt. Gen. Ronald Place, who retired last month after three decades of service. Crosland is the fourth director of the agency, established in 2013 to provide administrative and logistical support for the military health system, and is now responsible for operating all Defense Department medical centers, hospitals and clinics. Read Next: National Security, Veterans Hurt by Impasse over House Speaker, Lawmakers Warn Crosland will pin on a third star -- the rank reserved for the position -- on Jan. 20. She is a family physician by training, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. She has held a series of commands with expanding duties, including serving as head of the Army Medical Department at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. "General Crosland has shown exactly the kind of perseverance, dedication and excellence that will serve her, and us, so well in her new position," said Seileen Mullen, acting assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, during the ceremony. As director, Crosland will oversee a change in managed care contractors for the Defense Department's domestic health care program, Tricare, for active-duty personnel, retirees and their families. The DoD announced last month that Humana Military and TriWest Healthcare Alliance had been awarded contracts worth up to $136 billion over a nine-year period to oversee the Tricare East and Tricare West regions, respectively. She also will oversee the expected transition of all military health facilities to a new electronic health records system, MHS Genesis, now used at 92 military hospitals and clinics. In his stint as DHA director, Place oversaw the transition of all medical facilities run by the military services to the agency, the rollout of the MHS Genesis medical records system and the assumption of many logistics, administrative and educational functions of the military health system. He weathered an effort by the services to stop the transfer of all medical facilities to the Defense Health Agency -- a move they fought as the COVID-19 pandemic proved that the new arrangement was dysfunctional at the time. In early March 2020, Air Force and Army surgeons general called the reorganization an "extremely difficult" and "complicated merger" of cultures and said the DHA was not ready for the changes. Shortly thereafter, tensions arose over leadership and responsibilities of the service medical commands and DHA. At one point, commanders at Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, and DHA leadership argued over who was responsible for the COVID-19 screening tents in the parking lot. "There are definitely turf battles going on," a source, a DoD civilian employee, told Military.com at the time. "[The services] are making it very hard." Place led the agency at a time when more than 740,000 military personnel and beneficiaries contracted COVID-19 and nearly 9 million vaccines were administered. To date, the DoD has lost 609 people to the pandemic, including 96 service members, 417 civilian employees, 36 dependents and 141 contractors. For its work under Place's leadership, the DHA was awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award for Excellence for its response to the pandemic and lessening its spread. Also during Places tenure, Congress, the Defense Department and the individual medical commands grappled with the staffing of military medical units, given reforms that require the services to focus on operational support and training. At one point, roughly 18,000 medical billets were slated to be cut; that has winnowed down to below 13,000, with the services revisiting exactly how many people they need to meet requirements. Some of the positions have gone unfilled as people move to different duty stations or retire, attrition that has strained the military health system in some locations. "Our military health mission endures. But organizations, on the other hand, must evolve. High reliability is about adaptation; it's about improvement. And sometimes that means bringing in a completely new organization, in this case the Defense Health Agency," Place said at the ceremony marking the changeover. Crosland said her vision for the DHA is to "care for the joint force and those we are privileged to serve -- anytime, anywhere -- always." "I'm thankful for this opportunity and grateful to this team, and excited about partnering with our surgeons general, our industry partners, and our patients during a dynamic period in health care," Crosland said. "I love what we do in our military health system in service to our country and those we are privileged to serve." -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: Plans for Hospital Closures as Part of Military Health System Reform Forging Ahead After Pause If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here An American ex-contractor pleaded guilty to bribery and visa conspiracies while working on behalf of U.S. interests in Afghanistan during the war, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday. Orlando Clark, along with his co-conspirator, Todd Coleman, personally pocketed $400,000 in bribes from an Afghan company in exchange for funneling millions in roughly a dozen contracts to the unnamed organization between 2011 and 2013, according to the Justice Department. In a later plot, Clark allegedly also received bribes to sign at least 12 fallacious letters of recommendation for Afghans looking to support their special immigrant visa applications, according to prosecutors. Read Next: National Security, Veterans Hurt by Impasse over House Speaker, Lawmakers Warn Over a roughly two-year period, Clark and Coleman schemed to give the CEO of the Afghan company "confidential information" about the procurement process to maximize the funding that the organization would receive in U.S. government contracts, prosecutors said. To hide the scheme, the pair opened a series of phony companies in 2012 to feed the bribes into a bank account under the guise of a legitimate car-exporting business in the United Arab Emirates. For example, on Sept. 17, 2012, an Afghan bank in Kabul wired $90,000 to a bank in Atlanta, Georgia, as "payment for vehicles"; it was a bribe, according to court documents. Over the next year, Clark and the unnamed CEO of the Afghan company allegedly moved thousands of dollars in bribes to the account, which the two Americans used for personal expenses, including the purchase of two BMW automobiles by Clark. Prosecutors identified Clark as a construction manager for an unnamed U.S. company, though court records note that the contracts were awarded by the U.S. Army involving, among other projects, construction of an Afghan police station. Clark's guilty plea came swiftly, within two weeks of the charges being filed. His docket did not list any legal representation. Coleman's court records were unsealed the same day that the charges against Clark were filed. Court proceedings for Coleman's case began in July of last year, revealing that he is a "former U.S. service member." His branch does not appear to be listed in court documents, and Coleman is noted to have worked as an acquisition analyst for a separate, also unnamed, U.S. company. His position as an acquisition analyst gave him access to bid information, according to prosecutors; one of the bids was listed at over half a million dollars. Clark charged Afghans looking for a special immigrant visa, or SIV, $1,500 for recommendation letters, according to court documents. That separate alleged scheme began in 2015 and lasted four years, after the bid scheme was ostensibly over. Clark, who was residing in Georgia when the alleged plot began, received his first contact from an Afghan willing to pay a "gift" to the ex-contractor for a signed letter. It is unclear whether the Afghan visa applicants who allegedly contacted Clark actually worked for the U.S.; the prosecutors noted only that Clark falsely represented himself as their supervisor for a fee. Throughout the chaos of the war, many Afghans who actually did work on behalf of the U.S. may have had several supervisors with whom they lost contact as the 20-year war progressed and a visa program riddled with dysfunction unfolded. "Approximately one month later, the applicant sent an email to Defendant Clark indicating that the Department of State was asking for the applicant's supervisor (which Clark was not) to opine on whether the applicant posed a 'threat to the national security and safety' of the United States," court records said. Four years later, when the State Department emailed Clark to verify his allegedly fake letter, he replied: "Yes, I confirm." It was one of at least 12 letters, according to prosecutors. Clark is scheduled for sentencing in April and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison -- five for each charge. Coleman approved a plea agreement last July, according to court records and will be sentenced on Feb. 9, 2023. -- Drew F. Lawrence can be reached at drew.lawrence@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @df_lawrence. Related: These Were the First Women to Join Each US Military Service A prolonged standoff over choosing the next speaker of the House is harming national security and veterans, a group of Republican lawmakers with military experience who support Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., for the job is warning. Without a speaker, House members can't be sworn in. That means committees can't organize to conduct oversight of federal agencies such as the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs; members can't get intelligence briefings; and their ability to help constituents, such as veterans who need help accessing benefits, is constrained. "We cannot do our jobs to ensure veterans are getting the care and benefits that they are due," Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., the expected next chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said at a news conference Wednesday evening. Read Next: Milley Advised Against Court-Martialing Flynn and Retired Generals Critical of Trump, Jan. 6 Testimony Reveals "Without a speaker, our committee can't conduct vital important oversight of the implementation of the PACT Act," he added, referring to the massive expansion of benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances Congress approved last year. Since the opening of the 118th Congress on Tuesday, the House has taken six votes for speaker, the first time in a century that it has taken more than one ballot to elect a speaker, and more votes are possible Thursday. With Republicans now in the majority in the House, McCarthy, who had been the GOP leader when the party was in the minority, has been struggling to get the support of hard-liners in his party who have been demanding he agree to rule changes that dilute the power of the speaker. McCarthy reportedly gave into many of their demands on Wednesday night, but it's unclear whether that will sway enough members for him to win, with at least five lawmakers labeling themselves "never McCarthy." If all 434 members vote, McCarthy can lose no more than four GOP votes to win. As the impasse drags on, concerns about the national security implications are growing. At Wednesday's news conference, attended by more than a dozen lawmakers with military experience who support McCarthy, Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., said he was forced to cancel a briefing on the Indo-Pacific region with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley because the House is in limbo. "We've seen what happens over the last two years when deterrence fails, when weakness invites aggression," said Gallagher, whom McCarthy tapped to lead a new committee on China. "It's up to this Congress to restore deterrence, to restore peace through strength. But we aren't able to do that vital work until we actually get past the speaker vote, populate our committees and start getting to work." Planned GOP probes into the Biden administration, including an investigation into the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, have also been stalled by the delay in selecting a speaker. GOP Reps. Mike McCaul of Texas, Mike Rogers of Alabama and Mike Turner of Ohio, the expected next chairmen of the House Foreign Affairs, Armed Services and Intelligence committees, respectively, separately released a statement Thursday warning about the national security effects of the speakership fight. McCaul has been expected to lead the Afghanistan investigation as Foreign Affairs chairman. "The Biden administration is going unchecked and there is no oversight of the White House, State Department, Department of Defense or the intelligence community," McCaul, Rogers and Turner said. "We cannot let personal politics place the safety and security of the United States at risk." Democrats, who have appeared to revel in the GOP disarray with digs on social media and speeches on the floor about their party's unity, have also started to sound the alarm about national security being harmed by the prolonged speakership battle. "We have to look at this for the outrage and the danger that it is," House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said at a news conference Thursday. "This is more than some internal squabbling over who in the GOP conference likes or doesn't like Kevin McCarthy. This is about your responsibility to organize government. It is fundamental to who we are as members of Congress. And not only at these high levels of national security." Day-to-day tasks like constituent services, which often includes helping veterans navigate the VA, are also limited because lawmakers haven't been sworn in. Lawmakers have offered no specific examples of constituents struggling to get help amid the impasse, but have raised concern about the possibility. "There could be a point at which it does mean something to the constituents that we serve, whether we can engage in casework on their behalf and help individuals navigate the federal bureaucracy back at home," House Democratic Caucus Chair Peter Aguilar, D-Calif., said at a news conference Wednesday. -- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel. Related: A Look at the New Veterans Headed to Congress in January Congress is increasing pressure on the U.S. Navy to make changes to the environment sailors face when the ship they are assigned to is undergoing long periods of shipyard work. Responding to the details revealed in the recently released investigation into three suicides aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, both D-Conn., announced Thursday that they have written to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro to demand change. "The senators are calling on the Navy to go further than the recommendations made in the investigation report released last month and to reform requirements governing the shipyard lives of sailors," a staffer for Murphy's office said in an email to Military.com. Read Next: Army Warns of Scam Targeting New Soldiers In their letter, the senators noted that "Master of Arms Seaman Recruit Xavier Mitchell-Sandor's decision to take his own life was not the result of a single failure, but a cascading series of events that forced a young man to believe he had no way out." The young sailor was from Connecticut and would frequently drive there from Virginia to escape his life on the ship. "His death is a tragedy, but there were multiple mistakes made by the USS George Washington's leadership and warnings that could and should have prevented it," the senators went on. The letter highlights both the hazardous and noisy living conditions on the ship, as well as a struggle to access mental health care and help -- something the Navy's investigation detailed. Since first revealing a string of suicides aboard the aircraft carrier last April, Military.com has confirmed at least six suicides by sailors assigned to the ship in under a year, and nine in total since November 2019. The Navy has disputed the cause of death for one of those sailors. "It is completely intolerable for the Navy to place sailors onboard a ship with these conditions and tremendous barriers to accessing care and support," the letter said. "The Navy must immediately reform regulations to establish unwaivable requirements for manning, screening, and access to mental health care during long periods of shipyard maintenance." The pressure from Congress following the suicides aboard the George Washington over living conditions for sailors in shipyards is not new. Shortly after the news of the deaths broke, then-Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., toured the ship and spoke with the crew. In speaking to the press in May, Luria said that the admiral who oversees ships in the Atlantic told her that while Navy leaders are "very good once there is a problem identified finding solutions and corrective actions ... they are not always as proactive in certain circumstances in identifying problems before an incident of some type happens." She likened that response to other catastrophes like the collisions sustained by the USS McCain and Fitzgerald. In early December, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., met with the Navy's top officer, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday, to discuss, among other things, "the need for more mental health professionals and resources focused on prevention and resiliency," a staffer said in an email to Military.com at the time. That meeting came after another cluster of suicides -- four at a regional maintenance center in Norfolk, Virginia -- came to light. "It's clear we must do more to support our service members and improve their access to mental health treatment," Kaine said in a statement in December. The recently passed National Defense Authorization Act -- the annual policy bill for the military -- included a requirement for an inspector general investigation into suicides in the Navy, travel and transportation allowances for sailors assigned to a ship undergoing nuclear refueling, and a requirement for the Navy to brief congressional committees on the possibility of creating a special stipend for sailors on a ship undergoing a complex overhaul. So far, the service has largely stood by its efforts to provide reasonable living conditions for sailors. The Navy's internal investigation that looked into the three most recent suicides aboard the George Washington found that they had no clear connection to living conditions on the massive docked ship. Another, broader investigation is still ongoing. In the days after the news of the suicides and living conditions aboard the ship broke, Navy leaders told the crew there was little to be done. Then-Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russell Smith told sailors the Navy "probably could have done better to manage your expectations coming in here" but that "legally and from a safety perspective" the Navy had to move some of the crew onboard the still-gutted ship. Three days later, the crew began to be moved off. Smith's replacement as the Navy's top enlisted sailor -- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James Honea -- pledged to focus on sailors' needs and their families when he took the job in September 2022. Honea has yet to speak to the press about any details relating to those promises. Meanwhile, Rear Adm. John Meier, the commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic and the man who oversees the George Washington, admitted that some of the conditions reported by sailors ran deeper than just the one carrier or these suicides. "It is safe to say that generations of Navy leaders had become accustomed to the reduced quality of life in the shipyard, and accepted the status quo as par for the course for shipyard life," Meier wrote in a statement that accompanied the investigation. "As officers with no enlisted experience, it is easy to lose sight of how powerless one might feel as the most junior member of a crew. ... It appears [Mitchell-Sandor] felt truly alone, and at least onboard the ship, was living all alone," Meier wrote. -- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin. Related: What the Deaths of Sailors Who Took Their Own Lives Aboard the George Washington Reveal About the Navy PARIS The French Defense Ministry said Thursday it will soon hold talks with its Ukrainian counterpart to arrange for the delivery of armored combat vehicles in what France's presidency says will be the first time this type of Western-made wheeled tank destroyer will be given to the Ukrainian military. Discussions will include the delivery timetable and the training of Ukrainian soldiers on the equipment, the ministry said. Designated as light tanks in French, the AMX-10 RC carries a 105-milimeter cannon and two machine guns. It's primarily designed for reconnaissance missions and has enough armor to protect against light infantry weapons, according to the French defense ministry. They have wheels rather than tracks, allowing it to be more mobile than heavy tanks. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to Twitter to thank France the weapons and for "intensifying work with partners in the same direction. Ukraine has for months sought to be supplied with heavier tanks, including the U.S. Abrams and the German Leopard 2 tanks. The Czech Republic and Poland have provided Soviet-era T-72 tanks to Ukrainian forces. France's decision was announced after an hour-long call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Zelenskyy Wednesday afternoon. The Elysee declined to provide details about the agreement. The AMX-10 RC has been in service with the French military since 1981 and has undergone recent upgrades. France's defense ministry said the combat vehicle is now being gradually replaced by the new equivalent named Jaguar. The decision is another in France's military support to Ukraine, following the French defense minister's visit to Kyiv last week. Paris has supplied Ukraine with a substantial chunk of its arsenal of Caesar cannons, as well as anti-tank missiles, Crotale air defense missile batteries and rocket launchers. It is also training some 2,000 Ukrainian troops on French soil. U.S. President Joe Biden said his administration is considering sending to Ukraine Bradley Fighting Vehicles, a medium armored combat vehicle that can serve as a troop carrier. Biden was asked during an exchange with reporters while traveling in Kentucky whether providing the tracked armored fighting vehicle to Ukraine was on the table. He responded yes, without offering further comment. The German government has for months faced calls from Kyiv and some lawmakers at home to deliver Leopard 2 heavy tanks to Ukraine, but has said that it wouldnt go alone with such a move and that no other country has supplied similar Western equipment. The co-leader of Chancellor Olaf Scholzs party, Saskia Esken, told n-tv television Thursday that Scholz and the government are in regular and close contact with our partners, with our friends, of course particularly with the Americans on weapons deliveries. Britain says it has given Ukraine more than 200 armored vehicles for troop transport, but no tanks as of yet. ____ AP Writers Geir Moulson in Berlin, Jill Lawless in London, Monika Scislowska in Warsaw and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to the story. Believe it or not, General Tso's chicken, found on probably every Chinese food restaurant menu in America, isn't really a Chinese dish -- a more accurate description would be "Chinese inspired." It was also not created by a Chinese general, but rather named for the general by the chef who created it. None of this should take away from the enjoyment of ordering and eating General Tso's chicken. There's a reason this Chinese chicken meal has conquered more hearts and minds than the general it was named for. General Tso's chicken was created by Chef Peng Chang-kuei, who was born in China's Hunan Province when it was still controlled by the Nationalist government. After World War II, fighting between China's communists and Nationalists resumed. In 1949, the Nationalists were forced to flee the mainland, and found themselves on the island of Formosa, today known as Taiwan. Peng fled along with them. At first, the United States didn't recognize the need to intervene in Chinese affairs, but communist aggression in the Korean War changed all that. President Harry Truman put Taiwan under American protection in 1950. The People's Republic of China, steamed that the Nationalist government could continue existing so close to the mainland, began shelling and invading offshore islands in 1954. Now called the First Taiwan Strait Crisis, the two sides nearly went to war over the protection of the Republic of China, Taiwan's official name. Between September 1954 and May 1955, the crisis nearly boiled over into nuclear war. In 1955, Adm. Arthur W. Radford, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Taiwan. Peng was then an official chef for the island nation's government and created the recipe for the admiral's state banquet. Peng named the chicken after the Hunanese Qing Dynasty General Tso Tsung-t'ang (now transliterated as Zuo Zongtang). The future general began his military career fighting for the Qing in the Taiping Rebellion, a 14-year civil war waged by the Han Chinese against the Qing emperor. It remains the bloodiest civil war in history, with 20 million dead. For his service, he was awarded titles of nobility and the governorship of Min-Zhe, an area of China that included the island of Taiwan. He ended another rebellion in Northern China during the Taiping Rebellion, and in his later career, he crushed a series of Muslim rebellions led by the Dungans. By the time of his death in 1885, he was named commander in chief of the military and imperial commissioner, a taste of power just one step below the emperor himself. I bet this guy who crushed three rebellions and was as powerful as the Emperor of China never thought his legacy would be spicy chicken. Not bad for a self-proclaimed "peasant from Xiang." Although Tso was admired by Republican Chinese generals during their war against the communists, the Republican generals were unable to emulate his success on the battlefield. Tso's only connection to his eponymous chicken dish is that he hailed from Hunan Province. Chef Peng used the traditional flavors of Hunan to create the now-famous meal. The General Tso's chicken that you can now pick up anywhere in America is not like the chicken made for Adm. Radford in 1955. In the early 1970s, Chinese chefs opened Uncle Tai's Hunan Yuan and Hunam, the first Hunanese restaurant in New York City. After visiting Chef Peng's restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan, they took the dish home but adapted it for the American palate. Traditional Hunan flavors are heavy, sour, hot and salty, Peng told author Fuchsia Dunlop for her 2007 publication, "Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook." The chicken itself was cut differently, the dish used different Chinese vegetables, and the sauce became sweeter. They tried to change the name to General Ching's Chicken, but General Tso won that battle, too. When Chef Peng came to the United States himself and opened his own restaurant, he served the general's original recipe and was accused of being the imitator, not the creator. Although that first restaurant failed, he opened others that were successful. The original recipe was even featured on ABC News. As time went on, the chicken's popularity only grew, and the history of the recipe and the general that lent only his name to the dish became intertwined. Although some writers, chefs and even historians claim General Tso's chicken was a favorite of Zuo Zongtang or was created by him, it has nothing to do with Zuo, mainland China or (if you're ordering from your neighborhood Chinese restaurant) Hunan cooking. -- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook. Want to Learn More About Military Life? Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox. In 1967, as the Vietnam War neared its height, child actor Jerry Mathers stood on stage at the Emmys in full military uniform, shortly after he graduated from boot camp. "I was very proud to be in [the military], and it's something I thought I should do," said Mathers, star of "Leave it to Beaver." "At that time ... a lot of people were not very happy with people in the military. I was very proud to be in the military. My dad was in the military. So I was very proud to do it." Anti-war protests grew out of movements on college campuses in late 1965, spawning the burning of draft cards, and in October 1967, roughly 100,000 protesters converged on the Lincoln Memorial. Still, Mathers said most people thanked him for his service -- for which he volunteered -- in the California Air National Guard. He was in from 1966-69, assigned to the 146th Airlift Wing headquarters as an aide to a colonel. The 146th's history dates to the 1940s, and the unit was involved in campaigns in Vietnam, Korea and Panama, according to a 1990 report from the Los Angeles Times. "When I was in high school, I took a class in typing and learned to type, and that's what they were looking for," Mathers said. "Suddenly I was typing all sorts of things they needed typed." Mathers said his time in the Guard was a good experience that allowed him to meet new people. "We all had one goal and that was to make ours the best unit in the Air National Guard," Mathers said. "Working at headquarters, I was working for a general, but working for a colonel that was the general's aide. So I knew everything that was going on." But his notoriety as an actor didn't really affect his time in the service. "No one messed with me, to be honest with you," he said, noting his position at headquarters. "[I was] someone that could walk into a place, say he [the colonel] wants this, he wants that, and it happened." What he treasures most from that time, he said, is the people he met. "I had a lot of new friends and went in there; [we were] all working in headquarters and everybody wanted to know what we were doing, what was going on," Mathers said. "I always had all the information. It was a really easy way for me to go through it." And even though he never served overseas, rumors surfaced that Mathers had been killed in action in Vietnam. "I don't remember exactly when it was; I know it did happen," Mathers said. "We think ... a person with a similar name of Mathers or whatever and that poor person, I imagine passed away. I only found it out because I read it in a newspaper -- 'Actor killed in Vietnam.'" Fellow "Leave it to Beaver" actor Stephen Talbot heard the rumor by word of mouth, according to a 2017 article on the northern California public broadcast network KQED. The news, he wrote, stopped him "cold." "Surely I would have heard if my TV buddy had died," Talbot wrote. "Then again, there had been so many deaths, assassinations and shocking events in the 1960s that maybe this was just one more surreal, tragic loss." Though debunked, Talbot wrote that the "violent death in a controversial war of a cherished TV star was a difficult rumor to put to rest." "But that's all it was, just a nightmare rumor," he wrote. "Unfortunately, the Vietnam War itself was all too real. Somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 million Vietnamese soldiers and civilians perished in that conflict, as well as some 58,000 Americans. My friend Jerry was fortunately not one of those casualties." Currently, Mathers advocates for diabetes education and awareness and participates in fan conventions and autograph shows. "'Leave it to Beaver' has been on now 65 years," Mathers said. "Not only in this country but all over the world. Just fun to be able to have people come up, really enjoy it, it's basically three generations of folks that we've gone through and it's still on." For more information on Mathers, or to find out where he'll be next for autograph signings, visit his website. Read the original article on MilitaryFamilies.com. Keep Up With the Best in Military Entertainment Whether you're looking for news and entertainment, thinking of joining the military or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to the Military.com newsletter to have military news, updates and resources delivered straight to your inbox. The Blue Jays have signed right-hander Casey Lawrence to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He will presumably receive an invitation to major league Spring Training. Lawrence, 35, was also signed to a minor league deal by the Jays for some pitching depth in 2022. He eventually had his contract selected and threw 18 innings over six appearances but posted a 7.50 ERA in that time. He spent most of the year in Triple-A, where things went much better. Over 23 starts and 126 innings for the Bisons, he had a 2.79 ERA with a 21.9% strikeout rate, 3.5% walk rate and 43.5% ground ball rate. He was outrighted off the roster in November but is now back in the organization without taking up a roster spot. For the Jays, their rotation currently projects to feature Kevin Gausman, Alek Manoah, Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios in the first four spots, with Yusei Kikuchi and Mitch White candidates for the fifth. By adding Lawrence on a minor league pact, theyve added another depth option to join Nate Pearson, Thomas Hatch, Yosver Zulueta and Bowden Francis. Lawrence is now out of options and can no longer be easily shuffled between the majors and minors if he makes his way back onto the 40-man. He has just over one year of service time, meaning that he could be retained cheaply for the foreseeable future if earns and continues to hang onto a roster spot. Brian Anderson had a really solid run for the Marlins from 2018 through 2020. In that three-year period, he hit 42 home runs while walking in nine percent of his trips to the plate and striking out in 21.8 percent of them. His batting line in that stretch was .266/.350/.436, good enough for a wRC+ of 115, indicating that he was 15 percent better than the league average hitter. Defensively, Anderson had very brief appearances at first and second base but split most of his time between third base and right field. His work at the hot corner was graded well by advanced defensive metrics, as he posted five Outs Above Average and Defensive Runs Saved in that time, along with a 2.8 mark from Ultimate Zone Rating. In right field, OAA gave him a -4 mark, but he posted 6 DRS and a 7.2 UZR. When his above-average offense was paired with that quality defense, he was worth 7.2 wins above replacement, according to the calculations of FanGraphs. That mark was in the top 60 among position players. For the Marlins, who were trading away their star players at this time, Andersons 7.2 fWAR from 2018-20 was easily the best on the squad. In a distant second was J.T. Realmuto, who posted 4.8 fWAR in 2018 alone before getting traded to the Phillies prior to the 2019 campaign. The last couple of years, however, have been a struggle for Anderson. Health has played a significant factor, as hes made multiple trips to the injured list in each of the two most recent seasons. In 2021, he only played 67 games while heading to the IL due to a left oblique strain and twice due to a left shoulder subluxation. His batting line slipped to .249/.337/.378 and a wRC+ of 98. Last year, he played 98 games, missing time due to a stint on the COVID-IL as well as going to the traditional IL for lower back spasms and a left shoulder sprain. His offense dipped even further, finishing the year at .222/.311/.346 (90 wRC+). The Marlins could have retained Anderson for one more season via arbitration, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting a salary of $5.2MM. But based on Andersons diminished performance in the past couple of years, they non-tendered him instead. Presumably, the Marlins contacted the other 29 clubs before this move to see if anyone else was interested in acquiring Anderson at that price point. The fact that a deal didnt come together suggests that no club was willing to both pay Anderson a salary in that range and also give Miami something of value on top of that. Even though hes been injured the past couple of seasons, there are still some good signs under the hood. Andersons maximum exit velocity was 112 mph in 2022. Thats a couple of ticks below 2018-19, when he was able to get into the 113-115 range, but it was still enough to get him into the 81st percentile among qualified hitters last year. He was also in the 65th percentile in terms of barrel rate and 61st in terms of hard-hit rate. His strikeout rate has been on the high side over the past few years but his walk rate has stayed fairly steady. He has a 9.3% walk rate for his career and has been at 9.7% over the past couple of seasons even while struggling in other areas. While not a huge stolen base threat, his sprint speed was in the 53rd percentile in 2022, so hes at least an average runner. On Statcasts new arm strength leaderboard, Anderson is in the 99th percentile, with only five qualified players ahead of him. Even while banged up this year, he still demonstrated that there are some tools in his skill set. That makes Anderson an interesting buy-low candidate at this late point of the offseason, with many of the top free agents having already signed. Yesterday, the Nats agreed to a deal with Dominic Smith, who was projected for a $4MM salary before being non-tendered by the Mets. Instead, hell get $2MM from Washington with a further $2MM available in incentives. Like Anderson, Smith struggled over the past two years but showed plenty of potential in the prior seasons. Perhaps Anderson could find himself a similar type of deal in the coming weeks. The Tigers stand out as a particularly strong fit, since they non-tendered Jeimer Candelario and havent done anything to replace him at the hot corner thus far. They have some young players who could potentially take that spot, such as Ryan Kreidler, Kody Clemens or Zack Short. However, none of those players have really cemented themselves as surefire big leaguers yet, and Anderson could move to the outfield if they took a step forward this year. With Akil Baddoo and Austin Meadows looking to bounce back from frustrating seasons, Anderson could give them some cover in case either of those in-house options continue to struggle. The Reds probably want to give Spencer Steer a chance to take over their third base job, but he has only 28 MLB games under his belt at this point. Anderson could provide a veteran alternative and also factor into their outfield mix if Steer takes off. Its a similar situation in Texas, where the Rangers have Josh Jung penciled in at the hot corner despite the fact hes played just 26 major league games. They also need help in left field and are about $12MM away from the lowest luxury tax threshold, making a low-cost addition like Anderson an intriguing solution. The Phillies have Alec Bohm at third, but hes generally considered a poor defender. With Bryce Harper recovering from Tommy John surgery and no longer taking up the designated hitter slot, perhaps Bohm could move to first and bump Rhys Hoskins into the DH role. Anderson could also fit on most teams in a part-time role off the bench, though platooning might not be a perfect plan. Anderson hits from the right side and was better against lefties in 2022, posting a 111 wRC+ against them compared to an 85 versus righties. However, he has reverse splits for his career, with a 93 wRC+ against southpaws and a 112 otherwise. Health will likely be a big factor in Andersons market, since that has seemingly been hampering him over the past couple of years. But if hes able to overcome his ailments and get back to the kind of player he was in 2018-20, there could be great value for a team paying him $5MM or less. Anderson was essentially on a three-WAR annual pace in that period, since he accrued 7.2 fWAR over two full seasons and the shortened 2020 campaign. Image courtesy of USA Today Sports. Joey Votto had a frustrating 2022 season ended prematurely by a rotator cuff tear in his left shoulder that required surgery in August. The Reds expressed optimism at the time of the procedure their longtime first baseman would be ready to go by Spring Training, though Vottos still amidst his rehab. Its going to take time, Im realizing now, Votto told 700 WLW in Cincinnati this afternoon (Twitter link). Im hitting off an arm and I just started hitting off a machine a little bit, but its not quite there. Ive been told by people that Im doing very well in my rehab, but there is a difference between doing well and being ready for a Major League game if that makes sense. Asked whether he felt hed be ready by the start of Spring Training, the former MVP demurred. Id say Im not willing to make that prediction just because I dont know. Ive never experienced anything like this. I try to manage my expectations, of course. I dont know. Im hopeful; Im always hopeful. Votto expressed confidence hed eventually get back to 100%, but hes clearly not yet at that level. Thats not really a worrisome development at this stage. Cincinnatis initial prognosis came with a roughly six-month recovery timetable, and Vottos only within his fifth month. It still seems possible hell be ready at or near the open of exhibition play. Even if he does wind up heading into Spring Training a week or two behind schedule, getting into game shape by Opening Day should be attainable. Needless to say, getting back to full strength will be a key starting point in what the six-time All-Star hopes is a bounceback campaign. Votto hit just .205/.319/.370 through 376 plate appearances last year. That production was eight percentage points below league average, by measure of wRC+. Thats the lowest mark of his career and only the second below-average offensive showing hed ever had. Votto candidly admitted to 700 WLW he didnt play well enough to even justify a starting job, though theres little question the Reds will give him another shot to get back on track. Itll be the 17th season in Cincinnati for the career-long Red. Its certainly possible the 2023 campaign will be his final one with the club, as hes headed into the last guaranteed season of the $225MM extension he inked back in 2012. Votto will make $25MM next season and is due at least a $7MM buyout on a 2024 club option valued at $20MM. Its difficult to envision Cincinnati triggering that option unless Votto turns in an excellent season, so he seems headed towards free agency a winter from now. Nineteen people have been killed in twin car bombings in central Somalia claimed by Al-Shabaab, a local militia commander in the Hiran region said. Two cars packed with explosives were simultaneously detonated in Mahas, a town in Hiran where a major offensive was launched last year against the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group. The attack was claimed by Al-Shabaab, which has been waging a years-long insurgency against the fragile central government, according to the SITE monitoring group. "Nineteen people, including members of the security forces and civilians, died in the blasts," said Mohamed Moalim Adan, a leader of a community militia allied with the government in Mahas. Abdikarim Hassan, a traditional elder in Mahas, said "nearly 20 people died in the blasts" and most were civilians. Another community leader, Mohamud Suleyman, said 52 people were wounded and "most were transported to Mogadishu for treatment." Security officials and local leaders said two military bases were targeted in Mahas in retaliation for operations against the militants. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility in a statement issued by its media unit, saying fighters had detonated explosives at military bases in Mahas and also attacked another base in Dadan 'Ad, about 17 kilometres (10 miles) away, according to SITE. "The terrorists, after having (been) defeated, resorted to desperately targeting civilians, but this will not stop the will of the people to continue defeating them," said Osman Nur, a police commander in Mahas. 'All-out war' Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has declared "all-out war" against Al-Shabaab, which has been waging a bloody insurgency against the frail internationally-backed federal government for 15 years. In July, local clan militias known as "Macawisley" launched a revolt against Al-Shabaab in parts of central Somalia, and Mohamud sent in troops in September to support the fight-back. In recent months, the army and the militias have retaken swathes of territory in the central states of Galmudug and Hirshabelle (where Hiran is located) in an operation backed by US air strikes and an African Union (AU) force known as ATMIS. But the insurgents have frequently retaliated with bloody attacks, underlining their ability to strike at the heart of Somali towns and military installations despite the offensive. Although forced out of the country's main urban centres around 10 years ago, Al-Shabaab remains entrenched in vast swathes of rural central and southern Somalia. On October 29, 121 people in the capital Mogadishu were killed in two car bomb explosions at the education ministry, in the deadliest attack in the troubled Horn of Africa nation in five years. Eight civilians died on November 27 in a 21-hour siege at a hotel in Mogadishu popular with politicians and government officials. A triple bombing in October in the city of Beledweyne, the capital of Hiran, left 30 people dead including local officials. And at least 21 people were killed in a siege of a Mogadishu hotel in August that lasted 30 hours before security forces were able to overpower the militants inside. The EU on Wednesday defended a trip by its top diplomat to Morocco, which has been linked, along with Qatar, to a graft scandal unrolling at the European Parliament. As "there is no proof" of wrongdoing at this stage, it is right the trip by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Thursday and Friday should go ahead, a spokesman for Borrell said. "No one has officially said from the judicial point of view that Morocco as a country is guilty, and Morocco should be avoided in international contact," said the spokesman, Peter Stano. The scandal erupted last month when Belgian police raided several addresses used by some lawmakers and aides in the European Parliament, lobbyists and NGO heads. The searches turned up 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million) in cash, suspected to be pay-offs as part of efforts to influence decisions in the European Parliament. Qatar has denied any wrongdoing in the case, which is still being investigated by Belgian authorities. Four suspects are in custody, including a Greek MEP, Eva Kaili. She was not able to excercise her parliamentary immunity because a judge determined she had been caught red-handed. Kaili, who was stripped of her position as one of the parliament's 14 vice presidents after her arrest, insists she is innocent. Through her lawyer she has expressed ignorance about 150,000 euros in cash found in her Belgian residence. Her Italian boyfriend, Francesco Giorgi, a parliamentary aide, has reportedly made a confession to Belgian prosecutors, which also alleges Moroccan involvement. 'Important partner country' MEPs have raised concerns over Morocco's possible involvement following developments in the case set out in Belgian newspapers. The affair has cast a cloud over other EU institutions, and increased media scrutiny of dealings by EU commissioners and top officials who recently dealt with Qatar and Morocco. Stano said the matter "is in the hands of the judiciary in Belgium" and "we have full trust" in their work to investigate the allegations. In the meantime, "Morocco is a very important partner country" for the European Union, which wants to advance a partnership with it. Borrell would "also raise issues of concern on our side" during his visit, Stano added. The four suspects in Belgian pre-trial detention are: Kaili, Giorgi; a former Italian MEP, Pier Antonio Panzeri; and Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, the Italian head of an NGO suspected of making payments to MEPs. All four are charged with "criminal organisation, corruption and money laundering". Greece and Italy have launched their own investigations into the alleged corruption. The European Parliament has vowed reforms to clean up the legislature, including strengthening whistle-blower protections, banning all "unofficial friendship groups" with foreign governments, and increasing vetting of MEPs finances. Nineteen people have been killed in two car bombings in central Somalia claimed by al-Shabaab militants, a local militia commander in the Hiran region said. Two cars packed with explosives were simultaneously detonated in Mahas a town in Hiran where a major offensive was launched last year against the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group. "Nineteen people, including members of the security forces and civilians, died in the blasts," said Mohamed Moalim Adan, a leader of a community militia allied with the government in Mahas. Abdikarim Hassan, a traditional elder in Mahas, said "nearly 20 people died in the blasts" and most were civilians. Another community leader, Mohamud Suleyman, said 52 people were wounded and "most were transported to Mogadishu for treatment". Security officials and local leaders said two military bases were targeted in Mahas in retaliation for operations against the militants. Al-Shabaab's media office claimed responsibility in a statement, saying it had targeted "apostate militias and soldiers" at military bases in Mahas and also attacked another base in Dadan 'Ad, about 17 kilometres away. It put the number of dead at 87. "The terrorists, after having [been] defeated, resorted to desperately targeting civilians, but this will not stop the will of the people to continue defeating them," said Osman Nur, a police commander in Mahas. They have killed innocent civilians in the explosions, he added. Frequent attacks Al-Shabaab have been seeking to overthrow the fragile foreign-backed government in Mogadishu for the past 15 years. It was pushed out of Hiran last year by government forces and allied clan militias known as Macawisley helped by the United States and African Union troops. But the militants continued to stage attacks, including several in the capital Mogadishu against government installations and hotels. 100 people were killed in the capital in two car bomb explosions on 29 October at the education ministry, and eight civilians died in a 21-hour hotel siege on 27 November. Al-Shabaab's activities have also restricted deliveries of international aid, compounding the impact of the Horn of Africa's worst drought in four decades. As a result of severe food insecurity, several parts of the country are in danger of famine in the coming months, according to the UN and other experts. More than 8 million people face an unprecedented level of need after five consecutive failed rainy seasons coupled with high food prices due to supply disruptions caused by Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine. (with newswires) 04.01.2023 LISTEN The leadership of Umu Aku Forum, in the Aku-Okigwe community, Imo State in South East Nigeria, have condemned the invasion of the community by the Nigerian military following the alleged abduction of a female Army Officer, Lieutenant PP Johnson. The Forum decried the wanton killings and destruction of properties in a scorched earth manner it descended on the whole community, which according to them is innocent of the alleged crime. The leaders, however, clarified that Lieutenant Johnson is neither from the Aku community nor was she abducted there, as claimed by the Nigerian Army in one of its press releases published in the national dailies on December 31, 2022. The Forum further dismissed the claim by the Army that the mother, father, and grandmother of the officer are from the town and that she was purportedly visiting her grandmother at Aku-Okigwe, describing such claims as "blatant" falsehood saying she has no paternal or maternal affiliation to the Aku community. This was contained in a press statement made available to Global the Medial on Tuesday and signed by Don Ifeanyichukwu Okereke Administrator, Umu Aku Forum and Deacon Mahakwe Ukaegbu President General, Aku Community Development Union (ACDU); and Hon. Obinna Okoye, Secretary General, Aku Community Development Union (ACDU). The Nigerian Army had alleged that the female army officer, who was abducted on Monday, December 26, 2022, was visiting her grandmother in Aku-Okigwe in Okigwe LGA of the State, shortly after completion of her Cadet training and subsequent commissioning as a Lieutenant into the Nigerian Army. It was on the strength of this notion that a horde of military personnel and other security agents invaded the Aku community in Okigwe LGA on Friday, December 30, 2022, tenably in search of the abducted officer. Reports indicate that rampaging security agents not only shot indiscriminately but plundered, and burnt several houses in the hitherto serene Aku community, located in Okigwe LGA of Imo state. Okereke, further disputing the claims said, " Without pointing fingers, the video of her abduction and dastardly treatment which was widely circulated online suggests she was abducted along the Ihube-Enugu expressway. According to a Vanguard Newspaper report, on January 1, 2023, Lt. Johnson was abducted at Mbaraukwa, her maternal home. There is no village, kindred, or place known as Mbaraukwa in Aku-Okigwe. "It therefore beggars belief why Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu tagged in his press release that she was kidnapped while visiting her grandmother at Aku-Okigwe?" He queried. "Aku people are generally agrarian, peaceful, and law-abiding. Aku people are cognizant of their rich tradition and cultural heritage which amongst other things, forbids the mere thought of hurting an 'NWA (grandchild) let alone dehumanizing or killing a grandchild. It is distasteful, an abomination. Children born and bred in the Aku community are aware that hurting/killing a "nwa-nwa" (grandchild) is an abomination in our clime. "The dust is yet to settle, and people are yet to return home, but we understand that a few people may have been killed during the latest military bombardment of the Aku community. One of them is a young man named Sunday Ejishim who was gruesomely shot dead by the rampaging government Security Forces (GSF). This is the umpteenth time that Government Security Forces (GSF) will be launching unrestrained, indiscriminate attacks, and burning of houses in the Aku community. Recall that a secondary school student, Miss Favour Okoronkwo was gunned down in her family house on November 13, 2022, while Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Orji, a father of seven children whose wife gave birth to twins not long ago, was shot dead on November 20, 2022, also in front of his house," he cried. Okereke pointed out that the ongoing indiscriminate military operation, extrajudicial killings, and barbaric human rights abuses on the Aku community negates the Nigerian Armed Forces Rules of Engagement (RoE), Code of Conduct, the principle of minimum force and proportionality which amongst other things stipulates that, "fire must be aimed and controlled and that indiscriminate firing is not permitted". "No doubt the security agencies can go about their operation, but their action must be intelligence-driven, they must use very minimal force, ensure there is no collateral damage, no indiscriminate burning of houses, nay, plundering," he said. The Forum called on the military hierarchy to cease further indiscriminate rampage and killing of innocent people in the Aku-Okigwe community. They called on the governor of Imo state to rein in the Imo state-backed security militia from sweeping attacks on innocent people and burning of houses. The Forum called for an independent judicial inquiry and investigation into the vicious attack on the Aku community. They said the brutal action by security forces on Aku Community should not be swept under the carpet. "This must not be like the case of unknown soldier. It must be investigated, and action taken against the masterminds," the statement stressed. "We ask for compensation as a result of the loss of lives and unimaginable financial losses incurred as a result of the military action on Aku-Okigwe community," it added. Despite widespread worldwide initiatives, such as those focused on ending poverty and expanding access to education, humankind continues to struggle with challenges related to education, poverty, inequality and global insecurity. While it is true that not everyone who has access to an educational system ends up in poverty, the vast majority of today's poor never even made it through elementary school, two out of every five individuals are illiterate, and violence is on the rise. According to the World Bank, around 8.5% of todays world population might be extremely poor by the end of 2022, and poverty is now falling at a relatively slower rate of barely 2% per year. Today's population is poorer than that of 1990's where 1.9 billion people, or 36% of the global population, lived on less than $1.90 a day back then. There is a direct correlation between poverty and hunger in Africa. A quarter of the world's hungry people live in Africa. Africas population are malnourished and more than 30% of children in Africa have growth anomalies such stunting as a result of chronic malnutrition, making it impossible for them to benefit fully from receiving education. Education is a great tool for breaking the cycle of poverty since it helps people of all socioeconomic backgrounds. It has the potential to aid those in need by providing them with pathways to employment, resources, and the development of employability skills that can allow them to break out of poverty. Issues described above where the main driver to ivite a specialist in field: On Friday, December 9, 2022, former President of Finland Her Excellency Mrs. Tarja Halonen flue from Helsinki to spend an entire day with the fellows of the Executives Masters of International Relations and Global Politics students at the Swiss Geneva University, organized by professor Anis H. Bajrektarevic. Sustainable development goals, their influence on the global system, and the significance of poverty eradication, education, and inequality were all central to the discussion themes. From 2000 to 2012, Her Excellency - the former President of the Republic of Finland and a pioneering female leader in the 20th century, after serving as president for a total of 12 years, her political insight and know-how are immense. She began by explaining the origins of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) as we know them now by drawing on her considerable background in multilateralism and international politics. They evolved from their original name, the "Millennium Development Goals," to their current form over time. However, the ironical connection was that all of these goals were compared to a home with many windows. A window that has a goal with a specific purpose. Excellency Halonen focused on four goals; The first goal is the elimination of poverty. The fourth goal is quality education. The fifth goal is gender equality. Finally, the sixteenth goal is peace, justice, and strong institutions. Most of her presentation focused on the first goal: why poverty is the underlying cause of most global problems and how to begin addressing it. For instance, excellent education and gender equality go hand in hand with reducing poverty since these SDGs and other SDGs are interconnected. First, getting an education is a great approach to better one's life and to erdicate poverty in the long term since it increases one's earning potential and decreases wealth disparity. This implies that persons in poverty have a more difficult time bettering their situation due to obstacles such as physical ability, religion, race, and caste. If we zoom down on more vulnerable regions, however, such as Africa, we see that 67.4% of adults from the age of 15 in 2021 have necessary literacy skills to read and comprehend a short phrase. In 2022, Africa has a population of little over 1.4 billion people, and its literacy rate is lower than that of a country as Russia. A total of 143.4 million individuals can read and write at a 99.69% proficiency level by the year 2021. There is a significant gender gap in the world's illiterate population, with women making up a disproportionate share. Some nations have nearly female literacy, such as 64% in Burkina Faso and 39% in Niger, while others, such as Afghanistan, have just around 30% of women who are literate. However, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) continues to be a problem for women in Burkina Faso, Niger, and other nearby countries. This violence frequently occurs in societies where sexism and patriarchy are prevalent and this issue might serve as a roadblock for women, preventing them from exercising their rights. Worldwide gender equality will presently take four generations. All inclusive, 388 million ladies and young ladies are poorer than men and boys, with the lion's share living in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Southern Asia, and the Middle East. The plague has raised the perils of GBV over the world, with 13 million additional young girls at chance of getting to be child brides, on top of the 100 million people who are now in danger. If women are not enrolled into social equations, how can they be treated equally? Increases in sexual violence, domestic violence, early and forced marriages, manipulation, and maltreatment of girls and women are being fueled by conflict and displacement in the Sahel area. Not only in Africa, but also, different parts of the world such as Afghanistan, the international community was caught off guard by the rise of the Talibans action toward women in Afghanistan. The Taliban's latest statement on suspending women from attending college is emblematic of their larger discriminatory practices. They have restricted the mobility of women and girls, prevented most women from participating in the labor market, and banned them from using public utilities since August 2021. Ultimately, these restrictions keep Afghan women and girls within their homes, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). As efforts to engage her efforts and activate this crucial role at the international and local levels are a priority for Her Excellency, Mrs. Taria Halonen firmly recognizes the value of women's contributions to development. In addition, in line with the fifth goal of the sustainable development goals, women must have an all-encompassing goal of growing their participation to the labor market and maintaining their rights in the fields of health and education as part of the decision-making process. Women have an important role in bringing peace to situations of armed conflict, yet their contributions are often overlooked. The effectiveness of United Nations Peacekeeping actions and the maintenance of peace depend on the recognition and incorporation of women's various perspectives, experiences, and abilities in all aspects of UN Peacekeeping operations. Despite progress in the number of women in the highest levels of political leadership, the Inter-Parliamentary Union of the United Nations (IPU-UN) reports that gender inequalities persist in several areas in the year 2021. However, following a jump of 21.3% of women occupying ministerial posts in 2021, as well as development has stalled, with just a little increase to 21.9% in 2021. The data also shows that the number of states with no women in government has grown, defying a recent declining trend. Amid record global military spending of $2.1 trillion, funding for women's organizations in combat zones has declined. Presently, women only make about 19% of peace negotiators in UN-led projects. Her Excellency, Mrs. Halonen emphasized the significance of women's participation in peace talks and the value of having female leaders of countries present at the negotiations table. Mrs. Halonen is one of the first in this field and being a member of the high-level advisory board of the Secretary-General on Mediation of the United Nations, therefore, from where Mrs. Halonen stands, she stressed on the importance of the role of women in peace process. Women's involvement in peace-building processes is more than simply achieving parity. Where, women hold just 18.9% of parliamentary seats in conflict and post-conflict countries, compared to 25.5% worldwide, a still-inadequate figure. In order to address the root causes of conflict, it is necessary to rethink peace-building and come up with solutions that take into account the requirements of all parties involved in the conflict. The goal is to usher in an era of permanent global peace and security by dismantling the systems that sustain and promote conflict. Many of the ills from which people in war zones and poorer parts of the world suffer are easily solvable through education, which should be a basic human right. One may say that education is the key to achieving all Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. Since 1960, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has ratified the Convention Against Discrimination in Education, which acknowledges the right of all students to an education. Furthermore, the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights of the United Nations has recognized access to education as a human right since 1966. In conclusion, by expanding access to high-quality education for all, SDG four has the potential to be a powerful tool in the fight against extreme poverty and for raising living standards in developing countries. Lack of education, gender inequality, poverty, and global insecurity are the main reasons why states should invest more in education rather than military and armaments warfare. Education should be a national priority to eliminate all causes of poverty, gender inequality, and insecurity. Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world Nelson Mandela. Written by Sara AlDhahri: Sara AlDhahri is an international officer at the humanitarian affairs department of the OIC. She is also, an advocate for peace, security and humanitarian development. Chief Executive Officer at the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications and convenor of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey has expressed reservations about the presidents defence of Akonta Mine over its alleged engagements in illegal mining activities. Speaking at the 28th National and 16th Biennial Congress of the National Union of Ghana Catholic Diocesan Priests Association in Koforidua, President Akufo-Addo exonerated the Mining firm of any wrongdoing. I want to assure you all that Akonta Mining is not engaged in any form of illegal mining anywhere in Ghana as we speak, the President said. But Ing. Ashigbey in an interview on Eyewitness News said Akonta Minings alleged engagement in illegal mining activities is not up for contention. Some media works had been done and some reportage in the media revealed the clashes between workers of Akonta Mining and residents of the Samreboi community where the residents prevented the miners from mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. Also the Minerals Commission which is the independent regulatory body responsible for issuing licenses also said that Akonta Mining is engaged in illegal activities and so it is worrying the president is saying Akonta Mining is not engaged in illegal mining as we speak. The president may be right when he says Akonta Mining is not engaged in illegal mining activities as we speak, it may be because maybe Akonta Mining has left the forest reserve but the question we must be asking is, was the firm not in the forest sometime last year? He added that it may be too early to play down the words of the president and that he will wait on the president to come out with contrary evidence to what he is currently speaking about. I will also give the president the benefit of the doubt that he, being the Commander-in-Chief, may have some evidence that we dont know about because we also have evidence to the contrary that the firm was in the forest reserve mining illegally sometime last year. He however feared the presidents comments may have a weight on the Office of the Special Prosecutors investigations into the activities of the firm, but the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor downplayed such fears. Akonta Mining which is owned by the New Patriotic Partys (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako has come under attack for illegally mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Western Region. Minerals Commission in October 2022 issued a statement to restrain Akonta Mining from prospecting for gold in the reserve for lack of license. By Citi Newsroom 05.01.2023 LISTEN Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) will today, Thursday, January 5, 2023, embark on an exercise to monitor its installed prepaid meters in the Krobo enclave. According to the ECG, even though the exercise has become necessary after picking up indications of the use of illegal meters by some residents, the routine monitoring will also help the company fix malfunctioning equipment in both Lower Manya and Yilo Krobo Municipalities to improve service delivery. The Public Relations Officer of the ECG in the Tema Region, Sakyiwaa Mensah told Citi News that the law will deal with persons found culpable after the monitoring. The Krobo office of ECG will this morning conduct monitoring of some areas which have the prepaid meters installed. We have received an indication that there are some illegal meters that have been used to replace some of the prepaid meters that the ECG recently gave to customers in some of the areas. The monitoring is also part of routine ECG operational activities where every once in a while, we monitor our systems and meters to ensure that they are working and functioning well, so such monitoring activities are part of our normal and usual procedures, Sakyiwaa Mensah said. She added that, this mornings exercise wont be different because we are going to check and ensure that the meters are working well enough and also if there happen to be any fake meters, some of which we have picked information on, they will be removed and the customers who are using the fake meters will have to go through the legal processes. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. "They made us join up to wage war," said Ndiogou Dieye, 103, casting his memory back more than eight decades to when he and other young Senegalese donned uniforms to fight for distant France. "We didn't know where we were going." The wizened old soldier is one of the last survivors of France's colonial-era African infantry -- a force that fought in two world wars and colonial conflicts in North Africa and Indo-China. After years of neglect, the troops are the subject of a blockbuster movie, "Tirailleurs," opening in France and Senegal this week, that stars Omar Sy -- best known internationally for the Netflix crime series "Lupin". Sy plays a Senegalese father who voluntarily enlists in the French army in World War I to keep an eye on his son, who has been forced into uniform. Both are pitched into the horrors of the Western Front. The "tirailleurs" -- loosely translatable as "skirmishers" -- were born in Senegal in 1857, to forge a corps of lightly armed, mobile troops who would harass the enemy ahead of an advancing main force. Dieye lives in his native town of Thies, surrounded by certificates and memorabilia from his years of service. By JOHN WESSELS (AFP) After World War I broke out, France recruited across its West African colonies to transform the tirailleurs into a force designed to hammer the Germans on the Western Front. They took part in several key battles, notably holding the line at a crucial moment in Verdun in 1916, arguably the most important battle in the four-year-long conflict. Toll Some 30,000 of the 134,000 tirailleurs who fought in WWI were killed, according to the specialist French magazine Historia. Survivors were often crippled or scarred by trauma, yet their tale was often relegated to footnotes, and their names never featured on local war memorials in France -- the daily reminder to French people of the cost of the conflict. High-sounding plans to provide hospitals and pensions were downgraded or sapped by bureaucracy, and tirailleurs sometimes suffered second-class treatment compared with their French counterparts. In World War II, tens of thousands of tirailleurs fought in sub-Saharan and North Africa and took part in the 1944 landings in southern France. Dieye was recruited in May 1940, just before the fall of France -- his regiment went on to serve with the Free French in central Africa and the Middle East. By JOHN WESSELS (AFP) Dieye said he was recruited in May 1940 in his home town of Thies, about 70 kilometres (45 miles) from Dakar, and joined the Seventh Regiment of tirailleurs. After basic training near Dakar, his unit was shipped out to Madagascar but had to turn around because of a submarine threat. It then headed to the French Congo and then to Gabon, where it liberated the capital Libreville from the collaborationist Vichy government "after a few shots," he said. The regiment was sent to the Middle East to prepare for operations in Europe, but by then, Berlin had fallen. Dieye returned to Senegal in 1945 as a sergeant, and in the post-colonial period joined the police, retiring in 1972 at the age of 52. Today, he lives in a house in Thies surrounded by photos and memorabilia from his years of service. Anger Slow-moving but sharp-eyed, he is bitter towards France, accusing it of "dishonesty". In December 1944, French troops at a barracks near Dakar opened fire on mutinous tirailleurs demanding back pay for years spent in prisoner-of-war camps. The official toll of 35 dead is disputed, and the common grave where the soldiers were buried has never been found. The episode remains murky and bitterly remembered in Senegal despite an attempt by former French president Francois Hollande to shed light for reconciliation. Demba Sao, 86, fought as a tirailleur for eight years, including two years in Algeria, where he was wounded. By JOHN WESSELS (AFP) "You send someone to war, he claims his money and you punish him" by killing him, said Dieye, a tone of disgust in his voice. He reserves his greatest anger for France's failure to pay his military pension, equivalent to 750 euros (dollars) annually, for the past two years. "France hasn't kept its promise," he said. "I depend on the Good Lord and my children to survive. I get nothing as a former tirailleur. Zilch from France." A source at the Veterans' Affairs Office at Senegal's armed forces ministry said that after military pensioners reach the age of 100, France usually requires documented proof that they are still alive. Historian Mamadou Kone said he believed only 10 or so tirailleurs from World War II were still alive in Senegal. The last tirailleur from World War I, Abdoulaye Ndiaye, died in 1998 at the age of 104. At home, tirailleurs were long "ostracized, considered armed enforcers of French imperialism. Their image was stained," said Kone. Things changed in 2004, when then president Aboulaye Wade named December 1 as an annual day to commemorate the tirailleurs, enshrining their achievements "in two world wars which freed the world from Nazism and fascism," he said. 05.01.2023 LISTEN The office of the National Chief Imam has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Christian community to stop the head Pastor of the Glorious Word Power Ministries International, Rev. Isaac Owusu -Bempah from making further controversial and false prophecies about his Eminence, Shiekh Osman Nuhu Sharabutu. The controversial Man of God is alleged to have claimed that the National Chief Imam came to him to seek spiritual protection. But in a statement, the Office of the Chief Imam described those claims as false adding that the Sheikh does not need protection from a charlatan. We wish to state that all the claims of Rev. Isaac Owusu-Bempah contain no iota of truth, but represent the figment of his own imagination. Undoubtedly, His Eminence is a champion of interfaith harmony and peaceful co-existence. But he does not seek protection and prosperity from charlatans on the pulpit. Conclusively, we stand at all times for interfaith solidarity and national unity, as we contribute our quota to the building of a prosperous democratic state of diverse religious communities. Attached is the full statement by the Office of the National Chief Imam By Citi Newsroom Emmanuel Macron has pledged to provide Ukraine with light armoured vehicles to help in the war against Russia. The Elysee made the announcement following a phone call between the French President and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky late Wednesday. The presidential office did not give any details about how many of the AMX-10 vehicles would be sent nor the timing of the planned shipments, but said talks would continue regarding the potential delivery of other vehicle types. "The president wanted to amplify military aid to Ukraine" an Elysee official said. "This is the first time that tanks designed in the west are being delivered in support of the Ukrainian army." France will also send Bastion armoured personnel carriers, bought using a 200 million fund set up for Ukraine to purchase military equipment. Following the announcement, Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said it was France's "duty to help Ukraine". She told LCI television on Thursday: "What's happening in Ukraine does not only concern Ukrainians." Major assets The AMX-10 vehicles are much lighter than the Leclerc tanks which Zelensky initially asked France to supply. But Zelensky warmly thanked Macron and said it showed the need for others to provide heavier weapons. "This is something that sends a clear signal to all our partners there is no rational reason why Ukraine has not yet been supplied with western tanks," he said in a video address. "We must put an end to the Russian aggression this year," Zelensky said, adding that "modern Western armoured vehicles and Western-type tanks" were major assets that Ukraine needed. "Thank you friend. Your leadership brings our victory closer," he said on Twitter. 'Further cooperation' In a statement posted on Telegram, Zelensky said the two leaders had "agreed on further cooperation to significantly strengthen our air defence and other defence capabilities". He did not give further details. Zelensky has repeatedly asked Western allies for heavier fighting vehicles such as the German-made Leopard tanks. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February last year, France has supplied Ukraine notably with 18 Caesar howitzers and more recently rocket launchers and Crotale air defence systems. Paris is considering providing Kyiv with between six to 12 more Caesar howitzers from an order destined for Denmark, but discussions are still underway. The French-made AMX-10 is an armed reconnaissance vehicle that runs on wheels not tracks. It is light and more mobile than a tank and can carry four people. Launched 40 years ago, it was used in the first war in Iraq, in Afghanistan and in the Sahel. The French army has gradually replaced it with the very modern Jaguar, and only around 200 AMX-10 vehicles remain. The Ministry for Roads and Highways has stated that the Buipe bridge in the Northern Region will not be closed to vehicular traffic as circulated on social media. Numerous reports on social media stated that the Ghana Highway Authority would from Friday close the bridge to vehicular traffic to make way for emergency repair works. A portion of the publication, which alleged that the Minister for Roads and Highways signed and issued the statement, further asserted that the bridge, which would be opened on March 8, would again be closed the next day between the hours of 2:00 pm to 6:00 am on March 10 indicating that only vehicles weighing 20 tons would be allowed to cross the bridge between the period. However, the Ministry of Roads and Highways in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Nasir Ahmad Yartey, described the publication as false and urged the public to disregard same. The Ministry wishes to state categorically that the Minister has not signed or issued any statement to that effect. For the avoidance of doubt, the Ministry wishes to assure the public that the Buipe bridge will not be closed as alluded to in the said publication. The Ministry wishes to advise the public to disregard the publication, it stated. The head pastor of Glorious Word Power Ministries International, Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah has reacted to reports indicating the Chief Imam Sheikh Dr. Usman Nuhu Sharubutu consults him to look into his destiny for him. In a release from the Office of the National Chief Imam today, it said the alleged comments were disparaging and false. In the release urging Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah to refrain from dragging the name of His Eminence in his controversial prophecies, the Office of the Chief Imam also charged the IGP to crack the whip and call the preacher to order for the sake of national peace. We call on Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah to refrain from using the name of His Eminence as a subject of controversial prophecies. He should also desist from mistaking the meekness of His Eminence as weakness. We further appeal to the leaders of the Christian fraternity in Ghana, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the National Security apparatus, and any relevant institution to call Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah to order in the interest of national unity, peace, and harmony, parts of the release by the Office of the National Chief Imam said. Reacting to that letter, the Glorious Word Power Ministry on behalf of its head pastor has explained that the article that attracted the release from the Office of the Chie Imam is misleading. To begin with, the press statement arises from a misleading and false article published on www.ghanaweb.com on 3rd January 2023 with the caption "Chief Imam, other leaders visit us to look into their destinies - Owusu Bempah claims". We wish to state emphatically that Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah has not at anytime claimed that the Chief Imam visits or consults him to look into his destiny, the release by the Church has said. According to the statement, the publication by Ghanaweb was actuated by malice, a desire for profit, sensationalism, and calculated to disrupt the peaceful and cordial relationship between the Chief Imam and Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah. Finally, we take this opportunity to urge his Eminence the National Chief Imam to disregard the falsehoods peddled about Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah in the interest of fostering brotherly co-existence, harmony, and peace, the release by the Glorious Word Power Ministries stressed. Minister of Education, Yaw Adutwum has ordered the University of Ghana to comply with the 15 percent fee increment as approved by Parliament. The directive comes after a meeting with the management of some public universities, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) on Thursday, January 5, 2023, over agitations against increment of fees. The meeting comes on the back of accusations by the student body that some public universities had increased their fees beyond the 15 percent threshold approved by Parliament. However, the management of UG has justified its decision to increase fees. Speaking to the media after the meeting, the Education Minister said the universities have all resolved to abide by the 15 percent as mandated by Parliament. You have heard from our great university about steps that they have taken in cases where the fees were over 15 percent. They are doing refunds. They want to live within the 15 percent as mandated by Parliament. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Ghana, Professor Gordon Awandare, had blamed the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) for the confusion that surrounded the increment in the facility user fees by the university. Explaining the current increment which has created some furore among students and parents, Professor Awandare argued that nothing illegal had been done by the management of the university adding that GTEC got its explanation wrong in its earlier statement on the increment. -citinewsroom Pope Francis, global leader of the Catholic church, presided over the funeral of his predecessor Benedict XVI on Thursday in the presence of tens of thousands of mourners in St Peter's Square in Rome. Red-clad cardinals, dignitaries and thousands of priests and nuns from around the world gathered to say goodbye to Joseph Ratzinger, the German theologian who became Pope Benedict XVI and who stunned the Catholic church in 2013 by becoming the first pontiff in six centuries to resign. Pope Francis delivered the homily in Italian. "Benedict ... may your joy be complete as you hear God's voice, now and forever!" the pontiff said, directly addressing his predecessor, who died last Saturday at the age of 95. At the end of the service, Francis made the sign of the cross over Benedict's simple wooden coffin and bowed his head, before 12 pallbearers carried it into St Peter's Basilica. Benedict will be interred in the vault previously occupied by the remains of John Paul II until his beatification in 2011. The Polish Pope was made a saint in 2014. Portugal pays national respects World leaders including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were among those in attendance. An estimated 50,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square for the funeral, according to police. Portugal declared a national day of mourning on Thursday, while in Italy, flags were flown at half-mast on public buildings. The only official delegations were from Germany and Italy. France was represented by Interior and Religious Affairs Minister Gerald Darmanin. Other dignitaries, including members of the Belgian and Spanish royal families, the presidents of Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Slovenia and Togo, and the premiers of the Czech Republic, Gabon and Slovakia attended in a personal capacity. An estimated 200,000 people filed past the dead pontiff's body while he lay in state this week. Among those paying their respects was the Hungarian Premier, Viktor Orban, who is a non-Catholic. The proceedings were reported by more than 1,000 journalists from 30 different countries. Upper East Regional Minister Mr. Stephen Yakubu 05.01.2023 LISTEN Unique Mining Group, one of the Small Scale Mining Group operating in the Gbene community of the Talensi District in the Upper East Region has asked the Upper East Regional Minister to disclose the money he received from Earl International Group Ghana Gold Limited on behalf of Unique Mining Group. A letter written by the leadership of the Unique Mining Group and directed to the Upper East Regional Minister Mr. Stephen Yakubu which was sighted by this portal with a reference number UN/Ma/01 dated December 29, 2022 and signed by the acting Chairman of the group Mr. Abdulai Amaligo says, the request has become necessary because we are not sure of the total amount either by cheque or cash paid through the UERCC for onward delivery to our group (Unique Mining Group). The leadership of the group who are not satisfied with happenings regarding their share of money paid by Earl International also demands further and better particulars. We also wish to request for the dates of payments and the currency used for the payments. We respectfully expect you to address our request within seven (7) working days from the day of receipt of this letter for us to decide the next line of action," the letter noted. Meanwhile, this reporter's earlier conversation with the Regional Minister on December 8, 2022 on the Unique Mining Group issue, Hon. Stephen Yakubu did not deny receiving the money from Earl International on behalf of the small-scale miners. According to him, his intervention through the RCC was to make sure peace returned at the mining area. But responding to why the disputed money was paid to an individual instead of a group, Mr. Yakubu said, the name of the individual was given to him by the Mineral Commission as the leader of the Unique Mining Group. Following the latest development, numerous phone calls and messages to get the Regional Minister for his response to the said letter were unsuccessful. In December last year, the Talensi Mining Communities Initiative (TAMCI), a Civil Society Organisation operating in the Talensi District with support from Savannah Research and Advocacy Network (SRAN) demanded the compensation for families of the 16 young men who lost their lives as a result of alleged negligence caused by the Shaanxi Mining Ghana Limited now Earl International Group (Ghana) Gold Limited. Members of Talensi Mining Communities Initiative (TAMCI) Speaking at a news conference, the TAMCI Secretary Mr. Laamdolba Bright said, We are very worried as we discuss with you today that the deaths of our 16 brothers were caused by Shaanxi and the minerals commission investigative report on the incident, proves our point that Shaanxi laced explosives with a lethal chemical called chlorine to kill the 16 young men intentionally. Former Presidential Candidate, Dr. Michael Abu Sakara Foster believes Ghana is a good candidate for debt forgiveness. According to the renowned agronomist, debt forgiveness for Ghana is the surest way for the country to come out of its economic crisis. Having accepted our complicity in our current economic crisis by poor judgements on amount and use of debts procured, I can now argue unequivocally for debt forgiveness for Ghana. Ghana's surest way to economic recovery is to be forgiven substantial portions of its debt profile. Of course, it would have much greater impact if our debts were wiped off all together, but perhaps wishes can't be horses, Dr. Abu Sakara said in a statement on Thursday. His statement follows report that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is making a strong case for debt forgiveness for Ghana. In his statement, Abu Sakara notes that given Ghana's role as a poster boy for democracy and free market lead economy, it would be a crying shame for the teachers if their star pupil failed the test. Some might even say it would be an indictment on the "teachers" themselves if Ghana failed. He strongly believes that the debt forgiveness of Ghana will have one of the highest beneficial impacts and will be a tonic for a fast economic recovery. He adds in his statement that such a resolution will lighten the load for the global economic recovery process by securing the weakest economies from potentially irreversible damage. 05.01.2023 LISTEN Ghana Immigration Service (GHS), has repatriated 47 African nationals for allegedly engaging in illegal Network Market (QNET). This was captured in a statement following reports by the Ghanaian Times newspaper about a blame game between the Ghana Police Service and the Immigration Service concerning the whereabouts of the nationals in question. In the statement, the Ghana Immigration Service explained that, theyve been all repatriated to their various home countries on September 26, 27 and 29, 2022, respectively. Twenty-seven (27) African nationals were arrested at Ekyem and Akokoamong, near the Ejisu in the Ashanti Region by the Ejisu Municipal Immigration Command on 25th September 2022, for allegedly engaging in illegal Network Market (QNET) and were subsequently referred to the Ashanti Regional Command for further actions. They were repatriated to their various home countries on 26th and 27th September 2022. Twenty (20) African Nationals were also arrested at Achiase, near Ejisu, by the Formed Police Unit (FPU) of the Ashanti Regional Police Command. They were repatriated to their various home countries on 29th September 2022. Read below the Comptroller-Generals statement THE COMPTROLLER-GENERAL GHANA IMMIGRATION SERVICE ACCRA ATTN: DEPUTY COMPTROLLER-GENERAL/OPS REPORT ON ARREST AND REPATRIATION OF FORTY-SEVEN (47) AFRICAN NATIONALS Twenty-seven (27) African Nationals were arrested at Ekyem and Akokoamong, near the Ejisu in the Ashanti Region by the Ejisu Municipal Immigration Command on 25th September 2022, for allegedly engaging in illegal Network Market (QNET) and were subsequently referred to the Ashanti Regional Command for further actions. They were repatriated to their various home countries on 26th and 27th September 2022. Twenty (20) African Nationals were arrested at Achiase, near Ejisu, by the Formed Police Unit (FPU) of the Ashanti Regional Police Command for allegedly engaging in illegal Network Market (QNET) and were subsequently referred to the Ashanti Regional Command for further actions. They were repatriated to their various home countries on 29th September, 2022. Below is the break down; DATE NATIONALITY NO OF EXPATRIATES REPATRIATION THROUGH 26TH SEPT. 2022 BURKINABES 6 HAMILE 26TH SEPT. 2022 SENEGALESE 5 HAMILE 27TH SEPT. 2022 CAMEROONIANS 16 AFLAO 29TH SEPT. 2022 CAMEROONIANS 17 AFLAO 29TH SEPT. 2022 CHADIANS 2 AFLAO 29TH SEPT.2022 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 1 AFALO TOTAL 47 Submitted for your attention, Sir. SIGNED CHARLES YAW BEDIAKO (DCOI) REGIONAL COMMANDER -citinewsroom A trader who allegedly stole goods from a warehouse amounting to GHS250,000.00 has been granted bail when he appeared before an Accra Circuit Court. Ibrahim Amadu, charged with conspiracy to commit crime, unlawful entry and two counts of stealing, pleaded not guilty to the offences. The Court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah admitted the accused person to GHS200,000.00 with two sureties. The Court ordered that one of the sureties should be justified with a registered landed property within the area and the other one be a government worker within the authority. The case has been adjourned to January 18, 2023. Meanwhile, Richard Okyere, at large, is also charged with conspiracy to commit crime and two counts of stealing. Prosecuting Police Chief Inspector Maxwell Ayim told the Court that the complainant Adamu Bukari is a trader and resided at Weija. Richard Okyere, at large doubles as sales boy and keeper of the complainant's warehouse and resided at Dansoman, the prosecution said, while Amadu was a resident of Pokuase, Accra. The prosecution said the complainant had a shop at Okaishie, where he sells scrubbing and sweeping brushes, hangers, padlocks, mop buckets and mop sticks, and so on. It said in January 2021, the complainant started experiencing shortages of the goods in the warehouse at Zongo Lane Junction, Accra, so he changed the padlocks three times but to no avail. The prosecution said on April 9, 2022, Amadu unlawfully entered the warehouse and made away with 23 cartons of padlocks, two boxes of scrubbing brushes, three bundles of sweeping brushes, seven cartons of mops, one carton of coat hangers and two cartons of metal hangers all valued GHS 38, 433.00. It said Amadu was apprehended by witnesses in the case and was ordered to call the complainant for verification due to the rampant stealing of the goods at the warehouse, but he called Okyere and informed him of his arrest, but Okyere bolted away. The prosecution said luckily, the complainant went to the warehouse at that same hour and met Amadu holding duplicated keys with the above-mentioned stolen goods being held by the guards and was handed over to the Police. It said in the caution statement of Amadu, he admitted the offences and told the Police that it was Okyere who gave him the duplicated keys to steal from the warehouse and share the proceeds. The prosecution said Amadu further stated that he had been to the warehouse 12 times to steal the items and share the proceeds with Okyere and the highest amount he had ever sold was GHS7000.00. It said Amadu pleaded with the Police, sat with the complainant, and agreed to refund GHS250,000.00 to the complainant for goods already stolen and proceeds shared with Okyere but after paying GHS 49,000.00, he failed to pay the rest. The prosecution said photographs of the stolen items were taken and some released to the complainant for lack of space to keep them. It said efforts were being made to arrest Okyere. GNA Africodia Foundation has sponsored a teen challenge at the Learners Girls Foundation Library in Paga in the Upper East region. It also presented books and writing materials to the library. The event, which took place on the 20th December 2022, had activities of a Teen challenge, including storytime, creative work, a reading challenge, and an introduction to IT. Participants of this challenge were Junior High School students in the Kassena Nankana District while facilitators were made up of the Africodia Foundation team, the LGF team, and some teachers from the participating schools. The event was chaired by the Ghana Education Service Circuit Supervisor, Mr. Sylvester Tibambuya and graced by the Assemblyman of the electoral area, Hon. Hillary Aleaku, both of whom thanked Africodia foundation for their support. Africodia Foundation is a non-profit organization working in underserved communities in Ghana, to help improve livelihoods through access to quality education and healthcare. Africodia foundation has a vision to bring together global insights and local ingenuity to eradicate poverty, advance equity and secure strong futures through access to quality education. The Ghana Police Service and the Immigration Service have issued a joint press release to rubbish a report by Ghanaian Times on the alleged arrest of some 48 alleged terrorists. In the joint release, the two Services stressed that no supposed terrorists have been arrested. We wish to state categorically that the said publication is false and should be disregarded. No supposed terrorists have been arrested by the Police and the Ghana Immigration Service, and there is certainly no blame game going on between the two state security agencies as is being falsely claimed by the Ghanaian Times Newspaper, parts of the joint release said. Meanwhile, the release confirms that some 48 foreign nationals were arrested by the Police and the Immigration in two separate operations at Ekyem, Achiase, and Akokoamong near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region in September, 2022, for engaging in illegal Network Marketing (QNET). All 48 suspects were profiled in line with standard operating procedures of the two institutions and were repatriated to their various home countries between September 26th and September 29, 2022. Unhappy with the reportage by Ghanaian Times, the Police and Immigration Services is urging the general public, especially the media, to be circumspect in their use of the term "terrorists" and avoid using the word loosely and irresponsibly, and thus create unwarranted fear and panic in a peaceful society such as Ghana. Alex Opoku Mensah 05.01.2023 LISTEN The Director of the Public Affairs Unit of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Mr Armstrong Esaah says the punishment meted out to the Ashanti Regional NSS boss, Alex Opoku Mensah, following his verbal abuse of a nurse at the Manhyia Government Hospital is a deterrent enough to stop others from doing same. "In the wisdom of the Investigative committee, coupled with the analysis done by the management and board of the Scheme, we are so convinced that, the punishment is strong enough to restrain both high and low-ranking officials of NSS from doing same", he said. Speaking on the Kumasi based OTEC 102.9 FM's morning show "Nyansapo", on Thursday January 5, 2023 hosted by Captain Koda, Mr Armstrong Esaah told the host, "The board of NSS had every right to reject parts of the recommendation and make the necessary arrangements but the board saw the punishment as equally good for the offence Mr Alex Opoku Mensah committed." Offence Mr Opoku-Mensah is said to have verbally abused a nurse over the manner and way a nurse at the Manhyia Government Hospital in the Ashanti Region spoke to his daughter who is also a doctor at the facility. The nurse had called the house officer to amend a prescription because the medication the latter had prescribed was unavailable at the pharmacy. The house doctor is reported to have taken offence at how the nurse spoke with her hence the confusion. The situation took a different dimension after Mr Opoku Mensah who happens to be the father of the young doctor went to the hospital and ended up abusing the nurse verbally. The audio tape went viral on social media attracting a barrage of attacks and criticisms against Mr. Mensah for having the audacity to march to a hospital and interfere in a matter that can only be sorted in-house. Mr. Mensah issued a statement on his Facebook page apologising to the nurse in question for his actions and the general public. Punishment Following the incident, the National Service Scheme has suspended Mr Alex Opoku Mensah two months without pay. This was after a committee assigned to investigate the matter completed and submitted its report to the management. GRNMA Outcry The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association GRNMA who had earlier vowed to initiate an industrial action over the issue if Mr Alex Opoku-Mensah goes unpunished stated they are not happy with the decision of the NSS board. They have however explained that they will take the decision in good faith and will continue to work for the nation. Meanwhile, Mr Armstrong Esaah said the Management of NSS upon extensive deliberations have also decided to transfer Mr Opoku Mensah to the National Headquarters of NSS for him to work under supervision until he changes his attitude. The Amansie South District Assembly in the Ashanti Region led by its District Chief Executive (DCE), Hon. Clement Opoku Gyamfi has paid a working visit to government institutions in the area. Accompanied by Nana Opoku Ababio, the Coordinating Director, Assistant Director 1, Planning Officer in the district and other senior staff of the Assembly, the DCE paid a courtesy call to the District Police Command, Ghana Immigration Service, as well as agencies and institutions there. Hon. Clement Opoku Gyamfi during interaction with the civil servants and the security personnel thanked and encouraged them for their hard work amidst challenges facing them in the district while ushering them into the year 2023. "On behalf of the President, the Assembly, and my good self as DCE, I thank everyone for supporting the Akufo-Addo government and me. With your support and cooperation, I could achieve some of my plans because you didn't leave me alone. "Some of you have to come and work in the capital from far away despite our poor road network. You could have chose not to come here and work due to several factors but you never rejected postings to the district. I thank you all. The almighty God you," Hon. Clement Opoku Gyamfi popularly called CID stated. The DCE added earlier that the Assembly is proud of their commitment to work and good service to the entire district. The Assembly team visited other institutions: MoFA, NCCE, Electoral Commission, Manso Adubia SHS, Health Directorate, and Ghana Education Service (GES). Mr. Stephen Adu Darko, the GES Director appealed to the Assembly to fix the deteriorating road network to help teaching and learning in the area. The Ukrainian army has entered the new year with a successful strike aided by the US-made HIMARS in the occupied areas of a town in one of the Donbas regions, Makiivka, Donetsk. Reports of this successful strike of a school building housing Russian army recruits are pegged at 89, the biggest loss of life Moscow has reported so far. This was announced minutes ago by the Russian Defense Ministry contrary to its tradition of not commenting on its losses. However, the Ukrainian armys strategic communications department said that nearly 400 soldiers were killed and 300 injured in the strike in Makiivka. The centerpiece of the new battle order is the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or Himars. Provided by the U.S. and operated by Ukrainian soldiers since June, they are augmenting lightweight and precise weaponry that includes drones, Javelin antitank rockets and Stinger antiaircraft missiles, enabled by GPS guidance and advanced microelectronics. On one hand, you had Russia, whose military was considered one of the most powerful in the world. Some people thought it was just below the American army and for that matter didn't see Ukraine not falling within days. You will recall that early of 2022, no one was giving the Ukrainians a hard time on February 24, 2022, when Putin ordered his army to invade Ukraine in a shameful manner. An invasion that Moscow itself refuted upon US intelligence found them otherwise. Moscow later invaded upon initial denial. At the beginning of the Ukraine invasion, Putin intended to take Ukraine in a few days before installing a straw man as the head of the country. Putin wanted to do in Ukraine something similar to what is happening in Belarus where he really decides everything in foreign affairs. And then, the Russian army was expected by the Ukrainian army which had excellent information about the coming offensive thanks to the American intelligence services. Ukraine has had the massive support of the West since then, and the massive sanctions on Russia are beginning to take their toll on the Russian economy. The result is that this war that Putin imagined to be very short and without any reaction from the West is becoming a nightmare for Russia. The Russian army shows its weakness to the whole world. The Russian army is demotivated, badly organized, and now badly equipped, because it has to resort to the stock of weapons of the Soviet era. The Russian army will not be able to buy modern weapons anymore because the Russian industry is at a standstill in many fields, and things will get worse and worse. Putin knows now that he cannot win this war if the West continues to support Ukraine in this way. He is looking for a way out from the top so that he is not humiliated by a defeat that could make the Russian people revolt by withdrawing their consent. BY Abdul-Razak Lukman [email protected] Two scrap dealers who on 31 December night embarked on a motorbike aided robbery spree, dispossessing three persons of their mobile phones and money, have been remanded into police custody by an Accra Circuit Court. Hakam Zakaria, 21, and Yakubu Mohammed, 24, were arrested after Police officers on snap check duties ordered them to unlock mobiles in their possession which they failed. Zakaria and Mohammed have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime to wit, robbery and three counts of robbery. The two accused persons who had no legal representation denied the charges. The Court presided over by Mrs. Evelyn Asamoah declined the accused persons bail because they do not have a fixed place of abode. The matter has been adjourned to January 23, 2023. Chief Inspector Samuel Ahiabor told the Court that the first complainant, Theresa Abayeta, was a trader residing at Kokomba, near Agbogboloshie in Accra. The Prosecution said the second complainant, Vikash Jungir, a supervisor at New African Construction Limited, whiles accused persons claimed to reside at Kokomba. It said on December 31, 2022, at about 10:25pm, Inspector Daniel Koomson assisted by General Corporal Gerald Folley, both from Motorbike Patrol Department of the Ghana Police Service, arrested the accused persons and brought them to the Nima Divisional Command with a report that while on visibility and patrol duty at a traffic light close to Societe Generale, near Paloma Hotel in Kokomlemle, Accra, they spotted the accused persons who were on a motorbike. The Prosecution said the police officers stopped and searched the accused persons and retrieved a lady's purse containing an ATC mobile phone, Realme (MI) mobile and cash in the sum of GHS20.00. The Police Officers also retrieved a pair of scissors from Zakaria. It said the Police officers became suspicious of the accused persons and ordered them to unlock the phones in their possession if they were the rightful owners The Prosecution said although the Police officers gave them ample time to unlock the phones, they could not unlock them. It said accused persons together with the Royal motorbike and other exhibits were sent to the Nima Police Station for further investigations. The Prosecution told the Court that on January 1, 2023, Theresa Abayeta, the first complainant called her phone line, and the case investigator answered it and asked her to come to the Nima Police Station to assist in investigations. It said Theresa identified the accused persons as culprits who robbed her of her mobile and informed the case investigator that Mohammed threatened her with a pair of red scissors, snatched her phone and bolted. According to the Prosecution, the same day, at about 2:00 pm Vikash Jungir called his cell phone and same was answered by the investigator who also asked him to the Nima Police station. It said Jungir identified his phone and identified Mohammed as the one who stabbed his hand with a red scissors after he (Mohammed) had ordered him to surrender his phone and he refused. The Prosecution said investigations revealed that accused persons took advantage of the 31st December Watch Night to rob the victim and other persons. During investigations, the accused persons admitted the offence in their caution statement. When led to their residence, the prosecution said accused persons attempted to escape but the Police called for reinforcement and arrested them. GNA A 50-year-old scrap dealer who stole two taps from a National Security Bungalow to enable him to buy food has been sentenced by an Accra Circuit Court. Jussif Adumbila, charged with stealing, pleaded guilty. The Court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah, therefore, convicted him on his own plea and sentenced him to three years imprisonment. Meanwhile, he pleaded not guilty to unlawful entry and threat of death and is expected to reappear before the court on January 17, 2023, for trial to commence on those charges. Police Inspector Dzigbordi Nego, prosecuting, told the Court that the complainant was a National Security Operative. The prosecution said on December 16, 2022, at about 1830 hours, the accused person jumped the fence wall of the National Security bungalow at Roman Ridge and stole two taps, valued not yet known. It said when the complainant questioned the accused person, he threatened to stab him to death with a knife he was holding. The prosecution said the complainant with the assistance of Israel Abotsi, a witness in the case, together arrested the accused person and took him to Kotobabi Police Station and lodged a formal complaint. GNA It is with great sorrow that we have received the sad news of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. He died in the New Years eve of 31st December, 2022 at age of 95. He was a great man and champion of peace. We join the voices of millions around the world to express our most sincere condolences and respects to a true Messiah of peace and human values. The Pope was and remains a true inspiration for the people of the world, who values human life and work for peace and harmonious relationship amongst various communities of the world. Pope Benedict was also a renowned statesman, universally loved across international boundaries; he took a firm stance against war, violence, hatred, corruption and passionately advocated for human rights, freedom and dignity. It is for reasons such as these that he stood tall among others as a moral leader of the world. It brings true sadness to our hearts to consider the demise of this great leader of the world. He will be dearly missed by all the people of the world, who continue to suffer injustice, oppression and genocide. Therefore we would like also to send our deepest and sincerest condolences to the Vatican and the world Christian family, including, but not limited to the Catholic Church in Sierra Leone. History will always remember Pope Benedict for his special love for people, which cuts across race, colour, tribe, nationality or socio-economic status. He will forever be in the hearts and minds of the people of the world. May God Almighty rest his soul in absolute peace! Amen! (Chief) Alimamy Bakarr Sankoh Founding Father and Leader, and Presidential Aspirant Peoples Democratic League (PDL) BJP's national executive meet on Jan 16 - 17 IANS New Delhi More BJP's national executive meet on Jan 16 - 17 The two-day national executive meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is scheduled on January 16-17 at the NDMC convention centre here. The two-day national executive meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is scheduled on January 16-17 at the NDMC convention centre here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other senior leaders will attend the meeting. Discussion on the forthcoming elections, resolutions, review report from last meeting, are the main agendas of the meeting. Organisational and current issues, discussion on resolutions and reports on future programmes and activities will also be held. Other issues may be taken up with the permission of the chair. Sources said that the decision on the extension of J.P. Nadda's term as the party president can also be taken in the meeting. Nadda's three-year term as the party president ends later this month. There is a strong possibility that his tenure may be extended in view of the coming elections. The last executive of the party took place in Hyderabad in October 2022. The party holds two national executive meetings in a year, usually one in the first quarter of the year and the second in the last quarter. For Latest Updates Please- Join us on Follow us on MORE... MORE... MORE... 172.31.16.186 Government forces in the self-declared Somaliland republic have withdrawn from a contested town near the border of Somalia after days of deadly protests against central rule, security officials said Thursday. Demonstrations in Las Anod turned violent last week, with government forces accused by opposition parties and rights groups of shooting dead several protesters in the disputed border town. Las Anod is claimed by both Puntland, a northern state in Somalia, and Somaliland, which broke away from the rest of the country in 1991 but remains internationally unrecognised. The protests first erupted after a local politician was shot dead last week. Somaliland officials, which govern the town, said deaths occurred in clashes between police and demonstrators but did not say how many. Las Anod mayor Abdirahim Ali Ismail said armed confrontation escalated between civilians and the military in the town on Wednesday after a local merchant was shot dead. "In order to preserve the security situation, stability of the district and the wellbeing of the civilian population, the army commanders ordered the forces to return to their camps so that the situation returns to normal," Ismail said. Somaliland army commanders confirmed withdrawing from the town "to avoid further escalation" but warned they will not allow the stability of the region to be compromised. "The incident last night was unfortunately accidental, and we extend our condolences to the relatives of the victim," Abdi Dheere, a military commander in the region, told a press briefing, referring to the killed trader. 'Take responsibility' Somaliland's President Muse Bihi, whose administration governs from Hargeisa some 380 kilometres (240 miles) to the west, said on Wednesday that an investigation into the violence would follow once peace was restored. "What happened in Las Anod is an incidental clash between the police and the people," he said following a meeting of Somaliland's upper and lower houses and its security agencies. "It is a Somaliland problem, and we take responsibility for what happened as government and people, and we will find a solution for it." Somaliland was ready to defend its sovereignty after Puntland "declared a war", he said. Somaliland and Puntland share a long and contested border and territorial disputes between the two have been violent. Las Anod is located along a trade corridor and control of the town has changed hands several times in recent decades. Somaliland, a former British protectorate, prints its own currency, issues its own passports and elects its own government. But its quest for statehood has gone unrecognised, leaving the Horn of Africa region wedged between Ethiopia, Djibouti and the rest of Somalia poor and isolated. The region has been relatively stable in comparison to Somalia, but in recent months has witnessed political unease and violent demonstrations. In October, a decision by the council of elders to extend the president's term after elections were delayed prompted opposition outcry, while demonstrators were killed in anti-government protests in August. Some 20 fake meters which were being used by some residents in the Yilo and Manya Krobo municipalities in the Eastern region have been confiscated by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). During a monitoring exercise on Thursday, January 5, four customers of ECG including a woman identified for bypassing the meters were also arrested while two illegally transferred meters were also confiscated. The monitoring exercise was conducted by two teams set up by the Tema Region management of the power distribution company. 22 customers were also disconnected from the national grid with their service cables removed for illegal power connection. The exercise formed part of ECGs routine monitoring of its installations at the Sawyer, Ablochi, Atua and Korletsum communities in the Yilo and Manya Krobo Municipalities. Sakyiwaa Mensah, spokesperson of the ECG in the Tema Region described Thursdays exercise as peaceful and satisfactory. She also appealed to customers of the company to desist from engaging in illegalities as the company will not hesitate to take legal action against perpetrators. Any attempt by the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to ban government appointees (CEOs/MDs/D-Gs) from contesting sitting MPs in the party's parliamentary primaries could be detrimental to party's chances in the 2024 general elections. The proponents of this proposal have been unconvincing in this enterprise. Indeed, the idea is not only unfair to the government appointees, but unpopular and unconstitutional, and same must be jettisoned with the speed of light. The question is, since when did the decision to take up a government appointment become a barrier to one's political ambitions in life? And where in the NPP's constitution or the 1992 constitution of Ghana is it stated that an appointee cannot contest a sitting MP in the party's parliamentary primaries? It is needless to say that the MPs hiding behind the anonymous petitioners to moot this idea have become unpopular in their constituencies, hence the jitters. These MPs have lost touch with their constituents --- the very reason why they want protection from the party. And the sad truth is that, should they be protected, their respective constituents will punish them in the main elections which will affect the party's performance. Why should a "hardworking" MP who claims to have a good rapport with his people fear competition? In any event, were some of these MPs embarking on this crusade not appointees in President Akufo-Addo's first term? If this unconstitutionality was forced down their throats back then, would they have been in Parliament today? And lest l forget, was the General Secretary of NPP, Justin Kodua forced to resign his position as CEO of YEA before contesting then incumbent John Boadu? Was Nana B made to resign as Deputy Executive Director of NSS when he declared his intention to contest as National Youth Organizer of NPP in 2018? What are we talking about?! What was good for the gander yesterday is equally good for the goose today! This issue, honestly, for me, should not have found its way to the National Council meeting in the first place. The party hierarchy must be guided by precedence to avoid falling into this political minefield which has the propensity to exacerbate our woes in Parliament. Sir Obama Pokuase No. 345 Baobab Street NPP Member In Good Standing 05.01.2023 LISTEN A former Minister of Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea says the mentality of Ghanaians on electioneering which holds that politicians must dole out monies to them before they vote for them need to be changed. Ghanaian politics is always characterised by monetisation, items, foods and in some instances, cars are given to voters in an effort to win their votes. According to him, the masses mostly vote for candidates who are ready to give them money, observing that some voters are always in a hurry to vote for politicians who give out monies. The Akim Abuakwa constituency legislator said some voters rarely consider the competencies of politicians before voting them into power, adding that money plays a major role in the electioneering process. He called on stakeholders to look at electoral monetisation which has become a canker in the Ghanaian politics, fearing that competencies will always be replaced with mediocrity if the situation is not looked at. The former Minister of Works and Housing added that the incompetent politicians who are voted by the masses because of their monies do not have much input in the nation-building, a situation he described as worrying. He feared that the country will not have good government to rule its citizens if qualified politicians are not voted into power. Contributing to a lecture on the 1992 Constitution on January 5, 2023, Mr. Atta Akyea indicated, the only thing I have a challenge all the time is to just ignore the equation, is the masses, and the mentality of the masses. The Constitution is there to improve the people. But what is the mentality of the masses? That discussion is always absent. One of the things I see is that the people will have the government they want. As we are making this discussion, somebody believes that he/she will not vote you into power, unless you give me money. Im about to help you, but, if you dont pay the gate fee, I wont open you to come and help me, its there, we should look at it. At the end of the day, the poverty of the poor is in their own poverty. The man who is not competent to help brings you a feel coins and get the power and he doesnt have much input. so we should look at that dimension also. Because at the end of the day, if we dont want to elect good people, we wont have good government, that is my humble view. And good people should not be the ones saying I [they] have big ideas but my [their] pocket is not deep, so you will shut off all the good people who will come and practice the Constitution and prove the Constitution and improve the lives of the people, and the averages will go by raising of the coins to give to the masses and that area is my heart beat. -citinewsroom A private legal practitioner, David Ofosu-Dorte, is advocating legislation that would limit taxes imposed on citizens by government. Delivering a public lecture titled The 1992 Constitution: A Fundamental Law for our prosperity or a well-crafted guide for our economic doom Mr Ofosu-Dorte said Ghana's taxation system piles more pressure on already overburdened tax payers which can stifle private businesses. He said limiting the government from introducing more taxes would also prevent the government from recklessly spending and limit its appetite for borrowing. There must be an upper limit where the government cannot tax moreotherwise they will continue to increase their expenditure and they will pass on the expenditure. Also, we must limit the government's ability to borrow, Mr Ofosu-Dorte who is also the Executive Chairman at AB & David Law said. He also suggested that voter ID cards of citizens must be converted into bank accounts to help decrease the unbanked population in the country. He said one of the easiest ways to increase the tax net is to convert voter IDs and Mobile Money accounts of people without bank accounts into bank accounts to solve the problem. If we want to increase the banking populationwe could convert voters IDs into bank accounts with zero accounts. It can be done because that is what Mauritius does. Instead of doing that, we have done things that have been detrimental to us, Ofosu-Dorte said at the University of Professional Studies Law School in Accra (UPSA). Mr Ofosu-Dorte added we should not have used the E-levy as a means to tax Momo. We should have used momo as a basis for opening bank accounts for everybody to have a bank account to make it easy for GRA to track how much you earn and come after you. -citinewsroom Until early 2022, Russian Information War operations were aimed mainly at other countries. Russian leader Vladimir Putin had, in the previous two decades, successfully turned Russia back into something resembling the Soviet Union he was nostalgic for. Putin was now president-for-life and controlled the mass media and nearly all the independent media. Putin has revived many of his favorite Soviet era institutions, including a large, modern dezinformatsiya (disinformation) organization. This new dezinformatsiya capability took advantage of the Internet to become even more effective than its Cold War version. In 2022 Putins political fortunes took a turn for the worse when his invasion of Ukraine quickly failed with the loss of thousands of armored vehicles, most of the combat unit officers and such high troop losses that he found a growing number of Russians turning against him. If not stabilized or reversed, that shift in public opinion could prove fatal for his continued ability to rule Russia. Putins solution was to order the dezinformatsiya operation to cooperate with the VGTRK (All-Russia State Television and Radio Company) to convince Russians that the Ukraine operation was not a failure but had succeeded in stalling and exposing a secret NATO plan to weaken Russia and render it unable to rebuild the Russian empire and make Russia great again. Or at least keep Putin in power. The VGTRK was full of Putin loyalists who enthusiastically used the dezinformatsiya operation to feed Russians an illusion that proved Putins version of what NATO was doing to Russia and the success of Putin in disrupting the NATO efforts to hurt Russia. While the old War era disinformation depended on bribing foreign journalists to get articles published that supported Soviet goals without being too traceable back to Russia. Most of what we now know of Russian Cold War disinformation methods and their success was documented after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and for several year it was possible for Western journalists, and intelligence officials to document what the Soviets did and how successful it was. This provided lots of surprises, many of the unpleasant kind, for Western journalists and intelligence professionals. The Soviets were very successful, and managed to weaken Western efforts to thwart Soviet schemes. Using the updated (to take full advantage of Internet capabilities) Putin has, so far, contained but not eliminated the growing popular opposition inside Russia. This new disinformation campaign is pretty convincing to the average Russian that knows little of the West and gets most of their news from VGTRK. It starts with the enormous quantity of information broadcast by Western media and captured on the Internet or databases maintained by Russia and China. VGTRK news editors have access to all these soundbites and video moments that can be edited and presented to show the Putin interpretation in a convincing manner, at least to Russians getting most of their news from VGTRK. There are a large number of Russians who know what Western media publish and see through the VGTRK disinformation and see it for what it is. Unfortunately, many (nearly eight million) of these Russians have left the country since Putin took power in 1999. About a million left in the last year. Western Internet media are not blameless and have, over the past few years, been accused, and often exposed for using disinformation for their own economic or, more frequently, political goals. For Western social media sites like Facebook, 2019 is now seen as the year their unpleasant changes began. This was all about the resurgence of Cold War era media campaigns that Russia used to wage internationally using pre-Internet media. In the last few months alone, Facebook has announced the discovery and banishment of hundreds of accounts owned and operated by Russian firms that specialize in this sort of thing. The largest Russian disinformation operation is the IRA (Internet Research Agency). During the Cold War something like the IRA would be a top-secret subsidiary of the KGB (secret police). In post-communist Russia, a lot of KGB operations have gone commercial and many other nations have adopted those techniques. Facebook has found dozens of nations using, or backing the use of Internet-based propaganda or disinformation campaigns. That is something new because in pre-Internet days only major nations could organize and run an effective international disinformation effort. Facebook went public in part to alert the public to how these scams work and what to look for. Facebook finds most of these scams via software that looks for certain kinds of CIB (Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior). This automated approach sometimes leads to false positives and a hapless user finds themselves banned for appearing to be part of a Russian disinformation operation. With over a billion users this is bound to happen on Facebook, so the press releases about CIB efforts are partly an effort to let users know that Facebook is constantly refining its software tools to reduce the number of false positives. For Facebook that is necessary to limit the bad publicity some of these false positives create when the victim proves their case and makes Facebook look like some evil media corporation. Yet much of the inauthentic behavior, like copying and pasting a lot without using much commentary, is popular with a lot of legitimate users. Facebook isnt the only social media site trying to block government disinformation campaigns. Twitter, as well as Facebook earlier, announced they had shut down hundreds of accounts that were being used by China to spread false and disparaging news about the millions of pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong. Twitter revealed that their analysis software had discovered over 20,000 suspect accounts but that most of these appeared to be legitimate accounts of people who sided with the Chinese government. What Twitter did not reveal was that they were also using a disinformation campaign against their own users to ensure that only opinions approved by Twitter management showed up on Twitter. This deception was revealed in 2022 when new owners of Twitter released the incriminating evidence of what had been done, Facebook reported that they had found a large number of accounts that appeared to be taking orders from the Chinese government to discredit and disparage the Hong Kong protestors, or simply drive pro-protestor users off Facebook pages or discussions favorable to the protests. Facebook was also more willing to admit incidents of censoring users and backed off on that while Twitter continued. This effort to find and cripple the Chinese Information War operation on Twitter and Facebook confirmed earlier estimates that about half a million Chinese were working for this Information War operation. The Chinese effort was not just directed against the Hong Kong protestors but also sought to boost Chinas image among the worldwide Chinese speaking social media users. For those who follow this sort of thing, the Chinese Hong Kong disinformation operation is nothing new. Disinformation efforts have been going on for decades and expanded and escalated after 1995 when the Internet became easier to use for the rapidly growing number of PC and later cellphone users. The Chinese began to use the Internet as part of their Information War operations in 2005 when propaganda officials sought ways to deal with growing anti-government activity on Internet message boards. One idea was to organize the pro-government posters already out there. The propaganda bureaucracy (which is huge in China) did so and got so many volunteers that they soon developed a test to select the most capable candidates. In addition, the government set up training classes to improve the skills of these volunteers. Cash bonuses were offered for the most effective work. At one point, the government had nearly 100,000 volunteers and paid posters operating. This quickly evolved into the 50 Cent Army. By 2010 the Russian government adopted the practice and before long there was the 50 Ruble Army in Russia. The Chinese eventually realized that quality was better than quantity because the less articulate posters were easily spotted, and ridiculed, as members of the "50 Cent Army," "Internet Apes," or the Water (because of the zombie accounts used for posting) Army. This was especially the case outside of China. Inside China people just learned to ignore the government posters. That was a wise choice because currently about 18 percent of all posts on the Chinese Internet come from government-controlled or influenced accounts. Gradually China grew to depend on quantity as well as quality. They found that the more skilled Internet Apes often appear convincing to many people following Internet based discussions. The 50 Cent Army was often a very worthwhile investment, especially when experienced and skilled posters were used. In this area, quantity does not really match quality. In the United States, China used the same techniques to push political candidates or commercial products. Americans call this "viral marketing" and it is a popular marketing tool worldwide. The CIA has used a similar technique to counter anti-American, or pro-terrorist, activity on the Internet. This activity also made it easier to spot potential terrorists or potential informants. Russia adopted the Chinese technique of harnessing the enthusiasm of pro-government volunteers. As happened elsewhere, bloggers and posters with a large following were also enticed to be pro-government, for a fee, or perhaps because of a few threats. This practice of buying favorable attention in the media is nothing new and is centuries old. The U.S. is unique in that, for about a century, the American mass media was largely free of this blatant bribery. But in most of the world, a clever journalist quickly attracts the attention of people who will pay for some favorable comments. It's no secret, although many journalists insist they are not bought. More Americans have become aware of this form of Information War since late 2016 when suddenly there were frequent accusations of Russia interfering in American elections. This was accomplished by Russia using government-directed messages to be posted, on a massive scale, in social media and other online sites. One aspect of this that didnt attract much media attention was that this technique, and its use by foreign governments in the United States, was nothing new. This sort of thing has been widely used on the Internet for over a decade and for generations before that there was astroturfing (creating fake grassroots support with a variety pre-Internet techniques) and more lavishly funded Soviet efforts called dezinformatsiya (disinformation) operations. During the Cold War the communist rulers of the Soviet Union invented or expanded on all sorts of propaganda, deception and indoctrination techniques that are still widely copied (and often condemned) because they work, at least sometimes. In the end, all that dezinformatsiya did not prevent the Soviet empire from collapsing and disintegrating. Some of those techniques have been updated and continue to serve the current rulers of Russia. One of them involves the Internet and is believed particularly useful (or at least thought to be) in Russia. While technically a democracy, modern Russia has evolved into yet another dictatorship. This is because out of the ashes of the Soviet Union there arose an oligarchy with enough cash and propaganda skills, not to mention control of most mass media, to get elected and make most Russians support what the new government wants. A key tool in this was using freewheeling Internet-based message boards to mold and manipulate public opinion. This sort of thing has been around since the Internet began its explosive growth after 2000, as it went from 500 million users to nearly 5 billion now. Most of the of people on the planet have access to the Internet and it has become a major tool for disinformation operations It wasnt long before many Internet users noticed that messages posted by propagandists (or PR specialists) were showing up in social media and messaging areas throughout the Internet. This was especially true in China. This is where it all began; the idea of quietly paying Internet users a small fee to post pro-government (or company) responses on message boards where some company or the government is being criticized or maligned. For some members of the original Chinese "50 Cent Party" it was a full-time job, receiving up to 50 cents (two yuan) each for up to a hundred pro-government messages posted a day, using several dozen different accounts. But most of the posters were volunteers or just did it to earn a little extra money. If you could post in foreign languages, especially colloquial English, you would make more. Very few members of the "50 Cent Army" made lots of money and most were reviled by their online peers as a bunch of trolls (those who leave messages to annoy rather than inform or amuse). By 2015 Russia had turned Internet trolling into a profession with full-time workers getting paid $700 to $1,000 a month (plus bonuses for especially effective efforts) and working in office settings rather than from home. These professional trolls mainly write in Russian, to encourage pro-government opinions among Russian Internet users. The government also has an international program that pays a lot more because of the need for good foreign language skills. That means the ability to write like a native not only in terms of grammar but in terms of the Internet idioms unique to each language or country. The key here is not so come off as a Russian troll but a local. Even before Russia had turned Internet trolling into a profession, Israel kicked this process up a level in 2013 by establishing a special tuition assistance program for university students who agreed to regularly post messages on the Internet to combat anti-Semitism and anti-Israel propaganda. While Israel is unique in being one of the few countries to admit doing this, many others have been caught at it and continue to deny any official involvement. One example is North Korea, which South Korea believes has had (since at least 2014) several hundred operatives who are basically full-time Internet Apes, whose sole task is to battle anti-North Korean sentiments on South Korean internet message areas and push the idea that North Korea is a better place to live than it actually is. By now many veteran Internet users automatically recognize and ignore the paid messages and go out of their way to teach others what to look for. In the West, many moderators of message boards have tools that allow them to instantly delete the accounts of Internet Apes and all their paid-for posts. In China you can get arrested for doing that, but not for just ignoring the paid propaganda. Israel leaves it up to the operators to reveal they are semi-official or keep quiet about that. By using carefully selected university students the Israelis are better able to avoid detection and deliver more effective messages. This could be a key advantage of this program because if you can influence people who are very active on the Internet and have many followers you gain credibility and momentum. January 05, 2023 Christmas Cease Fire Russian patriarch calls for Orthodox Christmas truce in Ukraine - Reuters, Jan 5 2023 - 10:05 UTC Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, called on Thursday for both sides of the war in Ukraine to observe a Christmas truce, a step dismissed by Kyiv as a cynical trap. Many Orthodox Christians, including those living in Russia and Ukraine, celebrate Christmas on Jan. 6-7. "I, Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, appeal to all the parties involved in the internecine conflict to cease fire and establish a Christmas truce from 12:00 on Jan. 6 until 24:00 on Jan. 7 so that Orthodox people can attend services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day," he said. A senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Mykhailo Podolyak, cast the Russian Orthodox Church as a "war propagandist" that had incited the "mass murder" of Ukrainians and the militarisation of Russia. "The statement of the Russian Orthodox Church about the 'Christmas Truce' is a cynical trap and an element of propaganda," he said. --- Putin orders 36-hour weekend cease-fire in Ukraine - AP, Jan 5 2023 - 12:32 UTC Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered Moscows armed forces to hold a 36-hour cease-fire in Ukraine this weekend for the Russian Orthodox Christmas holiday, the Kremlin said. The order follows a proposal by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, earlier in the day, which was dismissed by an official in the Ukrainian presidential office as propaganda. Based on the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the combat areas, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a cease-fire and give them the opportunity to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on the Day of the Nativity of Christ, according to Putins order, addressed to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and published on the Kremlins website. The Russian troops will stop their attacks and offensive artillery strike during the announced time span. The Ukrainian military is likely to disregard the cease fire. It will try to use it for local attacks which will run into well prepared defenses. For most of the front lines this cease fire it will thereby be essentially a non-story. The value of it is in lifting the mood of the people in Russia and in the Russian affiliated areas of Ukraine. Posted by b on January 5, 2023 at 16:19 UTC | Permalink Comments next page Plaque and decals for winners are now available to be claimed Drop by the Marianas Variety office at Alahaihai Ave., Garapan to pick up. For more information, call our Sales Representatives at (670) 234-9272. Yves here. While the US health care system is coming apart at the seams, it has been preforming inconsistently and increasingly poorly for some time. My impression by contrast is that the decline of the NHS has been faster, and made more visible and painful due to accidents of timing, made worse both by Brexit (departure of nurses and doctors from the EU) and Covid. This post gives some backstory on how the Tories drove the NHS into the ditch. In case you harbor any doubts, here are the first four tweets that came up when I searched on NHS in Twitter: The UK government has accused a company linked to the Conservative peer Michelle Mone of supplying defective gowns that could have compromised the safety of patients had it been used in the NHS.https://t.co/3MI7BWPIxO Kit Yates (@Kit_Yates_Maths) January 5, 2023 Its a whole system which is cracking. Health Campaigner for North Staffs @ianmsyme spoke to us in Stoke about the crisis in emergency care and the NHS. @ITVCentral pic.twitter.com/W3HCSSRRtB Nancy Cole (@nancycoleITV) January 4, 2023 Says it all. Research on NHS waiting times in England, by the Financial Times pic.twitter.com/x0XPgE85z8 Francis Basil Goncalves (@FranBGoncalves) January 4, 2023 Editorial: The government should declare a national emergency in the NHS https://t.co/Itf9fmIzay Bob Chicken (@MullingKintyre) January 5, 2023 By Danny Dorling, a British social geographer and is the Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography of the School of Geography and the Environment of the University of Oxford. He has written numerous books and produced a number of atlases. Originally published at openDemocracy When the coalition government first introduced its landmark Health and Social Care Act in 2010, health secretary Andrew Lansley claimed the NHS would never again need to undergo such huge organisational change. But even at the time, one widely respected commentator warned that far from being the final fix that Lansley had advertised the act could become this governments poll tax. In the event, it has been a slow-burn poll tax. Only now, ten years after it came into law, are we seeing its full effects, with publications from The Times to the Morning Star reporting that A&E delays are killing up to 500 people a week. This figure 5% above the normal number of people who die each week, though that baseline is also rising can surely be traced back to the act, which ushered in a greater wave of privatisation than ever before. It compelled NHS management to behave as if they were in the private sector, competing to win business, and led to an increase in the proportion of contracts won and the use of contracts overall. At the time, the damage caused was little noticed because government cuts in the first round of austerity targeted local authorities and adult social care. The first group of people to see their life expectancy fall were elderly women who most often lived on their own. It was in 2014 that this connection became apparent. Back then, the government was still confident, with the Department for Health and Social Care rebutting any suggestion that austerity and privatisation might be linked to mortality. The privatisation figures were also opaque. In 2015, halfway through Jeremy Hunts tenure as health secretary, it was reported that ministers were misleading the public. By that point, private firms were winning 40% of new contracts far higher than the 6% spend share claimed by the government and almost identical to the 41% won by NHS bodies. The first great increase in mortality was recorded in that same year, a 5% rise that the government tried to attribute to influenza. The problem with that explanation was that the stalling and falls in life expectancy were not seen to the same extent anywhere else in Europe By 2019, life expectancy for women had fallen in almost a fifth of all neighbourhoods and in over a tenth for men. Poorer people, both old and young, in poorer areas suffered most, with infant mortality among babies born to the poorest parents rising. Later there was a rise in deaths of women who were pregnant. As NHS waiting lists spiralled, a tenth of all adults, most of those who could, were resorting to accessing private health care in 2021. But, in doing so, they lengthened the lists further by jumping the queues and thus diverting resources. By April 2022, the number of vacant beds in hospitals was at an all-time low. Estimates of the damage done kept rising. Less than six months later, it was claimed that austerity since 2010 had led to a third of a million excess deaths, twice as many as from the pandemic. Now, A&E departments are stretched to capacity, unable to clear patients to other beds in our hospitals as they could in the past. Those other beds cannot be cleared as they were before because adult social care has been repeatedly decimated, with what is left being tendered out to private companies. All of this was foretold. In the four years after 2015, the value of one group of private sector contracts in the NHS rose by 89%. These figures were released just before the 2019 general election, partly in response to Matt Hancock, then the health secretary, claiming that there is no privatisation of the NHS on my watch. Again, the damage was not so much through the extent of covert privatisation, but through the wider ethos that had been promoted. Take the USA: most of the enormous amount of money spent on healthcare there has little impact on improving health, because the ethos is wrong. It is sometimes said wrongly, that is that the NHS has not been further privatised because the share of its spending that went to the private sector remained roughly the same between 2012 and 2020. By 2020 that share was about 7%, or just under 10bn a year. It rose to over 12bn during the pandemic when the government paid private hospitals to treat patients, but because overall health spending rose, the proportion remained roughly the same, still around 7%. But the number of private companies involved did increase greatly, particularly in areas where there was already more private healthcare. By last year, private firms were delivering a quarter of all planned NHS hospital treatment in the least deprived areas of England, and 11% in the most deprived areas. Those shares which have risen since 2020 are higher than the overall 7% because it is in planned hospital treatment where the private sector has most infiltrated the NHS.< Last year, the Health and Care Act of 2022 put paid to Lansleys claim that he had fixed the NHS once and for all. The act reduces the compulsion of the NHS from having to tender so many services to private sector bidding in future, but it was not designed to stop the rot. It will not solve the services problems, though there is hope that it could be the beginning of an actual change in ethos. The pandemic made the effects of privatisation clear: Britons now have the worst access to healthcare in Europe and some of the worst post-pandemic outcomes. But the successive health secretaries who inflicted this tragedy are unrepentant. In 2018, Lansley criticised Hunts cuts in screening services, blaming them for delaying the detection of his bowel cancer. Hunt, meanwhile, went on to become foreign secretary and then chancellor of the exchequer. His legacy, as openDemocracys Caroline Molloy wrote last year, is one of missed targets, lengthening waits, crumbling hospitals, missed opportunities, false solutions, funding boosts that vanished under scrutiny, and blaming everyone but himself. Hancock is now most remembered for eating a camel penis and cow anus on live TV for money. Belligerence, bravado and buffoonery. We got here because too many of us believed the words of fools. Yves here. While in theory the public trust angle seems a promising mechanism for preventing or impeding private control and resulting rentierism of essential resource, my impression is this article is very misleading as to the trajectory of these rights. Perhaps some well informed readers will beg to differ and if so, please pipe up in comments. The privatization of former public rights, such as hunting and common pastureland, started in a big way with the enclosure movement in England. Fast forward, and in the US, the ownership and sale of water and mineral rights is well established. In New York City, there are even air rights, so if a developer doesnt max out on the density of a project, he can sell his unused air rights to another developer. So I dont see how our Anglo conceptualization of property rights gets turned around any time soon. By Aric Sleeper, an independent journalist whose work, which covers topics including labor, drug reform, food, and more, has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle and other publications local to Californias Central Coast. In addition to his role as a community reporter, he has served as a government analyst and bookseller. Produced by Local Peace Economy, a project of the Independent Media Institute With the reality of climate change becoming more apparent in the form of extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, and floods, it is clear that the future of all life on the planet is in peril. To stress the immediacy and seriousness of human-caused climate change and its effects, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the leaders and representatives of nearly 200 countries at COP27 in November 2022. Our planet is fast approaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible, said Guterres at the conference. We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator. As the climate rapidly changes largely due to the environmentally damaging practices of large corporations, unchecked by government officials that receive campaign contributions from the polluting industries, it may seem like there isnt much that can be done to combat this problematic pattern. However, there are underutilized legal weapons already on the books that can help fight big corporations and preserve the planets natural resources, such as watersheds and large forests, like those in Oregonwhich can either serve as a sponge for carbon dioxide or an emitter when the forest cover is cut down. That legal weapon, a component of property law, is a concept known as the public trust. The public trust lies in the realm of fundamental rights law, says University of Oregon Philip H. Knight Professor Mary Christina Wood. Its roots actually go back to Roman law and the institutes of Justinian, which does seem like a long time ago, but every court case today that deals with the public trust mentions those Roman roots, literally. The institutes of Justinian or Justinian the Great, a Roman emperor ruling in the sixth century, declared that certain natural resources are always considered under public ownership, and those resources are air, water, and coastlines, according to Wood. The public trust has its origins in public property rights, says Wood. The Roman law became the basis of civil and common law systems around the world. The Roman concept that the public has ownership of natural resources subsequently became embedded in English law. After the Magna Carta was established in 1215, the king of England could not assert full dominion over fisheries, forests, or water, according to Wood. In the law of the United States, the public trust principle is also present but is expressed in a slightly different way than the English monarchy. In this country [the U.S.], it was announced as the most simple and logical principle, says Wood. The government is a sovereign with the people giving it power, and the government does not have the power to fully privatize resources that are crucial. Those stay in trust for the peopleand the government works as a trustee or fiduciary steward of those resources, and the beneficiaries are present and future generations of citizens. Wood points out that the public trust has always been a part of United States law, but isnt always utilized in the context of protecting natural resources, with statutory laws such as the Clean Air Act of 1963 and others being more commonly used in court cases. Im just sort of taking it off the shelf, says Wood. When Wood was a student at Stanford Law School, one of her professors was Joseph Sax, who was a pioneer of public trust scholarship. Wood was inspired by Saxs work and took the concept of the law further by devising a litigation strategy based on the public trust, which continues to evolve. She has also written a book called Natures Trust: Environmental Law for a New Ecological Age, which critiques statutory environmental law, in the sense that the laws dont go far enough to protect natural resources. She also discusses established public trust principles in her book and identifies the responsibilities the government has to protect natural resources in the context of the public trust. To put the concept in different terms, Wood explains the public trust through a financial example. Say you have a college-age daughter and you have $500,000 to pay for her college, but you dont want to deal with the money management because youre too busy, says Wood. So you appoint me as a trustee for the college account. As the trustee, I am the legal owner of that account. I manage it, safely invest it and pay [your daughter] the dividends, and she is the beneficial owner. If I screw up in some way or buy a condo with the money, which is what our political representatives are kind of doing by using our resources as a payback for political contributions, I have violated a fiduciary obligation to your daughter. In all, there are about 10 fiduciary obligations or legal responsibilities that the government has to its citizens with regard to vital natural resources that are a part of the public trust, which are outlined in Woods book and recent talk. The most basic fiduciary obligation is the duty of protection, says Wood. You protect the wealth of the trust. Wood notes that clear-cutting of forests is a violation of the public trust, as it releases large amounts of carbon. Although she points out that it is debatable whether a forest is considered part of the public trust, there is no debate about water and airs inclusion. When a forest is clear-cut, it affects the watershed and releases carbon into the atmosphere, which violates another fiduciary obligation. That violates the duty to maximize benefit to the public, says Wood. The public has many interests in that ecology. It serves as a watershed and a habitat, and typically speaking, the agencies are taking actions for the primary benefit of a private party and not for the public. Because of the Citizens United court case, Wood cant legally do anything about timber companies that give contributions to political campaigns, but with the public trust law she found a loophole with the fiduciary duty of loyalty. The government has many functions, and one of those is dealing with natural wealth, says Wood. The agencies in those dealings are public trustees, and courts say this across the board. In this context, when a legislator accepts a campaign contribution and makes a decision about the wealth of the public trustsay, a watershedthat benefits the contributor, then that is a violation of the public trust. This allows lawyers like Wood to challenge and legally invalidate the actions of legislators who try to give favors to their financial backers, but only in the sphere of natural resources protected in the public trust. Its a full frame change of the law, says Wood. One group fighting to protect natural resources in the public trust in Oregon is called North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection (NCCWP), a grassroots organization of Oregon residents. The group is concerned with the protection of drinking water that comes from forested watersheds, and air quality, which are both negatively impacted by common timber industry practices like clear-cutting, slash burning, and pesticide spraying in forests that surround communities in Oregon. The groups awareness-raising petition, launched in summer 2022, calls for the cessation of logging operations and pesticide use in drinking watersheds across the northern Oregon coast. Because the petition is not a legal petition but instead aims at increasing public awareness, anyone from anywhere can sign it. The group plans to present the petition to city, county, and state-level lawmakers in Oregon, as well as a number of relevant stakeholders, in an effort to increase consciousness about the ways communities are impacted by industrial timber practices. Wood points out that the work of groups like NCCWP is vital to combating environmental degradation and fighting climate change, but changing the status quo will take even more audacious actions. We are going over Niagara Falls, all of us, says Wood. We really need some bold thinking, and I think that the public trust is that because it reorients government back to the basic principles of substantial impairment. So I try to create legislative approaches that hit hard and hit big. Because Russia made some big-arrow moves across Ukraine early in the war, and did quickly bring Ukraine to the negotiable, a lot of arm chair generals have become very impatient with the subsequent pace of the conflict. That sense of frustration and anticipation has only increased as Russia has called up and has been training its 300,000 reservists plus volunteers and installed the ferocious-looking General Surovikin as theater commander. Even though from a map perspective, not much seems to have happened, save Russia giving up Kherson city, later revealed to have been a trap. But Ukraine has burned through most if not all of its initial weapons, despite it having been armed to take on Russia. And Russia has shown it is most assuredly not running out of missiles by methodically wrecking Ukraines electrical transmission and destroying military assets like drone conversion facilities, air strips, and even Starlink terminals. And in a further taking stock, in a New Years update of sorts, former Colonel Douglas Macgregor, who maintains inside contacts, estimates total Ukraine casualties at 450,000 and dead at 150,000 (at 2:00): Even with that level of carnage, Ukraine is still punching, even though, as Macgregor points out, there is evidence that Ukraine is getting desperate for men: pressing young teenagers into service and relying more and more on foreign volunteers. Yet there is still pent-up anticipation that Russia will launch a big or at least biggish offensive once it has its recently mobilized troops in place and the ground freezes. That, again per Macgregor as well as Moon of Alabama, is in about two weeks. Yours truly has no idea what will happen but I think the eagerness to see a decisive and more traditional battle is blinding commentators to other possibilities. First, recall that Surovikin cautioned Russian citizens to expect a grinding war, and that he was taking that approach to conserve Russian lives. Surovikin may have focused on human costs, but the fact is that seasoned fighters are vastly more effective than freshly trained recruits. His position is pragmatic: experienced soldiers are a scarce resource and he needs to operate conservatively in light of that. From the very outset, Russia heard the message from the West that it intended to bleed Russia. Yesterday, Moon of Alabama responded to the idea of a coming soon big Russian offensive, by reacting to a scenario presented by Dima at Military Summary on Tuesday, in response to bleating by a Kharkiv about Russian force accumulations nearby. Dima suggested that Russia could trap the many Ukraine soldiers at the line of contact in Donbass by advancing in their rear in an offensiv north from Zaporzhizia and south from Kharvik, or could capture a smaller group by just striking south from Kharkiv. MoA poured cold water on both schemes by arguing that the lack of rail lines from Kharkiv south along the envisaged line of attack made a big offensive there impractical. He pointed out a second issue: that the late winter freeze meant Russia could count only only eight weeks before the ground started to get soft again. Would there be enough time to achieve meaningful results? Ill hoist the entire discussion since it is educational: Dima of the Military Summary Channel discussed yesterday how two big moves, one up from the Mariupol area and one down west of Kharkiv, can cut all railroad lines that connect west Ukraine with the eastern frontline where some 80+% of the Ukrainian army is now deployed. I agree that the move from the south will happen but I am less sure about the northern branch. bigger The Ukrainian army, just like the Russian one, depends on railroads for medium and long range transport. Neither has enough trucks to move the big amount of supplies that are needed to support the war. Ukrainian railways Source bigger To be able to supply its forces any Russian move must follow the rail lines and create some safety corridor left and right of them. Both are big 200 kilometer (120 miles) long moves that require significant amounts of forces. But after its mobilization and with volunteers Russia has 350,000 additional forces it can move in. 75 to 100,000 are sufficient for each push while the rest can keep the Ukrainian troops in the east very busy and fixed in their position. Then comes the question of when. Due to currently warmer than normal weather the ground in Ukraine is not yet frozen and the mud will return in March and April. That gives only a two months window to move forward. If I were the Russian commander I would probably wait and use the six dry months during the summer. But there are other criteria, like politics and economics, that will come into play and which may require an earlier move. I note the lack of interest of timing questions on the Ukraine side. As we are seeing all along the line of contact, Russia and Ukraine can keep fighting at a pretty intense level, and at resulting high cost to Ukraine, during mud season. Can Ukraine realistically sustain that until summer? It would seem that the further, considerable depletion of Ukraine forces would argue for Russia holding off if it can. The West will also wind up fighting over who will fund the yawning chasm of the Ukraine budget, and Republicans may also get traction in questioning the profligacy of war spending. If the US starts wobbling on Everything for Ukraine, that may make it harder to silence opposition voices in Europe. Remember also that it is essential for Ukraine to keep up the illusion of success to keep funding and weapons flowing. But how long can this show go on? Given its inability to make real progress on the battlefield, Ukraine will have to gin up more and more stunts like its attention grabbing strikes on the Makiivka barracks and terrorist acts like the serial drone flights to Engels airbase.1 Makiivka was a massive own goal due to serious lapses in discipline, but officials have also taken umbrage at the US role (its a certainty that the US helped with targeting and even possibly in launching the attack).2 Zelensky has also pre-committed himself to Do Something by February 24, the anniversary of the start of the Special Military Operation. He has announced he will present a Russian capitulation peace plan then. Recall that Western officials have repeatedly stressed that Ukraine should push for peace only after battlefield wins. That means as with the famed Kherson offensive of last year, Ukraine will be under pressure, optics-wise, to look as if it is advancing somewhere, anywhere, during the winter freeze. Some Russia experts have worried that Ukraine will try to attack Belgorod, which is only 25 miles from the Ukraine border and has been hit occasionally. If Ukraine forces were to enter Russia proper, it would be a political disaster for Putin and the military leadership. However, Ukraine is obsessed with Crimea and even people who should know better, like the Institute for the Study of War, apparently keep bringing it up. Zelensky insisted in his Congressional star turn that Ukraine would retake Crimea and the Biden Administration last month said it believed Ukraine had the ability to do so. Experts who have looked at the terrain, supply lines, Russian manning and fortifications have said it would be suicidal for Ukraine forces to attempt to take Crimea or even cut its land bridge any time soon. But the Kherson offensive last fall was also suicidal, even though the Western press for the most part averted its eyes from the cost and lack of territorial gain. It is more likely that Ukraine will attempt more terrorist-type operations, like its attacks grain-corridor-exploiting drone attacks on Black Sea ship, and the Kerch bridge strike. A final possibility is that a Ukraine stunt would be aimed at bringing NATO into the conflict. NATO becoming involved in a serious way is Ukraines last best hope for rescue. Fortunately no one fell for the errant Ukraine S-300 missile that fell in Poland during the G-20. However, I am not inclined to see this as an accident. Scott Ritter, who has helped operate similar missile defense system, has said the only way a missile would have gone anywhere, particularly in such an odd direction, is if a radar signal sent it there. In other words, he contends the fire was deliberate, although it could have been executed by rogue members of the Ukraine military, even with assistance of misbehaving Poles. Given the G-20 timing last time, I would be particularly concerned about action at or near the February 3 date of an EU-Ukraine summit, to be hosted in Kiev. I cant see how anyone would fall for the idea of a Russian false flag attempt, although some Ukrainian nationalists might be desperate enough to try. If I were Russia, I would try to make it too unattractive to host the meeting there, although even if all the lights were out, I would anticipate Ursula von der Leyen making it a point of pride to meeting in a generator-powered facility. But what about heat in the hotel rooms? Less than the usual glam meals? This is a long winded way of saying that Russia via its mobilization may have raised expectations that make it extremely difficult not to launch some sort of offensive during what is now anticipated to be a short winter freeze. I do not think the barracks attack will force Russia to change its big plans, but it might have to do some extra whackage, like more grid or military sites hits, to satisfy the public. But Russia will find it hard to splain why it isnt using all of its new troops soon if it doesnt. However, all things being equal, it would be best for Russia to continue its slow bleed out of Ukraine men and NATO weapons until the Ukraine forces were collapsing. One way for Ukraine to continue to play into Russias hand would be if it were to attempt an offense when the ground hardens. The more Ukraine keeps breaking its military on Russian lines, the better for Russia. ____ 1 It does appear that Russia was truthful when it said it intercepted the drones and the deaths of airmen resulted from anti-aircraft fallout and not a Ukraine hit. Western arial photographs show no damage to the base or any equipment. 2 I am at a loss to understand why the US helping Ukraine hit bona fide military targets with HIMARS is worse than the ongoing war crime of aiming HIMARS, which again almost certainly require US help, at residential neighborhoods in Donetsk city. The evolution of my position with the Post dates to 2000, when I began work with The City Paper. In 2008, SouthComm Inc. bought the Post and TCP, with the latter ceasing operations in 2013. In 2018, FW Publishing acquired the Post, for which I have served as managing editor since 2011. Follow William Williams Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today (Natural News) Twitter engaged in widespread censorship of prominent scientists and medical experts for posting content that contradicted the official COVID-19 narrative, according to the latest Twitter Files document dump, released Dec. 26, 2022, by investigative reporter and author David Zweig. (Article by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D. republished from ChildrensHealthDefense.org) Much of this censorship came at the behest of the Biden administration, according to Zweig, who said internal documents revealed that the Biden administration was very angry that Twitter didnt engage in more censorship. Prior installments of the Twitter files focused on political censorship and the widespread use of secret blacklists and shadow banning, the direct involvement of agencies such as the FBI in such censorship on Twitter and Twitters collusion with the Pentagon and U.S. military to protect accounts perpetuating propaganda. Only a limited amount of COVID-19-related content was previously revealed as part of the ongoing release of the Twitter files, primarily information that Stanford University professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, an outspoken critic of COVID-19 vaccines and lockdowns, was placed on a blacklist by Twitter. Meanwhile, on Jan. 1, Twitter CEO Elon Musk tweeted that 2023 wont be boring, and responded to author Juanita Broaddricks waiting for #FauciFiles comment with: Later this week. Twitter files Part 8 reveals another layer of collusion between Twitter + U.S. gov, including that Twitter protected numerous accounts and personas created by the U.S. military for the dissemination of propaganda in the Middle East and beyond.https://t.co/FWno6dS8eK Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) December 21, 2022 Zweig: Twitter rigged the COVID debate In a series of 39 tweets posted Dec. 26, Zweig, reporting on behalf of The Free Press, revealed information and documents showing how, in his words, Twitter rigged the COVID debate. This was accomplished, according to Zweig, by censoring info that was true but inconvenient to U.S. [government] policy, by discrediting doctors and other experts who disagreed and by suppressing ordinary users, including some sharing the CDCs [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] *own data* [emphasis original]. This censorship, according to Zweig, often occurred with direct U.S. government involvement, particularly on the part of the Biden administration. Zweig, whose work previously has been published by The New York Times, The Atlantic and New York Magazine, wrote: The United States government pressured Twitter and other social media platforms to elevate certain content and suppress other content about COVID-19. Both the Biden and Trump administrations had, to varying extents, pressured Twitter to moderate the platforms pandemic content according to their wishes, according to Zweig, citing internal files at Twitter that [he] viewed. This resulted in the development of an official COVID-19-related narrative by Twitter. Twitter made a decision, via the political leanings of senior staff, and [government] pressure, that the public health authorities approach to the pandemic prioritizing mitigation over other concerns was The Science, Zweig said. Zweig tweeted: 38. Information that challenged that view, such as showing harms of vaccines, or that could be perceived as downplaying the risks of Covid, especially to children, was subject to moderation, and even suppression. No matter whether such views were correct or adopted abroad. David Zweig (@davidzweig) December 26, 2022 While, according to Zweig, the Trump administration was largely concerned about panic buying in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, meeting with executives from Twitter, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and others, the Biden administration was much more concerned about anti-vaxxer accounts. According to Zweig, one such anti-vaxxer account targeted by Biden officials was that of former New York Times journalist Alex Berenson. In the summer of 2021, wrote Zweig, Biden said social media companies were killing people for allowing vaccine information. Twitter suspended Berenson within hours of Bidens remarks and subsequently permanently banned him. Berenson sued Twitter and, as part of an eventual settlement, Twitter was compelled to release certain internal communications, which showed direct White House pressure on the company to take action on Berenson. Documents accompanying the tweets posted by Zweig pertaining to Berenson revealed internal discussions among Twitter staff on their private Slack communications channel, revealing external pressure to ban Berenson from the platform. This was accompanied by evidence of meetings between the White House and Lauren Culbertson, Twitters then-head of U.S. Public Policy. Communications from Culbertson showed the Biden administration was very angry that, in Zweigs words, Twitter had not been more aggressive in deplatforming multiple accounts they wanted Twitter to do more. Twitter executives did not fully capitulate to the Biden teams wishes, Zweig said, but they nevertheless did suppress views many from doctors and scientific experts that conflicted with the official positions of the White House. As a result, legitimate findings and questions that would have expanded the public debate went missing, Zweig said. Zweig noted that much of the content moderation was conducted by bots that were too crude for such nuanced work, or by contractors, in places like the Philippines who were non experts tasked to adjudicate tweets on complex topics like myocarditis and mask efficacy data. Ultimately, according to Zweig, The buck stopped with higher level employees at Twitter who chose the inputs for the bots and decision trees, and subjectively escalated cases and suspensions based on individual and collective bias. With COVID-19, wrote Zweig, this bias bent heavily toward establishment dogmas. Inevitably, dissident yet legitimate content was labeled as misinformation, Zweig said and as a result, the accounts of doctors and others were suspended both for tweeting opinions and demonstrably true information. One such doctor was Dr. Martin Kulldorff, a Harvard Medical School epidemiologist. Internal emails showed an intent to action targeting Kulldorff for violating Twitters COVID-19 misinformation policy and sharing false information regarding the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines, which goes against CDC guidelines. The March 15, 2021, tweet in question by Kulldorff stated: No. Thinking that everyone must be vaccinated is as scientifically flawed as thinking that nobody should. COVID vaccines are important for older high-risk people, and their care-takers. Those with prior natural infection do not need it. Nor children. According to Zweig, despite being an experts opinion and one which also happened to be in line with vaccine policies in numerous other countries, Kulldorffs tweet was deemed false information by Twitter merely because it differed from CDC guidelines. As a result, a misleading label was added to Kulldorffs tweet, replies and likes were shut off and the tweets visibility was throttled. Such actions were not isolated to the tweets of one doctor. In my review of internal files, I found countless instances of tweets labeled as misleading or taken down entirely, sometimes triggering account suspensions, simply because they veered from CDC guidance or differed from establishment views, Zweig said. One users tweet was labeled misleading even though it displayed the CDCs own data, after being flagged by a bot and after receiving many tattles (internal Twitter lingo for reports manually submitted by users). A manual review of the tweet followed, leading to the application of the misleading label. Tellingly, wrote Zweig, the tweet in question was written in response to a tweet that contained actual misinformation, but which nevertheless remains on the platform, and without a misleading label. Data from peer-reviewed studies flagged or suppressed Zweig also referred to several other instances where tweets referring to data from studies published in peer-reviewed journals were flagged or suppressed. One user, Rhode Island physician Dr. Andrew Bostom, contacted Twitter via his attorney following his permanent suspension from the platform for posting data published in the Andrology journal finding that Primary COVID-19 BNT162b mRNA vaccinated temporarily impairs semen concentration & total motile count among semen donors. An internal review followed, finding that only one of Bostoms five violations was valid. According to Zweig though, this valid violation pertained to a tweet that cited data that was legitimate but inconvenient to the public health establishments narrative namely, that flu is more lethal than COVID-19 in children. There was even internal lobbying described by Zweig as human bias run amok to moderate the following Oct. 5, 2020, tweet by President Donald Trump: I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. Feeling really good! Dont be afraid of Covid. Dont let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2020 According to Zweig, a surreal exchange followed internally the same day, involving Jim Baker, a former FBI lawyer who was then Twitters deputy general counsel, who questioned why telling people to not be afraid wasnt a violation of Twitters COVID-19 misinformation policy. Yoel Roth, Twitters then-head of Trust and Safety, replied that optimism wasnt misinformation. In summarizing this installment of the Twitter files release, Zweig wrote: What might this pandemic and its aftermath have looked like if there had been a more open debate on Twitter and other social media platforms not to mention the mainstream press about the origins of COVID, about lockdowns, about the true risks of COVID in kids, and much more? The internal biases revealed by Zweig were further confirmed in an additional series of tweets by Musk on Dec. 28, revealing that a Fauci Fan Club, referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci, existed on one of Twitters internal Slack communication channels. Preceding this, Musk tweeted out a Yahoo! News story revealing that in 2012, Fauci authored a journal article arguing in favor of gain-of-function research that, at the time, had been put on pause. Embattled doctors, scientists react Various medical experts and scientists who were subject to Twitter censorship publicly reacted to the latest Twitter files release. Kulldorff, in a recent interview with The Epoch Times, said: There should be an open discussion. You cant expect people to trust public health and trust the scientific community if you dont have that open communication and open debate. I think for many people, they only heard one voice, Kullldorff said. And when they heard alternative voices, [those voices] were sort of dismissed as cranks. But thats not how medicine or science works. The government should not at all be involved in influencing content on social media platforms, according to Kulldorff, who questioned whether other scientists were involved in urging Twitter to censor their fellow scientists who had a different opinion. As previously reported by The Defender, a peer-reviewed study published in November 2022 found that numerous doctors and scientists who publicly expressed views or data contrary to official COVID-19 policy were subjected to censorship or dismissal from their positions, often by the institutions they worked for. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, the Twitter files reveal the existence of a Deep State and also that the lawlessness of our intelligence agencies and the psychological warfare against the American public is far worse than most people ever expected. Other medical experts took the opportunity to openly discuss and debate issues pertaining to COVID-19 vaccines and measures. In a live Dec. 28 Twitter Spaces discussion spanning more than four hours and hosted by blogger Matt Wallace, a panel of experts, including Drs. Ryan Cole, Simone Gold, Scott Jensen and Aaron Kheriaty, as well as journalists and activists, including Tara Bull of Fox Business and Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch, debated such issues. In introducing the discussion, Wallace said that for far too long, many truths about COVID have been banned, suppressed and dismissed. He credited Musk with allowing the panel to freely talk about some of these issues that we could not talk about before. House calls for investigation Amid the flurry of recent activity, Ella Irwin, Twitters new head of Trust and Safety, on Dec. 28 tweeted that the review of thousands of suspended accounts is ongoing and will require approximately 30 days to be completed. The review is part of the general amnesty of suspended accounts announced by Musk in a Nov. 24 tweet. According to Irwin, this amnesty is applicable to users that did not engage in threats of harm/violence, fraud or other illegal activity. And in response to the Twitter files released up until that point, House Judiciary Committee Republicans, led by incoming Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), delivered a letter demanding that FBI Director Christopher Wray turn over records of all communications and payments involving Twitter. According to the letter, co-authored by Jordan and Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), We are investigating politicization and abuses at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as Big Techs censorship of conservatives online. The letter further stated: These documents show that the FBI maintained this relationship with Twitter apart from any particularized need for a specific investigation, but as a permanent and ongoing surveillance operation. These revelations sadly reinforce our deep concerns about the FBIs misconduct and its hostility to the First Amendment. Just the News reported that Jordan plans a wide investigation of the FBI and Justice Department practices, including censorship, snooping on congressional investigators, the use of confidential informants and the targeting of parents as domestic terrorists. Read more at: ChildrensHealthDefense.org (Natural News) The head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) warned that China could claim parts of the moon for itself and keep the U.S. out of it entirely. During an interview with POLITICO published on New Years Day, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson called attention to the communist countrys attempts to gain control of the moons resource-rich areas. He cautioned that this could become a reality if China gains the upper hand against the United States. It is a fact: Were in a space race, Nelson told the outlet. And it is true that we better watch out that they [China] dont get to a place on the moon under the guise of scientific research. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say Keep out, were here, this is our territory.' (Related: NASA warns about Chinese plans to install permanent base on moon: Were in a space race.) According to the NASA administrator and former astronaut, there are only so many places on the south pole on the moon that are adequate for harvesting water and so forth. Moreover, Nelson cited an example here on Earth as a red flag of what China can do the moment it reaches space: If you doubt that, look at what they did with the Spratly Islands. The head of the U.S. space agency acknowledged that China, within the last decade, has had enormous success and advances in its space program. He added: It is also true that their date for landing on the moon keeps getting closer and closer. In spite of this, he still expressed confidence that NASA has what it takes to win the space race once more and fulfill its set goal of sending a manned mission to the moon in 2025. China insists moon missions arent nefarious in nature Back in 2019, the China National Space Administration the countrys counterpart to NASA successfully performed a soft landing on the moons far side as part of its Change 4 robotic mission. It was later able to deliver samples from the moon back to Earth. According to Beijing, it expects to put a man on the moon before 2030 and to later establish a scientific research station there. Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, remarked that outer space is not a wrestling ground, but an important field for win-win cooperation. He reiterated that the exploration of space is humanitys common endeavor and should benefit all, adding that China was committed to cooperating with other countries on this. Some U.S. officials have spoken irresponsibly to misrepresent the normal and legitimate space endeavors of China, Liu lamented. China firmly rejects such remarks [and] always advocates the peaceful use of outer space, opposes the weaponization of and arms race in outer space and works actively toward building a community with a shared future for mankind in the space domain. But retired Air Force Col. Terry Virts, a former commander of the International Space Station and Space Shuttle, begs to differ. He said in an interview that Washington and Beijings race to the moon has political and security components. On one level, it is a political competition to show whose system works better. What [China] really wants is respect as the worlds top country. They want to be the dominant power on Earth, so going to the moon is a way to show their system is working. If they beat us back to the moon, it shows they are better than us. [On another level], there is potentially mischief China can do on the moon. If they set up infrastructure there they could potentially deny communications, for example. Having them there doesnt make things easier. There is real concern about Chinese meddling. Watch China affairs commentator Gordon Chang explain why Chinas space program serves as its attempt to take the solar system below. This video is from the Chinese taking down EVIL CCP channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: China, Russia sign agreement to build space station on the moon, the high ground above planet Earth. Russia, China make stunning advances in anti-satellite drone swarms, laser weapons to win space war. Space race? Russia to partner with China to build the first lunar base after rejecting US space deal. China, Russia developing space weapons that can destroy, disable satellites. Pentagon: Chinas space weapons program on the march. Sources include: RT.com POLITICO.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) A startup company-cult called Make Sunset is dragging the world into an even worse chemtrail hell as its CEO, a guy named Luke Iseman, announces plans to blast the skies with more sun-blocking sulfur pollution. Through the sale of cooling credits, Iseman, who compared himself to a Bond villain, says geoengineering activism is the way forward, even though it has no scientific backing and will likely destroy the planet and its many delicate ecosystems. We joke slash not joke that this is partly a company and partly a cult, Iseman joked, adding that his newfound caricature as some kind of movie bad guy is going to be helpful to certain groups. Even so, Iseman wants to block out the sun and freeze the planet because he believes that doing so will address his fears about global warming. Humanity has not done nearly enough, in his view, to interfere with the trajectory of the climate to prevent it from changing. How Iseman is attempting to steer the climate more towards his liking involves sending weather balloons full of sulfur up into the stratosphere. Once there, these balloons are supposed to pop, releasing all their cooling pollution between the sun and the earth. That pollution, we are told, reflects sunlight back into space, preventing it from providing warmth on the earths surface. In Isemans view, this is a smart thing to do that will prevent the planet from getting too hot. (Related: Remember when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] called for all nations of the world to start spraying chemtrails as the solution to global warming?) Isemans sulfur balloon project is no different than Chinese mad scientists DNA-tampering CRISPR experiments both involve the indiscriminate destruction of nature So far, without any permission from governments to do so, Iseman has sent up two such weather balloons in Mexico, each carrying a gram of sulfur. What became of them is unknown because they were not tracked, and were merely used for tests. In the future, Iseman wants to send up a whole lot more balloons, which he will pay for by selling cooling credits, which are similar in concept to carbon credits. Its morally wrong, in my opinion, for us not to be doing this, Iseman said, adding that the most important thing is to do this as quickly and safely as we can. Nobody knows what the long-term impact of all that sulfur particle release will be, however. Others within the field of climatology are not so sure that Isemans endeavors are safe, or that they will accomplish anything beneficial. One skeptic is Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative executive director Janos Pasztor, who stated that the current state of science is not good enough to either reject or to accept, let alone implement, this kind of solar geoengineering technology. At the very last, Pasztor added, there needs to be some kind of oversight by governments, international accords, or scientific bodies. Iseman the Bond villain wannabe cannot simply shoot chemicals up into the sky in his backyard in the hopes that planet earth will be saved from too much warmth. To go ahead with implementation at this stage is a very bad idea, Pasztor further stated, comparing Isemans plans to Chinese scientist He Jiankuis decision to use CRISPR technology to tamper with the DNA of embryos while the scientific community was still debating the safety and ethics of this process. It turns out that Iseman has very little knowledge of atmospheric science, nor does he seem to care about what it might do to negatively harm the planet. Because it makes sense in his climate-warped mind to destroy the environment in this manner in order to save it, he feels he has the right to just go ahead with his plans as a rogue actor. Thats because its relatively cheap and technically simple to do, at least in a crude way, reports MIT Technology Review about how easy it is to blanket the skies in sulfur and other particulates. It turns out that a James Bond film from 1964 actually did portray an Iseman-like character called Greenfinger, described as a self-appointed protector of the planet (who) could force a lot of geoengineering on his own. Isemans sulfur balloon project is also disturbingly similar to an incident that occurred roughly a decade ago when an American entrepreneur decided to pour hundreds of tons of iron sulfate into the ocean to suck carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Critics say it violated international restrictions on whats known as iron fertilization, which were in part inspired by a growing number of commercial proposals to sell carbon credits for such work, MIT Technology Review explains. Some believe it subsequently stunted research efforts in field. The latest climate-related news can be found at Climate.news. Sources for this article include: TechnologyReview.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Public health safety measures have failed the population. Plexiglass barriers, swabs, face masks, sanitizers, floor arrows, social distancing, and isolation have only made the population dumber and weaker unable to adapt to their environment. Today, a barrage of illness is currently sweeping through the country from influenza, RSV, and pneumonia to various cold viruses, enteroviruses, and covid-19 variants. Several ear, nose, and throat doctors (otolaryngologists) recently shared their strategies for treating seasonal illness in the Wall Street Journal. Their professional advice varies and offers insight into the failing state of health in the United States. Some advice is basic common sense, and other advice is the reason why sickness and severe disease is pervasive in the first place. Doctors share reasonable, conflicting, and incomplete advice on treating infections The doctors agree that its important to be up-to-date on flu shots and covid-19 vaccinations, including boosters. This advice is paradoxical, since the doctors also suggest various ways to treat infections infections that the vaccines were supposed to prevent in the first place. Some of these treatments include elderberry tablets, chicken noodle soup, and vitamin C. The doctors also said that proper hydration and rest are key to overcoming any infection, which is absolutely true. Marc G. Dubin, an otolaryngologist from Towson, MD suggests two medications when a cough or congestion is present. To clear congestion, he suggests any medication that includes the active ingredient guaifenesin. This expectorant drug loosens up mucus, allowing the body to remove it more efficiently. To suppress a cough, Dr. Dubin suggests taking dextromethorphan. While suppressing a cough may prevent a sore throat and a headache, its worth noting that the cough is sometimes necessary to expel mucus from the lungs and throat. To recover more quickly, one should aim to thin the mucus with anti-inflammatory herbs and spices to improve the efficacy of the cough and shorten the duration of illness. Its also important to avoid refined sugars and inflammatory foods when sickness is imminent. Dr. Dubin does avoid antihistamines that contain diphenhydramine. This drug may cause thicker mucus secretions that are harder to cough up. Dr. Dubin recommends nasal irrigation using a saline solution. He recommends distilled or boiled water mixed with salt solution packets. If you just pump regular water in your nose, it can lead to more swelling, he says. Sterling Ransone, a family physician in Deltaville, VA., uses an oral decongestant containing pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) or a nasal spray decongestant (Afrin), but she will only use these for a few days, due to the side effects. These decongestants cause high blood pressure and rebound swelling and inflammation in the sinuses. Dr. Ransone keeps a supply of these drugs every November. When she gets infected, she believes the drugs prevent her from infecting others. There is no clinical evidence to suggest that suppressing symptoms will stop the spread of infection. In fact, there is evidence that suppressing fever only lengthens the duration of viral shedding. It only makes sense that suppressing a cough may slow the bodys ability to clear the infection. This is why Phoenix Pediatrician Gary Kirkilas avoids over-the-counter cold medicines and fever reducers, because they dont alter the course of the illness. He does, however, use Chloraseptic throat spray to numb a sore throat before he eats or goes to bed. This over-the-counter medication contains the active ingredient, phenol, which is considered toxic when used orally in humans. Pineapple juice, raw honey, or peppermint oil are safer, more effective analgesics for alleviating a sore throat and cough. A marshmallow root tea or mullein tincture can help soothe the mucous membranes and bring down inflammation in the sinuses, helping the body remove mucus. Dr. Ransone said she keeps cans of chicken noodle soup handy every winter. To boost the medicinal quality of the soup, one should add garlic, onion, and cayenne to the broth. The capsaicin from the cayenne thins the mucus and opens up the airways. Garlic and onion contain compounds that fight viral infections. The chicken noodle soup itself provides fluids, electrolytes, carbohydrates and lean, digestible protein. When one is in tune with their body and knows the first signs of any illness, they can more quickly respond with early treatments. Testing is a waste of time, especially when one knows what works for their body. Elderberry syrup, vitamin D, zinc, and various antiviral and antibacterial herbal medicines are valuable tools early on in the treatment of infection. Sources include: Archive.vn Pubmed.gov EPA.gov [PDF] NaturalNews.com Naturalpedia.com Pubmed.gov Naturalpedia.com (Natural News) If our country had an honest and competent mainstream media staffed with professionals who took to heart our founders intent of a free press to hold those in power to account, there would be an outcry for one of the worlds biggest pharmaceutical companies to be held responsible for the damage it did to countless millions of people via faulty COVID-19 vaccines. As reported by Conservative Reviews Daniel Horowitz, Tolerance is a good thing in most aspects of life. But when it comes to the immune system, artificially juicing up the body to create antibodies with long-term tolerance to a pathogen is a recipe for disaster. He noted further: Amid thousands of papers on COVID and the vaccines, a new German paper published in Science Immunology should be the headline story this week. Although the subject matter is very dense, the implication of it is that the Pfizer shots (and possibly other mRNA spike protein shots) caused the immune system to misfire, thereby creating an endless feedback loop of viral immune escape, perpetuating the pandemic in the macro, and creating immune suppression for the individuals who received them. He went on to write that it is vexing as to why, today, the virus remains with us, questioning the fact that whereas so many countries in the Pacific Rim did well against COVID in 2020 and 2021 but now have a much bigger problem in 2022 with a less virulent strain. He asks further why it appears as though this pandemic wont end and so many people continue to contract it more than once. None of this is normal, he wrote. Wherever you turn, the most vaccinated countries are not only experiencing rampant side effects from the shots, but worse outcomes from COVID itself following their endless booster campaigns. During the last six months, 98% of all reported covid deaths have occurred in nations where more than 1 vaccine dose has been administered per person. Essentially no deaths are occurring in the unvaccinated nations. pic.twitter.com/QIG7CyMJwc PLC (@Humble_Analysis) December 2, 2022 Portugal is the most vaccinated nation in all of Europe (95% vaxd, 70% boosted) and yet just as many people are dying now as in 2021 and significantly more people than in 2020 (when no one was vaxd and no one had immunity and covid was more virulent). Safe and effective? the Twitter account PLC noted, along with a graphic chart showing a historic spike in mortality in the country. Portugal is the most vaccinated nation in all of Europe (95% vaxd, 70% boosted) and yet just as many people are dying now as in 2021 and significantly more people than in 2020 (when no one was vaxd and no one had immunity and covid was more virulent). Safe and effective? pic.twitter.com/nIsRQw6aDX PLC (@Humble_Analysis) December 13, 2022 Horowitz notes further: But even more telling than an epidemiological comparison of one nation to another is a comparison of outcomes within nations themselves between pre- and post-vaccination/booster campaign. Prior to the mass vaccination, two parts of the world largely escaped excess deaths from the virus: continental Africa and the Pacific Rim nations. Yet whereas Africa flatlined in terms of COVID deaths throughout 2021-2022, countries like Japan only experienced meaningful numbers of deaths after the mass vaccination program. The chart, Horowitz pointed out, shows that Japans COVID death curves are progressively worse, and that the change only began after most citizens, and seniors, in particular, were boosted, despite the fact that the Omicron variant is far less pathogenic than previous strains. He also noted that Japan currently leads the world in cases of coronavirus per million people while adding that Australia is experiencing a similar phenomenon. Contrast these two high-boost nations with Nigeria, Africas most populous country and where few are vaccinated, Horowitz pointed out. Whats going on? Horowitz cites the German study: A group of German researchers tested for which specific antibody levels spike at what time. Specifically, they tested the Pfizer shot against the AstraZeneca shot and discovered something very concerning. Increasingly over time, and particularly with three doses of Pfizer, the immune response switched from the more neutralizing IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies to the non-neutralizing tolerating IgG4 antibodies: High levels of neutralizing SARS-CoV-2-antibodies are an important component of vaccine-induced immunity. Shortly after the initial two mRNA vaccine doses, the IgG response mainly consists of the pro-inflammatory subclasses IgG1 and IgG3. Here, we report that several months after the second vaccination, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies were increasingly composed of non-inflammatory IgG4 , which were further boosted by a third mRNA vaccination and/or SARS-CoV-2 variant breakthrough infections. IgG4 antibodies among all spike-specific IgG antibodies rose on average from 0.04% shortly after the second vaccination to 19.27% late after the third vaccination. This induction of IgG4 antibodies was not observed after homologous or heterologous SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with adenoviral vectors [emphasis added]. This is important, he says, because according to the study not only do these shots fail to produce the first line of defense antibodies known as IgA in the mucosal, something we knew from day one, but even the blood-based antibodies are increasingly the wrong type. This problem seems to get worse over time and with more doses of the shot, which correlates perfectly with numerous studies showing negative efficacy increasing over time, with more doses, and how the vaccinated take longer to clear the virus. This would certainly explain two things: Why vaccinated and boosted individuals continue to contract the virus more than once; and the presence of so-called long COVID symptoms. Again, if we had a responsible press and not a gaggle of statist propagandists, this information would be leading the news cycle for weeks until someone, somewhere, was held accountable. Sources include: ConservativeReview.com GreaterThanCovid.org (Natural News) Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake blasted her Democratic rival and former Secretary of State Katie Hobbs for rigging the November 2022 elections. She argued that Hobbs wanted to protect cartels smuggling drugs and humans across the border. Lake, a former news anchor, revealed her rivals plans during her recent appearance at Steve Bannons War Room podcast. She told the former White House chief strategist that Hobbs moved to ensure a Democratic win at the gubernatorial race. This, she added, enables the open borders system where cartels can continue to push drugs and traffic people into the United States. It is absolutely appalling and this state is going to go to hell in a handbasket if Katie Hobbs is allowed to take control, Lake pointed out. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson rejected Lakes lawsuit on Dec. 27 that sought to overturn the results of the countys elections for governor. The magistrate argued that the GOP candidate failed to prove there was intentional misconduct that cost her the race. (Related: Kari Lake prepares for legal battle after unexpected gubernatorial loss in Arizona following long count, widespread voting irregularities.) Lake later appealed, asking the states Court of Appeals on the same day to reconsider all 10 counts she originally cited in her lawsuit. She also challenged the decision ordering her to pay $33,000 in fees to Hobbs legal team. Describing the decision as comical, Lake commented: Theyre trying to sanction me to pay for their lawyers. Moreover, the former news anchor said Thompson only gave her and her team two days to prove their case even though they presented a thousand documents for the judge to go over. He told us he was going to look through those before he made his ruling. We have so much evidence in this case, but we only had five hours to make our case which is very unfortunate for the people of Arizona. Lake also emphasized how Hobbs had absolutely no respect for the law by not recusing herself from the elections. The Arizona state secretary did not campaign or attend debates. She hid from people in her basement because she knew she could rig the election and walk into the office, Lake said. Lake: Lifting Title 42 has disastrous consequences Elsewhere in the show, Bannon and Lake touched on how the Biden administration is planning to lift Title 42 put in place by the previous administration. The policy allows authorities to restrict the entry of people who are deemed concerns to public health. Bannon explained that under Title 42, border officials denying entry to illegals is considered an expulsion. He added that it differs from deportation that is based on immigration law, as the Title 42 expulsion is based on public health concerns. Given this, Lake warned that the floodgates are going to open up once Title 42 is lifted. We know how bad it is here, because were suffering under Joe Bidens policies and a lack of leadership here in Arizona to take control of the border, she said. Wait until we see the new numbers on fentanyl overdoses which are taking out a generation of young people. And were [going to] watch crimes go through the roof. Fortunately, on Dec. 28, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered Title 42 to remain in effect. The high court essentially granted a request by GOP state officials, who argued that lifting the policy would have produced an unmanageable surge of illegal aliens. Visit VoteFraud.news for more stories about the fraudulent gubernatorial elections in Arizona. Watch the full conversation between Steve Bannon and Kari Lake on Bannons War Room below. This video is from the SecureLife channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Arizona AGs office demands answers from Maricopa County election officials after widespread voting problems on Election Day. More Arizona counties refuse to certify results following a scandal-filled election. Kari Lake refuses to concede Arizona governor election results, prepares to fight fraud with lawsuit. Sources include: Brighteon.com TheGuardian.com CA.News.Yahoo.com News.BloombergLaw.com (Natural News) Well, the left-wing ideologues who run San Francisco have finally been served a huge dose of karma, compliments of a federal judge. Over the past couple of years, the insane Democrats who run the city have allowed camps of homeless people to spring up all over the city, some of which extend entire city blocks and most of which are filthy, smelly and massive threats to public health not to mention business killers. But apparently, the encampments have now become too large even by Democratic standards, so now the citys liberals want them culled somewhat. Only, a federal judge isnt signing off on it and, in fact, is preventing Mayor London Breeds administration from clearing the camps off of sidewalks and out of parks. The Associated Press reported: Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu in U.S. District Court in Oakland granted an emergency order Friday night that bars the city from taking away tents and confiscating the belongings of encampment dwellers, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The move came in a lawsuit filed on behalf of homeless plaintiffs that sought to stop San Francisco from dismantling homeless encampments until it has thousands of additional shelter beds. Ryu cited evidence presented by the plaintiffs that the city regularly and illegally failed to offer shelter to inhabitants before clearing the encampments and improperly seized or threw out their belongings, including cellphones, medication, identification and even prosthetic limbs. The judge said that the citys arguments were wholly unconvincing. Breed blasted the emergency order in a statement. Mayors cannot run cities this way, she said. We already have too few tools to deal with the mental illness we see on our streets. Now we are being told not to use another tool that helps bring people indoors and keeps our neighborhoods safe and clean for our residents. She added that many people encountered by city officials during the cleanups are refusing services or are already housed, and some people are using the encampments for drug dealing, human trafficking, and other illegal activities. Attorneys for San Francisco claim that the citys policies seek to balance the rights of homeless persons with the citys newfound desire to finally begin cleaning things up and protecting residents while keeping public spaces safe. They argued in court documents that homeless people have been given plenty of notice that clean-ups are coming while at the same time being extended offers of assistance and shelter. They are asked to leave encampments only after they decline offers to stay somewhere else. However, as the AP reported, the judge pointed to evidence provided by the Coalition on Homelessness and seven plaintiffs, containing academic analysis and detailed eyewitness accounts of numerous sweeps in the past three years that show homeless people were deprived of personal items and pushed out with nowhere to go. The policy isnt the problem, Ryu said during a virtual hearing last week. The question is how is that policy being executed. San Francisco has an estimated 7,800 homeless people, a population that has continued to grow over the past several years thanks to policies that not only enabled mass homelessness but also appeared to encourage it. California itself is the homeless capital of the country. But the problem is, the same Democrat-leaning groups who applauded the homelessness are now suing to allow it to continue, including the ACLU, which argued in a case in New Mexico that cities essentially have no right to dismantle homeless camps, no matter where they spring up, because homeless people have more rights than taxpayers who pay for streets to be clean and as free of crime as possible. All of this is of far-left Democratic Party making. Had they not encouraged so much homelessness, to begin with, they wouldnt be getting a huge dose of karma right about now from a federal judge. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Poland has prohibited actors from playing doctors or pharmacists in advertisements for medical products. According to a report by Remix News, the bill prohibiting actors from portraying medical professionals in ads was passed in April 2022. However, some of its regulations only took effect on Jan. 1. Lukasz Jankowski, president of Polands Supreme Medical Council, justified the decision by arguing that advertisements featuring actors in the role of doctors and other medical professionals are misleading. It is a change in a very positive direction, said the NRL president. You cannot mislead a patient and pretend to be a doctor who is recommending medical products. Just as it is not allowed to pretend to be a policeman and knock on someones door, it should not be allowed to pretend to be a doctor to prescribe medical products, Jankowski continued, emphasizing his opposition to the use of a doctors credibility for commercial purposes. Arkadiusz Gradkowski, president of the Polish Chamber of Commerce of Medical Devices (POLMED), echoed Jankowskis sentiments. The new regulations are intended to eliminate the use of a doctors image in order to support advertising with social authority, the POLMED president told the Medonet news service. A May 2022 report from Notes from Poland elaborated on the law. According to the outlet, the prohibition applies to advertisements for products such as contact lenses, protective masks, wheelchairs and condoms. However, the ban does not apply to non-commercial activities such as educational campaigns. Those who violate the ban by continuing to cast actors as medical professionals in advertisements for medical products face a fine of up to two million Polish zloty ($452,354.20). (Related: Why isnt the FTC prosecuting Healthcare.gov for false advertising and consumer fraud?) Influencers not exempt from Polands new law Remix News stated that in accordance with the new regulations, the advertisement of a product directed at the public must be formulated in a manner comprehensible to the average consumer. Thus, medical terminology and results of scientific studies must be presented to consumers in a way they can easily understand. Moreover, the April 2022 law stated that an ad cannot include a direct exhortation to children to buy products, or persuade their parents or other adults to buy advertised products for them. It also banned the use of positive consumer opinions about a medical product to promote it. According to Gradkowski, this is intended to curb the use of social media influencers to market certain products. Speaking to Medonet, lawyer Joanna Wajdzik said many companies have tried in recent years to reclassify products such as cough syrups and tablets as medical devices. While the reclassification sought to evade the more stringent guidelines on medicines, she mentioned that the new regulations will close that loophole. A similar instance of actors being banned from portraying doctors was seen in China back in 2009. A February 2009 report by Reuters said the Chinese State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) ordered a ban on actors and other non-accredited personnel from playing medical experts in drug advertisements. The ban followed an expose by a Chinese internet user that revealed 12 fake experts appearing on TV stations in Shandong province. SAIC vowed punishment toward these fake endorsers and the firms making the products they endorse. Repeated violations would see revocations of licenses for both advertisers and companies, alongside temporary suspensions of sales for their medicinal products, the state-owned Xinhua news agency reported at the time. Watch Stew Peters and DeAnna Lorraine discuss fake doctors on TikTok pushing children to get injected with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine below. This video is from the Signposts channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Gov. DeSantis: Big Pharma will pay for deceiving the public with false advertising about COVID-19 vaccines. FDA, FTC asked to stop Coca-Cola, Pepsi from falsely advertising unhealthy diet soda. A new law in British Columbia JAILS doctors who spread misleading information. Sources include: RMX.news NotesFromPoland.com Reuters.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) As we noted last week, US Virgin Islands Attorney General Denise George filed a lawsuit against JPMorgan for allegedly reaping financial benefits from Jeffrey Epsteins sex-trafficking operation less than a month after George secured a $105 million settlement with Epsteins estate, which agreed to liquidate Epsteins islands and cease all business operations in the region. (Article by Tyler Durden republished from ZeroHedge.com) Three days later, George is now unemployed, after Governor Albert A. Bryan Jr. fired her for allegedly filing the suit against JPMorgan without his permission. According to the complaint, for Over more than a decade, JPMorgan clearly knew it was not complying with federal regulations in regard to Epstein-related accounts as evidenced by its too-little too-late efforts after Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges and shortly after his death, when JPMorgan belatedly complied with federal law. JPMorgan Sued By Virgin Islands Over Jeffrey Epsteins Alleged Sex-Trafficking Operation https://t.co/d8tH2eytdE zerohedge (@zerohedge) December 29, 2022 It goes much deeper than just the JPMorgan lawsuit The suit against JPMorgan Chase was not the whole scope of Georges pursuit of the remnants of Epsteins network of conspirators. Although Little St. James (Pedo Island) and its adjacent island owned by the Epstein estate went up for sale in March 2022, action taken by George kept the premise of any sale from going through. Acting in her former capacity as US Virgin Island Attorney General, she placed criminal activity liens on the islands from a civil racketeering lawsuit. That lawsuit was filed in 2020 following Epsteins death in August of 2019. The suit alleged that Little St. James Island was used as part of a network of shell companies that Epstein manipulated to conceal the activities of his human trafficking network. However, that suit was settled between the Epstein estate and Georges office in early December 2022. Under the agreement, Epsteins estate would pay over $105 million to the Government of the US Virgin Islands as restitution. In addition to that sum, the liens preventing the sale of Epsteins islands become removed under the condition that half of the proceeds from the sale will also be given to the US Virgin Islands through a trust it has opened to allocate the money to fund government programs to fight sexual abuse on the archipelago. This settlement restores the faith of the People of the Virgin Islands that its laws will be enforced, without fear or favor, against those who break them. We are sending a clear message that the Virgin Islands will not serve as a haven for human trafficking, Attorney General George stated upon the announcement of the settlement in one of her last acts before being fired. Despite the resolution of the US Virgin Islands direct case against the assets held by the Epstein estate, questions still linger about its operations in Georges jurisdiction. One of the most mysterious and perhaps most vital to examine of those shell companies, Southern Country International, was the first internationally operating bank to be opened in the US Virgin Islands by Epstein in 2014. The bank opened when John Percy de Jongh Jr. served as the governor of the territory. During his term, de Jongh appointed present-governor Albert A. Bryan Jr. into his administration as Commissioner of the US Virgin Islands Department of Labor. Despite not having much activity on its books, Southern Country International would renew its license with the US Virgin Islands five times before Epsteins purported demise. By the time Epstein died, his Virgin Islands based bank had less than $700,000 in assets. However, in December of 2019, months after his purported suicide, Epsteins estate transferred a whopping $15.5 million into Southern Country International. In under a month, the banks assets diminished to less than $500,000. Mark Epstein, Jeffreys brother and executor of his estate, stated that the bank was used to pay existing debts of the assets he had control over. Though the bank was not explicitly referenced in the press release on the December settlement, that announcement does detail the Virgin Islands action against Southern Trust Company, a holding company which points to a larger scale of Epstein owned enterprises connected to Southern Country International. It is unclear how the allegations made in Georges lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase connect to the posthumous activity conducted by Epsteins Virgin Islands banking operation. Following her dismissal, Assistant Attorney General Carol Thomas-Jacobs has been named to an interim position to fill Georges vacated seat. She will inherit the office as it joins an on-going list of plaintiffs who have taken action against large scale banks relating to their accounts with Epstein. Just over a month before Georges filing, multiple class action suits were filed against JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank alleging each institution knowingly profited from Epsteins criminal activity. Those suits coincided with another filed against Epstein associate Leon Black, the billionaire who previously served as CEO of Apollo Global Management before his relationship with the pedophile thrust him into the spotlight. The civil suit against Black alleges that the disgraced financier raped the plaintiff in 2002 at a mansion owned by Epstein. A spokesman for Black told Forbes that the claims made against their client were categorically false. Their response to Forbes follows one of a similar like from Deutsche Bank who told the publication that the suit filed against them lacks merit. Despite the magnitude of these lawsuits, the gravity of Georges suit against JPMorgan Chase surely made the biggest splash in the once-stagnant waters of the cesspool of the Epstein debacle. However, the firing leaves little hope that the waves caused by her last act as Attorney General will wash any truth to shore. Read more at: ZeroHedge.com (Natural News) NightCafe Creator, an artificial intelligence (AI) system that auto-generates images based on user inputs, painted a bleak portrait of the future after being asked to produce a series of art based on current events. When given words like nuclear bomb, war, and apocalypse, NightCafe Creator produced a whole bunch of ominous imagery of cities like London, Moscow, and Washington, D.C., in utter ruin. It also showed hellscapes filled with soldiers and what appear to be the walking dead. The words last man on Earth caused NightCafe Creator to output a red dawn-style image of apocalyptic wreckage with human-like beings wandering about with heads down and nothing beautiful or bright in sight. In one of the images, fatigue-donned soldiers with large weapons of the future and empty faces can be seen roaming around a mountainous landscape in search of things to kill and destroy, while another shows a garlic bulb-like nuclear mushroom cloud over D.C. with the Capitol building clearly visible in the background. Other pictures generated by the AI program depict large fireballs crashing down on burning cities, all mostly or entirely deserted. Rubble and wreckage are key features in all of the photos with no visible sign of nature or normal life. (Related: The globalists have been planning a food Armageddon as well.) If World War III ensues, the AI program is right: death and destruction will be the end result The future is ugly, to put it simply. At least according to AI, there is no future in which pain, misery, destruction, and death are not the overarching features of everyday life. Is this what the world has to look forward to? Or is this just another example of AI gone off the rails? With the way things are headed, it does seem as though NightCafe Creator is on to something. The AIs visions of nuclear war come as the world sits on a knife edge over Vladimir Putins brutal war in Ukraine, reported The Sun (United Kingdom) about the images. With tens of thousands of troops dead and his army collapsing, Vlads ultimate fate now seems tied to the conflict which is the biggest in Europe since World War 2 But before he gives up Putin could press the nuclear button. The more likely truth, of course, is that Putin is probably winning, and this is all just Western projection and propaganda to set the stage for the globalists to lay the blame elsewhere. Either way, the scenarios depicted in the imagery seem likely, regardless of who causes them. The way NightCafe Creator works involves a combination of machine learning and a vast neural network from which words and ideas are translated into computer-generate imagery. Such programs are highly controversial, especially when the images they create are branded as art and sold for profit. In this case, NightCafe Creator does not allow for the sale of any AI-generated imagery. Its purpose is simply to inform based on what a smart computer pulls up in relation to certain concepts and ideas. Russia is thought to have around 2,000 nuclear weapons in their arsenal in the form of small yield missiles, torpedoes and artillery shells, The Sun says. Moscows war doctrine is believed to be open to using nuclear weapons in a conventional conflict as an intimidation tactic and use of such a weapon must be signed off personally by Putin The tactic became known as escalate to de-escalate.' With winter looming over Ukraine and the Russian defeats mounting, the world awaits with baited breath to see what Vlad will do next and what response if any there will be from the West. More related news can be found at NuclearWar.news. Sources for this article include: The-Sun.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Once again, the lefties running Joe Bidens regime are demonstrating that the Democratic Party is the party of authoritarianism, tyranny, and downright lunacy. During the Obama regime, busy body bureaucrats in the Environmental Protection Agency attempted to impose a rule that would give the federal government authority to literally lord over mud puddles and ditches that contained water, a massive overreach that essentially gave the EPA the power to govern over all private property, effectively demoting owners to taxpaying advisers on their own land. That rule was tanked by President Donald Trump when he took office, but shortly before the first of the year, the Biden regime revived it, per Resist the Mainstream: The EPA signed off on the revised definition of Waters of the United States on Dec. 29 while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed off on the revised definitions on Dec. 28. The revised rules define what types of water bodies are protected under the Clean Water Act and were based on definitions that were put in place before 2015 during the Obama administration. The Trump administration reversed course from the Obama administration, which looked for ways to expand federal protections of waterways. Except, the purpose was never to protect waterways you dont designate mud puddles and creeks on private land as waters of the United States. No, the objective was and remains to exert federal control over private property, which is about as unconstitutional as it gets. The Trump administrations rule benefited property owners, including farmers, builders, and oil producers, who were concerned about feds regulating ravines and creeks on private property, like farms, the report stated. The Trump-era rule was thrown out by U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary Marquez, who said the regulations ignored that smaller waterways could affect the health of waterways they flow into. When it comes to bad ideas from Democrats, they never really go away, they go dormant for a while, as Natural News reported in 2019: The Obama Administration used both the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as weapons to steal property from individuals and to convert state land over to the ownership of an all-powerful federal government. Many would argue that this plot was influenced by the United Nations (U.N.) Agenda 21, which was sold under the guise of sustainable development of natural resources an idea that Obama sympathized with. Nearly a dozen states sued the Obama regime at the time, and a federal court found that they not only had grounds to sue, but that the rule was an unconstitutional land grab. U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood ruled at the time that Obama arrogantly disregarded the constitutional balance of powers between the states and the federal government. The court finds that both because of its combination with tributaries and the selection of over-broad geographic limits without showing a significant nexus, the adjacent waters definition in the WOTUS rule is unlawful under Justice Kennedys Rapanos opinion, she wrote. Most importantly, Wood stated, that significant increase in jurisdiction takes land and water falling traditionally under the states authority and transfers them to federal authority. She adds, In light of this significant intrusion on traditional state authority, the CWA still contains the policy language of recognizing traditional state power in this area, and Congress has not made any clear or manifest statement to authorize intrusion into that traditional state power since Rapanos, she noted further. It seems likely that Bidens implementation of the rule will meet similar resistance and a similar fate. Rural America doesnt need yet another rule giving the federal government more power over farming and private property, Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) said in a statement last week, according to Fox Business. The federal government shouldnt have jurisdiction to regulate puddles, ditches, seasonal creeks or culverts. All this rule does is make it more difficult to grow food or build anything. This is a step in the wrong direction from the Biden administration and it infringes on the rights of Montana farmers, ranchers and landowners, added Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) said in a statement last week. This overreaching rule threatens Montana ag and natural resources and is unacceptable. I will continue to vigorously fight to protect Montanans from out-of-touch rules handed down from D.C. bureaucrats. Sources include: FoxBusiness.com NaturalNews.com ResistTheMainstream.com (Natural News) France knew economic sanctions were inevitable for Russia when it invaded Ukraine in late February. So it hoarded Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the early stages of the conflict. A report by Columbia Universitys Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) showed that France overtook perennial leader Japan as the worlds number one buyer of Russian LNG in February and March 2022. Between January and October, France imported 4.45 million tons of natural gas, which is an increase of 52 percent in just a year. LNG imports have also increased by 40 percent in the European continent last year. Just recently, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told the state-owned TASS news agency that Moscow is ready to resume gas supplies to Europe through the Yamal-Europe Pipeline, which is a distribution system that connects Russian natural gas fields in the Yamal Peninsula and Western Siberia with Poland and Germany, through Belarus. The Yamal-Europe Pipeline usually flows westward, but has been mostly reversed since December 2021 as Russian majority state-owned multinational energy corporation Gazprom stopped its deliveries via Yamal. Then the Russian company asked Poland to pay in rubles. Poland refused and resorted to drawing on stored gas in Germany. According to analysts, Russian President Vladimir Putins administration seemed to be sending contradictory signals. After threatening to cut its oil production in protest against the European embargo on crude and the price cap, it now says it is ready to resume gas deliveries via the said 4,107-kilometer pipeline. (Related: Russia to halt oil exports to nations that impose price cap on Russian crude.) The European market remains relevant because the gas shortage persists and we have the opportunity to resume supplies, Novak told the news agency. According to Novak, the said pipeline had been stopped for political reasons. StrangeSounds.org reported that Moscow has been able to rely on the LNG market to keep its exports high. The more flexible transport of this energy by ship allows the country to diversify its customers. Reports also indicate that Moscow developed an ambitious program to increase its liquefaction capacity, aiming to export 80 to 140 million tons per year by 2035, compared with 35 million this past year. Some Western countries, such as the United Kingdom, in a rather lame and failed attempt to cover their tracks, have been importing their Russian energy supplies from other nations, because in doing so the product can be relabeled as no longer being of Russian origin. EU spends billions on LNG infrastructure The European Union (EU) is currently investing billions in infrastructure to replace Russian fuels with LNG. According to Eurostat, the largest gas consumer in the continent is Germany, followed by Italy, the Netherlands and Slovakia countries that are now trying to replace their gas imports from Russia with supplies from other sources. Since the beginning of the war, LNG imports to Europe have increased by 58 percent, said Paula Di Mattia Peraire, a gas analyst with Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS). Just over a week after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed concern that the Kremlin might turn off the blocs gas tap. The EU must get rid of its dependency on fossil fuels, she wrote on Twitter. Von der Leyen then praised Spain, which she called a frontrunner here, with its large renewables share and LNG capacities. Follow NewEnergyReport.com for updates on Russias supply of natural gas to France and the rest of the EU. Watch the video below that talks about Putins ban on oil exports to countries that implemented a price cap on Russian oil. This video is from the Puretrauma357 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Half of Frances nuclear power plants are offline as dark winter approaches. Europe to feel impact of turning away from cheap, plentiful Russian energy. US facing natural gas shortage due to record LNG exports to Europe. America likely sabotaged Nord Stream pipelines to provoke Russia and make Europe more reliant on American natural gas. Biden admin preventing Americas second-largest LNG plant from restarting operations. Sources include: StrangeSounds.org Reuters.com Express.co.uk DW.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Chinese state-owned media outlet Global Times has claimed in an editorial post that the nearly three years of lockdown imposed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to deal with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was worthwhile. The Global Times claimed that, thanks to the CCPs zero-COVID policy, the countrys virus responses have been optimized and COVID-19 was successfully kept at bay. During Chinas three-year fight against COVID-19, everyone from this country contributed their fair share to build an exquisitely designed giant machine powered by top-down mobilization, coalesced into effort of people from all walks of life, be it medical workers or grassroots community workers, the outlet stated. The machine has worked effectively for three years to shield the countrys populace against an onslaught of the virus. This kind of revisionist narrative has been echoed by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which strongly suggests that both the ministry and the Global Times either worked together to come up with this description of the pandemic in China or they were both told what to say by someone higher-up in the CCP. Over the past nearly three years, by putting people and their lives first, the Chinese government has formulated its [COVID-19] policy in light of Chinas national circumstances, to serve the interests of the vast majority of the Chinese people, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. Our policy protected peoples lives and health to the maximum extent possible and minimized COVID-19s impact on socioeconomic development. It achieved the best results at minimum cost. Propaganda outlet claims emergency responders and health workers believe in zero-COVID The Global Times further stated that it has spoken with multiple frontline medical workers, grassroots community workers and other people working to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The propaganda outlet claimed that all these interviewed individuals believe that the three years effort that has helped prevent most people from being exposed to dangerous variants was worth the wait. (Related: Chinese municipal health body publicly criticizes CCPs zero-COVID policy.) Yin Yong, director of the respiratory department at Shanghai Childrens Medical Center, claimed that his hospital has successfully reshuffled resources, set up fever clinics and quarantine outpatient services for positive COVID-19 cases and provided different responses for patients with severe symptoms. He said all of this is possible because of the zero-COVID policy. Yin added that his hospital already has all of the equipment it needs to deal with COVID-19 patients, including ventilators and monitors, as well as doctors with abundant experience in dealing with positive cases thanks to zero-COVID, claiming that the past nearly three years helped pave the way for how to fight future outbreaks, including an expected new wave coming to Shanghai this spring. Wang Xia, a community worker in one of Beijings neighborhoods, told the Global Times that the virulence of the virus has decreased to very low levels now and that the CCP has been waiting for this very moment to change its COVID-19 mitigation policies. For three years, we did our utmost to prevent the majority of people from being infected. Wang Guangfa, a respiratory expert from Peking University First Hospital, reiterated that the CCP has only been biding its time before finally reopening the country. We have waited for three years to reopen with abundant backup plans to cope with the exit wave,' said Wang. Learn the latest news coming out of China, especially regarding the chaos surrounding its zero-COVID policy, at CommunistChina.news. Watch this clip from Real Americas Voice as Steve Bannon and co-host Natalie Winters discuss how Congress must subpoena Americans working for Chinas global propaganda arm. This video is from the News Clips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Scamdemic repeat? Biden demands travelers entering U.S. from China show negative COVID test. China set to experience winter wave of death as Beijing eases zero COVID policies following widespread protests. Exports from China, Taiwan PLUMMET amid growing recession; expect more shortages of drugs and consumer products. Techno-authoritarianism is here to stay: China and the Deep State have joined forces. Watch what you feel: China now using emotion recognition technology to arrest people. Sources include: TheNewAmerican.com PRNewswire.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) William Bill Federer joined theologian Dr. John Diamond on the Dec. 27 episode of the Brighteon.TV program America Unhinged to discuss the historical and spiritual significance of Valley Forge. Diamond commented that the story of Valley Forge is one of the things in American history that has been sanitized. He said: Its amazing how sanitized and romanticized, I guess you would say, American history is. Its devoid of pretty much all faiths, and then we just give such a small blurb of history. We dont understand really what a lot of people went through. The theologian added that the fighting men at Valley Forge went through a lot of suffering. They endured the bitter winter and conflict of the Revolutionary War to give the current generation of Americans the freedoms they have today. Diamond also lauded his guest for bringing out the truths and the facts of the matter about American history. Federer and his wife Susie co-authored Miracles in American History, which discussed the untold and miraculous stories about Valley Forge and the Revolutionary War. Federer then recounted the events of Valley Forge, which occurred after the Battle of Brandywine on Sept. 11, 1777. George Washington, who was the commander of the Continental Army, led his forces to a hasty retreat at Valley Forge outside of Philadelphia. Washington and 11,000 soldiers under him took camp there on Dec. 19, 1777. (Related: History lesson: heres what we know about George Washingtons cultivation of hemp.) According to the author, the soldiers at Valley Forge were from every state of the Union, with their ages ranging from as young as 12 to as old as 60. While most of the soldiers were of European descent, there were also African American and American Indian soldiers who were at Valley Forge. Prominent people including the Marquis de Lafayette, Col. Anthony Wayne, future Chief Justice John Marshall, John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg and Washingtons Jewish physician Dr. Philip Moses Russell also joined the first U.S. president at the winter camp. Federer shares other facts about Valley Forge However, the encampment was marred with suffering and death due to lack of food and supplies. According to Federer, 2,500 individuals either froze to death in the bitter cold or perished from hunger, typhoid, jaundice, dysentery or pneumonia. An estimated 500 women who followed the Continental Army died at Valley Forge. But members of the Continental Army did not waver. Federer quoted Hessian Maj. Carl Leopold Bauermeister, who noted that the only thing that kept the American army from disintegrating was their spirit of liberty. Later presidents would remember this event. Former President Dwight Eisenhower recalled Valley Forge in a White House broadcast. He recounted that Washington, on his knees at Valley Forge seeking divine guidance in the cold gloom of a bitter winter, gained strength to lead to independence a nation dedicated to the belief that each of us is divinely endowed with indestructible rights. Former President Ronald Reagan, meanwhile, said in a radio address that the image of Washington kneeling in prayer in the snow is one of the most famous in American history. Federer also shared to Diamond a historical fact about the Redcoats. The British Army under the command of Gen. John Burgoyne landed in Canada and went down the Hudson River Valley toward Albany, with the expectation that Gen. Henry Clinton would come up from New York City to back them up. However, Gen. William Howe had another plan. Instead of assisting Burgoyne in taking Albany, Howe marched toward Philadelphia and captured the City of Brotherly Love. While the general was victorious in taking the city, the Continental Congress refused to surrender and evacuated Philadelphia. Federer added that the Congress even took the Liberty Bell with them for fear that the British would melt it down and turn it into ammunition. Burgoyne and his forces were defeated at the Battle of Saratoga. RealHistory.news has more stories about key historical events that shaped America. Watch the Dec. 27 episode of America Unhinged below. America Unhinged with Dr. John Diamond airs every weekday at 9-10 a.m., Saturday at 8-9 a.m. and Sunday at 9-10 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. More related stories: Woke academics are destroying American history with left-wing bias, new study finds. War on American history continues as Marxist mayor demands removal of armed soldier silhouettes at a veterans memorial. The radical lefts desecration of U.S. history and culture now starting to resemble a Stalinist purge. The Resistance Chicks: Americas Founding Fathers were Christian nationalists Brighteon.TV. Sources include: Brighteon.com AmericanMinute.com (Natural News) Prophetess Julie Green delivered a powerful message for America during a recent interview with Clay Clarks Thrive Time Show podcast. America is not dead. Freedom is not dead. Liberty is not dead, she said. Justice is being served and great judgments will be seen against the ones who have held my nation. Green, who also serves as the associate pastor at Faith Family Fellowship, added that giant moves have been made to secure the American nation and eradicate corruption. Moreover, the prophetess said the One World Governments plan to destroy America and the whole world will be exposed for all to see. (Related: Jonathan Cahn prophesies Americas future on the Thrive Time Show Brighteon.TV.) According to Green, world leaders such as U.S. President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron have devised plans to steal the freedoms of their people and nations and pave the way for global control and depopulation. They plan to continue to lie and enslave you. Their plan was to completely take over. A plan to kill not just lives, but to kill any independence in any faith, in anything they didnt want you to have like privacy or your own way of thinking. They had the plan to take it all away. You havent even seen or experienced everything that they wanted, and they have done to you by now. The prophetess also commented that people do not want to hear the truth and facts about the horrible things happening because they bring a lot of fear. And thats exactly what the enemy wants bring a lot of fear because people who are full of fear are not going to fight back. Thats why Green is trying to give words of encouragement and tell the truth every single day. So we know the truth, the truth will set us free, and we have that righteous indignation on the inside of us that says this is not justifiable. There is so much injustice running rampant around the world, but God is a God of justice and a God of order, she said. God will deliver His people from the hands of the wicked The prophetess added that believers must focus on the fact that God is still the same God in the Bible that delivered His people from the hands of the wicked, like Egypts pharaoh. She also reminded believers to never back off and submit to their oppressors, but instead stand up and fight for their faith. God is going to vindicate every person who is boldly standing up for what is right, and He will shake people to the core so that they will wake up and see the truth, she said. Furthermore, Green called on believers to never give up on their families, especially the children. She also encouraged believers to keep praying and confessing the Word of God as they watch God do His work. In response to a question by Clark about how God uses people to minister to others even if they do not have the talent and skill, the prophetess said He can use anybody. Even a fearful, sickly and anxious hermit can be tapped by God, as long as they are willing to allow themselves to be used by Him, she said. He is the one who gives us the gifts, the talents, the ability, the strength, and He gives us the open doors. It is just us believing and trusting in Him. He will use anybody who is willing. Prophecy.news has more news about prophecies regarding the United States. Watch prophetess Julie Green share her prophetic words on Thrive Time Show below. This video is from the Thrivetime Show channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: The Prophetic Report: Stacey Whited says Gods prophetic words are coming together Brighteon.TV. Rampant homosexuality and LGBT perversion are prophetic signs of end times. B-Alert News: Jonathan Feldstein discusses prophecies in Israel with Bishop Leon Benjamin Brighteon.TV. Sources include: Brighteon.com JGMInternational.org (Natural News) President Joe Biden may be about to get some major pushback on his agenda from several state legislatures controlled by Republicans as they begin to question the constitutionality of blanket executive orders that carry the weight of actual laws. In Missouri, Rep. Brian Seitz, a Republican from the vacation town of Branson, is heading into his third session of the General Assembly when it convenes in Jefferson City on Jan. 4 and, for the third time in a row, he plans on introducing legislation that would require state lawmakers to scrutinize and perhaps even disregard certain executive orders, The Epoch Times reported. His proposed measure, House Bill 174, would require the state House to review all presidential executive orders not summarily affirmed by an act of the federal Congress in order to determine if they are, in fact, constitutional, he told the outlet. If Missouri legislators have questions or issues regarding an orders constitutionality, then Seitzs measure requires that the matter be referred to the Missouri Attorney Generals office to then see if it restricts a persons constitutional rights. Im a firm believer in states rights, and am very concerned about losing our authority [as a legislature] to federal overreach, Seitz said. The bill would apply to any executive order that relates to regulation of business activities or personal behaviors during a pandemic or other public health emergency, a states natural resources, the agricultural industry, the use of land, the financial sector through the imposition of environmental, social, or governance [ESG] standards, and the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. There are three branches of the governmentnot one, Seitz said, going on to point out that his bill would cover executive orders from presidents of either party. That said, The Epoch Times noted further: But make no mistake: The billalong with Senate companions filed by Sen. Rick Brattin (R-Harrisonville)is hardly bipartisan in genesis. Since Democrat Joe Biden was sworn in as president in January 2021, similar bills have been introduced in at least nine other Republican-controlled state legislatures: Alabama, Utah, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Iowa, and South Carolina. The Oklahoma and Tennessee bills advanced through committees to chamber votes in 2021 but ultimately were not adopted. Karla Jones, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) senior director for Homeland Security, International Relations, and Federalism, told the outlet that these bills are simply in response to federal overreach that infringes on state sovereignty. Her organization, which is based in Washington, D.C., produces a great many conservative policy guides as well as model bills to be introduced into state legislatures as they begin annual and semi-annual sessions. Regarding presidential executive orders, the group adopted a model legislation in response to bills that were submitted by state lawmakers in six states during the 2021 legislative session. We just saw [the bills] proliferating because executive orders were becoming such a problem, Jones told The Epoch Times. There was a lot of alarm among state lawmakers who care about federalism and worry about federal overreach. During Bidens first six months in the Oval office, he was on track to issue more executive orders than FDR [Franklin Delano Roosevelt], she said. He has since leveled off considerably and is now pretty equal with President Donald Trump, who also issued more executive orders than we thought was prudent. The day Biden was inaugurated he had a stack of executive orders nearly two feet high waiting for him to sign many of which had to do with ending President Donald Trumps highly effective immigration and border security policies. For her part, Jones laid a lot of the blame for an excess of executive orders in modern times on Congress. Congress doesnt have the political will to do the hard work, so many presidents rely on executive orders, she said. George Washington had, like, one. Single-digit executive orders, during a presidency was typical for the first 50 years of our history. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com WhiteHouse.news (Natural News) President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan recently announced the extension of the nations compulsory military service from the current four months to one year at the start of 2024. This will apply to men born after 2005. Tsai said in a press conference that the four months of training can no longer suit the needs of Taiwans defense, adding that while extending the service period was a difficult decision, it was necessary for safeguarding the islands democratic way of life. Nobody wants war. The Taiwanese government and its people do not want it, nor does the international community want it. But peace does not fall from the sky, she said. We need to actively prepare for war to prevent war, and we need to be able to fight a war to stop a war. Under the plans, conscripts will undergo more intense training, including shooting exercises and combat instruction used by U.S. forces. Military trainees will be tasked with guarding key infrastructure, while the countrys soldiers will form the main battlefield force. Also, as per the nations first woman president, the monthly salary of conscripts will also be raised from about $195 to more than $650 per month. Meanwhile, a White House spokesperson welcomed Taiwans announcement, saying it underscored Taiwans commitment to self-defense and strengthens deterrence. According to the U.S. spokesperson, President Joe Bidens administration will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability in line with our commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act and our one-China policy. The United States will continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues, and oppose any unilateral changes in the status quo by either side, the spokesperson added. The announcement of the change came after Taiwans defense ministry reported that 71 Chinese air force jets and drones had entered the islands air defense identification zone within 24 hours on December 23, which is the largest reported incursion to date. Beijing, which regards the island as a breakaway province, has been pushing to be reunified with Taiwan by force if necessary. (Related: China will not hesitate to use FORCE to retake Taiwan, warns Xi.) Last August, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei. In response, China conducted a series of unprecedented military drills, such as flying ballistic missiles over Taiwan. Chinese warships and warplanes have since persisted in crossing the Taiwan Strait, which separates China and Taiwan, almost daily. Taiwans military to face manpower challenges due to dropping birth rate A survey conducted by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation in December found that 73.2 percent of respondents were in favor of an extension of compulsory service. However, analysts have expressed other concerns. Based on a Legislative Yuan report in June, Taiwan currently has a professional military force of 162,000, which is 7,000 fewer than the target, and its military manpower challenges are likely to be exacerbated by a dropping birth rate. In 2022, the pool of military conscripts was the smallest in 10 years, totaling no more than 118,000. This figure is expected to drop further in upcoming years as the nations estimated fertility rate of just over 1.08 is the lowest in the world, according to the Central Intelligence Agencys World Factbook. Also, Taiwan plans to raise defense spending by 14-percent year-over-year. The islands push for a landmark defense budget for 2023 shows that it is not yielding to Beijings mounting aggression. The recent announcements by the Taiwanese government indicate a change in policy priorities, said Professor James Lin, a historian of Taiwan at the University of Washington. Under KMT (Kuomintang) administrations, military spending was deprioritized because KMT foreign policy emphasized friendly relations with Beijing as a form of maintaining peace, he said. Given that Beijing has grown increasingly nationalistic and aggressive since 2016, it only makes sense that Taiwans priorities will shift to ensuring it has a greater capability for providing its own self-defense. Visit WWIII.news for more updates on the looming conflict between Taiwan and China. Watch the video below that talks about the CCP deploying more warplanes over Taiwan. This video is from the Chinese taking down EVIL CCP channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Biden meets with his Chinese counterpart, fails to bring up COVID, Taiwan or spying. Biden commits to sending American troops if China invades Taiwan. Taiwan asserts its right to defend itself and to COUNTER-ATTACK if China invades. Sources include: TheNewAmerican.com Edition.CNN.com FT.com TheGuardian.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Researchers out of Ohio and Indiana have released two new studies showing that covid vaccines render a person more, not less, prone to infection. If you get jabbed for covid, you are at least twice as likely to get sick and test positive for the disease than if you had simply left your natural immune system alone to do its job the way God intended for things to work. The more jabs you get, the studies further found, the even greater your risk is of getting sick. For instance, if you get boosted once for a total of three injections (if you took the mRNA route), your risk of illness is greater than if you just got the first two injections. If you get a second boost, then your risk rises even further. Basically, the more shots you get, the more likely you are to get sick and die. (Related: According to the World Health Organization [WHO], unvaccinated people who refuse mRNA jabs are a major killing force globally.) For people who have been vaccinated especially those who have received a third or fourth shot the papers will make for disturbing reading, reports Alex Berenson. They suggest vaccinated people may have few good options to protect themselves from infection should a more virulent variant of Omicron emerge. The science is clear: covid jabs kill The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also published a study recently that similarly exposes the jabs as a medical farce. Getting injected, the agency found, often leads to blood clotting, which in turn often leads to death. So instead of saving lives as claimed, these injections are ending peoples lives at an astounding rate. And just like with the two studies out of Ohio and Indiana, the FDA study found that the more jabs a person takes, the exponentially greater the risk that he or she will suffer deadly blood clots. This was regularly reported by independent media conspiracy theorists and dismissed out of hand as crazy by the administration and corporate owned media, one commenter wrote about these revelations. Regular folks did not listen to them because of it. Even though these theorists had leaked internal documents showing that these problems were not only predicted but expected, before the first jabs came out. The FDA knew this would happen, and covered it up. Another responded that the media handles the matter in this atrocious way because it is controlled by the deep state, much like how the state-owned Pravda media outlet was the organ of the former USSRs communist party. Pravda was closed when Yeltsin banned the Communist Party after their coup attempt in 1991, this person added. Unfortunately, America has not had statesmen of his fortitude. Another joked that he is really glad he believed the conspiracy theories about the shots from the very beginning because it prevented myocarditis from forming inside his body, since he never got injected in the first place. Had social media not BANNED and CENSORED the truth that was being shared over two years ago about the jabs, millions might likely have heeded the warnings and panic would not be the current issue of the day, wrote someone else. Crimes against humanity nothing less. To that, yet another wrote that there is a bright side to all this: because of the rampant censorship taking place, it was more obvious to those with skepticism that something was amiss, which resulted in more folks rejecting the death jab out of concern that the medical establishment was engaged in a massive coverup. More of the latest news about covid injections can be found at ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: AlexBerenson.substack.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com The first week in portions of Florida Gulf Coast and Central Virginia could expect severe thunderstorms starting Wednesday, resulting in isolated tornadoes and local flash flooding. It is also expected that the storm could impact the southern United States. The weather conditions in portions of the United States had heavy rain in California and heavy snow in the Northern Plains and Midwest. Residents should stay updated with the severe weather conditions in portions of Florida and Virginia. In the previous news, Nature World News reported that a bomb cyclone could occur in California this week, unloading flooding rainfall. The forecast warned that the heavy rain could lead to flooding risks. Meanwhile, AccuWeather's latest forecast revealed that the showers and thunderstorms could unload on Wednesday in Atlanta, Raleigh and Jacksonville. Cooler weather could also unfold in Little Rock, Jackson and New Orleans. Also Read: Utah's Great Salt Lake Reaches at Historic Low-Level Due to Megadrought; Agricultural Water Supply in Surrounding Communities Could Suffer Recently, the weather forecast added that tornado warnings occurred in Mississippi and Louisiana. Last year, the two cities suffered from violent tornado outbreaks, causing damaged properties and houses. The National Weather Service reported that the first tornado watches for 2023 were issued in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana. Severe thunderstorms According to AccuWeather's outlook, severe thunderstorms could be noticeable on Wednesday evening. The forecast said that isolated tornadoes, local flash flooding and damaging wind gusts could be expected, affecting portions of Raleigh, Myrtle Beach, Tallahassee and Savannah. Rain showers could also unfold in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Charleston, Washington, Virginia Beach, New York, Boston and Portland. It is best to stay on track with the current weather reports as the storms could unload strong winds and storms. Meanwhile, travel delays and slowed commutes could occur this week, especially in interstates 10, 20, 40 and 95. The weather forecast warned motorists to be extra careful in navigating the roads. Reduced visibility and wetter roads could be major problems. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service advised motorists and residents in the affected areas to observe for potential flash floods and flooding. The National Weather Service added that families should not allow their children in the flooded waters as it could result in health risks or accidents. Thunderstorms safety Severe thunderstorms could be life-threatening. According to the American Red Cross, thunderstorms could unfold lightning that kills people. Meanwhile, flash flooding and thunderstorms could also occur with damaging winds. Severe thunderstorms could blow down power lines and trees, resulting in potential power outages. Weather updates Knowing the current weather alerts would help you better prepare and plan. Find a secure and safe place inside your home where you can stay during severe thunderstorms. It is best to cancel all your outdoor activities. Avoid flooding areas Severe thunderstorms could also cause flash flooding and flooding. It is important to keep away from flooded areas. Keep an emergency kit. Preparing an emergency kit or bag is essential during disasters. It should contain important emergency kits, including a battery-powered radio, bottled water, medicines, a blanket, a raincoat jacket and a power bank. You could bring it to evacuation centers if needed. Related Article: Rapid Storm to Become Bomb Cyclone Causing Severe Weather Conditions in California; Power Outages and Travel Delays Expected For more similar, don't forget to follow Nature World News. A 16-foot killer whale that had died in Brazil had a rolled hard plastic object inside of it that was over two feet long. Additionally, the carcass has several shark bites. Tragically, another orca, this time, a young female lost her life as a result of plastic pollution. A 2.5-foot-long sheet of rolled hard plastic was discovered inside the stomach of the 16-foot whale when she was discovered dead on a beach in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo. Last Moments of a Dying Orca The orca was captured on camera swimming up to a fisherman's boat the day before she passed away, playfully interacting with the divers inside, and letting them touch her. Projeto Baleia Jubarte, a conservation organization, posted the video on Facebook. According to oceanographer Paulo Rodrigues, it was strange for the orca to behave in this way because, typically, people shouldn't approach whales up to 330 feet away. Playful behavior, he claimed, was probably a cry for assistance. The whale's thin, shark-bite-covered body was discovered the following day beached in the municipality of Serra. She had barnacles living on her sides, indicating that she had trouble swimming properly for some time. Plastic Waste in the Oceans At least 14 million tons of plastic waste are thought to be dumped into the ocean each year, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Large pieces of plastic can entangle marine animals' fins and necks or be swallowed by them. These plastic pieces, when ingested, can obstruct an animal's digestive tract, causing them to feel full and less inclined to eat. This makes it more difficult for the animal to obtain the nutrients it needs to survive. The dead orca's stomach contained a 2.5-foot-long sheet of hard plastic that was rolled up, as well as plastic bags and other plastic debris, according to a necropsy performed by Brazil's Orca Institute. Nothing else was found in the stomach apart from this material, which implies she had been unable to eat for a considerable amount of time, according to the environmental manager for the institute, Joao Marcelo Ramos, who spoke to local media. Lupercio Barbosa, the director of the Orca Institute, noted that significant amounts of plastic had been discovered in nearby marine animals, raising concerns among marine biologists. According to Projeto Baleia Jubarte, orcas are known to swim in small groups along the Brazilian coast, and other strandings have been noted while conducting beach monitoring work. The environmental organization did not say if these were also the result of plastic pollution, Newsweek reports. Read also: Endangered Blue Whale Off California Coast is a Rare December Sighting Death By Plastic Every area of the ocean is contaminated by plastic waste, which also threatens marine life and makes its way into the seafood we consume. Plastic pollution is suffocating our oceans and destroying wildlife everywhere from local beaches to far-flung tropical islands and polar regions. It is the clearest illustration of how people have impacted our seas. At the moment, the oceans receive over 11 million metric tons of plastic annually. According to the World Wildlife Fund, by the year 2050, there may be more plastic in the ocean by weight than fish. Often referred to as "ghost gear," lost, abandoned, or discarded fishing gear is one of the most harmful types of marine plastic pollution. Fishing nets and ropes made of plastic make up about 10% of the plastic pollution in the world's oceans. 300,000 whales, porpoises, and dolphins become unintentionally tangled in nets and lines each year, whereupon they suffer a slow and agonizing demise from starvation, suffocation, or exhaustion. Related article: Young Female Humpback Whale Ballooning Carcass Found on Shores of British Columbia To the point where it can be seen from space, the water levels of Lake Mead are rapidly declining. Due to worries that it might reach deadpool in a few years, the reservoir, which is defined by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, has attracted national attention over the past year. The level at which water would stop flowing over the dam, which is below 895 feet, would prevent it from continuing to deliver power to the hundreds of thousands of individuals who depend on it. The megadrought in Southwest US caused the shrinking water levels in Lake Mead. The United States has not experienced a drought like this one in the past 1,200 years. Scientists attribute it primarily to climate change caused by humans. Seen From Space! Because of the dry conditions, seasonal rainfall and snowmelt haven't replenished the lake as rapidly as the water is being consumed. Satellite photos and images clearly show the effects of the drought. Lake Mead can be seen in images from the NASA Earth Observatory taken on July 6, 2000, and July 4, 2022. The lake looked noticeably smaller on July 4, 2022. The reservoir experienced particularly dry conditions in July, dropping to its lowest elevation ever at 1,040 feet. The lake's lowest point was in 2022, but water levels rose for the very first time in three years during that year. This was brought on by an especially rainy monsoon season. On January 2, the water level in the lake was measured at 1,044.99 feet . However, the rise in water levels hasn't been sufficient to allay worries, and the reservoir's future still appears bleak. The water levels at Lake Mead reached their highest point ever in 1983. At that point, the water was so high that it was overflowing. Hoover Dam Although the water levels in Lake Mead are at their lowest point ever right now, less than 40 years ago, this same lake was spilling over into the Hoover Dam side spillways. To prevent excess Lake Mead water from flooding Hoover Dam's top, spillways were built to collect it. The spillways, however, have only ever been filled twice-once in 1941 to test the system and once more in 1983 during a flood, FOX5 reports. Read also: Lake Mead Low Water Levels Uncovers Volcanic Eruption From 12 Million Years Ago Risking Deadpool The future of Lake Mead is difficult to foresee. The lake may never reach deadpool, but as the drought persists, it is becoming more likely that it will. According to a Bureau of Reclamation projection, there is a 47 percent possibility that water levels will fall below 1,020 feet in 2023. Not only Lake Mead is impacted by the ongoing drought; other bodies of water are as well. Recently, the Great Salt Lake in Utah experienced its lowest water level on record, measuring 4,188.2 feet. In addition, the Mississippi River has been drying up in some areas due to the dry weather. In Memphis, Tennessee, especially low water levels were noted, Newsweek reports. In a July 2022 article for 8 News Now, it was stated that Lake Mead was 1,041 feet above sea level. The lake will effectively be at dead pool level if it drops below 895 feet because the Hoover Dam will be unable to produce electricity any longer. This indicates that the reservoir's water levels are too low for the water to flow downstream from Hoover Dam's lowest water outlet. Related article: Second Largest Reservoir in US, Lake Powell Will Dry Up in a Few Decades According to a recent report, the weather in the United Kingdom could expect more unsettled rain and windy conditions this week. Meanwhile, portions of Scotland are under the yellow warning. Bringing an umbrella and raincoat jacket would be recommendable this week as rounds of rain could unload anytime. Heavier rain is expected. The midweek in the UK would receive more rain as many people returned from the New Year's celebration and holiday. According to The Guardian's forecast, this week could expect unsettled rain until Friday. The forecast said that heavier rain would be most noticeable in the west. The forecast said 17 flood warnings were issued in England (Tuesday night). Meanwhile, 17 flood alerts were issued in Scotland, according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Motorists traveling or planning for the outdoor activity should check their local weather forecast before leaving. Meanwhile, the forecast said that yellow and gale warnings were also issued in portions of Scotland. People on the coasts should observe the weather conditions for the potential rise of seawater. Furthermore, the report said that windy conditions could also unfold as the rounds of rain unload. According to meteorologist Tom Morgan, the weather would be unsettled this week, adding that portions of the Brecon Beacons, Highlands of Scotland and Snowdonia could be affected. Travel delays Motorists should anticipate potential travel delays and slower commutes this week due to heavy rain. The report urged motorists to check the weather conditions and be cautious driving. Wet and slippery roads could be expected, resulting in dangerous travel. Flood warnings Meanwhile, the Met Office's recent advisory said that the forecast for January 4 to January 8, could see mild and unsettled weather, adding a potential flooding threat. According to the forecast, people in the UK could expect showery rain in northern portions of the country. On the other hand, patchy frost to mild conditions could unfold in the far north. On Thursday, the Met Office forecast said that rounds of rain could unleash in the southwest with windy conditions. Also Read: Ice Alert Issued in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Portions of England; Motorists Advised to Be Careful with Icy Pavements From Friday to the weekend, the forecast said the weather could improve with drier conditions. Portions of Scotland could expect torrential rain with windy weather. Next week, January 9 to January 18, people should anticipate unsettled to mild weather. Southern portions could also experience the heaviest rain. Residents should stay aware of the weather conditions, especially flooding risks in flood-prone or coastal areas. US Weather On the other hand, the National Weather Service's recent advisory that the weather in the U.S. could cause heavy rain and strong winds in California. Meanwhile, portions of the country in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest experience heavy snow and potential winter storm due to the severe weather conditions. The forecast said significant travel delays could also occur this week. Related Article: Record-Breaking Warm Weather in January Unfolds in Europe For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature News. The latest weather forecast said snow and rain would unload in the Northeast and Midwest until next week, causing potentially slower commutes and travel delays. Motorists should check the weather updates this week before traveling or departing. The snow could be challenging for motorists due to slippery travel and reduced visibility. Although the weather went a rapid warmup, the forecast said it would still feel seasonably cold this week. However, it would not be as extremely cold as last year. Wintry Weather According to AccuWeather's latest weather forecast on January 5, residents and motorists in the Northeast and Midwest could notice wintry conditions and an icy mix until Monday. The first week of January had many travelers returning to work after the Holidays. They would experience wintry conditions for the first week until next week, a mix of snow and rain. AccuWeather's outlook (Friday to Monday) showed that the weather could still be seasonably cold in Columbus, Burlington, Detroit, Buffalo, Washington, Portland, Boston and New York. The weather could become colder at night. Last year, the blast of cold air brought temperatures to extremes. This month would still expect freezing weather. Meanwhile, experts still advised wearing layered winter clothes and avoiding prolonged exposure to colder weather. The common health risks are hypothermia and frostbite. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service's recent advisory said that the atmospheric rivers in California could expect heavy rain in northern California. The advisory added that flooding could become a concern, especially in California and Sacramento Valley. Power outages and downed trees could also occur due to the strong winds. Also Read: Severe Thunderstorms to Unload in Florida Gulf Coast and Central Virginia Starting Wednesday Icy conditions The forecast in New York City said the weather could still be colder. Recently, heavy lake-effect snow unloaded in Buffalo City, causing concerns among residents. According to AccuWeather, an ice storm could be noticeable from Wednesday night until Thursday morning, affecting portions of Ottawa, Monreal, Potsdam and Montpelier. Slippery travel and local power outages could occur. On Thursday, the weather forecast said mild snow and spotty rain could unfold. Mild conditions could occur in Washington and Virginia Beach. Snow with rain could happen in Portland, Burlington, Buffalo and New York. Boston and New York could expect spotty rain. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh could expect colder weather. With the colder weather in the air and potential rain, it is best to bring an umbrella and rain jacket. On Friday, the forecast said snowy conditions could unfold in Portland, Boston, Burlington, Buffalo and Detroit. The snow conditions and ice storms could result in significant travel delays. Frozen pipes could also be a concern for many homeowners. The forecast added that the condition could create more snow on Saturday. Snow could occur in Des Moines, Peoria, Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Pittsburg, New York, Boston and Portland. On the weekend, rain showers could persist in Boston, New York and Washington. Meanwhile, rounds of rain could also appear in Dallas, Houston and Kansas City. On the other hand, CNN's recent report said that a bomb cyclone could unleash heavy rain and stronger winds in California. Residents are advised to prepare. Related Article: Rapid Storm to Become Bomb Cyclone Causing Severe Weather Conditions in California; Power Outages and Travel Delays Expected For more similar, don't forget to follow Nature World News. California will continue to experience heavy rain with damaging winds and mountain snow until later this week as an atmospheric river weather event has been hovering over the state. In addition, the weather phenomenon could also cause landslides and other debris flows, as well as flooding due to torrential rain, according to US meteorologists. US weather authorities describe the event as a significant storm that has arrived in the Golden State, initially through its shorelines from the Pacific Ocean earlier this week. Meanwhile, the atmospheric river or "river in the sky" in the West Coast is simultaneously accompanied by an unsettled weather in the East Coast, particularly affecting the Great Lakes and Northeast regions. The latest weather developments in the US this early January comes after a powerful winter storm or bomb cyclone wreaked havoc in New York and other parts of the country in late December. These winter weather events resulted in the deaths of multiple people and leading to nationwide travel disruptions, including delayed or cancelled flights. Significant Storm Forecast The National Weather Service (NWS) on Wednesday, January 5, calls the said western US storm as a significant atmospheric river which moved onshore during the evening. Heavy precipitation in the form of rain and snow, as well as powerful winds are expected to create a cascade of weather hazards in the coming hours and days. The significant storm is mainly caused by a powerful hurricane force low pressure system located over the eastern Pacific Ocean. The system has been set to bring a surge of moisture and damaging winds into the West Coast starting on Wednesday evening local time. The NWS said that the greatest impacts will be in most parts of California and southern Oregon until Thursday, January 5. Substantial rainfall amounts ranging between three to six inches may occur in a short period of time, bringing potential flooding across the region. The US weather agency adds that the highest precipitation events are expected over the coastal areas of California, as far south as the Transverse Ranges and across the Sierra foothills. Also Read: Unsettled Weather with a Barrage of Heavy Rain and Mountain Snow to Continue in the Western United States Next Week What is an Atmospheric River? NBC News stated that the atmospheric river is expected to trigger a bomb cyclone and additional flooding in California, where flood watches remain in effect for 12 million people in the northern part of the state as of Wednesday. Some of the affected residents are reportedly still recovering from recent storms and mudslides. One might wonder what are actually atmospheric rivers as they are frequently used in meteorological forecasts and reports. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), atmospheric rivers are long, narrow regions in the atmosphere, adding these rivers in the sky transport most of the water vapor beyond the tropics. The NOAA explained that these sky rivers carry water similar to rivers on land. However, atmospheric rivers release this water vapor either in the form of rain or snow when they make landfall. The exact duration of these weather events is indefinite but they can last for at least several days or weeks. Related Article: Atmospheric River May Bring a Series of Rain to Drizzle the Northeastern States Download Now The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the News-Gazette on your mobile device just as it appears in print. Very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants are at substantially higher risk for chronic health problems and neurodevelopmental disabilities compared with full term infants. It is well- established that providing mother's milk to an infant (also known as provision of mother's milk) during hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is associated with the reduced risk of multiple premature birth-related morbidities. Although the overall rate of provision of mother's milk in the U.S. has increased in the last decade, racial/ethnic inequities persist. Because the majority of non-English-speaking adults in Massachusetts are Hispanic, researchers believe that maternal language other than English could account for the large Hispanic/White difference in provision of mother's milk observed in the state and potentially contribute to the Black/White difference as well. However, the relationship between maternal non-English primary language speakers and breastfeeding in the preterm population is complex. Understanding the key contributing factors that underlie the observed racial/ethnic inequities in mother's milk provision is needed to devise and implement tailored interventions." Erika Cordova Ramos, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine To better understand this issue, researchers at the School and Boston Medical Center (BMC) examined the association of maternal race/ethnicity and language with any and exclusive mother's milk given to infants at NICU discharge. They also studied the time to cessation of mother's milk during the course of the NICU hospitalization among racial/ethnic and language groups. They found maternal primary language was associated with breastfeeding continuation over the course of the NICU hospitalization. "Notably, we found opposite associations for Hispanic and Black mothers in our state. Among Hispanic mothers, non-English versus English-speaking mothers had lower rates of milk provision. Among Black mothers, non-English versus English-speaking Black mothers had higher rates of milk provision. These differences likely reflect the complex interplay of social and cultural factors that influence continuation of mother's milk provision among racial/ethnic minority mothers of VLBW infants," adds Cordova Ramos, who also is a neonatologist at BMC. According to the researchers, this study highlights the important heterogeneity that exists among racial/ethnic groups that is often overlooked in observational and interventional studies. They hypothesize that the differences they found for Hispanic and Black mothers in the state includes geographic makeup and acculturation of non-English speaking populations, cultural norms, socioeconomic factors and structural racism that contribute to maternal breastfeeding continuation. These findings appear online in the journal Breastfeeding Medicine. Dr. E.G.C.-R. is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through BU-CTSI Grant Number 1KL2TR001411. E-cigarette or vaping product useassociated lung injury (EVALI) is a severe pulmonary illness caused by using e-cigarettes or vaping products. In the United States, in 2018, an alarming 25% of youth adopted e-cigarettes, with the overall number being more than 13 million individuals. E-cigaretterelated respiratory diseases have been reported since 2012, but EVALI diagnoses peaked in 2019. To prioritize regulation and research to deal with the EVALI epidemic, an American Thoracic Society workshop was convened in 2021, which pinned down the need to understand the main factors that lead to EVALI. This would help prevent future outbreaks and aid in effectively managing the epidemic. The workshop proceedings have been published in a recent article in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Study: The E-cigarette or Vaping Product UseAssociated Lung Injury Epidemic: Pathogenesis, Management, and Future Directions: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report. Image Credit: FOTOGRIN / Shutterstock Regulatory Needs and Public Health Initiatives to Manage EVALI A biorepository and national case registry are needed to comprehensively study the overall burden of EVALI-vitamin E acetate (VEA) and related disease. This will also help identify the biological alterations and chemical constituents responsible for disease progression. Further, a dedicated EVALI EMR code and coding systems are required to document EVALI and related diseases accurately. The coding systems should collect information on e-liquid components and vaping products. Establishments of product standards and FDA regulation of nicotine vaping products are critical to guarantee that harmful chemicals like VEA are not added to products commonly consumed by the general public. To ensure the safety of cannabinoids and other vaping products, additional federal and state regulatory frameworks are needed. Another important public health initiative is continued public education on the risks of vaping product use, especially in relation to harmful chemicals like VEA. Clinical Initiatives to Manage EVALI More extensive clinical training to evaluate patient exposures is required. This would ensure a thorough assessment of exposure to vaping products. Further, researchers could conduct an over-time study of EVALI patients to develop better treatment protocols and standardized diagnosis and to study long-term outcomes. Consensus is required on the diagnostic criteria to define EVALI and therapeutic management algorithms. This is particularly important to update CDC guidelines that require the exclusion of COVID-19. Understanding the Mechanisms of EVALI In addition to the initiatives mentioned above, the workshop identified many initiatives needed to further our understanding of EVALI and prevent a similar outbreak in the future. Accessible compound libraries and comparable toxicity data are required in order to study e-cigarette constituents and their mixtures. Adequate safety testing has not been conducted on several chemicals that are heated and inhaled in an aerosolized form. High- and mid-throughput assessments should be developed to assess the toxicity of e-cigarette aerosol constituents. Such toxicity assessment may help answer outstanding research questions, such as the role of VEA in systemic inflammation. More research on detecting and evaluating biomarkers of nicotine exposure is needed to understand disease pathogenesis better. The research will also help gain insights into the heterogeneous effects of a wide array of products and the sensitivity of current biomarkers. The primary aerosol products in nicotine e-cigarettes could include acrolein, formaldehyde, glycolaldehyde, and acetaldehyde-releasing agents. In addition, Isoprene epoxide, butadiene, isoprene, and methacrolein are present in cannabinoid e-cigarettes. It is essential to devise a strategy to regulate tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-containing products; therefore, the existing governmental restrictions on studying these products should be relaxed. Under the Controlled Substances Act, the declassification of marijuana as a Schedule I substance and a waiver of restrictions around using Schedule I substances for research is essential to study THC and other cannabis-based compounds. The interaction of cannabinoids with carrier oils, like VEA, is of particular interest to researchers. Also of great interest is the acute and long-term effects of active compounds within cannabis products. Should the restrictions be relaxed, these questions could be effectively studied in animal models. Conclusion The EVALI workshop identified the urgent need for a national EVALI case registry and biorepository. Besides this, sustained campaigning on the risks of e-cigarette use and the need for physician education on post-screening documentation of e-cigarette exposure was deemed highly necessary. More research on harmful e-cigarette additives, the establishment of manufacturing standards, and the regulation of e-cigarettes could be crucial in effectively managing the EVALI epidemic. An integrated multidisciplinary approach will be needed to address the leading causes of EVALI and prevent future epidemics. The initiatives outlined in the workshop are expected to require significant federal investment and regulatory policy changes. The reduced probability of future epidemics and improvement in public health will be driven by the extent of coordinated action taken by the regulatory agencies, researchers, and users of e-cigarettes. University of Queensland researchers are working with people living with dementia to develop an online driver safety test that can be performed by GPs in their surgeries. Approximately 472,000 Australians are living with dementia and there is currently no clear line when driving is deemed unsafe. Dr Theresa Scott, from UQ's School of Psychology said there are many negative impacts when people are forced to stop driving. Flaws in current driving tests mean people living with dementia are sometimes given no formal assessment, or they are told they have to stop driving as soon as they are diagnosed even when they could continue driving safely. Some people don't accept the decision to stop driving as they feel they haven't been fairly assessed, and continue driving which puts them and others at risk. Our new fitness-to-drive assessment is the first reliable and valid test that incorporates real on-road footage and gives the person a 'behind-the-wheel' driver's perspective. We hope this project will reduce traffic crashes, driving-related referrals and associated costs for health professionals, such as neurologists, geriatricians, and occupational therapy driving specialists." Dr Theresa Scott, UQ's School of Psychology The video-based fitness-to-drive assessment is based on the hazard perception test, which was used as part of the Queensland Government's driver licencing system and was developed by UQ's Professor Mark Horswill and Dr Andrew Hill, who are also involved in this project. Limestone Medical Centre Partner and UQ Faculty of Medicine's Emeritus Professor Geoff Mitchell said the assessment tool would be hugely beneficial for GPs when they assess people living with dementia. "Current office assessments conducted by GPs are fraught with risk, but the fitness-to-drive tool will mean GPs won't have to rely on paper and pencil tests that have no association with on-road driving ability," Emeritus Professor Mitchell said. "Currently the tools available are blunt instruments, and GPs heavily rely on memory tests and opinions of loved ones. "To have a tool that is practical, accepted, and reliable will be welcomed by all GPs who look after people with dementia. "It will also help reduce the risk of fractured relationships with patients when refusal to grant a license occurs or GPs have to refer the person for further testing." Awarded $1.3 million under the Federal Government's Medical Research Future Fund, the 'Navigating Fitness to Drive with Patients with Dementia' project also involves UQ Professor Nancy Pachana and is expected to be available by 2025. In a first for the genetic toolset known as CRISPR, a recently discovered protein has been found to act as a kind of multipurpose self-destruct system for bacteria, capable of degrading single-stranded RNA, single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA. With its abilities to target so many types of genetic material, the discovery holds potential for the development of new inexpensive and highly sensitive at-home diagnostic tests for a wide range of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, influenza, Ebola and Zika, according to the authors of a new study in the journal Nature. Using a high-resolution imaging technique called cryo-EM, the team discovered that when this protein, named Cas12a2, binds to a specific sequence of genetic material from a potentially dangerous virus, called a target RNA, a side portion of Cas12a2 swings out to reveal an active site, similar to a sprung-open switchblade knife. Then, the active site starts to indiscriminately cut any genetic material it comes into contact with. The researchers discovered that, with a single mutation to the Cas12a2 protein, the active site degrades only single-stranded DNA-;a feature especially useful in developing new diagnostics tailored for any of a wide range of viruses. A test based on this technology could theoretically combine the best features of PCR-based tests that detect genetic material from a virus (high sensitivity, high accuracy and the ability to detect an active infection) with the best features of rapid at-home diagnostic tests (inexpensive to produce without requiring specialized lab equipment). It also would be easily adaptable to any new RNA virus. If some new virus comes out tomorrow, all you have to do is figure out its genome and then change the guide RNA in your test, and you'd have a test against it." David Taylor, an associate professor of molecular biosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and co-corresponding author of the new study Such a diagnostic would still require separate work and probably involve collecting saliva or a nasal sample from a patient to be mixed with the team's modified Cas12a2 protein, the piece of guide RNA that acts like a mugshot to identify a specific virus, and a fluorescent probe designed to light up when its single-stranded DNA gets cut. CRISPR is the name for a set of tools that occur naturally in bacteria, but which scientists have adapted for use in gene editing. This is the first CRISPR protein that has been found to degrade such a wide range of genetic material. "Cas12a2 basically grabs the two ends of the DNA double helix and bends it really tightly," said Jack Bravo, a postdoctoral fellow at UT Austin and co-first author on the paper. "And so, the helix in the middle pops open, and then this allows this active site to destroy the bits of DNA that become single-stranded. This is what makes Cas12a2 different from all the other DNA-targeting systems." The paper's co-corresponding author is Ryan Jackson and co-first author Thomson Hallmark, both of Utah State University. The other co-authors are Bronson Naegle of Utah State and Chase Beisel of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the University of Wurzburg in Germany. Structural data were collected using the cryo-EM facilities at the Sauer Structural Biology Laboratory at The University of Texas at Austin. Taylor, Bravo, Hallmark and Jackson are inventors on a patent application covering modifications to the Cas12a2 protein that enable it to cut only single-stranded DNA and for its use in diagnostics. The UT Austin Office of Technology Commercialization is managing the intellectual property and working to find industry partners that can help realize the potential of the technology. This work was supported in part by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health, the German Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation, The Welch Foundation, and the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation. David Taylor is a CPRIT scholar supported by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. A companion paper in the same issue of Nature describes the biological functions of Cas12a2, while the paper described in this news release describes the mechanisms by which the protein accomplishes them. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in men with more than 34,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, according to the American Cancer Society. But guidelines for prostate cancer screening are continually shifting, leading to uncertainty among patients and providers on when and if screening tests should be ordered. In a new study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, researchers recently examined prostate screening testing among primary care providers and found that the tests are frequently used, even when they provide little value to patients. The study appears online in the current issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. Screening is complex because while some prostate cancers are aggressive, most grow slowly and may never cause symptoms or death." Chris Gillette, Ph.D., associate professor of PA Studies at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and principal investigator of the study According to Gillette, current prostate cancer screening guidelines recommend that providers discuss the benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening for men between the ages of 55 and 69. There are two tests that providers can use that might help diagnose prostate cancer. One is a digital rectal exam (DRE), and the other is a blood test that measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Elevated levels of PSA in the bloodstream can be indicative of prostate cancer. However, these screening tools often lead to false-positive results. A false-positive test increases the likelihood of overdiagnosis and more aggressive testing that might result in harm to the patient with little to no benefit. "As a man ages, the risk for a false-positive result increases," Gillette said. "Men who are 70 years and older are at the highest risk for overdiagnosis." The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended against any PSA-based screening in men in 2012, but then changed their recommendation in 2018 to not screen men over the age of 70. In 2013, the American Urological Association also recommended against PSA-based prostate cancer screening for men over the age of 70. For this study, Gillette and team conducted a secondary analysis of the National Ambulatory Medicare Care Survey datasets from 2013-2016 and 2018. The dataset is a nationally representative sample of visits to non-federal office-based physician clinics. In looking at primary care visits for men over the age of 70, the research team found 6.71 PSA tests and 1.65 DREs per 100 visits. Gillette noted that the research team restricted this analysis to primary care providers and those patients without any clear medical history that would necessitate a PSA or DRE as a diagnostic test. "We also found that providers who order a lot of tests are more likely to order low-value screening such as PSA and DRE," Gillette said. Specifically, for each service ordered, there was a 49% increase in the odds of a low-value PSA and a 37% increase in the odds of a low-value DRE. According to Gillette, providers might be responding to patient requests when ordering these screening tests or using what's known as a "shotgun" approach to medical testing where all possible tests are ordered during a medical visit. "However, as health care systems move toward a more value-based care system-;where the benefit of services provided outweighs any risks-;providers need to engage patients in these discussions on the complexity of this testing," Gillette said. "Ultimately, when and if to screen is a decision best left between a provider and the patient." Overview A research team led by Kojiro Matsuo, an associate professor at the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering within the Toyohashi University of Technology, and Kosuke Miyazaki, a professor at the Department of Civil Engineering within the National Institute of Technology Kagawa College, has established an efficient means of identifying road intersections at high potential risk of accidents involving children. A statistical model based on unique geo-informatized data for school commuting routes and school walking groups held by Toyohashi City in addition to road traffic big data, past accident data, intersection structures, and land-use, etc., can be used to prevent accidents by identifying locations at high potential risk of accidents, even where none have occurred. Details Children in Japan often wander around by themselves from around seven years old (1st and 2nd grades of elementary school). Although this is somewhat unusual from an international perspective, it is considered to contribute to the children's health and development. Therefore, it is very important to ensure this can continue, and thus improving safety in children's travel is an essential requirement. Appropriately identifying zones and locations where traffic safety measures should be implemented is an integral part of traffic safety management to enhance children's safety while traveling, but identifying such points is complicated by the fact that such incidents are rare, whereas there are an enormous number of locations that children walk through. The potential risk at each location needs to be evaluated quantitatively, while efficiently identifying places where additional measures are required. Accordingly, the research team established a method using a statistical model to efficiently identify potentially dangerous intersections in terms of traffic accidents involving children. Associate Prof. Matsuo, as lead researcher, explained, "This statistical model has two main characteristics. The first uses Empirical Bayesian estimation to combine the average impact of environmental road traffic conditions, such as traffic volume, intersection structure, and land usage status as obtained from road traffic big data balanced appropriately with past accident data. The second is to incorporate data on how much children travel with road traffic conditions using unique geo-informatized data on school commuting routes and walking groups held by Toyohashi City. Ultimately, the fact that it identified seven or more potentially dangerous spots proved that it is more efficient and effective at such identification than methods based simply on past accident data. Furthermore, we validated the current policy of "implementing traffic safety measures primarily on school commuting routes," because Japanese children tend to use familiar routes not only on their way to and from school, but also during any daily outings, yet accidents along these routes are increasing." Development background Associate Prof. Matsuo added, "This research would not have been possible without the geo-informatized data on school commuting routes and walking groups made available by Toyohashi City. I had been acting as an advisor to Toyohashi City on safety measures for school commuting routes, and as an administrative initiative, I planned the efficient management and utilization of data on school commuting routes and walking groups in 2015. After proposing the use of geo-informatized data and the data structure, this was officially adopted from 2016. Back in those days, I never imagined that this data would become useful for my research, but I am delighted that the measures implemented six years ago are still being used. I hope that in the future, other municipalities will also promote the use of geo-informatized data with school commuting routes." Future outlook Through this research, we devised a way to identify potentially dangerous locations based on objective information acquired from various data. However, real-world traffic is complicated, and data represents only part of it. The research team would like to promote research into how best to efficiently combine subjective information held by the public, such as close calls, with objective information. Without opioid painkillers to dull the ache in his knees and other joints, Arnold Wilson wouldn't be able to walk half a block. The 63-year-old former New York City nurse has crippling arthritis for which he takes OxyContin twice a day and oxycodone when he needs additional relief. For the past several years, he's kept another drug on hand as well: naloxone, an overdose reversal drug often referred to by the brand name Narcan. Although overdose deaths from illicit drugs sold on the street make headlines, the risk of overdose is just as real for patients who take opioids prescribed by their doctors. "It gives me a sense of relief and security," said Wilson, who keeps Narcan nasal spray in his car and at home. His pain management doctor at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx prescribed the opioids in 2013, after a bout with meningitis exacerbated joint problems Wilson had as a result of two brain aneurysms and several strokes. His doctor urged him to start carrying Narcan in 2017. Naloxone, which begins to reverse an overdose within minutes, is typically administered by others. Though he's never needed it, Wilson's 18-year-old daughter knows how to use it. "I've instructed her how to do it, in case I'm lethargic," he said. His girlfriend and friends know what to do, too. A recently enacted New York law aims to ensure that naloxone is available if needed by people like Wilson who take prescription opioids. Under the law, which took effect this summer, doctors must co-prescribe naloxone to certain patients who are at risk of an overdose when writing the patients' first opioid prescription each year. Risk factors that would trigger the requirement include taking a high daily dose of an opioid (at least 90 morphine milligram equivalents, or MME); taking certain other drugs, like sedative hypnotics; or having a history of substance use disorder. At least 10 other states have similar laws, according to research by the Network for Public Health Law. "Sometimes patients, especially if they've been taking opioids for a long time, don't understand the risks," said Dr. Laila Khalid, co-director of the chronic pain clinic at Montefiore Medical Center. The clinic provides free naloxone to patients through the state's opioid overdose prevention program. Someone may forget the timing of their last dose and inadvertently take too much, for example, or have a few extra drinks at a party, Khalid said. Alcohol and some medications, like benzodiazepines, amplify opioids' effects. "Drug overdose deaths continue to climb, as they have nearly every year for more than two decades," said Emily Einstein, chief of the Science Policy Branch at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In 2021, Einstein noted, overdose deaths in the United States topped an estimated 100,000 for the first time, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to this provisional data, Einstein said, the vast majority of those deaths over 80,000 involved opioids. While most opioid overdose deaths were attributable to illicit fentanyl, approximately 17,000 deaths involved prescription opioids, including methadone. Naloxone, available as either a nasal spray or injection, is considered safe and causes few side effects. It's not addictive. The CDC recommends that people at risk of overdose carry it with them so that a family member or bystander can administer it if necessary. Experts in drug policy point to a key statistic that laws like the one in New York aim to address: In nearly 40% of overdose deaths, another person is present, according to the CDC. If bystanders had had naloxone, "most of those people wouldn't have died," said Corey Davis, director of the Harm Reduction Legal Project at the Network for Public Health Law. In every state, including New York, pharmacists are authorized to dispense naloxone, often under "standing orders" that allow dispensing without a prescription, typically to people who are at risk of overdose or are in a position to help someone at risk. So then why require physicians to write scripts? Mandating is more effective than recommending, experts said. By requiring physicians to prescribe the drug, more people who might need naloxone would have it on hand if they fill the prescription. But there's no guarantee they will. A prescription can also help remove the lingering stigma of asking for an overdose drug at the pharmacy counter. "It removes friction points," said Davis. "You just drive through the window and pick it up." In a 2019 analysis, pharmacists in states that required co-prescribing naloxone with opioids filled nearly eight times as many naloxone prescriptions per 100,000 people as those in states that didn't require it. Missouri doesn't have a co-prescribing law, but Danielle Muscato's pain management doctor recently suggested she carry Narcan. The 38-year-old civil rights activist, who lives in Columbia, takes the prescription opioid tramadol and several other drugs to keep her chronic severe lower back pain in check. She's glad to have the nasal spray tucked in her purse, just in case. "I think it's a wonderful thing" that people carry it and know how to use it, she said. "I wish this was standard everywhere." Since the New York law went into effect, "I have definitely seen an uptick of prescribers adding naloxone to opioids, especially if it's a large order," said Ambar Keluskar, pharmacy manager at Rossi Pharmacy in Brooklyn. Patients don't always understand why they're getting it, though, said Toni Tompkins, supervising pharmacist at Phelps Hometown Pharmacy in the upstate New York town of Phelps. A two-dose package of naloxone spray typically costs about $150. The medication is now available in generic form, which may reduce the out-of-pocket cost. Most insurers cover it, although patients typically owe a copayment. The uninsured can generally get naloxone through state programs. In New York, private insurers are required to cover naloxone, and Medicaid also covers it, said Monica Pomeroy, a spokesperson for the state health department. The state's Naloxone Co-Payment Assistance Program (N-CAP) covers the cost of copays up to $40 for those with insurance, Pomeroy said. Uninsured people or those with unmet deductibles can get it free at one of the state's opioid overdose prevention sites. In November, the FDA announced it is considering making naloxone available without a prescription. Although offering it over the counter would make the drug easier to get, some people are concerned that insurance might not cover it. Further, "if a patient is just picking it up somewhere without getting any guidance on how to use it, that could be a downside," said Anne Burns, vice president of professional affairs at the American Pharmacists Association. Some professionals believe naloxone should be dispensed with every opioid prescription, regardless of risk factors. In Rochester, New York, and surrounding Monroe County, that's what happens. In 2021, the county executive, Adam Bello, signed Maisie's Law, named after a local 9-month-old girl who died after swallowing a methadone pill she found on a neighbor's kitchen floor. "It's horrible what happened," said Karl Williams, a pharmacy law professor and chair of the board of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York. "Maybe it's a next-level standard that should become law." Women who experience recent intimate partner violence (IPV) are three times more likely to contract HIV, according to a new study led by McGill University researchers. In regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, women face an intersecting epidemic of intimate partner violence and HIV. Worldwide, more than one in four women experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime." Mathieu Maheu-Giroux, McGill University Professor, Canada Research Chair in Population Health Modeling "Sub-Saharan Africa is among one of the regions in the world with the highest prevalence of both IPV and HIV. We wanted to examine the effects of intimate partner violence on recent HIV infections and women's access to HIV care in this region," he says. Their study, published in The Lancet HIV, shows considerable overlap between violence against women and the HIV epidemics in some of the highest-burdened countries. Among women living with HIV, those experiencing intimate partner violence were nine per cent less likely to achieve viral load suppression - the ultimate step in HIV treatment. New calls to eliminate all forms of sexual and gender-based violence "The 2021 UN General Assembly, attended and supported by the Government of Canada, adopted the Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS with bold new global targets for 2025. This encompasses a commitment to eliminate all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, including IPV, as a key enabler of the HIV epidemic. Improving our understanding of the relationships between IPV and HIV is essential to meet this commitment," says Professor Maheu-Giroux. The researchers found that physical or sexual intimate partner violence in the past year was associated with recent HIV acquisition and less frequent viral load suppression. According to the researchers, IPV could also pose barriers for women in accessing HIV care and remaining in care while living with the virus. "Given the high burden of IPV worldwide, including in Canada, the need to stem the mutually reinforcing threats of IPV and HIV on women's health and well-being is urgent," says Salome Kuchukhidze, a PhD candidate studying epidemiology and the lead author of the research. SynGAP Research Fund (SRF), a 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to improve the quality of life for SYNGAP1 patients through the research and development of treatments, therapies and support systems, along with SynGAP Research Fund UK, today announced they have awarded a $180,000 grant to the University of Edinburgh Medical School's Patrick Wild Centre & Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences to advance the science around gene transfer to correct SYNGAP1 haploinsufficiency. In pilot studies, principal investigators Stuart Cobb (Simons Fellow and Professor in Translational Neuroscience) and Peter Kind (Director of the Patrick Wild Centre for Research into Autism, Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) and Intellectual Disability and Professor of Developmental Neuroscience) have assessed a range of gene therapy cassettes and identified a construct that, when packaged in AAV9 (a gene vector), demonstrated the ability of gene transfer to target a dominant isoform of SynGAP protein to synaptic compartments at pseudo-physiological levels. The aim of the program to advance the research into dose-defining efficacy, biodistribution and tolerability studies. While the scale of SYNGAP1 is still being quantified, we do know that large-scale exome sequencing studies indicate it is one of the most prevalent recurring genes, accounting for as many as 0.5-1% of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. We are at the tip of the iceberg in terms of the number of people officially diagnosed with this disease. We need to run not walk to find therapies and treatments that can improve the quality of life for those diagnosed. The work being done by Drs. Cobb and Kind is critical to advancing these efforts." Michael Graglia, Managing Director of SRF The project The two-phase project aims to assess the effectiveness of the SYNGAP1 vector in rats modeling the disorder. In Phase I, the team will run experiments to establish the transduction efficiency and tissue bio-distribution of AAV9/SYNGAP1 in brain regions after intracerebroventricular injection of vector in wild type rats. During Phase II, they will test the therapeutic benefit of ICV delivery of AAV9/ hSYNGAP1 in male SYNGAP1 +/- male rats in terms of key neurological and behavioral phenotypes. The goal of the two-year project is to generate proof-of-concept efficacy and non-GLP safety data that would support a potential future IND submission for a SYNGAP1 gene therapy. "Our kids struggle daily as a result of their SYNGAP1 symptoms and they often get worse as they get older," said Julie Pender, co-chair of SRF UK. "Advancements in gene therapy are so incredibly promising and give us all hope that one day we will be able to improve the quality of life for everyone with a SYNGAP1 diagnosis. The work being done by the University of Edinburgh gets us closer to that future, and I'm so pleased we can help further their research." Stuart Cobb, Simons Fellow and Professor in Translational Neuroscience, added: "Peter and I are excited to be working with the SynGAP Research Fund to advance the development of a gene therapy to help individuals with Syngap1 syndrome. We have a highly motivated team that is committed to moving quickly to take this work to the next stage." About SYNGAP1 SYNGAP1-related intellectual disability (ICD-10 F78.A1) is a rare genetic disorder caused by a variant on the SYNGAP1 gene, which is located on Chromosome 6 and responsible for producing the SynGAP protein. This protein acts as a regulator in the synapses (where neurons communicate with each other). A variant of the SYNGAP1 gene leads to the gene not producing enough SynGAP protein; without the right amount, we see an increase in excitability in the synapses making it difficult for neurons to communicate effectively. This leads to many neurological issues seen in SynGAP patients. Symptoms of SYNGAP1 include: Intellectual Disability; Epilepsy; Hypotonia (low muscle tone); Gross and Fine motor skill delays; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Gastro-intestinal disorders; Sleep and Behavior disorders and Visual Abnormalities. In a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers evaluated changes in the mental health status of university-attending students in France 15.0 months post-commencement of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. The COSAMe [consequences de la pandemie de coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) sur la sante mentale des etudiants] survey-based study was conducted to assess the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the mental well-being of French university students. The survey findings indicated a marginal reduction in stress, depression, and anxiety between the initial lockdown/first measurement time (T1, between 15 June and 15 July 2020) and a month after the lockdown ended or the second measurement time (T2). However, the prevalence rates of suicidal thoughts had elevated between T1 and T2, and one out of every five university students potentially had PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) at the second measurement time. The findings underscored the importance of evaluating the long-lasting mental health consequences of COVID-19. About the study In the present cross-sectional observational nationwide study, researchers utilized data obtained at T3 (third measurement time) of the COSAMe survey, conducted 15.0 months post-beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic to determine the prevalence rates of symptoms such as anxiety, stress, PTSD, suicidal thoughts, and depression and determine factors related to poor mental health outcomes. The third part of the COSAMe study was conducted between 21 July and 31 August 2021 via questionnaires emailed to students across 82 universities in France. The prime study outcomes included suicidal thought prevalence, PTSD [using PCL-5 (PTSD checklist for the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition)], anxiety [using STAI Y-2 (state-trait anxiety inventory, state subscale)], stress [using PSS-10 (10-item perceived stress scale)], and depression [using BDI-13 (13-item Beck depression inventory)] during the third measurement time. Prevalence rates at the third measurement time were compared with those at the first and second measurement times. Only university students living in France during the initial lockdown period were included in the study. A hundred participants were offered 100 compensation for completing the T3 survey. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was performed, and the associations between risk factors and mental health outcomes were reported as OR (odds ratio) values. Covariates considered for evaluating the association of COVID-19 with mental health included sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, academic extent of education, nationality, residence, and presence/absence of children), economic difficulties, precariousness, health-associated information, psychiatric history, chronic conditions, SARS-CoV-2 test reports, social separation, and quality of SARS-CoV-2 infection-associated information. Results In total, 44,898 university students (81%) filled out the questionnaires. Most (71%) of the survey respondents were female (n=31,728) , with a median age of 19 years. The age-standardized and sex-standardized prevalence of anxiety, stress, suicidal thoughts, PTSD, and depression were 24%, 21%, 14%, 30%, and 15%, respectively. Compared to the reduced prevalence rates at the second measurement time, elevated rates were observed at T3 with 3.0%, 14%, and 22% increases in stress, anxiety, and depression, respectively. The prevalence rates for suicidal thoughts showed an increasing trend from T1 (11%), T2 (12%), to T3 (14%), and the probable PTSD prevalence increased from one in five students to one in three students in the period between the second and third measurement times. The prevalence at T3 was greater than at T1 for depression (15% versus 14%) but for anxiety (24% versus 26%) and stress (21% versus 22%). PTSD prevalence was especially high at T3 (30%) compared to that at T2 (18%). Feminine and non-binary individuals, those without children, those residing in urban areas, and respondents with economic difficulties, chronic conditions, psychiatric follow-up history, SARS-CoV-2 infection history, social separation, and those having low quality of COVID-19-associated information were at an increased risk of poor mental health outcomes at the third measurement time. The adjusted ORs for stress among females, suicidal ideation in non-binary individuals, anxiety among respondents having children, and depression among rural residents were 2.2, 5.1, 0.7, and 0.8, respectively. In comparison to bachelor degree holders, Ph.D. degree holders had a lower risk of depression (OR 0.6), PTSD (OR 0.7), and suicidal thoughts (OR 0.6). Master degree holders were at lower risk of suicidal thoughts (OR 0.9) and depression (OR 0.8) but at a greater risk of developing anxiety (OR 1.1). Foreign students had a greater risk of PTSD (OR 1.2), suicidal thoughts (OR 1.9), and depression (OR 1.1). Compared to respondents with none or few financial difficulties, those documenting moderate difficulties had OR values ranging between 1.4 for suicidal thoughts and 1.8 for PTSD, and individuals with considerable difficulties had OR values ranging between 2.2 for suicidal thoughts and 3.4 for depression. Among individuals with prior COVID-19 history, OR values ranged between 1.1 for suicidal ideation and 1.4 for PTSD, and among those with chronic conditions, OR values ranged between 1.5 for PTSD and 1.6 for suicidal ideation. Among individuals with psychiatric follow-up history, OR values ranged between 2.1 for PTSD and 2.8 for suicidal ideation, and among those who were socially separated, OR values ranged between 1.3 for PTSD and 2.1 for depression. The OR values ranged between 1.3 for PTSD and 1.4 for suicidal ideation among participants with low quality of COVID-19-associated information (scores between 4.0 and 5.0) and between 1.6 for ideation and 1.8 for PTSD if the scores were even lower (below 4.0). Overall, the study findings showed severe long-term consequences of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the psychiatric well-being of university students in France and underscored the need for prioritizing the development of prevention strategies and policies to restore the mental-wellbeing of students. Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun today started his visit to Singapore and learnt more about its latest continuing education initiatives and protection of digital platform workers' rights and benefits. Mr Sun first paid a courtesy call on Singapore's Minister for Social & Family Development Masagos Zulkifli to exchange views on welfare policy priorities for the rapidly ageing populations of the two places, including the current-term Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's vision in building a caring and inclusive Hong Kong. They also discussed the challenges both sides face along the path to normalcy after COVID-19 and how to assist the disadvantaged. The labour chief then toured SkillsFuture Singapore to find out about its latest programmes to support lifelong learning, training and upskilling of employees in their early or mid-career, the middle-aged and the elderly as well as the public-private partnerships with employers and training bodies. He was also briefed on the Jobs-Skills Insights initiative, which regularly updates the community on the necessary skills and jobs in demand for the new economy. Mr Sun said Hong Kong will draw on the practical experience of other places with an aim of finding and nurturing talent for the needs of economic and social development. He then met representatives of the Tripartite Workgroup on Representation for Platform Workers co-chaired by the Singapore Government, the National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers Federation to keep abreast of its work, including the formulation of a framework to engage platform workers in discussion with platform companies on labour relations amid the gig economy. Noting the emerging developments of digital platforms and variations in service models locally and abroad, Mr Sun said the task force established by the Labour Department will study the policies of protecting platform workers' rights and benefits in various places and conduct statistical surveys to better understand the situation in Hong Kong before mapping out the way forward and the strategy as appropriate. Before concluding his visit, Mr Sun had a dinner gathering with Hong Kong people working in Singapore to learn about their living and working conditions. Agencies | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Tech giant Google has joined Bahrainis and the international community in celebrating the Kingdoms National Days, in commemoration of the establishment of the modern Bahraini State as an Arab and Muslim state, founded by Ahmed Al Fateh in 1783, and the anniversary of His Majesty the Kings Accession to the Throne. The search engine marked Bahrains National Days with a dedicated animated Google Doodle featuring the Kingdom's red and white flag. Todays Doodle celebrates Bahrain National Day, Google said. National Day celebrations span two days, as the sound of violins and rebabs fill the air with traditional Khaleeji (Gulf) music. Majestic fireworks, cultural concerts, acrobatic performances, magic, and laser shows entertain people until sun down. In the evening, colorful lights illuminate up to half a mile of city streets and walkways. Buildings across the country are decorated with national flags - like the one found in today's Doodle. Happy National Day, Bahrain! TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has praised the valiant and brave efforts of the National Guards staff. HM the King stressed that the National Guard has become a strong force in protecting the countrys sovereignty and stability and a dependable source of support to the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) and to the Public Security. His Majesty was speaking as he received National Guard President, General His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and expressed his appreciation of the National Guard competence, progress and high readiness. The meeting was attended by HM the Kings Personal Representative HH Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Royal Court Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, BDF Commander-in-Chief Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, BDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Theyab bin Saqr Al Nuaimi and senior National Guard officers. HM the King asked the National Guards President to convey his greetings and congratulations to all the staff and his best wishes of further success. Royal praise HM King Hamad praised the joint National Guard and Pakistani Army military exercise Al-Badr-7 in its seventh edition, and stressed that it was part of the cooperation and exchange of expertise between the two countries stemming from their deep-rooted and robust bonds. The National Guard presented HM the King with a memorial gift and a book Royal Vision that documents the achievements during the prosperous era of His Majesty. HH Shaikh Mohammed expressed his gratitude to HM the King for the generous care and unlimited support accorded to the National Guard and its affiliates. Conclusion The National Guard yesterday concluded the joint drill Al- Badr-7. General HH Shaikh Mohammed patronised the ceremony, which was held amid the celebrations marking the National Guards 26th anniversary. The ceremony was also attended by the BDF Chief of Staff, Pakistani Army Director General of Training and Evaluation Inspector General Lt. Gen. Muhammad Chiragh Haider and other officers. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Staff Reporter Ayadi Relief has partnered with Dana Zubari in organising a charity walk to raise funds for The Friendship Society for the Blind. Ayadi Relief is an international and humanitarian, youth-led association that aims to serve affected communities in the Middle East and Africa. According to the Ministry of Health, approximately 40 million people are blind around the world. Additionally, another 110 million are suffering from severe visual impairment. The ministry reported eye trauma as an important cause for blindness in Bahrain. A study was conducted on cases of eye injuries that required hospital admission, and a total of 489 patients were evaluated with 90 percent being males and 10 percent females. Children under 20 years old constituted 41.3 percent of total cases, with males accounting 85 percent and females accumulated 19.9 percent. The charity walk consists of a 1.5km walk located at Marassi Beach tomorrow at 3:30 pm. The event is inclusive to everybody, and all the funds raised are donated 100% to Ayadi Relief. The ticket price is BD5 to attend the charity walk. Zubari, co-founder of Tru Active Sportswear, told The Daily Tribune: The charity event includes everyone of all ages, even kids are allowed, and the event provides free entry to them. There are no dangerous or unsafe measures surrounding the event, so parents are able to bring their children whilst supporting the cause, free of worry. The aim is to use the money raised to create a better space for The Friendship Society for The Blind. For example, adding textured walls for them to touch and feel. The use of different materials with varied textures improves the recognition of tactile images by young blind people. Zubari uses her social media platforms to shed light on various topics in the Kingdom such as encouraging women to stay fit and get active for free of charge. She arranges a running and walking event twice a week for women (free of charge) to inspire women to get active, as she aims to strengthen communities for women to feel safe, as well as to engage with other women. She highlighted that making this event free of charge caters to all women who range in different socio-economic levels. Essentially, Zubari said: It is important that women of all socio-economic backgrounds are able to get active in a safe environment, whilst not having to spend a massive amount of money to do so. Dana also carried out an event last year which hosted the yearly Dilmunia Breast Cancer Awareness walk, bringing together 200 participants for the Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She also partnered with the charity A Box of Goodness previously, to collect food during the holy month of Ramadan for families in need in Bahrain. They created A Run for Ramadan, a 3 km run around Bahrain Harbour, which encouraged members of the community to bring an item of non-perishable food to be distributed to families all around the Kingdom. Dana said: I want to give back to the community, even if it takes one percent of my time. I want to create safe spaces for women, as well as shed light on important topics. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bank ABC (Arab Banking Corporation) has completed the legal merger of its two Egyptian subsidiaries - BLOM Bank Egypt and Bank ABC Egypt. The two banks have now become a single legal entity after receiving final regulatory approvals, including those of the Central Bank of Egypt and the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones. This follows Bank ABCs acquisition of a 99.5% stake in BLOM Bank Egypt in August 2021. The two banks will continue to operate a normal service while work continues to fully integrate their products and services. Bank ABC Group Chairman, Saddek Omar El Kaber, commented: Combining these two successful local banks gives us the scale and diversity needed to fully capitalise on our growth ambitions. The merger triples Bank ABC Egypts market share and takes its total assets to EGP 67bn on a combined basis. All customers of the fully combined bank will be offered a wider range of services, supported by a much larger network of branches and ATMs. More innovative digital services are also planned, including Bank ABCs mobile-only bank ila and leading payments capabilities of its subsidiary, Arab Financial Services (AFS). Sael Al Waary, Acting Group CEO, Bank ABC, commented: We are on our journey to build an exciting bank for the future. We want to be the bank that offers the best experience with agility, efficiency and innovation at the core of our services. Amr Tharwat, Bank ABC Egypt MD & CEO, commented: We also remain focused on providing customers with a full, uninterrupted service throughout our integration. A new board and leadership team will oversee the integration of the two banks. Branches and ATMs of both Bank ABC Egypt and BLOM Bank Egypt will continue to provide the same access to existing services to their customers throughout the integration process. Over the coming months, BLOM Bank Egypt branches and ATMs will be rebranded to Bank ABC however they will continue to provide uninterrupted access to their existing services until the process of integration completes. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Al Baraka Islamic Bank (AIB) , has recently signed an agreement with KIMSHealth and Royal Bahrain Hospital to provide financing packages for the Banks customers. The signing held at Al Baraka headquarters was attended by Fatema AlAlawi - Chief Retail Officer at Al Baraka Islamic Bank, Ali AlDerzi Head of Branches and Sales, Dr Ahmed AlRashed, Chief Operating Officer of Royal Bahrain Hospital. This agreement provides customers to pursue treatment from either KIMSHealth or Bahrain Royal Hospital with a low profit rate financing. Al Baraka Islamic Banks Chief Retail Officer, Fatema AlAlawi, said: This agreement is part of the Banks continuous role in community partnerships towards delivering tailored banking services and products that meet the needs of our customers. Dr Ahmed AlRashed, Chief Operating Officer at Royal Bahrain Hospital, said: We are incredibly pleased to be part of this joint cooperation with one of the most prominent Islamic financial institutions in the Kingdom, and we are positive that Al Barakas medical financing scheme will play an integral rule of our patients best interest. MANZINI The opening of schools in 2023 is under threat as teachers are planning to engage in a walk-to-work campaign over commuting allowance. According to a source close to the matter, the teachers plan is to pile pressure on government to ensure that allowances, mainly commuting allowances, were reviewed during the salary review exercise, which the employer had promised to implement during the 2023/24 financial year. Governments financial year will begin on April 1, 2023. Schools are scheduled to reopen on January 17, 2023. Concern The source said their concern was that commuting allowance had been E0.17/km for a long time and government failed to increase it to E0.70/km in 2016 as per the 2017 salary review recommendations. He said this affected them because they were forced to dig deep into their pockets in order to get to work, yet they were paid meagre salaries. The source said they would not use their little hard-earned money to assist an employer who was purportedly reluctant to improve their conditions of service. To make matters worse, we are only compensated twice a month (June and December), but the allowance they get does not lean towards matching the actual money we use when going to work, the source said. When asked how the walk-to-work campaign would mount pressure on government, the source said since some schools did not have enough accommodation for teachers, while others did not have it at all, it meant that most teachers commuted to work. Therefore, he said the teaching and learning process in schools would be affected since the educators would not make it on time. We believe that this will pile pressure on government to ensure that allowances are reviewed and recommendations of the salary review are implemented as they are, as per the agreement which was reached at the Joint Negotiation Forum (JNF), the source said. Again, the source highlighted that in its position paper of 2020 at the JNF, government recalled that the review of allowances emanated from the recommendations of the 2016 salary review report, wherein its implementation came with fiscal challenges. Review In the position paper, government said about E850 million was available for the salary review implementation, which was not sufficient to cater for both the salary increment and allowances, thus it ended up implementing the pay rise only. Thereafter, government said the wage bill of E7.2 billion by the end of 2019/20, which excluded pensions, was a cause for concern as at that time, it stood at about 40 per cent of total recurrent expenditure. The administration urged the PSAs to appreciate and acknowledge that the implementation of the year 2016 salary review had contributed to its fiscal challenges. In that regard, the employer said in light of the foregoing, its fiscal position was not in a good position to accommodate the review of allowances. It said this was evident in governments inability to offer the cost-of-living adjustment (CoLA) for three consecutive years (2017/18 to 2019/20). It then said allowances would be reviewed during the next salary review exercise to be implemented in the upcoming fiscal year. Meanwhile, the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General, Lot Vilakati, said they subscribed to their members call for a walk-to-work campaign. He said the campaign would also address the issue of housing allowances as some schools did not have accommodation for teachers. He said after the review, they expected to get nothing less than E3/km as commuting allowance. Currently, housing allowance for civil servants stands at E600/m on average and the 2016 salary review exercise had recommended that it should be around E3 000/m on average. Bilateral On the other hand, Richard Phungwayo, the Acting Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Public Service, said the employer could not comment on the matter because nothing official had been presented to it. However, he highlighted that they believed that SNAT was a well-organised organisation. As such, he said if it had something to discuss with the employer, it should raise it either at the JNF or bilateral talks. On the other hand, other unions, which are under the Public Sector Unions (PSUs) of Swaziland, said they had not discussed the matter with their members. However, they highlighted that as they planned their meetings as PSUs, they would include it on their agenda. Mayibongwe Masangane, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU), said if teachers had taken some measures to pressure government regarding the reviewing of allowances, they would also meet to discuss possible strategies to implement. Agencies |Colombo The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Sri Lanka received over 700,000 tourists in 2022 despite the ongoing economic and political situation in the island nation which is recovering from the worst economic crisis in decades. This marks a significant increase from the pandemic hit in 2021. In 2021, the tourist arrivals were under 195,000, according to Sri Lanka's Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). The tourism authority said that December 2022 recorded 91,691 arrivals behind the years highest amount of arrivals - 96,000 in February and 106,000 in March. The December arrivals were dominated by over 19,000 from Russia and over 17,000 from India. A total of 719,978 tourists visited Sri Lanka in 2022, according to the figures released from SLTDA. Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is going through its worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948 which was triggered by a severe paucity of foreign exchange reserves. The tourist's arrival slowed from April because of the economic and political crisis kicking in. There have been street protests in Sri Lanka against the government since early April due to its mishandling of the economic crisis. From April to July, chaos reigned on the island nation with miles-long queues forming at fuel stations and irate residents coming out in thousands blocking roads with empty cooking gas cylinders. Over 20 people died in the serpentine fuel queues due to exhaustion in long lines and in certain cases the waiting period extending over 72 hours. Sri Lanka Tourism had conducted campaigns to win back the tourism industry disturbed by the events connected to the economic crisis. In September, the IMF announced that it will provide Sri Lanka with a loan of about USD 2.9 billion over four years under a preliminary agreement to help the bankrupt island nation tide over its worst economic crisis and protect the livelihoods of the people. SIPHOFANENI The businessman who has been arrested for allegedly having a hand in the death of his wife appeared at the Siphofaneni Magistrates Court yesterday. Sifiso Pirrie Dlamini (44) appeared before Acting Magistrate Vincent Nhlabatsi and was remanded in custody pending committal to the High Court. During his appearance, security had been heightened as armed officers from His Majestys Correctional Services Rapid Response Unit were deployed in strategic points. Four police officers and six warders were seated inside the court. They were part of the court proceedings until the case was adjourned. At some point, there was a brief interruption of the court proceedings as the Crown asked to consult with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The acting magistrate granted her wish. This was after the Crown had informed the court that the senior prosecutor had apologised for not making it to the court due to other pressing commitments. The public transport operator is alleged to have gunned down his wife, Angel Zanele Shongwe (50), a teacher of Mpompotha High School, on Monday morning. The offence was committed at Othandweni/Maphilingo, under Siphofaneni Inkhundla in the Lubombo Region. Dlamini was charged with the murder of Shongwe, whom he allegedly shot with a shotgun once in the head. During his court appearance, family members and relatives, including sympathisers, were present to give him moral support. It was also established that Dlamini had been assisted to surrender himself to the police after the commission of the crime. Eight women and men, who were believed to be his relatives and family members, were allowed to enter the courtroom while about 20 others remained outside, seated under trees. The Crown was represented by Crown Counsel Gugu Mawela. When his right to legal representation was read to him, he elected to engage an attorney. The Crown applied that the accused be remanded in custody until next Thursday pending committal to the High Court. Acting Magistrate Nhlabatsi advised the accused to move his bail application at the High Court. Appearance Notably, after Dlaminis brief appearance, five women who were thought to be his relatives requested to meet with senior police officers. They were allowed into an office and the meeting lasted for over 30 minutes, after which they were seen leaving. Meanwhile, the accused, who is a popular public transport operator, was married to the deceased in terms of Swazi Law and Custom. At the time of Shogwes death, she and Dlamini were in separation as they had marital problems. The Siphofaneni Magistrates Court had issued an interim restraining order against Dlamini on October 19, 2021. The order was issued by Acting Magistrate Nhlabatsi. Shongwe was also running a public transport business. Witnesses revealed that Dlamini allegedly shot his wife in full view of their minor children. Dlamini had also appeared at the Simunye Magistrates Court, where he made a confession before a judicial officer. On Tuesday, the family of the deceased and the school Head teacher, Jabu Dlamini, met the Deputy Regional Education Officer (REO), Thami Dlamini, to officially report the demise of the educator. Restrained Meanwhile, the restraining order that was issued against Dlamini stated that the respondent (accused) was interdicted and restrained from committing any form of violent behaviour towards the applicant (Shongwe). It also stated that the respondent was interdicted and restrained from using any form of vulgar language towards her. He was also interdicted and restrained from assaulting her. The respondent is interdicted and restrained from setting foot at the partys homestead at Maphilingo pending finalisation of this matter. The above orders are to operate with immediate and interim relief, reads the court order. It is worth mentioning that this incident is the second to take place under the same constituency involving the shooting of an educator. In October last year, Sayinile Sikhondze, a former Head teacher at Mabhensane Primary School, was shot dead by an unknown person while also outside her homestead and also on the phone. Hurricane Fiona is now the seventh costliest extreme weather event in Canada's history HALIFAX, NS, Jan. 5, 2023 /CNW/ - Insured damages from Hurricane Fiona are now estimated at over $800 million, according to Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ). The previous insured damage estimate was $660 million. Top 10 Natural Disasters for Insurance Payouts (CNW Group/Insurance Bureau of Canada) Hurricane Fiona remains the most costly extreme weather event ever recorded in Atlantic Canada and is now the seventh largest in Canada's history in terms of insured damages up from the tenth largest as previously reported. This long-lived and powerful storm first made landfall in Atlantic Canada on Saturday September 24, 2022. With maximum wind gusts exceeding 100 km/h in Atlantic Canada and Eastern Quebec, Hurricane Fiona resulted in tragic loss of life as well as torrential rainfall, large waves, storm surges, downed trees and widespread power outages. The majority of the increase in insured damages is due to personal property claims. However, many affected residents were located in high-risk flood areas and flood plains where residential flood insurance coverage is generally not available. Damages that occurred in these areas are not included in the insured-damage total. As a result, it is expected that the cost to all orders of government from these events will total well into the billions of dollars once infrastructure and disaster financial assistance to uninsured residents are tallied. "It is clear that a good deal of costs for this disaster will be borne by government," said Amanda Dean, Vice-President, Atlantic, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). "As we continue to see the increasing impacts of climate change, it's clear much more must be done to enhance our resilience to these risks and build a culture of preparedness. This includes investments in new infrastructure to reduce the impact of floods and fires on communities, as well as retrofit programs that focus on resilience, improved building codes, better land-use planning and, increasingly, the creation of incentives to shift the development of homes and businesses away from areas of highest risk." Over the past 15 years, insurance claims resulting from severe weather have more than quadrupled. The new normal for yearly insured catastrophic losses in Canada is $2 billion most of this due to water-related damage. In comparison, in the 15 years from 1983 and 2008, Canadian insurers paid out an average of about $422 million a year in losses related to severe weather. IBC has been leading conversations with the federal and provincial governments on ways to improve the resilience of communities and better manage the costs of flooding for high-risk residential properties in Canada. As a member of the federal, provincial and territorial Task Force on Flood Insurance and Relocation, IBC has put forward options to create a residential flood insurance program including a public-private partnership model that would help make affordable insurance available to residents of high-risk areas. Hurricane Fiona serves as a reminder of the urgency with which we must move forward in those discussions. Consumers with insurance questions are encouraged to contact their insurance representative or IBC's Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC (1-844-227-5422). IBC is committed to working closely with the private sector, first responders and governments to improve Canada's preparedness for and resilience to severe weather events. The amount of insured damage is an estimate provided by CatIQ (www.catiq.com) under licence to IBC. About Insurance Bureau of Canada Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, auto and business insurers. Its member companies make up the vast majority of the property and casualty (P&C) insurance market in Canada. For more than 50 years, IBC has worked with governments across the country to help make affordable home, auto and business insurance available for all Canadians. IBC supports the vision of consumers and governments trusting, valuing and supporting the private P&C insurance industry. It champions key issues and helps educate consumers on how best to protect their homes, cars, businesses and properties. For media releases and more information, visit IBC's Media Centre at www.ibc.ca. Follow us on Twitter @InsuranceBureau and like us on Facebook. If you have a question about home, auto or business insurance, contact IBC's Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC. SOURCE Insurance Bureau of Canada For further information: Media Contact: Brett Weltman, Manager, Media Relations, IBC, [email protected] RICHMOND HILL, ON, Jan. 5, 2023 /CNW/ - Mazda Canada Inc. (MCI) today reported December sales of 2,739 vehicles, representing an increase of 40.6 percent versus December 2021. With the majority of year-over-year (YOY) vehicle sales showing growth this month, it is notable that the CX-30 and CX-9 both showed YOY increases of over 200 percent, rebounding from inventory lows. Full-year sales totaled 49,874 vehicles; a decrease of 19.8 percent compared to 2021. DECEMBER AND CALENDAR YEAR 2022 HIGHLIGHTS: CX-30 sales increased 317.8% percent compared to December 2021 . . CX-9 sales were up in December by 219.1% percent versus the same period last year. In December, MX-30 EV sales increased by 41.9 percent, and finished the year up 448.6 percent versus 2021. For the third consecutive year, all tested Mazda vehicles earned the IIHS 2022 TOP Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+. These vehicles include the Mazda3, Mazda3 Sport, CX-30, CX-5, CX-50, and CX-9. The 2021-22 CX-9 joined the 2021-22 CX-5 in earning the IIHS top "Good" rating in its new, more rigorous side crash test. The CX-5 was the only vehicle in the small SUV class to achieve a "Good" rating in the new test. In January 2022 , production of the CX-50 began at Mazda's new production facility in Huntsville, Alabama . Sales of the CX-50 began in Canada in May. , production of the CX-50 began at Mazda's new production facility in . Sales of the CX-50 began in in May. To celebrate the launch of Mazda's first-ever CX-50, Mazda Canada and ParticipACTION teamed up during the summer to present the CX-50 Minute Challenge, encouraging Canadians to spend active time in nature to enhance their wellbeing. and ParticipACTION teamed up during the summer to present the CX-50 Minute Challenge, encouraging Canadians to spend active time in nature to enhance their wellbeing. In December, Mazda Canada built on last year's community support, providing up to $600,000 to their Retailers to support "Local Community Legends" who are going above and beyond to give back to their communities. December December YOY YTD YTD YOY 2022 2021 Change 2022 2021 Change Mazda3 404 421 -4.0 % 8,044 11,804 -31.9 % Mazda6 0 21 -100.0 % 0 1,411 -100.0 % MX-5 32 30 6.7 % 673 1,016 -33.8 % Passenger Car 436 472 -7.6 % 8,717 14,231 -38.7 % CX-3 0 160 -100.0 % 3,050 5,314 -42.6 % CX-30 610 146 317.8 % 6,863 11,407 -39.8 % CX-5 1,221 1,071 14.0 % 23,954 26,571 -9.8 % CX-50 211 0 0.0 % 2,365 0 0.0 % CX-9 217 68 219.1 % 4,113 4,530 -9.2 % MX-30 44 31 41.9 % 812 148 448.6 % Light Truck 2,303 1,476 56.0 % 41,157 47,970 -14.2 % MAZDA TOTAL 2,739 1,948 40.6 % 49,874 62,201 -19.8 % Mazda Canada Inc. is responsible for the sales and marketing, customer service, and parts support of Mazda vehicles in Canada. Headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Mazda Canada has a nationwide network of 163 dealerships. For additional information, visit Mazda Canada's media website at www.media.mazda.ca. SOURCE Mazda Canada Inc. For further information: Chuck Reimer, Mazda Canada Inc., [email protected]; Sandra Lemaitre, Mazda Canada Inc., [email protected] NorthStar will use funding to launch the world's most advanced Space Situational Awareness services by mid-2023 MONTREAL, Jan. 5, 2023 /CNW Telbec/ - NorthStar Earth & Space Inc. ("NorthStar") continues to accelerate its space-based Space Situational Awareness ("SSA") services with the closing of this US$35M Series C funding round with US-based private equity lead Cartesian Capital Group, LLC, ("Cartesian") through an affiliated entity, Pangaea Three Acquisition Holdings III, LLC. The round also includes investment from Telesystem Space Inc., the Luxembourg Future Fund Co-Investments SA, the Government of Quebec through its mandatary Investissement Quebec, and the Luxembourg Space Sector Development Fund SCSp, which is supported by leading global content connectivity solutions provider SES and the Luxembourg Government. This investment will accelerate NorthStar's product launch and commercialization of its SSA services. "NorthStar is privileged to have the support of Cartesian to lead an international consortium of experienced and industry savvy investors," said Stewart Bain, CEO of NorthStar. "The prestigious array of participants reflects the immense importance of NorthStar's mission to preserve the space environment now and for future generations." NorthStar is the first commercial enterprise to monitor all near-Earth orbits from space and combine data from a variety of ground-based sensors to provide more extensive coverage. The company's high precision, next generation navigation and tracking services enable all satellite operators to manage their fleets more effectively, enhance spaceflight safety, avoid collisions, and promote space sustainability. "Cartesian recognizes the transformational potential of NorthStar's next generation services for the space economy," said Beth Michelson, Partner at Cartesian. "NorthStar's unique approach to providing complete coverage of space is critical to safeguarding essential space infrastructure." Both Beth Michelson and Paul Pizzani, partners at Cartesian, will be joining NorthStar's Board of Directors. About NorthStar NorthStar is the first commercial service to monitor all near-Earth orbits from space. Our unparalleled suite of high-speed information services accurately tracks and predicts the position of space objects to enable safety in spaceflight. With a head office in Montreal, Canada, European headquarters in Luxembourg and subsidiary office in McLean, Virginia, NorthStar is solving the ever-growing threat of space collisions and, ultimately, empowering humanity to preserve our planet. For more information on NorthStar, visit northstar-data.com SOURCE NorthStar Earth & Space Inc. For further information: NorthStar media relations: [email protected] Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has said for the survival of Nigeria to be maintained, there was a need for the sacrifices of men and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces to be continually acknowledged. Adeleke made this known in his address at the launching of emblems for the 2023 armed forces remembrance day on Thursday at the Osun State Secretariat, Abere. While noting that the launching of the emblem provided another period to mark and remember the sacrifices of the armed forces personnel, Adeleke added that the occasion was also to place a debt of gratitude to them for paying the supreme sacrifice. In his words, This occasion is another significant period to mark and remember the sacrifices of men of the armed forces. We are here to place a debt of gratitude to men who paid the supreme sacrifice. Government must continue to acknowledge the contributions of the armed forces to the survival of the nation. While assuring of the commitment of his government to expand the cooperation with the military, he added that the recognition will be accorded service personnel and veterans and their families for the service to their fatherland. Government is recommitted to the well being of the service personnel and the veterans and their families in recognition of their service to the fatherland. Earlier in his welcome address, the Osun Chairman, Nigerian Legion, Oladipo Abioye Peter beseeched Governor Adeleke to attend to the standing requests on the advancement of the Nigerian Legion in the state. I wish to use this opportunity to inform our State Patron and the Governor of Osun State of our long standing requests on following vital issues of importance to the advancement of the Nigerian Legion in Osun State viz approval of Monthly Subvention to State Headquarters and Area offices of Nigerian Legion in the State. Issuance of mandatory letter of support and full participation by Local Governments and LCDAs in the State during the event of annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebaration and as at when necessary. Provision of official vehicle, to the state headquaters to ease our leginic movement to National Seminars, Retreats, Meeting ete and also to inter Sate and States assignments. Permit me to add that, the afore-mentioned demands are been enjoyed by our counterparts in South-West in particular, States for long and in other States of the Federation and that we are always at the mercy of our neighbouring States, Oyo State in particular while travelling to National call. MANZINI These are double standards, says the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA). Secretary General of TUCOSWA Mduduzi Gina applauded government for establishing that it had erred after an appeal was launched. He said the same should now be extended to the other cadres who were in training, while still rendering social services like nurses, doctors and teachers. He said this would show that all skill sets were valued by government and not the current image which was being painted. Gina said currently, personnel in the security institutions of the country were being treated much better than any other employee in the civil service. They recently received the cost-of-living adjustment (CoLA) and were then given their special four per cent, which the other public servants did not get, Gina said. Unfortunate He said it would be unfortunate if the country was more concerned about financially empowering only security personnel and ignoring the other cadres who were critical to the development of the kingdom. It is worth noting that leading to government reversing its decision to minimise allowances for recruits, Gina said government was engaging in an unfair labour practice. He said this when sought for comment on the implication of the reduction of the salary awarded to trainees in His Majestys Correctional Services (HMCS) and the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS). It is worth noting that the REPS, on October 21, 2021, on their Facebook page, informed the public of vacancies and listed that emoluments would be on government pay scales Constable II REPS I at annual salary gross E65 668.80 and attached allowances. Subsequent to this, the HMCS on March 9, 2022, published an advertisement in local media houses, wherein they were announcing vacancies as well. They also listed that on emoluments, the salary scale of Correctional officer II would be HMCS I at E65 668.80 with an additional Correctional Services allowance. Meanwhile, yesterday, the unionist reiterated his previous stance that it was unfair to review remuneration downward as the cost of living had escalated in a manner that most people were getting poor by working as they sunk into debt daily. Trainees Gina said it was for this reason that the other trainees within the civil service should benefit the same way as the State security personnel. It is worth noting that the implementation of the four per cent cushion for security personnel brought an impasse among civil servants as public sector unions (PSUs) came out to claim that they wanted to benefit from the deal as well. Leaders of the PSUs formally raised their concerns over governments offer to junior members of the State security organ in one of their - Joint Negotiation Forum (JNF) meetings. Unions under the banner of PSUs are; the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) and Swaziland National Association of Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP). Meanwhile, the ministry, through its political leader, claimed that the four per cent salary cushion was reached during bilateral talks, not collective negotiations. Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has dismissed the endorsement of Peter Obi by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. On Sunday, the former president formally announced his support for Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP). Speaking on Thursday at a rally in Benin, the Edo capital, the APC candidate said Obasanjo is trying to deceive Nigerians by endorsing Obi. Can that man recommend a leader for you in Nigeria? Is that not sending an agent to pick your pocket? A blind leading the blind, Tinubu said. I am sorry I am not insulting visually-impaired people. But it wont work; they will end up in the ditch. If I talk about Obasanjo and Obi, you will think they are human beings together. One who doesnt know the way cannot show the way. Tinubu also criticised Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the latter fought with Obasanjo when the duo was in charge of the countrys affairs. The right leadership [to correct] those errors of those who are fighting naked in Wuse market in Abuja. Obasanjo and Atiku or you were not in high school when they fought naked? he asked. Show me a good job that Atiku has done before? Show me one; you cant find it. He is not the smartest in customs. A customs officer who cannot define the ethics of civil service provision. A couple, Taiwo Olutufese Ajalorun and Salawa Oyenusi Ajalorun, was arrested alongside six others for the alleged killing of a 26-year-old girl, Oyindamola Adeyemi. They were arrested on Wednesday for kidnapping, killing and dismembering a victims remains. The Ogun State police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, identified the other suspects as Lukman Oladele, Kayode Ibrahim, Alebiosu Adebayo, Bello Akeem, Fatai Rasheed and Fatai Jimoh. Oyeyemi said their arrest followed a report lodged at the Obalende divisional headquarters, Ijebu-Ode by one Omolara Ojo. Ojo had on December 28 reported that her neighbour, Oyindamola Adeyemi, left home since morning, but never returned home, while her phone was switched off. The following day, while the patrol team from Obalende division were on routine patrol, a dismembered body of a lady was discovered by the roadside and the body was taken to a mortuary. Fortunately, the mortuary is a stones throw distance away from the house of the deceased and one of the mortuary workers, who knew about the missing person, called the attention of the deceased family to come and have a look at the body brought in by the police, Oyeyemi explained. According to him, the deceaseds friend, Ojo, was able to identify the body through the victims bra and underwear, since her head was already chopped off. Having recognized the body, the DPO of Obalende division, SP Murphy Salami mobilized his crack detectives to embark on a technical and intelligence-based investigation, which he said led them to Taiwo Ajalorun, a herbalist, from whom the deceaseds Itel phone was recovered. A search warrant was executed in the herbalists house, where a container full of human blood, later discovered to be that of the deceased, was recovered, it was learnt. The arrest of the man had led to the arrest of his friend, Oladele, in whose house the legs of the deceased were recovered. They both made confessional statements which led to the arrest of other suspects who are buyers of different parts of the deceased body, Oyeyemi said. While being interrogated, Taiwo Olutufese Ajalorun and Lukman Oladele were said to have confessed that the deceased was lured to Taiwos house, who happened to be her manfriend, but as soon as the victim entered, she was pinned down by both Olutufese and Oladele and strangled to death. After killing her, they cut off her head, legs and two hands which they sold to their standby buyers to be used for money-making rituals. According to them, the legs were sold at the rate of N30,000, while the heart was sold at the rate of N50,000 to Akeem Bello, but the person who bought the head is still at large, Oyeyemi disclosed. The suspects, Oyeyemi said, confessed further that the victim was the third they had killed in such a manner. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Lanre Bankole, has ordered the transfer of the suspects to the homicide section of the state CIID for discreet investigation and diligent prosecution. Oyebimpe Akinbunmi, an health practitioner, has testified before a court in the alleged r__pe case involving Femi Olaleye, managing director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation. Akinbunmi appeared before the Lagos special offences and domestic violence court on Wednesday to explain the findings of her medical examination on the survivor. The health practitioner told the court that she works at the family medical department of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja and the Mirabel Centre. Akinbunmi said she is a medical forensic examiner that deals with survivors of s##xual abuse and violence. BACKGROUND Olaleye, a doctor, is standing trial on a two-count charge of defilement of a child and s##xual assault by penetration. He was accused of s##xually violating his wifes niece for over 20 months. In December 2022, Aderemi, wife of Olaleye, told the court how her husband allegedly introduced her niece to p00rn0graphic content and oral s##x. The survivor (name withheld) had initially appeared before the court in a closed-door session, while journalists and other parties were barred from monitoring the proceedings. FINDINGS OF MEDICAL EXAMINATION During Wednesdays hearing, Akinbunmi said the survivor was presented at the Mirabel Centre on March 15, 2022 for medical examination over the alleged r##pe incident. She said before the survivor was subjected to medical examination, the young girl narrated the details of the s##xual assault allegedly perpetrated by the defendant. She (the survivor) gave the history of the repeated s##xual abuse since March 2020, the health practitioner said. She said the aunts husband (the defendant) usually calls her in the middle of the night when others are sleeping to come downstairs. She said the aunts husband will remove his trousers and tell her to suck his male organ He sometimes puts his fingers in her v@gina@. She said he also applied something like lubricant before penetrating her v@gin@@ with the p__nis, which she said happened about four times. He also gave her pills after the interc0urse and threatened her. Speaking about the medical findings, the expert told the court that the findings show that there was repeated forceful penetrative injury on the v@@gina of the survivor. After the examination, the major findings were in the g3nital area. The hymen was angular which means ring-shaped and slightly estrogenised. There was a notch at 9 O clock position on the hymen and transection at one O clock position at the hymen. Transection means a deep cut The v@@gin@ wall was also unduly visible, revealing more than one-third of the lower vagina. The pattern of injury that I saw was consistent with repeated forceful penetrative injury into the vagina. It is an indication of ongoing forceful blunt penetration of the v@@gin@. In my medical opinion, if there is a repeated penetrative forceful injury on the v@_gina, it would be the classical features I saw on the v@___gina and hymen because it has been ongoing. CROSS-EXAMINATION BY DEFENDANTS COUNSEL During cross-examination, Babatunde Ogala, the defendants counsel, asked if the survivor informed the medical expert of when the alleged s___xual abuse ended. She only said when the abuse started. She did not say when it stopped, the health practitioner responded. Ogala also asked whether the survivor mentioned her age during the medical examination. Yes. she said she was18 years old at the time of the medical examination, the expert said. The defendants counsel asked how the medical expert concluded that the alleged s___xual abuse was perpetrated by Olaleye. There was no place I concluded that it was the defendant that committed the act. I only stated what she (survivor) told me, she responded. Ogala again queried: You cant say it is the defendant that committed the act? In her response, Akinbunmi said she doesnt know who committed the alleged s___xual abuse. After further cross-examination by the defendants counsel, Rahman Oshodi, the presiding judge, adjourned till January 26 to hear more testimonies from witnesses. The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Olubunmi Adelugba has charged workers in the legislative arm to give their best and be efficient in the discharge of their duties in 2023. Adelugba, who gave the charge during an Interfaith New Year Thanksgiving in the state also urged the staff to focus on self-development and acquisition of better skills to add value to themselves and the system. A statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Odunayo Ogunmola, said sermons were delivered by the Regional Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Tunde Abdullahi and the Imam of the Government House Mosque, Alhaji Abdulfatai Olorunkemi. The event was attended by honourable members, management, heads of departments and other staff members who showed appreciation to God for witnessing the New Year. The Speaker also stressed the need for the Assembly workers to always have the heart of thanksgiving to God for all the goodness and benefits they receive, most especially having the opportunity to cross into the New Year. Adelugba said people are always remembered for the impact they make any time they are given opportunities to serve, stressing that no time is too short to make an impact for any diligent, visionary and determined person. While noting that there is always a reward for diligence, the Speaker explained that those who distinguish themselves on their duties would be the first to be considered for elevation or incentives and not the indolent ones. The Speaker explained that when she was elected into the Assembly in 2019, she did not think of going for a second impact but she was determined in her mind to make a positive term within a limited time which she succeeded in doing. She said: This year, I want you to focus more on yourself; always as yourself, how can I become a better person? How can I be better at my job and how can I improve my skills? Make yourself relevant, and be a solution. Ask what you can do to make your life better. For example, if you are a driver and you drive very well, when there is a need for recognition, you will be recognized because they will know you. Speaking on the essence of thanksgiving, the Speaker who quoted relevant verses in the Bible said showing appreciation is a trigger for more blessings from God and man. She added: We must continue to acknowledge what God has done so that he can do more. Arm yourself with praises and let the attitude of thanksgiving be in your heart. When somebody does something for you, always show appreciation. In their respective sermons, Pastor Abdullahi and Alhaji Olorunkemi during the session called on the legislators and staff to build a good legacy while in active service, as they will be remembered for their deeds. The clergymen also advised all members of staff to position themselves to be a blessing to others. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says it did not export 17.877 million barrels of crude oil without proper documentation from 2016 to 2020. A report, quoting the former auditor-general of the federation (AuGF), had accused some exporters of shipping crude oil without completing the required Nigeria export proceeds (NXP) forms. The AuGF was also said to have faulted NNPC Limited for appointing inspection agents in 2017, in flagrant disregard of a preceding directive by President Muhammadu Buhari. Responding to the report in a statement on Thursday, Garba Deen Muhammad, NNPCs spokesperson, said the claims were malicious. Muhammad said the AuGFs report mentioned 32 oil marketing companies involved in the non-completion of NXP forms. He added that the issue did not affect repatriation of sales proceeds to the national oil company and subsequently, the federal accounts, for the period in question. Our attention has been drawn to an online publication, alleging that NNPC Limited exported 17.877 million barrels of crude oil without proper documentation in four years (2016 to 2020), the statement reads. The auditor-generals report in reference did mention 32 oil marketing companies involved in the non-completion of the NXP forms but that does not in any way mean that the proceeds from the sale of the said crude were not repatriated into the coffers of NNPC Limited and consequently into the federation accounts for federation related barrels. It should also be noted that NNPC Limited does not appoint inspection agents as alleged, but rather, it is the sole responsibility of the federal ministry of finance. Therefore, the general public is advised to disregard the said malicious publication, and instead, visit the relevant auditor-generals website to see the full content of the audit report, and be guided accordingly. Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, alongside other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, are in Oyo to attend the flag-off of the re-election campaign of Seyi Makinde, governor of the state. Also present are Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Samuel Ortom of Benue, and Okezie Ipeazu of Abia. The governors, who arrived in the state on Wednesday, are currently attending the campaign rally at Mapo Hall in Ibadan, capital of the state. Known as G5, the governors have been absent from the campaign rallies of Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, and are demanding the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the party. The demand for Ayus resignation is on the grounds that the partys presidential candidate and national chairman cannot be from the same region. Here are photos from the Oyo rally. The Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has dismissed claims that some All Progressives Congress, APC, governors are negotiating with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Bagudu said the APC governors are not working with the PDP against the ambition of the ruling partys presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu. He disclosed this during APC presidential campaign rally in Kano yesterday. Bagudu assured that APC governors are behind Tinubus presidential ambition. According to Bagudu: All our governors are in support of Tinubus candidacy. The claims by some people that some APC governors are negotiating with the opposition are false. All our governors are in support of Tinubus candidacy. His denial came when Governor Nyesom Wike alleged that some APC governors are working with Atiku. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. MANZINI Government will return the 52 per cent it deducted from security forces recruits allowances. The allowances will be restored to E5 636 per recruit. This decision by government follows that leaders of the State security agencies in the country appealed the decision to reduce the allowances to E2 931 during the training of the recruits. Government, through the Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Public Service, Sipho Tsabedze, issued Establishment Circular No. 5 of 2022: Salary adjustment of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) and His Majestys Correctional Services (HMCS). This circular, which minimised the allowances allocated to recruits, was issued on November 30, 2022. It reduced the allowances by E2 705.58. Remuneration In the review, the circular did not only alter the remuneration for recruits, it also changed their post titles. Trainees under the HMCS were all along referred to Warder II and were listed on Notch I, which is a position that was remunerated at E67 639 annually. Under the new circular, they were referred to as Trainee Warder Recruit and were to be paid E35 172 yearly. It was the same with the REPS wherein police recruits held the title of Constable II, listed in Notch I and paid E67 639 annually. However, under the new circular, these were referred to as Trainee Police Recruit and were to be paid E35 72 per annum. Meanwhile, according to sources, in December 2022, recruits were paid E2 931 per month. According to a source at the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF), in December 2022, recruits were paid their allowances for three months training. Reduced The allowances were reportedly paid at the reduced 52 per cent and it was alleged that the recruits were informed that the reduction would be refunded to them when they were remunerated this month. It has since been gathered that last month, the three security forces lodged an appeal on the decision to cut the allowances allocated to the recruits. It was said the appeal was on the basis that the aspirant servicemen were not in an open market training process. This, it was gathered, meant that upon entry at the various training camps, they became State security personnel and would then be enlisted in the institutions that were training them. It was said they were not like doctors and or other cadres, who after training, could be recruited in the private sector. The sources said the appeals by the State security agencies claimed that immediately after the recruits started training, they could be assigned to partake in any task that required their skill set. This was confirmed by the Acting PS in the Ministry of Public Service, Richard Phungwayo. He said the decision to review was implemented across the board on the recruitment in training for government departments. Phungwayo said this was meant for all people who were recruited and trained by government as there should be a difference between those employed from trainees. This was for all, including nurses and doctors and it also included the police; however, the latter appealed right away formally, he said. He said the State security institutions emphasised that they were not training personnel for the open market, but those recruited started the service upon being recruited. Phungwayo said in their case, whatever action that may ensue, they were accountable for it as officers and not trainees. He said in retrospect, government acknowledged the arguments that were being advanced, resulting in the reversal of the decision. Furthermore, he said they would be reimbursed the difference that was withheld as the reasons submitted to government were clear. It is worth noting that the adjustments that were implemented in the now scrapped remuneration structure for recruits was subsequent to the awarding of an additional four per cent to security personnel as they raised concerns of being left out for almost eight years since the implementation of Phase I of the Salary Restructuring Exercise of 2014 in line with the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). Phase I of the Salary Restructuring Exercise of 2014 benefitted about 102 personnel of the REPS and HMCS and the low ranking officers in the two State security agencies are yet to benefit. These officers are 8 170. In addressing the concerns by lowly-ranked officers in the aforementioned security agencies, Minister of Public Service Mabulala Maseko announced that with effect from January 2023, the junior personnel would be awarded four per cent cushion which would be backdated to April 1, 2022. Leading to November 30, 2022, recruits in the aforementioned security agencies were to earn E65 669, according to the Establishment Register supporting the estimates of public expenditure for the financial year 2022/23. However, the annual salary for aspiring HMCS and the REPS officers was further reviewed upwards during the implementation of the three per cent cost-of-living adjustment (CoLA) and a once-off payment of one per cent of the annual salary. During this process, the salary was increased by E1 970, to E67 639 per annum. However, in a twist of events, as government was in a bid to defuse the tension between it as an employer and junior security officers over the issue of Phase II, the recruits were not only omitted from the said cushion, but had their pay minimised. It is worth noting that in the Establishment Circular No. 5 of 2022; salary adjustment of the REPS and HMCS officers, Tsabedze said pursuant to the review and restructuring of the two entities pay structure and the grievances raised by junior officers emanating from the implementation of Phase I on the restructuring of strategic levels in the two forces in terms of Circular No.1 of 2014, government had deemed it appropriate to issue the circular to implement the new salaries. He said: Government had, therefore, approved the restructuring of the aforesaid institutions for salary adjustment implementation. This process shall address the remaining part of the operational as well as the tactical levels of the two institutions. Tsabedze said any outstanding issues shall be addressed by the consultant who would be engaged by government this current financial year to undertake the review of salaries for civil servants across the public service. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Haj and Umrah has revealed that it offered services to 7 million Umrah performers, including 4 million who came on Umrah visas, during 2022. The ministry noted that the policies of the Haj and Umrah system are based on the Saudi Vision 2030, which is based on the three pillars of a thriving economy, a vibrant society and an ambitious nation, said a Saudi Press Agency report. The ministry said it released 13 awareness guides for pilgrims in 14 different languages as well as the Umrah comprehensive guide, which advises Umrah performers of all relevant religious, medical, and procedural information before their arrival. The ministry also said the Umrah visa has been extended from 30 to 90 days, allowing for the visitors to travel throughout the Kingdom's regions and cities in order to visit recently developed historical monuments and religious sites to enhance their experience. It also launched the "Nusuk platform", which includes 121 services to book and design the Umrah programme and issue visas electronically to residents of all countries of the world. The ministry also stated that it aims to offer a registration service for 'bio-signature characteristics' for the quick issuance of online visas for five countries, including Britain, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Kuwait through Saudi Visa Bio smartphone application of the Saudi Foreign Ministry, in addition to launching a comprehensive insurance service for pilgrims and Umrah performers, which covers health emergencies, Covid-19, accidents and deaths, and cancellation or delay of flights. EESL marks 8 years of success in transforming India's lighting industry Kolkata, Jan 5 (UNI) Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of Public Sector Undertakings under the administration of Ministry of Power, is celebrating the 8th anniversary of its flagship programmes, Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) and Streetlighting National Programme (SLNP). For the past years, EESL has pioneered large-scale impact through its energy efficient solutions, especially in the lighting sector. UJALA has contributed significantly to the rapid adoption of LED technology in India. EESL devised a unique strategy to bring about mass-scale transformation by collaborating with states, municipal bodies, and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). By using a Pay-As-You-Save (PAYS) model, it replaces traditional lights with LEDs at its own expense, with no upfront investment required from municipalities, making LED adoption even more appealing and affordable. EESL's strategy created a ripple effect throughout the supply chain, leading to favorable economies of scale for a range of manufacturers. This helped to grow and strengthen the domestic LED market with high-quality products and enabled LED manufacturers to establish a strong business ecosystem. Vishal Kapoor, CEO, EESL, said, Today marks the 8th anniversary of UJALA and Streetlighting National Programme. Throughout this journey, EESL has succeeded in bringing energy efficient LED lighting into the spotlight. Additionally, it has focused on improving the uptake of renewable energy, enabling widespread adoption of electric mobility, and revolutionizing the power sector with energy efficient technological advancements. Ever since their inception in 2015, we have distributed over 36 crores LED bulbs as a part of UJALA and installed more than 1.3 crore LED streetlights as part of SLNP. Both programmes have grown to become significant catalysts in bringing social, economic, and ecological transformation in the country. They have been instrumental in enabling universal access to affordable and energy efficient LED lighting in India. Thousands of citizens in the remotest of regions in India have been empowered with an improved standard of living, better control over their energy consumption and an increase in monetary savings. EESL has fundamentally changed how LED bulbs are perceived by Indias citizens, first by making them eminently affordable through economies of scale, and then using this cost benefit to drive the message of reduced energy bills and better lighting quality. As of today, more than 36.8 crores LED bulbs and 72 lakhs LED tubelights have been distributed as part of UJALA programme. This has resulted in estimated energy savings of 48.42 billion kWh per year, along with peak demand avoidance of 9,789 MW; GHG emission reduction of 39.30 million t CO2 per year and estimated annual monetary savings of INR 19,333 crore in consumer electricity bills. The Streetlighting National Programme (SLNP) was launched in 2015 with the goal of improving road safety in India by lighting up streets at night. As part of the program, EESL replaces traditional streetlights with LED lighting at its own cost, with no upfront investment required from municipalities. This service model allows municipalities to adopt state-of-the-art LED streetlights at no upfront capital cost and with no repayment obligations to EESL, eliminating the need for additional revenue expenditure for the transition to energy-efficient LED streetlights. So far, EESL has successfully installed over 1.27 crore LED streetlights in ULBs and Gram Panchayats across India. This has resulted in estimated energy savings of 8.58 billion kWh per year with avoided peak demand of 1,429 MW, GHG emission reduction of 5.90 million t CO2 per year and estimated annual monetary savings of INR 6,004 crore in electricity bills of municipalities. UNI KK BM Port Blair, Jan 5 (UNI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday reviewed the operational preparedness of Andaman & Nicobar Command and infrastructure development at operational areas during his visit to the Headquarters of the only operational joint services command of the country here. Interacting with officers & jawans, the Defence Minister commended the Andaman and Nicobar Command for strengthening national security and keeping the maritime domain safe and secure, while playing a significant role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. He lauded their bravery and enthusiasm for being alert & ready 24X7 for the security of the islands and the Exclusive Economic Zone. The Defence Minister added that since its inception in 2001, the Andaman and Nicobar Command has significantly enhanced its operational capabilities, which reflects its indomitable spirit and commitment. Rajnath Singh exuded confidence that the courage & dedication of the Armed Forces will create a golden future for the country. He assured the soldiers that the way they are always ready for the security of the country, the government too is always ready for their welfare. He added that the Government is making all efforts to increase the efficiency and strength of the Armed Forces. Under the guidance of our Prime Minister, we have taken a firm step forward towards self-reliance. We have made giant strides towards realising Make in India, Make for the World vision. Our Armed Forces will soon be among the strongest militaries of the world. This is our vision as well as our mission, Singh said. The Defence Minister also made special mention of the bravery and promptness with which the Armed Forces dealt with the recent situations in the northern sector. Commander-in-Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) Lieutenant General Ajai Singh briefed the Defence Minister about the geo-strategic potential of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the role they can play towards enhancing Indias influence and support to military operations in the area. The CINCAN briefed the Defence Minister about the achievements, future plan and challenges of A&N Command. He highlighted the significant role played by A&N Command in carrying forward Governments Act East Policy and in realising the Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) by building Bridges of Friendship with the countrys maritime neighbours. Rajnath Singh also visited the ANC Joint Operations Centre (JOC) which is the nerve centre for integrated planning for surveillance, conduct of operations and logistic support. Earlier, the Defence Minister reviewed a Quad-Service Guard of Honour and visited Sankalp Smarak, the location of Netajis historic arrival on December 29, 1943. At the Sankalp Smarak, he paid solemn homage to honour the sacrifices of soldiers of the Indian National Army. Upon his arrival in Port Blair, he was received by Lieutenant Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Admiral DK Joshi (Retd), CINCAN and senior government officials. This is the first visit of the Defence Minister to Indira Point since January 2019. Apart from the Strategic Signalling in view of proximity of these far-flung islands to the Indo-Pacific, the visit of Defence Minister to A&N Command motivated the troops deployed in these distant and remote islands. It is pertinent to mention that A&N Command is a 21-year-old successful Integrated Theatre Command which is now being planned at the national level. UNI BM KK Wyoming Business Tips for Jan. 9-15 A weekly look at issues facing Wyoming business owners and entrepreneurs from the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, a collection of business assistance programs at the University of Wyoming. By Laura Baker, executive director of CyberWyoming and president of CyberWyoming Alliance A client from Casper recently called me and asked a tricky question: How do I prepare my business for the digital future? As I thought about how to answer that question, I couldnt help but remember (and I know Im dating myself) how cool the DROID sound was on BlackBerry phones in 2011. While we were amazed by the technology available to us just over a decade ago, we could not have predicted how much things have changed since then. Now, we build our websites for mobile apps more than we do for desktops. We have apps for booking air travel; our credit cards work through a simple tap on the reader; and we can look up any question we may have at any moment no matter where we are. Ten years ago, I could not have guessed how integrated with technology our lives would be today. With any advancement or change, this integration brings some challenges and some opportunities. For instance, an HVAC company in Wyoming needs to start thinking about what energy-saving, internet-connected devices it wants to support. Once the company has figured out its product suite, the company needs to train its HVAC techs on secure installation. No HVAC company wants to be sued because it installed a device that opened a family or business up to hackers. But, thinking about this unique opportunity strategically could really give an HVAC company a competitive edge. I would be more inclined to install a wireless, connected hot water heater that I could monitor on my phone if I knew that my favorite HVAC company could securely install it and help me if I had trouble with it. If that is too specific of an example, lets zoom out for a moment and consider how all companies need to start thinking about how they want to handle payment apps like Venmo and Zelle. How will companies deal with cryptocurrency? How about app development opportunities? As we navigate these new integration opportunities as small-business owners, we need to consider the present as well as the technological future in our decision-making processes. If you arent sure where to begin, join me for my upcoming Business Fitness webinar Thursday, Jan. 19, at 2 p.m., and plan for your digital future. After youve attended the webinar, be sure to make an appointment with your Wyoming SBDC Network adviser to discuss your future plans. The Wyoming SBDC Network offers no-cost advising and technical assistance to help Wyoming entrepreneurs think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. In 2021, the Wyoming SBDC Network helped Wyoming entrepreneurs start 80 new businesses; support 4,077 jobs; and bring a capital impact of $9.2 million to the state. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by UW with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. To ask a question, call 1-800-348-5194, email wsbdc@uwyo.edu, or write Dept. 3922, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071-3922. The Nvidia GeForce RTX RTX 4070 and RTX 4060 have made their Geekbench debut, scoring 114,074 and 101,850 respectively. These results are a tad disappointing and probably not indicative about how the graphics cards will perform in the real world. 4 Reviews Nvidia announced its entire Ada Lovelace laptop lineup at CES 2023. Everything from the top-of-the-line GeForce RTX 4090 to the RTX 4050 was announced. The company also made lofty claims about its performance, stating the GeForce RTX 4070 can perform on par with the RTX 3080 Ti with a third of the power consumption. That claim remains to be verified; meanwhile, its siblings, the GeForce RTX 4070 and RTX 4060 have been tested on Geekbench, shortly after the latter was found to be up to 20% faster than the GeForce RTX 3060 in one 3DMark test. Both graphics cards have more or less identical specs with 8 GB of VRAM each. However, the CUDA core count on the GeForce RTX 4070 is 4,608 (36 SMs), whereas the RTX 4060 lowers that to 3,072 (24 SMs). However, their Geekbench scores (via ITHome/Videocardz) are quite close despite the difference in hardware. The GeForce RTX 4070 scores 114,074 points in the OpenCL benchmark, and the GeForce RTX 4060 stands at 101,850 points. These numbers show just a 12% performance delta between the two. That figure should be a lot higher, given the GeForce RTX 4070 uses an AD106 GPU and the GeForce RTX 4060 uses an AD107. Furthermore, the GeForce RTX 4070 lags behind the last-gen RTX 3070 Ti and the RTX 4060 behind its non-Ti counterpart. Then again, the test is run on a laptop from a relatively unknown Chinese OEM Thunderobot and the hardware might not be running optimally due to hamstrung drivers or the GPUs not getting enough power. Buy the Asus ROG Strix Scar gaming laptop with a GeForce RTX 3070 on Amazon You are clearly a super-user of NUVO.net. Thats a good thing. It means you depend on independent and local news sources to keep you informed. You are a smart person. Coincidentally, independent and local news sources depend on you too. Youve read 25 articles this month and now, wed like you to be join our mission and become a NUVO Supporter. For as little as $4 a month, you can keep us alive and fighting -- and can have unlimited access to the independent news that cant be found anywhere else. Aetna and Community Healthcare System reached a new deal that will prevent a disruption in health care services for thousands of Northwest Indiana residents. The health care system, one of the largest in the Region, would have no longer accepted Aetna insurance as an in-network provider as of Jan. 15 if no deal had been reached. Community Healthcare System said it reached an agreement to amend the current contract to extend it through at least Oct. 1. "As a result, there will be no disruption of services for patients with Aetna insurance who seek care with Community Healthcare System," the healthcare provider said in a press release. Healthcare System runs Community Hospital in Munster, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, Community Stroke & Rehabilitation Center in Crown Point, Community Care Network Inc., Hartsfield Village, Community Home Care and St. Mary Home Care. Hartford, Connecticut-based Aetna is one of the largest health insurers in the United States by market share. Locally, it offers commercial plans like Aetna Open Choice PPO, Aetna Managed Choice POS, Aetna HMO, Aetna QPOS, Aetna Affordable Health Choices, Aetna Select, Aetna Voluntary Plans, Aetna Open Access Plans and Aetna Premier Care Network Plans. It also has medical coverage through Medicare Advantage plans like Aetna Medicare Prime, Aetna Medicare Value, Aetna Medicare Eagle and Aetna Medicare Premier. Community Healthcare System encourages any patients with further questions to contact Aetna by calling the number listed on the back of their health insurance card. First Financial Bank has acquired the assets of Brady Ware Capital for an undisclosed sum. The Cincinnati-based bank, which has locations in Schererville, Gary, Crown Point, Hammond, Hobart and Highland, boosted its investment banking offerings as a result of the acquisition. First Financial Bank brought on the associates from Brady Ware Capital, an offshoot of the regional CPA and advisory firm Brady Ware & Schoenfeld. It said the acquisition of the Dayton, Ohio-based financial services firm will "enhance the banks ability to develop broad, long-term relationships with clients." With the addition of investment banking capabilities from Brady Ware Capital, First Financial Bank further expands the products and services we bring to bear for businesses and their owners, said Archie Brown, president and CEO of First Financial Bank. This is an excellent addition to our strategy of growing core client relationships by meeting more of their needs. Brady Ware & Schoenfeld will continue to operate independently, providing middle-market companies with tax, assurance, strategic valuation and other advisory services. We are excited to join the First Financial Bank organization, said Cliff Bishop, president of Brady Ware Capital. This acquisition will add valuable investment banking capabilities to Yellow Cardinals existing services, providing business owners with deep expertise and a 360-degree perspective on their business and personal financial needs. New murals adorn once-bare concrete walls along Lower Michigan Avenue underneath the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. The Magnificent Mile Association commissioned the public art along the artery that's home to the original Billy Goat Tavern and provides access to iconic buildings like the Wrigley Building, The Realtor Building, The InterContinental Chicago and the former Tribune Tower. Local artists Andy Bellomo, James Jankowiak, and Brandin Hurley created the murals as part of project Undercurrent, an initiative funded by a grant from The City of Chicagos Central City Recovery Program. Their pieces address the question: If you were to create an exciting mirror image of what was above below, how might that look? Stanley Nitzberg, a board member of The Magnificent Mile Association and principal at Mid-America Real Estate Corporation, came up with the idea. In our travels to London, my wife and I always visited Leake Street Arches for inspiration," he said. "It is a unique program where urban art beautifies the underbelly of Londons Waterloo station. It brings people together. Congratulations to the City of Chicago and the Association for funding and executing this first phase of Undercurrent. People can see the murals by foot, taking the stairs from upper Michigan Avenue at 430 N. Michigan Ave. The pieces are located on Hubbard Street below The Realtor Building, on Grand Avenue and on The InterContinental Hotel building. We are very interested in bringing more art to The Magnificent Mile district, said Kimberly Bares, CEO and president of The Magnificent Mile Association. The Mag Mile is known globally for its stunning architecture and art. Adding installations to Lower Michigan Avenue with these dazzling murals is an exciting extension of our heritage. The seemingly limitless range of Hong Chau is on display in three films this year, in roles so different that they hardly seem the work of one actor. In Darren Aronofsky's The Whale, she plays best friend and nurse to Brendan Fraser's obese shut-in professor, his most regular visitor and assertive caregiver. She desperately, unsentimentally prods him to get healthier, to care about himself. In Kelly Reichardt's Showing Up, Chau plays the idle landlord and artist colleague of Michelle Williams' ceramics sculptor. She's the mellower, more successful envy of Williams' character, and yet kind of a regular companion. In Mark Mylod's haute cuisine black comedy The Menu, Chau plays the militant hostess at an exclusive restaurant who delivers some of the film's most deliciously scathing lines. In the ear of one customer she whispers, Youll eat less than you desire and more than you deserve. Her performances each a dazzling highlight in harmony within an ensemble vary so much in appearance and manner that you can't help wonder: Who, exactly, is Hong Chau? Is she, herself, like any of these characters? Or none of them? Even for Chau, it's not an easy question to answer. Maybe my character in Showing Up because shes also an artist, says Chau. The feeling of: Im not in competition with anybody even though the way that other people view it makes you feel this sense that theres a race, or that youre not where youre supposed to be. I think with acting or with Hollywood, theres always this feeling of being uneasy with where you are in life. Since starting out on the David Simon HBO series Treme and in Paul Thomas Anderson's Inherent Vice, 43-year-old Chau has cut a unique, sometimes mysterious path through show business, choosing parts deliberately and seamlessly shape-shifting each time. For a long time, she was such an enigma to me, Mylod says. But five years after her breakthrough performance in Alexander Payne's Downsizing, the cluster of films is bringing Chau into view better than ever before, even while she remains maddeningly hard to pin down. Even before I became more successful, I never really wanted to be amongst a group of actors or keep up with people and have that in my mind at all times," Chau said in a recent interview from New Orleans where she was shooting Yorgos Lanthimos' And. It was always about myself and what I wanted out of it, and how I could do things that felt right for me. Chau's performance in The Whale, which expanded in theaters nationwide Friday, has in particular been singled out for awards consideration. But part of the thrill of this season for Chau is how multidimensional it is, something that will continue into next year, too. Chau co-stars in Wes Anderson's Asteroid City," due out in June, adding to her enviable run with many of the top American filmmakers. Showing Up, which premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival, will be released sometime in the spring. For Chau, who was born to Vietnamese parents in a refugee camp in Thailand and grew up in New Orleans, it's a fate she never bargained on. Even to this day, I have trouble saying that Im an actor because I struggle with talking about what my process is, Chau says. There are actor-actors out there who give these really in-depth, tremendous interviews about their process. They talk about it in such a way that makes me feel, Maybe Im not an actor. I just dont think that way at all." Chau didn't grow up acting; Hollywood was an unimaginable distance from her working-class upbringing in New Orleans East. Attending Boston University on a Pell Grant, she turned to film studies even though, up until then, her only real film education was watching the arthouse movies her brother rented. I definitely have an appreciation for exhibition. How could you not, growing up in a city with feathers and beads and all sorts of nonsense going on? Chau says, laughing. But in terms of actually seeing movies, no. I grew up without a lot of money so my parents never took me to the movies. We never ate out. There was so much that I slowly came to discover once I left home, once I went off to college. When I was doing press for The Menu, people would ask about restaurant experiences and I'd think, Oh my God, I was and Im still such an awkward person at restaurants because thats not something I was used to growing up." Chau's first job out of college was an administrative assistant at PBS. A life behind the camera seemed more likely to her, a mentality that's translated to her acting. Whenever I look at a script, its more from the mindset of what the filmmaker is trying to accomplish, she says. Thats really the only thing in my head. I dont do it for me. Im not trying to have an out-of-body experience when I do these roles. I guess Im just a fan of the whole process. That was also Aronofsky's impression working with Chau, who landed the part after a self-taped audition she made a little reluctantly in the middle of the pandemic shortly after the birth of her first child. Aronofsky found that in each take while shooting The Whale, Chau would do something different, supplying him with an array of choices in editing. Brendan joked to me the other day how at the end of a bunch of takes, Id be like, Lets just do one more, Hong. Just surprise us, have some fun. Because she would always do something authentic and real but a different take on it, says Aronofsky. I do think if she wants to direct, she can direct. She thinks like a director. Chau describes her process uncertainly but better than she says she does. I guess I just start dreaming up a character, she says. I start to see flashes of something in my head as Im reading a script in terms of their appearance, the cadence of their speech. Sometimes, she says, that's easy when the writing is good and there's a music to it. Downsizing, in which she played a Vietnamese dissident with a prosthetic leg, was like that. The Menu required more heavy lifting since her character was more thinly sketched. Mylod had written the role with a large Scandinavian woman in mind but decided to open up casting possibilities, seeking an X factor for his satire. And she killed it, says Mylod. It was initially very jarring for Mark, says Chau, smiling. I didnt go as far as wanted to. I wanted to shave my eyebrows, and the compromise was that Id just bleach my eyebrows. And he was like, Hong, youre a restaurant manager. Why would you look like that? Because she does! On The Whale, much has been made of Fraser's physical transformation, requiring daily hours of makeup and a large fat suit. Chau's metamorphosis was more subtle. I asked for certain things. I asked for tattoos for Liz. You dont really see them in the movie at all, Chau says. But every morning I would sit and get tattoos on both arms and the back of my neck. I dont think another production would do that. And (Aronofsky) never asked me why. He just let me have it. More than anything, Chau seems to relish those interactions, piecing a character together bit by bit, from the ground up. I feel," she says, like Im really collaborating, you know? ___ AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP PORTAGE Two residents face felony charges in connection with guns fired in separate incidents around midnight on New Years Eve. Portage police said they were first called to the 100 block of Coral Avenue at 12:02 a.m. Sunday for a report of a shooting and found several brass casings on the steps and landing of the house in question. Police were directed to Bridgette Nelson, 44, of Portage, who reportedly admitted to shooting her gun. Officers said they eventually found the 9mm handgun in question under a mattress and recovered nine shell casings just outside the residence. Another person at the home questioned the arrest, saying they did not know it was illegal to shoot a gun, according to the incident report. Nelson was taken into custody and faces a felony count of criminal recklessness. Officers were then called out at 12:04 a.m. Sunday to the 600 block of Camelot Manor, where a resident said he was standing outside with his son watching fireworks when a neighbor walked out with a shotgun and fired two rounds into the air. The suspected shooter, identified as Brandon Davis, 19, of Portage, denied the allegations at first but later admitted to the offense, police said. He was taken into custody on a felony count of criminal recklessness with a firearm. Police found the shotgun, as well as new and used shells, the report says. Police said two of three female juveniles at the house were found to be drinking alcohol. They were released to their parents, with notification to juvenile probation officials. PORTAGE A 47-year-old Portage woman charged this week with felony neglect because her two 9-year-old autistic children were found running naked through the neighborhood had an interaction in April with the Indiana Department of Child Services. A family case manager "asked Amannda (Fore) if she reached out for help after that interaction and Amannda said no one would help her," according to the arrest report. A recently released DCS report revealed that the number of Hoosier children dying from abuse or neglect grew 20% in 2021, with a similar-sized drop the previous year. Portage police released more details of this week's arrest, saying a witness spotted the boys early Tuesday afternoon naked and outside. Police noted that the temperature was about 60 degrees at the time and it was raining. By the time an officer arrived around 1:30 p.m., he found the boys just inside the residence in the 5600 block of Aspen Avenue but still naked, with their mother, Fore, sleeping on an air mattress in the living room. Fore did not immediately wake up as the officer called her name. She finally arose, confused, once she was shook, police said. She thought she had been asleep since 7 a.m. but was unsure of that or how the boys got out of the house unnoticed. Police said the doors into the house had locks, but Fore thought an alarm on the front door lacked working batteries. Both children are nonverbal and thus could not be questioned about their well-being, police said. They appeared uninjured and well-fed. "The house was extremely dirty with standing water on the floors, and mold, food and feces smeared on the walls," the incident report says. "There was old food scattered throughout the residence and a rotting mattress in a back, spare bedroom." The children's bedroom had no furniture other than a single mattress that was very dirty, according to police. The refrigerator contained mold and rotten food, trash was scattered throughout the house, and the area of the hallway with standing water was spongy and the subfloor was exposed where the laminate was removed, the report says. The kitchen sink was filled with dirty dishes and rotten food, and the toilet and shower area were covered in what appeared to be mold and old feces. "I asked Amannda about the unlivable conditions of the residence and she said she cannot keep up with keeping the house clean," police said. The DCS family case manager was contacted and spoke to Fore about the children and the living conditions. Fore was taken to Porter County Jail; court records show that she has been charged with a felony count of neglect of a dependent. She is scheduled to make an initial court appearance Thursday morning. The children were released to their aunt, police said. Gary Community School Corp. students returned to their classrooms after winter break to a surprise Tuesday: brand-new furniture. Glen Park Academy New Furniture 2.jpg Staff rolls brand-new furniture into Glen Park Academy for Excellence on Tuesday. Buildings throughout the Gary school district received new f "The looks on the children's faces were priceless," Glen Park Academy for Excellence Principal Eric Worthington said. "It was like Christmas all over again. They deserve to learn in an atmosphere that is most conducive to learning and triggers their creativity. This new furniture will help do this." Every school in the district received new furniture and saw new classroom layouts. This was the first time some of the buildings have received new furniture in decades, the district said in a news release. Third-grader Anylah Dodson said the new furniture made her feel like "royalty." "The desks are so clean," she said. "The chairs are comfortable like a couch. And the classroom, it just finishes the rest of it." The upgrades were made possible through more than $7 million in federal funding the district received through ESSER, a program created by the CARES Act and subsequent legislation in 2020 to help schools deal with the lasting financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gallery: New furniture for kids at Glen Park Academy Gary Community School Corp. students returned to their classrooms after winter break to a surprise Tuesday: brand-new furniture. Glen Park Academy New Furniture.jpg A classroom at Glen Park Academy for Excellence in Gary, decked out Tuesday with brand-new furniture. Glen Park Academy New Furniture 2.jpg Staff rolls brand-new furniture into Glen Park Academy for Excellence on Tuesday. Buildings throughout the Gary school district received new f Glen Park Academy New Furniture 3.jpg Gary Community School Corp. officials said that Tuesday was the first time in decades that many schools in the district received new furniture. Glen Park Academy New Furniture 4.jpg Students sit in a classroom Tuesday at Glen Park Academy for Excellence in Gary. Students returned from the holiday break to brand-new furniture. Glen Park Academy New Furniture 5.jpg New tables on Tuesday at Glen Park Academy for Excellence in Gary. Gallery HTML code "This is another win for the district," GCSC Manager Paige McNulty said. "Our students, teachers and staff deserve environments that promote learning. The new furniture is another way we are supporting this notion." PHOTOS: Gary native Antonio Pipkins hosts football camp Bowman grad Antonio Pipkin, PUSH camp Bowman grad Antonio Pipkin, PUSH camp Bowman grad Antonio Pipkin, PUSH camp Bowman grad Antonio Pipkin, PUSH camp Bowman grad Antonio Pipkin, PUSH camp Bowman grad Antonio Pipkin, PUSH camp Gallery CRETE TOWNSHIP, Ill. The Will County sheriff's office said a Hammond man who was shot and killed Friday was targeted. Police found Chaves J. Bradley, 25, in his vehicle around 9:05 p.m. in the 1100 block of East 263rd Street. He was pronounced deceased by the Will County coroner the next morning. Bradley's vehicle was parked on East 263rd Street near Greenwood Avenue when multiple gunshots were fired into the back of his vehicle, police said. He drove away from the scene but crashed into nearby parked cars. The coroner said the final cause and manner of death will be determined at a later date, pending police, autopsy and toxicology reports. The investigation is ongoing. A dispute between Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. and the Lake County Board of Commissioners concerning the sheriffs contracting authority may be resolved by Indianas highest court. The commissioners asked the Indiana Supreme Court last week to consider overturning a Nov. 16 Court of Appeals ruling that Martinez is not required to obtain the commissioners approval to ink contracts relating to the county jail, so long as money for the purchases is appropriated by the county council. In their petition for transfer, the commissioners say the appellate court got it wrong when it concluded that the sheriffs duty to take care of the county jail and its prisoners gives the sheriff authority to enter into contracts relating to the jail without the sheriffs jail contracts being conditioned on further approval by the three-member Board of Commissioners, which serves as county executive. The commissioners argue that Indiana law clearly assigns the power to contract on behalf of the county solely to the commissioners, and giving the sheriff unilateral authority to sign jail-related contracts upends the county management and oversight process designed by the Legislature. Who is to say which contracts relate to the sheriff taking care of the jail or its prisoners, rather than some other purpose? If a single contract touches on more than one subject say, it relates to the jail in some respects but not in others is it subject to commissioner approval? the commissioners asked. Requiring sheriffs to obtain approval of the terms of vendor contracts is no more intrusive on sheriffs authority than requiring them to submit a budget in the first instance (an exercise no one contends is out of bounds). The commissioners say the Supreme Court needs to clarify the statutory division of power between county commissioners and sheriffs, as well as the commissioners contracting oversight role, since the outcome affects elected officials in each of Indianas 92 counties. Martinez will have an opportunity to respond to the commissioners petition to transfer. The sheriff is expected to urge the high court to leave the Court of Appeals ruling intact. The Indiana General Assembly, which convenes its four-month annual session Monday, also could act to clarify the law before the Supreme Court decides whether to hear the commissioners appeal. Because of the pending case, the commissioners opted to not act in November on the annual jail health-care contract with Correctional Health Indiana Inc. thats at the center of the appellate case. Records show that Martinez initially sued the commissioners after they rejected his 2022 contract with CHI at a cost of $6.1 million, a 5% increase compared with 2021 and 20% more than 2020. The sheriff has proposed granting CHI another 5% increase in 2023 for a total cost to Lake County taxpayers of $6.4 million for jail health care. Meet the 2023 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville State Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores LAPORTE For now, the selection of a new attorney for LaPorte County government has not put a damper on two years of political turmoil, as some had hoped would happen when the Nov. 8 election changed the composition of the Board of County Commissioners. Andrew B. Jones was appointed county attorney Wednesday by a majority of the three-member board during its first meeting of 2023. Jones succeeds Shaw Friedman, who was alleged by his political opponents to be the primary source of unrest on the commission and elsewhere in county government. Jones, 37, lives in and owns a legal practice in South Bend. He openly expressed appreciation for his appointment. It is my solemn promise to everybody in this room that I will never seek to embarrass anyone, to ridicule anyone, to make anyone feel like a public comment that they have made is something that shouldnt be taken seriously by this commission, he said. Jones also said he looks forward to working with the commissioners and contributing to a more peaceful environment: I try to be a no-drama, no-nonsense type of person. I think we need to lower the temperature in these meetings. The county attorney is among the positions filled by the commissioners at the beginning of each year. Opposing the appointment was Commissioner Rich Mrozinski, who helped provide majority support of Friedman. Mrozinski is in the minority now that Connie Gramarossa who defeated Sheila Matias in the general election took a seat beside Commissioner Joe Haney. Mrozinski challenged the appointment because Jones once represented LaPorte County Auditor Tim Stabosz in one of the lawsuits Friedman filed against Stabosz. To me, this sounds like a conflict of interest, he said. The lawsuits alleging defamation of character and wrongful nonpayment for some of Friedmans legal services remain undecided. LaPorte resident Rick Kentaft said the connection between Jones and Stabosz is nothing more than the cronyism Friedman and his supporters were accused and heavily criticized by their political opponents of taking part in. Youve done exactly what you complained about before. I find that very interesting, he said. Stabosz said he had nothing to do with Jones being hired, and the appointment caught him by surprise. I was in no way involved with the interview or solicitation process involving any attorneys this new commission pursued or considered, he said. In other action, the number of meetings commissioners can attend electronically and vote was restricted to one a year. A commissioner will not be able to vote at meetings after that unless theyre physically present. Haney and Gramarossa said the action was in response to Mrozinski voting multiple times during meetings he attended on Zoom while living part time in Florida. They said a public servant has an obligation to not rely on a screen to participate and cast votes. I believe that when everyone gets to a certain age, they want to snowbird, Gramarossa said. Thats wonderful, but as long as youre an elected official, I believe that is the time when you really dedicate your time to your county and the people that elected you. People come here in person and they want to see us, Haney said. My Grandma, the Pilot When her youngest graduated from college, my grandmother decided she wanted to be a pilot. She completed ground school, but thats as far as she went. When we grandchildren were born, she was widowed, living on a teachers salary in New Jersey. In lieu of an inheritance, our grandmother promised us memories. Traveling with us every summer, she shared her desire to explore, a desire that led me to complete my pilots license. As a thank you for her encouragement, I recently took my grandmother flying down the Hudson River, both of us in awe of the other. Jessica Ward None of the claims could be independently verified, but even the lowest number would represent one of the worst Russian losses in a single episode in the war, and an embarrassment for President Vladimir V. Putin. He has vowed repeatedly to correct the glaring errors and weaknesses in his armed forces that the war has exposed, and in a New Years Eve speech filmed at a military base, Mr. Putin told the families of soldiers killed in the fighting, I share your pain with all my heart. Pro-war Russian bloggers and some government officials said the debacle was caused by the militarys own repeated and costly mistakes, like garrisoning troops in a dense concentration within range of Ukrainian artillery, placing them in the same building as an ammunition depot, and allowing them to use cellphones, whose signals the Ukrainians can use to zero in on their target. Some pro-war lawmakers demanded an investigation, and one of them, Sergei Mironov, leader of a pro-Kremlin party in the Parliament, called for the prosecution of all officials responsible, whether they wear epaulets or not. One year into his tenure, Mr. Adams has no shortage of monumental problems on his plate, among them the economic revival of the nations financial capital and record levels of homelessness. But one comparatively picayune problem continues to bedevil him, both professionally and personally: the humble, and prolific, brown rat. On Dec. 7, the day after Mr. Adams successfully challenged an earlier rat-related summons at his Brooklyn property, the health department he controls issued two new summonses to the mayor, both for failing to control rats. The new summonses, first reported by The Daily News, carry up to $1,200 in fines in total for Mr. Adams. Both were issued by the same health inspector who levied the initial summons. (The inspector could not be reached for comment.) And, like the last time, Mr. Adams again said he would fight the fines in the citys administrative tribunal, which he also effectively controls. Im going to do like every New Yorker, Im going to go back to court, show all my evidence, Mr. Adams said during an unrelated news conference on Wednesday. We have a rat problem in the city. I mean, who are we kidding? Mayor Eric Adams likes to say that he is perfectly imperfect and thick-skinned enough to withstand the inevitable criticism that is part of the job of leading the largest city in the country. But all bets are apparently off when it comes to barbs from the previous administration. In an unprompted, seven-minute tirade, Mr. Adams on Wednesday lashed out at the former mayor, Bill de Blasio, accusing him of leaving New York City in disarray, and insisting that Mr. de Blasios former top aides had no right to publicly criticize the way Mr. Adams is running the city. I am so tired of the previous administration and their antics, Mr. Adams said at the end of what had been a routine news conference about expanding the citys fleet of electric vehicles. Mr. Adams, a moderate Democrat who is entering his second year in office, said he had recently called Mr. de Blasio to complain about the attacks. Press Release January 5, 2023 Revilla says Abalos call good for confidence-building Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. sees nothing wrong with Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos' call for senior police officers to tender their courtesy resignations. Yesterday, Abalos asked for the resignation of officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) with the rank of Full Colonel and General. The Secretary said this was to finally put to rest reports of high-ranking police officials' alleged involvement in the illicit drug trade. According to Abalos, those who have nothing to hide will have no problem with submitting their courtesy resignations. The solon said this may be good for confidence-building between the country's leadership, the PNP, and the public. "This will show that everyone is accountable and no one is untouchable," Revilla said. "Even the Chief PNP and chaplains are not spared," he added. "Ipinapakita nito na kaisa ang lahat sa pagbabalik ng tiwala ng publiko sa pulisya - especially the highest ranking officers". The lawmaker further explained that the courtesy resignations will not be an indictment against the PNP, but rather, a measure that shows the police organization serves at the pleasure and trust - to the best interest of - the public. "The PNP holds its personnel to the highest standards - lalo na yung mga nasa mabababang ranggo na araw-araw nating nakikita. It's good to show that the organization also holds those in the highest ranks to at least same standards," the senator said. "Maganda na makita yan ng publiko," he ended. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 56F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 56F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Republicans keep reaping what theyve sown. The partys thoroughly embarrassing inability to choose a speaker of the House after multiple attempts is a crisis of its own creation. Since at least the Barack Obama years, the Republican Party has seen a strengthening of its right flanks, one whose mission was not to produce policy but to prevent progress, one whose tactic was destruction rather than diplomacy. You could see the beginnings of the current iteration of this political extremism when John McCain picked the woefully unqualified Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008. She wasnt highbrow, but she was headstrong. She was the anti-Obama. During her speech at the Republican National Convention in 2008, she said that she had learned that if youre not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone. But, she continued, heres a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: Im not going to Washington to seek their good opinion; Im going to Washington to serve the people of this country. Palin exposed a dangerous reality about the Republican base: that it was starving for disruption and spectacle, that it would cheer for anyone who annoyed liberals, that performance was far more important than competence. FRONT PAGE An article on Monday about an algal explosion in Cape Cod fueled by warming waters and antiquated septic systems misstated the scientific classification of cyanobacteria. While cyanobacteria are commonly known as blue-green algae, they are gram-negative bacteria and scientists typically exclude them from the algae group. SPORTS An article on Monday about week 17 of the N.F.L. misstated receiving achievements by Jerry Rice and Torry Holt. They had eight 1,000-yard seasons in their first nine N.F.L. seasons, not to open their career. WEEKEND ARTS An article on Dec. 23 about the actor Antonio Banderas mission to bring serious, complex Broadway musicals to Spain, using information from Teatro del Soho, erroneously attributed a distinction to the theaters production of Company. A translation of Company by Marcelo Kotliar was staged at the Teatro La Comedia in Buenos Aires in 2013. Teatro del Sohos production was not the first in Spanish. Errors are corrected during the press run whenever possible, so some errors noted here may not have appeared in all editions. Frank Galati, a writer, director and actor whose work in Chicago, especially his celebrated adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath, furthered that citys international reputation in theater, and whose long resume included directing the Broadway hit Ragtime, died on Monday in Sarasota, Fla. He was 79. His husband, Peter Amster, said the cause was complications of cancer. Mr. Galati was a towering figure in Chicago-area theater for decades, working with the Goodman and Steppenwolf theaters and other houses there and teaching at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. He specialized in adaptations, and in 1988 his version of John Steinbecks dust-bowl epic, The Grapes of Wrath, was a hit for Steppenwolf. He both wrote and directed The Grapes of Wrath, though it took work to persuade Steinbecks widow, Elaine Steinbeck, to release the rights. She told The Chicago Tribune in 1988 that once she saw what Mr. Galati had done with the novel, she was glad she did. I took the script to bed with me, she said. As soon as I started reading it, I sat bolt upright. I didnt think it would be that good. A 42-year-old man fatally shot his wife, their five children and his mother-in-law inside their home in rural Utah this week before he shot and killed himself, officials said on Thursday. Officials said that the evidence suggests that the man, Michael Haight, killed the seven other members of his family and then killed himself inside the familys home in Enoch City, which is nearly 250 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. Police officers discovered all eight bodies on Wednesday after Mr. Haights wife, Tausha Haight, 40, failed to show up for an appointment with someone who then contacted the police, officials said. Ms. Haight had filed for divorce from Mr. Haight on Dec. 21, and her mother, Gail Earl, 78, who was also killed, had been providing support through the difficulties that they were encountering, Geoffrey Chesnut, the mayor of Enoch City, said at a news conference on Thursday. MOSCOW, Idaho The man accused of killing four University of Idaho college students received a new license plate for his car five days after the murders, according to records released Wednesday. The licensing documents in Washington State show that the vehicle driven by the suspect, Bryan Kohberger, was a white Hyundai Elantra, the type of vehicle that investigators had been seeking in recent weeks. The police in Moscow had said that a white Hyundai Elantra from between 2011 and 2013 had been seen near the scene of the crimes on the night of the killings in Moscow, Idaho, on Nov. 13. Mr. Kohbergers car was a 2015 model and registered on Nov. 18, according to the licensing document. A vehicle history report shows the car had previously been registered in Pennsylvania, where Mr. Kohberger is from. Mr. Kohberger, 28, had moved to Pullman, Wash., in recent months and began studying criminology in a Ph.D. program at Washington State University in August. He has said through a lawyer that he expects to be exonerated in the case. Mr. Kohbergers new lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the license plate records. WASHINGTON The Biden administration asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to uphold its decision to forgive hundreds of billions of dollars of student loan debt for tens of millions of Americans, arguing that it was acting within its executive authority and did not need new congressional authorization. In a brief filed with the justices, the Justice Department rejected legal challenges mounted by a half-dozen Republican-led states and maintained that the states did not have a basis for contesting the decision in court in the first place. The administration responded to the challenges a month after the court agreed to hear the matter and put the case on an expedited timetable. The justices plan to hear arguments in February and left in place an injunction issued by a lower court blocking the administration from proceeding with the program until the legal questions have been resolved. The program would forgive as much as $20,000 in debt for as many as 40 million borrowers making under $125,000 a year. More than 16 million potential beneficiaries have already been approved for the relief if the court allows the program to proceed, and millions more have applied. The administration said nearly 90 percent of the benefits would go to borrowers who had already finished school and were making less than $75,000 a year. WASHINGTON The personal and political drama that is playing out on the House floor as Representative Kevin McCarthy tries and fails repeatedly to become speaker has broader implications for the country, raising questions about what happens when one chamber of the legislative branch ceases to function. Without a speaker, the United States House of Representatives essentially becomes a useless entity. Because none of its members can be sworn in until a speaker is chosen, there are no lawmakers to respond to an emergency or a crisis, only representatives-elect. With no rules adopted, the legislative process cannot move forward; no bills can be passed or resolutions adopted. Lacking a speaker, the House cannot carry out its responsibility for oversight of the federal government or any other entity. The House cannot haul witnesses before committees, and those elected to serve cannot set up operations to help out their constituents. Returning lawmakers have lost their security clearances to get private briefings from the military and the intelligence agencies because, having not been sworn in, they are not officially members of Congress. When Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida who was sworn in for a second term on Tuesday tapped Jared Moskowitz to run the states disaster-relief agency in 2018, he praised him as an effective Democratic voice in the Republican-dominated Legislature. It was a bipartisan gesture that seems almost quaint in hindsight, given the sharply conservative direction in which DeSantis has steered his state. Moskowitz is now entering Congress representing a newly redrawn House district that includes Boca Raton and parts of Fort Lauderdale, positioning himself as a centrist Democrat who understands how to work across the aisle. Im doing this to fight for normal, Moskowitz said in an interview. I think the American people voted for normal in this last election, and they voted against crazy. When Moskowitz was appointed, his formative political experience as a state lawmaker was working with Republicans in Tallahassee to pass the first gun-safety law in Florida in two decades. Its hard to imagine DeSantis, who has promised to allow Floridians to carry concealed firearms without a permit, signing such a bill today. This is Day 4 of Wells 7-Day Happiness Challenge. To start at the beginning, click here. For todays exercise, were going to get vulnerable and tell an important person in our lives how we feel about them. Think about what they have done for you in your life, said Dr. Bob Waldinger, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the author of the new book The Good Life. Where, or who, would you be without them? Happiness Challenge Day 4: Thank someone special Consider what you would thank this person for if you thought you would never see them again. Take a few minutes and write down what you would tell them, with as many specific examples as possible. Dont overthink it: It can be both dashed off and straight from the heart. Think of it as a eulogy for the living. Then send it by email, text, handwritten note, whatever. The medium doesnt matter; sending it does. The happiest people take time to explicitly cherish the people they love, Dr. Waldinger said. Writing a note of appreciation to someone, research has shown, has an immediate positive impact on feelings of well-being and connectedness, for both you and the recipient. KYIV, Ukraine Ukraine has claimed a string of successful artillery attacks on Russian barracks in the first days of the year, asserting that it hit newly drafted men and other soldiers where they were sleeping or congregating, killing or wounding hundreds. The Russian military has confirmed one of the three waves of claimed strikes, though it gave a much lower death toll than the Ukrainians estimate. Even the lower toll of 89 soldiers killed in that attack, however, represents a startling setback for the Russian military. Social media posts, reports from local residents and Russians who blog about military affairs offered partial confirmation of the other strikes claimed by Ukraine, but not corroboration of the casualty counts. Military analysts say the Ukrainians use of long-range artillery, including American-provided HIMARS precision rockets, to target barracks marks a shift for the artillery forces, which for months had concentrated on materiel like ammunition depots. American officials met with representatives of the Palestinian Authority in Bethlehem on Thursday and handed back a 2,700-year-old looted item in what officials said was the first time the United States had repatriated a stolen relic to the Palestinian government. The object, described as a cosmetic spoon, was a tool carved from ivory and dating to between 800 and 700 B.C. It was used to ladle incense onto fires and braziers at rites venerating the gods and the dead. A winged figure was etched into its front side. The Palestinian minister of tourism and antiquities, Rula Maayah, who met with the American delegation, said, This artifact is important as it acquires its real scientific and archaeological value in its authentic location. She added that the item dates to the vast Assyrian civilization, and that it was likely stolen from what is now Hebron, in the West Bank. The chief of the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs, George Noll, said at the ceremony that it was a historic moment between the American and Palestinian people and a demonstration of our belief in the power of cultural exchanges in building mutual understanding, respect and partnership. He was catapulted from a career as a studio photographer in a small African city to worldwide recognition in 1994, when his self-portraits won an award in the first photography biennial in Bamako, Mali, where he was compared to Malick Sidibe and Seydou Keita, two acclaimed portrait artists from Bamako. I did not know I was making art photography, he told the curator Okwui Enwezor in Aperture. What I did know was that I was transforming myself into what I wanted to become. I was living out a series of ideas about myself. In 1997, a commission in Paris by Tati, a discount-clothing department store, inspired him to step up his ambition to a higher level. To distinguish himself from Sidibe and Keita, he worked in color, staging self-portraits in which he fully took on the roles of fictional characters: a businessman, a bourgeois woman, a rocker. In one, posing as the liberated American woman of the 70s, he made up his face with lipstick and eyeliner, painted his fingernails blue, and donned a brightly patterned patchwork coat, bead necklaces, a straw hat and purple stiletto heels, carrying it off with a huge dollop of feminine self-assurance. Lewis Carrolls influence is all over contemporary culture. Theres the surreal image of going through the looking glass; the look of a Tim Burton movie, including his version of Alice in Wonderland; the skewed angles of Tom Pettys video for Dont Come Around Here No More; the use of a word like galumphing. And, as a new album from the Albany Symphony demonstrates, there are the Carroll-inspired musical works of the composer David Del Tredici, some of which have been captured on two world premiere recordings from the ensemble, led by David Alan Miller. These long-awaited performances of Pop-Pourri (from 1968, and revised in 1973) and Adventures Underground (written in 1971 and revised in 1977) are a booming, psychedelic marvel. In the initial seconds of the first movement of Pop-Pourri, Del Tredici smash cuts between a Bach harmonization of a Lutheran chorale, Es Ist Genug, and his own setting of Carrolls text. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin is also in the mix making good on Del Tredicis claim, in the albums liner notes, that the piece is a kind of Cantata of the Sacred and Profane. On a day in June 2020, Alice Jones was in her Brooklyn apartment getting ready to attend a Black Lives Matter rally. Dr. Jones, a flutist and composer who serves as an assistant dean and faculty member at the Juilliard School, was adamant about expressing herself as a Black classical musician. I felt like it was my obligation to make sure in this moment, when were talking about Black lives mattering, she said, that we also talk about Black art and music. So, Dr. Jones designed a sign that listed Black composers throughout history. After adding Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the 18th-century subject of the upcoming film Chevalier, she faintly remembered another, older name: Vicente Lusitano. Lusitano was an African-Portuguese composer and music theorist who was most likely born between 1520 and 1522, and who died sometime after 1562. Probably the child of an enslaved African woman and a Portuguese noble, Lusitano traversed Europe in a career that saw him depart the Iberian Peninsula for Rome as a Catholic priest in 1550 and, around a decade later, relocate from Italy to Germany as a married Protestant. Our recommended books this week lean into the fantastical and otherworldly, with creepy story collections from Rachel Harrison (Bad Dolls) and Bora Chung (Cursed Bunny), as well as one novel about a convicted murderer grappling with his haunted past (Kevin Chens Ghost Town) and another about a graduate student recruited to write a book about the Devil (Luke Dumass A History of Fear). If you prefer your fiction a little more down to earth, we also recommend novels set in 1920s South Africa or 1980s Queens. In nonfiction, we have a memoir from the supermodel Paulina Porizkova, a biography of the jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins and a timely journalistic account of the effort to track down crypto-criminals. Happy reading. Gregory Cowles BAD DOLLS Rachel Harrison Harrisons feminist horror novels are some of the most original and entertaining out there, and this story collection is right up there with her longer works. Filled with women on the cusp of change, they explore the dark side of being female in the 21st century. Putin orders a 36-hour cease-fire President Vladimir Putin ordered a unilateral cease-fire for Russian troops from midday today to the end of tomorrow to observe the Orthodox Christmas, according to the Kremlin. A senior Ukrainian official quickly dismissed the move as a banal trick and a propaganda gesture, though it remained unclear what Kyivs ultimate response would be and whether hostilities would actually cease along a nearly 700-mile front line. Ukraine has expressed skepticism over Moscows previous pledges to exercise military restraint. In March, it accused Russia of violating a humanitarian cease-fire, which was meant to allow evacuations from the besieged city of Mariupol. Some pro-war Russian nationalists also dismissed the proposal, underlining the depth of mutual animosity. Context: The cease-fire would be the broadest of its kind since Russia invaded Ukraine. Diplomacy: Russias announcement came hours after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who has positioned himself as a mediator, spoke to Putin and called for a cease-fire. William F. Buckley Jr., a founder of National Review, once famously described a conservative as someone who stands athwart history, yelling Stop! at a time when no one is inclined to do so. Stop! is what many commentators have been shouting this week in the once-mighty organs of conservative media like National Review, imploring Republicans to resolve the acrimonious infighting that has paralyzed the House of Representatives for three consecutive days. Sorry and performative is how the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal described the far-right revolt against Representative Kevin McCarthys bid to become speaker. An embarrassing spectacle, National Review called it in an editorial. Sean Hannity of Fox News scolded one of Mr. McCarthys loudest antagonists, Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado, on his prime time program on Wednesday, asking, Isnt it time for you to pack it in? Mercedes-Benz said Thursday that it would install a network of 2,500 high-powered chargers in the United States by 2027, a sign the German carmaker is expanding its commitment to electric vehicles by borrowing a page from Teslas playbook. The fast chargers, distributed among 400 stations, will operate under the Mercedes brand. Owners of the companys cars will have preferential access, although the network will be open to cars from other manufacturers. Tesla started building charging stations years ago, and the network has been essential to the automakers success by allaying the fears of car buyers that they wont have enough places to plug their vehicles in and could be stranded on the side of the road. Those U.S. fast chargers work only with Tesla cars, although the company has said it will open the network to other brands. Mercedess planned charging network is the latest sign that the company, which has lost customers to Tesla, is serious about electric vehicles. Last year, the company opened a battery factory in Alabama and began building an electric sport utility vehicle, the EQS, at its plant near Tuscaloosa, Ala. Tesla sales in China, the worlds largest car market and a crucial element of the companys fortunes, slumped at the end of 2022 as domestic manufacturers like BYD gained ground with lower-priced electric vehicles, according to data published Thursday. Tesla sold around 56,000 cars in China last month, a decline of 21 percent from a year earlier, and 44 percent from the previous month. For the full year, Teslas Chinese sales rose nearly 50 percent, according to data published by the China Passenger Car Association. China accounts for roughly 40 percent of Teslas sales. Concern about the carmakers performance there has been a significant factor in the precipitous decline of Teslas share price last year. The companys stock closed down about 3 percent on Thursday. Tesla has grown rapidly in China but is facing increasingly stiff competition from companies like BYD, which sells well-regarded cars at lower prices and is the countrys No. 1 electric vehicle brand. BYD sales including hybrid vehicles more than doubled in December from a year earlier, and rose 2 percent in December from November, according to the Passenger Car Associations data. The state has already adjusted some policies to acknowledge, at least implicitly, that levees and other infrastructure cant prevent all flooding, and that the priority must be to ensure flooding happens in places where it wont be most catastrophic. In the Central Valley, California since 2007 has mandated a two-tier system of levees. In more-populated areas, they must be designed to withstand floods that have a 1-in-200, or 0.5 percent, chance of occurring in any year. But levees in rural areas dont need to be as robust. The dual standard helps prioritize investment in the valleys most-populated regions. But in some river systems, it also represents an unspoken strategy for managing deluges: During large storms, upstream agricultural areas become more likely to flood first, absorbing water so cities downstream might be spared the worst. Some parts of the state have begun experimenting with moving people and development away from rivers. In the city of West Sacramento, a stretch of the Sacramento River has more room to flow thanks to a new setback levee, which is essentially a second levee farther from the river. Before the project was started in 2011, homes and farmland sat right behind the main levee, exposing them to flooding. Now, when the river is high, water sweeps through the tree-filled space between the two levees instead, as it has during the recent rains. The Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for planning and designing federally funded levees, has become more open to the concept of creating additional room for rivers. Two major pharmacy chains will apply to sell abortion pills under a new Food and Drug Administration regulation that will allow the medication to be offered by retail pharmacies for the first time. The chains, CVS and Walgreens, said they planned to seek certification to sell the pill, mifepristone, the first pill used in the two-drug medication abortion regimen. Patients will still need a prescription from a certified health care provider, but the new federal action could significantly expand access to medication abortion because it allows any pharmacy that agrees to accept those prescriptions and abide by certain other criteria to dispense the pills in its stores and by mail order. The pharmacy chains did not provide details about when they expected to be able to offer the pills, in which states or whether they would offer them only in stores or via mail order, or both. They said they would comply with laws in states that ban or restrict abortion, currently about half of the states. We plan to seek certification to dispense mifepristone where legally permissible, Amy Thibaut, a spokeswoman for CVS, said. First, if you dont already know, find out who your representative is. You can look them up here. Find out how they have voted in the fight over House speakership. How do you feel about their vote? Next, think about what you would like your representative to do for your congressional district and the nation over the next two years. What promises did they make when they were campaigning? Which of those ideas, if any, do you support? Track the votes of your representative over the coming months to see how well these promises are kept, and to assess the overall impact of their leadership. Option 2: Assess what this dysfunction means for the Republican Party. This fight has exposed a big rift in the Republican Party. With no unified agenda or clear leadership, Republicans face the prospect that the anti-establishment fervor that has powered the party in recent years could now devour it. What does this dysfunction in the House of Representatives mean for the Republican agenda, Congress and the country? In Speaker Fight Reveals a Divided and Disoriented House Majority, Carl Hulse writes: The paralysis underscored the dilemma facing House Republicans: No matter the concessions made to some of those on the far right, they simply will not relent and join their colleagues even if it is for the greater good of their party, and perhaps the nation. They consider themselves conservative purists who cannot be placated unless all their demands are met and maybe not even then. Their agenda is mostly to defund, disrupt and dismantle government, not to participate in it. It means that whoever emerges from the messy leadership fight will face deep-seated resistance when trying to shepherd spending bills and other measures that are fundamental to governance. Tuesdays spectacle reflected that House Republicans have grown more skilled at legislative sabotage than legislative success, leaving the difficult business of getting things done to others. Read the rest of that news analysis or the related piece Nobody Is in Charge: A Ragged G.O.P. Stumbles Through the Wilderness. Then, in writing or through discussion with a partner, respond to the following: What new information did you learn about the fight over the House speaker? What does it reveal about politics and the Republican Party in 2023? If you were a Republican consultant, what would you recommend to move forward? What new questions do you have about the current impasse and the future of the Republican Party? Option 3: Look back at Representative Nancy Pelosis tenure and the legacies of six other notable speakers. In Candy Land, a group of truck-stop sex workers, or lot lizards, assembles daily by a gas-station bench, scarfing down Twinkies and Coca-Cola between sexual romps in the back seat or the bathroom stall. Its not glamorous, but there is a certain allure to their world and its trailer-park chic, sustained by the patchwork heart of their found family. Girlfriends Sadie (Sam Quartin) and Liv (Virginia Rand), Riley (Eden Brolin), Levi (Owen Campbell), and Nora (Guinevere Turner), their madam of sorts, all live in a motel, but together they make it feel like home. The work is dangerous at one point, Levi, the only male member of the crew, bludgeons a client to death in self-defense. But things soon get a little weirder: The bloodied body of a john turns up in the bathroom, his hands crossed over his chest in some kind of holy gesture; then Remy (Olivia Luccardi), a snaggletoothed virgin and a former member of a religious cult, appears at the bench, a bit too willing to be taken under the groups wing. Allison Williams has a knack for playing it straight. She brings a convincing realism to the most preposterous situations or maybe shes just an actor with limited range. Whatever the reason, it works, especially in the tricky genre where comedy meets horror. She excelled in a critical role in Get Out, and now in M3gan, a ludicrous, derivative and irresistible killer-doll movie. Williams plays Gemma, a robotics engineer with no maternal instincts who suddenly must take care of her young niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), after a car accident turned her into an orphan. The synthetic skin of this movie is about how Gemma learns to take care of a child. Thankfully, its bloody heart is far sillier. Its the comedy of a primly composed mean-girl android turning into The Terminator. This is the kind of scary movie that needs a lead performance that is strong not fragile, deadpan not showy. Williams capably updates the mad-scientist archetype, refusing to pause and ask questions while inventing a doll of the future, one who pairs with a child and adjusts to their needs, filling in as best friend and big sister. Gemma uses Cady as her test case. The director, Brett Donowho, previously directed Acts of Violence (2018), one of those dismal Bruce Willis shoot-em-ups that looks like the star strolled onto the set for an afternoon by accident. The Old Way has a similarly perfunctory feel, with Nicolas Cage sleepwalking through his role as the ruthless Montana cowboy Colton Briggs, roused from gunslinging retirement by a lackluster quest for revenge. Alongside his adolescent daughter Brooke (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), Briggs pursues a nondescript gang of black hats, led by the nefarious, speechifying James McCallister (Noah Le Gros). Its a distinctly low-effort affair across the board, from the simplistic plotting (our heroes chase the bad guys, then find them) to Cages performance, absent any of the self-aware wit he demonstrated in last years The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. And while its true that a certain tepid aspect is common to most B westerns, those of the 30s and 40s were made with a baseline competence that The Old Way is woefully lacking. The Old Way Rated R for some graphic violence, torture and strong language. Running time: 1 hour 35 minutes. In theaters. A Connecticut state representative on his way home from an inaugural ball to kick off the new term was killed when a wrong-way driver hit him head-on early Thursday, state police said. Officials from across the state mourned the loss of State Representative Quentin Williams of Middletown, a city about a 20-minute drive south of the capital, Hartford. Gov. Ned Lamont ordered the state flag to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Mr. Williams, calling his loss devastating. The crash occurred on Route 9 in Cromwell, just north of Middletown, at about 12:45 a.m. The Connecticut State Police said that Mr. Williams was traveling south when he was hit by a vehicle traveling north in the southbound lane. The driver of that vehicle, 27-year-old Kimede Katie Mustafaj of Manchester, Conn., was also killed. The car driven by Mr. Williams, 39, was fully engulfed in flames after the crash, according to the police. When the Chinese government abruptly eased its draconian Covid-19 policies in December, I felt an uncanny combination of abject horror and relief. After three years of endless PCR tests and lockdowns zero Covid, which has gripped China like a vise, was finally brought to a close. Overseas Chinese people like me will finally be able to more easily reunite with family and try to make up for lost time. But Chinas recklessly executed reopening has become a farcical nightmare resulting in millions of people infected, and hospitals and crematories overflowing; seemingly overnight, it felt as if everyone I know in China has tested positive for the coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions testing requirement for passengers on flights originating from the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), including the Special Administrative Regions (SAR) of Hong Kong and Macau, will once again invite a racial backlash against Asian people in America. Even though the C.D.C. requirements are not a nationality-based travel ban, history told me to brace for xenophobic panic. I didnt need to wait long before the Biden administration swiftly rolled out a new policy requiring travelers from China to present negative Covid-19 tests before entering the United States. For three years, Western media coverage has treated the Covid situation in China like a spectacle, an opportunity to gawk at the toxic cesspool contained in self-imposed isolation across the ocean. But now that flights between the United States and China are poised to return to prepandemic frequency, Chinese people will no longer be over there, but will once again be able to regularly travel. We already live with Covid; infection rates measured by hospitalizations are on the rise in many countries around the world. Covid is not a new enemy, for it has already breached the walls of the United States. How can anyone feel less than optimistic about a year that starts with a veritable explosion of polka dots? Ten years after its initial collaboration with the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, Louis Vuitton has once again teamed up with Ms. Kusama for the first big collection of the year, and its a doozy. Hundreds of pieces of LV merch (sneakers, slides, bags, bikinis, bucket hats, coats, skirts and pants for both men and women) speckled with multicolor dots, metallic dots and pretty much every other permutation of dot imaginable, like joyful confetti raining down on a sea of logos. Unveiled on Jan. 1 in Asia, and Jan. 6 in the rest of the world, the line raises the bar for what is fast turning into a hackneyed fashion trope. (Running out of ideas? Do a collaboration!) It also serves as an overture of good cheer for a year that is otherwise cloaked in uncertainty. Yes, we can be nervous about household spending and geopolitics and maybe even a Covid resurgence, but take a moment to window-shop past Ms. Kusamas spotty reimagining of the LV world and youll find it impossible not to smile. Even better, this is simply drop one of two. The next batch of goodies featuring more of Ms. Kusamas signature work is coming at the end of March a reminder that there are plenty of interesting, distracting and possibly even thrilling fashion developments that will shape our self-expression, and wardrobes, in 2023. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. Its a balmy January afternoon. You buy an avocado and pickled turnip sandwich from Gjelina and some legal weed at a high-end smoke shop. After popping by a Fred Segal boutique, you meet friends for early mocktails under the trees at San Vicente Bungalows. Its an ideal Los Angeles day. And soon you wont have to leave Manhattan for it. New York City may think of itself as singular, but its increasingly possible to live the Los Angeles lifestyle here without the inconvenience of a cross-country flight. New Yorkers drive more and ride the subway less. Theyre eating earlier, dressing sloppier and doing ketamine. The mayor parties at a Kardashian hangout, and theres an organic mattress store on Fifth Avenue. Is this the Los Ang-ularity? Cultural exchange between the two cities dates back decades, and innovations like juice bars, fad diets and luxe leisure wear long ago brought a California feel to the gilded Manhattan of Carrie Bradshaw and Blair Waldorf. On a Saturday night in December, just after sunset, Megan Horton sat at the bar of Nubeluz, a 50th-floor lounge on top of New York Citys newest Ritz Carlton hotel, savoring a drink. She was in town from San Francisco, where she works for Apple in client services, and was in the mood to splurge. With the city skyline in view around her, she watched as the bartender crafted an Emerald Coin, a drink with honeydew, lemongrass, lime and celery, and served it in a coupe glass. She drank it alongside a friend and other stylish patrons and smiled as she took in the ambiance. The only difference: Her cocktail didnt have any alcohol in it. The New York attorney general, Letitia James, sued the founder of the collapsed cryptocurrency bank Celsius Network on Thursday, accusing him of a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of investors. The lawsuit stems from Celsiuss implosion this summer, when the company filed for bankruptcy and its customers lost billions of dollars in deposits. For years, the Celsius founder, Alex Mashinsky, 57, misled customers into depositing their crypto savings on the platform, promising that it was as safe as a traditional bank, the lawsuit claimed. The lawsuit seeks to bar him from conducting business in New York and force him to pay damages. When Celsius suffered losses on risky investments, Mashinsky failed to disclose these losses to investors, the lawsuit said. The collapse of Celsius left many individuals in a state of desperation and financial ruin. A Celsius spokesman said in a statement that Mr. Mashinsky was no longer involved in the companys management. Mr. Mashinsky did not respond to a request for comment. The comedy has already had a rich production history it opened at a small theater in London in 2013, toured Britain in 2014, ran in Londons West End over the Christmas seasons in 2015 and 2016, and was adapted for a BBC television special in 2016. The shows North American journey began last year with productions in Edmonton and Vancouver, Canada. It has had generally positive reviews: The Vancouver Sun declared that the play has absolutely no redeeming social value. But at its height it offers a gag about every 10 seconds, many of them hilarious. The plays creators are Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, who also wrote The Play That Goes Wrong; the three will again star in their production. Peter Pan Goes Wrong features the same slapstick sensibility as the earlier play, but has a bit more character development, and an even crazier set. The fictional theater company is taking on a much more ambitious production, with flying, crocodiles and a revolving stage, and they put on the play with the same disastrous results, Lewis said. You get more behind the scenes into whats going on with the characters, as well as all the farce and the madcap comedy. The writer-performers said they are looking forward to returning to Broadway, and are mindful that the industry is in a very different place than it was when they were first there. Before the pandemic, you could say that our work was very silly and not that important, Sayer said. Now I think this kind of work is very important theres something very profound in silliness right now, because thats something everybody needs after what weve all been through. Antigone is an anchor. I always come back to that core story dealing with fundamental human themes about right and wrong, self-belief, familial obligation. These are core human experiences. Otto Frank Inspiration: The Diary of Anne Frank Roger Guenveur Smith, creator and performer: I was invited to a theater festival in Amsterdam. I went to the Anne Frank House. I was very inspired and very moved. Im always trying to bring the past into the present moment. The idea that Otto Frank should come to know his daughter through that diary, especially having lost her the way that he lost her, must have been an extraordinarily daunting exercise. I thought that would be something worth pursuing, because of this ongoing crisis that were still engaged in. The fundamental challenge is: How does a man reverse the natural order of things and create a memorial for his daughter? To simultaneously serve the living and the dead is the great challenge for Otto Frank and for many of us, who are in the current moment, dealing with loss. Your Sexts Inspiration: The erotic letters of James Joyce, Frida Kahlo, Georgia OKeeffe, etc. Rachel Mars, creator and performer: I was on a residency. Brexit had just happened. It took the wind out of my sails creatively. Then Scott Sheppard [the writer and performer] was like, I have something to cheer you up. He read me this James Joyce 1909 letter. I was bowled over by the explicitness, the poetics, the imagery, how much it was all about butts. It was super life-affirming. I began this search for who else was writing these letters. I worked with two sexologists. It was obviously more difficult to find the women and the queer women, because history, but it was easier than I thought. Theres an illicitness to it, definitely. It does feel like opening a crack into peoples private lives. But theres this sanctity to it, a kind of respect. SAN FRANCISCO A powerful winter storm system moving across California on Thursday sent trees crashing into homes, knocked out electricity for tens of thousands of people and churned up dangerous surf along the coast as it brought more rain, wind and snow to the already saturated state. The storm, one of several that is expected to pound the West Coast this month, poured water into swollen rivers and dumped fresh snow on the Sierra Nevada. Further rounds of heavy precipitation were expected in California on Saturday, and again on Monday. This storm is hitting our entire state, said Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the California Governors Office of Emergency Services. We have the risk of rising tides on our coast, we have risks of snow and avalanche in the mountains, we have flood and debris flow risk in our rural areas, and also flood and power outage risk and falling trees and lines in our urban areas. In many places, the intense wind and rain seemed to abate by Thursday morning. But the respite would not last long, Mr. Ferguson said. We are not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination, he said. We are basically in the eye of the storm right now. New investigative details released on Thursday provide the first clear view of the apparent movements of the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in the early morning hours of Nov. 13. A newly released law enforcement affidavit and information previously released by investigators provide a timeline of what happened that night: 1:45 a.m. After spending several hours at a fraternity party, two of the victims Xana Kernodle and her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin return to the off-campus house Ms. Kernodle shared with several roommates, including the other two victims. 1:56 a.m. The other victims Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen arrive back at the house after spending time at a bar and grabbing food at a food truck. 2:47 a.m. A phone belonging to the suspect, Bryan Kohberger, stops connecting to the cellphone network in Pullman, Wash., where he lives, a short drive from the University of Idaho campus in Moscow. 2:53 a.m. Surveillance footage shows a white sedan, consistent with a white Hyundai Elantra registered to Kohberger, traveling toward the highway between Pullman and Moscow. 3:29 a.m. Surveillance video shows what police say is a white Hyundai Elantra in the Moscow neighborhood that includes the victims house, where the crime later occurred. The vehicle makes three passes by the house. 4 a.m. One of the victims, Xana Kernodle, receives a DoorDash delivery at the home, according to investigators. At about the same time, another occupant of the house is awakened by what she thinks is an upstairs roommate playing with her dog, according to her statement to the police. 4:04 a.m. Video shows the Elantra returning to the area for a fourth time, at one point doing a three-point turn in the roadway near the house. 4:12 a.m. Kernodle uses the TikTok app on her phone, her phone records suggest. The downstairs roommate is also awake: Sometime shortly after 4 a.m., she tells investigators, she hears what sounds like crying coming from Kernodles room. When she opens her door, she hears a male voice telling someone something to the effect of, Its OK, Im going to help you. 4:17 a.m. A security camera from a nearby residence picks up distorted audio of what sounds like a whimper and a loud thud. A dog can be heard barking numerous times. At some point and exactly when is unclear the roommate opens her bedroom door again, according to the account she gave investigators, and sees a man with bushy eyebrows, clad in black clothing and a mask. The man walks past her toward a sliding-glass door on the second floor. She goes back into her room and locks the door, and it is unclear what she does during the next several hours. 4:20 a.m. The white Elantra is seen leaving the neighborhood at a high rate of speed. 4:48 a.m. Kohbergers phone reconnects to cell networks south of Moscow, near Blaine, Idaho. 5:30 a.m. After traveling in the area south of Moscow, Kohbergers phone is detected back in Pullman. 9:12 a.m. Kohbergers phone returns to Moscow and connects to the cellular network near the scene of the murders. It stays there until 9:21 a.m. before returning to the area of his home in Pullman. Follow our live coverage of Bidens visit to Mexico to meet North American leaders. WASHINGTON President Biden on Thursday announced a far-reaching crackdown on people who seek refuge at the border with Mexico, dramatically expanding restrictions on asylum in the most aggressive effort of his administration to discourage migrants from crossing into the United States. In remarks at the White House that drew immediate condemnation from human rights organizations, Mr. Biden said his administration would deny people from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti the chance to apply for asylum if they cross the Mexican border without authorization between official ports of entry. He said people from those countries, who are among the many tens of thousands of migrants who try to cross the border every month, would be swiftly returned to Mexico instead. Today, my administration is taking several steps to stiffen enforcement for those who try to come without a legal right to stay, Mr. Biden said in remarks at the White House, days before a two-day summit meeting in Mexico City. The 20 hard-right Republicans who have repeatedly derailed Representative Kevin McCarthys ambitions to become speaker includes a core group of rabble rousers who disdain him and will never support him, a larger set of outspoken conservatives who are agitating for changes in how the House functions, and newly elected lawmakers who are choosing a leader for the first time. Mr. McCarthys monthslong effort to appease them capped off by a frenzied few days of humiliating defeats on the House floor this week has so far fallen flat, raising questions about his vote-counting abilities, and about whether they can ever be placated. Some have strongly suggested that they can, and the California Republican has agreed to many of their demands, including moves that would weaken the speakership considerably and make it exceedingly difficult to pass the most basic legislation, including bills needed to keep the government open and to avoid a default on the nations debt. But the group is still aligned against him, and it remained unclear whether they could be won over and what it would take. Pennsylvanias incoming Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, will nominate a Philadelphia Republican who resisted Donald J. Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results to serve as the states chief election official, Mr. Shapiro said Thursday. For Mr. Shapiro, who will be sworn into office on Jan. 17, his choice for secretary of the commonwealth represents both an olive branch to moderate Republicans and a public affirmation of belief in the states election systems. Al Schmidt, Mr. Shapiros pick for the job, is a former Philadelphia city commissioner and longtime political figure. Al Schmidt has a proven track record of defending our democracy, protecting voting rights and standing up to extremism even in the face of grave threats, Mr. Shapiro said in a statement released by his office. I know he is ready to continue the hard work of preserving and strengthening our democracy. For a decade, Mr. Schmidt, 51, held a seat on Philadelphias three-member city commission, which oversees municipal elections. He also served as executive director of the Philadelphia G.O.P. and as a senior adviser to the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. Even if Mr. McCarthy is eventually successful, Mr. Trump has, once again, struggled in his role as his partys kingmaker. His handpicked candidates failed to usher in the red wave Republicans had hoped for in the midterm elections in November. His attempt to install a new Republican leader in the Senate was crushed. His third consecutive presidential campaign, launched six weeks ago, has underwhelmed. Now, Mr. Trumps sway over many of his own loyalists in the House has fizzled in the most public of ways and on the most public of stages a reminder that the insurgency in Congress isnt so much a creature of his creation but a force that predated him and helped fuel his political rise. For over a decade, a group of House Republicans has sought to disrupt the establishment leadership. The House Freedom Caucus evolved out of the vestiges of the Tea Party, playing a key role in the ouster of John Boehner in 2015 and blocking Mr. McCarthys efforts to become the Republican leader at the time. Blocking Judges: An objection from a Republican senator from Mississippi to a Biden nominee has intensified calls to An objection from a Republican senator from Mississippi to a Biden nominee has intensified calls to strip senators of effective veto power over judicial candidates from their states. Uncomfortable Revelations: Democratic lawmakers reiterated calls to tighten ethics rules for the Supreme Court after ProPublica reported that Justice Clarence Thomas Democratic lawmakers reiterated calls to tighten ethics rules for the Supreme Court after ProPublica reported that Justice Clarence Thomas had accepted luxury gifts and travel from a major conservative donor without disclosing them. A Divisive Plan: A proposal to tighten work requirements for food stamps and other government assistance programs A proposal to tighten work requirements for food stamps and other government assistance programs has generated fissures among Republicans Staring Down a Debt Crisis: As Speaker Kevin McCarthy works to unite the fractious Republican majority and avert a catastrophic default, he As Speaker Kevin McCarthy works to unite the fractious Republican majority and avert a catastrophic default, he has little trust in the man tasked with delivering a budget framework. Today, most of the 20 Republicans who have blocked Mr. McCarthys speakership are clear Trump loyalists, including several who have already effectively endorsed his 2024 White House bid. And even among them, a small group including Mr. Perry have been involved in negotiations with Mr. McCarthys team. Its a combination of them realizing his influence is not what it was, and also his heart doesnt seem to be in it, said Peter T. King, a Republican who is a former congressman from Long Island. The South Carolina Constitution provides a right to privacy that includes the right to abortion, the states Supreme Court ruled on Thursday, saying the decision to terminate a pregnancy rests upon the utmost personal and private considerations imaginable. The decision overturns the states law banning abortions after roughly the sixth week of pregnancy. More broadly, it is a victory for abortion rights in the South, where states have severely restricted access. It is the first final ruling by a state Supreme Court on the state constitutionality of abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, which ended the right to abortion under the federal constitution that had been in force for half a century, and left the matter to the states. Abortion rights groups responded to that decision by filing suits in 19 states, seeking to establish a right to abortion under state constitutions, in many cases citing explicit provisions in those documents protecting a womans privacy and equal rights. The South Carolina case was a critical first test and success for that strategy. A top official of a private company has filed a complaint against a Kalol resident for submitting fake documents for visa to the Norwegian Embassy stating that he is employed with the company. The Norwegian Embassy forwarded the documents for employment verification to the company exposing the fraud. Kapil Bijani (49), CHRO at Hitachi Hi-rel Power Electronics, accused Nimesh Patel of misrepresenting himself as an employee of the company. As per the case details, on August 2, Bijani received a letter from the Norwegian Embassy seeking verification of Patels employment. Patel had submitted documents showing the companys appointment letter, NOC certificate, etc. Bijani said Patel never worked in his company and his signature on the appointment letter etc were forged. The documents were printed on the companys letterhead. A police complaint was filed against Patel. AM The whole thing was stupid, Ryan Patrick, the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas, said of the fence, whose construction on the edge of the river, he argued, was a violation of a treaty with Mexico. The erosion began almost immediately, Mr. Patrick said. I would not be happy if I lived in the vicinity of this thing. Despite its size, the fence is mostly invisible to the residents of the border community in Mission, Texas, where it rises at the edge of a sugar cane farm on the outskirts of town. But it is impossible to miss when looking out from Jose Alfredo Cavazoss property a short distance down the river. The reedy riverbank land has been in the Cavazos family for generations, said Mr. Cavazos, 73, who recalled working there for his grandmother on what was then a farm and described jumping into the river to cool off. Mr. Cavazos, who once ran a local grocery store, now gets around in a motorized wheelchair and his family rent plots along the water to local residents, including four members of the Border Patrol, so that they can have access to the river for fishing and boating. Mr. Cavazos was dismayed when the fence was built on his neighbors property upriver, concerned about the impact it would have on the river and the land around it. He never even bothered to come and talk to his neighbors, Mr. Cavazos said, speaking of the owner of the sugar cane farm, Lance Neuhaus. He probably knew it was going to damage his neighbors because hes not dumb. Military service members will now be eligible for 12 weeks of paid parental leave, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, announcing a change that doubles how much leave is available to parents and does away with distinctions between primary and secondary caregivers. The Defense Departments under secretary for personnel and readiness, Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr., issued a memorandum on Wednesday outlining the new parental leave policy for service members who have been on active or reserve duty for at least a year. It is important for the development of military families that members be able to care for their newborn, adopted or placed child or children, Mr. Cisneros wrote in the memorandum. Under the new policy, a parent who gives birth receives 12 weeks of leave after a period of convalescence, to be taken in the first year after the birth of the child. Parents who do not give birth are also eligible for 12 weeks of leave in the first year after their child is born. Parents who adopt a child or provide long-term foster care are also eligible for the 12 weeks of leave. Service members have the option to take the leave in up to 12 increments. NAIROBI, Kenya More than 20 people were killed and 30 others wounded when twin car bombings hit a town in central Somalia, a Somali official said Thursday, the latest attack to illustrate how an Islamist terrorist group remains deadly even as it loses territory amid a large-scale government offensive. The two explosions hit a residential area of Mahas, a town in the Hiran region, on Wednesday. Mumin Mohamed Halane, the district commissioner of Mahas, told state radio that the first bomb was detonated in front of his house, and that the second one targeted the home of a lawmaker. Many nearby homes were damaged, leaving some potential survivors trapped. Most of the dead are women and children, Mr. Halane told Radio Mogadishu. Al Shabab, an extremist group that swears allegiance to Al Qaeda, were quick to claim responsibility for the blasts, asserting that they had killed 87 people, including military officials and soldiers. No one bothered to inform the residents why the southern tip of their island home was suddenly no longer accessible. All they knew was that the place where women for generations had scoured the craggy tide pools for crabs and where farmers had long tended fields of taro and millet had suddenly been turned into a large construction site. Rumors began to fly. It was a pineapple cannery. No, it was a cannery for fish. Whatever it was, the locals decided, it would mean more jobs for the islanders. It was not until years later, in 1980, when a local pastor saw an article buried in the back of a newspaper, that the islanders found out what the site actually was: a massive nuclear waste dump. The government deceived us, the pastor, Syapen Lamoran, 76, said recently in an interview at his home in Lanyu, a lush volcanic island off Taiwans southeast coast that is the traditional home of the Tao, one of 16 officially recognized Indigenous tribes in Taiwan. They didnt care that the nuclear waste would kill us, that the Tao people would go extinct. The prolonged and bloody battle for Bakhmut has destroyed more than half of the city in eastern Ukraine, a local official said on Thursday. Pavlo Kyrylenko, the head of the Ukrainian military administration for the Donetsk region, which includes Bakhmut, said that Ukrainian troops are holding off Russian forces but that the defense of the city has come at a cost amid constant shelling. The city itself suffers from this, Mr. Kyrylenko said on Ukrainian television. It is destroyed by more than 60 percent. Two people were killed there by Russian artillery fire the previous day, he added. The claims could not be independently verified. Russia has continued to press an offensive aimed at capturing Bakhmut, after suffering a string of setbacks elsewhere in Ukraine in recent months. The city remains one of the Russian militarys main targets, Ukraines deputy minister of defense, Hanna Malyar, said on Thursday. To some American Catholics, the homilys brevity and impersonality were seen as a snub from a pope who has moved to undo many of Benedicts signature priorities. Benedict was a guiding star for conservative Catholics in the United States, who viewed him as a leading figure for a kind of doctrinal commitment and rigor they saw lacking in the church under Francis. Francis paid respects to Benedicts having lived the gospel for his entire life by repeatedly citing his predecessors words. Francis reflected the theologians core belief of putting Jesus at the center of life by meditating on how Jesus put himself in Gods hands. Above all, those close to Francis said, the homily centered on a bishop, and popes, core role as a pastor something Francis himself holds dear above the old church rituals, the so-called smells and bells, adored by traditionalists. Gods faithful people, gathered here, now accompanies and entrusts to him the life of the one who was their pastor, Francis said of Benedicts final passage. The Holy Father gave a beautiful homily reflecting on the mission of a pastor, in closest imitation of Christ said Cardinal Michael Czerny of Canada, a close adviser to Francis. He added that the pope concluded this most beautiful spiritual portrait of a devoted pastor by applying it wholeheartedly to his predecessor. France has promised to send Ukraine armored combat vehicles and President Biden said the United States is weighing supplying Bradley Fighting Vehicles, signs that Ukraines allies are expanding support for Kyivs war effort against Russia. President Emmanuel Macron pledged to provide AMX-10 RC armored vehicles in a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, the French presidency said. Mr. Macrons office did not specify how many of the vehicles would be delivered or when. The vehicles, which have a cannon like a tank but move on tires instead of tracks, are usually used for armed reconnaissance. Also on Wednesday, Mr. Biden confirmed, in response to a reporters question, that the United States was considering sending Bradley vehicles, which would broaden the array of weapons being provided to Ukraine. Last month, he agreed to supply Kyiv with the U.S.s most advanced ground-based air defense system, the Patriot. The funeral of Benedict XVI, the pope emeritus who died on Saturday at age 95, took place in St. Peters Square in Vatican City on Thursday after three days during which mourners could view his body and pay their final respects. Benedict had lived inside the Vatican, mostly hidden from the public eye, since he resigned in 2013, becoming the first pontiff to give up the role for six centuries. The eight-year papacy of Benedict, a widely respected theologian whose papal name stems from one of the patron saints of Europe, was marred by scandals that ultimately led him to step down. His funeral, the first in modern history presided over by a reigning pope, had the solemnity of the papal tradition, but lacked some prayers specific to reigning pontiffs, as well as some readings, and had a looser protocol. Only two official delegations attended, those of Italy and of Benedicts native Germany. Other heads of state and monarchs attended. Here are scenes from the funeral and from the three days during which the faithful could view his body in St. Peters. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, Turkey has positioned itself as mediator between them. Preliminary peace talks between Russia and Ukraine were held in Turkey in the early days of the war yet failed to produce any concrete results, and the two countries are no closer to holding further discussions. Mr. Erdogan has repeatedly offered to host a meeting between Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Putin, but neither side has taken him up on the offer. Still, Turkey helped negotiate a deal this summer involving Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations to allow for the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea.The grain agreement was among the topics of discussion on Thursdays call with Mr. Erdogan, according to Mr. Zelensky. He wrote on Twitter that the two also discussed security cooperation and exchanges of prisoners of war. In the phone call with Mr. Putin on Thursday, Mr. Erdogan reminded the Russian leader that some past negotiations had yielded positive results, like with the grain deal and exchanges of prisoners of war, according to the Turkish presidencys statement. According to the Kremlin, Mr. Putin told Mr. Erdogan that he is open to negotiations based on new territorial realities, a thinly veiled reference to Russias occupied Ukrainian lands. Ukraine has vowed to keep fighting until it recovers all lost territory. Turkey, a NATO member, has publicly opposed Russias invasion of Ukraine and has provided drones to the government in Kyiv. However, Turkey declined to join in on Western economic sanctions against Russia. Instead, Mr. Erdogans government has increased its foreign trade with Russia since the beginning of the war, according to official government figures. VATICAN CITY The Roman Catholic Church on Thursday laid to rest Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in front of a fog-shrouded St. Peters Basilica with an extraordinary funeral presided over by his own successor, Francis, a final peculiarity to end a strange era in the modern church in which two popes, one resigned and one in power, one conservative and one liberal, coexisted in the tiny confines of the Vatican. Benedict, faithful friend of the Bridegroom, Francis said in his homily, referring to Jesus role as husband to the church, may your joy be complete as you hear his voice, now and forever! It was Francis only explicit mention of Benedict, who died on Saturday at 95, in a homily immediately scorned as too modest by bereft supporters who said it had failed to articulate and celebrate the legacy of a pope who had become a touchstone for conservatives in the church. He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me, Harry wrote, according to the report. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dogs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out. William urged Harry to hit him back, according to the account, but he refused. William then told Harry, You dont need to tell Meg about this. Harry replied, You mean that you attacked me? I didnt attack you, Harold, William insisted. Harry wrote that his first telephone call after the altercation was to his therapist, the report added. That the sons of King Charles III call each other Willy and Harold was a delectable morsel amid the apparently lavish banquet of disclosures in the book. The Guardian said that the memoir goes into anguished detail about the rift between the brothers, which deepened after Harry and Meghan withdrew from royal duties and moved to Southern California. The publisher, Penguin Random House, has tried to keep the book under tight wraps, embargoing the contents and only shipping it to bookstores just before its scheduled release. But the Guardian said that it had obtained a copy nearly a week before the publication, effectively pre-empting a rollout that includes two television interviews with Harry next Sunday, with ITV in Britain and the CBS program 60 Minutes in the United States. The head of Russias paramilitary Wagner Group said that a first group of prisoners whom it recruited to fight in Ukraine have completed their service and been pardoned, state media reported on Thursday. Human rights groups said the move highlights the Kremlins extralegal use of prisoners to replenish its decimated military. The Russian state news agency RIA published a video showing Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, the countrys largest mercenary company, congratulating about two dozen men for completing their military contracts. In another segment of the video, Mr. Prigozhin refers to a group as convicts who had earned their freedom after military service. You have finished your contract with dignity, Mr. Prigozhin is shown telling the first group of men. To another group, he says: Dont drink too much, dont take drugs, dont rape women. We will come back to finish what we started, one of the men responds, in apparent reference to Ukraine. KHERSON, Ukraine On her eighth or ninth day in Russian detention, Olha, a 26-year-old Ukrainian, was tied to a table, naked to the waist. For 15 minutes, her interrogator leveled obscenities at her, then threw a jacket over her and let seven other men into the room. It was to frighten, she remembered. I did not know what would come next. Sitting in Olhas cramped kitchen weeks later in Kherson, in southern Ukraine, Anna Sosonska, an investigator with the prosecutor generals office, listened to her recount the ordeal an account of forced nudity that, prosecutors say, added to an accumulation of evidence that Russian forces had used sexual crimes as a weapon of war in the places they once ruled. We are finding this problem of sexual violence in every place that Russia occupied, said Ms. Sosonska, 33. Every place: Kyiv region, Chernihiv region, Kharkiv region, Donetsk region and also here in Kherson region. Breaking with longstanding practice, the State Department will use the Turkish governments preferred spelling, Turkiye, instead of Turkey, a spokesman said on Thursday. The spokesman, Ned Price, said the U.S. Board on Geographic Names had approved the new name, which the State Department will use in most formal, diplomatic, and bilateral contexts, and in public communications. Mr. Price was asked about the change at a news conference after The Associated Press reported it on Thursday. He said the decision had been made in response to a request from the Turkish Embassy, adding that other U.S. government departments and agencies had already begun using the new spelling. Turkish people have referred to their country as Turkiye (pronounced tur-KEE-yeh) since it was established in 1923 after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The Anglicized version of the countrys name has been the norm for the rest of the world for decades. Max Rose Max Rose, former Brooklyn/Staten Island Congressman, has joined The Soufan Group, global intellegence and security firm, as vice chairman. He's fresh off a 2022 defeat by Republican Nicole Maliotakis in the rematch of their 2020 election faceoff, which Rose also lost. Rose chaired the Homeland Security Subcommitee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism and the Subcommitee on Emergency Preparedness and Recovery. Prior to the House, Rose served in the infantry in Afganistan and is still a Major in the Army Reserve. Ali Soufan is a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent, who investigated international terrorism cases including the East Africa embassy bombings, the attack on the USS Cole and the 9/11 attacks. He looks forward to working with Rose to "shed light on todays most pressing challenges while protecting human rights and promoting accountability. The Soufan Group has operated in confict zones such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Syria and worked with clients in New York, DC, The Hague, Brussels, London and Singapore. A GALA Tullamore launch of a well received new book on psychology and personal development took place over the Christmas holidays. There was a large turnout in Browne's William Street on December 27 for the launch of 'Psycholopgy with a Sparke', the debut book by Tullamore native Dr Denise O'Dwyer, a well known Chartered Principal Psychologist. Now based and living in Galway, Denise is well known locally, having grown up in Tullamore. Her late father, Derry O'Dwyer was a much revered personality in Tullamore for decades. A colourful, larger than life character, he was Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Midland Health Board for years and immersed himself in the local community he was a former President of both Tullamore Rugby Club and Tullamore Lions Club, and passed away six years ago. Her mother Maureen still lives in Tullamore and is visited by Denise most weekends. Denise has built up a substantial following on her 'Psychology with a Sparkle' social media pages, which continue to expand, grow and inspire. Posting as Dr. Dee, her popular messages about living and life, are both positive and insightful. Simple prompts regarding how to cope with and progress through lifes struggles and difficulties, have been helpful to many, and her new book, Psychology with a Sparkle is a punchy progression from that. Denise describes her book as: Something that will be of value to the everyday person, who maybe has an interest in learning, personal development and occupying their personal best, but maybe doesnt wish to formally attend a Psychologist. Dr O'Dwyer thanked all who attended her Tullamore launch, announcing that 10% of book sales are going to Self Help Africa, the charity founded and ran by Clara man Ronan Scully. She outlined how much she enjoyed a travelling to Ethiopia on a trip with Self Help Africa some years ago and how she benefitted from it on different levels. She then read a section from her book. A Tullamore friend of Denise, Emer Condron congratulated her on the publication, talking about their friendship since the 1980s. She told Denise to be very proud of her achievement, noting that she started to write the book in 2018. She used her professional knowledge to write this beautiful book, she said. Ronan Scully spoke about their work in Africa and thanked Denise for donating some of the proceeds to them. He stated that the money will go to assisting starving people in east Africa. He discussed the charitable work Denise has done in Galway and also the way she has assisted people in her professional role. He wished her the best of luck with the book, hoping that she would go to Africa on another trip with them. The publication of Psychology with a Sparkle aims to inspire and assist the everyday person with everyday life, fostering hope and encouragement to break free from fears and limited belief systems, which unduly harass, slow, and halt human development. Her debut offering (published by U.S. Archway Publishing) is a contemporary summary of thoughts, reflections, scientific research and suggestions, to equip and empower people in the areas of their lives they most often find difficult or challenging. The book takes readers on a journey of professional insights, personal stories, scientific research, and tips and strategies for dealing with the seemingly fixed and immovable, to sparkling fluidity. The author explains how people can overcome maladaptive thinking and behavior patterns, silence their inner critic, improve relationships, overcome imposter syndrome, and strive toward becoming their personal best physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually and sartorially. Psychology with a Sparkle is available through local outlets; Midland Books, High Street, Tullamore and Robbins, OConnor Square, Tullamore. It is also more widely distributed through Waterstones, Dubray Books (from Jan 23) Kennys Book shop, Charlie Byrnes and online at Amazon.com and The Book Depository. A FARMER in Redwood, Lorrha, is facing into the New Year with a major financial loss after his flock of sheep were savagely attacked by dogs over the Christmas period leaving 70 dead, 20 more injured and five missing. Donal ODonoghue was met by a sight of unimaginable horror when he went to look at his flock of sheep on rented land in Ballymacegan, Lorrha on the Tuesday morning after Christmas. The viciousness of the attack unfolded with every step he took, as his sheep were left massacred all around him. An emotional Mr ODonoghue said These were killer dogs. They went for the hoggets' faces and throats and in a few instances, they ripped their stomach wide open, he said. They didnt pull clumps of wool out of the sheep, they attacked savagely with the sole purpose to kill. It was like something out of a horror film, he said. The Redwood farmer who has always rented land in the area and outside of the parish, said that as a sheep farmer all my life I have never witnessed such carnage, nor have any of my neighbours. The scene was horrific and distressing not just for Donal himself, but, also for his family as sheep were dead all over the fields and in the adjoining forest. 45 were killed outright an emotional Donal continued. Another 20 had to be put down because most had their eyes and faces ripped away and another five are missing, he said. Four more died on Sunday January 1st and there are 16 more that have less severe injuries and have been injected by the vet to protect against infection. They are traumatised, but we have to try and keep them alive if possible. He added that even if they do live, they wont thrive (as evidenced by the four that died on Sunday as they had been treated). Further commenting on the scene, Donal said All of the sheep were singled out bar five, and were brutally killed in a horrific attack because when sheep are attacked by dogs, they race together into a corner so tightly that they often smother each other, but that didnt happen in this instance. It is obvious that there was more than one dog. One or two held the sheep in place while a third and possibly a fourth dog did the killing I imagine. The financial burden is estimated to cost at least 12,000 and possibly wont stop there, between the income lost on the sheep, vet bills and carcass removable. The financial loss will be hard to take given the circumstances of the kill, and unlike cattle cover, sheep killed in this manner are not covered under his insurance policy. The remaining 43 hoggets that escaped the attack are terrified and probably wont thrive either. I dont know how they are going to turn out, explained the sheep farmer, so the full loss of this terrible incident is still unknown. Mr ODonoghue is urging dog owners of these vicious and dangerous breeds to take responsibility for their dogs and keep them away from livestock at all times. Those dogs that attacked my sheep are killer dogs. Id advise the owners to have them put down immediately because dogs like that are vicious and dangerous. The way they killed my sheep with pure savagery, tearing off their faces for sport, they could attack a human or a child and do the same to them, he said. They will most certainly kill sheep again now that they have tasted blood and executed such a rampage. It is simply not good enough and I dont want to see another sheep farmer suffering like we are, its unimaginable and something that I will never get over he stated. Mr ODonoghue had great praise for his neighbours who have come to his assistance and helped him to clean up the corpses and gather up the sheep that survived. I couldnt cope, I just hadnt the strength to cope with the sheer savagery the day I found them. It was so horrific for all of us, myself, my wife and my children, he said. Thanking his neighbours, Liam King, Michael Rushe (the landowner), Martin Young, Daniel Bugler, Darragh Guinan and Barry Moran, who along with his own children and wife Nuala, he said they helped him over the shock and despair of what he came across on the morning of December 27th. Some of my neighbours spent two days and even a third day combing fields, drains, ditches and the nearby plantation searching for the sheep that had scattered in all directions. Their support and kindness will never be forgotten. Mr ODonoghue then revealed the The Gardai in Nenagh are investigating the incident. However, the family are calling on politicians to change the law to enable the Gardai and Dog Wardens have more power to act in such cases. The Gardai and Dog Wardens are out there trying to do their best, but their hands are so tied in how far they can go to investigate, and this compounded the distress said Nuala ODonoghue, Donals wife. IFA sheep chairman Kevin Comiskey said stronger regulation was needed. Its simply not good enough for dogs to be allowed to roam free and cause this level of damage. We need stronger regulation around dog ownership, he said. Mr Comiskey led a delegation to meet Ministers Heather Humphreys and Charlie McConalogue in early 2022 and they put forward strong measures that are needed to curb dog attacks. Unfortunately, we havent seen progress on any of these proposals in the past number of months and the attacks have continued. The persistent failure of the authorities has frustrated farmers who have suffered significant losses as a result of dog attacks, and those attacks continue to take place across the country, he said Local Cllr Michael OMeara said that when he visited the farm and witnessed the scene his initial reaction was that this carnage must stop. The farmer and his neighbours are completely distraught at what these dogs have done. Some of the sheep had no ears or faces and had to be humanely put down such was the severity of the attack. It is not alone the financial hit but the emotional and phychological effects something like this has on the farmer and his family said the Cllr. I believe that the powers to control dogs, especially ones on the dangerous dogs list, must be strengthened and this must be done through the Dail. I will be speaking to Oireachtas members in the coming days and farming bodies and I also intend to raise this at Tipperary County Council level and request support from other local authorities, said Cllr O Meara. THE contract for the supply of wind turbines for the Bord na Mona, Derrinlough, Wind Farm, has been awarded to Danish company Vestas. The order includes a total of 21 V150-6.0 MW EnVentus wind turbines with a site-specific hub height of 110m. Once installed it will be the largest single wind farm installation in Ireland. The development of Derrinlough represents an investment by Bord na Mona of 150m in low carbon electricity generation infrastructure in Offaly. John Reilly head of Bord na Mona Renewable Energy said: ''Following a very competitive international tender process we are pleased to award the 21 turbine contract for Derrinlough Wind Farm to Vestas. We very much look forward to working with Vestas once again over the coming months to deliver affordable green energy that enhances Ireland's energy security. Bord na Mona is committed to green energy for the people of Ireland which is evident by the investment of over 150m by the company in the development of this project. We're proud to help power a sustainable energy future for Irish Communities through our renewable energy assets such as wind.'' The delivery and installation of the wind turbines is forecast to occur in the first quarter of 2024 with the commissioning scheduled for the third quarter of 2024. The project is expected to deliver 120 jobs at peak construction. In addition a Community Benefit Fund including a Near Neighbour Scheme is included in the development. A number of long term high quality technical jobs in operations and maintenance will also be created. There will also be additional employment during the construction phase involving the supply of services and materials to the wind farm. An additional 10km of local amenity links will be provided. These will include three access points from the adjacent road network, connectivity to Lough Boora Discovery Park and potential future connectivity to the proposed Whigsborough Amenity Walk. The order includes supply, installation, and commissioning of the turbines, as well as a 20-year Active Output Management 5000 service agreement, designed to ensure optimised performance of the assets. Juan Furones, Vice President Sales for Northern and Central Europe at Vestas said: ''Vestas are delighted to once again partner with Bord na Mona in Ireland. Derrinlough marks the continued relationship between Bord na Mona and Vestas following the successful delivery of the Cloncreen project.'' When it comes to quality and value for money, wine lovers have never had it so good. With modern viticulture and winemakers extracting the very best from grapes, along with improved standards in wineries, wine tourism and sustainability, the desire to create great wines means you can drink cheaper ones with confidence. Heres what to snap up now and be impressed by the price. 1. Finca Las Moras Pinot Grigio 2022, Argentina, 5.50 (reduced from 6.50) now until February 1, Co-op (in-store) A pukka pinot with juicy acidity enhancing ripe citrusy fruits, peaches and green apple flavours, ending with a crisp, zesty finish. With the sensation of freshness and easy drinking appeal weve come to expect from high altitude South American wines, it certainly delivers for the price. 2. Yalumba Y Series Viognier 2021, Australia, 8, Tesco Yalumbas brilliant Y Series is a benchmark for the quality and value Australias oldest family-owned winery packs into its entry-level collection of hero styles particularly the viognier grape. Full and rounded, freshness balances creamy apricot, peach and pear fruit, with classic spicy, blossomy notes lingering on the finish. 3. TTD Chardonnay Trentino 2021, Italy, 8.50, Sainsburys Very attractive, deliciously fresh, fruity, citrus-led chardonnay with fine yellow apple and ripe pear notes, and the tiniest touch of vanilla backed by fresh acidity. Even if youre one of the ABC (anything but chardonnay) crowd, youll love this wine. 4. Cabriz Dao Rose 2021, Portugal, 8.49, Lidl, in-store With an impressive 91 points (outstanding) from Lidls Master of Wine, this Portuguese sounds a real peach. Think classic aromas of delicately scented peach and red berries, silky strawberry and cherry fruit ending with a medium dry finish. 5. Asda Extra Special Pinot Noir 2021, Leyda Valley, Chile, 7, Asda This inviting red was a Decanter World Wine Awards Silver Winner 2022, along with a bronze from the International Wine Challenge what you might call a huge success for a wine costing 7. A soft, silky-smooth pinot with bright raspberry and cherry flavours, lovely floral intensity on the nose, its budding with charm. 6. LArene des Anges Costieres de Nimes 2021, Rhone, France, 8.49, Waitrose When you want to drink in the joys of a Chateauneuf-du-Pape but cant afford the lofty price tag, look to the grenache-based blends of the lesser-known appellation, Costieres de Nimes. Expressive with delicious depth, ripeness, black fruits, cassis, spices and Provencal herbs galore, this one is a win-win. 7. Rosso Piceno, Tenute Pieralisi 2019, Central Italy, 8.95, The Wine Society With The Wine Society recognising good value for money in the latest edition of its 1874 magazine, theyve selected 18 wines which reflect the go-to regions and styles for uncovering the best value at under 11. A blend of montepulciano and sangiovese, this one made the cut and you can look forward to a wine which overdelivers with plump, juicy flavours topped with touch of spice and notes of leather. 8. Graffigna Reserve Malbec 2020, Uco Valley, Argentina, 7.50 (reduced form 9), Sainsburys Rich, polished and inviting, vivid bursts of peppered blueberry notes show energy, while violet accents carry through a forest floor of warm plum and blackberry fruit, staying well-structured through the finish. A showstopper for the price that recently received 92 points (highly recommended) from Decanter. FilmOffaly has announced its Short Film Award 2023. The award of 10,000 is a funding initiative that aims to foster creative and resourceful filmmaking in the county. Up and running since 2008, FilmOffaly is looking for unique, original stories by talented new filmmakers and film professionals. The only stipulation is that the filming must take place in Offaly! The FilmOffaly Short Film Award has enabled the production of an array of wide-ranging, diverse and stimulating films since 2008. Recent winners include FilmOffaly award 2021 Personal Space. Garrett Daly of Mixed Bag Media, winners of the award said, ''The award is a vital support mechanism to assist filmmakers. Offaly has so much to offer in terms of locations and potential for all types of productions. Theres also a great willingness to assist storytellers. Our team were encouraged and welcomed as we filmed throughout the county and had a very positive experience making our short documentary.'' Personal Space premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh in July 2022 and had its first Offaly festival screening at the OFFline Film Festival. It also won Best Short Documentary at the Richard Harris International Film Festival 2022. FilmOffaly Award for 2022 went to the script Missing written by Maura Foley. Missing will be produced by Escape Pod Media Ltd. Maggie Ryan, producer said We are delighted to bring Maura Foley's "Missing" to the screen, with the support and backing of Film Offaly. As an Offaly native Maura is honoured to receive the award and we look forward to going into production in early 2023. Offaly County Councils Arts Officer Sally OLeary said, The FilmOffaly Award has had a huge impact on the development of film and the level of film activity taking place in Offaly since the awards inception. County Offaly has much to offer film makers with a unique and diverse landscape, a network of resources and importantly an enthusiasm for welcoming filmmakers to discover all the county has to offer. FilmOffaly is Offaly County Councils Film Commission, for further information and application forms please see www.filmoffaly.ie or contact (057) 93 57400 or email filmoffaly@offalycoco.ie. The Arts Office welcomes queries and reminds potential applicants to read the guidelines carefully before applying. All entries must be received by 12 noon on the 13th March 2022 for further details on how to apply visit www.filmoffaly.ie Late last month, a phone conversation between the top diplomats of China and the US was held about the situation in Taiwan. Details have emerged about a phone conversation between the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, and the US Foreign Secretary, Anthony Blinken, about Taiwan. Stabs in the back According to a report by Fox News, the Chinese official warned his US counterpart against engaging in 'salami tactics' to challenge Chinas red line on Taiwan. Salami tactics or slicing refers to a practice of using many small actions to produce a much larger result that would be not lawful if performed at once. During the meeting of heads of state in November, Xi Jinping of China had told US President Joe Biden that the Taiwan question was the very core of Chinas core interests and represents the first red line in bilateral ties that must not be crossed. According to Yi, the US must stop dialogue and cooperation when it is stabbing China in the back: The U.S. must take seriously Chinas legitimate concerns, stop containing and suppressing Chinas development, and particularly stop using salami tactics to constantly challenge Chinas red line. China warns US not to cross 'red line' on Taiwan, use 'salami tactics' https://t.co/OByJN3CDBR Fox News (@FoxNews) January 5, 2023 Show of force The phone conversation between the top diplomats came reportedly before China expressed anger at the US for including Taiwan in its annual defence spending budget. As a result, China launched a 24 hour show of force close to Taiwan by sending 71 planes and seven ships towards the self-ruled island. According to a statement by Chinas Foreign Ministry, Blinken said the US would continue to follow the one-China policy and does not support Taiwans Independence, Fox News reports. Despite the Chinese warnings, the US is not ceasing its support of Taiwan. Bloomberg reports that next week a US delegation will fly over to Taipei to hold trade talks. Sources used: -FoxNews: China warns US not to cross 'red line' on Taiwan, use 'salami tactics' -Bloomberg: US, Taiwan to Hold Trade Talks in Taipei in Defiance of China The General Motors Company (GM) is an American multinational automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and was the largest in the world for 77 years before losing the top spot to Toyota in 2008. Upworthy 17 Jan 2023 Spare, Prince Harrys controversial memoir in which he lays bare intimate details about his life and his family, has sold more.. SeattlePI.com 19 Jan 2023 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder goes on trial next week in the highest-profile reckoning yet to.. Meta was hit with nearly $414 million in fines by Ireland's Data Protection Commission over breaches in relation to the company's Facebook and Instagram services. Germany's RWE and Norway's Equinor have agreed to supply Germany with low-emissions hydrogen fuel. The long-term plan is to provide 100% cleanly sourced green hydrogen. Eurasia Review 18 Jan 2023 By Henry RidgwellUkraine says the West must speed up the delivery of weapons as its troops come under increasing pressure from.. In his book Spare, the Duke of Sussex claims his brother pushed him to the floor, the Guardian says. Israel's government has made efforts in recent years to expand diplomatic ties with its neighbors. But an Israeli minister's controversial visit to a sacred compound in Jerusalem has some worried about further conflict. France's recently announced plan to send light tanks to Ukraine has ramped up the pressure on Germany. Meanwhile Turkey has called on Moscow to declare a unilateral cease-fire. DW has the latest. Israel's government has made efforts in recent years to expand diplomatic ties with its neighbors. But an Israeli minister's.. Deutsche Welle 05 Jan 2023 Hundreds of thousands of Cubans desperate to leave the island's flailing economy and reunite with family in the U.S. but unable to get visas in their own country have been forced to fly to Central America and make tortuous journeys north, or navigate the Florida Straits in rickety vessels. A woman who lived in the same house where four University of Idaho students were murdered says she saw a masked man in black clothing walking towards her, according to an investigator. Kyiv will receive a significant upgrade in firepower from Germany and the United States. Meanwhile, Russian Putin ordered a unilateral ceasefire for Orthodox Christmas. DW has the latest. PIX 11 05 Jan 2023 BOISE, Idaho (AP) The DNA of the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students was found on a knife sheath recovered.. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered his armed forces to observe a unilateral 36-hour ceasefire in Ukraine this weekend for the Orthodox Christmas holiday, but a Ukrainian official expressed skepticism. New Jersey Republican Rep.-elect Jeff Van Drew told Fox News Digital that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is 'happy as hell' with the GOP's speakership election chaos. Republican military veterans who were elected to the House of Representatives urges their colleagues to support Rep.-elect Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. When Democrat Katie Hobbs is sworn Thursday as Arizona governor, her term may be one that sets a record for vetoes as the legislature has an ideologue Republican majority with a narrow majority. Rep.-elect Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is considering giving more power to House Freedom Caucus members in an efforts to sway more voters toward electing him as the Speaker of the House. 2008-2023 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. PARIS (AP) The French Defense Ministry said Thursday it will soon hold talks with its Ukrainian counterpart to arrange for the delivery of armored combat vehicles in what France's presidency says will be the first time this type of Western-made wheeled tank destroyer will be given to the Ukrainian military. Discussions will include the delivery timetable and the training of Ukrainian soldiers on the equipment, the ministry said. Designated as light tanks in French, the AMX-10 RC carries a 105-milimeter cannon and two machine guns. It's primarily designed for reconnaissance missions and has enough armor to protect against light infantry weapons, according to the French defense ministry. They have wheels rather than tracks, allowing it to be more mobile than heavy tanks. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to Twitter to thank France the weapons and for "intensifying work with partners in the same direction. Ukraine has for months sought to be supplied with heavier tanks, including the U.S. Abrams and the German Leopard 2 tanks. The Czech Republic and Poland have provided Soviet-era T-72 tanks to Ukrainian forces. France's decision was announced after an hour-long call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Zelenskyy Wednesday afternoon. The Elysee declined to provide details about the agreement. The AMX-10 RC has been in service with the French military since 1981 and has undergone recent upgrades. France's defense ministry said the combat vehicle is now being gradually replaced by the new equivalent named Jaguar. The decision is another in France's military support to Ukraine, following the French defense minister's visit to Kyiv last week. Paris has supplied Ukraine with a substantial chunk of its arsenal of Caesar cannons, as well as... The murder of a British tourist in Jamaica was a "contract killing" by "unknown assailants", police in the country have claimed. Sky News 05 Jan 2023 Police believe they have recovered the weapon used to murder Natalie McNally in her Lurgan home, a senior detective has said. Here's the latest for Thursday January 5th: Congress goes into third day with no house speaker; 8 found dead in Utah home; Major storm threatens California; Funeral of Pope Benedict XVI. The United Arab Emirates is calling for a UN Security Council meeting. A far-right Israeli minister visited the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, a move criticized by Arab states that have ties with Israel. Israels indicted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus efforts to court the countrys most extreme political parties to protect himself and others from criminal prosecution may be the best thing to happen to the long-dormant peace process in years. The target of a long-delayed corruption case resulting from a 2016... Britain's defense ministry said Wednesday that a Ukrainian attack on a military barracks in a Russia-controlled city in eastern Ukraine may have been exacerbated by Russia storing ammunition close to where Russian troops were staying. "Given the extent of the damage, there is a realistic possibility that ammunition was being... The accuracy of this commentarys title is borne out by statements made and actions taken by the Ukrainians themselves. In 2020 millions of people around the world protested against racism in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd. Ukrainians made it clear that they were not to be included amongst that mass of humanity... In the Russian of Vladimir Putin, the present and the future are discussed almost exclusively in terms of the past even by those who oppose the current Kremlin leader. Sometimes this leads to a dead end, but sometimes the past can offer extremely valuable lessons for Russians. An example of this is provided by Abbas... Logan Paul has fired back at Coffeezilla, after the investigative YouTuber published a series of videos claiming that Paul had scammed investors out of millions of dollars with his NFT game CryptoZoo. If Vladimir Putin is still at the helm, Russia is unlikely to withdraw from Ukraine. But Ukraine is putting up a bigger fight than anyone expected. Xinhua News Agency: Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. just wrapped up his state visit to China. Over the past couple of days, this visit has captured much attention from media in both China and the Philippines and the region and beyond. How do you comment on this visit? Mao Ning: The media attention shows the great importance people attach to China-Philippines relations. This is the first visit to China of President Marcos Jr. as the Philippine President and his first official visit to a country outside ASEAN. Also, President Marcos Jr. is the first foreign leader China hosts in 2023. This speaks volumes about the high importance both sides attach to this visit. Yesterday, President Xi Jinping held talks with President Marcos Jr. and had long and in-depth exchanges with him. They reached new common understandings on and made strategic guidance for the growth of China-Philippines relations in the future. Premier Li Keqiang and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress Li Zhanshu met with President Marcos Jr. respectively. Both sides issued a joint statement that is rich in content. Both sides agreed to carry on their traditional friendship. The two heads of state spoke highly of the history of friendly exchanges between China and the Philippines, especially the inspiring story of the Chinese leaders of the older generation working together with the father of President Marcos Jr. for the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the Philippines. President Marcos Jr. said that his family has a profound friendship with China and underscored his privilege of being part of history in the establishment of the diplomatic ties between the two countries, and noted the important responsibilities that he is taking on to carry forward the longstanding friendship between the two countries. He said that China is the strongest partner of the Philippines, and nothing can hold back the continuation and development of the Philippines-China friendship. Both sides agreed to enhance friendly relations. The two heads of state agreed to jointly open a new chapter in our relationship of comprehensive strategic cooperation and affirmed that the two countries will stay good neighbors helping each other, good relatives sharing affinity, and good partners pursuing win-win cooperation, and shift the trajectory of bilateral relations to a higher gear and to a new height. It is fair to say that this visit is another milestone in the friendly relations between the two countries and has set the direction and laid the foundation for the development of bilateral relations in the future. Both sides agreed to expand practical cooperation. In particular, the two countries need to form greater synergy between Chinas Belt and Road Initiative and the Philippines Build Better More program, and strengthen cooperation in the four priority areas of agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and people-to-people exchanges to boost each others modernization drive and bring more benefits to our two peoples. The two sides signed an updated Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative and signed more than ten cooperation documents on agriculture, infrastructure, e-commerce, financing, customs and tourism. The two sides agreed to deepen strategic mutual trust. The two Presidents reiterated readiness to continue to properly handle maritime issues through friendly consultation and announced the resumption of negotiations on joint oil and gas exploration. A communication mechanism on maritime issues was established between the two foreign ministries. The two sides also held strategic communication on major international and regional issues and agreed to focus on cooperation and development, jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, uphold true multilateralism and defend developing countries shared interests. President Marcoss visit marks a good start in China-Philippines relations in 2023. It will give a strong boost to the growth of bilateral ties in the new era. China stands ready to work together with the Philippines to deliver on the common understandings between our Presidents, carry forward our two countries millennium-old friendship, expand mutually-beneficial cooperation, deepen strategic mutual trust and work for solid and sustained progress in bilateral relations to underpin our respective national development and contribute to regional peace and stability. Fuji TV: A question on COVID-19. The WHO said that China should provide more detailed and accurate data. What is your comment? Mao Ning: Since COVID began, China has shared information and data with the international community in an open and transparent manner. We shared the genome sequence of the virus at the earliest opportunity, making important contribution to the vaccine and drug research and development in countries around the world. China has carried out close cooperation with the WHO over the years. We have kept channels open for close communication at three levels with WHOs headquarters, Western Pacific Regional Office and Representative Office in China. Preliminary figures show that since COVID was first reported, the two sides have had over 60 technical exchanges on COVID containment, treatment, vaccine research and development and origins-tracing. After recently refining its COVID response measures, China has held several technical meetings with the WHO. I would like to briefly go over these meetings: On December 9, 2022, Chinas National Health Commission (NHC) held a special meeting with the WHO Representative Office in China, during which the NHC informed the WHO of the containment and treatment of COVID in China. On December 30, 2022, China and the WHO held another technical meeting on COVID-19. The two sides exchanged views on the current COVID situation, clinical care, vaccination and other technical issues. Chinese experts shared in detail the background and basis for the policy refinement and provided a comprehensive update on the current situation in China. On January 3, 2023, China, at the invitation of the WHO, sent experts from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to a meeting of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution, where we provided a comprehensive update on the recent developments and COVID variants in China. On January 5, 2023, the WHO will hold a briefing with member states. China has asked relevant experts to attend the meeting where they will further inform the WHO of epidemic containment in China in detail and respond to technical issues that are of concern to other parties. Besides all these, recently Chinas relevant departments have shared the genome data of the virus from COVID cases in China via the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID). The WHO has noted on many occasions that the technical meetings between China and the WHO have gone smoothly and produced positive results. The information and data that China shared helped scientists from all countries to learn about the evolution of the virus in China and strengthened the global science communitys confidence in Chinas COVID response. Facts have proven that China has always maintained close communication with the WHO and shared information and data on the epidemic in a timely, open and transparent manner in accordance with law. At the moment, Chinas COVID situation is under control. As China adjusts its COVID response policy, we will continue to carry out activities including technical exchanges with the WHO. It is hoped that the WHO Secretariat will take a science-based, objective and just position and play a positive role in addressing the pandemic globally. AFP: I have a related question. The US leader said yesterday that hes worried about how China is handling the COVID outbreak. Do you have any response to these remarks? Mao Ning: Since COVID began, China has shared relevant information and data with the international community, including the US, in an open, transparent and responsible manner. I have gone over in detail how relevant authorities of China shared data with the WHO. According to a WHO release on January 4, the genome data of the virus provided by Chinas National Health Commission shows that the predominant variants in China share the genomes from travelers from China submitted by other countries, and no new variant or mutation of known significance was noted. The COVID situation in China is under control. China will continue to closely monitor possible mutations of the virus, release relevant information in a timely manner, and work with the international community to tackle the COVID challenge. We also call on all parties to take science-based and proportionate response measures not targeting any specific country, avoid remarks and actions that politicize the epidemic, jointly safeguard normal people-to-people exchange and work together for an early victory over the pandemic. Kyodo News: It is reported that Japan will impose new COVID measures targeting travelers from China from January 8. Travelers from China to Japan need to present a negative nucleic acid test taken within 72 hours prior to departure and take a nucleic acid test upon arrival. The EU also calls on its member states to take the same measures. What is Chinas comment? Mao Ning: We noted the reports. China always believes that for all countries, COVID response measures need to be fact-based, science-based and proportionate. They should not be used for political manipulation, there should not be discriminatory measures, and measures should not affect normal travel and people-to-people exchange and cooperation. We also remind our fellow citizens who are planning to travel abroad to check their health conditions and the entry requirements of their destinations in advance to avoid disruption to their itinerary. NHK: WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that given the lack of information from China, restrictions that some countries introduced in response to Chinas COVID situation are understandable. Whats your comment? Mao Ning: Let me stress again that Chinas COVID situation is under control. For all countries, COVID response measures need to be science-based and proportionate. They should not be used for political manipulation, there should not be discriminatory measures against China, and measures should not affect normal travel and people-to-people exchange and cooperation. Bloomberg: You say that China has been open with the WHO and the rest of the world in providing data and yet the WHO still says China hasnt provided complete data. So how do you respond to this? Mao Ning: I just shared with you some details of the communication and exchange between the Chinese side and the WHO. We will keep up such exchange. On technical issues related to the sharing of data, I will refer you to competent Chinese authorities. AFP: The WHOs emergency director Mike Ryan also said yesterday that he believes that Chinas definition of COVID death is too narrow. Do you have any response to this? Mao Ning: I have noted the recent response by Chinese public health experts to this question. You can ask the competent Chinese authorities for further information. The EU has "strongly encouraged" member states to impose pre-departure COVID testing on passengers from China in a move which will likely anger Beijing. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine, including with more weapons, in a speech to the Annual Conference of the Norwegian Confederation of Enterprises in Oslo on Thursday (5 January 2023). Weapons are in fact the way to peace, said Stoltenberg, adding: there... Rumble 16 Jan 2023 More classified documents have been discovered at the Biden Residence, this time in side the home. It's okay though, Joe.. Top Finland Officials Move to Conclude the Jurisdictions Veikkaus Monopoly Published January 5, 2023 by Lee R The time for Finland to end its monopoly appears firmly at hand. A top Finland official has announced that the jurisdiction is entering formal consideration to end the Veikkaus gambling monopoly. Leading Figure Finlands Minister of European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tvtti Tuppurainen announced to MTV Uutiset her hopes that the investigation would be launched as soon as possible in 2023. Support Minister Tuppurainen further confirmed the joint involvement of the government and the opposition parties in exploring the possibility of ending the monopoly: As the minister of ownership, I myself hastened to make a report on a possible transition to a multi-licence system. Consensus Tuppurainen further called the agreement of the opposition only a good thing. Timing Tuppurainen prefers to launch this initiative ahead of Finlands general election on 2 April 2023 in order to establish a license system framework before any shifts in government: There are parliamentary elections next spring, and it would be ideal that by the time of the government negotiations, we would have enough information to be able to make policies in the government negotiations. Benefits of Ending Monopoly The goal of establishing a framework in that time frame is to get all gambling providers on the same page. This would provide a safer environment for Finnish players. At this juncture, the many non-Veikkaus operators facing Finland players offer no player protection, while Veikkaus itself maintains strict limits for deposits that significantly limit revenue and volumes. Ending the Grey Zone Tuppurainen called the licensing system a grey zone that leaves the taxmans handtwisted, which means that the profits from gambling also go past Finland to foreign countries. Broken System In other words, the current monopoly system in Finland is proving costly to both players as unsafe and to the government which is unable to harness the majority of proceeds as taxes. Veikkaus Current Position At this point, government-owned Veikkaus holds exclusive licensing rights to gambling products, including lottery and slot games. Veikkaus History Veikkaus was founded in 2017 as the integration of the three previous monopoly operators Fintoto, Finlands Slot Machine Association (RAY); and lottery Veikkaus into one state-controlled enterprise. Adapting the System National Coalition Party MP Sari Multala clarified that the new framework could maintain Veikkaus monopoly on the online lottery and land-based casino gaming while acknowledging the current system as insufficient to achieve the goals we need for online play. Outlook Jurisdictional monopolies are never popular, but in Finlands case, it appears an inclusive licensing framework is a win-win with practical benefits such as bringing more revenues to the government and making far more sites safer for Finnish players. Director of Content and Operations Spencer McKee is OutThere Colorado's Director of Content and Operations. In his spare time, Spencer loves to hike, rock climb, and trail run. He's on a mission to summit all 58 of Colorado's fourteeners and has already climbed more than half. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. DPD Switzerland has installed particulate matter sensors on its fleet of vehicles to measure air quality in four Swiss cities. ') } // --> ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> Sensors have been installed on around 100 vehicles to send information about particulate matter pollution in Zurich, Basel, Geneva and Bern in real time. The data is being made available to the public. ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> According to DPD, the concentration of coarser dust particles (PM10) in most Swiss cities has fallen to such an extent in recent years that the thresholds are rarely exceeded, however, the occurrence of smaller dust particles (PM2.5) remains significant, especially in winter. In December 2022, the concentration of PM2.5 in Swiss cities, as measured by DPD Switzerland, was virtually always far beyond the maximum daily limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). In some places, such as Geneva city center, the sensors recorded values that are considered hazardous to health by the WHO. DPD Switzerland has launched the Breathe project to provide more detailed information about the distribution of particulate matter in cities. As part of the project, vehicle-mounted lasers continuously measure the level of fine PM2.5 particles. The data obtained using the vehicles will complement the stationary monitoring stations. Breathe is part of DPDgroups European-wide sustainability scheme. Air quality is already being monitored in Paris, Lisbon, London and Hamburg, and has already led to changes in traffic rules. For example, Lisbon has created a new low emission zone on the basis of the detailed measurement data. Dr Michael Schlunegger, managing director, Lunge Zurich, said, Although air quality in Switzerland has improved continuously over the last decades, fine particles and especially PM2.5 remain a problem in terms of [their]potential to endanger the public. The better our data situation is, the better we can define clear measures. Lunge Zurich therefore welcomes the initiative of DPD. Marc Frank, director of strategy and innovation at DPD Switzerland, said, Breathe is a tremendously important project to DPD Switzerland. On the one hand, it ties in with our vision of green parcel deliveries we are aiming for zero-emission deliveries in six cities in Switzerland by 2025. On the other, it is an innovation in the field of air quality measurement, which used to measure selected points at fixed locations. We can now use our vehicles to measure the air quality across large areas. Ville Heimgartner, senior innovation project and sustainability manager at DPD Switzerland, added, Breathe aims to detect local particulate matter hot spots in cities and make them visible to everyone. The new data provides an accurate insight into the air quality in four major Swiss cities and can lay the groundwork for improving the air quality. The lasers mounted on DPD vehicles take constant measurements of the concentration of particulate matter in the air. Every 12 seconds, the average value is sent to a server over a GSM connection. Using GPS data, every measurement is assigned coordinates and used to visualize the air quality on a high-resolution map. Even the finest PM2.5 particles are measured accurately by the sensitive sensors. These can penetrate deeper into the respiratory system, remain there for longer and cause more lasting damage to the lungs than PM10 particles. The sensors travel 2,000,000km per month, take 5,000,000 measurements per month and cover 150km2 of urban area. Photo: (Photo : Getty Images/RODGER BOSCH) An expert shared that a new COVID variant could be expected this year after a surge of U.S. cases was observed. Professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London, Tim Spector, highlighted an Omicron variant after a scientist saw cases in the U.S. double in a week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data Friday stating that more than 40 percent of COVID cases in the U.S. right now are caused by the XBB.1.5 variant, while in the northeast - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, there is already 75.3 percent of confirmed cases that were reported to be XBB.1.5. There is also 72.2 percent of cases in New York and New Jersey during the last week of the year. Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, described XBB as the "worst variant" the world is facing currently, Fox News reported. New COVID variant - XBB.1.5 XBB.1.5 is said to be the mutated version of Omicron XBB, which was first detected in August of last year in India. According to the World Health Organization, it has emerged and is now present in at least 70 countries, which caused the surge of infection in some parts of Asia like India and Singapore last October. Studies showed that the strain is capable of evading antibodies even from previous COVID infections or vaccinations. U.S. scientist Eric Topol said they had not seen any other variant with this rapid growth since the original Omicron appeared a year ago, concluding that XBB.1.5 is now "out-competing" all other variants. Prof. Spector, the founder of the COVID Zoe app, took to Twitter and responded to what Topol stated. He described the new variant as the next variant "to watch out for in 2023." John Moore, professor of microbiology and immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College, pointed out that just like the previous two winters, large spikes in infections were seen at their peak in mid-January. He expects it to be the same this year. However, he is relieved to announce that there is a lack of a significant increase in death rates. Read Also: Parents on High Alert For Another COVID Outbreak as New Version of Omicron Gains Traction in the U.S. Wake-up call A virologist at Warwick University, Professor Lawrence Young, emphasized that the new strain is a "wake-up call" and could worsen the NHS crisis. "This is a wake-up call - a sharp reminder that we can't be complacent about COVID. The threat of XBB.1.5 and other COVID variants further exacerbating the current NHS crisis stresses the need for us to remain vigilant," Young stressed, as quoted by Sky News. Dr. Meera Chand, director of clinical and emerging infection at The U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA), also stated how vaccination remains the world's best defense against COVID-19 waves. Thus, she encouraged people to get all the doses as soon as they become eligible. Related Article: Everything Parents Need to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines for Kids Under 5 Photo: (Photo : Pexel/George Jr Kamau) Many soon-to-be mommies are asking why they experience the pregnancy nose and why does it happen? The hashtag "pregnancy nose" is going viral because of a new TikTok trend. Women are sharing their before and after pregnancy photos of their faces, and the public has observed that most of them had larger or wider noses during pregnancy. Does pregnancy cause the nose to grow? For some women, the answer is a big yes, no pun intended. "The underlying reason is because of the hormones that are increased in pregnancy, and those hormones cause dilation in vessels, which can result in more blood flow going to certain areas - and that's because we need it for the uterus. It's not necessarily selective. So, some areas of our body that have mucous membranes do experience increased flow and your nose is one of them," explained Dr. Christine Greves, an OB-GYN in Orlando, Florida. Harmless and temporary While most women do not like how they look with their pregnancy nose appearing plumper and of a different shape, the doctor says that it is "harmless," and the changes are "temporary." What a relief, right? Dr. Greves said that mothers must wait six weeks after giving birth, and their noses will return to normal. Thus, she encourages mothers to extend grace to themselves, Today reported. However, it can come with other symptoms, with hyperemia of the nasal mucosa membranes and sinuses being the most common. This is caused by blood vessel dilation, which is related to hormonal changes during pregnancy. Dr. Eran Bornstein, the vice chair of OB-GYN at Lenox Hill Hospital, also stated that it might cause swelling, nosebleeds, congestion, and significant discomfort in some cases. Read Also: How Pregnancy Changes Your Skin and When to See a Doctor Other physical changes during pregnancy Aside from the pregnancy nose, pregnant women will also notice physical changes like swelling in their legs. Another would be the linea alba, the white line that runs down the middle of the abdomen, becoming darker, named the linea nigra. Women's pigmentation also changes, an answer Dr. Greves gives to so many pregnant mothers asking. Dr. Bornstein also shared that they may notice unexpected differences in their skin, including hyperpigmentation, where there will be darker skin in various areas of the body, including the face. There will also be stretch marks in the skin and the growth of skin tags, those soft, skin-colored growths on the skin, which vary in color and size and are usually found on the neck, armpits, around the groin, or under the breasts, as described by NHS. Other swelling in pregnancy is expected. However, doctors encourage pregnant women to urgently have a check-up if they experience quick swelling or are more bloated than an average pregnant woman, as this can be related to preeclampsia. Further, Dr. Greves reminds pregnant women to update their healthcare providers about changes in their pregnancy and any symptoms they feel. Related Article: Pregnancy Facts: Post Delivery Changes Women Should Expect This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions CES 2023 is a very, very good year for PC monitors. Both OLED and Mini-LEDthe displays of the futureare just on the cusp of mainstream adoption and, as a result, every monitor maker has launched a salvo of both mid-range and premium options that use these new display technologies. In fact, Id argue the monitor space is now even more exciting than televisions. From super-ultrawide form factors to folding panels, the monitors of CES 2023 are a wild bunch. Here are the 10 best displays we encountered. Further reading: Powerful laptops are large and in charge at CES 2023 LG Ultragear 27GR95QE-B Matt Smith/IDG The LG Ultragear 27GR95QE-B was technically released prior to CES 2023, yet its clearly the most important monitor at the show. Why? Because its the debut monitor for LGs new 27-inch, 1440p, 240Hz OLED panel. This panel, also found in several other monitors on this list, will have incredibly wide appeal. 1440p resolution is high enough to look sharp, yet wont melt your GPU the moment you dare to launch Cyberpunk 2077. The panels refresh rate is ideal for gaming and feels ultra-responsive on the windows desktop. But the most important spec? The price. At $999.99, the LG Ultragear 27GR95QE-B isnt exactly affordablebut its much closer than OLED monitors of the past. This is an OLED monitor you can buy without feeling ashamed to admit how much you spent on it. Probably. Acer Predator X27U Matt Smith/IDG Acers entry into the mainstream OLED arena is the Predator X27U. Its a 27-inch, 1440, 240Hz OLED monitor that uses the same panel found in the LG Ultragear 27GR95QE-B and, as a result, looks equally gorgeous. The Predator X27U also quotes a maximum peak brightness of 1000 nits and a color gamut covering 98.5 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut. This monitor even delivers a feature far too rare among gaming displays: USB-C. It has one USB-C port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and up to 90 watts of Power Delivery. This adds versatility and is particularly important for content creators and professionals considering the Predator X27U as a budget alternative to pricey pro OLED monitors. The Acer Predator X27U will hit retailers in Q2 of 2023 at $1,099.99. Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDM Asus Asus is often among the quickest to jump on new monitor technology, and CES 2023 is no exception. The ROG Swift PG27AQDM is one of several monitors to pack LGs hot new 27-inch, 1440p OLED panel. It promises incredible contrast, a peak brightness of 1000 nits, and a color gamut that spans 99 precent of DCI-P3. Theres also support for enhanced refresh rates of up to 240Hz. But its the design, not the display panel, that sets the ROG Swift PG27AQDM apart from competitors. Its aggressive styling and top-notch build quality promises a premium experience worthy of the monitors premium price. Asus also makes vague claims that its custom heatsink will offer superior thermal performance. Ill be eager to see if that translates to an improvement in image quality. Speaking of whichAsus hasnt revealed a price tag for the PG27AQDM yet. Given that LGs OLED monitor retails at $999.99, however, its likely to land above $1,000. Asus ROG Swift Pro PG248QP Asus While most premium monitors are just now upgrading to 240Hz, Asus esports-oriented ROG Swift Pro PG248QPs 24-inch 1080p IPS screen can hit a blistering 540Hz. This incredible speed puts a new frame on-screen everyone 1.85 milliseconds. Provided youre playing a game capable of hitting 540 frames per second, of course. The monitor also supports Nvidia G-Sync and Nvidia Reflex Analyzer to ensure smooth frame pacing and the lowest possible latency. Further reading: How Nvidia Reflex can make you a better esports gamer The ROG Swift Pro PG248QP also surprises with an adjustable stand that has two retractable claws. They can be retracted to take up less space on your desk. Asus says this feature targets esports players who like to play as close to the monitor as possible, but it could be useful for anyone with a small desk. Competitive PC gamers can expect to see this monitor arrive in Q2 2023. Asus hasnt announced pricing. LG OLED Flex Matt Smith/IDG Corsairs 45-inch flexible Xeneon Flex offers the best of flat and curved-screen displays, but it has a downside: you have to flex it yourself. Manually. Like, with your muscles. LGs OLED Flex takes a different approach, using a built-in motor to do the flexing for you. The monitor can shift from curved to flat, or some position in-between, with a touch of the bundled remote. The LG OLED Flex isnt an ultrawide monitor, which makes it less immersive than those stretched-screen alternatives, but it does offer 4K resolution and a refresh rate of 120Hz. It also has several special restricted display space modes that emulate a 32- or 27-inch screen, adding versatility for situations where the large display size isnt desired. Personally, I find first-person shooters a bit stomach-churning on big screens, so Id probably use these modes for Halo and Overwatch. Pricing and availability for the United States hasnt been revealed. Lenovo ThinkVision P27-pz30 and P32-pz30 Lenovo Lenovos business-like ThinkVision monitors are often unexciting, but the ThinkVision P27-pz30 and P32-pz30 are an obvious exceptions. These 4K IPS monitors pack a Mini-LED backlight with 1,152 dimming zones. This is top-shelf for modern Mini-LED monitors (aside from Samsungs Odyssey line), providing excellent contrast and extreme bright highlights in HDR content. Both monitors are VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certified and claim a maximum peak brightness of 1,200 nits. These monitors also support USB-C connections and provide up to 140 watts of power of USB-C power delivery, which is enough to handle most laptops that support USB-C charging and adds a bit of futureproofing (most current laptops dont support USB-C charging over 100 watts, but its likely to become popular over the next few years). Lenovo says the 32-inch model will be priced at $1,599 (the 27-inch models MSRP hasnt been announced). Thats a big price drop over prior Mini-LED monitors with 1,152 dimming zones. The only catch? It wont be available until August. Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 49-inch Matt Smith/IDG Samsungs flagship 49-inch super-ultrawide returns to CES 2023 with a big new upgrade: a QD-OLED panel. The new Odyssey OLED G9 promises all of the perks of other OLED monitors including a nearly infinite contrast ratio, a refresh rate up to 240Hz, low pixel response times, and a broad color gamut. The prior Odyssey Neo G9, which had a Mini-LED backlight, was already a stunner, so itll be interesting to see how the new OLED model compares. The Odyssey OLED G9 also adds Samsungs Smart Hub features including support for streaming apps, such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Hulu, plus Samsung Gaming Hub, which supports Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now. Conveniently, Nvidia will soon add support for ultrawide screens to GeForce Now: not enough to make the most of the Odyssey OLED G9s super-ultrawide format, but a step in the right direction. Pricing and availability remain under wraps, unfortunately. Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 (G95NC) Matt Smith/IDG Does a 49-inch super-ultrawide still feel a bit small? Well, Samsung has just the thing for you: the new Odyssey Neo G9, a 57-inch monster that measures four and a half feet in width. Its big, its curved, and its the last word in monitor immersion. Size aside, 2023s Odyssey Neo G9 also impresses with its dual 4K resolution of 7,620 x 2,160. It has a Mini-LED backlight and is VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certified, meaning it can hit a maximum brightness of up to 1,000 nits. Despite its resolution, the monitor will still provide a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz. The monitors extreme resolution and refresh rate requires a ton of video bandwidth, so it includes support for the latest DisplayPort 2.1 standard. Once again, pricing and availability remains to be seenbut its sure to be very, very expensive. Acer Predator X45 Matt Smith/IDG The Acer Predator X45 is the companys take on LGs new 45-inch OLED panel, which is also found in the Corsair Xeneon Flex and LG Ultragear 45GR95QE-B. Indeed, the Predator and Ultragear monitors are extremely similar. Aside from sharing the same LG OLED Panel, with 3,440 x 1,440 resolution and 240Hz maximum refresh, they also have an identical (and aggressive) 800R curvature. These are big, beautiful displays only a few inches smaller than Samsungs Odyssey OLED G9. For me, though, the Predator X45 has one little extra that sets it apart. USB-C. The Predator X45, like the Predator X27U, has a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and up to 90 watts of USB Power Delivery. This offers added versatility and the chance for a one-port connection with modern laptops. The Acer Predator X45 will arrive in Q2 of 2023 at $1,699. MSI MEG 342 MSI The MSI MEG 342 is an alternative take on the popular Alienware AW3423DW ultrawide that dominates PC Worlds list of the best gaming monitors. Its a 34-inch ultrawide with a QD-OLED panel, 3,440 x 1,440 resolution, and a refresh rate of up to 175Hz. While I havent had a chance to view this one first-hand, I expect MSIs version will deliver image quality to rival Alienwares top-notch ultrawide. Of course, you might be wondering: Why buy the MSI instead? In truth, they are very similar, and the winner may often come down to whichever ends up on sale at the lowest price. Still, MSI does throw in an RGB light sync feature called Glow Sync. The Alienware also include RGB lighting, but its more subdued. The MSI MEG 342s pricing and availability remain unannounced. Police have arrested one more suspect in connection with the Kasoa Mobile Money robbery which occurred on 20th December 2022. The last suspect, Ahmed, (alias ARRESTED), was arrested on 2nd January 2023 at Nyanyano near Kasoa in the Central Region. He is currently in police custody assisting investigation and will be put before court accordingly, said police in a statement on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the two other suspects who were also arrested in connection with the case were remanded by the court to reappear on 12th January 2023. Police have so far arrested all four suspects, including deceased suspect, Godfred Okine, who later died due to ill-health while in police custody. We would like to assure the public of our continuous commitment to keep our society safe, the police assured. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The bodies of 28 people who were shot dead have been discovered in Burkina Faso's north-western town of Nouna, the government has said. A civil society group blamed the killings on armed civilians claiming to be members of a government-backed volunteer force fighting jihadists. The government did not comment on the claim, but said it was investigating. Burkina Faso has been hit by a decade-long insurgency that has displaced nearly two million people. The military seized power in Burkina Faso last January, promising an end to attacks, but the violence still rages. The government said the bodies were discovered on 30 and 31 December. It condemned the "unacceptable violence" and called for calm, pending the outcome of an investigation. The incident had occurred at a time when the government had initiated the "mobilisation of the whole people for unity of action in the fight against terrorism", it added. The government has formed the Homeland Defence Volunteers (VDP), recruiting civilians into its ranks to fight militant Islamists. A civil society group, the Collective Against Impunity and Stigmatisation of Communities (CISC), said that armed civilians, claiming to be members of the VDP, carried out the killings in retaliation for an attack by suspected militants between 29 and 30 December. There is no independent confirmation of its claim. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Chinese government has suggested that travel restrictions imposed by several countries on Chinese arrivals are politically motivated - and has warned that it may retaliate. The US, India and the UK are among the nations that have introduced mandatory testing for arrivals from China. The country has recently seen a surge in Covid cases following the easing of its strict controls. And there are fears that cases and deaths are being vastly underreported. China's last daily Covid update, on 24 December, reported fewer than 5,000 cases - but some analysts claim the daily caseload is already over two million, and could peak at almost four million this month. A lack of data - and China's announcement that it was easing curbs on travel from 8 January - led to more than a dozen countries announcing Covid testing on arrivals from China. The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged China to share more real-time information and a spokeswoman for the foreign ministry on Tuesday said that Beijing was willing to "improve communication with the world". However, spokeswoman Mao Ning said the government was "firmly opposed to attempts to manipulate the epidemic prevention and control measures for political purposes, and will take corresponding measures...according to the principle of reciprocity." China's borders have been largely closed since March 2020 - meaning few foreigners were able to enter and those that did had to undergo rigorous testing and quarantine. The European Union's disease prevention agency and Australia's Chief Medical Officer have both argued that high levels of vaccination and immunity reduce the threat that Covid poses. But despite that, countries - including in the EU - have imposed testing for Chinese arrivals. "I think we're performing our duty in protecting French people by asking for tests," France's Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Tuesday. "We're doing it while respecting the rules of the World Health Organization and we will continue to do it." The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, has said an overwhelming number of member states favour introducing travel restrictions. Some countries have already introduced their own measures but a decision on whether that will be extended to all EU countries is expected on Wednesday. The US has also defended its testing requirements, saying that its approach is based "solely and exclusively on science". It's not the first time that Beijing has been at odds with the international community over the virus. It was first detected in Wuhan in central China in late 2019 and the government resisted attempts to investigate the origins. Meanwhile, China has on Tuesday rejected an offer from the European Union to supply an unspecified number of Covid-19 vaccines to help deal with the surge in cases, saying it has an "adequate supply". Official data shows China has given more than 3.4 billion doses - the vast majority of which are CoronaVac. The government has so far insisted in using only Chinese-made vaccines, which have been proven to be less effective than other Western-developed mRNA vaccines against the Omicron variant. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A circuit court at Dormaa-Ahenkro, Dormaa Central Municipality of Bono Region has sentenced Alexander Addo, aged 24 and unemployed, to a fine of GHS 120,000 for engaging in small scale mining without a license. Addo pleaded guilty to the charge. In default he would serve 20 years imprisonment in hard labour. Police Inspector (P/Inspt.) Emmanuel Asare told the court presided over by Mr Samuel Djanie Kotey, that the complainant, a farmer, and the convict were residents at different suburbs at Wamfie, the district capital of Dormaa East, Bono Region. P/Inspt. Asare said the complainant owned farmland located at Wammu near Wamfie, where part of that land had been cultivated with plantain and vegetables. He said for more than a year now, the convict and other galamseyers (illegal miners) had taken possession of the land and caused great damage to it. P/Inspt. Asare added all efforts made by the police and the complainant to arrest those illegal miners failed, until about four months ago when the complainant, with the assistance of some young men, arrested the accused while he was actively engaging in illegal mining on the farmland. The prosecutor said while escorting the accused to the police station, he escaped. When the complainant visited her farm at about 1700 hours on Sunday, December 12, 2022, she met the accused and one other accomplice actively engaged in mining on the farmland. He said the complainant hid herself and invited her son, a witness in the case, to the scene and they planned on how to arrest miners. The complainant and her son secretly left for home and came back in the evening at about 1900 hours, only to meet the accused and his accomplice washing and sieving some soil by the bank of the Wam River with the intention of getting gold. The prosecutor said the accused and his accomplice fled when they saw the complainant and her son. They, however, succeeded in arresting him (accused) to give him, together with a washing carpet and a plastic container to the Police. P/Inspt. Asare said at about 0700 hours on Monday, December 19, 2022, the complainant returned to the scene and found a pickaxe, a shovel and a cutlass believed to be other implements used by the accused and his accomplice. During investigations, the convict admitted the offence in his investigation caution statement to police and mentioned one Effah of Wamfie as his accomplice. The police went to Effahs house but was told he had travelled out of town and after investigations, convict was charged with the offence. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, says the reconstruction of the Appiatse community in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipal Assembly is on schedule, and the first phase, which consists of the construction of the core community, would be completed before the end of the year. This was disclosed on Wednesday, 4th January, 2023, after the Minister led a delegation from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Appiatse Reconstruction Implementation Committee to inspect the progress of work in the community. The Appiatse community was razed down on Thursday, 20th January, 2022, when a truck carrying explosives to a mining site exploded in the community. About thirteen (13) people are reported to have died from the incident, with several others sustaining different degrees of injuries. A Government delegation, led by the Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mamamudu Bawumia, visited the community shortly after the incident and committed to settling the medical bills of all the injured. The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, following investigations into the matter, imposed a fine of Six Million US Dollars (US$6,000,000.00) on Maxxam Ghana Limited, the company responsible for the transportation of the explosives. A Health and Safety Committee, chaired by the Vice Chancellor of George Paa Grant University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Prof. Richard Amankwah, was also established to review the health and safety standards in the mining industry, which led to some reforms in the industry. Government, also, promised to reconstruct the Appiatse community into a modern, green and sustainable community as a model for rural development. An Appiatse Support Fund was thus established to, among others, support the reconstruction of the community, while temporary accommodation was provided for the victims of the incident. As the first anniversary of the incident approaches, the Minister visited the community to inspect the progress of work and assure members of the community of Governments continuous support. Briefing the Minister and the Delegation, the Project Architect, Mr. Walter Semordzi, said the first phase of the project consists of the construction of one hundred of twenty-four (124) housing units made up of two to seven-bedroom houses, a school block with sanitary facilities, and the construction of roads within the community. He said so far, one hundred and six (106) out of the one hundred twenty-four (124) housing units are under construction and are at different stages of completion. A kindergarten and six-unit classroom block are also under construction, while the Department of Urban Roads have commenced work on the construction of the roads in the community. He said the first phase of the project is about thirty percent (30%) complete, and its on schedule to be completed within time. Speaking to the media after the inspection, Mr. Jinapor expressed satisfaction with the progress of the work. He said the preoccupation of any responsible Government, following such tragic incident, was to provide emergency relief to support victims, investigate the matter and apply the necessary sanctions, and reconstruct the community to give the victims the dignity of life they deserve. He said Government has since been committed to this process, and the victims have been provided with temporary accommodation while the reconstruction is ongoing. Mr. Jinapor said Governments commitment is to complete the first phase of the project, and move the victims back to the community before the end of year. He said social amenities required for a decent living, such as electricity and portable water, will be provided for the community as well. He assured of Governments commitment to develop the community in accordance with the master plan, which include other facilities such as market and parks. He called on the general public to continue to donate to the Appiatse Support Fund to raise enough money to expedite the reconstruction of the project. The Divisional Chief of Bepo, Nana Atta Kojo Brembi, thanked the Minister and Government for the support given them since the unfortunate incident. He said the condition of most of the victims would have been miserable without Government support. He lauded the decision of Government to reconstruct the community and pledged their continuous support to Government to complete the reconstruction. He also pleaded with Government to continue to support some of the victims who can no longer work due to the degree of injury sustained. Accompanying the Minister for the inspection were the Board Chairman of the Minerals Commission and former Member of Parliament for the Prestea Huni Valley Constituency, Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi, and the Deputy Minister for Lands Natural Resources and Chairperson of the Reconstruction Implementation Committee, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The General Overseer of Glorious Word Power Ministries International, Apostle Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah has rubbished claims that he prophesied on the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Usman Nuhu Sharubutu during his 31st December night service. He denied strongly making remarks circulating about the Muslim community leader. The controversial man of God is alleged to have said that the National Chief Imam and other leaders consult him to look into their destinies. But in a statement copied to peacefmonline.com, Rev. Owusu Bempah said the allegation and caption making rounds are misleading. Our attention was drawn to the misleading caption and false article by www.ghanaweb.com in the late afternoon of 3rd January 2023 when an official from the office of the Chief Imam by the name Sheikh Aremeyaw, spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, called to inform the office of the church of the publication on www.ghanaweb.com and sought to ascertain its veracity." A portion of his statement read Stop Owusu Bempah on false prophecies about me Chief Imam tells IGP, others The office of the National Chief Imam, wants the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Christian fraternity to call the head of Glorious Word Power Ministries International, Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah to order as the former continues to make His Eminence a subject of controversial prophecies. In the interest of national unity, peace, and harmony, he should desist from mistaking the meekness of His Eminence as weakness, a statement issued by the personal assistant to the national chief Imam, Dr. Mohammed Marzuq Abubakari Azindoo cautioned. We wish to state that all the claims of Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah contain no iota of truth, but represent the figment of his own imagination. Undoubtedly, His Eminence is a champion of interfaith harmony and peaceful co-existence. But he does not seek protection and prosperity from charlatans on the pulpit. As a true icon of faith, His Eminence is guided by the divine words that Allah is sufficient for any person who relies on Him. (Quran 65: 3). Conclusively, we stand at all times for interfaith solidarity and national unity, as we contribute our quota to the building of a prosperous democratic state of diverse religious communities. Owusu Bempah's full statement below RESPONSE TO PRESS STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL CHIEF IMAM ON AN ALLEGED PROPHECY BY APOSTLE DR. ISAAC OWUSU BEMPAH. The attention of the church has been drawn to a press statement from the Office of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr. Usman Nuhu Sharubutu dated 4th January, 2023. The press statement refers to some publications in which the General Overseer of the Church, Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah is alleged to have made remarks concerning the Chief Imam which the Office of the National Chief Imam considers to be disparaging of him. Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah is alleged to have remarked that the National Chief Imam and other leaders consult him to look into their destinies. To begin with, the press statement arises from a misleading and false article published on www.ghanaweb.com on 3rd January, 2023 with the caption Chief Imam, other leaders visit us to look into their destinies Owusu Bempah claims. Our attention was drawn to the misleading caption and false article by www.ghanaweb.com in the late afternoon of 3rd January, 2023 when an official from the office of the Chief Imam by the name Sheikh Aremeyaw, spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, called to inform the office of the church of the publication on www.ghanaweb.com and sought to ascertain its veracity. We explained to Sheikh Aremeyaw, that the caption of the article was misleading and the content littered with falsehoods. We urged the spokesperson to listen to the statement himself and form an independent opinion of the remarks of Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah. The conversation was very friendly and he seemed to have appreciated the position of the church on the misleading caption and false article by www.ghanaweb.com. It comes as a shock to us that in spite of the cordiality and harmony which exists between the office of the National Chief Imam and Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah and after all assurances given by us, the former issued a strong worded press statement with very unpleasant descriptions of Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah. We wish to state emphatically that Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah has not at anytime claimed that the Chief Imam visits or consults him to look into his destiny. The publication was clearly actuated by malice, a desire for profit, sensationalism and calculated to disrupt the peaceful and cordial relationship between the Chief Imam and Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah. What Apostle Dr. Owusu Bempah mentioned in one of his sermons which has been twisted and misrepresented was the visit he made to the residence of the Chief Imam upon his invitation sometime in 2019 and communication which ensued between them. We wish to put on record, that as a church we take serious exceptions to the description of our General Overseer as a Charlatan on the pulpit among other distasteful words. We revere and hold our General Overseer in high esteem as much as we love and respect his Eminence the National Chief Imam. Contrary to the distasteful words used in describing Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah, we like to affirm that our General Overseer is a genuine Man of God with unblemished international reputation and a track record of immense positive contribution to the Christian faith in Ghana and beyond. Further, we will like to take this opportunity to entreat journalists and bloggers to desist from making sensation driven publications and falsehoods which could potentially affect the peace and harmony in society. Finally, we take this opportunity to urge his Eminence the National Chief Imam to disregard the falsehoods peddled about Apostle Dr. Isaac Owusu Bempah in the interest of fostering brotherly co-existence, harmony and peace. Now let the peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen Rev. Dr. Emmanuel A. Annorbah (ACII-G) Senior Pastor, Glorious Word Min. Int. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Nigerian authorities say they recovered 10 bodies on Wednesday after a boat carrying dozens of passengers capsized in a river in the north. A local official is quoted as saying that the boat had been overloaded with passengers "beyond its capacity. The boat had been carrying passengers returning from a farm on the River Niger and broke in half as it approached Samanaji village in Koko-Besse district. Over 80 passengers were rescued. Boat accidents are relatively common in Nigeria with many being blamed on overloading or poor safety measures. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mauritanian police at the Nouakchott airport have prevented former President Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz from travelling abroad, he says. Mr Abdelaziz was about to board an Air France flight when police officers told him he was not allowed to leave the country. They also seized his passport. "I am the former president Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz. The political police prevented me from traveling abroad. Although I am not under any judicial supervision. There is no legal reason from them to prevent me from travelling," the former president said in a video recording posted on social media. He accused the "corrupt regime" of "targeting him and mistreating him". The government has not yet responded. The former president together with top officials who worked under him from 2008 to 2019 are being investigated over allegations of corruption and mismanagement. Mr Abdelaziz says he is the victim of political score-settling, and says he should enjoy immunity under the country's constitution, according to the AFP news agency. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has said it will appeal the regulator's hefty penalty and the substance of the ruling itself. Meta has been hit with a 390m fine (343m) fine by regulators for forcing users to agree to personalised adverts. The penalty has been handed out by Ireland's Data Protection Commission, which said the social media giant had breached EU privacy rules. As well as the hefty fine, Meta has also been banned from forcing users to sign up to such ads. The promotions are based on someone's online activity, allowing advertisers to target those likely to be interested in their products and services. Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has said it will appeal the fine and the substance of the ruling itself. It added that the ruling would not prevent targeted or personalised advertising on its platforms, which include Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook. "The decisions relate only to which legal basis Meta uses when offering certain advertising," a spokesperson said. The fine dwarfs a 225m (then 193m) penalty handed out by the Irish watchdog to WhatsApp in 2021, when the company was found to have broken regulations in relation to transparency of data shared with other Meta firms. Ireland's Data Protection Commission issues such fines in its role as the lead privacy regulator for many of the world's largest technology companies within the EU. The latest penalty brings the total levied against Meta by the watchdog to 1.3bn (1.1bn). Reuters reports that the fine comes after an EU directive last month on how social media firms run advertising. It related to a change to Facebook and Instagram's terms of service in 2018 following the introduction of new EU privacy regulation, where Meta sought to rely on the so-called "contract" legal basis for how it handled ads. It had previously relied on the explicit consent of users to the processing of their personal data for targeted ads, and Meta considered acceptance of its updated 2018 terms as an all-clear to maintain such advertising. A company spokesperson argued that there was "a lack of regulatory clarity on this issue". The fine comes just weeks after Meta came under scrutiny over the presence of potentially fraudulent adverts on Facebook and Instagram. Analysis of adverts by consumer group Which? and research charity Demosfound hundreds of paid-for promotions showcasing unregulated investment products, including cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens. Related Topics Source: Skynews.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Changing the narrative of gospel song making in Africa seems to be apparent in the career of US-based Ghanaian gospel songstress, Faustina Mawusi Seshie Appiah known professionally as Mawusi as she readies her tongue-wagging spirit-filled gospel Tune duped, Divine Selection. The song aims at rekindling the faith of believers to stand firm and be appreciative, especially in these last days when situations keep getting dire with augmented hardships. Divine Selection, an English-dominated song with a bit of Twi infusion also talks about divine protection. It was written and produced by Herbert Crassie and performed by Mawusi. With a background as a trained pharmaceutical technician and a flight attendant and currently pursuing Bachelors in Healthcare Management in Colorado Christian University, USA, Mawusi has garnered experiences from all these spheres. This goes a long way to help her music composition, no doubt she is deep in coining her words. Currently, under the management of 2Face Records, Mawusi aims to cement her name in the hearts of many by way of her soul-touching songs and donations to orphans, the homeless, the poor, etc. through her Mawusi Appiah Ministry Mawusi Appiah Ministry is purely based on the word of God. I want to help those in need, the deserted, orphans and widows in their affliction, and keep myself unstained from the world. James 1:27 is my inspiration and I believe this is achievable through the little sums I get from my music she said. Being her first single, Mawusi is ready to uplift the power of God in the Gospel music industry. She believes it is a good way to start the year and is thankful to God. ALSO READ Court sets Jan. 4th for the reappearance of Funny Face Divine selection, a Herbert Crassie-produced song, will be available on 27th January 2023 on all music portals. Follow Mawusi on all social media platforms Facebook: Mawusi Music Instagram : mawusimusic Youtube: Mawusi Music Tiktok: @mawusimusic Twitter: Mawusi Music Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video An obscure clause in the just-passed $1.7 trillion federal omnibus budget law has awarded the University of Alaska a plot of land half the size of the state of Rhode Island. The clause begins on page 2,819 of the 4,126-page law and calls for the university to receive 360,000 acres of federal land within the next four years, fulfilling the amount owed to it because of its status as a land-grant school. The university earns between $7 million and $8 million per year in revenue from 151,000 acres it already owns, and development of the new land is expected to result in millions more per year for the state university system. President Pat Pitney said the legislation was years in the making, and she cautioned that passage of the law is only a first step. Its just really great news, Pitney said. Its the necessary first step, and well be working closely with the (Alaska Department of Natural Resources) on the (land) selections and moving forward. The university currently has the second-smallest land grant among the 50 states, and it has lobbied Congress and the state for years, seeking additional land. An Alaska Supreme Court ruling blocked one prior transfer approved by the state Legislature, and the slow pace of Congressional work meant limited progress at the federal level until this year. The clause benefiting the university is the work of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who drafted it as the standalone University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, also supported the legislation, Pitney said, (Sullivan voted against the final version of the budget bill, citing its size) and Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, supported it in the House, Pitney said. Murkowski noted the passage of the section in a one-line summary on Dec. 23, and retired Fairbanks journalist Dermot Cole called it a landmark decision the following day. Under the terms of the legislation, the Bureau of Land Management must create a program within four years to transfer 360,000 acres of federal land selected by the state of Alaska and the University of Alaska. Under the Alaska Statehood Act and other federal laws, the state of Alaska was supposed to receive about 105 million acres of federal land. All but about 5.2 million acres has been transferred to the state, and Brent Goodrum, deputy commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, said the universitys share will come from land thats been selected but not yet transferred. My guess is that in the end, its going to be a lot of dispersed parcels, he said. I dont know that youre going to see a large contiguous block (of land). The university has already been in talks about what land it might seek, Pitney said, but Goodrum called those conversations preliminary and said they could change. Once the university selects its preferences, BLM will survey the land, then convey it to the university. Pitney said she expects it will take three to five years before the land is accessible to the university, and then there will be a period of development before the university can earn revenue. In a 2021 presentation to the Alaska Legislature, the university reported that more than a third of its land revenue comes from leasing or selling it to third parties. Another 23% comes from forest resources, which includes timber cutting. Smaller shares of revenue come from mining and drilling. The university is planning to expand its carbon-credit program, which may involve preserving land from logging or development for a century. Public comments are being taken on a plan to preserve 21,000 acres under that program. Land revenue is deposited into a trust fund, which is invested, and a share of the proceeds become available for spending each year. Those trust funds are common across the United States, with the University of Texas Permanent University Fund being one of the most successful. Efforts to establish a large fund in Alaska have been hampered by a provision of the Alaska Constitution that forbids dedicated funds. When the state Legislature approved a bill transferring 250,000 acres to the university, the Alaska Supreme Court struck down the transfer, calling it an illegal dedication because land proceeds would be reserved for the university. The Legislature subsequently requested action from Alaskas Congressional delegation, and Pitney said that with federal authority now in place, the university should avoid the legal problem that negated the last land transfer attempt. Its been teed up for several years, waiting for the opportunity, and it was Sen. Murkowskis attention to it that took advantage of this opportunity, she said. The AlaskaBeacon.com is a donor-funded independent news organization in Alaska. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Kevin McCarthy still thinks that he could be the next Speaker of the House as he made a major concession to his opponents. McCarthy is refusing to drop out. Robert Costa of CBS News tweeted: Part of the reason the House GOP leadership wants to adjourn tonight is they feel they're making progress with some HFC members on a possible set of parameters for some of the critics to vote "aye" or at least present. Want to give HFC members time to think thru tonight's talks. Robert Costa (@costareports) January 5, 2023 The House is going to adjourn until noon ET on Thursday which means that the possibility exists for a third day of no new congress being sworn in. Rep. McCarthy made a major concession to those who are voting against him by promising not to participate in open seatHouse Republican primaries in safe Republican districts: McCarthy is the biggest elected fundraiser on the House Republican side. What he has promised to do will allow more MAGA extremists to win House seats. McCarthy is agreeing to not fund moderate or establishment candidates that can defeat extremists in so-called safe Republican districts. Subscribe To Our Newsletter For More Stories Like This: The agreement that McCarthy made appears to be very foolish as if a MAGA candidate is extreme enough, it could open the door to Democrats flipping safe-Republican districts. This concession is not enough to get Kevin McCarthy elected speaker. The big request that the Never Kevins want is for a single member to be able to call for a vote to fire the speaker at any time. Kevin McCarthy is giving away all of his power in exchange for a chance to be the weakest Speaker of the House in modern American political history. It still does not look likely that McCarthy will be able to cobble together enough votes without putting himself on the chopping block. Kevin McCarthy has paralyzed the House because he refuses to step aside, and there is talk that if a resolution is not reached soon, this debacle could drag into next week. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Ali Alexander claims that he has evidence that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) committed a crime that will get her expelled from Congress. Video: Ali Alexander is threatening to release evidence that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene "committed a crime" that will get her expelled from Congress: "I will not suffer this harlot. I will not be taught vows and loyalty, commitment from a whore!" pic.twitter.com/4NUFiX2nao Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) January 5, 2023 Alexander said, In the coming days, I am going to reveal in my summation and the summation of attorneys that Marjorie Taylor Greene committed a crime. That crime is going to be handed to the state of Georgia, and the state of Georgia will decide whether they adjudicate. that crime or not. The House Ethics Committee and House Rules must expel Marjorie Taylor Greene with this evidence comes to light. For More Stories Like This Subscribe To Our Newsletter: Alexander claims that he was played by Greene and that tales of her drunken nights will soon be revealed. Ali Alexander has his own credibility issues. Alexander is someone who was close to Greene, and he did organize the Stop The Steal rallies, so the logical speculation goes to Greenes potential involvement in the 1/6 plot. Greene could have a special degree of legal jeopardy because she was only a congressperson elect and did not yet have congressional immunity. Alexander could be blowing smoke, and his evidence might be nothing, but Greene did come closer than any of the other Trump associates who attended meetings about the plot to overturn the election to being thrown off of the ballot. Rep. Greene has been known to go out partying with Rep. Matt Gaetz and former Rep. Madison Cawthorn so tales of her drinking wont be a big surprise. Frankly, it would be more shocking if Greene had not potentially committed crimes. With no Speaker of the House, and Congress in chaos, allegations could soon be coming out about Marjorie Taylor Greene. I would like to piggyback on the recent letters sent in concerning the location of the SRS lab location. My opinion is that the downtown location is not a good fit for this facility. The lab location should be built at the Carrol Warner business park. Read moreLetter: SRS lab should be near site This summer, South Carolina Republican politicians celebrated and Democratic lawmakers mourned the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Those roles were reversed Thursday after the South Carolina Supreme Court issued a 3-2 opinion declaring the state law banning abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat there were exceptions for rape, incest, fetal anomalies and life and physical health of the mother was unconstitutional. Fetal heartbeats are usually detected during the fifth or sixth week of a pregnancy. The most recent abortion statistics provided by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control indicate that just under 48% of abortions happen before six weeks and just over 51% happen between seven and 12 weeks. S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster signed the fetal heartbeat bill into law in 2021. It was immediately challenged in federal court by Planned Parenthood, the Greenville Women's Clinic and two doctors and the courts temporarily blocked the law while the litigation went on. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the block on the law was dismissed. And the plaintiffs in the suit challenged the law in state court, leading to a hearing in October and Thursday's opinion. Chief Justice Donald Beatty and John Few agreed with the result of an opinion written by Kay Hearn the only woman on the state's highest court in which she says the fetal heartbeat law places an unreasonable restriction on the right to privacy found in Article I, Section 10 of the State Constitution. Justices John Kittredge and George James Jr. issued dissenting opinions. Kittredge argued that the right to privacy was broader than the right to be protected from unreasonable governmental searches and seizures but was not so broad to include the right to an abortion. James argued the right to privacy only applies in the context of searches and seizures. The court's decision returns the state to a 20-week ban enacted prior to the fetal heartbeat law. S.C. Rep. Bill Clyburn, D-Aiken, said he was prepared to respect the court's decision either way as the rule of law must remain paramount. S.C. Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken said the court's decision was disheartening. "As a pro-life legislator, I have always voted to protect the unborn from being aborted, while providing exceptions for rape, incest and the mother's life," Taylor said. "Babies in the womb have a heartbeat, can feel pain at a certain point, and must be protected. I will support a reasonable legislative effort to find a path that protects the unborn while recognizing the rights of parents." S.C. Rep. Bill Hixon, R-North Augusta, said he learned of the opinion while in a leadership meeting Thursday morning. He said the House leadership was working with lawyers to determine the best way to move forward and stop as many abortions as possible in South Carolina. S.C. Rep. Bart Blackwell, R-Aiken, said he was disappointed but not surprised by the opinion. He said this is why he supported a Senate bill last year that would have fixed the problems the court identified with the act. S.C. Rep. Melissa Oremus, R-Graniteville, said she would never stop fighting for the unborn. "It makes me absolutely sick to know someone would fight for the right to stop the heartbeat of an innocent little human being," she said. "The good ol' boy system that has existed for years to benefit the trial lawyer culture through our judicial process and that has time and again hindered justice instead of advancing it is responsible for that ruling today." She added the justices put personal interests before the interests of the unborn. McMaster said the Supreme Court found a right in the state Constitution that was never intended by the people of South Carolina. "With this opinion, the Court has clearly exceeded its authority," McMaster said. "The people have spoken through their elected representatives multiple times on this issue. I look forward to working with the General Assembly to correct this error." S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson said he respectfully, but strongly, disagreed with the court's decision. He added he was working with McMaster's office and the South Carolina General Assembly to determine the best option moving forward. South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Trav Robertson Jr. said there was finally a voice of reason and sanity to temper the Republican-controlled South Carolina General Assembly's decision to strip rights away from women and doctors. He added the right to privacy was paramount to the health of all state residents. South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick said the decision was extremely disappointing and yet another example of judicial activism. He said the decision was a reminder of the need to reform the state's system for electing judges (most judges are elected by the General Assembly.) He said the party looks forward to working with the General Assembly to promote that cause and to protect the rights of the unborn. S.C. House Speaker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, said the U.S. Supreme Court handed the regulation of abortion back to the states last summer. "Unfortunately, the South Carolina Supreme Court followed the path of the U.S. Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade by creating a constitutional right to an abortion where none exists," Smith tweeted. "Today's decision fails to respect the concept of separation of powers and strips the people of this state from having a say in a decision that was meant to reflect their voices." He added the state is left with a law not reflective of the state's political process or will. GEORGETOWN The mother of Brittanee Drexel is suing convicted killer Raymond Moody for the kidnapping and slaying of her 17-year-old daughter while she was on a Myrtle Beach spring break trip in 2009. Dawn Pleckan, Drexel's mother, sued Moody in Georgetown County on Jan. 3 alleging she sustained severe emotional and financial distress as police spent 13 years working to solve the disappearance and death of the Rochester, N.Y.-area girl. Drexels mother, now living in Florida, is seeking an unspecified amount of money from Moody, serving a life sentence after a guilty plea in 2022, for incurred medical bills and expenses, loss of enjoyment of life, pain, suffering and mental anguish. There is likely no greater sense of loss than that of a parent who has lost a child, such that the murder of a child is such extreme and outrageous conduct that it exceeds all bounds of decency, the lawsuit said. The murder of a child is such that no reasonable man, much less the mother of the child, can be expected to endure the distress of a missing child. Messages sent to Pleckans lawyer in Columbia were not returned Jan. 4. The mystery of what happened to Drexel, who was last seen leaving the Blue Water Resort in Myrtle Beach on April 25, 2009, turned up few leads over more than a decade. The long unsolved case involving a teenager on a beach road trip generated national attention and became a staple of true crime shows. The saga came to an end in May 2022 when Moody was arrested after investigators used new technology to track Drexels cell phone as well as help from his one-time girlfriend, Angel Vause, who is not named in the suit. Moody pled guilty in October to Drexel's death and was sentenced to life in prison for murder. Moody also received consecutive sentences totaling 60 years for criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping. On April 25, 2009, the one-time wood craftsman and Vause picked up Drexel as she walked along Ocean Boulevard on the south end of Myrtle Beach, according to court records. Moody drove them in a Ford Explorer to a campsite at the Pole Yard Boat Landing, a spot near the North Santee River south of Georgetown where he told authorities he liked to fish. Vause left Moody and Drexel behind to run an errand, and when after smoking marijuana, Moody told investigators that he hoped to have sex with Drexel. When Drexel resisted him, Moody sexually assaulted her. After realizing he could go to prison for his actions, he strangled her and later buried her body 10 miles north of the boat landing in a four-foot grave. Pleckan's lawsuit said that Moody was aware that police considered him as a suspect in Drexels disappearance and took steps to conceal his crime, including throwing Drexels cell phone into the North Santee River and disposing of her clothing. So many lives destroyed by your selfish actions, Pleckan said at Moody's plea hearing in October. Today, nobody wins. I hope you suffer in prison for the rest of your useless life. I have no regard for you, just like you had no regard for my daughters life. Moody served half of a 40-year prison sentence in California for a 1983 conviction of raping a child under the age of 14. He was set free in 2004 after a psychiatrist determined he was no longer a threat to society. After being released from prison, Moody moved back into his parents house in the Kensington section of Georgetown in 2004. Currently, he is incarcerated at the Kirkland Correctional Institution in Columbia with no chance of parole. COLUMBIA Nearly 80 years after he went missing in action, the remains of a Columbia native airman who served during World War II have been identified. Army Air Forces Tech. Sgt. Ralph Richardson was 21 in August 1943, when his plane was shot down during a bombing mission over oil fields in Romania, according to the federal Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Through DNA, Richardson's remains were identified in September, after which the DPAA notified his next of kin. So far no members of his family have issued any public statements. The agency encourages family members and those who knew Richardson to contact the Army Casualty Office for funeral information. Richardson's unidentified remains were buried along with 80 other "unknowns" in a U.S. cemetery in Belgium after the war, where they rested until 2017 when the DPAA exhumed all the unknown remains and moved them to Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base for examination. Richardson's remains were identified using mitochondrial and Y chromosome DNA, circumstantial evidence and anthropological analysis with help from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, the DPAA said in a statement. This means that DNA found in the remains were traced back through Richardson's parents' respective ancestral lines, similar to the more commonly taken ancestry DNA tests. This kind of DNA testing is used to analyze samples such as old bones, teeth and hair, according to the National Library of Medicine, for forensic purposes typically, but also to identify missing persons. "More than 81,500 Americans remain missing from WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War and the Gulf Wars," a spokesman for the DPAA said Jan. 3. "Our research and operational missions include coordination with hundreds of countries and municipalities around the world." More than 2,000 soldiers from the United States still remain unaccounted for. But since the project began applying modern identification techniques in 2017, nearly 1,000 Americans killed in World War II have been identified, returned to their families and buried with full military honors. Richardson is the eighth from South Carolina and the second from Columbia. The plane Richardson flew, a B-24 Liberator bomber, was one of 51 planes never to return from the 1943 mission titled Operation TIDAL WAVE. After taking off from Benghazi, Libya, Richardson served in "the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania," according to the DPAA. The oilfields were a crucial strategic target for the Allies, since they fueled the German war machine. However, the operation cost hundreds of airmen, including Richardson, their lives. Sign up for our SC Military Digest newsletter Get exclusive military reporting, updates from Palmetto State bases, headlines from around the globe and more delivered to your inbox each Tuesday. Email Sign up! Personnel records show that Richardson served in the 329th Bombardment Squadron and 93rd Bombardment Group in the 9th Air Force. News media from the presumed time of his death said he was a graduate of University High School, now Wardlaw College on the University of South Carolina campus. Richardsons name is also recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Italy, according to the DPAA, and a rosette will be placed next to his name to show that he's been accounted for. Richardson will be buried in Columbia, the DPAA said. A date is yet to be determined, but the ceremony will likely be at Fort Jackson National Cemetery. When the American Graves Registration Command began exhuming the unknown remains in Belgium in 2017, another Columbia native was accounted for. Second Lt. William Harth, who was believed to have been on the same bomber plane with Richardson before it was hit by an enemy aircraft and crashed, were accounted for in November 2017. Harth, a University of South Carolina graduate, was buried at Fort Jackson National Cemetery in April 2018. A Distinguished Flying Cross award was presented to Richardson's and Harth's parents in the 1940s, around the time they were reported missing in action. The exhumation started by the DPAA in 2017 is ongoing. "DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission and to the U.S. Army Regional Mortuary-Europe/Africa for their partnership in this mission," the federal agency said in a Dec. 16 statement. Click here for more news from Columbia, S.C. COLUMBIA Curtis Cousin Eddie Smith has been subpoenaed as a potential witness in Alex Murdaughs upcoming double murder case, but state prosecutors apparently dont want the disabled trucker to play a starring role in South Carolinas trial of the century. In recent court filings, the S.C. Attorney Generals Office has asked the judge handling the case to prohibit any mention of polygraph tests at the Jan. 23 trial in Colleton County. State prosecutors also asked Circuit Judge Clifton Newman to bar Murdaughs defense attorneys from trying to implicate anyone else for the June 2021 fatal shootings of Murdaughs wife and son at the family's sprawling hunting estate. The new filings are an apparent response to efforts by Murdaughs defense team to shift blame for the gruesome slayings of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh toward Smith, a Walterboro man who is charged with carrying out other criminal schemes for the now-disbarred attorney. Smith, a distant relative and former legal client of Murdaughs, failed a polygraph exam in May when investigators asked whether he killed Maggie and Paul, Murdaughs attorneys have revealed. Murdaugh lawyers Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin also have questioned the 62-year-olds alibi for that evening, alleging State Law Enforcement Division agents gave Smith weeks to talk with friends and shore up his story that he was at home when Maggie and Paul were shot. In his recent filing, State Grand Jury Chief Prosecutor Creighton Waters noted that polygraph tests are not accepted science or admissible in court. Still, he wrote, prosecutors expect Murdaughs defense team to attempt to broach the subject at trial by any means necessary to raise doubt that Murdaugh was the real killer. Waters warned that any mention of Smiths failed polygraph exam could result in a mistrial. He urged Newman to sanction Murdaughs attorneys if they bring it up to the jury. Investigators allege Murdaugh, then a prominent Hampton attorney, killed his wife and son in order to distract from inquiries that were about to expose his myriad financial crimes, including stealing from his clients and law partners. Harpootlian declined to comment on Waters filings. "We'll do our talking in the courtroom," he said. Smith, like several other alleged Murdaugh accomplices, has been unwittingly dragged into the harsh spotlight of the nationally watched Murdaugh saga. He has spent the past five months in the Lexington County jail, detained on charges of helping the disgraced attorney launder money and purchase illegal narcotics, as well as shooting Murdaugh in a botched insurance fraud scheme in September 2021. Authorities have revealed that Smith accepted some $2.4 million in checks from Murdaugh over the years, most or all of it stolen from Murdaugh's clients and others who trusted him. Investigators allege Smith used some of that money to purchase opioid pills for Murdaugh and converted some of it to cash. Still, the sandy-haired Smith showed no signs of an opulent lifestyle. He lived in a modest home outside of Walterboro. Bank records unearthed by prosecutors showed he had less than $60,000 to his name in June, much of that from an insurance settlement related to a fire at his workshop. Smith worked as a logger and then as a trucker before he was ensnared by the Murdaugh saga. He filed for bankruptcy in Colleton County in 1997 but recovered enough to co-found a logging business in the mid-2000s. He injured his back while on the job in 2007 and was put on prescription opioids for his pain. Smith and his lawyers have said Murdaugh set him up as a fall guy. They claim the authorities have railroaded Smith in the criminal justice system. In a Jan. 3 interview, his defense attorney Aimee Zmroczek told The Post and Courier that Smith had nothing to do with the Murdaugh murders. No evidence has emerged to link Smith to the crime, Zmroczek said, and a DNA analysis performed recently by state investigators excluded him as a possible suspect. If they had any reason to arrest him for that, they would, she said. But they dont. Zmroczek said Smith is frustrated at his inability to secure a trial date and clear his name. Like Murdaugh, Smith requested a speedy trial on the charges lodged against him after the September 2021 shooting. But unlike with Murdaugh, there has been no movement on Smiths charges even as he languishes in the county jail, suffering from diabetes, back problems and other ailments. He is just emotionally beaten down, and physically too, Zmroczek said. Zmroczek said Smiths biggest mistake was believing Murdaugh was his friend. In reality, she said, Murdaugh was just using Smith and several others to launder the millions of dollars Murdaugh allegedly stole from his legal clients and law partners. She said Smith accepted and cashed checks at Murdaugh's request but the money went straight to Murdaugh. Smith never kept any of that money and doesnt know what Murdaugh did with it, Zmroczek insisted. He feels like everyone sees him as a punchline and a joke, she said. But he is human being who got roped into this. Whether Smith gets roped into Murdaughs trial as well remains to be seen. For people who believe the world revolves around the Congress, the drama and suspense over the new speaker of the U.S. House has been intense. But while the pundits and politicians spend a lot of time speculating and advising over how to get all the Republicans behind a single candidate, what's most notable to those of us who believe there is life outside the U.S. Capitol is how little attention has been paid to what once might have been the most obvious question: If you have a handful of extremists in one party who cant even get along with the rest of their caucus, but those more rational representatives cant win a vote without the extremists, why wouldnt they turn to centrists in the other party to back a consensus candidate? Yes, that seems crazy these days, when centrists have become a nearly if not entirely extinct species, if not in all of Washington then at least in the U.S. House, and where its hard to imagine any Republican would-be speaker who would appeal to Democrats, or any Democrats who would even consider voting for a Republican. Indeed, as the Brookings Institutions Mollie Reynolds told NPR Tuesday, one of the biggest reasons the House has such a hard time governing is because of divisions within the party before we even get to divisions between the parties. But what's truly crazy is the idea that Republicans who are divided over their choice should elect a speaker without any Democratic input or that the Democrats before them, had they been likewise divided, would have been able to elect a speaker on their own. For proof, look no further than the S.C. Statehouse. Even though there are far fewer moderates in the Legislature today than there were 20 or even 10 years ago, and even though there are far more extremists on the left and the right, Murrell Smith was elected speaker of the S.C. House by acclamation in April, and reelected in the same manner in December. As The Post and Couriers Seanna Adcox reported in the spring, within an hour of Jay Lucas announcing that he wouldnt seek reelection, Rep. Smith was the lone candidate, with well more than half the House members eagerly telling him he had their vote and Republican and Democratic leaders alike praising him. "He has a good relationship with everyone in the chamber," House Democratic Leader Todd Rutherford told Ms. Adcox. "We couldn't ask for anything more." Even if you go back to the last contested S.C. speakers race, in 2005, Bobby Harrell was able to outlast three Republican challengers after the GOP realized its members wouldnt be able to coalesce around one candidate, and with leading Democrats actively campaigning for both Mr. Harrell and his main challenger, Jim Harrison. Weve seen even more dramatic examples of crossing party lines to elect leaders here in Charleston County, where at least two County Council chairmen have been elected from the minority party: Democrat Vic Rawl in 2017 when Republicans were in the majority, and Republican Elliott Summey the year before when Democrats were in the majority. A dozen years earlier, when there was a vacancy on an equally divided council, Democrat Leon Stavrinakis was elected chairman with the help of a Republican. Were not suggesting that a Democrat should be elected speaker of the U.S. House. But we are suggesting that wed all be a lot better off if the least extreme 175 or so Republicans worked with 50 or so least extreme Democrats to find a Republican speaker they could all live with. Wed all be a lot better off as well if the U.S. House abandoned whats been called the majority of the majority practice that created this mess, and has resulted in so much bad legislation making it through the lower chamber and so much good legislation not making it through. That practice, most closely identified with former House Speaker Dennis Hastert but really dating back to Newt Gingrich, says the speaker wont allow any legislation to come up for a debate unless a majority of the majority party supports it. That is: Its designed specifically to thwart many bipartisan efforts. Although Democrats have not explicitly endorsed that approach, they have for all practical purposes followed it recently with few exceptions. The problem with that approach goes beyond killing bipartisan efforts, which in most cases are far better than what either side comes up with on its own. It also exacerbates the race to the extremes. When you have to stay within your party to get enough votes, you have to make ever more extreme concessions to the extremists in your party, be they the left flank for Democrats or the right flank for Republicans. With the Ninth Assembly winding down legislative activities for the session, the Senate experienced fewer controversial episodes in 2022 compared to previous years. For most of last year, the attention of senators was divided and mostly focused on party activities like primaries and national conventions. And for lawmakers who were seeking re-election, that was another reason to put a pause on legislative activities. While some senators won their tickets to return to the Senate, many lost their bids. Several other senators decamped to other parties to secure their ambitions as well. Despite the near-quiet legislative year which had a fear of high turnover in the tenth assembly, lawmakers were able to make key legislative resolutions and pass major bills as well as make major interventions on several issues. They also openly engaged and confronted Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and federal appointees on several issues. These activities were, however, not devoid of controversial scenes where the lawmakers were seen going at each other or storming out of the chamber in anger, among others. In this report, PREMIUM TIMES reviews some major events in the Nigerian Senate in 2022. 1. Impeachment threat The threat to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari was perhaps the most unexpected event at the National Assembly in July 2022. Some senators from opposition parties walked out of plenary after Senate President Ahmad Lawan refused to let the Senate discuss insecurity. This was preceded by an executive session which lasted over two hours and apparently, lawmakers had resolved to discuss the issue of insecurity afterwards. The incident occurred at a time security threats across the country, especially in the federal capital, were high. It also happened about two weeks after bandits attacked the Kuje Correctional Facility, breaking out over 400 inmates. But when Mr Lawan refused to let the lawmakers discuss the issue, they angrily left the chamber chanting songs for Buhari must go. Led by the Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda, they disclosed what was discussed behind closed doors and gave the president six weeks to address the concerns or risk being impeached. Some APC senators like Elisha Abbo and Adamu Bulkachuwa joined the protest. However, what followed was the lawmakers annual recess which lasted about eight weeks and there was no mention of insecurity or impeachment threat upon resumption. 2. Buharis N23.7 trillion expenditure The presidents request for the Senate to approve N23.7 trillion already spent by the federal government was the most recent episode that divided lawmakers in 2022. The president, in a letter, said the money was borrowed from the Central Bank of Nigeria over 10 years and asked that the lawmakers approve a repayment plan. PREMIUM TIMES reported how senators disagreed during the consideration of the presidents request last Wednesday. The chamber became rowdy when some lawmakers kicked against the request described as unconstitutional. The squabble which lasted several minutes saw senators bickering. While some lawmakers demanded details of the expenditure, others wondered why the amount was taken without the notice and approval of the National Assembly. The disagreement forced the lawmakers to suspend consideration of the presidents request till 17 January to allow for proper scrutiny. However, when the president signed the 2023 budget, he asked the senators to reconsider their decision and that failure to approve the amount could cost the government over N1 trillion. The lawmakers are expected to reconsider the presidents request on 17 January. 3. Constitutional amendment The lawmakers began steps to amend the 1999 Constitution in February last year. It would be the fifth alteration to the laws. After lawmakers of both chambers approved a report that proposed 68 amendments to the Constitution, they voted on them electronically. Some of the proposed amendments voted on include abrogating state and local governments joint accounts, financial autonomy for state assemblies and judiciary, legislative summons, life pension for the presiding officers of the National Assembly, virtual court proceedings, Diaspora voting and extra seats for women in the parliament. Others are independent candidacy, mayor for Abuja, power of the parliament to summon the president and governor, immunity for the presiding officers of the legislature, timeframe for appointing ministers and commissioners, expanding the scope of citizenship by registration, separating the office of the attorney general from the minister of justice and moving VAT to exclusive legislative list. However, of the 66 proposed amendments, only 44 passed at the chambers. The Constitution review has however suffered a setback after the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, announced that 25 states have refused to consider and vote on the amendments. The states, he said, threatened to take no action on the bills unless four more constitutional amendment bills are considered and passed by the National Assembly. The bills are to establish State Police, to establish State Judicial Council, to streamline the procedure for removing Presiding Officers of State Houses of Assembly and institutionalise Legislative Bureaucracy in the Constitution. 4. Rejection of Gender bills Of the 24 bills rejected during the voting process, five were gender bills. The bills were rejected despite the presence of the wife of the Vice President, Dolapo Osinbajo, who was present to appeal to the lawmakers. The senators voted against affirmative action for women in political parties administration and the bill to create special seats for women in national and state assemblies. The bill for special seats for women in parliaments, sponsored by Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (APC, Abia), seeks to alter sections 48, 49, 71,77,91, and 117 of the 1999 constitution by creating one senatorial seat and two federal constituencies in each state and FCT for women. It also seeks to amend section 91 of the 1999 Constitution by creating an additional 108 seats in the state houses of assembly for women. Also rejected were bills for affirmative action that seek at least 35 per cent position for women in political parties, a bill to grant citizenship to foreign-born husbands of a Nigerian woman and inclusion of at least ten per cent affirmative action in favour of women in ministerial appointments. The rejection of the bills triggered huge protests from many women groups across the country. But no amendment was made. 5. Defections Being a pre-election year and with many senators seeking return tickets, a number of them defected to other parties. The ruling APC lost the most members who were also ranking members in the chamber. Top lawmakers like the former Senate Leader, Abdullahi Yahaya and Adamu Aliero left for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. The duo, from Kebbi State, accused the state governor of frustrating the efforts of party members in the state. Another key defector is Babba Kaita, who represents Mr Buharis senatorial district. He dumped the APC for PDP. Senators Francis Alimekhena (Edo North) and Yahaya Gumau (Bauchi South) also left the APC for the PDP and New Nigeria Peoples Party respectively. Another ranking senator and former Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, left the PDP for the All Progressives Grand Alliance citing a similar disagreement with his state governor. Another event worthy of note is the impending high turnover rate after the February elections. In 2022, many senators decried the high turnover rate especially after many senators lost their tickets to return to the tenth assembly. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said its COVID-19 Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is monitoring COVID-19 trends in countries with a high volume of traffic to and from Nigeria. The NCDC noted in a statement Wednesday that the countries which include China, the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), South Africa and India, are currently battling with the rise in Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant and its lineages, dominating recorded infections worldwide. It added that its EOC is also monitoring the resurgence of COVID-19 in China following the relaxation of the countrys zero-COVID policy, and the increased COVID-19 cases, admissions, and deaths in the UK and the USA over the past weeks driven by the usual winter exacerbations of respiratory illnesses. The disease control centre also raised concern that the new Omicron sub-lineages XBB.1.5 in the UK and the US, and BF.7 in China may spread faster than older Omicron sub-lineages (e.g., XBB or BQ) and that they are responsible in part for the current increases in cases, hospitalisations, and deaths. New variants not in Nigeria While the NCDC confirmed that the sub-lineages that are partly responsible for the current increase in COVID-19 cases in otherwise countries (XBB.1.5 and BF.7) have not yet been detected in Nigeria, it noted that the B.5.2.1 has been seen since July 2022 and the others are most likely here already. It added that the BF.7 and XBB have also been circulating in South Africa since October 2022 but without any accompanying increase in cases, severe illness, or deaths. NCDC further noted that since the detection of the Omicron variant in December 2021, its sub-lineage (BQ.1/BQ.1.1) has been dominant in Nigeria, but none of these dominant sub-lineages in Nigeria that are also circulating elsewhere has been associated with any increases in case numbers, admissions, or deaths locally. Statistics As of 5 January, data from NCDC shows that a total of 266,450 infections and 3,155 deaths have been recorded across Nigerias 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, while 661,019,881 infections and 6,692,005 deaths have been confirmed globally according to WHO. Unvaccinated at risk On vaccination, the NCDC reiterated that the most important action for Nigerians is to get vaccinated against COVID-19, as the vaccine is the most important intervention for preventing severe disease, hospitalisation, and death. It added that regardless of COVID-19 variants in different parts of the world, severe disease, admissions and deaths disproportionately affect the unvaccinated and those with established risk factors, like older people, people with co-morbidities and the immunocompromised. The disease control centre said that though the COVID-19 protocols and restrictions may have been eased, people at high risk should continue to adhere to the recommended nonpharmaceutical intervention (NPIs) such as the use of face masks, good hand and respiratory hygiene and avoidance of crowded spaces. It also established that the Omicron sub-lineages that were associated with increases in cases, admissions and deaths elsewhere did not cause the same in Nigeria because the population is significantly protected from a combination of natural immunity and vaccination with vaccines with a high impact on hospitalisation, and deaths. The NCDC will continue to pay close attention to the ongoing COVID-19 situation in other countries and gather additional surveillance data to inform actions, it added. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Peace and Security Council (PSC) is among the African Unions (AU) most dynamic and active organs. Since it was set up in 2004 to help prevent and resolve conflicts, the PSC has met over 1,120 times. Although its approach and scope have evolved substantially, the council still struggles with an overly selective agenda, poor early warning and a lack of follow-through on its decisions. In the past five years, grave conflict situations such as those in Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR) have featured prominently on the PSCs agenda. Region-wide challenges were also tabled, including political instability in the Sahel, Great Lakes and Lake Chad Basin. But despite the councils focus on these areas, conflicts have worsened. Other crises remain conspicuously absent from the PSCs agenda despite their urgency and impact on Africa. Examples are the conflict in Cameroons Anglophone regions, which has claimed over 7,000 lives, Tunisias constitutional crisis, Libyas civil war, and until recently, the war in Ethiopia. Election-related violence in Zimbabwe has never been included, and northern Mozambiques insurgency, which started in 2017, only appeared on the PSCs agenda last year. The PSC has made statements on some of these issues but hasnt taken any decisions. It seems unlikely that the five-year struggle in Cameroon and the unprecedented democratic recession in Tunisia under President Kais Saied will be discussed while the two countries are PSC members. Tunisia has one year left of its council term, and Cameroon has two. Most PSC members are reluctant to see their countrys conflicts on the agenda. To avoid confrontation, the council prefers focusing on thematic issues and region-wide insecurity. It increasingly tables relatively new themes, such as the threat of pandemics, cybersecurity, emerging technologies and new media. While these issues are important, how can the AU via its PSC address country problems if it doesnt table them? Early warning to prevent crises and inform effective responses is also a vital function of the PSC, along with resolving conflicts, issuing sanctions for unconstitutional changes of government and authorising peace support operations. Over the years, gains have been made in the AUs deployment of military stabilisation missions in Burundi (2003) and Darfur and Somalia (2007). The continental body has also suspended the membership of military regimes in Togo, Mauritania, Madagascar, Niger, Egypt, the CAR, Sudan, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Burkina Faso. And it has used preventive diplomacy to deal with multiple conflicts across Africa. The AU is committed to silencing the guns by 2030, despite failing to meet the initial timeline. With the deployment of peace support operations in the Lake Chad Basin and Somalia, modest progress was made in getting the African Standby Force off the ground. The AU also endorsed the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique to counter the insurgency in the countrys north. And yet the PSCs approach remains more reactive than proactive. Member states invocation of their sovereignty is a significant obstacle. Deploying the African Prevention and Protection Mission in Burundi in 2015 showed the council could intervene in a crisis by invoking Article 4(h) of the AU Constitutive Act, which authorises its intervention in member state conflicts. But pushback from PSC member country leaders and the missions cancellation weakened the councils resolve to step into raging conflicts. The PSC has never again used Article 4(h), which has limited the AUs capacity to respond. Instead, the council has relied on regional economic communities to fulfil this mandate in line with the subsidiarity principle that gives regions the first bite at the cherry. The PSCs biggest weakness, though is the gap between its many decisions and their implementation. The council did impose sanctions in response to attempted and successful military coups in Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Sudan and Burkina Faso. By suspending these countries from the AU, the PSC registered its intolerance of unconstitutional changes of government and its commitment to the rule of law. But its response to coups in Chad and Sudan revealed inconsistencies. The councils May 2021 decision to endorse Chads military transition suggested a selective approach and a reversal of progress. Its 2019 suspension of Sudan is celebrated as its swiftest action to date. However, the PSCs later endorsement of a power-sharing agreement with the coup leaders could be seen as contravening the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. These contradictions cast doubt on the AUs commitment to upholding its policies on good governance and democracy. Not surprisingly, Burkina Fasos military staged another coup in October 2022 the second in a year raising fears that the renewed threat to Africas security wont abate soon. The PSC recently refined the AU roadmap to silence the guns and developed a monitoring and evaluation framework. It has also set up a PSC sub-committee on sanctions and a committee of experts. It can build on these gains through timely and proactive responses to Africas mounting security challenges. READ ALSO: This will require better capacity to prevent conflicts and to act swiftly when they arise. The PSC must also take on the controversial national situations that have been missing from its agendas. Equally important will be securing funding for counter-terrorism and speeding up the implementation of the AUs May 2022 decisions on terrorism and unconstitutional changes of government. Regular follow-ups of how its decisions are being implemented are also vital. Institute for Security Studies PSC Report team (This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish). Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A group, Coalition For Credible Election 2023, has raised concerns over some key areas it believes that Nigerias electoral umpire, INEC, needs to address ahead of the 25 February presidential and National Assembly elections. The effective resolution or non-effective resolution will impact the outcome of the 2023 general elections either positively or negatively, Emmanuel Mok, told journalists at a press conference on Wednesday at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). The group expressed concern over the safety of voters and INEC staff, especially in parts of the country where there is insecurity. They also spoke on the production and collection of the Permanent Voters Cards, voter accreditation, the necessity for all registered and willing voters to be allowed to vote on the election day, BVAS proof of incorruptibility verification. Others are election protocols and credibility assurance, need for all uncollected PVC to be brought to their designated polling units on election morning for a last ditch distribution effort, polling units in insecure locations (ungoverned location) challenge of election conduction. Concerns Mr Mok told journalists that the every zones in the country is grappling with its security challenges and there is need for INEC to deliberately pay attention to how the election will be conducted. We must recall the case of farmers going to harvest in Bornu who were attacked, killed and some kidnapped, he said. When the military were asked how this happened, they said that the farmers did not take clearance form them before going to such places. In this past month scores were killed and about 100 kidnapped in the north-west because the villagers did not pay the tax levy the bandits imposed on them, so we need to ask INEC how it plans to hold credible free and fair elections in all such seriously security challenged locations. We want to use this conference to call for a meeting of the security agencies, INEC, political party leaders and CSOs like us to look into this very critical matter and come to workable position as to how to ensure a peaceful and credible election across the country where it is possible. Mr Mok said where it is not possible, INEC should relocate polling units in insecure and ungoverned locations to havens created by security agencies. He added that INEC should ensure to publish this information so the voters can go there and vote freely without fear. Speaking on the production, distribution and collection of the PVCs, Mr Mok said the INEC has not delivered on its responsibility. This week, a member of my team went again for his card and was told it was not ready that he should come back on 10 January, he said. As of November, the INEC chair, Yakubu Mahmood said 93,522,272 voters are registered to vote in the election. The body fixed between 12 December and January 22 as the window for PVC collection in all its 774 local government offices nationwide from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, including Saturdays and Sundays. Across 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory, no fewer than 6.7 million Nigerians have yet to collect their permanent voter cards. In order to tackle this, the group advised that PVC should be printed at the registration points and be collected within a week. INEC needs to decentralise the printing and collection infrastructure, he said. The central requisition and distribution protocol should be such that state resident electoral communities can order card printing materials on the back of verifiable consumption of deployed stock where the log of registered citizens are collated on LGA, state, and national registration bases. He said that the Electoral Act of 2022 provides that INEC must print and give each registered citizen a voter card so that they can exercise their constitutional right to vote. Now if INEC does not issue a registered citizen their voter card, that person is disenfranchised. Hence INEC can rig the election if it makes it possible for some segment of the population to collect their PVC and another segment to find it very difficult to collect their PVC. Also if the networks fail on election day the area can be disenfranchised, so alternate to these are necessary. READ ALSO: Speaking on election materials and logistics assurance, Sonnie Ekwowusi, a member of the group, urged the electoral umpire not to engage the service of members of the National Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for its logistics. We want to see a situation where election materials ballot papers, BVAS machines, etc handling and transportation are secure and tamper proof from warehousing, in transit and use, the lawyer said. We advise that the NURTW use is risky. Rather, the air force, the army and the police logistics be used from the federal to states then to the local government areas. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A chieftain of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Akogun Oyedepo, has accepted a challenge by the Kwara State government to a public debate over his claim that it received the sums of N337bn from June 2019 to December 2021. The government, in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Communication, Bashir Adigun, said the allegation was widely reported across various social media platforms. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr Oyedepo was a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state before he defected to the SDP last year. The government is certain that the claim is a baseless lie. It is one of the several evidence-free postulations of Akogun Oyedepo who has a reputation for always wanting to be the wisest person in the room and the cleanest Kwaran that ever lived. For the purpose of the general public, however, we challenge the SDP chieftain to a debate to be broadcast live on various broadcast platforms and or any other platform of his own choosing, which we will oblige and pay for. The media is also invited to this debate, Mr Adigun said in the statement. He said the debate would allow each side to give an account of what was earned with corresponding details from the Federal Ministry of Finance. The governors aide said members of the opposition are free to disagree with the government but they should base their opinions on facts. We recognise the tendency of the opposition to want to downplay the achievements of the ruling government. We are also not debating their right to (hold) whatever perception of the government, which is clearly at variance with the positive acclaim the administration has received from the non-partisan Kwara public. However, we believe that facts are sacred. Since the data being discussed is available to the public, especially a neutral source which is the Federal Ministry of Finance, it is important we debate what has come to Kwara State so far in order to clear any doubt, he said Mr Adigun said the state government would be represented by the Commissioner for Finance and the Accountant General of the State during the debate. Oyedepo accepts debate When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Oyedepo admitted he made the statement during a radio interview. He said he was sure of what he said against the government and would participate in the debate. Mr Oyedepo said the state government agreed with the amount he quoted but disagreed with the timeframe. No, I made the statement on the radio where I criticized the state government for not doing the most appropriate things for the people of Kwara despite all the money they were able to get. And I quoted the figure. They agreed with my figure but they didnt agree with the years. Sincerely I dont know why theyre disputing anything here. I told them to go and account for whether its three years or four years and let them just come and account for it. So, whats the big deal there, he said. He said he told them to prepare the debate to cover both revenue and expenditures of their administration, allow people to see the bill of quantity of projects they claimed to have executed and cover the issue of misplacement of priorities by the state government among other issues. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nigerias electoral commission, INEC, has disclosed it would be using the International Conference Centre, Abuja for the final Collation of the 2023 general elections results. The venue would also be used as a National Situation Room, it said. INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the decisions were finalised at the commissions weekly meeting held on Thursday. In a statement, Mr Okoye said the commission also constituted two committees for the collation secretariat as well as the Situation Room and Collation Centre Committee. The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, a professor, will head the Collation Secretariat where presidential results from the states will be collated, he said. In addition, a few technical staff will assist him, he added. The second committee, Mr Okoye said, would be chaired by May Agbamuche-Mbu, a national commissioner with the commission. He said the 16-member committee chaired by Mrs Agbamuche-Mbu would be responsible for the preparation of the venue, seating arrangement, utilities and services, security, the accreditation of party agents, as well as the national and international observers, media, etc. The Director, Commission Secretary, would serve as the secretary of the committee, he added. He listed other members of the committee to include Abdullahi Zuru and Festus Okoye both national commissioners. READ ALSO: INEC takes delivery of last consignment of BVAS machines He added that the Directors, Electoral Operations, ICT, Planning and Monitoring, Security, Election & Party Monitoring, Research, Health Services, Estate, Works and Transport, as well as the Director, International Cooperation & Protocol would also be part of the committee. Other members include the Chief Technical Adviser to Mr Yakubu, his Special Adviser and his Chief Press Secretary . The Situation Room and Collation Centre Committees were inaugurated by the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who charged them to commence work in earnest and to discharge their responsibilities diligently, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The outspoken Catholic priest, Ejike Mbaka, has returned to the Adoration Ministry Enugu after his solitary journey to a monastery. The leadership of Catholic Diocese of Enugu had, in October, directed Mr Mbaka to step down as the Spiritual Director of the Ministry, and proceed to a monastery as part of the disciplinary measures against him. The disciplinary measures against the cleric followed his scathing remarks against Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Mr Mbaka, had in June, prophesied that Mr Obi would not win the 2023 presidential election because he is a stingy man. Many Nigerians, including the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, criticised him over the prophetic declaration on the LP candidate. The cleric later apologised to the former governor and his supporters, saying his intent was not to malign the LP candidate. The Bishop of the diocese of Enugu, Callistus Onaga, later banned church members from attending services at the ministry, following the controversial prophecy. The ban was lifted, three months after. The church then asked Mr Mbaka to step down and embark on a solitary journey to the monastery. Anthony Amadi, another Catholic priest, was appointed as the new spiritual director of the ministry. The diocese, however, did not give details of the monastery where Mr Mbaka had been scheduled to go. In October, Mr Mbaka announced that he had embarked on the journey to the monastery in obedience to my Bishop, His Lordship Callistus Onaga. There were speculations that the cleric was posted to a monastery in Anambra State, another state in the South-east. But in November, Mr Mbaka was spotted in a monastery in Los Angeles, United States, where he was said to have gone in continuation of the disciplinary measure imposed on him by the church leadership. On Wednesday, several followers of Mr Mbaka thronged Akanu-Ibiam International Airport, Emene, Enugu when information filtered in that the cleric would return to Nigeria from the US. When he disembarked from his flight, the crowd of followers accompanied the outspoken priest, singing and jubilating over his return. Mr Mbaka was smiling and waving as many of his followers circled him while he exited the airport. Conveyed in a 460 Lexus SUV vehicle, Mr Mbaka was seen heading straight to the Adoration Ministry, amidst cheers from the crowd of followers. He would later retire to his official residence in Umuchigbo, Iji-Nike, Enugu East Local Government Area of the state. It is not clear, for now, if the church leadership will reinstall him as the spiritual director of the ministry. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Igbo Community in Finland has asked the Finnish government to sanction the factional leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) , Simon Ekpa, over his declaration of sit-at-home order and calls for boycott of 2023 general elections in the South-east. In a statement on 27 December by its chairperson, Kingsley Orji, and made available to PREMIUM TIMES, the group said it took the decision after its meeting with Mr Ekpa on 18 December. During the meeting, the factional IPOB leader was asked pertinent questions about his declaration of illegal sit-at-home orders and calls for election boycott in the South-east, the group said. The Igbo Community in Finland is calling for an action that Simon Ekpa be immediately restrained, investigated, and made to face the full wrath of the law both in Finland and in Nigeria. Based on Belgian law on universal jurisdiction, the Finnish authorities should take (Ekpas) jurisdiction right away and stop Mr Simon Ekpa from continuing to incite violence against life and people (and) murder of any kind, mutilation, cruelty, and violations of the right to life, the group said. It also asked that all relevant authorities should deploy all diplomatic channels to ensure Mr Ekpa and his group are prevented from causing further damages. Mr Ekpa is a Nigerian-Finnish citizen. He hails from Ngbo, a community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, South-east Nigeria. But he stays in Finland, a North European country. The Finland-based lawyer is a controversial Biafra agitator and leader of pro-Biafran group, Autopilot IPOB, a faction of IPOB. He has been dishing out sit-at-home orders since Nnamdi Kanu, the detained IPOB leader, was intercepted in Kenya in June, 2021, by Nigerian security agents and brought back to Abuja. On 7 December, Mr Ekpa, via his verified Twitter handle, declared a five-day sit-at-home across the South-east from 9 to 14 December. Tuesday, 13 December, was excluded. At least two people, including a police officer, were killed in Imo State and two others killed in Enugu by gunmen who were said to be enforcing the sit-at-home in the region. The Igbo group said the illegal declarations of sit-at-home were affecting the economy of the South-east and causing loss of lives in the region. The illegally imposed and ruthlessly enforced order caused incomprehensible economic misery and devastation of lives and property, causing significant anxiety among the South-easts population, it said. Election boycott calls in South-east The group said Mr Ekpas calls for election boycott in the region are vicious and that such pronouncement constitutes a gross breach of the fundamental human rights to assemble and vote. While we respect and recognise the right of individuals to express their thoughts, the Igbo Community in Finland strongly denounces Mr Simon Ekpas seditious statements and actions, which have taken on a dangerously violent dimension of killing and devastation whenever he issues such directives. Due to his threats and the violent actions of his group in south-eastern Nigeria, there is a high level of insecurity in the territory, which makes it hard to travel and do business, it stated. The group said they strongly condemned Mr Ekpas violent method of operation and have rejected his illegal sit-at-home orders that restrict economic activities and daily lives of people. READ ALSO: It added that criminals have exploited such declarations to kill, steal and destroy properties in the region. We strongly urge Mr Simon Ekpa to rescind his undiplomatic campaign slogan that there will be no election in Biafra land in 2023 and cease all his efforts to deprive Igbos of opportunity and the right to vote and participate in all political process of electing their leaders, the group said. IPOB is leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The trafficking of tobacco is a multibillion-dollar business worldwide. One of the major global smuggling routes flows through the Balkans in Eastern Europe to North Africa, where a lack of security, high corruption, porous borders, and little cooperation among countries has created fertile ground for this trade. In 2017, over 10 billion cigarettes manufactured in the free-trade zone of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates were smuggled to North Africa either directly or via Greece and the Balkans. Of these, nearly four billion were shipped to Tunisia and two billion to Libya. Some of these cigarettes were then trafficked back into illicit markets in Western Europe. Strategically located between Southern Europe, the Gulf states and the Sahel, Libya is an attractive trafficking hub for smugglers. The countrys chaotic political and security context has compromised the rule of law, enabling syndicates from South-Eastern Europe and the Italian mafia to distribute illicit cigarettes locally and regionally. The volumes of contraband trafficked into North Africa are staggering. Between 2014 and 2018, over 20 million packs of Cleopatra cigarettes were produced annually in Albania and exported to Libya. Once there, they were smuggled across the border into Egypt. In 2015, Greek authorities intercepted a cargo ship loaded with 146 tonnes of Cleopatra cigarettes bound for Libya. In 2016 alone, 11.5 million Cleopatra cigarette shipments were exported from Albania to Libya through Malta. A Montenegrin journalist told the ENACT project that 1.5 billion cigarettes were smuggled from Greece to Libya in 2017. And in 2018, Maltese customs seized 37 million counterfeit cigarettes linked to the Italian mafia and destined for Libya. Tunisia is also a favoured destination for smugglers, who move their product either directly from Southern Europe or Libya. Between 2018 and 2020, Tunisian customs intercepted 15 million packets of contraband cigarettes. The power vacuum created by the fall of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali during the 2011 revolution has undermined Tunisias rule of law. Criminals no longer fear the police or the ill-equipped security forces, and the number of smugglers and traffickers has increased as a result. Over the past decade, ordinary Tunisians have begun engaging in corruption, which has become endemic. Smugglers often view cooperation with state officials and security services as the safest way to guarantee their protection. Information and payments are exchanged for the ability to pursue illegal activities. Another factor driving the demand for trafficked cigarettes in Tunisia is the price difference between locally manufactured or genuine foreign brands, and illegal imports. Since Tunisias government has a monopoly on the tobacco industry, the market is highly regulated. But corrupt individuals involved in the legal cigarette market deliberately create stock shortages, increasing the demand for smuggled and counterfeit smokes. Traffickers use two main methods to smuggle cigarettes to and within North Africa. From Southern Europe and the Balkans, goods are usually transported to Libya by ship from a seaport, such as Bar in Montenegro, using fictitious paperwork. According to a Libyan smuggler who spoke to ENACT, European traffickers also arrange trans-shipment between vessels at sea in the Mediterranean. With the help of militias, Libyan smugglers exchange petrol for illicit cigarettes and sometimes alcohol or other products. The Balkans play a significant role in smuggling cigarettes to North Africa. Chronic political and economic instability in the Balkans and weak rule of law have enabled state officials involvement in organised crime, including cigarette, drug and weapons trafficking, extortion and kidnappings. These illegal cigarette routes are made more complex by the China Tobacco International Europe Company (CTIEC)s factory set up in 2007 in Romania. The industry serves as Chinas main outpost for expanding sales globally. For CTIEC, Libya is a gateway to African and European markets. In 2021, two smugglers and a senior CTIEC executive were caught planning to traffic a container of 17 tonnes of illicit smokes from Italy through Libya. A Montenegrin journalist told ENACT that CTIEC would ostensibly export its cigarettes to Turkey, but the cargo would be issued with false declaration papers in Montenegro and diverted to Libya. From there, the contraband would be shipped to Europe. According to the journalist, other Chinese factories in Romania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania were also major sources of cigarettes sold on North Africas black market. Libyas political instability provides the ideal conditions for organised crime. Militias remain a serious hurdle for peacebuilding and facilitate cigarette trafficking. Modern technology such as track-and-trace devices could help law enforcement agencies and legitimate businesses in Libya and Tunisia to reduce the problem. But current conditions, particularly in Libya, make this unlikely for now. The obvious solution greater and closer security cooperation between European countries (the Balkans in particular) and Libya and Tunisia is sorely lacking. The exchange of information in a timely manner, and joint or coordinated naval patrols under a cooperation agreement, are vital. In the present situation though, cigarette smuggling is likely to remain a major headache for North Africa, the Balkans and South-Eastern Europe. Abdelkader Abderrahmane, Senior Researcher, West Africa Regional Organised Crime Observatory, ENACT project, Institute for Security Studies (ISS) ENACT is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Institute for Security Studies in partnership with INTERPOL and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime. (This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish). Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Some residents of Kano State the commercial hub of Northern Nigeria, have reacted to the promise by the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu. Mr Tinubu had promised to revive dying industries in the state and help resolve the problem of street children known as Almajiri, if elected president in Februarys presidential election. He stated this on Tuesday in Kano, in a Town Hall Meeting with Muslim leaders and clerics from the seven states of the North-west region in a chain of activities flagging off his campaign in the North West region. Mr Tinubu said of past governments, Let me answer the question of the Almajiri. You built schools without clinics, planning for their teachers, no allowance. To strengthen our social fabric and guarantee the future, massive investment in education will ensure that we nourish and guide our youth toward better lives. Here, I speak not only of their material existence but also their spiritual existence and role as responsible citizens. Every child has the right to an education. It is a social wrong to see them roam the streets or drop out due to poverty. If allowed to be president, I will appoint a special commission and that commission and I will work with you to craft a lasting solution to the Almajiri challenge, he added. The former Lagos governor said it is disheartening that Kano is no longer the manufacturing hub it used to be and promised to help revive industries in the state if voted as the president. On Wednesday, during the campaign rally at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Mr Tinubu, apparently overwhelmed by the thousands of APC supporters who filled up the 18,000 seats capacity stadium, thanked the people of Kano for the massive turnout and solidarity. The event was attended by governors of Jigawa State, Muhammad Badaru; Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle; Plateau State, Simon Lalong; Yobe State, Maimala Buni; Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu; Katsina State, Aminu Masari; Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya; and former governors of Bauchi and Zamfara states Muhammad Abubakar; Abdulaziz Yari, Ahmad Sani, and Mahmud Shinkafi, and the host governor, Abdullahi Ganduje. Other top politicians from the Northern part of the country who attended the event include the senate President, Ahmad Lawal, chairman senate committee on appropriation, Barau Jibrin; former senator, Kabiru Marafa, APC governorship candidate in Jigawa, Umar Namadi; former governor Kabiru Gaya; Abdulsalam Abdulkarim (AA Zaura) and former pioneer chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Nuhu Ribadu, among others. Meanwhile, some residents who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES expressed mixed reactions over Mr Tinubus pledges. While some residents said they were hopeful that Mr Tinubu would solve the problems bedeviling the city, others dismissed the promises as the usual political statement meant to lure voters. A teacher, Aliyu Shehu, from Tarauni Local Government Area, said the pledges made are a great task but surmountable if the presidential candidate means what he said. On the reviving dying Industries in Kano, Mr Shehu, said there are several proposals and researches carried out by successive governments, and the present Kano government and independent groups, like the Kano State turnaround project, KanoInvest, Nigerian Union of Textile and Garment Workers, have recommended in their research on how to revive the industries, and that the incoming administration needs to act upon that. Critical to achieving this task, the presidential candidate of the APC (if elected) should ensure the speedy completion of the Ajakuta-Kaduna-kano gas pipeline and the AKK Gas project. As for the almajiri system of education, efforts to address the problem failed because the very key players the teachers and the traditional rulers were not allowed to lead because politicians hijacked the initiative for their benefit. The schools were left in ruins, there was nothing on the ground as formal remuneration for the teachers and there was no provision for vocational training. Street begging by the Almajiri can only be curtailed if an alternative source of income is provided for the teachers and upkeep of the schools, Mr Shehu said. Also, a teacher from the Islamic school in Tudun Yola quarters in Gwale Local Government Area, Rabiu Salisu, said many voters including himself have made mistakes in the previous elections by believing that a particular presidential candidate can address the problems of Nigeria. All I do now is pray for the right person to take charge of the country, irrespective of political part. For me, anyone who will come and protects our religion, provide security, safeguard the country, and prevent the killings may Allah give him the mantle of Nigerian leadership. The promise made by the APC Presidential candidate is a good thing, if such a promise will be delivered. Anyone who can address the Almajiri problems and address the poverty among the households and the Almajiri teachers would be a welcome development, Mr Salisu said. Abdullahi Kausi, a resident of Fagge Local Government, said he no longer believes such empty promises from politicians because the issue of addressing Almajiri challenges has been at stake since 1999. Mr Kausi said northern governors are reluctant to address the problem, he said its unfortunate that they are the same people around the presidential candidate. Since 1999, none of the northern governors has succeeded in addressing the problem. The northern governors have to come up with a law that applies to all the regions to address the problem, but a president cant do it without the support of the governors, who are unfortunately, not ready to address the problem. Also, I dont believe these comments from the APC presidential candidate. He is just a desperate politician who wants to be president. He is just making a political statement. I dont believe him, lets wait and see his first tenure if elected, that will tell us who he is and whether he deserves our vote from the north again, Mr Kausi said. Sani Umar, a voter from Tudun Yola quarters, said Mr Tinubus pledges were typical statements by politicians seeking political office, to woo voters, but whenever they win, they return to their usual way of doing things. The Almajiri problem needs to be addressed holistically. This is something that has been on for a long time. It involves children learning the Quran, and feeding themselves, and in some instances, they provide for their seniors and teachers. The Almajiri teachers are the greatest beneficiaries of the system, and they depend on it. If he can address the issue of poverty in the North, the traditional Almajiri system will be addressed. READ ALSO: The Almajiri teachers need orientation to meet the modern way of learning the Quran. Many children memorised the Quran without going through the Almajiri schools (Tsangaya). If he can truly address this problem of the Almajiri, he is welcome, because nobody is comfortable with the little children becoming a nuisance in our societies, Mr Umar said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Zamfara police command said it rescued 15 people abducted along the Funtua-Gusau highway five days ago. Mohammed Shehu, the commands spokesperson, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES said the victims were abducted around Magazu village on 1, January 2023. The victims including seven women, six men and two children were rescued Wednesday evening. Recall that, on 1st January 2023, there was a report of abduction of some commuters along Tsafe Gusau road, following which the Command deployed additional Police Tactical Operatives to the location for search and rescue operation, an effort that yielded positive results. In the course of debriefing, the victims informed the Police that they were blocked and abducted by a large number of bandits terrorists along Yankara- Tsafe Gusau road by Magazu village while coming back from Abuja and Kaduna heading to Gusau, Sokoto and Birni Kebbi respectively, he said. Mr Shehu said the victims were debriefed by police detectives after they were checked at a police medical facility and have been reunited with their families. The announcement came a day after the command announced the killing of a terrorist and the arrest of six others in the state. Mr Shehu said the command also succeeded in recovering two AK-47 rifles, 104 rounds of live ammunition, two AK-47 magazines and some charms. He said one of the arrested terrorists, Musbahu Aminu, has confessed to being a member of a terrorist gang controlled by Halilu Sububu. The suspect while undergoing discreet investigation confessed to being a gang member of Bandit Kingpin Halilu Kachalla who operates in many in Zamfara and other neighbouring States. The suspect further confessed to participating in several kidnappings and cattle rustling where millions of Naira were paid by victims relations as ransom, Mr Shehu said. Zamfara State has witnessed several terror attacks on communities but the situation has deteriorated. For some years now, federal, state and local highways in the state have become endangered. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Ovie Omo-Agege, Thursday dismissed the notion of the Peoples Democratic Partys (PDP) firm grip of the state. He told journalists after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja that Delta is very ripe for the taking adding that it was misconception to tag it a PDP state. That is a very serious misconception to tag Delta State, a PDP state. Delta is very ripe for the taking. Were determined to achieve this; weve been going round each local government, ward by ward, making the case; drawing the attention of the people of the state to the mis-governance and lack of performance on the part of not just Okowa but the PDP led administration in the past 14 years. The message to people is resonating; weve been able to make the case to them that Delta State is supposedly a very, very rich state. And indeed a very rich state given the contributions that we (APC government) have made, not only to the economy of this country, but also to the economy of the state. This is because of the receipts we have gotten from federal allocation, inclusive of a 13 per cent derivation and other resources that come to the state by way of Internally Generated Revenue, he said. The governorship candidate said the APC reckons that since the Okowa administration came into office, Delta State had received about N4.2 trillion as its share of the federal allocation. And this came, like I said, by way of federal allocation. It came by way of 13 per cent derivation, and also about N400 billion that the state has borrowed. He, however, alleged that the incumbent governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, had nothing to show for the N4.2 trillion earned by the state in the last seven and half years. The deputy senate president said that he was in the Villa to confer with the president on national issues. According to Mr Omo-Agege, the Okowa administration has yet to settle gratuities and pensions of workers for up to nine years and has yet to commence payment of the N30,000 minimum wage despite the financial status of the state. He alleged that in spite of being a medical doctor, the health sector in Delta took a nosedive under the Okowa administration. Mr Omo-Agege also accused the Delta governor of betraying his counterparts in the South by accepting to be a running mate to the PDP Presidential candidate in spite of agreement that the presidency should shift to the South, after the eight year tenure of President Buhari, a northerner. He said: It is the position of Deltans and most especially, indeed the entire southern Nigeria, that given the fact that we have supported Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari, for the past eight years, its only fair, just and equitable that the next president should come from southern Nigeria. And it may also interest you to know that Okowa as the Chairman of the Governors Forum in South South was one of those who led this charge, and met in Asaba, where the case was made. So to the chagrin and disappointment of many at home, Okowa betrayed that cause by selling away our right to the presidency, and instead going for office of a vice president at a time when the entire country is offering us the presidency. So our people are not taking this treachery kindly and determined that they will punish Okowa. Mr Omo-Agege, who insisted that his chance of winning the governorship election was bright, assured that he would address the challenges of unemployment, insecurity and infrastructure decay in the state on assumption of office. He also said he would make the business environment attractive to investors to return to the state in order to create employment for the people. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The police command in Kano State has announced the death of a couple in the Dawakin Tofa Local Government. The police spokesperson in Kano, Abdullahi Kiyawa, said preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased died from suffocation. The police identified the couple as Suleiman Idris, 28 and Maimuna Halliru, 20. The police on 3, January at about 9:pm received a from Kwa Village, Dawakin Tofa LGA, Kano State that a couple, were discovered not to have come out of their matrimonial home since 2, January at about 11:00 p.m. The grandmother of the husband forced the door of their room open, and she discovered the couple motionless on their bed, with a smoke odour in the room. On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, Mamman Dauda, directed a team of detectives led by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Ahmed Hamza, and Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Dawakin Tofa Division to proceed to the scene. Victims were removed from the scene and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano where a medical doctor confirmed the couple dead. Preliminary investigation discovered that the deceased couple lit a charcoal fire to warm their room due to cold weather, locked up and got suffocated by the smoke which emanated from the charcoal burning while they were asleep. However, the police said an investigation is in progress to unravel the circumstance that led to the death, Mr Kiyawa said. The Commissioner of Police advised residents to be careful while using fire, and electricity and take safety measures as the harmattan season is associated with the risk of fire outbreaks. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print At least 15 people were confirmed killed in a boat mishap in Koko Besi Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The local government chairman, Yahaya Bello, told BBC Hausa Service that rescue workers recovered the 15 corpses between Wednesday and Thursday. He said about 80 people were rescued from the accident. He said the victims were returning from the farm when the overloaded boat broke into two. Residents said rescue workers are still searching for missing persons as of Thursday morning. Boat mishap is common across Nigerias north-west region mainly due to overloading. River transportation is largely unregulated in the region, leaving operators to load their boats beyond their capacity. They also rarely provide lifejackets to commuters. READ ALSO: In May 2021, a boat capsized in Ngaski Local Government killing over 100 people mostly women and children. In that incident, about 160 people were travelling from Niger State to the neighbouring Wara community in Nagasaki Local Government Area of Kebbi State before their boat capsized. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governorship elections in Oyo State always go down to the wire. In 2011, the late Abiola Ajimobi defeated incumbent Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala. Mr Ajimobis reelection in 2015 made him the only governor so far to serve a second term in the history of the state. But by 2019, Mr Ajimobi had fallen out with powerful elements in the state and had lost much public support. As a result, he lost his bid to move from the governorship seat to the Senate and candidates of his All Progressives Congress (APC) were routed in many constituencies across the state. His anointed governorship candidate, Adebayo Adelabu, also lost the election. Although Seyi Makinde who defeated Mr Adelabu in 2019 is seeking reelection, political pundits are saying the governorship poll in the state this year again remains too close to call. Fifteen political parties have candidates in the election, but it has been billed as a three-horse race, Governor Makindes two main challengers are the senator representing the states central district and candidate of the APC, Teslim Folarin, and Mr Adelabu who is flying the flag of Accord Party. Mr Adelabu, a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), moved to his new party after losing the APC governorship primary to Mr Folarin by 327 to 954 votes. Mr Adelabu and his supporters alleged fraud in the primary and then left the party in anger. The three major candidates are well known to the voters and each obviously fancies his chance of winning the March 11 election. Incumbency, Coalition and Cracks Born on 25 December 1967 in Ibadan, the state capital and largest electoral block in the state, Mr Makinde started at St Paul Primary School before moving over to St Michael Primary School, Yemetu, Ibadan where he took his first school leaving certificate., For his secondary school education, he attended Bishop Phillips Academy, Monatan, Ibadan. At the University of Lagos, he bagged a bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering. He also has certificates from the Lagos Business School (now Pan-Atlantic University), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States. Before venturing into politics, he worked with international organisations, including Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), and Rebold International Limited before founding his own company, Makon Engineering and Technical Services Limited (METS). Mr Makinde could be said to have struck gold in his professional and business careers as he declared to be worth N48 billion in cash and assets before the Code of Conduct Bureau immediately after winning his election. His first governorship bid was in 2014 ahead of the 2015 election. But when he could not secure the PDP ticket, he decamped to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to run in the election but came a distant third behind the APC and PDP candidates. Coalition After they fell out with Mr Ajimobi before the 2019 poll, some political bigwigs in the state adopted Mr Makinde as the consensus candidate of a coalition of four opposition parties under the PDP ticket. He won and took office at the end of May that year, becoming the fifth governor of the state in the Fourth Republic. The coalition that backed Mr Makinde in 2019 included the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Olufemi Lanlehin; the candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Sharafadeen Alli, and that of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Bolaji Ayorinde. Other prominent figures in the coalition behind Mr Makinde include a former governor of the state, Rashidi Ladoja, and a former Oyo central senator, Monsurat Sunmonu. Cracks However, that coalition began to disintegrate after Mr Makindes election as the members fought over the spoils of victory. They accused the governor of failing to honour the agreement reached before the poll. First to dump the coalition was Mr Lanlehin, followed by the candidate of the ZLP and that of the SDP. The only PDP senator in the state, Kola Balogun, who represents Oyo South district, also left the party after losing the return ticket to the senate. Other bigwigs like former House of Representatives Leader, Mulikat Adeola, and an Ibadan political chieftain, Adebisi Olopoeyan, have also dumped the ruling party and have vowed to ensure Mr Makindes fall at the poll. Also, the Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, who has now been impeached on the grounds of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and financial recklessness, among others, has defected to the APC. Some other aggrieved members of the PDP in September 2021 had earlier vowed to work against Mr Makindes re-election bid. They accused the governor of sidelining them to shower his favour on outsiders, who allegedly contributed little or nothing to his electoral success in 2019. They described the governors alleged failure to satisfy party members as a betrayal of the partys trust. Their meeting, held at the Jogor Events Centre, off Liberty Road, Ibadan, ahead of the partys state congress, was attended by members drawn from the 33 local government areas of the state, including Mrs Akande; a former deputy governor of the state, Hazeem Gbolarumi; Nureni Akanbi, and Femi Babalola amongst others. Mr Makinde also garnered more enemies within the party over his antagonism of the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar. Mr Makinde is a member of G5, a group of PDP governors who are opposed to their partys presidential candidate. They are also calling for the removal of the National Chairman of the party, Iyorcha Ayu. Some voice recordings obtained by our reporter from a PDP meeting showed that many PDP members in the Oke Ogun area are in support of their partys presidential candidate and are also opposed to the second term of the governor. However, despite all the challenges, Mr Makinde still enjoys the goodwill of many residents of the state, especially in Ibadan. Yet, the governor may not have it easy on election day as the same script acted to pit the majority of voters against his predecessor, the late Mr Ajimobi, seems to have been adopted against him But the governors body language shows he is not perturbed by the situation. It should be noted that out of the five PDP governors opposed to Atiku, only Mr Makinde is seeking re-election. A source in the government of Oyo State, who demanded their name not be mentioned for the fear of reprimand, told our reporter that the governor is not bothered about the developments against his second-term ambition because he and other members of the PDP G5 may endorse the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, who enjoys considerable support in the state. The source said Mr Makindes move may instead weaken the support base of Mr Folarin, as the ambition of the APC governorship candidate may be traded off to get the incumbent governors support for Mr Tinubu in Oyo State. Teslim Folarin Mr Folarin is a foremost Ibadan politician and a three-term senator. He was elected in 2003, 2007 and 2019. Born in 1963, Mr Folarin is the head (Mogaji) of his family house and a ranking traditional chief in Ibadan land. He is the Laguna Olubadan of Ibadan land. He attended Nigerias premier secondary school, Methodist Boys High School, Lagos before proceeding to the University of Ibadan for a B.Sc degree in Political Science. He also has a diploma from Harvard University, USA. Mr Folarin is a man of different public images. Some consider him a well-read politician judging by his vast certification and exposure, but others perceive him as a power-hungry politician with an army of enforcers. In 2011, he was arrested for alleged conspiracy in the murder of a former leader of the National Union of Transport Workers (NURTW), Lateef Salako, aka Eleweomo. Mr Folarin was detained for 10 hours and charged with two counts of conspiracy and murder. He was not found guilty of the charges. His Chances in 2023 Mr Folarin is from Ibadan where the governor and Mr Adelabu also hail from. While it is likely that the votes from Ibadan will be shared among the three major candidates, other regions like Oyo town and Ogbomoso are APC strongholds, while Mr Makinde enjoys more support in the Oke-Ogun/Ibarapa areas. The presidential candidacy of Mr Tinubu is also expected to work in Mr Folarins favour. The presidential and National Assembly elections will be held two weeks before the governorship, and the result usually influences the outcome of the latter. Hence, Mr Tinubu can only be a major plus to any gubernatorial candidate if he wins his election. Adebayo Adelabu The Accord Party governorship candidate was born on 28 September 1970, into the Aderibigbe Adelabu family of the Oke-Oluokun compound, Kudeti Area in Ibadan. His grandfather, Adegoke Adelabu (aka Penkelemesi), was a famous politician in Ibadan before his death shortly before Nigeria obtained independence. Mr Adelabu attended Ibadan Municipal Government primary school, Agodi Ibadan from 1976 to 1982 and Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan from 1982 to 1987. He had his first degree at the Obafemi Awolowo University where he studied Accounting. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and an Associate Member of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria and the United Kingdom. READ ALSO: He was runner-up to Mr Makinde when he contested under APC in 2019. Many believe he could have won on his own popularity but was punished by voters because he was late Mr Ajimobis candidate. It is a popular belief that he will get a good share of votes in the state capital, which has the largest number of voters compared to the other regions of the state. However, his Accord Party does not have a strong structure and war chest to wrest power from the two major parties. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Solar Detective Seeks Candidates in California, Arizona, and Nevada to Take on New Business Opportunity SAN DIEGO, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Solar Detective , a leading voice in America's solar transformation, today announced that it is now offering franchising opportunities in California, Arizona, and Nevada regions. As the #1 Residential Solar Inspection company in America, they're looking to find individuals that desire the opportunity to join a revolutionary new business in the fast-growing solar sector. The Solar Detective The Solar Detective With operations in Southern California, territories are immediately available throughout California, Las Vegas and the greater Phoenix region for entrepreneurs. The Solar Detective franchise owners will benefit from the brand's: Inspections, No Installations, No Repairs An Independent 3rd Party Solar Inspection Support when the Solar Installer is Out of Business Solar Guidance without the Sales Pitch Innovative service offerings that provide recurring revenue streams Cutting edge inspection technology and products "The number of residential solar installations has grown significantly over the past decade and continues to grow at a high annual rate," said Bill Horan, CEO of The Solar Detective . "Every year there are thousands of Real Estate transactions occurring that include one of these rooftop power plants. Power plants that have been ignored since installation, the old 'out of sight, out of mind'. Our system trains franchisees to perform Residential Solar Inspections and to build in-depth comprehensive reports for our clients. Reports that offer both a condition assessment and guidance for homebuyers." The company believes their model is best suited for the owner operator with a hands-on mentality that will be actively involved in the day-to-day operations. Potential franchisees will be required to make an initial investment ranging from approximately $87,000 to $155,00. Candidates should have a net worth of at least $150,000 and liquidity of at least $50,000. The company's president, Adam Peck, says "The ideal candidate might be a Veteran or be skilled in the trades. You have to be comfortable climbing on a ladder and being on a roof. That person might even be an engineer or technician of some kind that's got an eye for detail, has an entrepreneurial spirit, and is tired of working in corporate America." For information on The Solar Detective franchise opportunities: https://thesolardetective.com/franchising Contact: Adam Peck or Bill Horan The Solar Detective 858.519.8415 [email protected] SOURCE The Solar Detective Reimagining transportation without traffic, ASKA A5 is the world's first vertical takeoff and landing vehicle that can be driven on roads LAS VEGAS, Jan. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The first fully-functional prototype of the ASKA A5 electric drive and fly Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) vehicle makes its debut at CES 2023. The size of an SUV, the ASKA A5 is the world's first four-seater electric vehicle that can travel by road, and up to 250 miles by air on a single charge. The company is also announcing the ASKA On-Demand ride service (expected to launch in 2026*) that will feature a fleet of ASKA vehicles, operating on-demand in major cities and their surroundings. The ASKA A5 will be on display at CES in Las Vegas, January 5-8th, 2023, at stand WP-2/West Hall LVCC. Reinventing Transportation From horse and buggy, to paved roads, mass-produced automobiles, and the Interstate Highway System personal transportation and infrastructure have continuously evolved to make getting from point A to point B. However, roadways quickly became congested, traffic was born, and now people are spending too much of their lives in traffic. There needs to be a "step change." A new transportation solution that addresses the biggest challenges we face cost of living, climate change, affordable housing, effective infrastructure, and quality of life. It's something new that was predicted long ago but is finally becoming a reality: the flying car. "Our unveil at CES represents something that has never been accomplished in the world, but which humans have dreamed of for decades: a fully functional, full-scale prototype of a Drive & Fly electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing, a real flying car. We're making history with ASKA and defining the next 100 years of transportation," states Guy Kaplinsky, CoFounder/CEO. "ASKA is positioned as a new generation vehicle that combines the convenience of an automobile with the ease and efficiency of VTOL and STOL flight. ASKA is a vehicle that addresses not only consumers, there is also significant business potential in emergency response use, military use, as well as on-demand ride-sharing mobility services." ASKA requires minimum updates to the current infrastructure. To perform a vertical take-off or landing, ASKA requires only a compact space, such as a helipad or vertiport. The vehicle fits in existing parking spaces, it can be charged at home and EV charging stations, and the range extender engine runs on premium gasoline purchased at existing automotive gas stations. Flying Car as a Service ASKA A5 is available for pre-order. The company is developing an affordable on-demand ride-sharing service that utilizes its eVTOL vehicles. Targeting availability in major cities and surrounding areas by 2026*, ASKA's ride-sharing program will have certified pilots pick ride-share customers up at their homes and fly them to their destinations. The company has launched early-bird sign-up free registration for ASKA On-Demand. Innovative Engineering Firsts At first glance, the ASKA A5 is unlike any vehicle ever developed. It bridges the best in modern automotive and aviation design. Powering the ASKA A5 is a proprietary power system that features lithium-ion battery packs and a gasoline engine that acts as an onboard range extender. This dual energy source delivers a 250-mile flight range and drastically increases power source reliability. In drive mode, ASKA packs in-wheel motor technology, allowing all four wheels to be placed outside the fuselage for all-wheel-drive traction, better aerodynamics, and maximized interior space to comfortably seat 4 passengers. In flying mode, the vehicle's wings with six rotors unfold, allowing the vehicle to either take off vertically, or do conventional runway takeoffs. The large wing is optimized for gliding, smooth landings, and efficient energy consumption, while each tilt rotor is utilized for vehicle control. ASKA can take off in two ways: one is a Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) from a compact space like a helipad. The other is a conventional runway takeoff and landing which can improve the vehicle's energy consumption efficiency. "In the U.S. alone, there are around 15,000 airfields with runways," explains Maki Kaplinsky, CoFounder & Chair/COO. "Our innovative engineering enables ASKA to take off from a runway super fast using our unique in-wheel motor technology. This is a revolution in aviation, enabling ASKA to take off in less than 5 sec with a runway of 250 ft which brings the closest experience to a F-18 Super Hornet fighter jet taking off from an aircraft carrier for our customers. Pilots will have plenty of options for how and where to fly ASKA. ASKA's revolutionary "Drive and Fly" design enables us to use existing infrastructure and provide "last mile" transportation. ASKA lets people drive, fly and then drive to their final destination in one vehicle. This "Drive and Fly" approach will enable air mobility to be more easily and cost-effectively adopted." Safety Reimagined ASKA is designed for the highest safety standards. For example, ASKA has large wings and In the event of an emergency, the large wings can glide the craft to a safe landing. ASKA is equipped with dual energy sources, both batteries and an engine. The 6 propellers, one on each wing, ensure better redundancy for safe landings. The best-in-class hybrid propulsion system provides a minimum of 30 minutes reserve flight time, which is a critical requirement by the FAA today. ASKA also includes a ballistic parachute in case of emergency to save the whole aircraft. In 2020, ASKA signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA to advance its participation in the Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign, jointly organized by the FAA. In 2022 the FAA accepted ASKA through their intake board and the company is progressing towards ASKA's type certification. Full-scale flight testing will start after the CES. The ASKA A5 is targeted for commercialization 2026*. Pre-order reservations are now being accepted at www.askafly.com. *subject to standard regulatory approval and certification Click here for the press kit. About ASKA: ASKA maintains corporate and engineering facilities in Los Altos and Mountain View, CA. The company was founded in 2018 by serial entrepreneurs Guy and Maki Kaplinsky. Their previous startup, IQP Corporation, was a pioneer in the Internet of Things and developed a code-free application environment. IQP was acquired by GE Digital in 2017. CONTACT: Michael Fariano, [email protected] SOURCE ASKA Acquisition broadens portfolio with stainless-steel screens and valves that enable cooling tower operators to reduce costs while improving reliability. MONTICELLO, Miss., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlas-SSI, the largest traveling water screen and bulk material handling manufacturer in North America, today announced it has acquired Cooling Tower Valves and Screens LLC., based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The acquisition broadens the Atlas-SSI portfolio with a new line of screens and specialty valves that enable industrial facilities with cooling towers to lower the overall cost of unit operation while improving reliability. Traveling sump screens play a critical role in preventing debris from damaging the components of industrial cooling towers. If debris reaches the pump and impedes the flow of water, temperature in the operating unit will increase, and performance will be reduced. In addition, pump motors will use more energy to generate adequate water flow levels, resulting in higher operating costs and CO2 emissions. Cooling Tower Valves and Screens LLC has served North America's industrial cooling tower industry for over 26 years. Tweet this "This acquisition further strengthens our leading portfolio of screen solutions that remove plastics and debris from water sources to protect the environment and critical infrastructure assets," said Paul Lewis, CEO of Atlas-SSI. "The team at Cooling Tower Valves and Screens LLC. is well-respected in the industry, and we are excited to add their expertise to our family." The Vari-Flow lines of stainless-steel traveling sump screens and flow control valves have been operating in the industrial cooling tower industry for over 26 years. Traveling sump screens offers a simple and "maintenance-free" solution to help prevent downstream heat exchanger and condenser fouling while providing the benefits of manual or automated operation. Specialty control valves balance the flow of water to prevent vibration, optimizing the cooling tower's performance for even heat transfer across the tower, thereby mitigating the need for continual adjustment, repair and replacement. Brad Knecht, President of Cooling Tower Valves & Screens LLC., said, "We look forward to being part of the Atlas-SSI family and leveraging their distribution, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities to continue to provide long-lasting, high-quality products to our customers." About Atlas-SSI Atlas-SSI is the largest full-service manufacturer of raw water intake equipment, traveling water screens, 316(b) fish-friendly screens and trash rake systems in North America. Certified field service and dive teams support turnkey installations, on-site maintenance, inspections, repairs, and preventative maintenance. The Atlas-SSI material handling division designs and builds high-performance industrial clamshell buckets and grapples that meet strict industry standards and are trusted at many of the largest port facilities and dredging companies. To learn more, visit atlas-ssi.com. About Cooling Tower Valves and Screens LLC. Cooling Tower Valves and Screens LLC. has been serving the industrial cooling tower industry in North America for over 26 years. Specializing in solutions for refinery and petrochemical facilities, the company has earned a reputation for products that are unsurpassed in quality, performance and life expectancy. The Vari-Flow line of stainless-steel screens and valves are engineered, manufactured and serviced from its headquarters in Baton Rouge, LA. To learn more, visit ctvsllc.com. SOURCE Atlas-SSI, Inc NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System Market Research Report by Product Type, Application, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19 Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06336443/?utm_source=PRN The Global Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System Market size was estimated at USD 15.89 billion in 2021 and expected to reach USD 16.82 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 6.12% to reach USD 22.70 billion by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across 7 major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2018 and 2020 are considered as historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered as the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Product Type, the market was studied across Independent Suspension and Non- Independent Suspension. Based on Application, the market was studied across ATVs, High Performance Vehicles, Pickup Trucks, and SUVs. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitoras strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System Market, including American Star Manufacturing LLC, Aptiv PLC, Benteler International AG, BorgWarner Inc., Busche Performance Group, GESTAMP AUTOMOCION SA, Hendrickson Holdings LLC, Mando Corp., Marelli Holdings Co., Ltd., Mobex Global, Musashi Seimitsu Industry Co. Ltd., Schaeffler AG, Showa Corp., Sogefi Spa, TAHIKO Co. Ltd., Tenneco Inc., Thyssenkrupp AG, Yorozu Corp., and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Automotive Double Wishbone Suspension System Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06336443/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker After Starting His Career with Bosch 27 Years Ago, Hesse Will Lead the Power Tools Division with Innovation and User Experience Top of Mind MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Robert Bosch Tool Corporation named Robert Hesse as President and CEO of North America, effective November 1. In this position, Hesse will be responsible for the Robert Bosch Tool Corporation portfolio of businesses in North America which includes Bosch Power Tools and Accessories, Measuring Tools, Dremel Rotary Tools, and RotoZip Brands. Hesse will serve in this role after more than 25 years with Bosch, where he has held positions leading Bosch Communications Systems and, most recently, as the Senior Vice President of Sales at Bosch Accessories Group, a division of the Robert Bosch Tool Corporation. Robert Hesse, Bosch Tools' New President and CEO of North America. "In my first days with Bosch as a member of the International Trainee Program, I was thrilled to be a part of such a dynamic company. Today, I'm honored to support Bosch in a new capacity, working to boost our efforts in the North American market and creating tools to meet the needs of workers as they tackle difficult work on the jobsite," said Hesse. "By engaging the passion of my team and leveraging the strong reputation Bosch has within the power tools category, we will continue to focus our efforts on product innovation, by letting the needs and insights from workers lead the way." Hesse looks forward to leading the Bosch Power Tools team as the company continues to push the broader tools industry towards a more innovative future. Strategically, Hesse plans to drive Bosch's growth by bringing products to market that are easy-to-use and engineered to tackle tough applications on the jobsite. Additionally, Hesse plans to share his perspectives on the industry on his personal LinkedIn channel, @RobertHesse, to further engage in timely conversations within the power tool sector. A graduate of FH Munster with a degree in International Marketing & Foreign Trade, Hesse has spent his professional life across the globe. After joining Bosch in Hildesheim, Germany, Hesse worked alongside the Bosch UK team in London and most recently, held a position with Bosch Accessories Group in Solothurn, Switzerland. The power tools division of Bosch continues to bring innovation to the market, impacting the tool industry and workers on the job. The brand's newest launches in 2022 expanded their 18V platform, which included additions to the PROFACTOR high-powered cordless lineup. Additionally, the brand launched its first-ever fully integrated marketing campaign, 'What Hard Workers Deserve.' Dremel has also led with innovation recently launching the 8260, the company's first smart rotary tool, and kickstarting a new brand campaign targeting younger generations of DIYers, eager to learn new hands-on skills. Robert's leadership will further extend these initiatives into 2023 and beyond. For more information, visit boschtools.com and dremel.com. About Robert Bosch Tool Corporation Robert Bosch Tool Corporation, the Bosch Power Tools Division of North America, was formed in January 2003 when Robert Bosch GmbH combined its North American power tool and accessories businesses into one organization. As a manufacturing pioneer with more than a century's worth of experience, the Bosch name has become synonymous with engineering excellence. Throughout North America, Bosch associates maintain a legacy of world-class design, manufacture, and sale of power tools, rotary and oscillating tools, measuring tools and accessories. For more information visit www.boschtools.com. Bosch in North America In the U.S., Canada and Mexico, the Bosch Group manufactures and markets automotive original equipment and aftermarket products, industrial drives and control technology, power tools, security and communication systems, packaging technology, thermotechnology, household appliances, healthcare telemedicine and software solutions. For more information, please visit www.boschusa.com, www.bosch.com.mx and www.bosch.ca.www.boschusa.com. About Bosch Having established a regional presence in 1906 in North America, the Bosch Group employs 35,400 associates in more than 100 locations, as of December 31, 2018. In 2018 Bosch generated consolidated sales of $14.5 billion in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. For more information, visit twitter.com/boschusa, twitter.com/boschmexico and www.bosch.ca. The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 410,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2018). The company generated sales of 78.5 billion euros ($92.7 billion) in 2018. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT company, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, smart cities, connected mobility, and connected manufacturing. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group's strategic objective is to create solutions for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is "Invented for life." The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 460 subsidiary and regional companies in over 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch's global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. The basis for the company's future growth is its innovative strength. At nearly 130 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 68,700 associates in research and development. Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, www.twitter.com/BoschPresse. Exchange rate: 1 EUR = $1.1811 SOURCE BOSCH TOOLS NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BPGC Management LP ("BPGC"), Spinnaker International LLC ("Spinnaker") and R Investments (together the "Acquiror") has acquired a majority stake in Nurse Assist LLC, the maker of the Stericare Solutions ("Stericare") brand of medical water products. Stericare is an independent specialty manufacturer of medical grade saline and water products with a focus on, prefilled flush syringes, USP sterile water and saline, sterile saline wound flush and irrigation kits. The company's medical water system is recognized by many in the industry for its high quality and track record of consistency. The Acquiror will own 70 percent of Stericare. Stephen Toy, co-founder of BPGC - "Stericare has a first-class water purification system that delivers consistent, high quality medical grade water. We believe this in-house water system can be further expanded to drive growth in existing and new product categories." Kevin Seifert, co-founder of Spinnaker International "The company's management team has successfully elevated Stericare into a best-in-class manufacturer with a strong market presence. Supporting this team with our capital and execution guidance, we are confident that a significant growth model will flourish to serve many of the market's unmet needs." Wilbur Ross, founder of R Investments "This is my first investment into medical products and services. Stericare can expand rapidly from the strong demand growth for its sterilized products, by increasing its market share and by acquisitions. I look forward to serving on the board to assist management in achieving these goals." Stephen Toy further added "Kevin and I have known each other for over 20 years. We are delighted to be partnering on Stericare and are excited to collaborate on driving further growth and expansion opportunities for the business." About BPGC BPGC Management LP is an independent private equity firm dedicated to opportunistic buyouts and special situations transactions in the global industrials, materials and chemicals sectors. BPGC's Co-Founders, Stephen Toy and Nadim Qureshi, previously served in various leadership roles at Invesco Private Capital and WL Ross & Co. and share a deep heritage of successfully operating and investing across multiple geographies. BPGC is headquartered in New York City. Learn more at www.bpgc.com. About Spinnaker Spinnaker International LLC (Spinnaker) is an independent investment company that focuses on unique strategic and tactical growth opportunities. They leverage strong differentiated commercial strategies, robust patent portfolios, operational excellence and diversified global distribution channels. Spinnaker's Co-founders, Alvin Yip and Kevin Seifert have over 50 years of industry experience combined. They have a successful track record of working with or at many top global companies: Intel, BMT, 3M, Hewlett Packard, Virgin Mobile, Becton Dickenson, Covidien, Medtronic, Roche, Bayer Healthcare, and Abbott Laboratories. Spinnaker is headquartered in Massachusetts and has offices in Hong Kong and the UK. About R Investments R Investments is a merchant banking firm wholly owned by Wilbur Ross, who had been the founder and Chairman of WL Ross &Co. prior to serving for four years as the United States Secretary of Commerce. Media Contact: Stephen Toy [email protected] SOURCE BPGC Management LP Usage of carbon fiber products is likely to increase due to rise in demand for non-corrosive materials across several industries Flexibility of glass-reinforced concrete to be molded into almost any shape, size, or profile has increased its appeal among engineers and architects, which is anticipated to propel market growth WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global concrete fiber market was worth US$ 1,209.9 Mn in 2021 and is projected to reach US$ 2,079.1 Mn by 2031. The market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast period, from 2022 to 2031. Beneficial features of concrete fiber, particularly for industries such as transportation and building & construction, are expected to drive market demand during the forecast period. Implementation of innovative production techniques that reduce product prices and government financing and initiatives are anticipated to drive market development. Rapid urbanization and industrialization throughout the world and higher usage of concrete fiber in the building & construction industry are anticipated to drive industry growth. Building and construction businesses in Asia Pacific are largely driven by continuing infrastructural development activities in several countries. Consequently, usage of concrete fibers is expected to rise in the region. Construction activity is rising exponentially in China, India, and countries in Southeast Asia. Governments of these nations offer incentives to encourage the construction and development of infrastructure. Hence, the concrete fiber market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand rapidly during the forecast period. Download a FREE sample copy of the report (please prefer the corporate mail ID to get the highest priority): https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=6269 Key Findings of Market Report Based on product, the steel fibers segment held 45% share of the global concrete fiber market in 2021. The segment is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period. This is attributed to superior flexural and tensile strength, ductility, great durability, and stress and fatigue resistance of steel fibers. These qualities allow steel fibers to give concrete more durability and post-crack load bearing capability. Global Concrete Fiber Market: Growth Opportunities Concrete is a widely utilized material. Globally, more than two billion tons of concrete is produced each year. It has a number of benefits over wood, including greater compressive strength, reduced cost, and better fire and weather resistance. Easy access to raw materials is also one of the benefits. However, ductility and tensile strength are absent in concrete. Hence, manufacturers are producing more carbon fiber materials to overcome the drawbacks of traditional concrete products. Market forecast estimates that demand for carbon fiber goods is likely to increase as non-corrosive materials become more important. This, in turn, is expected to fuel industry growth in the near future. Development of cutting-edge products for dam construction and sewage pipelines is likely to propel the concrete fiber business Producers are manufacturing products for tubing and automobile drive shafts in order to capitalize on lucrative opportunities in the market Customized concrete fiber products are now possible owing to ground-breaking improvements in 3D printing. Manufacturers have introduced injection molding devices to create durable goods made of concrete fiber that meet requirements of consumers in several end-use industries. Buy this Premium Research Report | Immediate Delivery Available - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=6269US$15,000 Coding Bootcamp Market by Value 3.4.4 Global US$5,000-US$9,999 Coding Bootcamp Market by Value 3.4.5 Global 3.4.6 Global Free Coding Bootcamp Market by Value 4. Regional Market Analysis 5. Impact of COVID-19 5.1 Impact of COVID-19 5.1.1 Impact of COVID-19 on Coding Bootcamp 5.1.2 Incentives Offered by Bootcamps During COVID-19 Pandemic 5.1.3 Post-COVID Scenario 6. Market Dynamics 6.1 Growth Drivers 6.1.1 Increasing Enrollments 6.1.2 University-Bootcamp Partnerships 6.1.3 Increasing Investments in Boot Camp 6.1.4 Increased Flexibility 6.1.5 Availability of Financing Options 6.1.6 Scholarships 6.1.7 Better Outcome 6.2 Challenges 6.2.1 Demand for Formal Education 6.3 Market Trends 6.3.1 Increasing Demand for E-Learning 6.3.2 Corporate Training Program 6.3.3 Niche and Specialized Courses 7. Competitive Landscape 7.1 The US Coding Bootcamp Players by Market Share 7.2 Global Coding Bootcamp Players: Venture Capital Rounds 7.3 Global Coding Bootcamp Market: Merger & Acquisitions 8. Company Profiles 8.1 Adecco Group AG (General Assembly) 8.1.1 Business Overview 8.1.2 Operating Segments 8.1.3 Course Description 8.1.4 Business Strategy 8.2 Chegg Inc. (Thinkful) 8.2.1 Business Overview 8.2.2 Operating Segments 8.2.3 Course Description 8.2.4 Business Strategy 8.3 Springboard 8.3.1 Business Overview 8.3.2 Course Description 8.3.3 Business Strategy 8.4 Bloom Institute of Technology (BloomTech) 8.4.1 Business Overview 8.4.2 Course Description 8.4.3 Business Strategy 8.5 App Academy 8.5.1 Business Overview 8.5.2 Course Description 8.6 Hack Reactor 8.6.1 Business Overview 8.6.2 Course Description 8.7 4Geeks Academy 8.7.1 Business Overview 8.7.2 Course Description 8.8 Fullstack Academy 8.8.1 Business Overview 8.8.2 Course Description 8.8.3 Business Strategy 8.9 Flatiron School 8.9.1 Business Overview 8.9.2 Course Description 8.9.3 Business Strategy 8.10 CareerFoundry 8.10.1 Business Overview 8.10.2 Course Description 8.11 Ironhack 8.11.1 Business Overview 8.11.2 Course Description 8.12 Barcelona Code School 8.12.1 Business Overview 8.12.2 Course Description 8.13 Makers Academy 8.13.1 Business Overview 8.13.2 Course Description For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/66cxvc Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets CHICAGO, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global thermal management market was valued at USD 10.7 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 19.3 billion by 2028, registering a CAGR of 9.7% during the forecast period according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The rise in demand for thermal management is attributed to the increasing need for advanced heat dissipation solutions and thermal management components in consumer electronics and the growing use of miniature electronic devices. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=155049228 Browse in-depth TOC on "Thermal Management Market" 250 Tables 50 Figures 228 Pages By Material: Non-adhesive materials segment to propel market growth The non-adhesive materials segment accounted for the largest market share of ~73% in 2028. This growth is attributed to the wide use of non-adhesive materials, such as thermal pads, gap fillers, and grease, in consumer electronics such as computers, laptops, and other handheld devices, for example, tablets. These materials are significantly less vulnerable to high electrical currents and are highly efficient in controlling and regulating the temperature of the electronics in which they are used. The non-adhesive materials are also proficient in handling mechanical shocks and absorption, providing more security and reliability to users. By Device: Convection cooling devices segment to capture largest share of thermal management market in 2028 The convection cooling devices segment accounted for the largest market share of ~45% in 2028. This growth is attributed to the increasing use of convection cooling devices in electronic components, circuits, and printed circuit boards (PCBs). Convection cooling involves the transfer of heat from a card into the ambient air using airflow. Convection cooling techniques can be applied in two ways: through natural airflow and by forced air flow via fans or blowers. The convection medium can be air or any other suitable thermal liquid. Thus, natural convection and forced air convection cooling are two types of convection cooling methods. Natural convection cooling devices do not require external sources, whereas forced air cooling devices require external sources such as pumps, fans, and suction devices for heat transfer. Heat sinks are attached to cooling devices in convection cooling to increase their dissipation area. This allows a large amount of heat to be transferred from devices to heat sinks and then to the ambient air. By Service: In 2028, optimization & post-sales support segment to hold largest share of thermal management market The optimization & post-sales support segment is expected to account for the largest market share of ~62% in 2028. Optimization & post-sales support services are provided for critical quality control in servers and data centers as high temperatures can damage them and result in the loss of vital information. Post-sales services typically lead to higher customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, word-of-mouth marketing, and even repeat sales. Optimization & post-sales support services include maintenance and service offerings to reduce downtime of systems, elevate their overall performance levels, and maximize their operational life. They also include flexible service plans that can be customized according to customer requirements, extended product warranties, and comprehensive maintenance and repair plans. These are some key factors contributing to the rising demand for optimization & post-sales support services. By End-user Industry: Automotive industry to hold largest share of thermal management market in 2028 The automotive industry is likely to account for the largest market share of ~29% in 2028. The increasing use of electric vehicles (EVs), which enable e-mobility and compliance with CO2 emission regulations, is driving the growth of the automotive segment. In the automotive industry, the thermal management of HVAC systems, instrument panels, infotainment systems, satellite navigation systems, head-up displays, and engine and brake management systems is essential. The automotive industry is among the leading consumers of thermal management solutions and systems due to the increasing demand for cables and insulating jackets, chassis suspension systems, automotive hoses, and automotive connectors for effective thermal management in vehicles. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=155049228 Asia Pacific likely to hold largest share of global thermal management market in 2028 Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest share of ~41% of the thermal management market in 2028. Flourishing chip manufacturing companies in countries such as China and South Korea are contributing to the growth of the thermal management market in Asia Pacific. The thermal management market in Asia Pacific is rapidly growing owing to the increasing demand for these services in countries such as China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Rest of Asia Pacific. The region has become a global focal point for large investments and business expansion opportunities. The thermal management market is dominated by a few globally established players, such as Henkel (Germany), Honeywell International Inc. (US), Vertiv Co (US), Delta Electronics, Inc. (Taiwan), Parker Chomerics (US), TAT Technologies Ltd. (Israel), Autoneum Holding AG (Switzerland), Boyd (US), European Thermodynamics Ltd. (UK), and Laird Thermal Systems (US). Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=155049228 Browse Adjacent Market: Semiconductor and Electronics Market Research Reports &Consulting Related Reports: Thermal Interface Pads & Material Market by Type (Phase Change Material, Thermal Grease, Thermal Pads), Products (MOSFET, Thyristor, IGBT), Application (Consumer Electronics, Telecom Equipment, Power Supply Units) - Forecast to 2020 Electronics Conformal Coating Market by Material (Acrylic, Silicone, Parylene, Urethane/Polyurethane, Epoxy), Equipment (Curing, Coating), Method (Brush Coating, Dipping), Application and Geography - Global Forecasts to 2020 EMC Shielding and Test Equipment Market by Type (EMC Shielding, EMC Test Equipment), Vertical (Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT, Automotive, Healthcare, Aerospace, and Others), Application, and Geography (2020-2025) EMC Testing Market by Offering (Hardware & Software and services), End-Use Application (Consumer Appliances & Electronics, Automotive, Military & Aerospace, IT & Telecommunications, Medical, Industrial), and Geography - Global Forecast 2024 UV Curing System Market by Technology (UV LED, Mercury Lamp), Type (Spot Cure, Flood and Focused Beam, Conveyor), Pressure Type (High, Medium, Low), Application, Vertical and Geography (2021-2026) About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/thermal-management-market.asp Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/thermal-management.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets New Stamp Symbolizes the Journey of Education HIGH POINT, N.C. , Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether it inspires excitement, tears, fears or nostalgia, the bright yellow bus that transports millions of students to classrooms across the United States every day is a cherished artifact of a common childhood experience. With the release of the School Bus additional ounce stamp, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the iconic yellow school bus and its place in the nation's collective childhood. USPS School Bus additional ounce stamp About 25 million children across the United States ride a yellow bus to school every day. In addition to providing safe and reliable transportation almost 70 times safer than being driven to school in a carthese buses also keep millions of cars off the road, saving gasoline and lowering carbon dioxide emissions. Inside each bus is a rolling microcosm: a youthful world where childish joys and dramas play out, friendships form and dissolve, and daydreams are dreamed as children are ferried to and from school. The stamp's background is ecru, while the school, flag, and lettering are tan. The school building's few details windows, door, clock face, and "SCHOOL" lettering are also ecru. The body of the bus is bright yellow, its tire rims are gray, and its tires, door, windows, bumpers, trim, and details are black. In addition, black lettering on its side states "LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT." The bus stands on a thick black line that serves both as a road and a border separating it from the words "ADDITIONAL OUNCE" along the stamp's bottom edge. Artist Steve Wolf worked with art director Greg Breeding and designer Mike Ryan to create this stamp. School Bus additional ounce stamps are issued in panes of 20 and coils of 100. Additional ounce stamps are used to add postage when needed on heavier mailpieces. Like a Forever stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the rate printed on it. Background The brilliant color of school buses is no accident. In 1939, a group of state transportation officials and bus and paint manufacturers gathered at Columbia University's Teachers College, in New York City, to develop safety and fabrication standards for school buses. The group tested various colors and determined that black lettering showed most legibly on the vibrant "National School Bus Chrome," which became the vehicle's standard color. Thirty-five states immediately began mandating that color, but it was not until 1974 that all states adopted the shade. Postal Products Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps , by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide. The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to more than 163 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America, to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories, and maintain the organization as one of America's most valued and trusted brands. The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube channel, like us on Facebook and enjoy our Postal Posts blog. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com. For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube channel, like us on Facebook and enjoy our Postal Posts blog. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com Contact: Martha Johnson 202-819-3026 [email protected] usps.com/news SOURCE U.S. Postal Service Focus on Instructors and the Customers' Personal Financial Journey OREM, Utah, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- "Good people are sometimes hard to find and great people almost impossible," says Alan Akina, President, and CEO of 101 Financial on the promotion of Lei Akina (no relation) to Vice President of Instructor Operations. 101 Financial's vast network of instructors helps tens of thousands of individuals and families stay focused on our mission to help people improve their lives through better money management. 101 Financial Lei Akina - VP of Instructor Development Founded by CEO Alan Akina in 2002, over the past two decades, 101 Financial has helped thousands of people take control of their money and achieve their financial goals. "I can't tell you how excited my executive team and I are to have Lei join us on the corporate side at 101. What she brings to the table will be a game changer as 101 Financial enters the next 20-year phase of our company. I believe that our Instructor team will fall in love with her because of her heart. She cares about each of them and their financial well-being, business success, and families. She understands what it takes to be successful as a Certified 101 Instructor. The success of her 101 Financial Students is a testament to knowing what our students need to change their financial lives. She passes on that knowledge and enthusiasm to each Instructor in our network," Akina states. Lei Akina has worked with 101 Financial for over 10 years as a Master Instructor and in Instructor leadership. Lei Akina says, "I am humbled and excited for the opportunity to join the corporate team. I look forward to working alongside the entire 101 team of Instructors to help them level up their success in helping more families. What we do here at 101 is life-changing and people need our help more than ever." The company has become a leading provider of financial education featuring know-how cashflow management and reducing debt through personal finance classes. The courses have a major advantage over other online or app-based products as each personal finance course features a personal financial Instructor that works one-on-one with each student. When 101 Financial opened its doors and began providing personal finance education to the people of Hawaii, the unique approach rapidly expanded across the US. Our award-winning programs and services are available nationwide. We are proud to have helped thousands of people improve their finances and save billions of dollars in interest. The 99 Personal Finance Class includes better budgeting and credit building. This personal finance class is focused on personal finance for beginners, however even seasoned individuals and families benefit from learning new tactics and using the online app and tools. The 101 Financial Personal Finance 101 Class expands your toolset for rapidly paying off debt through a close working relationship with your Certified 101 Instructor. The 101 Personal Finance Class includes: Continue projecting and increasing cash flow Continue building a more extensive, positive credit history Master accelerated debt elimination with smart banking techniques 101 Financial has extended its product line and financial education reach to include workplace wellness and well-being classes focused on employers and HR Teams. Additionally, the 99 Course has been expanded to include components that allow college students to apply to their Universities for College credit where prior learning courses are accepted. The new personal finance college course called the 101 Financial 99 Collegiate Course is now available to college students across the US. The powerful personal finance software includes budgeting, cash flow, and debt reduction strategies. Their courses continue with the powerful 101 course that includes Saving and budgeting Interest and debt Investments and retirement Income and benefits Housing Car expenses Taxes and more. The 101 course also includes strategies for finding personal finance loans that allow free cash flow to help in reducing debt. This unique program combines 101 Financial's proven debt reduction process with powerful cash flow and budgeting tools. With 101 Financial's help, you can finally break free from the chains of debt and start building a brighter future for yourself and your family. Contact 101 Financial today for a free consultation. Start by downloading the book by Alan Akina, https://www.superdupersimplebooks.com/ The Super Duper Simple Book On Money. About 101 Financial Since 2002, we've helped tens of thousands of people across the U.S. learn the foundations of finance, save over a billion dollars in interest, and find financial peace of mind. Founded by CEO Alan Akina, with offices in Orem, Utah, and Kahuku, Hawaii, over 1000 Certified Financial Fitness Instructors are located across the United States ready to provide financial guidance to individuals and families. 101 Financial offers a series of personal finance classes each with a focus on moving everyone down the path of personal financial success. 101 Financial created their workplace wellness benefits program for companies to offer these personal financial courses to their employees as part of their workplace well-being programs. 101 Financial also offers a Wealth Academy that provides various learning and investing opportunities. Visit www.101financial.com and www.101financialworkplacewellness.com for more information. Media Contact: Christa Martin [email protected] 858-775-2652 SOURCE 101 Financial Disaster logistics nonprofit Airlink has launched an air bridge from the US to Haiti transporting humanitarian aid to the Caribbean Island on behalf of aid agencies working to overcome transport constraints and security concerns. WASHINGTON, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Funding for the Airlink air bridge comes from a USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) grant to provide at least two charter flights a month until the end of January. In-kind freight forwarding (cargo pick-up coordination, ground transportation and warehousing) has been provided by Airlink partner SEKO Logistics. Loading of the first shipments of humanitarian aid to be delivered through the Airlink airbridge. Humanitarian agencies have struggled to get life-saving aid to the island due to transport costs and escalating gang violence, which have impacted maritime ports, road access, and overall security. Air charter prices have increased 160 percent in the last six years and an estimated 200 gangs operate across Haiti with around 95 operating in the capital Port-au-Prince. Meanwhile, the island's population is dealing with an ongoing humanitarian emergency and the impact of multiple disasters, including the instability caused by the assassination of President Jovenel Moise and a deadly earthquake in 2021. An outbreak of cholera is the latest disaster to hit the Haitian people. There are more than 18,000 suspected cases amongst the population, with 30 percent of those comprising children under the age of nine. The country's health system is struggling to cope. Of the twenty-two local health institutions, only six are fully functioning. The first two air bridge flights departed from Miami International Airport carrying 88 tons of aid including medical supplies, IV fluids, water purification supplies, and clean water filtration equipment to help address the cholera crisis. "As humanitarian needs persist and a cholera epidemic threatens the health and wellbeing of the Haitian people, USAID is working to get life-saving aid to those who need it most. We are proud to partner with Airlink to create this vital airbridge to Haiti to save lives and alleviate suffering caused by this ongoing humanitarian crisis and cholera epidemic," said Lana Oh, USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Team lead in Haiti. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have struggled to deliver aid to Haiti on the back of upward spiraling transport costs. Few scheduled airlines want to fly to Haiti and fuel price rises and global competition for air freight space have driven up the costs for chartered flights beyond most NGO budgets. One of the most significant cost factors has been the deteriorating security situation in the country. Sea freight is no longer an option for NGOs hoping to move aid into the country due to a lack of port security and the activity of violent gangs. This has further driven up competition for air freight space and increased costs for associated services. The costs of cargo offloading at Haiti's main airport have increased by almost 600 percent as staff seek pay that reflects the increased workload and the real risks to their own lives of coming to work because of gang violence. "The situation in Haiti is deteriorating rapidly and the human need is huge. Unfortunately, it has become a forgotten disaster," said Stephanie Steege, Airlink's Director of Program. "This air bridge is critically needed to get aid into Haiti, but we could not have done it without the support of SEKO Logistics and grant funding from USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and the American people." Airlink provides a network of over 150 NGOs with free air transport enabling them to move responders and humanitarian aid in response to natural and man-made disasters. Studies have shown that supply chain management accounts for 73 percent of the cost of any humanitarian program; it is also the most volatile cost component. The first two chartered flights undertaken through Airlink's air bridge supported the movement of aid on behalf of aid agencies CARE Haiti, the Dalton Foundation, Food for the Poor, Partners in Health, and the World Health Organization. The aid will help to tackle the current cholera outbreak and includes bleach and Clorox 360 to sanitize, and assorted personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, bouffant caps, shoe covers, and N95 masks. In addition, CARE Haiti is moving in the first two of five water treatment units, assembled in the US. These first two units will contribute to increased access to safe and clean water in Cayemites, an island with no functioning clean safe running water. A lack of safe and clean water alongside open defecation is reported to be one of the main causes of the high number of cholera cases in this area. To safeguard the supplies and local staff, Airlink is not disclosing the exact number of flights that will form the air bridge or when they will depart but estimate they have nearly 200 tons of supplies in the pipeline, which they hope to move in the coming weeks. This aid includes medical supplies, IV fluids, PPE, disinfectant, medications, water filtration systems and water treatment tablets, and food assistance to help combat and prevent malnutrition in cholera patients. The nonprofit hopes to continue the air bridge beyond January 2023 but will need to find additional in-kind industry donations or grant funding to do so. About Airlink: (www.airlinkflight.org) Contact: Andrew Williams +1 (202)-830-8514 [email protected] SOURCE Airlink, Inc. Compass Point wins three awards in global high frequency radio competition HERNDON, Va., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Akima today announced that its subsidiary, Compass Point , earned top awards in the three-day Noble Skywave 2022 military-led High Frequency (HF) competition. The competition measures the number of HF contacts each team can make by voice, data, and distance. The Compass Point team at the Army Fort Huachuca HF Gateway Station in Arizona participates in the annual competition to test and strengthen their skills and expertise. The competition, hosted by the Canadian Armed Forces, is considered one of the world's most prestigious military-led HF competitions in the world. At Noble Skywave 2022, 429 military units from 13 nations around the world put their skills, knowledge, and speed to the test. Compass Point's team of elite subject matter experts demonstrated their excellence by winning first place in the United States, first place in the 400+ watt transmitting power category, and third overall. The competition is considered one of the world's most prestigious military-led HF competitions in the world. Tweet this The competition showcased skills that the Compass Point team hones year-round as they maintain and operate the Army HF Gateway Station located on Fort Huachuca, Arizona. The team runs specialized training sessions for military units from every branch of the military; these lab sessions often include HF radio troubleshooting, advanced training on new systems, or help with configuration and set-up. The Compass Point team also uses their extensive expertise to support military radio operators across the country by troubleshooting issues related to frequency, antennae angles, or best configuration for new radio technology. "We're so proud of this hard-working team that is extremely passionate about what they do," said Barry Smallwood, President of Akima's Emerging Markets Group. "The knowledge and readiness this team displayed is essential for strengthening connectivity across the Army. This is a critical military mission and lifeline for communication, if and when needed." About Compass Point, an Akima Company From cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) to big data and analytics, the future of IT has arrived. Government agencies are embracing disruptive technologies at an increasing rate to improve decision-making, take control of data security, and deliver superior mission outcomes. As an SBA-certified 8(a) company wholly owned by an Alaska Native Corporation, Compass Point delivers a broad range of skilled IT services to support a smarter, more connected government. About Akima Akima is a global enterprise with more than 8,000 employees, delivering agile solutions to the federal government in the core areas of facilities, maintenance, and repair; information technology; logistics; protective services; systems engineering; mission support; furniture, fixtures & equipment (FF&E); and construction. As a subsidiary of NANA, an Alaska Native Corporation owned by more than 15,000 Inupiat shareholders, Akima's core mission is to enable superior outcomes for our customers' missions while simultaneously creating a long-lived asset for NANA consistent with our Inupiat values. In 2022, Akima ranked #28 on Washington Technology's Top 100 List and #56 on Bloomberg Government's BGOV200 List of top federal contractors. To learn more about Akima, visit www.akima.com . SOURCE Akima DALLAS, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Reddy Ice LLC, the largest manufacturer and distributor of packaged ice in North America, announced that Lonny Warner has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and President, and a member of the Reddy Ice Board of Directors, effective today. Mr. Warner is an experienced business leader with diverse expertise across several industries. His deep knowledge and proven leadership in supply chain management, technology, sales and marketing will be beneficial for Reddy Ice's continued growth and focus on transformational initiatives. He succeeds Deb Conklin, who will work closely with Mr. Warner over the next month to ensure a smooth transition as she exits the company for a new opportunity. "We are pleased that Lonny has accepted the role as CEO at Reddy Ice," said Shawn Malleck, Chairman of the Board. "He has broad and unique experience that will serve this business well, from the operations/logistics side to the service and technology expertise that will allow us to continue to set the standard in the packaged ice industry." Mr. Warner was previously the Chief Operating Officer at CSC ServiceWorks, where he delivered material improvements in productivity and improved EBITDA results. Prior to CSC ServiceWorks, he held senior leadership positions including Chief Operating Officer, SVP and General Manager at The Brink's Company and held various positions at Con-Way/Menlo Logistics earlier in his career. He has a track record of accelerating commercial value, developing high performance teams and leading businesses to success. Mr. Warner holds a bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Oklahoma with additional Executive Management studies at Northwestern and Michigan State Universities. "I am excited and humbled to take on the responsibility of guiding this iconic and premium brand to its next stage of growth and development," said Mr. Warner. "I look forward to the opportunity of working with Reddy's employees and management to drive innovation, deliver client and customer solutions, and enhance the value of the company." Mr. Malleck also said, "I am grateful for the hard work of outgoing CEO Deb Conklin, who has done an amazing job over the past five years and led the company to where it is today. Deb will be moving to KeHE as their President and CEO, which is an incredible opportunity for her, and we wish her great success in the future." Ms. Conklin said: "I am proud of what our team accomplished at Reddy Ice, and am looking forward to the next stage of my career with the confidence that Lonny can continue to build on a strong foundation of success at Reddy. It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve with an outstanding group of employees and managers." About Reddy Ice Reddy Ice is the largest manufacturer and distributor of packaged ice products in North America. The Company serves a diverse customer base through a network of over 115 manufacturing facilities and distribution centers. Reddy Ice provides a broad array of product offerings in the marketplace including traditional direct store delivery, warehouse programs, and its proprietary technology, The Ice Factory. Known for exceptional products, customer service, and industry leading distribution solutions, Reddy Ice serves a wide variety of consumer-packaged goods channels including grocery, mass merchandiser and club stores, convenience stores, drug and dollar stores, as well as non-retail companies such as airlines, construction services, emergency services, and catering and event services. For more information, please visit www.reddyice.com. SOURCE Reddy Ice SOURCE Reddy Ice LLC DOHA, Qatar, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The results of the largest opinion poll of its kind in the Arab world has been released by The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS) with almost 33 thousand respondents across 14 Arab countries and more than 900 researchers taking part. Arab Opinion Index press conference 1 The poll touched upon the issues facing Arabs living within the region as well as their opinions on global events. Given the contentious nature of the region's democratization efforts and political culture, Israeli-Arab relations, Russia's war on Ukraine, and more, the findings of this year's poll highlight significant trends in Arab public opinion. The following are some of the report's key findings. The full report is attached. DEMOCRACY AND STATE INSTITUTIONS There is overwhelming support for democracy in the Arab World, with 72% of respondents supporting a democratic system. This support for democracy has been a constant in every Arab Index survey since its launch in 2011, demonstrating an established belief in democracy. Citizens' confidence in state institutions varies. Parliaments and legislative councils received the least amount of confidence among Arab citizens, at a rate of 47%. Arab public opinion is almost unanimous that financial and administrative corruption is widespread in their countries to varying degrees, at a rate of 87%. Just over a third of respondents (34%) said that their countries apply the law equally among citizens, while 39% think that they do not enjoy full equality, with their countries favoring some groups over others. Almost a quarter of respondents (24%) think that their countries do not apply the law equally at all. ARAB-ISRAELI RELATIONS 84% of citizens oppose their home countries' recognition of Israel, citing political reasons as opposed to religious or cultural ones. This opposition remains overwhelmingly high despite recent normalization agreements with Israel by UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. The majority of Saudi respondents who answered this question rejected recognition of Israel (38%), despite a high rate of nonresponse to this question (57%). A vast majority of respondents consider the policies of Israel (84%) and the United States (78%) a threat to the security and stability of the Arab region, while 57% of respondents consider Iranian and Russian policies a threat to the region. RUSSIA'S WAR ON UKRAINE More than a third of respondents (44%) agreed that Russia's declaration of war on Ukraine was unjustified, compared to 19% who said it was justified, and over a third (37%) said they do not know or declined to answer. Those who said it is unjustified deemed Russia's declaration of war as an act of aggression, interference with the sovereignty of another state, and occupation of land. SOCIAL MEDIA Almost all (98%) internet users in the Arab World have accounts on social media platforms. More respondents had Facebook accounts than any other social media platform, except in the Gulf, where more (77%), had Twitter accounts. A majority of Arab Citizens (75%) use social media to obtain news and political information. More than half of the users (51%) express their views on political events. 57% of social media users said that they do not trust information and news circulated on social media, a notable increase from the last AOI survey. Interaction and participation with political issues among Arab social media users is divided: while 48% interact with or participate in political issues, 48% do not. Arab Opinion Index In-depth [pdf] Arab Opinion Index full results in Arabic [pdf] Contact: Mutaz Al Nazer (00974-55968854) [email protected] SOURCE Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies BOSTON, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC (" ArcLight ") has announced that Lucius Taylor has been promoted to Partner. Lucius joined ArcLight in 2007 and is an integral part of the investment team with a particular focus on natural gas infrastructure assets. He has over two decades of experience in energy infrastructure investment experience and is a key member of the firm's Investment Committee. Prior to joining ArcLight, Mr. Taylor was a Vice President in the Energy and Natural Resource Group at FBR Capital Markets, where he focused on raising public and private capital for companies in the power and energy sectors. Mr. Taylor earned a Bachelor of Arts in Geology from Colorado College, a Master of Science in Hydrogeology from the University of Nevada, and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Commenting on the promotion, Managing Partner and Founder, Dan Revers, said, "ArcLight continues to invest in the development of our people and team to support our growth and success. I am delighted to recognize the accomplishments of Lucius who has made many meaningful contributions to the firm over the years." About ArcLight ArcLight is a leading private equity firm focused on energy, infrastructure and energy transition with a successful long-term track record, including in investing in companies that provide decarbonizing energy solutions with a strong focus on ESG. Founded in 2001, the firm helped pioneer an asset-based approach to investing across the power, renewables, infrastructure and broader energy value chain. Since then, ArcLight has invested approximately US$27 billion in 122 transactions, including over US$11 billion of equity capital into the electrification segment, which includes power, transmission, renewable infrastructure and energy transition investments. More information about ArcLight can be found at www.arclight.com. SOURCE ArcLight Capital Partners NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspartame Market Research Report by Raw Material, Type, Distribution Channel, Application, End-Use, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19 Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06336281/?utm_source=PRN The Global Aspartame Market size was estimated at USD 7,192.68 million in 2021 and expected to reach USD 7,790.89 million in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 8.57% to reach USD 11,781.39 million by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across 7 major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2018 and 2020 are considered as historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered as the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Aspartame to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Raw Material, the market was studied across Aspartic Acid and Phenylalanine. Based on Type, the market was studied across Food Grade Aspartame and Pharmaceutical Grade Aspartame. Based on Distribution Channel, the market was studied across Convenience Stores, Departmental Stores, and Supermarkets. Based on Application, the market was studied across Beverages, Confectionery Assorts, Dairy Products, Medicine & Nutritional Products, and Seasonings. Based on End-Use, the market was studied across Agriculture, Cosmetics, Food & Beverages, and Healthcare. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Aspartame market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Aspartame Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitoras strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Aspartame Market, including Ajinomoto Group, BOC Sciences, Cargill Incorporated, Daesang Corporation, Foodchem International Corporation, Hermes Sweetener Ltd., Holland Sweetener Company, HYET Sweet, Ingredion Incorporated, Merisant, Niutang Chemical Ltd., NutraSweet Company, Sinoway International (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd.,, Viachem, and Vitasweet. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Aspartame Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Aspartame Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Aspartame Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Aspartame Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Aspartame Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Aspartame Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Aspartame Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06336281/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Assistive Furniture Market Research Report by Type, Application, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19 Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06336292/?utm_source=PRN The Global Assistive Furniture Market size was estimated at USD 3,291.23 million in 2021 and expected to reach USD 3,684.86 million in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 12.21% to reach USD 6,571.47 million by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across 7 major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2018 and 2020 are considered as historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered as the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Assistive Furniture to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Type, the market was studied across Beds, Door Openers, Railings & Bar, and Riser Reclining Chairs. Based on Application, the market was studied across Assisted Living Facilities, Home Care, and Hospitals & Nursing Homes. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Assistive Furniture market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Assistive Furniture Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitoras strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Assistive Furniture Market, including BiHealthcare (Zhangjiagang Braun Industry Co., Ltd.), Blue Chip Medical Products, Champion Manufacturing Inc., Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare, Gendron Inc., Hill-Rom Services Inc., Invacare Corporation, Joerns Healthcare LLC, LINET spol. s.r.o., Medline Industries, LP, NOA Medical Industries Inc., Paramount Bed Co., Ltd., Permobil AB, Pride Mobility Products Corp., ProBed Medical Technologies Inc., Span-America Medical Systems, Inc., Stiegelmeyer GmbH & Co. KG, Stryker Corporation, Sunrise Medical LLC, and Suzhou Bontop East Medical Co., Ltd.. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Assistive Furniture Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Assistive Furniture Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Assistive Furniture Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Assistive Furniture Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Assistive Furniture Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Assistive Furniture Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Assistive Furniture Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06336292/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker DALLAS, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal LLP is pleased to announce Monica Gaudioso and Brent Rubin have been elected as partners. "Monica and Brent are outstanding litigators who share the firm's commitment to securing the best outcomes for our clients," said Carrington Coleman Managing Partner Monica Latin. "They have distinguished themselves through their integrity, expertise and dedication, and we are proud to welcome them into the partnership." Ms. Gaudioso is a commercial litigator, representing financial services, technology, and blockchain and cryptocurrency clients in state and federal courts. Her expertise includes litigation involving business ownership, director-and-officer, shareholder, breach of contract, fraud, and trade-secret misappropriation disputes. Her work has earned her Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch recognition for three consecutive years. She earned her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Rhodes College. She is a former law clerk to the Hon. Samuel H. Mays Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. Mr. Rubin is a trial and appellate lawyer representing individuals, businesses, and government entities in complex business disputes, including non-compete/non-solicitation disputes, insurance coverage, professional liability, and real estate and construction matters. He also assists clients with matters involving the Texas Citizens Participation Act Texas's anti-SLAPP statute and with immigration issues. His work has earned repeat honors from Texas Rising Stars and Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch. He graduated from the University of Texas School of Law and earned his undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis. He is a former clerk for the Hon. Priscilla Richman, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Mr. Rubin is vice chair of the Dallas City Plan Commission and chair of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan Committee. He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas. About Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal, LLP For more than 50 years, Carrington Coleman has focused on litigation and transactional services in the real estate, oil and gas, securities, construction, professional services, technology, and health care industries, among others. The Dallas-based law firm also provides counsel in corporate transactions, corporate governance, banking, bankruptcy/restructuring, intellectual property, litigation and appeals, employment, and family wealth/estate planning. Learn more about the firm at https://www.ccsb.com/. Media Contact: Rhonda Reddick 800-559-4534 [email protected] SOURCE Carrington Coleman DETROIT, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Quiet Quitting, Great Resignation etc. are signs employees are dissatisfied with their work life and the culture of their employers. Announcement of massive layoffs have forced employee morale to an all-time low. Employees, feeling disengaged and undervalued, creates a vicious circle, leading to lower profits or the Mid-to-late January resignations. Employers must examine their culture and the impact that culture is having upon their profits. Increase Revenue with Life Culture Audit Automation Workz has launched Vision Board Parties with the Life Culture Audit app, every month, for the general public beginning January 6, 2023 www.autoworkz.org/events to give employees hope and vision that their future life is bright. As employers we often forget, what employees see and hold in their thoughts, they attract like a magnet to our businesses. If your employees see poverty, crime and blight daily, they continually think about poverty, crime and blight they will attract more scarcity and poverty, creating a negative experience for your customers, leading to poor customer satisfaction, lost revenue and lower profits. Employers lost $4.7 trillion dollars in revenue in 2022, due to poor customer service with customers leaving after 1 poor experience. If your employees see luxury, riches and pristine environments, daily, they will continually think about riches and luxury they attract more riches and luxury, and will thus create a luxurious experience for your customers, leading to increased customer satisfaction, increased revenue and higher profits. Assist your employees 'SEE' luxury and riches for themselves so they can create high customer satisfaction. The Life Culture Audit app assists one to establish PICTORIAL goals for a luxury lifestyle, changing what they 'SEE' and thus changing their thoughts. Those pictures are populated onto a one-page vision board. They can rearrange photos, making them larger or smaller based on the priority in their life. They will then review their vision board, daily, giving them the much-needed motivation to work towards a new career and dream lifestyle. Ida Byrd-Hill, CEO Automation Workz, states "Vision boarding assisted me to leave a Flint Housing Project for the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. I have had a long prosperous career, managing $620 million as a wealth manager, $40 million as a mortgage loan officer, $5 million as a headhunter placing tech executives and now the founder of a cybersecurity vocational school." Vision boarding has assisted users launch into tech careers, in various industries, increasing their salaries. Here are some success stories of new careers in tech with annual salary increases: Kay moved from earning $35,000 to $130,000 Technology Engineer. to Technology Engineer. Jaharah moved from $50,000 to $105,000 salary for Cybersecurity job. to salary for Cybersecurity job. Caleb moved from earning $50,000 to $120,000 project manager salary. to project manager salary. William moved from $50,000 to $78,000 as a Computer Specialist to as a Computer Specialist Asad moved from $56,000 to $82,000 as a Computer Specialist to as a Computer Specialist Jordan moved from $45,000 to $92,000 as a Tech Trainer. moved from to as a Tech Trainer. Miranda moved from waitress to Tech Support Engineer earning $60,000 . . Willie moved from $39,520 to $81,120 to automate a restaurant to to automate a restaurant Brandon moved from $40,000 to $60,000 as a restaurant manager. Use the Life Culture Audit vision boarding app to increase the morale of your employees. Inspire your employees to embrace tech training and the automation of your business, which improves efficiency and profits. Download the Life Culture Audit app from Apple App Store and Google Play for FREE. www.autoworkz.org/life. Better yet, organize a Vision Boarding Party, using the Life Culture Audit app, to make vision creation a fun group activity. Automation Workz has launched Vision Board Parties, every month, for the general public beginning January 6, 2023. www.autoworkz.org/events. Ida Byrd-Hill is CEO of Automation Workz. Ida has 30+ years of professional business experience in HR, Executive Search, Finance, Social Responsibility, Technology and Wealth Management. Ida Byrd-Hill is a graduate of University of Michigan - Ann Arbor with a BA Economics and Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer University with an MBA specializing in People Management/Strategy. She is author of 8 books, including Breakin' Out of Your Financial Funk and Invisible Talent Market-Solving the Talent Shortage Without Outsourcing and Visas. [email protected] Media Contact: Ida Byrd-Hill CEO Automation Workz 313-483-2126 [email protected] SOURCE Automation Workz Morey Goldberg and team join forces with George Papanier and Adam Pauska, expanding global capabilities for discerning, ultra-high net worth families PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AXG Advisors (AXG) an established financial services company that provides tailor-made insurance and risk mitigation solutions, today announced that it has acquired the operations of Rose Glen LLC (Rose Glen), a firm that has long provided innovative wealth transfer, preservation, and accumulation solutions to ultra-high net worth families across the country. This union brings a successful mentor/protege relationship full circle. AXG co-founder, George Papanier worked under the tutelage of Morey Goldberg and team for several years prior to launching AXG Advisors with Adam Pauska in 2019. Goldberg will join AXG as a senior advisor. Headquartered in Wynnewood, PA (just outside of Philadelphia), Goldberg's firm has maintained the same leadership for almost 20 years and the majority of that group will stay on with AXG. As a result, the same people who helped Papanier earlier in his career will now become a part of the AXG family. "Both of our firms have the mutual belief that putting clients first is the foundation for professional success." Tweet this "Morey is highly regarded in the life insurance industry, and I was fortunate to learn from him early in my career," Papanier said. "We have the mutual belief that putting clients first is the foundation for professional success. This acquisition of Rose Glen's operations will provide continuity and security for all the clients and stakeholders involved. All of us at AXG are grateful to continue the Rose Glen legacy by maintaining the same high standards and level of expertise that their clients have come to expect." WHITE GLOVE APPROACH AXG caters to ultra-high net worth clients and takes a white glove approach to their needs. "Insurance should be about more than just the things we protect," Pauska explained. "Since its inception, the goal of AXG has been to change the private client industry and how our clients mitigate their exposures. The acquisition of Rose Glen is another step forward in achieving this goal. The addition of Morey and his team will enhance AXG's private client operations to service the full scope of risk management for our clients." Rose Glen is dedicated to the long-term financial health of not only their clients, but their clients' heirs as well. "We are committed to helping each client decide how and when to allocate their wealth among both family (immediate and extended) as well as charitable organizations," Goldberg said. "Another responsibility vital to wealth preservation is the mitigation of the transfer tax burden. Our clients appreciate our commitment to working with their other advisors to in order to integrate the implementation of and revisions to our strategies over time, as comprehensive reviews are completed." UNIQUE FOCUS AXG focuses on each client's individual circumstance, engineering highly-specialized risk mitigation solutions and "insurance as alternative investment" products in the wealth transfer, wealth preservation, and wealth accumulation spectrum. Technicians first and salespeople a distant second, the firm doesn't simply follow the assembly line approach taken by most other insurance companies that provide limited choices from already-existing, every day insurance products. Instead, AXG prides itself on its "clean slate approach" to each situation, creating new and innovative insurance solutions tailor-made to meet the unique needs of each individual, resulting in a modern private client experience. AXG clients may be concerned about: Jewelry, couture, wine, art, and other collections Yachts, private aviation, and exotic cars Liabilities that come from owning multiple homes and employing domestic staff Real estate portfolios Business exit and succession planning Insuring family property such as a compound, farm, ranch, island Using insurance to de-risk in the event of natural disasters, lawsuits, death, or disability Tax-deferred asset accumulation Income tax-free death benefits Family protection and wealth creation Debt protection Estate tax liquidity Gifting leverage Charitable contributions ABOUT ROSE GLEN Rose Glen, LLC integrates financial and insurance solutions for its clients' wealth transfer and accumulation needs with an inter-generational focus. Driven by a commitment to client advocacy, quality service, and integrity, they believe in a white glove approach to client relationships. The firm believes in focusing on the unique needs of each client and working with their advisors in order to provide innovative, custom financial solutions designed to meet wealth transfer, wealth preservation, and wealth accumulation goals. Rose Glen is comprised of MBA, CPA, and Life Insurance Design professionals. Through their affiliation with M Financial, one of the largest buyers of life insurance for wealthy families and public companies in the country, they had access to a significant level of product due diligence and some of the best products in the market in addition to a significant staple of proprietary products with major insurance carriers. The firm also caters to corporations, specializing in Disability and Long-Term Care Coverage, Deferred Compensation, and Voluntary Disability plans and using proprietary products where possible. The plans can be designed utilizing innovative funding vehicles at little or no cost to the company. ABOUT AXG ADVISORS Founded in 2019 by George T. Papanier and Adam M. Pauska, AXG Advisors is an ultra-high-end, boutique insurance brokerage firm that provides each of its clients with sophisticated analysis, guidance, education, and individualized risk mitigation. The firm specializes in working with ultra-affluent across the globe and creating unique risk management solutions that protect these affluent individuals and families against uncertainties and potential disasters. Dedicated to the science of insurance, the firm's advisors understand the intricacies of modern technology and risk assessment. Continually monitoring the evolution of the current insurance landscape informs the way the company approaches risk in order to give its clients personalized guidance that matches each risk profile as it evolves. This enables the firm to proactively think ahead for its clients by designing multiple strategic and swift approaches as they seek to foresee client needs and potential changes ahead. As a result, AXG anticipates and mitigates every step of the way for their clients. Bringing extensive experience and professionalism to the client relationship, each advisor begins by deconstructing every individual insurance requirement, analyzing it from a technician's point of view, then engineering a solution uniquely suited to the client's individual needs and concerns. This technological approach to insurance leads to risk-management innovations, allowing much more value and a far greater advantage for each client. To schedule an exploratory conversation and/or to learn more, visit www.AXG-Advisors.com. Media Contact: Grace Vogelzang Impact Communications, Inc. 913-649-5009 [email protected] Securities offered through Lion Street Financial, LLC. (LSF), member FINRA & SIPC. BrokerCheck, LSF CRS. file number 5359703.1 SOURCE AXG Advisors - Memorandum of Understanding Signed with Edogawa Hospital - TOKYO, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- B dot Medical Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Edogawa Hospital in Japan for the installation of the company's first practical ultra-compact proton therapy system, which means the first proton therapy facility to be established in Tokyo. Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202212211482-O2-n1O2n8B4 Image1: Edogawa Hospital in Tokyo, Japan https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M105528/202212211482/_prw_PI3fl_q4R7xNxK.jpeg Conventional proton therapy systems are very large and require a large space for installation. As a result, the installation of proton therapy in urban areas where land is scarce has been slow, and proton therapy has reached only a small percentage of patients. To overcome this situation, B dot Medical is working to commercialize an ultra-compact proton therapy system. This system is overwhelmingly more compact than conventional ones and can be installed in hospitals where it has been difficult to do it due to the size and cost of the system in the past. Dr. Shojiro Kato, Director of Edogawa Hospital, commented: "We are very pleased that once our hospital is able to offer proton therapy, we will be able to treat patients who have not previously been able to receive proton therapy in Tokyo. We will continue to provide medical care in pursuit of the best possible outcome for all patients." Takuji Furukawa, Chief Executive Officer of B dot Medical, added: "Three and a half years have passed since we started developing an ultra-compact proton therapy system to bring more advanced cancer treatment to as many patients as possible, and we are finally one step closer to realizing our dream. We hope that the installation of this system will expand the treatment options for many cancer patients. We will do our utmost to obtain approval for the system, install it, start treatment, and provide support afterward." B dot Medical will continue its efforts to obtain PMDA (Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency) approval in Japan, aiming for a society in which cancer patients around the world can choose proton therapy. About B dot Medical Inc. B dot Medical Inc. is a start-up that originated at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) and is developing an ultra-compact proton therapy system by utilizing the advanced technology and experience cultivated at NIRS. The company is challenging the world with Japanese technological innovation power. Image2: Ultra-compact proton therapy system under development https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M105528/202212211482/_prw_PI4lg_1i4xoCzD.jpg Company Information Name: B dot Medical Inc. Address: 5-10-10 Harue-cho, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo 134-0003 JAPAN Representative: Takuji Furukawa, President and CEO Foundation: March 1, 2017 Business activity: 1) Consulting support for particle therapy 2) Developing proton therapy systems Website: https://bdotmed.co.jp/en/ SOURCE B dot Medical Inc. COMPANION NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PROTECT OUR WINTERS CANADA STONEY CREEK, ON, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Cold-climate footwear brand, Baffin, is proud to announce the commercial launch of its citizenship boot, COMPANION. Available now at Baffin.com, 100% of profits will be donated to Protect Our Winters Canada a passionate community advocating for policy solutions to climate change. Originally launched in Fall 2021 for donation only, COMPANION (available for all) was created to provide cold-weather footwear to those in need. A companion to those who may not have the means or capabilities to equip themselves with the gear they need to not only survive but thrive during the winter, the development of the program was initiated through Baffin's Corporate Citizenship Employee Advisory Group (EAG). By way of request, Baffin has since donated 2,500 pairs of the cold-climate, rubber boots to Ukrainian refugees through UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. While COMPANION will continue to be available for donation through Baffin's Corporate Citizenship EAG initiatives, the commercial launch of the style in partnership with Protect Our Winters Canada will be another step forward in the brands commitment to keeping our winters cold. For every pair of COMPANION sold, Baffin will donate at least one pair to a North American organization in need. Manufactured in Baffin's Stoney Creek, ON factory, COMPANION is built from a combination of recycled materials, regrind rubbers and virgin compounds with members of Baffin's workforce donating their time to production. Equipped with the same comfort and warmth as the brands in-line Tundra Rated boots, COMPANION features an unbranded exterior layer consciously minimizing material and production costs, while optimizing donation impact. Baffin continuously works to repurpose as much rubber as possible to reduce waste with regular production boots, using 5% to 10% regrind materials. COMPANION uses regrind material from completed boots that did not meet quality standards and have been placed into a regrind machine to be recycled and used again. COMPANION is comprised of 50% regrind material, supplemented with donated compound care of Baffin suppliers, Felix Compounds and Aurora Plastics who generously contributed 1,000 kilos of virgin materials to the program. "While we continue to protect those in need from the elements of a cold Canadian winter, we are now able to take the Citizenship Boot Project one step further and help protect the elements themselves, as we dedicate resources to help the fight against climate change. We're passionate about continued cold-climate exploration and protecting the diverse Canadian climate for the future," says Mark Hubner, Senior Vice President, Commercial at Baffin. "By partnering with Protect Our Winters Canada, a community advocating for policy solutions to climate change, we are dedicated to not only helping people thrive in the cold but making sure the cold exists for years to come." Baffin is committed to the cold, taking its products to the ends of the Earth and to the most extreme environments on the planet, the brand provides extreme outdoor protection that allows customers to challenge themselves in their coldest adventures. Inspired by Baffin's existing insulated rubber boots HUNTER and LITTLE HUNTER, COMPANION is available in unisex adult and kids sizing with pricing ranging from $60 to $80 CAD. Baffin Ltd. is an innovative, leading outwear company based in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada with a core focus on technically advanced, innovative footwear and high-performance apparel. Baffin designs, develops, and field tests footwear in the most demanding environments on the planet and is focused on being a global leader in footwear and apparel within the Outdoor, Industrial and Hunt and Fish categories. Baffin Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canada Goose Holdings Inc. SOURCE Baffin Limited Home to the oldest surviving rum distillery in the Caribbean, St. Kitts invites travellers to explore the rich history of rum with its one-of-a-kind Kittitian RumMaster program BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, St. Kitts Tourism Authority is launching a distinctive, first-of-its-kind island experience: a new Kittitian RumMaster program. Travellers looking for an exciting and immersive activity while visiting the beautiful island of St. Kitts can take advantage of the unique rum program that includes both practical and theoretical courses. Become a Kittitian RumMaster in St. Kitts Led by two of St. Kitts' prestigious rum experts, the Kittitian RumMaster program invites travellers to deep-dive into the history of rum and distilling rum, gain hands-on experience in creating spiced rum and the methodology of creating rum-based cocktails. "The history of Caribbean rum and its influential impact can be seen throughout St. Kitts," said Honourable Marsha Henderson, Minister of Tourism, International Transport, Civil Aviation, Urban Development, Employment, and Labour. "St. Kitts is home to the oldest surviving rum distillery in the Caribbean and is also home to a growing unconventional rum scene. We are excited to incorporate an integral part of our history into expanding innovative tourism opportunities. We are confident this tour will allow travellers to experience St. Kitts in a different way and take back home a part of our island's rich history by becoming a Kittitian RumMaster." This unique certification experience is designed for both rum aficionados and visitors wanting to learn more about the spirit. During the tour, travellers can become a Kittitian RumMaster through two classes taught by Kittitian rum producers and owners on the island. The first part of the tour is at Wingfield Estate, home of the Caribbean's oldest surviving rum distillery. During this Kittitian RumMaster course, rum expert Jack Widdowson (Founder of Old Road Rum Company) will teach rum theory and the history of rum production methods. The recently excavated distillery is found on the 18th-century sugar cane plantation owned by a direct ancestor of Thomas Jefferson. While sipping Old Road Rum and learning the history, guests will see a preserved aqueduct, chimney, mill house, boiling house, and lime kiln and learn how to label their own rum bottle. The second course takes place at the lively Spice Mill Restaurant on Cockleshell Bay and is run by rum expert Roger Brisbane. This course will showcase spiced rum creation methodology, rum-blending techniques, and cocktail creations utilising tasting procedures and nuances in different types of rums. Roger Brisbane continues to innovate the rum space for St. Kitts with Hibiscus Spirits. Hibiscus Spirits is created by infusing handpicked and locally grown Roselle Hibiscus calyx, known as sorrel, to flavour the rum and create a natural red colour. "We are honoured to partner with two of our esteemed on-island rum producers, Hibiscus Spirits from Spice Mill Restaurant and Old Road Rum from Wingfield Estate, to create this lucrative program," said Ellison "Tommy" Thompson, CEO of St. Kitts Tourism Authority. "This is just one of many upcoming opportunities where the destination will utilise local partnerships to market the island's unique attributes. Furthermore, this program truly sets us apart from other Caribbean destinations while preserving the Kittitian history of rum and its meaning to the culture. We are excited to invite travellers worldwide to spend a day with kindred spirits." Details of each course are as follows, with a certificate earned after completing both courses: Visit Wingfield Estate home of the oldest surviving rum distillery in the Caribbean: Introduction of Rum History of Rum in St. Kitts Rum production methods Learning How to Taste + Identify Flavour Profiles Tour the estate Label your own rum bottle Visit Spice Mill home of Hibiscus Spirits: Learn how to create spiced rum Methodology of creating classic rum drinks Learn nuances of creating rum cocktails Rum appreciation methods Bookings for the Kittitian RumMaster Program cost $150 per person. For booking information, please visit https://www.stkittstourism.kn/stay-dine/joys-of-rum Stay updated on the latest travel updates and upcoming events by visiting www.visitstkitts.com and learn more about Hibiscus Spirits and Old Road Rum . Media Contact: Taylor McDonald [email protected] SOURCE St. Kitts Tourism Authority RENO, Nev. and TORONTO, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bendito Resources Inc. ("Bendito", the "Company", or "we") is pleased to announce that drilling at the Alacran project, located in Sonora, Mexico, is scheduled to commence on Monday, January 9th, 2023. The Company has selected Globexplore Drilling S.A. de C.V. (also located in Sonora, Mexico), to perform an approximate 2,000-meter reverse circulation drilling campaign over the next 6-8 weeks. Mr. John Antwi, President and CEO of Bendito, commented: "The Alacran epithermal targets present a great opportunity for low-cost, near-surface mineral resource expansion for gold and silver project development." Mr. Antwi continued: "Although the focus of this drilling campaign is to follow up on these known precious metals targets and to demonstrate their growth potential, we will be testing some copper targets as well. We are optimistic that this will put the Company on the path to completing a mineral resource estimate for the precious metals at Alacran." Mr. Facundo Cazares, VP Exploration of Bendito, commented: "With this drilling campaign at Alacran, Bendito is commencing the year with executing the resource expansion plan defined for 2023. This initial Phase 1 of RC drilling will provide additional data on the southern extension of Loma Bonita and Mesa de Plata towards the San Simon target, which exhibit the same style of high-sulfidation alteration assemblages with Au-Ag mineralization. The additional drilling on Gregors will help with the understanding of the copper mineralization and the porphyry-to-epithermal transition interpreted for Alacran." The focus of the drilling activities for San Simon include: Drill along a defined NW-oriented section line that connects Mesa de Plata and Loma Bonita with San Simon, which exhibits the same alteration association and enough stratigraphic exposure that partially shows at least three layers of residual silica that will be drill tested. with San Simon, which exhibits the same alteration association and enough stratigraphic exposure that partially shows at least three layers of residual silica that will be drill tested. Use the historical drilling with mineral -grade intercepts completed in San Simon to hook up the planned drillholes and extend the footprints of mineralization. Define the connection between Loma Bonita, Mesa de Plata, and San Simon; define the alteration zoning associated with mineralization, the geochemical footprint, and the structural controls; explore for productive/prospective stratigraphic layers of residual silica. High-resolution short-wave infrared ("SWIR") study to add information to the current 3D alteration model interpreted for the Mesa de Plata and the Loma Bonita resource areas. Phase 1 drilling program is designed to target geophysical anomalies derived from induced polarization, EM and magnetic helicopter surveys that indicate the presence of sub-horizontal silica layers with steeply dipping and high-grade hydrothermal breccia feeders. The focus of the drilling activities for Gregors include: Step out along strike of the current high-grade copper mineralization hosted by a sub-vertical chalcopyrite-rich hydrothermal breccia intercepted in holes GGC-002 and GGC-003, with 30m @ 0.68% copper and 18m @ 0.96% copper, respectively. @ 0.68% copper and @ 0.96% copper, respectively. Obtain a four-point anchoring for the 3D alteration model (based on a high-resolution SWIR study), to understand the relationship between sericite alteration associated with copper mineralization and advanced argillic alteration associated with precious metals. Compare results versus the large-scale geophysical anomalies that connect Gregors with Alacran Hill, representing potential hypogene copper mineralization. Look for evidence of gold and molybdenum mineralization that is typically associated with copper at the Alacran Project. The scientific and technical information in this press release has been reviewed by Mr. David G. Thomas (P. Geo.) of Mine Technical Services ("MTS"), an independent geological consulting company based in Reno, Nevada. Mr. Thomas is a qualified person for the purposes of NI 43-101. About Bendito Resources Inc. Bendito Resources Inc. is a private mineral resource company formed and led by experienced mining and exploration executives with headquarters in Reno, Nevada, USA and regional offices in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. The Company fully-owns a portfolio of diversified mineral projects in Mexico, which includes the Alacran and Oposura projects, both of which have historically reported mineral resources. The Mexican property portfolio comprises the Company's sole mineral interests. For additional information please visit the Company's website at www.benditoresources.com or contact the Company at the below: John Antwi President & CEO [email protected] (775) 340-2719 Bendito Resources 6490 S McCarran Blvd Building E, Suite 121 Reno, NV, USA 89509 Jeff Stieber Chief Financial Officer [email protected] (775) 250-0300 Forward-Looking Statements This Press Release contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the current views and/or expectations of management concerning, among other things, performance, business, and future events, including the development of the Mexican property portfolio and the expected timing thereof; the growth potential of the Mexican project portfolio; the expected direction of project and exploration capital; anticipated operational and strategic plans pertaining to the projects and the timing thereof; the expected timing and amounts of future financing efforts; the expectations around exploration and drilling activities and mineralization; and timing of a resource estimates and related technical reports with respect to certain project. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates, and forecasts about the business and the industry and markets in which the Company operates. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The Company does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. SOURCE Bendito Resources Inc. LAS VEGAS, Jan. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading consumer electronics manufacturer BIGBIG WON brought its full range of innovative products and technologies to the United States this week to showcase at the world-famous Consumer Electronics Show, better known as CES. The company also unveiled details of two brand-new products at the event, which runs from January 5-8 in Las Vegas. BIGBIG WON new release on CES PLAY BIG, WON BIG The company confirmed that its new BLITZ ELITE Nintendo Switch controller and new-generation Rainbow 2 PC controller would land on the market in 2023. The BLITZ will be the first game controller with full mechanical micro-switches on the market. The Rainbow 2 is a continuation of the AURORA RGB System from RAINBOW 1 controller at the same time improved the performance all around by adding the trigger-stop switch, four function buttons, and rubberized grip. "This CES 2023 is an important point in time for our company," said BIGBIG WON Chief Executive Jiang Kefeng. "On one hand, we have a lot of new products ready to be launched that are in urgent need of B and C-side traffic, while on the other hand, the company needs to build up its brand image now during the start-up stage." Utilizing CES as a platform, BIGBIG WON hopes to send a clear message to the gaming community that a new challenger has entered the arena, ready and capable of continuously injecting fresh blood into the industry. In terms of market development, the company aims to solidify its position in the online market in Europe and the United States. BIGBIG WON has been approved for an Amazon Vendor Central account and will gradually establish a presence in the European market through Amazon's official direct sales. Across the pond in the United States, BIGBIG WON will focus on new media operations to gradually build a solid brand image in the hearts of American consumers as this has become a popular approach among Generation Z. About BIGBIG WON Established in 2019, BIGBIG WON has positioned itself as a cutting-edge force in the gaming peripheral industry. Key product areas include game accessories covering game controllers, adapters, and gaming headsets. Upholding their infinite love for games, the BIGBIG WON team have accrued nearly ten years of industry experience. They continue to develop and innovate independently with passion, using ingenious product design to create a smoother, more accurate, and realistic ultimate gaming experience. The company established a global trademark in 2020 to carry out brand promotion and sales network construction in major gaming peripheral markets such as China, the United States, Europe, Japan, and Korea. The BIGBIG Won team will cover every core detail of fine research and upgrade, hardware, firmware, APP, as well as focusing on professional gaming equipment development, manufacturing, and brand building. For more information, please visit: https://www.bigbigwon.com Or follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigbigwonofficial SOURCE BIGBIG WON CHICAGO, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Biostimulants Market is estimated to be valued at USD 3.5 billion in 2022. It is projected to reach USD 6.2 billion by 2027, recording a CAGR of 11.8% from 2022 to 2027 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Disasters also have a direct effect on agriculture through lower-than-expected production. This causes direct economic loss for the farmers, which eventually cascades through the entire value chain, affecting the growth of the sector or the entire national economy. During 2008-2018, billions of dollars were lost in various regions due to a decline in crop and livestock production. The top five most impactful disasters are droughts; over 34% of the crops and livestock production loss in the least developed countries (LDCs) and low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs) are due to droughts costing the sector USD 37 billion; floods, over 19% of total loss is due to floods and responsible for USD 21 billion of crops and livestock production loss; pest, diseases and infestation accounts for approx. 19% of all crop and livestock production losses. Agriculture and climate change are internally correlated factors, as climatic change is one of the main causes of biotic and abiotic stress development, which adversely impacts plant growth and overall agriculture for biostimulant products as they will gain a clear understanding of the function of these products. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=1081 Browse in-depth TOC on "Biostimulants Market" 250 Tables 57 Figures 296 Pages Foliar spray application most popular and efficient in maximizing plant growth because of increased soil absorption rate Biostimulants applied through a foliar spray maximize the productivity of plants. This application of biostimulants directly on the leaves increases the effect of bioactive molecules on crop growth, resulting in increased absorption and improved uptake of micronutrients to every part of the plant. Plants absorb nutrients through the roots and the foliage. Many plant nutrients are needed in such great quantities that it is impractical to supply them through foliage. However, when soil conditions are unfavorable, it may be desirable to make foliar applications of the biostimulants. When biostimulants are applied to the plant's foliage, smaller quantities of fertilizer or other agrochemical material are required than when applied to the soil. The danger of fixation and/or leaching is also reduced when it is applied to the foliage of the plant. The ease of application of foliar spray is one of the key drivers for growth in the market. The danger of fixation and/or leaching is also reduced when it is applied to the foliage of the plant. Seaweed based biostimulants market is a relatively untapped and small market in comparison to other biostimulants segment Seaweed has an impact on soils and plants. They can be used as soil amendments, hydroponic solutions, or foliar treatments. Their polysaccharides contribute to gel formation, water retention, and soil aeration in soils. Polyanionic compounds aid in the fixation and exchange of cations, which is important for heavy metal fixation and soil remediation. In plants, nutritional effects, such as the provision of micro- and macronutrients, indicate that, in addition to their other functions, they act as fertilizers. The effects of hormones on seed germination, plant establishment, and subsequent growth and development are thought to be major causes of biostimulation activity in crop plants. Seaweed extracts enhance soil fertility and increase crop productivity under various environmental conditions. The application of seaweed extracts improves soil structure and aeration; increases biotic and abiotic stress tolerance; enhances seed germination; and stimulates root growth, flower set, and fruit production. Seaweed extracts are rich in phytohormones and trace elements for plant growth. Seaweeds and seaweed extracts are vital components of organic farming. They achieve yield maximization through their bio stimulatory role in crop plants. The application of seaweed extracts in agriculture not only reduces the side-effects of harmful agrochemicals but also helps in protecting the environment. Innovative companies, such as Sea6 Energy (India), are exclusively offering seaweed-based biostimulants along with technological platforms, such as TARMA and SPURT. FMC Corporation (US) is one of the key players in the biostimulants markets because of diverse product portfolio FMC Corporation provides solutions to growers through innovative development capabilities in crop protection, plant health, professional pest, and turf maintenance solutions. Earlier, the company operated through three business segments: agricultural solutions, health & nutrition, and lithium. Out of these, the agricultural solutions segment accounted for approximately 69% of its consolidated revenue. After November 2017, FMC Corporation acquired DuPont's crop protection business the company operated in FMC Corporation's acquisition of a significant part of DuPont's crop protection business and divestment of health and nutrition business to DuPont two active business segments: agricultural solutions and lithium. Today, the segments are herbicides, fungicides, plant health, and insecticides. FMC Corporation announced a new brand identity for its plant health business segment under the name of Biologicals by FMC. It will now sell biostimulants, bio fungicides, and other plant health products under this label. The company has operations in North America, Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with most sales concentrated in the European, North American, and Asian regions. Its subsidiaries include FMC Agricultural Products International, AG (Switzerland), FMC Agroquimica de Mexico S.A. de C.V., FMC Foret, S.A. (Spain), FMC (Shanghai) Chemical Technology Consulting Co. Ltd. (China), FMC Australasia Pty. Ltd. (Australia), FMC Chemicals (Thailand) Limited, FMC Chemicals KK (Japan), and FMC BioPolymer UK Limited (UK). Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=1081 Asia Pacific is to grow at a CAGR of 12.5% during the forecast period According to the FAOSTAT, in 2020, the region occupied about 170-million-hectare global agricultural land. The economic growth in most Asian countries, such as India and China, is highly dependent on agriculture. These countries are also the major exporters of crops in the global market. APAC is rich in plant diversity due to the wide variations in climate across the countries. Therefore, farmers opt for practices such as using plant growth promoters to sustainably increase crop yield or productivity. Extreme weather conditions, such as storms, floods, and droughts, have frequently battered Asia's agriculture sector. Also, the Green Revolution succeeded partly through heavily using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. All of these have resulted in dire changes in the soil structure and fertility in the region. To counter these challenges, the region is adopting many new farming practices and is moving increasingly toward sustainability. The region also shows steady growth in key agricultural outputs per year. This is estimated to drive the demand for biostimulants in agriculture, especially fruits and vegetables. The key players in this market include BASF SE (Germany), UPL Limited (India), Adama Ltd. (Israel) and FMC Corporation (US). Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=1081 Browse Adjacent Reports @ Agriculture Industry Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Agricultural Biologicals Market by Function, Product Type (Microbials, Macrobials, Semiochemicals, Natural products), Mode of Application (Foliar Spray, Soil and Seed treatment), Crop Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2027 Biopesticides Market by Type (Bioinsecticides, Biofungicides, Bionematicides, and Bioherbicides), Source (Microbials, Biochemicals, and Beneficial Insects), Mode of Application, Formulation (Dry, Liquid), Crop Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2027 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. 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Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/biostimulant-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/biostimulant.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets LAS VEGAS, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) today announced that Marelli, a leading Tier 1 global automotive supplier, has selected the BlackBerry QNX Acoustics Management Platform (AMP) as part of its enhanced in-car audio experience within software-defined vehicles. MInD-Xp, the company's next Cockpit DCU platform, will be demonstrated at CES 2023. Expanding the companies' seven-year collaboration, Marelli will deploy the QNX Acoustics Management Platform (AMP) and QNX Hypervisor to significantly improve voice command accuracy and reduce unwanted echo and background noise that can spoil hands-free communications in the car. The Active Sounds Design module within the QNX AMP will also support creation of individual sound zones, voice recognition across multiple zones within the vehicle, and active noise cancellation for a better managed acoustic experience and a more relaxing journey. "Echoing, background noise interference and poor sound quality have long plagued hands-free communications from in-car audio systems," said John Wall, SVP and Head, BlackBerry QNX. "With the rise of software-defined vehicles, the industry now has the tools to tackle these irritations and create a better, more enjoyable environment. This is another stride in our long-term collaboration with Marelli to reinvent the journey experience for motoring consumers using intelligent next generation cockpit technology." "Once again, we're employing the proven capabilities of the BlackBerry QNX platform to address the challenges and opportunities of the auto industry's transformation to the software-defined vehicle," said Yannick Hoyau, VP Engineering & Innovation Electronic Systems at Marelli. "Our continued relationship is testimony to not only the commercial value of our combined vision, but also our shared commitment to empower the future of connected cars with secure, safe, and innovative technologies." BlackBerry and Marelli began co-developing embedded cockpit systems for four major Chinese automakers in 2016. In 2018, the two companies extended the collaboration to utilize the QNX Platform for Digital Cockpits in Marelli's Electronic Systems Cockpit and Digital Cluster solution and, in 2022, Marelli adopted the BlackBerry QNX Neutrino RTOS and BlackBerry QNX Hypervisor to power its Cockpit Domain Controller. The collaboration with Marelli is the latest application of BlackBerry QNX intelligent cockpit technology platform to deliver an advanced, intuitive acoustic experience in the connected vehicle. Recent announcements include selection by Dayin Technologies to develop acoustic solutions for Great Wall Motors' premium, next-generation vehicles. Marelli will be demonstrating the new MInD-Xp cockpit platform at CES, January 5-7, 2023 in Las Vegas, NV at the Wynn Hotel in Latour Ballrooms 5 & 6. BlackBerry's full suite of automotive offerings will be demonstrated at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Visit BlackBerry at Booth #4025 in the West Hall. For more information on how BlackBerry QNX can help with building the safe and secure vehicles of tomorrow, please visit: BlackBerry.QNX.com. About BlackBerry BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides intelligent security software and services to enterprises and governments around the world. The company secures more than 500M endpoints including over 215M vehicles. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company leverages AI and machine learning to deliver innovative solutions in the areas of cybersecurity, safety and data privacy solutions, and is a leader in the areas of endpoint security, endpoint management, encryption, and embedded systems. BlackBerry's vision is clear - to secure a connected future you can trust. BlackBerry. Intelligent Security. Everywhere. For more information, visit BlackBerry.com and follow @BlackBerry. About Marelli MARELLI is one of the worlds leading global independent suppliers to the automotive sector. With a strong and established track record in innovation and manufacturing excellence, our mission is to transform the future of mobility through working with customers and partners to create a safer, greener, and better-connected world. With around 50,000 employees worldwide, the Marelli footprint includes 170 facilities and R&D centers across Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa, generating revenues of 1,380 billion JPY (10.6 billion EUR) in 2021. For more information about Marelli, visit www.marelli.com. Trademarks, including but not limited to BLACKBERRY and EMBLEM Design are the trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services Media Contacts: BlackBerry Media Relations +1 (519) 597-7273 [email protected] Marelli Media Contacts: Global Communication Department, Marelli [email protected] +81-48-660-2161 Maurizio Scrignari [email protected] + 39 335 7577830 Daniela Di Pietrantonio [email protected] + 39 338 6731792 SOURCE BlackBerry Limited LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Body and Mind Inc. (CSE: BAMM.US) (OTCQB: BMMJ) (the "Company" or "BaM") is providing an update regarding its delayed annual financial statements for the year ended July 31, 2022, including the related management discussion and analysis, and CEO and CFO certifications (collectively, the "2022 Annual Financial Filings"). Although the audit process is substantially complete, the additional final procedures include (i) final approval from an external valuation consultant for the auditor, (ii) updating a tax provision and (iii) final internal QC (quality control) sign-off from the auditor. The Company and auditors are working closely to complete the 2022 Annual Financial Filings and will continue to provide updates in accordance with National Policy 12-203 (Management Cease Trade Orders). About Body and Mind Inc. BaM is an operations-focused cannabis company with active retail operations in Ohio, Arkansas, Michigan and California, pending retail operations in Illinois and New Jersey, and craft cultivation and/or processing operations in Nevada, Ohio and Arkansas. We work daily to increase our market share through delighting customers while also continuing to hone our operational efficiencies to drive profits. We are primarily guided by the metric of return on investment. Currently, we believe the most significant return on investment projects in front of us are successful retail cannabis store launches in Illinois and New Jersey, which augment our existing retail footprint. We also believe that our team's core operational skillsets will create significant future shareholder value as the cannabis industry matures. Please visit www.bodyandmind.com for more information. Instagram: @bodyandmindBaM Twitter: @bodyandmindBaM Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Safe Harbor Statement Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans, "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as "forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the actual results of activities, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation of activities, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, accidents, labor disputes and other risks. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release. Certain matters discussed in this news release and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may constitute forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Many of these factors are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and that could impact the Company and the statements contained in this news release can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. SOURCE Body and Mind Inc. Home and Auto Insurer Recognized for its work to restore insurance as a force for communal good COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Branch , a full-stack insurance company that uses data, technology, and automation to make bundling home and auto insurance easier and less expensive, is proud to announce it is now a Certified B Corporation. Branch received this certification because it met the high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency set forth by nonprofit B Labs . Branch was founded to restore insurance to its original intent: a force for communal good. By putting data and technology to work and harnessing the power of community, Branch has created simpler, easier, and more affordable insurance for its members with the goal of helping more people become insured. In alignment with that mission, Branch is set up as a Public Benefit Corporation, a structure whereby a company is equally obligated to perform a social good and to create shareholder value. Attaining B Corp Certification is the next step in the company's commitment to accountability and transparency in how it helps its members, employees, and society through its business practices. "We started Branch because we believed we could create an insurance company that did good for society through its mission: lowering the price of insurance so more people could be insured. We are thrilled to be recognized for our efforts and to be part of the global community of businesses that meet high standards of social impact," said Steve Lekas, CEO and Co-founder of Branch. "This certification is a strong reflection of our commitment to our members and society and we'll continue to keep the community we serve at the forefront of our work." To achieve B Corp Certification, companies must be committed to meeting credible, comprehensive, and independent standards. The rigorous assessment used to obtain B Corp certification evaluated Branch's impact in Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers. In order to maintain its Certification, the company will undergo verification every three years and demonstrate its continual positive impact. To learn more about Branch and its dedication to creating a more inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy through its B Corp Certification, visit Branch.com/CertifiedBCorp . About Branch Branch is home and auto insurance that's simple to buy and built for savings. Through its revolutionary instant-bind capability, Branch removes all of the friction associated with getting covered, helping consumers bundle their home and auto insurance with ease. Built as a reciprocal exchange, the Branch Insurance Exchange taps into the power of community to make insurance more accessible and affordable for everyone. Branch is a Public Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corporation committed to meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, and accountability. Branch was launched in 2019 by insurance veteran Steve Lekas and tech entrepreneur Joe Emison, and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Branch is underwritten by the Branch Insurance Exchange, Everspan Insurance Company, and General Security National Insurance Company (GSNIC). To learn more, visit Branch.com . Contact: Ally Majewski [email protected] SOURCE Branch Insurance Evolving policy approaches to social media, cryptocurrencies, broadband and online privacy will have significant implications for investors and companies in the US and Europe in 2023. WASHINGTON, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Capstone LLC is sharing its annual outlook on the most underappreciated policy developments that will play a big role in how 2023 shapes up for investors and companies in the technology, media, and telecom sector. 1) EU policymakers are becoming more assertive in prioritizing the EU's strategic autonomy and global competitiveness in the TMT sector, supporting regional companies at the expense of US Big Tech firms. Capstone's forecast of the most underappreciated policy developments affecting investors and companies in 2023 Tweet this 2) President Biden will secure approval for Gigi Sohn's appointment to the Federal Communications Commission, leading to advances on key policy advances, particularly with net neutrality. 3) The Securities and Exchange Commission will ramp up crypto market enforcement. While this poses a risk for some companies, the market will benefit as regulation brings greater confidence, as will legislation mandating more financial disclosure and establishing requirements for stablecoin issuers. 4) Congress and consumer protection regulators are poised to focus on children's privacy issues. One priority will be the Kids Online Safety Act. 5) US Technology policy will become more aggressive in relation to China, as the US pursues a multilateral deal with allies on controlling chip exports to China and potentially pushes Chinese firm ByteDance to unwind its ownership of the popular TikTok app. Please access the following links to read Capstone's outlook on developments for 2023: Social Media China Technology Policy Crypto Markets Telecom Europe Capstone For more information contact Cordell Eddings Phone at (202) 350-4700 or E-mail: [email protected] About Capstone Capstone is a leading global policy analysis and regulatory due diligence firm with locations in Washington, DC, London, and Sydney. As developments in Washington, London, Brussels, and other centers of government become more crucial to investment strategies, legislation, regulatory reforms, and new federal oversight are affecting industries in evolving ways. We advise institutional investors and companies on how changes in state, federal, and international policy impact investments. Capstone has established leading coverage of public policy investments affecting financial and business services, energy and environment, healthcare, TMT, and more. Our professionals analyze policy to uncover risks, opportunities, and, along the way, unique business, and investment strategies for our clients. SOURCE Capstone LLC Increase in usage of mammalian cells for the bioproduction of viral vaccines is likely to drive market growth during the forecast period Rise in demand for reagents and consumables is propelling the market WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a study published by Transparency Market Research, the global cell lysis & disruption market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 12.9% during the forecast period between 2022 and 2032. Cell lysis and disruption refers to a procedure, in which the cell membrane is decomposed in order to extract protein or nucleic acid from a cell. The decision to adopt the most suitable cell lysis methods depends on factors such as cell type, application, concentration, and desired efficiency. Get free PDF Sample Copy of Cell Lysis & Disruption Market here (Corporate Email preferred for top priority handling): https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=85282 Key Findings of Market Study Growing Usage of Mammalian Cells to Fuel Market Growth: In terms of cell type, the global market has been classified into mammalian cells, bacterial cells, yeast/algae/fungi, and plant cells. The mammalian cells segment is projected to dominate the global market during the forecast period. Increase in usage of mammalian culture systems in the bioproduction of viral vaccines is expected to drive the segment. Additionally, usage of three-dimensional mammalian systems for cancer research and stem cell research is likely to accelerate business growth during the forecast period. In terms of cell type, the global market has been classified into mammalian cells, bacterial cells, yeast/algae/fungi, and plant cells. The mammalian cells segment is projected to dominate the global market during the forecast period. Increase in usage of mammalian culture systems in the bioproduction of viral vaccines is expected to drive the segment. Additionally, usage of three-dimensional mammalian systems for cancer research and stem cell research is likely to accelerate business growth during the forecast period. Increase in Demand for Reagents and Consumables Bolstering Cell Lysis & Disruption Market: Based on product, the global market has been bifurcated into instruments and reagents & consumables. The reagent & consumables segment is expected to account for significant market share during the forecast period. Increase in enzymes demand for yeast, bacterial, and plant samples based on enzyme specificity is projected to augment the segment during the forecast period. Based on product, the global market has been bifurcated into instruments and reagents & consumables. The reagent & consumables segment is expected to account for significant market share during the forecast period. Increase in enzymes demand for yeast, bacterial, and plant samples based on enzyme specificity is projected to augment the segment during the forecast period. Coronavirus Pandemic Propelling Industry Growth: The coronavirus pandemic is driving the global cell lysis & disruption market. Rise in the number of cases across the world led to increase in the need for new medicines to help cure patients. This resulted in surge in pharmacological discoveries, which benefited the overall market. Furthermore, extensive usage of cell lysis and disruption tools in the manufacturing of biotherapeutics is projected to drive market development during the pandemic. Cell Lysis & Disruption Market - Key Drivers Increase in adoption of biotechnology procedures in agricultural, bio-services, and pharmaceutical industries is augmenting global cell lysis and disruption market growth Rise in adoption of gene expression protocols could help business growth during the forecast period Increase in demand for tumor tissue dissociation equipment has led to development of new products. This is likely to propel the market during the forecast period. Ask for References https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=ARF&rep_id=85282 Cell Lysis & Disruption Market - Regional Insights The market in Asia Pacific is projected to grow at a rapid pace during the forecast period. This is ascribed to increase in number of contract research and clinical trials due to the growth of the bioservices industry in China and India . is projected to grow at a rapid pace during the forecast period. This is ascribed to increase in number of contract research and clinical trials due to the growth of the bioservices industry in and . The industry in North America is anticipated to witness significant growth during the forecast period led by rise in government initiatives and measures favoring molecular biology research in the U.S. and Canada Cell Lysis & Disruption Market - Key Players The global market is competitive, with the presence of several international and local players. Entry of new players is likely to intensify the competition during the forecast period. Leading players could invest in R&D to produce improved cell lysis & disruption products that would meet consumer requirements. Key players in the market are ThermoFischer Scientific, Qiagen NV, and Danaher Corp. The global cell lysis & disruption market is segmented as follows: By Technique Reagent-based Detergent Enzymatic Physical Disruption Mechanical Homogenization Ultrasonic Homogenization Pressure Homogenization Temperature Treatments By Product Type Instruments Reagents & Consumables By Cell Type Mammalian Cells Bacterial Cells Yeast/Algae/Fungi Plant Cells By Application Protein Isolation Downstream Processing Cell organelle Isolation Nucleic acid Isolation By Region North America Europe APAC Latin America MEA Buy this Premium Research Report | Immediate Delivery Available https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=85283